GrogHeads Forum

Digital Gaming => Computer Gaming => Topic started by: Jarhead0331 on January 29, 2021, 03:24:44 PM

Title: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on January 29, 2021, 03:24:44 PM
Going to be running a new regular contest where we talk about a particular subject as it relates to our favorite games and after a few days, everyone who posts will be eligible to participate in our drawing where the randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of a game!

The subject for our first drawing is - TANKS! So, talk about your favorite game that has them.  Simple!

The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of:

Total Tank Simulator!

(https://hb.imgix.net/f74db61abf85cad9df31a240df81f8ca33bceafe.jpeg?auto=compress,format&fit=clip&h=383&w=667&s=489c2bcc7a9d4c42c4a3872714736df7)

Winner will be selected on February 3.

Begin and good luck...
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 29, 2021, 03:32:19 PM
Cool idea

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1467120/IL2_Sturmovik_Tank_Crew__Clash_at_Prokhorovka/
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on January 29, 2021, 03:35:13 PM
Quote from: Gusington on January 29, 2021, 03:32:19 PM
Cool idea

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1467120/IL2_Sturmovik_Tank_Crew__Clash_at_Prokhorovka/

FYI - Posting a link does not make you eligible.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 29, 2021, 03:38:37 PM
I was just posting for the sake of the thread!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on January 29, 2021, 03:42:12 PM
Quote from: Gusington on January 29, 2021, 03:38:37 PM
I was just posting for the sake of the thread!

Clarifying why you just posted a link doesn't make you eligible either.  :crazy2:
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 29, 2021, 03:51:54 PM
 :-[
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Yskonyn on January 29, 2021, 05:45:05 PM
That's easy! Firepower!
Yes, the 1988 port from Amiga by Silent Software.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Power_(video_game)

You got to choose from 3 tanks and had to find the enemy base and destroy its flag. Meanwhile you could roam around the map (base locations were hidden) and pick up POW's.
Each tank type had a different amount of seats available for these men.

The map was pretty expansive and destructible. Quite a feat for that time.
It also offered splitscreen play and this was the mode mini me spent A LOT of time in with my friend.
The game was actually owned by him and not me and I vividly remember him getting sick of me always asking for a few rounds of Firepower! :D

Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: rustyshackleford on January 29, 2021, 05:52:35 PM
I went through a Tank phase about a decade ago - hands down my ALL time favorite gaming when it came to tanks happened in Red Orchestra: Ostfront (I remember playing it when it was a mod before it got its own standalone commercial release).



I'm not a console gamer, but did you also know there was a WW2 tank sim released in the 90s for the Playstation - that was fairly realistic and even included a tactical command map that let you order other tanks in your group even?

Check out this Tiger playing in the snow:



And finally my FAVORITE WW2 system that models tanks + infantry the best for me is Ghost Panzer. Simulating combined arms (infantry and tanks) together in boardgames is tough due to 1) map size/scale and 2) simulated time passing for each turn. Systems are either wildly inaccurate (letting tanks run all over the map) or tack on complicated rules for armor. Ghost Panzer seamlessly integrates BOTH aspects of battle with minimal rules overhang and it's simple, fast and fun as hell. A Tiger can sit at distance in cover/on high ground and plink at T-34s all day long and pretty much own the entire map. But once it starts moving or the T-34s are able to swarm and get in close and/or on the flanks, it's game over for the Germans (which reflects historical accounts from what I've read). The key in this system is figuring out when to move and when to hunker down.



Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: hellfish6 on January 29, 2021, 06:07:04 PM
Tank Crew is hot, soulless garbage and I'm 100% invested into the success of GHPC (https://gunnerheatpc.com/).

(https://manakeep.com/df/W1siZiIsIjIwMjEvMDEvMDkvMWk5dnFwdjFicl9NNjBBM19zdW5yaXNlLmpwZyJdXQ/M60A3%20sunrise.jpg)

(https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/563889828350001172/794108609612087336/aftermath.PNG?width=1049&height=609)

Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: -budd- on January 29, 2021, 06:09:21 PM
Got to be the Graviteam games for me. I've had some pretty epic tank battles, which are real easy to setup in the battle generator. Tank battles in early dawn...check, tank battles in the  fog...check, tank battles in the rain, snow, night, sunny day..check, check, check.


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50888246468_dc62effd37_h.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50888246493_92f01b55ab_h.jpg)

Pretty cinematic game.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 29, 2021, 06:30:47 PM
Thank God for this thread because I almost bought Tank Crew this week on sale.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: rustyshackleford on January 29, 2021, 09:02:11 PM
I also forgot about Panzer Elite - an old, old game that can be had on GOG but modders have kept it alive. Check this out!

Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: hellfish6 on January 30, 2021, 08:14:03 AM
While I love Panzer Elite, and it will always be the benchmark for WWII tank games for me, I can't play it anymore. No matter how much modders improve it, it still feels like I'm playing a 25-year-old German game.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: fran on January 30, 2021, 10:19:15 AM
Well, it started with M1 Tank platoon...

Did play World of Tanks way too much.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on January 30, 2021, 11:08:43 AM
I've got to put in a pitch for my old, trusted friend, the Combat Mission series. From the original to the present, whether it's tank vs tank or tank vs anything, I love the way this game handles combat, Turn-Based or Real-Time. No, you cannot actually drive a tank or shoot the guns, but with about a million things that can happen to your tank when it gets hit by anything from a stray pistol shot to a 15 in. naval gun shell there's no more realistic and unpredictable effects anywhere for me. And you can play a single turn over a dozen times and the same effect can be completely different each time. And any average Joe can create some very hot and huge armored battles like our good friend here at Grogheads, Michael Dorosh. My vote for Tank Stardom.  :dreamer:
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: steve58 on January 30, 2021, 11:16:57 AM
I've played a few tanks sims on and off over the years, but the one I enjoyed the most was from way, waay back to 1989.  It was called Omega.  You could design the tanks and then write/create AI scripts.  I still have my old copy.  You could even upload your designs to compete with other Omega owners.  Fun times...

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fen%2F7%2F76%2FOmegaBoxShotAmiga.jpg&hash=c773166b127158ade216732ac02fd31af77d167c)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Rayfer on January 30, 2021, 12:44:35 PM
Like Sir Slash, my favorite tank battle moments have come from Combat Mission, specifically Red Thunder.  Nothing beats zooming in up close to a destroyed tank and being able to see exactly where the armored piecing shell punched a hole in the front armor. 
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 30, 2021, 12:47:15 PM
Holy crap Omega!! That really brings me back. I remember seeing ads for that game at my local game shop and on the back of Run magazine.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: FarAway Sooner on January 30, 2021, 03:15:14 PM
The post didn't specify it had to be a PC game, so I'm going to go with...  Ogre.  While Panzer Blitz was a very cool board game and Tobruk might have been the best tank-to-tank board wargame ever made, Ogre opened my eyes to the whole possibility of science fiction wargames.  And it did it for only $2.95!!  I've had a soft spot in my heart for building-sized cybernetic war machines ever since...

