To End All Wars released today

[Nefaro]

Also like the idea of two Entente factions...I wish Commander - The Great War would have done that.

I wish they had included the option to do both. Play as a single or split entente.

Will be downloading my copy of it tonight.

Whilst I recognise the issue of commincations and national self interest, I raised the issue of single entente with Slitherine just before release and got the response - "Hardcore mode indeed :p Played by 0.3% of the players" I think the concern is that as it's very complex a lot of players might be overwhelmed with the complexity of the game to cope with the full entente. It's very understandable, but not what I wanted to hear.

So, if like me you're into hardcore mode then the way forward has to be grassroot support for it. WHO'S WITH ME!!! O0

I started a campaign as the Central Powers, to see how much of a load it would be.  After trying to keep track of everything, even in 1914, I can definitely say I'm in no hurry to attempt running the whole Entente at once. 

Just running Germany and A-H at this point is workload enough.  Not necessarily for the amount of units involved, but planning of the overall 'big picture' and translating it down to the individual units is difficult, due to the size of the (damn beautiful) map.  There just aren't any tools to assist the information transition from when you look at dots on the mini-map or map screen (F7 IIRC?) and try to translate that down to the mostly zoomed-in main map view where you must get all the unit information and interface functionality to put your grand plan into action. 

It is often a problem in grand strat games with a huge map and many units but few extra tools to assist in translating strategy from the grand scale to the regional or local ones.  I believe an HOI3 expansion had those drawing tools, which would be a good start for such an issue.  Otherwise, you must try to memorize what you wanna do in the big picture and attempt to actually implement it in small chunks at a smaller scale.  Thus having to refer back to a small mini-map with indeterminate dots that tell you nothing of what's actually there in order to recall what you were trying to do.  I think some of these larger AGE games could use some kind of tool to help with this, such as the drawing tool example (at least on the mini-map) or some kind of editable filter mode where you could manually set your own highlighted blobs of regions, perhaps. :))

[mikeck]

I had always found that units in defensive posture will not MTSG...at least that's how it used to be. At any rates, armies do return...but not entrenched( which is a problem I agree)

"Army GHQs also have a greater chance to reinforce a battle and get reinforcements themselves. You can then use the Army GHQ as a sort of reserve, to pack some punch in case of need. Reinforcing Armies will return to their original region after the battle."

On the trench issue....I'm a bit confused over the concern about how this and other games model it. What I mean is that just because WW 1 was fought the way it was fought, why does that mean it had to be fought that way. Why do I have to be hiding in trenches by 1915? Why do these trenches have to be huge and expansive?

If your unit is entrenched, that should provide defensive bonuses (which it does)...but why should I be concerned that I am not forced into trench warfare?

Units leaving trenches to join the fight is a problem....particularly because when they return, they have to start over. I agree.
But I love the fact that with this game I don't have to end up fighting that way.

I have always been an AGEOD fanboy though so.....

[Queeg]

I had always found that units in defensive posture will not MTSG...at least that's how it used to be. At any rates, armies do return...but not entrenched( which is a problem I agree)

My understanding is that they changed MTSG for this game to make it more universal.  Probably an effort to accommodate the two-week turn length - so you get enough bang for the buck per turn.  It appears that units in Defensive stance definitely will bail on their trenches.

On the trench issue....I'm a bit confused over the concern about how this and other games model it. What I mean is that just because WW 1 was fought the way it was fought, why does that mean it had to be fought that way. Why do I have to be hiding in trenches by 1915? Why do these trenches have to be huge and expansive?

Well, you can always use this argument to rationalize not modeling something that happened historically but is hard to recreate in a game. 

Bottom line is that WWI without trenches is like WWII without tanks.  Could it have happened?  Sure.  But why go there?

[mikeck]

I agree that trenches should be modeled well...I just don't like it when games force me to adopt trench warfare.

Either way, I own and play EAW and WW1 gold. I like them both and both do things the other doesn't. I prefer the AGEOD game but that's me and I am familiar with the engine. I can certainly understand why someone may prefer another game

[mikeck]

They are having the same discussion over the problems created by MTSG over at AGEOD. Best solution I have heard is a switch turning it on or off and even better, allow the unit to retain it's entrenchment level that it had when it left

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?36905-MTSG-needs-to-be-changed

Anyway, it's an issue.

[Queeg]

I agree that trenches should be modeled well...I just don't like it when games force me to adopt trench warfare.

