Your Indispensable WWII Game

[undercovergeek]

Any of the WWII Combat Mission Titles.  Followed by Hearts of Iron II

+1 on the Combat Mission titles, primarily the CMX1's, since I'm still having trouble getting my head around the CMX2 engine. I so wish they had made a Cold War Hot version set in the late 70's early 80's.

On its way

[Gusington]

Thanks for all the answers. There are some above that I know well but don't own...where is a good start point for the Combat Mission games? And I have not heard of Darkest hour.

I do have a preference for the Eastern Front...so would Operation Star and a Combat Mission game be redundant?

[JasonPratt]

^What about War in the East?

WitP:AE has more variety.

Btw, if I had to choose an indispensable East Front CMish game, I wouldn't go with CM:Barbarossa to Berlin (now increasingly outdated), and maybe not even the Star games. I'd look into PanzerCommand:Ostfront. Graphics aren't as good as Star, but there are dynamic campaigns and the whole Eastern Front is simulated.

[Slick Wilhelm]

Well, I was going to say WitP:AE, but seeing as how you want to be able to finish it in your lifetime...I'll change my recommendation to Uncommon Valor.

[undercovergeek]

Thanks for all the answers. There are some above that I know well but don't own...where is a good start point for the Combat Mission games? And I have not heard of Darkest hour.

I do have a preference for the Eastern Front...so would Operation Star and a Combat Mission game be redundant?

Cm bagration isn't too far away

I say too faraway - I mean end of yearish

[sandman2575]

Btw, if I had to choose an indispensable East Front CMish game, I wouldn't go with CM:Barbarossa to Berlin (now increasingly outdated), and maybe not even the Star games. I'd look into PanzerCommand:Ostfront. Graphics aren't as good as Star, but there are dynamic campaigns and the whole Eastern Front is simulated.

To each his own, of course -- but PCO feels a lot closer to CM Barbarossa to Berlin than more up-to-date games.  Graphics wise it's not even in the same dimension as Achtung Panzer (which itself has pretty good but not great gfx).  I know the dedicated modders like MadRussian et al. have added a ton of content to keep PCO alive, but for me the game just isn't playable anymore when you have games like Achtung Panzer and the new Combat Mission titles vying for your attention.  (That said, the editors for PCO add a level of customizability / modability that Achtung Panzer can't touch.)

[PanzersEast]

Hearts of Iron II or III and Battle of Britain II WoV..... those have outlasted the rest.


PE

[LongBlade]

Bison's WW2 fav's:

Combat Mission Battle for Normandy
Combat Mission Fortress Italy
Conflict of Heroes
Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge
Battle Academy

And unlike Toonces' suggestion, all of the games I listed can be finished in a single lifetime.  :P

Bison has pretty much nailed it. All of those games are winners, though I would hesitate to put Battle Academy in the same class as the rest of those games. It's fun, but not a real wargame.

[Trooperc7]

Its good and getting better,, Red Orchestra; Heroes of Stalingrad.. a great FPS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUVoPbmooTo

[Gusington]

Is there a sinvle player campaign for Red Ochestra yet?

VERY tempted by Panzer Command Ostfront, especally from that above description...

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Iron Front: 1944 but only for online co-op.  The single player experience is poor.

If we're talking online FPS, then Darkest Hour

Darkest Hour is fun, but the level of detail and tactical immersion you get in a good round of online co-op in Iron Front is, for me, much more satisfying.  The pacing is slower and more methodical, but the firefights are more intense.  For me, Darkest Hour is like the original Ghost Recon and Iron Front is more like SWAT 3. 

[Ubercat]

Bison has pretty much nailed it. All of those games are winners, though I would hesitate to put Battle Academy in the same class as the rest of those games. It's fun, but not a real wargame.

Watch it! Your post could get deleted for saying that! Oh wait, wrong website.

[jejo68]

War of the pacific, Admirals adition.

Maybe because im just in the middle of kicking atillas behind  ;D

[Wolfe1759]

Grand Strategic - Strategic Command II Global Gold (with the SOE Fast Play Scenario for playing just the ETO)

Strategic - War in the East

Operational - Unity of Command

Tactical - Conflict of Heroes

[Gusington]

I've got Unity of Command too. How hard is it to get into and learn?