On the PC front, I'm giving it up for the original Panzer General.  That sort of innovative gameplay literally spawned an entire genre of wargames that is still going strong more than 20+ years later!  And I had such great fun playing a wargame where my units actually picked up experience and got better as they carried over from scenario to scenario!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: MikeGER on January 31, 2021, 04:39:58 AM
Quote from: steve58 on January 30, 2021, 11:16:57 AM
I've played a few tanks sims on and off over the years, but the one I enjoyed the most was from way, waay back to 1989.  It was called Omega.  You could design the tanks and then write/create AI scripts.  I still have my old copy.  You could even upload your designs to compete with other Omega owners.  Fun times...


when i saw your post with the vector graphics, i thought how had it all begone for me   ...my first tank sim :dreamer: (and an quite expensive one considering a coin for a few minutes of play time.)

Acrade machine  Battlezone :D
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Apocalypse 31 on January 31, 2021, 06:51:38 AM
Quote from: hellfish6 on January 29, 2021, 06:07:04 PM
Tank Crew is hot, soulless garbage and I'm 100% invested into the success of GHPC (https://gunnerheatpc.com/).

I agree with your comments on Tank Crew. We are the minority there.

As much as I'd like to hope for GHPC, I don't expect much depth.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Pete Dero on January 31, 2021, 07:31:02 AM
Obvious choice is Steel Beasts.

Maybe less obvious is Panzer Command Ostfront  (https://www.matrixgames.com/game/panzer-command-ostfront).

And of course my first PC game : Steel Panthers III.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: fran on January 31, 2021, 08:45:12 AM
Quote from: fran on January 30, 2021, 10:19:15 AM
Well, it started with M1 Tank platoon...

Did play World of Tanks way too much.

And the tanks in Close Combat series....
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Grim.Reaper on January 31, 2021, 08:50:53 AM
Unless I missed it above, can't forget Steel Fury and with its mods.....

(https://i.imgur.com/zjpUimE.png)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: hellfish6 on January 31, 2021, 11:08:54 AM
I'll add my first real wargame - TacOps (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TacOps). I was 16 or so when it came out and my Dad got it for me to Christmas. He actually still plays it himself to this day. I was never able to get into the Steel Panthers series because I loved this game so much. Despite SP having actual vehicle graphics, the hexes didn't compare to the pixel-based maps of TacOps.

(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YWSYxhTFuNU/Tbo11lqYNxI/AAAAAAAAA0o/lHPKFkChuP0/s1600/TacOps4_04.jpg)

I'll also toss in my first tank sim (well, semi-sim... and M1TP2 will always be the godfather of tank sims for me): Team Yankee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Yankee_(video_game)). It was a very unusual game but I really enjoyed it and its sequel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Islands_(video_game)) in their time.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LkuhwjRoTSg/hqdefault.jpg)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 31, 2021, 12:57:50 PM
Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 on sale @ Steam right now for 3.74!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Toonces on January 31, 2021, 01:10:03 PM
Ah man, MikeGER sniped me with Battlezone!

I keep thinking that one of the monster missed opportunities in PC Tank Simming thus far is DCS: Combined Arms.  For me even in its present state it's a pretty fun experience, but I am not super-hardcore into tanking.  Still, the potential to wrap a Steel Beasts/DCS-quality tank into Combined Arms is just leaving money on the table IMO.  Finally, we would have a fully integrated electronic battlefield with an extremely high level of fidelity.

If Steel Beasts had some sort of dynamic campaign or something of the sort I'd probably play it a lot more.  And if I wasn't constantly finding myself an update or two behind the times.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Pete Dero on January 31, 2021, 01:25:17 PM
Quote from: Gusington on January 31, 2021, 12:57:50 PM
Steel Fury: Kharkov 1942 on sale @ Steam right now for 3.74!

STA mod 3.4 : http://www.grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=22684.msg686332#msg686332
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 31, 2021, 01:28:37 PM
^Does that make it worth the 3.74? haha
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Pete Dero on January 31, 2021, 01:37:51 PM
Quote from: Gusington on January 31, 2021, 01:28:37 PM
^Does that make it worth the 3.74? haha

I even would have paid 3.75 !
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 31, 2021, 03:38:55 PM
Nice!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: rustyshackleford on January 31, 2021, 04:02:40 PM
Seeing someone post Battlezone earlier (oh the memories!), I just purchased Battlezone 98 Redux from GoG - and I gotta say, although arcadey, it is FUN and has a unique RTS/FPS element to it. If you're into tanks at all, I'd recommend picking this up:

Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Father Ted on January 31, 2021, 06:17:32 PM
The venerable Darkest Hour is still a great way to do WW2 tanks
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: JasonPratt on February 03, 2021, 05:29:52 PM
!! Armored Commander II !!

Wait, sorry, let me affect a British accent... ahem...

!! Armoured Commander II !!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1292020/Armoured_Commander_II/

How can a game using graphics explicitly based on the Commodore 64 be so good? By being in effect the best Dan Verssen solitaire game not actually designed by DVG. (It's more specifically inspired by the classic Patton's Best boardgame from 1987, but far, far, faaaaarrr beyond it in content.)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 03, 2021, 06:04:45 PM
Thank you to everyone who participated!

The lucky winner for the first official round of Let's Talk About! is SirSlash!

Congrats buddy. Check your PM for the code.

Stay tuned for the next round!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 03, 2021, 06:26:20 PM
Round two of Grogheads' new weekly contest! You know the rules - all you have to do is talk about a particular subject as it relates to our favorite games and after a few days, everyone who posts will be eligible to participate in our drawing. The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of a game!

The subject for this week's drawing is - WWII Battles! So, talk about your favorite battle to study and game.  Simple!

The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of: Sudden Strike 4!

(https://www.mobygames.com/images/covers/l/421500-sudden-strike-4-steelbook-edition-windows-manual.jpg)

Cut off for entries is February 10!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on February 03, 2021, 07:33:59 PM
Thanks Jar. I appreciate what you're doing here to kick-up interest in these subjects. Now for my....short...Acceptance Speech ( unravels 8 feet long sheet of paper).
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 03, 2021, 07:54:01 PM
Thank you, Sir Slash. I have no shame resorting to bribery to make this a better place for all.

With that said, I've merged the threads into one super thread that will be pinned so the most current topic and giveaway is easy to find...
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 03, 2021, 07:55:23 PM
RAF Bomber Command night bombing campaign.  I'm kind of obsessed with it and am bummed that there aren't more PC and board games covering the topic.

For the PC, I have Defending the Reich from HPS Simulations.  It's light but decent (and you need special files from HPS to get it to run on Win 10). 

(https://www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/defreich/DTR%20Raid%20Execution.jpg)


Bomber Crew was a fun little crew management game where you crewed a generic Lancaster bomber.  The cutsey graphics were a turn off for me but I enjoyed the gameplay and the nods to historical missions as you progressed through the war.


I've also got Eagle Day to Bombing the Reich from Matrix but the GUI is so awful that I never touch it. 

I fly the Halifax and the Lancaster in War Thunder but sadly, they don't have any missions or campaigns specifically focussing on night ops and massed bomber raids.  It's just a random grab bag these days so more often than not, I find myself flying a Halifax over Kursk in broad daylight while being escorted by some Zeroes, a P-47, and 3 Yaks while we fight off B-17s, Me109s, and Spitfires.  (sure looks pretty though.)