Either way, I own and play EAW and WW1 gold. I like them both and both do things the other doesn't. I prefer the AGEOD game but that's me and I am familiar with the engine. I can certainly understand why someone may prefer another game

I see your point.  In WWI Gold/CE, trench warfare is more or less imposed by late-1914/early-1915 unless one side has achieved a breakthrough.  I agree that's a bit forced.  But the trench warfare of the WWI Western Front is a very tough thing to model and I think the game does a very good job of doing that - albeit at the cost of perhaps imposing it more forcefully than some would like.

[tgb]

I started the non-historical campaign as Eastern Entente. On turn 3 (late August)I got the diplomatic tutorial, but when opening the menu at the bottom for diplo actions, there were no Ambassadors available.

Bug or am I missing something?

[Nefaro]

I started the non-historical campaign as Eastern Entente. On turn 3 (late August)I got the diplomatic tutorial, but when opening the menu at the bottom for diplo actions, there were no Ambassadors available.

Bug or am I missing something?

Diplomats are located in the Regional Decisions window.  The shortcut is the middle small button at the top left of the screen. (IIRC?)


I've not really played much yet.  Think I've issued all the first turn orders needed, but haven't even resolved a full turn.  ;D  Been chillin' and reading the rules for Fire In The Lake, A Most Dangerous Time, and Bloody April.  Which isn't going very quickly, either.  ???

[Queeg]

I started the non-historical campaign as Eastern Entente. On turn 3 (late August)I got the diplomatic tutorial, but when opening the menu at the bottom for diplo actions, there were no Ambassadors available.

Bug or am I missing something?

Diplomats are located in the Regional Decisions window.  The shortcut is the middle small button at the top left of the screen. (IIRC?)

That's correct. 

[SirAndrewD]

MTSG is pretty well borked.  However, I am very, very excited about the future of this game after playing it for a while.  It is significantly better than the debacle that was World War One.  Please note, I never got to play WWIG and I really wish I'd bought WWICE.  My danged advanced degree was in this era, and I've been waiting beyond all comprehension for a good game to represent it.  I really want this to work out.

[jomni]

I like the idea that you are not forced to do trench warfare but I also want the option to do effective trench  warfare.

[SirAndrewD]

I like that you aren't forced to do trench warfare as well.  However, based on the technology of the day, I insist that trench warfare was inevitable.  Therefore, in the game, at least on some level, it should be inevitable as well.  So far it pretty much is, however, the MTSG mechanic, while magnificent for Napoleonic/Civil War warfare, is not quite appropriate for post 1914 WWI. 

I can game it out currently by putting my generals  and armies behind the line and putting independent units and corps on the front.  My worry is abusing the AI who can't.

[jomni]

Yes. So if the opponent is able to build an effective trench system, then it will just chew up your "maneuver" formations and force you go defensive as well.

Are trenches unit traits or terrain features in the game?
Are there engineer units?

[Queeg]

MTSG is pretty well borked.  However, I am very, very excited about the future of this game after playing it for a while.  It is significantly better than the debacle that was World War One.  Please note, I never got to play WWIG and I really wish I'd bought WWICE.  My danged advanced degree was in this era, and I've been waiting beyond all comprehension for a good game to represent it.  I really want this to work out.

I'm enjoying EAW but it's not a major departure from CW2.  I didn't expect it to be - and CW2 is a great game.  But there is a lot of deja vu there.

I'll confess to having become something of a WWI CE zealot.  WWI Gold was a game I desperately wanted to love when it first came out but it was an undeniable train wreck.  Having CE turn up out of the blue was sorta like having an old reprobate friend show up fresh out of rehab.  I now have the game I always wanted WWI Gold to be.  If you like the era as much as I do, it might be worth giving CE a try.  It's still for sale at MMOGA and Games Rocket.

[Nefaro]

MTSG is pretty well borked.  However, I am very, very excited about the future of this game after playing it for a while.  It is significantly better than the debacle that was World War One.  Please note, I never got to play WWIG and I really wish I'd bought WWICE.  My danged advanced degree was in this era, and I've been waiting beyond all comprehension for a good game to represent it.  I really want this to work out.

I'll confess to having become something of a WWI CE zealot.  WWI Gold was a game I desperately wanted to love when it first came out but it was an undeniable train wreck.  Having CE turn up out of the blue was sorta like having an old reprobate friend show up fresh out of rehab.  I now have the game I always wanted WWI Gold to be.  If you like the era as much as I do, it might be worth giving CE a try.  It's still for sale at MMOGA and Games Rocket.

Is that the version that was mysteriously pulled from Steam?  I thought it was broken?