Supreme Ruler: The Great War announced

[Rayfer]

Only one I ever tried was SR: 1936.....couldn't get into it at all, a very confusing game.

[Jarhead0331]

^I agree. The engine has been counter-intuitive and off-putting from the very beginning.

Don't get me wrong...the series tackles a difficult subject, complex socioeconomic simulation with geo-political and military components spanning the entire globe and across several decades of time. They are very complex games and I'm sure there is something good hidden in there somewhere...probably cowering behind the atrocious UI.

[Greybriar]

Only one I ever tried was SR: 1936.....couldn't get into it at all, a very confusing game.

And I thought it was just me. :P

[Slick Wilhelm]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/600280/Supreme_Ruler_The_Great_War/

The game was released yesterday. Personally, I see no reason to buy it if you already own SR: Ultimate, or really any of the last three SR titles, since they are all pretty much the same. It irritates me that this company takes their aging engine, makes some minor refinements to it, adds maybe a few more years or decades to the timeline and then releases it as an entirely new game at a premium price. This is DLC at best.

Anyway, I post news of its release since I know we have at least one member obsessed with gas and trench warfare.

As one of those obsessed members, I may take a risk with this title. $20 doesn't seem like a premium price to me, but to each his own. Thanks for the heads up, Jarhead!

[Gusington]

Since I cannot wrap my brain around Europe Universalis or Hearts of Iron, it pains me but I will have to say no to this as well.

[Boggit]

Don't get me wrong...the series tackles a difficult subject, complex socioeconomic simulation with geo-political and military components spanning the entire globe and across several decades of time. They are very complex games and I'm sure there is something good hidden in there somewhere...probably cowering behind the atrocious UI.

I keep hoping that, but it is a nightmare of micromanagement, and after a couple of game years has passed the game speed slows down drastically. The AI also has the brain of a rock, because after any initial attack it just spams units out around its production areas until one of your own units gets near. I have yet to see any organised strategy for the AI from SR2010 to SR Ultimate. Like you suggested earlier later iterations are basically rehashes of earlier games with shinier graphics, and some minor bells and whistles. They gameplay hasn't really changed very much between iterations in any meaningful way as far as I can see.

The battle for the Atlantic is a bit strange as there are no real convoy formations, and the merchant marine just seems to be created out of fresh air in Ultimate - since there is no requirement any more to actually build merchant ships to transport the troops (despite there being suitable ships in the database for that same purpose!).

[Rayfer]

For those interested, it's available on Steam for $19.99.