For board games,  I really like Bomber Command from GMT Games.  I also like Duel in the Dark and Duel in the Dark: Baby Blitz even though they're more abstract and play more like a Euro-style game than a true wargame.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/27101/bomber-command-night-raids (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/27101/bomber-command-night-raids)

(https://theplayersaid.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/bomber-command-himmelbett-zone.jpg?w=616)



https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/32646/duel-dark-baby-blitz (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/32646/duel-dark-baby-blitz)

(https://meeples.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/pa3101121.jpg)


Nightfighter from GMT Games is a tactical level game.  Kind of weird in that one player actively controls nightfighters and tries to hunt down and kill enemy bombers.  The player controlling the bombers is basically passive and acts more like an umpire than a true opponent.  It's interesting but hard to find someone willing to play as the ump.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/33924/nightfighter (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/33924/nightfighter)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ok3Tn_trrZk/XjYzyMOcjcI/AAAAAAAABLY/30AJjL4CayAXMqKTx1O66Z1Taq-HOJ0wwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_3767.jpg)


Enemy Coast Ahead from GMT is a great solo game (that can also be played co-op) covering the Dams raids by 617 Sqn (Dambusters).  The next game in the series that covers the Doolittle raid on Japan is also excellent.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/142889/enemy-coast-ahead-dambuster-raid (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/142889/enemy-coast-ahead-dambuster-raid)

(https://i2.wp.com/www.insidegmt.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/image2.jpg)



Target For Tonight from Legion Games is a solo game where you control a single bomber crew manning your choice of a Stirling, Halifax, Lancaster, or Wellington.  It's a narrative-driven game where you roll on a series of tables to determine what happens to your plane during each leg of the journey to and from the target.  It's based on the Target For Today game which was based on B-17 Queen of the Skies.  I have to say that I find this one rather disappointing.  They simply ported the combat over from Target For Today and that makes absolutely no sense for a night combat game.  Nightfighters should not be making high speed, head-on passes against bombers in the dead of night.  Modders have done some excellent work over at BGG in an attempt to make the game more historically accurate but that requires you to print out a tonne of new components and tables.  The game should never have been released without way more playtesting and input from fans.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/300591/target-tonight-britains-strategic-air-campaign-ove (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/300591/target-tonight-britains-strategic-air-campaign-ove)

(https://theplayersaid.files.wordpress.com/2020/05/target-for-tonight-wellington.jpg?w=616)



Finally, I have a collection of Lancaster bombers and several nightfighters for the miniatures system, Wings of Glory.  While the game itself doesn't have rules covering night fighting, I've managed to cobble some together and we have a lot of fun with it.


Here of some shots of a game I put together covering the Dambusters raid  (with some night fighters thrown in to make it more interesting).  We played with dimmed lights and spotlights on the table because...why not? 

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50458127141_2ca08d34c2_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50457417623_d558bb84b8_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50457417593_7a2acb6cc6_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 03, 2021, 08:06:00 PM
Holy shit...SDR fires a devastating salvo to kick off round duex!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: FarAway Sooner on February 03, 2021, 09:09:38 PM
Dang!  I was just going to talk about how much l liked studying the Battle of Midway, but I'd never found any good games to play that resembled it!!

For me, Midway was fascinating because it was early in the Pacific war, both sides were struggling to mesh together technology, doctrine, weapon systems, and training, and both sides had some huge weaknesses.  The Japanese were vastly superior in carrier air group ops (getting large formations launched and formed into a strike group quickly) while the Americans had real trouble even getting their squadrons to find each other after they'd launched from the same carrier.  The Japanese were light on anti-aircraft weapons, and didn't even have the fire control directors to do much but shoot shells in the general direction of diving bombers.

The Japanese had mature dogfighting tactics, while the Americans were still trying to figure out anything more advanced than "If a Jap gets on your tail, dive for the deck to get away and then hope nobody else finds you."  Neither side had an appreciation for the importance of reconnaissance in a duel between carriers, but the American aircraft were vastly better suited to that mission (and in particular the land-based float planes, the PBY Catalinas).  The Japanese torpedoes (from their planes and their ships) were deadly, while the Americans' only effective anti-ship weapon system was their dive bombers.  The Americans already had fairly mature damage control techniques, while the Japanese relied on personal bravery as the glue to hold together their damage control efforts (to disastrous effect in the ensuing battle).

The two sides were relatively evenly matched, which lent much more drama to the battle than most of the one-sided affairs fought in WW II.

The same thing that makes this stuff so fascinating to study makes it almost impossible to wargame in any satisfying manner.  At least, I've never found any satisfying tactical naval games set in the Pacific, much less any that specifically tackle the Battle of Midway successfully!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on February 03, 2021, 10:53:34 PM
Damn fine minnies there SDR. Who doesn't love Lancasters? A favorite game battle is Battle Academy: Metz 1944 because I love blowing up forts too. BTW, Since I just won give my shot a winning to someone else.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 04, 2021, 03:40:34 AM
Quote from: FarAway Sooner on February 03, 2021, 09:09:38 PM
Dang!  I was just going to talk about how much l liked studying the Battle of Midway, but I'd never found any good games to play that resembled it!!

For me, Midway was fascinating because it was early in the Pacific war, both sides were struggling to mesh together technology, doctrine, weapon systems, and training, and both sides had some huge weaknesses.  The Japanese were vastly superior in carrier air group ops (getting large formations launched and formed into a strike group quickly) while the Americans had real trouble even getting their squadrons to find each other after they'd launched from the same carrier.  The Japanese were light on anti-aircraft weapons, and didn't even have the fire control directors to do much but shoot shells in the general direction of diving bombers.

The Japanese had mature dogfighting tactics, while the Americans were still trying to figure out anything more advanced than "If a Jap gets on your tail, dive for the deck to get away and then hope nobody else finds you."  Neither side had an appreciation for the importance of reconnaissance in a duel between carriers, but the American aircraft were vastly better suited to that mission (and in particular the land-based float planes, the PBY Catalinas).  The Japanese torpedoes (from their planes and their ships) were deadly, while the Americans' only effective anti-ship weapon system was their dive bombers.  The Americans already had fairly mature damage control techniques, while the Japanese relied on personal bravery as the glue to hold together their damage control efforts (to disastrous effect in the ensuing battle).

The two sides were relatively evenly matched, which lent much more drama to the battle than most of the one-sided affairs fought in WW II.

The same thing that makes this stuff so fascinating to study makes it almost impossible to wargame in any satisfying manner.  At least, I've never found any satisfying tactical naval games set in the Pacific, much less any that specifically tackle the Battle of Midway successfully!

Couple of boardgames that you might want to check out are:

Fires of Midway.


and


2nd World War at Sea: Midway.



Fires of Midway is a light, card-driven wargame but it does an excellent job conveying the feeling and theme.  There's a search aspect that will determine the size of your hand and determine which side has the initiative (which means they get to modify the order in which carriers activate but also means their admiral is confident so you get penalized in some way.  Each admiral has different penalties.  Eg, Fletcher means you have to include Devastators in any strike package you put together, Halsey will force you to try to close the distance on every movement phase, etc).  Once the search phase is complete, each side sets up their carrier groups on the map, then one card is dealt out for each carrier in play.  The cards determine which order each carrier activates.  The ones that activate early in the round have a chance to get the jump on the enemy, but they are more limited in the size of the strike they can put together.  You then plot the course that your strike will take on the map and draw cards based on the distance to see how much fuel is used.  If you go over the limit, you still get to attack but your planes will be much less effective (and much less likely to make it back home after the attack).  Defenders get to try to spot the incoming raid and respond by intercepting with CAP or by drawing extra cards in hopes of getting extra cards that will help with air combat or AAA.

