Here is my hit list:
Scourge of War: Waterloo
This has been on my list for a long time. I love Napoleonics and this one is one I have went back and forth on.
Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy
Played the demo and was a very enjoyable experience.
Combat Mission: Black Sea Crisis
Played the demo and it was a tough go. I really like it though but I can see my butt being handed to me a lot until I get use to the tactics and options available to me through the UI.
Tigers on the Hunt
Just recently turned up on my radar. Very interesting with the ASL feel to it. After watching some videos, I like what I have seen thus far.
Command: Modern Air Naval Operations
I have been on the fence for so long about this one, the level of detail makes me really excited and it appears that I will have to set down for a while to sort it out...... but the flavor is there.
The Seven Years War (1756-1763)
Tittering on the fence... back and forth.... back and forth
Quote from: PanzersEast on April 11, 2016, 03:25:29 PM
Tigers on the Hunt
Just recently pooped up on my radar.
I've heard of a computer taking a crap before, but this is ridiculous. *rimshot* :2funny:
Thank you, you're a beautiful crowd. I'll be appearing all week.
(In seriousness, I'm always up for some Combat Mission. I caved in and bought Final Blitzkrieg and have to say I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. I don't think you can go wrong with either Battle for Normandy or Black Sea -- both excellent.)
Quote from: sandman2575 on April 11, 2016, 03:41:45 PM
Quote from: PanzersEast on April 11, 2016, 03:25:29 PM
Tigers on the Hunt
Just recently pooped up on my radar.
I've heard of a computer taking a crap before, but this is ridiculous. *rimshot* :2funny:
Thank you, you're a beautiful crowd. I'll be appearing all week.
(In seriousness, I'm always up for some Combat Mission. I caved in and bought Final Blitzkrieg and have to say I'm enjoying it more than I thought I would. I don't think you can go wrong with either Battle for Normandy or Black Sea -- both excellent.)
Ha.... maybe I should remove that one as a freudian slip :D
PE
I don't See our Red Storm on the list, but that's okay, maybe you have several copies already. ::)
I have CMANO and it is a great game. If you were a Harpoon fan back in the day this game packs enough detail and scale to do just about any naval-air battle from the end of WW2 to 2020+. Ton of scenarios from short, small, and sweet to monsters. You can dial in your level of pain.
I had the older CM games and they were okay. These are better looking and in the case of the Black Sea a modern tactical game. I'm not an over big fan of this style of game but they can be enjoyable.
As for Tigers on the Hunt, I'm sorry to hear it pooped on your radar. If you are a fan of ASL it's worth a look, but I would also check out the forums and see what others are saying about it.
The other items are outside my timeline of games. Other folks will have to comment on those.
Am I going crazy? Didn't mirth and I respond to this post??? ???
The first four on your list are games you can get into pretty quickly after doing some basic tutorials. CMANO is deep, complex game that will require a serious time commitment to learn. I'm unfamiliar with the Seven Years War. So, if you're looking to get into something quickly...go for one of the first four.
The first two on your list are the best IMHO (though I do have and enjoy Red Storm, Cap'n). They will each offer you very different experiences. You have tried CM, so I won't describe that. SOW needs some getting used to, but is worth the effort. The "headquarters in the saddle" mode really makes you think about the physicality of command. By which I mean having to place yourself so you can both see the action and not be in it
Just to muddy the waters, I'll throw in Command Ops and WitW as prospects too.
Actually, a little more Red Storm love. Firstly, as with all the games I've mentioned, it's its own thing. The setting is unusual and the game mechanics (asymmetric turn lengths and number of orders-per-turn being dependent on your C2 status) are intriguing.
If you like Napoleonics, then SOW Waterloo is must for your gaming library. Particularly if you enjoy the tactical aspects of the era. As a Civil War buff, I have spent hundreds of hours with SOW Gettysburg both MP and single player. Never tire of playing a large number of possible battlefields (including historic) and OOB's. Waterloo is the same. You can't go wrong.
