HPS Games

[agathosdaimon]

The HPS AI is decent in smaller battles, but is really lacking in the campaign or larger battles IMO.  One thing I've noticed is that I tend to play to the AI moves, so they seem less boneheaded.  Then you play a PBEM game and you learn that your tactics against the AI are about 99.9% likely to fail against a human opponent.

I guess i am not exceptional with my game playing but i am playing slowly the massive 363 odd turn Leipzig 1813 battle atm and the AI is still good, perhaps its just hte fact that they have some much artillery. But also the battle is really several small to moderate sized battles all at once on an enormous map - and being tha the the Allies were not always well coordinated with each of their armies plans,that it plays like numerous smaller theatres converging slowly slowly on Leipzig and my eventual retreat, seems realistic. aLSO THE AI is well scripted enough i think too - I have discover some making advances on my secretly behind a forested area that i neglected to worry about thinking it would be unlikely the AI would use this, but here they come and now i have another head of this hydra that i in vain will try to hold back.

[Nefaro]

Get Danube Front - it covers West Germany from the Baltic to Austria so it's the best bang for your buck.  You can check over at theblitz.org for scenarios and alternate files.  NWS has it for $30.

Also, I'd recommend France '14.  IMO - and having played Panzer/Modern Campaigns for a long time - it's the best of the series.  It just seems to me that game system suits WWI combat best.  I hope the guy who did France'14 does another WWI game.

+1 to both of the above.  I played some Danube Front just last night.  There's a scenario that covers the same area as the "A Time to Dance" scenario from Flashpoint Campaigns, at the company/battalion/regiment level. Pretty cool to be able to recognize the terrain around Bad Neustadt on the Tiller map from playing it in FPC.

Thanks guys!

I'll pick up Danube Front sometime soon.  I was also curious about the WWI title(s) HPS put out recently, so I'll definitely be getting one or both of those too!  Good thing Xmas is coming.

[Bison]

First World War Squad Battles is a great game.  Very challenging.  I have France 14, but have yet put in the time I need to with that one.

For me Tiller games are my wargaming comfort food.  I usually have one PBEM game going at a time.  Over the years, I've just become accustomed to the UI and I continue to learn new things with every game.  The one nice step they've taken at least with the PzC game and I believe they are in the process of doing so with the Modern Campaigns is added in the zoomed 2D view.  This addresses in some measure my greatest complaint that over the years the games just did not scale well with higher resolution monitors.  Of all the changes I'd like to see implemented, this is the one that I'd most like to see added across the board.

[GJK]

Re: 2D view

Yes, that was my gripe as well.  If they go back and add 2D zoom to some of the old titles, I'd be all over that!

[MengJiao]

Question:

Which of the "Modern Campaigns" titles do you guys recommend?  I've been wanting to check out one of the '85 Fulda Gap, North German Plain, or Danube Front WWIII in Europe selections but dunno which one may be considered the best value regarding content. 

I'll likely pick up Mideast '67 in addition to one of the above, or a later on.

Get Danube Front - it covers West Germany from the Baltic to Austria so it's the best bang for your buck.  You can check over at theblitz.org for scenarios and alternate files.  NWS has it for $30.

Also, I'd recommend France '14.  IMO - and having played Panzer/Modern Campaigns for a long time - it's the best of the series.  It just seems to me that game system suits WWI combat best.  I hope the guy who did France'14 does another WWI game.

  Yes, France '14 is a fantastic game.  It is by far the best representation of the German attempt to crash through Belgium and roll up the French that I have ever seen.

[Al]

Re: 2D view

Yes, that was my gripe as well.  If they go back and add 2D zoom to some of the old titles, I'd be all over that!

I'm not 100% sure, but I think all PzC/MC title & France14 have been updated to include the 2D zoom.

[panzerde]

Re: 2D view

Yes, that was my gripe as well.  If they go back and add 2D zoom to some of the old titles, I'd be all over that!

I'm not 100% sure, but I think all PzC/MC title & France14 have been updated to include the 2D zoom.

Danube Front has definitely been updated to include it, as have all of the PzC titles I own.  I wish the Civil War series would all be updated.

[vyshka]

Re: 2D view

Yes, that was my gripe as well.  If they go back and add 2D zoom to some of the old titles, I'd be all over that!

I'm not 100% sure, but I think all PzC/MC title & France14 have been updated to include the 2D zoom.

Danube Front has definitely been updated to include it, as have all of the PzC titles I own.  I wish the Civil War series would all be updated.

I imagine it will make it into those as well in the next round of updates.

[Bison]

All I really want is some love for the French and Indian War and 1776, but I suspect it'll be quite some time down the road before I see magnified 2D in my two favorite games.

[Nefaro]

From what I've seen, the new "Zoom In" view looks terrible.  Better than nothing at all, though.

[Bison]

I don't know that I'd call them terrible, but the counters were clearly not designed originally to be displayed that large on at high resolution.  They are very functional and greatly increase the playability of the games for me.  I'm not sure how much more one could expect short of a complete rebuild of the game.

[Mad Russian]

I wanted to tell you guys thanks for letting me know that they have put the rules on pdf. Now that Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm has been released I might actually get some time to play them and use them for research like I intended when I bought them.

If I'm not mistaken there is new content on the horizon for the game coming very soon.

I appreciate the comments and help.

Good Hunting.

MR

[panzerde]

From what I've seen, the new "Zoom In" view looks terrible.  Better than nothing at all, though.

I usually use MapMod or one of Philippe's graphics mods to knock off the rough edges.  Makes the 2X view a bit easier to take.

[Tuna]

From what I've seen, the new "Zoom In" view looks terrible.  Better than nothing at all, though.

I usually use MapMod or one of Philippe's graphics mods to knock off the rough edges.  Makes the 2X view a bit easier to take.

Agreed, MapMod is very good, and he did a fine one for WiTE too!

[vyshka]

Yeah, that map he did for WITE is amazing. I love his work for Tiller games as well. I'm hoping he was given some work by Matrix after the WITE map. I know they wanted to chat with him.