US carriers are better at spotting (radar), have better AAA, and better damage control.  Japanese have better planes with much longer range.  It's a really fun cat and mouse game with a lot of push your luck elements.   In addition to Midway, the game also has scenarios for Coral Sea battles, Santa Cruz, and Eastern Solomons.    (there's also the far-too-often used Final Countdown scenario with F-14s vs. Zekes.)



https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57073/fires-midway (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/57073/fires-midway)


2nd World War at Sea: Midway is part of a series of games so the engine can feel a little bit generic.  The strength of the game is the amount of detail in the scenarios with very accurate OOBs.  Each game in the series offers theatre specific rules to add chrome but for some reason, the rules for Midway are pretty generic.  Having said all that, the game is a lot of fun and the tension you feel while trying to find and fix the enemy carriers before they find you is palpable.   

http://www.avalanchepress.com/gameMidwayDeluxe.php (http://www.avalanchepress.com/gameMidwayDeluxe.php)

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13254/second-world-war-sea-midway (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/13254/second-world-war-sea-midway)

I haven't managed to find any videos covering the Midway game, but there are a few covering other games in the series.  The guy who made them is....well....not my cup of tea.  YMMV.





Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: matt3916 on February 04, 2021, 03:53:58 PM
Sooner -- Have you tried the JTS Midway? 
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: FarAway Sooner on February 04, 2021, 04:52:49 PM
SDR, thanks!  I'll look up the Fires of Midway game!!  If there's a Vassal Module out for it, I might even have a buddy who's willing to play it.

Matt, I've not tried the JTS game.  I loved the one or two titles of his that I've had the time to master, but I feel like I scarcely ever have that much time to spend on anything besides sleep!  Is it accessible?  And does it handle the carrier-based and land-based air components in a satisfactory fashion?
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 04, 2021, 05:42:02 PM
There is a VASSAL module for it.

http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:The_Fires_of_Midway (http://www.vassalengine.org/wiki/Module:The_Fires_of_Midway)

You might also want to have a look at https://www.fightingflattops.com/ (https://www.fightingflattops.com/).  Free to play, browser based, PBEM game of carrier battles in the Pacific.  Good times.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: steve58 on February 04, 2021, 05:57:05 PM
I've always meant to check out Fighting Flattops, but something else always distracted me.  Thanks for the reminder!  O0
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: matt3916 on February 04, 2021, 08:09:25 PM
Sooner -- Can't give you any details about JTS Midway.  But if you search YouTube for "JTS Midway", you'll find a couple of two plus hour videos (again, no idea about the quality).
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 06, 2021, 08:28:51 AM
For me, it's got to be the Battle of Crete. Something about the first full scale military airborne invasion really captures my imagination.  As for gaming, it also seems to be the perfect size for me from an operational and strategic perspective. The objectives are clear and the OOB is easy to understand. There aren't too many games out there that focus on or have scenarios for the battle of Crete, but some obvious standouts are JTS North Africa 41 and the TOAW series.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: GroggyGrognard on February 06, 2021, 10:13:38 PM
I've had a fascination with Case Blue and Operation Uranus. Army Group South fighting a campaign in southern Russia during 1942 and the Soviet counter-offensive going into 1943 has always been my favorite WW2 theater. It makes for fantastic wargames on multiple scales--tactical, operational, and strategic. My favorite wargames for this campaign are: Decisive Campaigns: Case Blue, Combat Commander: Battle Pack #2-Stalingrad from GMT Games, ASL, and SCS Stalingrad Pocket 2nd Edition from The Gamers. Of all of these, I've played Masahiro Yamazaki's Stalingrad Pocket the most. Simple, but brilliant game. Back in the 90's a wargame buddy of mine and I played a couple of short scenarios of OCS Enemy at the Gates from The Gamers, but we never pursued this game further. Eventually, I would like to play the monster OCS Case Blue from The Gamers. But, hey, one can always dream, right?


Groggy
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: JasonPratt on February 07, 2021, 11:57:21 PM
Oddly, I don't have a favorite WW2 battle -- I like so many of them, I could almost say my favorite is whatever I'm reading or playing or watching at the moment!

Thus I don't think this entry should really count for the contest, btw, since it isn't useful.  O:-) But I wanted to add to JH's list of Cretan Op games, the original sequel to Highway To the Reich (itself formerly Red Devils over Arnhem), Conquest of the Aegean -- eventually repurposed as an expansion (of the same title iirc?) for Command Ops, and currently part of the split CotA package entries for Command Ops2, grouped in Volume 5 "The Cauldron" (along with the North Africa battles and a hypothetical invasion of Malta. The more Greekish things from CotA are collected in Vol 4, "Foothills of the Gods".)

Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: IICptMillerII on February 09, 2021, 03:47:14 AM
Argh... WWII, my old nemesis.

>checks profile picture

Uh...

;D  ;D  ;D

Just wanted to swing by and express my appreciation for this new series! Don't consider me in the running for Sudden Strike 4 though, I already own it!

Wait, its a WWII game? Shi---
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 10, 2021, 09:21:37 PM
Thanks again to everyone who participated!

The lucky winner for the second round of Let's Talk About! is Groggy Grognard!

Congrats Grogster. Check your PM for the code.

Stay tuned for the next round!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 10, 2021, 09:36:06 PM
Round three of Grogheads' new weekly contest has arrived! You know the rules - all you have to do is talk about a particular subject as it relates to our favorite games and after a few days, everyone who posts will be eligible to participate in our drawing. The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of a game!

But wait, there is more! We've gone absolutely crazy balls here at Grogheads and this week there will be a first prize, a second prize and...wait for it...a third prize too! OMG! We've gone INSANE!

The subject for this week's drawing is - Military firearms, marksmanship, sniping, fieldcraft, etc. So, talk about your favorite military arms or anything involving trained marksmen on the battlefield, as well as games that feature these fearsome force multipliers. Simple!

The randomly selected 1st place winner will receive a free copy of: Sniper Elite V3!

(https://image.api.playstation.com/cdn/EP4040/CUSA00286_00/nVBKlOssLOsTOt2rX5K4MxoOWVxpW6TG.png)

The randomly selected 2nd place winner will receive a free copy of: Sniper Elite V2!

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/b/b2/Sniper_Elite_V2_cover_art.jpg/220px-Sniper_Elite_V2_cover_art.jpg)

The randomly selected 3rd place winner will receive a free copy of: Sniper Elite V1!

(https://fanatical.imgix.net/product/original/25c55915-48c1-40d9-bd35-c33d8dc79eb8.jpg?auto=compress,format&w=400&fit=max)

The lucky winners will be selected on February 17!  Good luck!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 10, 2021, 10:11:25 PM
Insane!!

(https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-lswkujrl9n/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/164/482/28-1__76236.1477332023.jpg?c=2)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 10, 2021, 11:06:43 PM
Sniper Elite is a one-trick pony but it's a really good trick!  I'm come to realize that I don't really like playing as a sniper in most PC games, especially multi-player.  I suck at it and I find it kinda dull.  Sniper Elite is the exception.  I chalk it up to the nut cam.

I tend to play as machine-gunners in stuff like Red Orchestra and ArmA.  I also like grenade launchers a lot.  I'd say ArmA is my go-to game for military shooters even though I haven't touched it in years.

