Game Dev Status 11/8/08

Monthly total 1.5 hours; yearly total effort 49 hours 45 minutes.

I've been making notes in a paper notebook for the last couple of
days. I need to do some hard thinking about the rules, and some real
design work about the AI before I resume writing code. I've also been
reading the Regs XXII rulebook and assessing the Beta 8 code to
identify rules that are missing from PC Eylau. I'll either have to

Yesterday I found that many of the XVII Artillery rules were not
implemented. Battery Box, Spiking the guns, Volunteer Gunners,
Ammunition Transports, and Reloading are not presently in the game.
I'll continue to assess the game system from time to time, and I'll do
my best to add more of these rules to the game as time goes on. I
plan to include Reloading in Beta 9 at this time; I'd very much like
to include Ricochet fire as well.

I was able to verify that the QB2 and Regs XXX first fire rules
options were in the code for Beta 8.

I am making some progress on the Beta 9 AI. I'm calling this version
of the AI the "One Div" AI because my first goal on the way to Beta 9
is to have the AI play a decent game at the divisional level. I have
included a test scenario called "Test: One Div - Opening Moves" that
pits the French IV/2 against the Russian 8th Division. I'm trying to
reduce the complexity of the problems I have to solve at any time.
Right now I have reduced the Mission Essential Task List (METL) of the
first iteration of "One Div" to

Move towards (and make) Feu attack
Move towards (and make) Assaut
Move to site Artillery in Battery
Change infantry formations between line and column

One Div iteration 1 will go straight up the middle towards its
assigned goal hex in a line of units in column. Upon encountering the
enemy, it will put in a hasty attack combining some units firing and
some assaulting, depending on the situation. In turns subsequent to
the initial contact, One Div will redeploy and/or combine units to
maximize effectiveness, and deploy artillery as necessary.

Later I will add in breakdown/buildup of units, extend
front/concentrate, constitute/commit reserve, stacking, and extended
line to the METL. This should be One Div iteration 2.

Later I will enhance this to include Cavalry, tieing in flanks between
divisions, corps level reserve, economy of force, grand battery siting
and coordination, and whatever else might be of use.