Commander:The Great War AAR!

[Lord Zimoa]

It a complete different engine Judge, it is also hex based sure and a wargame, but as PzC is more a tactical game where you go from one scenario to the other, this is more a grand strategy game.

Of course there are similarities, but it plays different and needs another approach, tech and fronts change a lot. In the beginning is important to get feets on the ground asap, than try and contain and stabilize the Western Front, Eastern front is more dynamic, later the Middle East. The Balkans, Italian, Romanian front, Caucasus... you will have to deal with limited Production Points, keep an eye on National Moral and Manpower levels.

To win the war, planning your technology upgrade paths and strategic decision have an impact, eg. how fast or late the US gets involved if you start sinking too many convoys, or how fast the Russian Revolution can be provoked by giving The Russians some beating.

And the AI is very aggressive and unforgiving if you make many mistakes, so a game that requires good planning and thinking.

Give it a try, and get a feel for it. Units evolve a lot during the years, so don`t expect early fighters to be superb dog-fighters or your bombers very efficient strategic bombers in 1914 (airships are better for that early on, but again when aircraft and anti-air tech evolves they get a beating, not useless as recon and if you invest in anti-submarine tech they still can be useful), but research the right tech and you have a whole other battle.

Nations also differ eg, The British depend a lot on convoys so, keep an eye on their PP levels, once the many convoys come in from their worldwide dominions they can put more in the field. And every nation has a slightly different tech path, like eg. The Germans have a slight edge in Infantry tech early in the war, so important is to stop them asap before Paris.

Many more under the hood, but people just have to find it out themselves and yes: read Slick his excellent AAR!!!!

Of course you can plunge in at any date and try eg. 1917 as the Entente, that is a big one, but we we recommend starting as the Entente Allies in 1914 on balanced AI.

[Gusington]

Hmm...how come you recommend starting as the Allies? In 1914 are the Central Powers in a much more difficult position in this game?

I ask because I wanted to start as the Central Powers :)

[W8taminute]

I'm not sure why he's recommending the Entente but last night I started a game as the Central Powers.  Can I tell you that the first few months are nail biting but if you can juggle the fronts properly you'll make it to the new year. 

Lord Zimoa is correct, early in the grand campaign you have to get boots on the ground or you'll die.  However that is what really happened isn't it?  Germany had a very strict timetable based off of how fast France and Russia could mobilize.  Just read "Guns of August".

This game so far has really hit on all the points that the history books describe about the early years of the war.  Meaning, it's fun to watch the different techs get introduced at roughly the same time they appeared historically and how the battle is constantly swinging back and forth.  I really love how the Western Front is modeled in game.  It's an endless meatgrinder of carnage galore.  Doesn't matter how much arty you bring to the party because ammunition stocks dry up faster than lines can be punched through.  Brilliant!!

The Eastern Front gets bogged down in static trench warfare but then quickly becomes mobile again thanks to some tech or simply numbers of men in the field.  The mobile war last for only so long though before settling down again statically.  There have been more than one occasion where I thought I finally had those Russians on the run but the very next turn they pull out millions and millions more men to plug the holes.  Only to see them get burned up a few turns later.

My XBOX which has kept me chained to it for almost a whole year is about to face some fierce competition from Commander: The Great War.   ;)

[Shelldrake]

The Russian bear is a real...bear once it wakes up. Maintaining a strong defensive line in the east is a real challenge but absolutely necessary. In my case, the Russian Revolution came just in the nick of time!

[Zulu1966]

Yeah bought this today. Muat say I like what I see. Pity there is no hotseat. I always like to play both sides at some stage.

[TheCommandTent]

You know I hate you guys right.  :P  Between Slick Wilhelm's great AAR and all the talk I am downloading the game now.  This will be the first WWI game I've ever played but I just couldn't help myself.  So yeah thanks for that.


Also I think the best marketing a company can have for their new game is a well written AAR, well it suckers me in more often then not...  ::)

[Gusington]

W8 funny you mention your XBox. In a similar way Skyrim has had its grip on me for about a month. It's slowly slipping away.

I have a collection of about 15-20 WWI books that I have been saving just for that perfect WWI strategic game to come along, including a British history of the war that I actually bought when I was at the Imperial War Museum almost 10 years ago.

All of that, waiting for this moment. And here it is. I need to savor.

GIGGITY

[Grim.Reaper]

I have fought the urge to buy so far, but not sure how much longer I can hold out.  All the talk seems to make it sound like a very good game.

[Gusington]

^You know you want to. Now that the floodgates have opened I may buy the Strategic Command WWI complete package just to compare the two. Happy days.

[Grim.Reaper]

^You know you want to. Now that the floodgates have opened I may buy the Strategic Command WWI complete package just to compare the two. Happy days.

You are right, I want to buy for sure:)  Just trying to minimize my impulse buys nowadays....but I really like the sounds of this one where it seems easy to play but hard to master.

[Bison]

Just wait a few days there'll be another suggested impulsive game purchase to consider.

[Grim.Reaper]

Just wait a few days there'll be another suggested impulsive game purchase to consider.

sad but true....guessing the holiday sales are right around the corner as well.......bad time of the year for my wallet:( 

[steve58]

Just wait a few days there'll be another suggested impulsive game purchase to consider.

sad but true....guessing the holiday sales are right around the corner as well.......bad time of the year for my wallet:(

well Iron Sky is due out on 11/22.  :D

I was downloading CTGW within minutes of it being available, but I think I'll wait on some reviews b4/if I pick up that one (but it does look very interesting!)

[JudgeDredd]

I'm just not sure this scale pleases me anymore. Back in the day when I hung about Matrix Games more often I'd have bought this on day one - but a) it looks like Panzer Corps (which after the initial nostalgic value wore off I lost interest in) - and Grand Strat games have a very, very bad reputation of rubbish AI.

I might - actually I'll read Slicks AAR maybe

[bboyer66]

^You know you want to. Now that the floodgates have opened I may buy the Strategic Command WWI complete package just to compare the two. Happy days.

I was trying out the new demo yesterday for Strategic Command WWI Breakthrough.  Was underwhelmed by its simplicity. Not a big fan of squares over hexagons. Also, why the hell does France have a bomber unit and an aircraft carrier unit in 1914? Not saying its a bad game but those were my impressions after playing it for an hour.