I can vouch for SOW. But I think the way HITS is implemented in the game is absolutely terrible, youd think they would give you a decent map but....nope...it looks like vomit.
The seven years war is actually pretty good. The battles have a massive scale and the ui has been vastly improved since release. Its like the indie version of total war but more dynamic since the strategic portion is in real time.
Quote from: Capn Darwin on April 11, 2016, 04:08:45 PM
I don't See our Red Storm on the list, but that's okay, maybe you have several copies already. ::)
I have CMANO and it is a great game. If you were a Harpoon fan back in the day this game packs enough detail and scale to do just about any naval-air battle from the end of WW2 to 2020+. Ton of scenarios from short, small, and sweet to monsters. You can dial in your level of pain.
I had the older CM games and they were okay. These are better looking and in the case of the Black Sea a modern tactical game. I'm not an over big fan of this style of game but they can be enjoyable.
As for Tigers on the Hunt, I'm sorry to hear it pooped on your radar. If you are a fan of ASL it's worth a look, but I would also check out the forums and see what others are saying about it.
The other items are outside my timeline of games. Other folks will have to comment on those.
Actually I own Red Storm and the expansion O0 Both of which I still enjoy. Kushan and I still have to get some mp in.
All though I sent support at Plimus a redownload request for a link because my Steam version would not work and I never heard from them... I guess they just ignored it. I eventually gave up but was able to find my copy.
Thanks for all the feedback guys... it is a tough decision and I hope to own all at some point, but I am taking it slow with the game I purchase and making sure I fully immerse myself in each before moving on. I'll post back soon with the decision O0
PE
I'm a big fan of SoW, but you should watch some YouTube gameplay videos to get a sense of it before you commit. If it grabs you, it's some seriously fun gaming (well, Civil War is, I haven't tried Waterloo yet).
I implore you to look at Graviteam Tactics-Mius Front.
A pauseable, real time game akin to combat mission with incredible depth and realism. The battles are simply nail-bitingly awesome . Plus it runs very smooth even on my laptop. Players that dedicate the time to master a sometimes odd U.I. and lack of a viable manual at this point are rewarded with an insane amount of immersion where real world tactics and doctrines are valued.
There are so many little things that make this product stand out from any others in the genre. You feel like a part of an actual violent battle.
Plus, it's only $34 Krackel Bars.
Can't go wrong with SoW.
Devils advocate: my impression of SoW Waterloo is that the engine is still better suited for American Civil War.
The headquarters in the saddle mode is less flexible than Gettysburg as they changed how map interaction worked so I'm not sure if it is now improved.
I also can't get over the wonky quick battle force selection and the unfinished dynamic campaign which depends a lot on the problematic quick battle generator. I actually bought it for the campaign. But I do acknowledge that the historical battles are pretty good.
Quote from: bbmike on April 11, 2016, 04:24:45 PM
Am I going crazy? Didn't mirth and I respond to this post??? ???
Not crazy. There were posts here yesterday that are gone now ..
Quote from: PanzersEast on April 11, 2016, 03:25:29 PM
Here is my hit list:
Scourge of War: Waterloo
This has been on my list for a long time. I love Napoleonics and this one is one I have went back and forth on.
Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy
Played the demo and was a very enjoyable experience.
Combat Mission: Black Sea Crisis
Played the demo and it was a tough go. I really like it though but I can see my butt being handed to me a lot until I get use to the tactics and options available to me through the UI.
Tigers on the Hunt
Just recently turned up on my radar. Very interesting with the ASL feel to it. After watching some videos, I like what I have seen thus far.
Command: Modern Air Naval Operations
I have been on the fence for so long about this one, the level of detail makes me really excited and it appears that I will have to set down for a while to sort it out...... but the flavor is there.
The Seven Years War (1756-1763)
Tittering on the fence... back and forth.... back and forth
I can recommend CMANO. A lot of depth there. I've been simulating dragon attacks on a USN surface task force in 1963 so the system has some interesting flexibility.
Combat mission Normandy. Haven't played it in a while, but it is good. I'm playing CMFB at the moment and it is pretty good too.