Wargame Design Studios Panzer Battles question

[acctingman]

Has anyone played the WDS Panzer Battles games? I heard the titles are slowly being converted to 3d sprites and I was wondering what people thought of the games? I've been eyeballing Second Front but that game doesn't seem "new guy to tactical wargame" friendly. By the looks of it, I'm not sure the WDS games are either 

[ethelberttaylo]

I just started playing, it's fun but it's also boring. WDS are all the same.

[Jarhead0331]

I always felt like WDS games and HPS/Tiller before it, where sort of easy to learn, but hard to master. Whether panzer battles is the right series for you will depend largely on what you're looking for in terms of scale. PB fits between Squad Battles and Panzer Campaigns, having 250 meter hexes, 1 turn equal to 30 minutes, and platoon size units. The battles in the series focus on tank battles and ranged fire.

Personally I think WDS shines at the Squad Battles scale. I think 50 meter hexes and 5 minute terms. Units are squad sized with individual vehicles modeled. It's my favorite of the venerable Tiller designed games.

[devoncop]

I just started playing, it's fun but it's also boring. WDS are all the same.

I am playing a LOT of the WDS/Tiller Operational level games and I can assure you they are anything but "the same"

Try playing France 14 like Smolensk 41 as the Germans and you will be crushed in very short order. Even within the same series like the First World War series, Serbia 14 could hardly be more different than France 14 or East Prussia 14. Partisans, Irregulars, horrendous mountainous terrain, problems within the Austro Hungarian army with the Bosnians and Croats being very unwilling participants in the Imperial war all give it a totally different experience.

So with respect. I disagree :-)

[Gusington]

If I wanted to try out the series, would Serbia '14 - or any of the '14 games, really - be a bad place to start?

Asking for a friend 

[Boggit]

If I wanted to try out the series, would Serbia '14 - or any of the '14 games, really - be a bad place to start?

Asking for a friend 

Matter of taste really Gus. The WW1 games are a slower pace compared to the WW2 ones - in the main - I'm currently playing the Philippines Luzon campaign and after the initial landings the campaign drags with lots of mud and crappy ground to cover. The Modern battles series tend to be short sharp and bloody as well as fast paced.

All things being equal some of the eastern front games are good places to start like Kharkov 42, Kursk 43 or Stalingrad 42.

[Gusington]

Thanks Boggit

[devoncop]

If I wanted to try out the series, would Serbia '14 - or any of the '14 games, really - be a bad place to start?

Asking for a friend 

I wouldn't recommend Serbia 14 as a starting game. Like Philippines 44 it has unique challenges and playstyles that are not immediately obvious.

For a First World War game I would definitely recommend East Prussia 14 which has lots of manouvre and like Boggit says I would recommend Kharkov 42 and Kursk 43 as WW2 starters.

Whichever you try though, play through the tutorial scenario following through the first couple of turns in the relevant section and also ALWAYS read the designer notes which are a superb read about the history of the particular campaign the particular game is based on, orders of battle which are meticulously researched, and advice and notes on every scenario available in each game.

The games have more than a hundred scenarios ranging from half a dozen turns to over 400 in the Campaign scenarios.
 

[Gusington]

Thank you devon

[JasonPratt]

I read that as "the Serbia 14 game has an over-400 turn campaign scenario", and was forced to assume this was thanks to King Nicholas I of Montenegro being the WW1 equivalent of Chuck Norris. 

[devoncop]

I read that as "the Serbia 14 game has an over-400 turn campaign scenario", and was forced to assume this was thanks to King Nicholas I of Montenegro being the WW1 equivalent of Chuck Norris. 

 

I am playing a 352 turn Operation Husky game at the minute as the Axis in a PBEM.

Let's put it this way ....you wouldn't put your life on being saved by the Italian Coastal Divns. Seen more fight in a ballet troupe.

[nelmsm]

I've been playing and play testing HPS, then JTS, and finally WDS games for years.  The best part of the catalogue is once you learn one title in a series you've learned them all.  I'd be more than happy to play a teaching game with anyone if someone wants to take the plunge.  There is also free demo's of almost all the series so it's easy to grab one and see if it suits you.  The Panzer Battles demo has quite a few scenarios and can be played PBEM even. They aren't that difficult to pick up in my opinion so I always say pick the one that interests you the most and learn it.  That interest will keep you at it and you can get it fairly quickly.  Nuances may take a bit longer but the basics are pretty straightforward to me anyway.

[Gusington]

Thank you.

[acctingman]

I've been playing and play testing HPS, then JTS, and finally WDS games for years.  The best part of the catalogue is once you learn one title in a series you've learned them all.  I'd be more than happy to play a teaching game with anyone if someone wants to take the plunge.  There is also free demo's of almost all the series so it's easy to grab one and see if it suits you.  The Panzer Battles demo has quite a few scenarios and can be played PBEM even. They aren't that difficult to pick up in my opinion so I always say pick the one that interests you the most and learn it.  That interest will keep you at it and you can get it fairly quickly.  Nuances may take a bit longer but the basics are pretty straightforward to me anyway.

I might take you up on that offer of teaching the game.

[Gusington]

^That would be very cool, setting up an online tutorial, etc.