Armored Brigade

[ArizonaTank]

The new DLC featuring Czechoslovakia and the Netherlands has been announced.

They will come with more than 200 new units and aircraft, a new map located in the Plzeň Region, Czechoslovakia and a linear campaign inspired by the events of the Prague Spring.

https://www.matrixgames.com/game/armored-brigade-nation-pack-czechoslovakia-netherlands

Throw in a few bottles of Bohemian pilsner and I'm yours.   

[Gusington]

^You cheap gaming floozy!

[Lotti Fuehrscheim]

https://www.abaa.org/book/943636315

Broadsheet: LaMaarLullen (La Maar Lullen = Let Him Babble)

Dutch conscripts in the 1970's. An iconic poster from the Bond voor Dienstplichtigen (Union of Conscripts).

Though in practice most conscripts were acting efficient, and most officers succeeded in motivating these boys without shouting too much.

I was in the Dutch army for a while in 1979. Our (small) platoon of intelligence clerks was commanded by an old professional Sergeant Major from the former Dutch East Indies army, a very small dark Moluccan, who had fought there in late 1940's, but now his body was giving away and he was in the process of being retired for bad knees.

So after he taught us how to march, he gave me, as room oldest, our schedule in the morning every day, and we reported at the different training grounds after marching there in two's (no leader meant not being allowed to march in larger formations).

And we conscripts just tried to do everything right first time, because that meant we could enjoy time off early, some going for sports, others reading a book or playing risk. There was some kind of pride to perform well without imposed discipline, and the good officers knew how to strengthen that.

No idea how effective the force would have been in real combat, but the general consensus was that being deployed in battle meant a short life. But then we all trusted that it wouldn't come to that after all. And that proved right, fortunately.

[Lotti Fuehrscheim]

But back to the game: I have seen some video's of it and I wasn't terribly impressed by the actual gameplay: kind of a Close Combat on a larger scale and later time, but similarly brain dead AI. I would love to play around a bit with the Cold War Dutch army, but only if the game has some spirit in it, which youtubers haven't been able to show to me.

[Pete Dero]

No idea how effective the force would have been in real combat

There is this joke about the Belgian Airforce in WW2 : the French asked for help from the Belgian Airforce - Belgium replied : how much of them do you need ? One or both of them.

[Lotti Fuehrscheim]

The Belgian navy has formally been merged with the Dutch navy, with a single command headquarters in Den Helder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_Benelux

Dutch and Belgian armies, though also formally closely cooperating, work less well together in practice, because the Belgian army is traditionally dominated by Walloons, who don't (want to or can) speak Dutch in general, and the Dutch have largely abandoned their traditional (for the higher classes at least) knowledge of French.

[Pete Dero]

The Belgian navy has formally been merged with the Dutch navy, with a single command headquarters in Den Helder

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiral_Benelux

Dutch and Belgian armies, though also formally closely cooperating, work less well together in practice, because the Belgian army is traditionally dominated by Walloons, who don't (want to or can) speak Dutch in general, and the Dutch have largely abandoned their traditional (for the higher classes at least) knowledge of French.

I know : I'm Flemish.

And things have improved a lot about Walloon domination.   Problem is all military purchases are politically motivated and Wallonië has FN. 


And some Dutch speak something that resembles French  .

[Lotti Fuehrscheim]

When the best song about Flanders (and the Dutch coast) came from a French speaker.

[UN Weapons Inspector]

Fantastic!!
I mean the songs

[The_Admiral]

Oh well, he was indeed!
Besides, you English speakers probably know his songs too for having been the original author of what became Seasons in the Sun  ;)

[Pete Dero]

Oh well, he was indeed!
Besides, you English speakers probably know his songs too for having been the original author of what became Seasons in the Sun  ;)

 

[ArizonaTank]

But back to the game: I have seen some video's of it and I wasn't terribly impressed by the actual gameplay: kind of a Close Combat on a larger scale and later time, but similarly brain dead AI. I would love to play around a bit with the Cold War Dutch army, but only if the game has some spirit in it, which youtubers haven't been able to show to me.

It is too bad the game doesn't have a good demo for you.

I have found the AI to be "OK", and a decent sparing partner. For hand built scenarios, the scenario editor actually gives the scenario author some interesting tools to tweak the AI.

As for being like Close Combat...yes, the game is certainly that. If CC is not your thing, than AB probably doesn't work for you either.

The game is also a 2D love-fest. While AB has some great, well thought-out tools to help the player understand elevations and LOS in the 2D environment,  they still can't compete with 3D. So if 3D is your need, then the CM series is a better (but more expensive) choice.

However, if scenario building is your thing, than AB has a very flexible, comprehensive set of tools closer to the Combat Mission series. And in some ways deeper than CM. For example, there is a database editor right off the main menu... (Full disclosure, I'll give my heart to any game with a solid set of scenario editing tools).

[Apocalypse 31]

I don't understand the wargamer obsession with this game. I think it is a terrible game.

What is even more irritating is that it has had so much potential. I don't think a new factions DLC is going to change anything- more units re-skinned. Big deal.

My review:
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197999416881/recommended/1089840/

[al_infierno]

^ I've seen your review before and don't entirely agree with it.  I've found pathfinding to be fine based on order types I used, and you shouldn't be microing squads anyways.

[Lotti Fuehrscheim]

But back to the game: I have seen some video's of it and I wasn't terribly impressed by the actual gameplay: kind of a Close Combat on a larger scale and later time, but similarly brain dead AI. I would love to play around a bit with the Cold War Dutch army, but only if the game has some spirit in it, which youtubers haven't been able to show to me.

The game is also a 2D love-fest. While AB has some great, well thought-out tools to help the player understand elevations and LOS in the 2D environment,  they still can't compete with 3D. So if 3D is your need, then the CM series is a better (but more expensive) choice.

I played a lot of CM Shock Force, and I enjoyed playing with the toys of the 21st century the Dutch Army.
Though the absolute best scenario's were the Red on Red Road to Dinas scenario's. Not so asymmetrical, Russian hardware against Russian hardware. I also like Afghanistan. And the British campaign with its funnies.

The US striker campaign was lower quality, but that mainly because it was the first, and they just didn't have the experience yet to create good scenario's.

I also played a few multiplayer matches, and they were some of the best wargaming experiences I ever had: "will my RPG hit or miss?"