Grog Recommendations

Bison · June 16, 2015, 04:36:53 PM

OK Gents I'm in a grog mood and I could go back and play one of my older titles, which I just might do but I'm also feeling the desire for a new wargaming mistress. I've been eyeballing a few titles and would like some recommendations and feedback from you all.

To End All Wars - I just wonder about the engine and WW1. I've been reading Catastrophe, by Max Hastings so I'm feeling the Great War vibe.

Civil War II

Maybe that new Scourge of War game even though apparently the uniforms are all jacked up.

Thoughts...

DennisS · June 16, 2015, 04:52:58 PM

Quote from: Bison on June 16, 2015, 04:36:53 PM
OK Gents I'm in a grog mood and I could go back and play one of my older titles, which I just might do but I'm also feeling the desire for a new wargaming mistress. I've been eyeballing a few titles and would like some recommendations and feedback from you all.

To End All Wars - I just wonder about the engine and WW1. I've been reading Catastrophe, by Max Hastings so I'm feeling the Great War vibe.

Civil War II

Maybe that new Scourge of War game even though apparently the uniforms are all jacked up.

Thoughts...

As much as I do not like Norb, from Norb Soft, Take Command 2nd Manassas was excellent, and Scourge of War is apparently better in every way.

panzerde · June 16, 2015, 05:01:22 PM

I didn't care for To End All Wars myself, but it has a following. Commander: The Great War is good, too.

If you really are in a groggy mood and want some serious WWI gaming, take a look at John Tiller's France '14, East Prussia '14, and Squad Battles WWI. All absolutely excellent, and the Designer's Notes alone are probably worth the price of the game.

If you're interested in naval warfare of that period, NWS's Steam and Iron and Russo-Japanese War are worth the very reasonable price.

You already have my take on SOWWL! :)

Gusington · June 16, 2015, 05:31:01 PM

I really like Commander - The Great War even though I suck at it and can't win to save my life.

To End All Wars is excellent but a bear of a game. Depends how truly groggy you feel.

Philippe · June 16, 2015, 05:31:50 PM

If you're in a WW I mood, you might want to take a look at Strategic Command:Breakthrough. The downside is that you have to buy Strategic Command:The Great War in order to get Breakthrough to work, though there's a slight silver lining in that there are a few scenarios in The Great War that weren't re-written for Breakthrough (my personal favorite is the 1917 scenario). The upside is that Breakthrough comes with several detailed scenarios covering early twentieth century battles that aren't seen very often (as well as the Franco-Prussian War).

One thing I don't care for much about Great War/Breakthrough is the way it handles naval warfare, but eventually you get used to it without too much of a suspension of groggy disbelief. If you find yourself moaning and groaning about it too much, you can always go play the Steam and Iron WW I naval campaign game by NWS. What I like about it is that it allows you to see how everything fits together, especially in the medium-scale scenarios. When I first saw the game I didn't want to go near it because it uses squares instead of hexes, Fury Software manages to make squares work almost as well as the Battle Academy engine (I've been playing a lot of Pike and Shot lately and am becoming increasingly fond of the Battle Academy engine).

And if you decide you want to get anal about the national flags that show up on the playing area, check the relevant section of the Battlefront Repository for Marsden Hartley historical flag mods.

mikeck · June 16, 2015, 08:11:09 PM

In regards to SOW Waterloo...don't miss out on the best tactical Command simulator because someone feels that the 8th guards regiment shouldn't have blue feathers in their shako...everyone knows they got rid of those in 1814...that kind of thing

Al · June 16, 2015, 08:19:19 PM

Took me a while to get in to but Strategic Command: WW1 is very good. I'd get the Breakthrough game (version/expansion?). A very good Russo-Japanese War of 1904 campaign has been designed for it.

JTSC France 14 and East Prussia '14 are excellent games for PBEM play.

Cyrano · June 16, 2015, 09:29:10 PM

I'll keep it short and +1 Doug.

Jim

bobarossa · June 16, 2015, 09:35:58 PM

I have To End All Wars and they seem to be having trouble getting it to resemble WWI warfare. You can't take Paris in early September. The March to the sound of the Guns feature seems to draw troops for adjacent front lines instead of rear area reserves. If you want groggy I'd suggest Decisive Campaigns Case Blue.

panzerde · June 16, 2015, 09:43:39 PM

Quote from: bobarossa on June 16, 2015, 09:35:58 PM
I have To End All Wars and they seem to be having trouble getting it to resemble WWI warfare. You can't take Paris in early September. The March to the sound of the Guns feature seems to draw troops for adjacent front lines instead of rear area reserves. If you want groggy I'd suggest Decisive Campaigns Case Blue.

+1, another great one. And yes, those are pretty much my objections to "To End All Wars" in a nutshell. The engine works for Ancients and Early Modern. It starts to break down around the ACW, I think.

MengJiao · June 16, 2015, 09:44:12 PM

Quote from: panzerde on June 16, 2015, 05:01:22 PM
I didn't care for To End All Wars myself, but it has a following. Commander: The Great War is good, too.

If you really are in a groggy mood and want some serious WWI gaming, take a look at John Tiller's France '14, East Prussia '14, and Squad Battles WWI. All absolutely excellent, and the Designer's Notes alone are probably worth the price of the game.

If you're interested in naval warfare of that period, NWS's Steam and Iron and Russo-Japanese War are worth the very reasonable price.

You already have my take on SOWWL! :)

I agree. I would avoid the AGEOD stuff and look at France '14 and steam and iron.

Bison · June 16, 2015, 09:54:44 PM

I have the Tiller games and they are good, but I don't really do a lot of PBEM these days so therein lies the lack of interest for me to reengage those particular games. Both Decisive Campaign games are good with a really decent AI, I always do find it fun to invade Poland.

I really do like the Ageod wego system. I'm pretty sure Matrix is selling ROP gold for $10 this week. Maybe I should replace my non-gold copy I got at gamers gate. And you guys really do speak to my concerns about the age engine and how it would address the dynamics of the WW1 fronts. I'd think that the eastern front would be good to go since the age engine is really good with operational level maneuver. It's the post 1914 static lines in the west that give me pause.

I should be responsible and go back to the SOW civil war series. I know there are some battles I haven't fought yet. Unfortunately I have the urge for a new shiny as my self designated fathers day gift...

Gusington · June 17, 2015, 06:58:33 AM

I forgot about Strategic Command WWI - I like that game too. The last scenario I played was the Siege of Al Hut - Turks vs. Brits in Mesopitamia - it was addicting.

Asid · June 17, 2015, 07:08:01 AM

Some great recommendations here.

Concerning Steam & Iron. I would consider getting the campaign expansion or the Russo-Jap War as the campaigns really bring SAI to life.

Their new title "Rule the Waves" is a lot deeper with ship design and much more is set for release before September this year (barring any problems)

Regards

Sir Slash · June 17, 2015, 11:31:31 AM

Anybody still playing TOAW 3? The reason I'm asking is I played TOAW 1 but none since then. How's number 3? It certainly has a hell-of-a-lot of gameplay and timeline to choose from. Any other problems with this older game other than the old look?