For real-world stuff:

I have a love/hate relationship with the venerable C1A1 rifle.  It was the standard battle rifle for the Canadian Armed Forces when I first signed up.  Rugged, easy to care for, accurate, and fun to shoot.  It was also heavy and insanely long.  It also acted as a snag magnet.  With the ridiculous length and 90 degree angles all over the place, it'd get caught up on every single branch, shrub, clump of dirt, or master corporal within walking distance.

(https://captainstevens.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/L1A1-dewat-and-C1A1-sniper-dewat-002-1024.jpg)


The one I hated the most was the ridiculous C1 9mm SMG that we used up until the 90s.  The thing was based on the Brit Sterling SMG and was outdated by the end of WWII.  It felt more like a toy than a real firearm, especially with the giant spring going BOING BOING BOING in your ear when you fired it (Assuming it didn't jam on you...which it always did).  Having the action exposed to the elements meant the thing would get fouled with snow and mud and would never, ever work when required.

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fmpmuseum.org%2Fweapons%2Fsmgc1%2Fsmgc1_001.jpg&hash=a8d76ff9a548891f30a28db01671dcdff4c5738d) 


Of the firearms I currently own, I'd say my favourites to shoot are:

1) My Walther PPQ Navy SD pistol.  Best trigger I've ever touched, bar none.  I have the M1 version with the Euro style paddle lever mag release.  It took a bit of time to get used to it but now that I am, I love it.  Much better than the 1911 style button release on the M2.

(https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/ppq_n_0007-tfb.jpeg)



I think the single weapon that I've personally fired that was the most fun is the US Mk 19 40mm full auto grenade launcher.  Ripping of a belt of HE and smoke grenades at 450 rounds/min is chubby inducing.

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UwuG2mYCbl4/ToW5eReozVI/AAAAAAAAAO0/WMtOhQLQPGI/s1600/mk19-automatic-grenade-launcher.jpg)

They're also a lot of fun to use in ArmA. 
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: SlagDog on February 11, 2021, 11:02:33 AM
 :bd: Nice!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 11, 2021, 11:35:14 AM
Speaking of FALs...I have three.

(https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1923881_18836927701_4175_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=AAZUlAOdPbcAX-_VYKx&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=03cc77c3b218d2a6a062834ebbba9161&oe=60494D67)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 11, 2021, 11:36:47 AM
As far as belt-fed...this is the best I can do in my personal collection.

(https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1930626_22656047701_363_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=_NEnr6o3MM8AX8wWPRd&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=1b2631d6bdf0af506af5ff25cfbde50e&oe=604A9690)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 11, 2021, 11:39:34 AM
Here's a shot of one of the FALs compared with my RFB. They both take metric FAL mags.

(https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/25386_380557617701_318115_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&ccb=3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=qN2xfcSacAgAX95UehW&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=bcafd3085b45aed1af88192a17d334f2&oe=604BFBBC)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on February 11, 2021, 12:03:55 PM
Congrats on the win Groggy!  :clap:
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 11, 2021, 12:41:58 PM
Back in '94 when the Liberal Party last ruled (strange that firearms get banned every time they take power), they convened a panel of "experts" who decided which firearms were too dangerous for private ownership and needed to be banned.  All models of FALs were among them.  As they were non-restricted and therefore unregistered before the ban, I wonder how many thousands are out there still, waiting for their chance to wreak havoc.

How do you like the RFB?  I almost bought one but went with the RDB instead because .223 was cheaper than .308.  Joke's on me.  Can't find .223 anywhere now.  I gotta just point and yell BANG if I want to use my RDB now.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: JasonPratt on February 11, 2021, 01:08:58 PM
I've already got the Sniper Elites (not 4), so none for me thanks! I spent several hours on the first game, but it just felt waaaaayyy too bare bones. I'm sure #2 and #3 are better. Wait, was it Sniper Elite that had the Zombie trilogy? Yep! (Pass on that, too.)

I've always preferred playing sniper in my shooters, even when they aren't WW2+ realistic military. (For example, the Wheel of Time game has a sniper weapon, sort of. The game balance is such that you don't get much of any weapon usually however, which forces players to be careful and creative about what effects to use when.)

Back when I was talking about how the Far Cry series can be mostly played as a methodical non-twitch tactical shooter, I specifically had long-distance shooting in mind, which can be done even without a sniper rifle per se (depending on what you've got.) Scout out the current target base for the enemy, find a good perch (above the enemy ideally, but not necessarily) with one or two reasonable exfil plans, work out lines of sight for expected enemy counter attacks to root you out, and then start whittling down the OpFor. The only downside to this method in FC, is that you have to watch out to keep them away from the emergency radio alert, whereas if you go in silently for stalking the area (also a tactical methodical fight), you may be able to disarm one or more of those. (I don't recall if they can be shot out.)

That's just an example, of course. Bows and other relatively primitive range weapons work great for sniping, too, and won't give away positions. (They're a staple of the FC games by the way.) I think my earliest sniper weapon in a game, at least where I felt like I was actually sniping, was the original Medal of Honor -- introduced in the submarine pen mission if I recall.

Despite this, and despite owning the series, I have never yet played Sniper Elite 2 or 3. Just too many shiny things I guess!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: GroggyGrognard on February 11, 2021, 11:08:04 PM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on February 10, 2021, 09:21:37 PM
Thanks again to everyone who participated!

The lucky winner for the second round of Let's Talk About! is Groggy Grognard!

Congrats Grogster. Check your PM for the code.

Stay tuned for the next round!

Thanks, man! I appreciate it! I might make a go of it and buy extra lotto tickets this weekend... ;D

Quote from: Sir Slash on February 11, 2021, 12:03:55 PM
Congrats on the win Groggy!  :clap:

Thank you!



Groggy
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 18, 2021, 09:57:14 AM
In a shocking twist of fate, SDR has won the entire Sniper Elite collection that was up for grabs. Congrats, SDR...with luck like this, you should definitely play lotto!  Thanks to all who participated.

Stay tuned for this week's contest in a few...
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 18, 2021, 10:46:34 AM
He may have to change his hollowed forum name now.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 18, 2021, 10:57:11 AM
Round Four of Grogheads' weekly game giveaway! You know the rules - all you have to do is talk about a particular subject as it relates to our favorite games and after a few days, everyone who posts will be eligible to participate in our drawing. The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of a game!

The subject for this week's drawing is - WWI Battles! So, talk about your favorite battle to study and game.  Simple!

The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of: Tannenberg - WWI Eastern Front!

(https://store-images.s-microsoft.com/image/apps.46786.14624071363275971.3cf72bbd-2c97-49ba-9a53-774530986492.045653e1-7b50-4c2b-ba51-af21acdc25b0)

Good luck to all. Winner will be selected on 2/25/21.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 18, 2021, 01:37:07 PM
Thanks for the keys! 
I own the Sniper line already so I'll put them up for grabs on the giveaway thread.


Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 18, 2021, 02:20:53 PM
Now, on to the real issue of importance.  WWI and WWI era games.

Unlike Gus, I've never had much interest in the First World War.  The trench warfare is just too depressing a subject.  I love naval warfare games about the age of sail and WWII carrier battles, but WWI dreadnoughts don't do much for me.  Just not enough tactical options without the influence of wind or the deadly cat-and-mouse game of air strikes.  Sailing around in a line lobbing shells at on another's ships until one goes BOOM just isn't all that compelling IMO.  The one area of WWI that I does tickle my interest is the air war.    Brightly coloured canvas string bags blazing away at one another over the trenches?  Sign me up!

