Along with the addition of Variable Weather and Terrain Effects (post located here:
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,267754.0.html ), another feature which would add new tactical and strategic elements to the game would be capturable bridges, and rivers which allow landing craft and PT boat movement along them. Seen a few posts on both topics, but again, I am adding more detail and elaborating.
First, lets talk about bridges. Im not talking about bridges as we have them now... I am talking about fortified bridges, more along the lines of Arnhem Bridge (from the movie A Bridge Too Far) and other major bridges that were captured, held and defended during WW2.
These bridges would have gun batteries, barracks, ords, fuel, radar, a vehicle hangar, and a map room. Town buildings on either side of the bridge would be a nice feature also. Spent some time in Photoshop and this is an idea of what I am talking about. Note that the amount of buildings and their locations would need to be worked out, but this is just an idea:
You will notice that I have TWO capture points here... One for each side of the bridge. That is because you dont actually capture the bridge... you capture both sides of it. If you only hold one side of the bridge, you dont really hold the bridge... because you cant use it without driving into occupied territory. However, the bridge CAN be destroyed to prevent anyone from using it.
Each "town" on either side of the bridge is an independent town. It also gets a VH, Barracks, Ammo, Fuel, Radar, and Gun Batteries. Alone... each side is smaller than a normal town, and smaller than a normal VH. But together, they are somewhat bigger than a VH would be.
It would take discussion and testing to determine if you had to flatten the town buildings before you could take the map room, but I would suspect you would need to... otherwise, it may be too easy to take them.
The geography around the bridge towns would also vary with the map. Some would have steep banks, some you might be able to land on with an LVT.
Also... once you take one side is when the real fight starts. You have GVs rolling out to attack and defend at point bank range, gun batteries firing (although it may need to be set up so that the AI ack guns DONT fire at each other... only at enemy units. Or they would just end up knocking each other out in a matter of seconds.) and players scrambling to take the other side before reinforcements arrive.
Now... as for the river aspect of it. I realize we dont have traverse-able rivers in game yet. These would need to be in place for the above setup to mean anything. But... if (and when) they are implemented... LVT's and PT's would be able to move up and down them freely. This would add yet another level to combat, allowing deep penetration into territory normally not accessible by GV's
Just think about a map where each side was separated by major rivers, and the tactics needed to gain ground on it.
Again... lets get some thoughts and comments going on this.