For the PC, Rise of Flight is still on my hard drive.  I dumped far too much money into that game to get all the planes (I even shelled out for premium scarves, Webley revolvers, and non-standard gauges.  I only feel slightly ashamed....)  I haven't yet purchased the latest iteration of the series, Flying Circus as I find I don't spend nearly as much time playing flight sims as I used to.  The eyes and reflexes aren't what they once were. 

I played around with all the planes in the series but the two I liked flying far and away the best were the Sopwith Pup and the Pfalz D.III.  The Pup was just so agile and easy to fly that you could stick to someone's tail like glue and it was almost impossible for them to shake you unless they dove.  The drawback was that you needed to stick to them like glue because it'd take you an hour to shoot them down with your one little pop gun. The Pfalz was just rugged, easy to fly, stable, and everyone underestimated it so it was easy to get in and get kills.

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fjasta99.de%2Finclude%2Fimages%2Fusergallery%2Fimg_3944.jpg&hash=0ff76216c146de8c41dc07d8638c42bf7f00410d)

(https://i.imgur.com/nQO3b.jpeg)


For board games, I only have 3 WWI era titles.

I have the WWI version of Wings of Glory.  Lots of fun and the models look great.  I don't tend to play it as much as the WWII version of the game but that's down to personal preference as the rules actually work better for WWI dogfights IMO.

Some pics of a game we played 3-4 years ago with the plucky Brits trying to knock down a massive German Staaken bomber.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/4890/44148356330_cd4f157573_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/4809/44148356240_b81b1df00d_b.jpg)



And another with ummmm....some plucky Germans trying to knock down an RAF Handley Page bomber.....I made need some help in the creativity department when it comes to scenario ideas.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/967/41710245621_4e8741605d_b.jpg)



Here the clever Germans sneakily ignore the bomber completely in favour of dogfighting with the RAF.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/961/41670599952_c07e068c00_b.jpg)




I also have the boardgame Bloody April: 1917 Air War Over Arras, France and its expansion Eagle of Lille but they're on my pile of shame of unplayed games.  Not sure why, I just never got around to setting it up and playing it.  Nice looking game though!

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/69136/bloody-april-1917-air-war-over-arras-france (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/69136/bloody-april-1917-air-war-over-arras-france)
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/GHeeYCc6lzzxDgp-31ZqWA__imagepagezoom/img/3LTACJD1qVPUuJwRleD6Go6yY5U=/fit-in/1200x900/filters:no_upscale():strip_icc()/pic1562104.jpg)


And I also have GMT's Paths of Glory.  I do enjoy playing this one a lot.  it covers the entire war in Europe and the Middle East.  Gorgeous game and gets very tense.  Can the Central Powers knock out France before the Austro-Hungarians collapse and the Russians roll them up?  Do the Brits try to contain the Turks in the Middle East at the risk of spreading themselves too thin to hold the line in France and Belgium?

The game was recently updated with a new map and artwork.  I bought a double-sided, mounted map with the original on one side and the new on the other.  Not sure which one I like better.

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/91/paths-glory (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/91/paths-glory)

Original map
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/opengraph/img/eHu1GpWBBTe5vX2dsPiPuPhyyv8=/fit-in/1200x630/pic281124.jpg)

New map
(https://cf.geekdo-images.com/camo/0d647fc42c1d1dd713684472f8329706e7f29fbe/687474703a2f2f7777772e676d7467616d65732e636f6d2f6e6e70672f506f475f44656c75786545645f4e65774d61702e706e67)



I already have the Tannenberg game, so please don't include me in the draw.  I just like talking about games.



Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 18, 2021, 03:15:02 PM
^That post is better than most articles on the same subject.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on February 19, 2021, 11:36:21 AM
I agree. SDR Is the new, 'World War I Whisperer'.  :clap:
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 23, 2021, 02:49:42 PM
Not a lot of WWI fans around here, I guess... :'(
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Geezer on February 23, 2021, 05:00:45 PM
I still have my copies of Dawn Patrol (TSR), To the Green Fields Beyond (SPI), and Paths of Glory (GMT) plus a couple of WWI computer games.  Haven't played any of them in ages.

Edit - Going back about 55 years, a buddy of mine and I used to play AH's Jutland on the basement floor at my folks house.  Great fun.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 24, 2021, 02:49:03 PM
I came very close to backing this one in Kickstarter but I ended up not doing so because:

1)  I have no shelf space left.

2)  I already have too many big box games with minis that don't get enough play.


Having said that, I'd love to give this one a whirl if someone else in my area picks it up (and we're ever allowed to meet face-to-face again.)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/trench-club/trench-club?ref=discovery&term=trench%20club (https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/trench-club/trench-club?ref=discovery&term=trench%20club)

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Ftrench-club.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F12%2FSpielszene-1024x617.jpg&hash=ef6496aa673cfd610d633bee49dbf220f832deed)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 24, 2021, 03:36:14 PM
I'm not a board gamer but that makes me all tingly.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on February 24, 2021, 04:11:30 PM
Try as I might, I couldn't come-up with a great WWI game I loved....until. Steam & Iron. Why didn't I think of that earlier? Great WWI Naval game with the campaign add-on later that allowed me the hunt the enemy fleets, mine their ports, and kill Train Stations. Who doesn't like to kill trains? I had a lot of fun with that one.  :clap:
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 24, 2021, 04:12:51 PM
I like trains  :-[
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on February 24, 2021, 10:50:55 PM
These were evil German or Russian trains. They had little faces on them like this.  >:(
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 25, 2021, 12:21:48 PM
Thanks again to everyone who participated!

The lucky winner for the this round of Let's Talk About! is Geezer!
Congrats Geezer. Check your PM for the code.

Stay tuned for the next round!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 25, 2021, 12:40:09 PM
Round Five of Grogheads' weekly game giveaway! You know the rules - all you have to do is talk about a particular subject as it relates to our favorite games and after a few days, everyone who posts will be eligible to participate in our drawing. The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of a game!

The subject for this week's drawing is - Sci-fi 4x!  This is a genre near and dear to my heart, and the only one that has encouraged me to start designing the space 4x game of my dreams. So, talk about your favorite games, what you like about them, what you don't like and what features you'd like to see in your ideal 4x experience. Simple!

The randomly selected winner will receive a free copy of: Endless Space 2 - Digital Deluxe Edition. That's right folks...we're not screwing around.

(https://medias.games2gether.com/universes/endless-space-2/banner-seo.jpg)


The lucky winner will be selected on March 4.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Geezer on February 25, 2021, 12:43:44 PM
Thanks very much Grogheads!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Geezer on February 25, 2021, 12:53:36 PM
So many great 4X space games going all the way back to MOO that it's hard to pick a favorite.  I've always liked Distant Worlds Universe a lot.  There is currently a beta for Distant Worlds 2 but since there is an NDA I can neither confirm nor deny that I am in the beta.   :))
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 25, 2021, 02:19:46 PM
A buddy just picked up Stellaris and he's roped me into playing online.  I really liked Stellaris when it was first released but I was disappointed when they patched out the different FTL movement systems because the AI couldn't cope with them.  I still enjoyed playing it though.  When they released the Megacorp DLC and completely revamped the economic system, I stopped playing.  At first, I was resistant to it mainly because I'd invested time and effort into learning the old system and didn't want to have to start over.  I persevered however and learned the new system and discovered that I disliked it immensely.  It was far less intuitive than the old system, added pointless micro-management in the form of worker pops, and stripped away the ability of the player to physically map out sectors on the galaxy.

(https://gamerdiscovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Stellaris_2.2_Megacorp_Ultimate_Guide_Strategies_Tips_And_Tricks_Planet_Summary.jpg)

Having said all that, it's really the only sci-fi 4x game I play on the PC.   I have others like Endless Space 2, Age of Wonders: Planetfall, Fleets of Sol, GalCiv III, Shallow Space, and Sword of the Stars II in my Steam library.  In the past, I've also owned the MOO games, the GalCiv games, Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, and Emperor of the Fading Suns.  I really enjoyed Emperor of the Fading Suns and Alpha Centauri back in the day but I find the newer games just don't click with me.  I think part of the problem is that so many are released in early access form and then get abandoned like Shallow Space.  Either that or the company strips out many of the features only to sell them to you later via DLC (see AoW: Planetfall).   

As for board games, I guess the king of the hill for 4x games is Twilight Imperium.  I've played a handful of times but never really got into it the way others have.  I personally found it a bit too gamey and too long.  Eclipse is another that was popular for a while but seems to have lost its lustre recently.  I like Eclipse better than TI but found that the way the map is set up can really kill you early on, especially if your neighbour plays cutthroat and ices you out of a path to the centre of the system.  Eclipse wins my personal award for ugliest colour palette ever chosen for a board game.  Looks like the stole the paint scheme from a low end Soviet bloc hotel in Estonia from 1974. 

Twilight Imperium
(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fislaythedragon.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F08%2FIMG_20170817_132738-1024x768.jpg&hash=971ca517623b1a17bd4dea0a5a47250631c60a22)


Eclipse
(https://media.prusaprinters.org/thumbs/cover/1200x630/media/prints/11204/images/95561_9bf3d7d0-cc75-49c5-9972-4851b9f2a3a3/eclipse_tray_11204.jpg)



The two 4x board games that I really enjoy are Star Trek: Ascendancy and Stellar Horizons.  Ascendancy has a wonderful mechanic where you build the map as you play and it's not static until starlanes are locked in.  Players can move the position of planetary systems and phenomena relative to other systems as they explore the galaxy.  It's always fun to watch a panicked Federation player who invested too much into science fleets desperately try to spin systems away from the rapidly approaching Klingon horde.  The asymmetrical nature of the different races in the game also makes it a lot of fun.  I'm not the biggest Trek fan but I enjoy this game a lot.  I really like playing as the Ferengi for some reason.  The tension you feel as you know you've spread your ships out far too thinly in order to gain profit from trade can be quite stressful, but in a fun way.  Sure, the other factions benefit from having you in their systems, trading away but you know that they're going to turn on you at some point and try to annex your homeworld.  Must be how those little plover brids who pick crocodiles's teeth clean must feel as they're sitting in the jaws.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/1806/29669466058_08a5faf65e_b.jpg)

Stellar Horizons is a hard sci-fi 4x game featuring our solar system.  Each player takes control of an earth based faction's space program (N. America, Russia, the E.U, China, Japan, South American states, Pan-Asian states) and attempts to explore the solar system, set up bases, extract resources, and go to SPACE WAR with the other factions.  It's a long game but, for me at least, it goes by very quickly.  The game is not formally divided into different phases but it really does play out that way.  The early game is taken up with a mad dash to explore.  Doing so grants you tech which will allow you to explore further, go faster, and accommodate human colonization.   Once factions start acquiring tech and the chance of finding new anomalies and mineral deposits begins to dry up, it turns into a land grab with players scrambling to lay claim to different regions and set up orbital or surface bases.  Then resource extraction and exploitation kicks in and everyone tries to build up their economy enough that then can expand and fortify their claims.  Eventually, someone is going to have a resource that someone else wants and is unwilling to trade for it and that's when the shooting starts.  It's always fun to rain asteroids down on someone else's fuel refineries because they were too stingy when it came to selling the refined stuff.

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bsunLbCs0nA/maxresdefault.jpg)


EDIT:  I completely forgot to add in Sidereal Confluence.  A friend who is really into Euro-style boardgames brought this one into our FLGS 3-4 years ago.  I'd never heard of it but gave it a whirl and had a blast playing it.  I ended up ordering my own copy.  The idea is that a bunch of different species are meeting up to form a galactic federation and each player wants to be a sort of first-amongst-equals by showing off the achievements of their race.  There's no direct conflict in the game.  At it's heart, this is a game about engine building and trading.  Each race has unique abilities and starting factories that produce various resources and goods.  Players want (and need) to trade their resources and goods around with other players in order to colonize new systems, research new tech, build new factories, and improve on their old ones.  Virtually anything is tradable within the game and once a deal has been struck, there's no going back on it.  Listening and watching everyone gesticulate wildly and yell across the table in an attempt to get access to someone's rare minerals is chaotic fun. 

The only drawbacks to the game are that you need at least 4 people to play it (and it doesn't really shine unless you have 6 or more) and it eats up a tonne of table space.

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boardgamemeeplelady.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F09%2Fstrategicon-gateway-sidereal-confluence.jpg&hash=f91c81188652234372bfffe7fd637c23828006a7)


Please exclude me from the draw.  I already own Endless Space 2.


Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 25, 2021, 02:59:22 PM
^Holy crap man...you are a gaming god among mortals.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on February 25, 2021, 03:08:44 PM
Quote from: Gusington on February 25, 2021, 02:59:22 PM
^Holy crap man...you are a gaming god among mortals.

You mean a gaming God among nerds.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 25, 2021, 03:12:59 PM
(https://www.sickchirpse.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Computer-Nerd.jpg)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Geezer on February 25, 2021, 03:51:25 PM
I forgot to mention that I own ES2 so you can remove me from the running.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 25, 2021, 04:05:01 PM
I self-identify as dork.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on February 26, 2021, 11:26:37 AM
Me too. BTW, That's an old pic of me SDR. In the most recent, I have a new shirt on. I'm not a fan of Space Games but many do look attractive. Sins of a Solar Empire caught my eye years ago when it first came-out but I passed on it.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on February 26, 2021, 11:46:42 AM
Haha  ;D
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: al_infierno on February 26, 2021, 06:42:56 PM
SDR I have to ask.... Who's the fella in the Amon Amarth (or so it appears) shirt?   ;)  Last picture, top-right
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on February 26, 2021, 08:32:32 PM
No idea.  That picture is just one I grabbed from DuckDuckGo images.  Only the Star Trek Ascendancy photo is mine.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on March 04, 2021, 08:29:26 PM
Sadly, everyone who participated in this week's drawing already has the title in their library. So, no lucky winner. Not giving free games away makes us sad.  :'(

This week we're going to talk about Mechs! 'Cause who the hell doesn't like giant piloted robots?!?  Post about these futuristic kings of the battlefield and your favorite games that feature them.

The winner of this week's drawing will win a code for: Battletech!

(https://hb.imgix.net/b688c0a1ca6b2ff36e3acac88d7a2627c1de07cc.jpg?auto=compress,format&fit=crop&h=353&w=616&s=ad0bc1a0d7e36e8c59cd025efdca0dc6)

Good luck!

Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Silent Disapproval Robot on March 04, 2021, 11:03:00 PM
I don't really play too many mech games other than Battletech.  I really liked Mech Commander and Mech Commander 2 on the PC back when they were released.  I dabbled a bit with MechWarrior 3 but my PC wasn't up to snuff at the time.  Same with an old Sierra/Dynamix game called Earthsiege 2.  I remember getting my meager paycheque and spending far too large a percentage of it on the just-released Earthsiege 2 only to have it run like a slideshow on my potato of a PC.

I did pick up the latest Battletech game from Paradox when it was first released and I played the hell out of it and enjoyed it...at first.  I finished the campaign and put it away only to reinstall it once new DLC was released.  For some reason though, I found that I no longer enjoyed it as much as I had initially and that it actually felt like a bit of a grind to play.  Never did finish the career campaign.  Still, I think I got my money's worth.

As for board games, I loved playing the original Battletech when it was released by FASA way back in olden times.  I spent a lot of time making up my own ridiculous mechs and trying them out.  I had one that was 55 tons or so and had nothing but MGs on it.  Dozens of MGs...  It was a cheeseball mech because it exploited the rules system. With so many MGs firing, it was a near certainty that it'd land at least one headshot per turn and damage the enemy mech pilot, regardless of how many tonnes it was.

Can't really recall playing any other Mech-focussed board or minis games aside from Battletech.  I guess 40K has some mech type thingies in it but I've never been a fan of the 40K rules system or universe.  I played a few games of Tripods and Triplanes which is a miniatures system using the WW1 era planes from Wings of Glory vs. a bunch of Martian tripods ripped straight out of War of the Worlds. 

Never clicked with me.  I'd much rather do historical matchups.

(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2003/4581/products/Tripods_Triplanes_600x.png?v=1554081007)


I did buy into the newest iteration of the Battletech board game from Catalyst Labs.  It's good fun and looks quite nice.  There's a very active community here in Vancouver (on hold now) and they have way more stuff than I do so I just end up using theirs.  One guy even 3D printed out a bunch of 1 foot tall models and we played a game of that at a convention a few years back.  It was rather amusing because a lot of the pot-bellied old wargamers were getting tired from the constant walking around the map and having to squat down to move their Mechs.  By the end of the game, most Mechs decided to just stay in place and blaze away at one another.

Couple of photos (not mine) from that convention.  The first is from a regular sized version of the game.  The second is the one with the 1 foot mechs.


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51004991231_aee056c4e9_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51004991186_01c6abea01_b.jpg)


(As usual, I've already got a copy of this week's game so keep me out of the running.)
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Geezer on March 05, 2021, 01:48:20 AM
I have Battletech already and played quite a lot of it in the past.  My favorite is probably Mechwarrior Online.  Still have that installed and play it once in a while when they have an interesting event going on.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Sir Slash on March 05, 2021, 11:34:48 AM
I don't do Mechs because if I started I probably wouldn't be able to stop. If I had a Mech myself, it would have to be a giant Pug-Of-Death mech with killer Pug Fart Missiles.  :bd: 
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Uberhaus on March 11, 2021, 06:02:40 AM
I enjoy Battletech and have played the physical game and the computer games like the Mechwarrior series and Mech Commander.
I introduced my son to the introductory game and enjoyed being beaten by him (I beat him with combined arms, okay!)  We had great fun, unfortunately I can't find the pics right now.  I was going to get him A Game of Armored Combat for his birthday but sadly he said he was not interested.   :'(
There goes my plan of making him my ASL opponent.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on March 13, 2021, 01:41:27 PM
Tripods and Triplanes looks amazing.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Jarhead0331 on January 25, 2022, 03:31:52 PM
It's been awhile since we've had a giveaway...

Who is interested in Iron Harvest: 1920?

(https://www.escapistmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/ironharvestreview.jpg)

Quote
Iron Harvest is a real-time strategy game (RTS) set in the alternate reality of 1920+, just after the end of the Great War. The Game lets you control giant dieselpunk mechs, combining epic singleplayer and coop campaigns as well as skirmishes with intense action on the battlefield for multiplayer fans, Iron Harvest is the classic real-time strategy game fans have been waiting for.

Tradition clashes with scientific and technological progress, while Europe is still recovering from the brutal battles of the World War. Cities are being rebuilt and in the countryside, the era of the Iron Harvest has begun. Farmers are uncovering the remains of the majestic walking machines that had fought on the battlefields of the Great War.

In the midst of this chaos, a new threat appears that will put Europe's very existence at risk. Secret forces are putting everything they can towards destabilization of entire countries, determined to set the world on fire once again and finally seize control.

This is a pretty cool game. All you have to do to be entered into the give-away is talk about Steampunk. Do you like it? How do you think it fits into the wargaming genre? What are some of your favorite Steampunk themed games?

Thanks for playing!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on January 25, 2022, 05:23:34 PM
If you're not interested in Iron Harvest, you should be. One of my favorite games of the last few years.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: MC on January 25, 2022, 06:24:12 PM
Already have it. Right now it lies in the dark abyss of my backlog.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: FlickJax on January 26, 2022, 04:03:16 AM
Not tried any steampunk games, have almost bought a few times... the genre sounds cool though
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Windigo on October 20, 2023, 12:34:58 PM
Quote from: hellfish6 on January 29, 2021, 06:07:04 PMTank Crew is hot, soulless garbage and I'm 100% invested into the success of GHPC (https://gunnerheatpc.com/).


Continueing my newfound hobby of ressurecting dead threads for my own amusement, I saw this and investigated the URL and link..... wowzers!!  As Gus would say.

Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on October 20, 2023, 12:36:13 PM
Wowzers!
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: SirAndrewD on October 20, 2023, 12:46:07 PM
GHPC is great.  Very playable even in its early stage.  Tons of vehicles, the start of a campaign, good models.

People should absolutely be supporting the devs on that one.   I still keep my Patreon support active.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Windigo on October 20, 2023, 02:33:49 PM
Anything to get my tank fix away from... you know ... those other guys
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Uberhaus on October 22, 2023, 01:47:58 PM
I was backseat tank commanding my son when he was home from school, playing GHPC! 

"Target, 1 o'clock!"  "Manoeuvre behind the burning enemy tank!"

Fortunately, he's gone back and can't frag me while I sit on the lavatory.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Toonces on November 02, 2023, 08:35:38 AM
I've spent some time with GHPC.  I do like it, but the brutal truth is that I have no idea whatsoever how to conduct ground warfare.  None.  Flank?  What's a flank?
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: W8taminute on November 02, 2023, 08:39:05 AM
Quote from: Toonces on November 02, 2023, 08:35:38 AMI've spent some time with GHPC.  I do like it, but the brutal truth is that I have no idea whatsoever how to conduct ground warfare.  None.  Flank?  What's a flank?

Think of a flank as port or starboard.  So if you're trying to flank land combatants it means you're attacking their port or starboard sides.  :smiley:
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Windigo on November 02, 2023, 09:31:20 AM
Flanks are steaks... just go straight through them at their weakest point. Then blow shit up behind their lines.
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Gusington on November 02, 2023, 09:36:31 AM
^Was just about to type something very similar. Damn am I that old now too?
Title: Re: Let's Talk About! The Consolidated Super thread
Post by: Windigo on November 02, 2023, 11:03:20 AM
Quote from: Gusington on November 02, 2023, 09:36:31 AM^Was just about to type something very similar. Damn am I that old now too?

You'll:
Never be as old as me ....
Never be as WTF as me ....
Never get to vist Cuba like me ....

I'll:
Never give you up
Never let you down
Never run around and desert you    :ThumbsUp: