Gaming Thread

[USSWisconsin]

I thought it would be fun to discuss games - I don't have any time to play them these days - but still enjoy a little discussion. Gunnut had a nice thread jacking on the alien thread - but it was suggested that this topic belonged in a new thread. Here is my effort to keep the discussion going.

I used to game extensively in 1:285 scale on a model railroad terrain table. We developed extensive rules and specs for this. I posted the rules else where, I will locate them and repost.

Computer gaming was clearly a better way - I like the D-day, Eastern Front and Africa Korps sims that came out about 8 years ago and move to this kind of gaming - then my computer broke and other thing pushed them aside. But hearing about the highlights of other's WWII era gaming is still enjoyable for me.

I will endeavor to add the details of what I am talking about going forward and would welcome the reopening of the discussion from elsewhere in the other threads.

[ace16807]

Are you referring to WW2 FPSs?

Games that I've played in the last month (in no ranking):
ArmA2 OA
Heats of Iron I (Have been bent on trying to repel Normandy Invasion and Soviet advance. Start date for the campaign is June 20th 1944 as I recall. I've managed to repel the initial Allied forces in the Normany area but the allies pull off smaller landings in Northern Germany and do Operation Dragoon while the Russians kick my butt in the east. I've managed to last until May 1946 but my goal is to last until the end of '47 when the game timeline ends.)
Company of Heroes (Eastern front mod)
EUII

[USSWisconsin]

Are you referring to WW2 FPSs?

Games that I've played in the last month (in no ranking):
ArmA2 OA
Heats of Iron I (Have been bent on trying to repel Normandy Invasion and Soviet advance. Start date for the campaign is June 20th 1944 as I recall. I've managed to repel the initial Allied forces in the Normany area but the allies pull off smaller landings in Northern Germany and do Operation Dragoon while the Russians kick my butt in the east. I've managed to last until May 1946 but my goal is to last until the end of '47 when the game timeline ends.)
Company of Heroes (Eastern front mod)
EUII

FPS games are ok, but I enjoy games at the tactical level much more - with company or battalion sized forces and heavier assets - like Divisional or Army Artillery and ground attack AC.

I started with Tabletop gaming in the 1980's - We started with a rule set called Jagdpanzer - later wrote our own called Combined Assault. It involved tiny lead miniatures.

Computer gaming simplified and speeded play (no judge or rule reading or arguments) - these three are still the best games I have seen:

Three titles using the original game engine were released by battlefront.com:

Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord (2000)
Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin (2002)
Combat Mission: Afrika Korps (2004)

These permit regiment sized games - but are ideally suited to smaller battles.

I hated the follow on - it was a programming game - if I wanted to write code - I would just go to work...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_...eo_game_series)

[USSWisconsin]

A game story: We ran a micro-armor game at GenCon in the late 80's: it was a 1945 scenario to take a German bridge defended by a small garrison (2 infantry platoons with MG-42's, panzershreks and panzerfausts, a couple snipers and lead by a Lieutenant) there was a Flak battery on high ground behind the bridge with a commanding view of the town equipped with 3 x 88mm Flak 37's. The Germans had no tanks, the US forces had an Armored Battalion with a company of Sherman's, a reinforced Company of Armored Infantry in halftracks- two with 81mm mortars and a motorized infantry company with a heavy weapons platoon. The US was expected to race across the board and take the bridge in 10 x 30 min turns - it would take about 3 turns to double move to within gun range in the vehicles - the countryside up to the town had been abandoned by the Germans in earlier battles in this scenario - they were in prepared positions in and around the town - there was good cover up to 75mm gun range. This was explicitly defined in the scenario, the US forces were expected to take some losses from the 88's before they knocked them out - we briefed the players, handed out detailed scenario plans, and expected a good battle for the bridge in middle of the town. The main hand outs listed the forces in general and rules. Both sides recieved side specific - accurate intel on the other side and clear objectives and victory conditons.

We got a player who believed he was a Navy Seal, Mercenary - with healed wounds from a 14mm Soviet MG, a Mathematician, Physicist, AND a personal friend of several Nobel Laureates: who never finished high school- a pudgy little 26 yr old guy about 5'6" and 130#- who didn't own any guns, didn't have a drivers license and never had one - as I later learned about him when discussing the game afterwords. He was also a history "expert", who knew the US was very lucky the Soviets didn't kick America's butt at sea - with their fearsome Navy and take the US like they did Berlin.

He insisted on dismounting his infantry at the edge of the board - about 8 miles from the town, behind some thick woods - and having them scout the road and dig in at the far edge of the board for the entire game (he kept asking where the hidden Germans were and that there must be minefields - and insisting that he would play the scenario the way it "really" would have been) - the Germans won by default - they were never even engaged, he did "soften up" the middle of the board with his mortars - expending all their ammo. What a sad waste of the game - we had play tested it many times, tuned it and both sides had won during the final testing phase.

[Nightowl]

Are you referring to WW2 FPSs?

Games that I've played in the last month (in no ranking):
ArmA2 OA
Heats of Iron I (Have been bent on trying to repel Normandy Invasion and Soviet advance. Start date for the campaign is June 20th 1944 as I recall. I've managed to repel the initial Allied forces in the Normany area but the allies pull off smaller landings in Northern Germany and do Operation Dragoon while the Russians kick my butt in the east. I've managed to last until May 1946 but my goal is to last until the end of '47 when the game timeline ends.)
Company of Heroes (Eastern front mod)
EUII

EUII ftw. Have you tried EU3?

[bolo121]

I heard Gunnut talking about Men of War so i tried their latest standalone, MEN of War: Assault Squad.
Was very impressed. It forces you to think of cover and flanking when moving, taking any significant position results in fierce local counter attacks and there are countless things you can do with each of the different units.
Tanks are also handled well, instead of a health bar, the chance of a hit are calculated based on armor thickness, angle etc. So you can knock a tank out by damaging its main gun or disable it by hitting a tread.
I was very impressed by the aggressiveness of the AI overall.

[payeng]

Seen an ad. of Evony herein WAB ads. and tried, termed as multi player online real time strategy game set in medieval times....bows, arrows, ballistas, catapults...one need to build an army of soilders, feed them and protect cities, alliance membership limit is 100 members, the best alliance rules by winning war, diplomacy plays an important role in winning wars. If you have a lots of time to spare (and a little money) this game may suit you, tactics,strategy,diplomacy, economy and survival, I love this game (strongly prefer age I) played for some one and half years...retired as I got better things to do in real life then just playing a game , to be frank my new job dont permit me to kill time playing games.

One of the best game I ever played, you won’t see any animation or fighting likewise a games is known for, but as a strategy game I belive it is very good.

If anyone want to try it, I would recommend someone who have a lots of time in life to spare (and ofcourse some money to waste on it ) and anytime anywhere internet facility, Job retired person can especially try it.

[Wayfarer]

Alright, my forte!

Since most of the people here are interested in strategy and tactical games, I reckon we should divvy them up into seperate categories

Strategy Games
-Usually turn based and heavily involving resources
-Civilization 4 (HIGHLY RECOMMEND - anyone who enjoys history and planning warfare will love this, once you get bored of the original gameplay (which I doubt you will, try the many modpacks on forums I can reccommend if you are interested - for example, WW2 modpacks, mods simulating the American Civil War and the Classical era, etcetera)
-Hearts of Iron 1,2,3
-Europa Universalis
-Supreme Commander (controversial, but since its focus on gathering resources and more countering enemy types, I'll term it as strategic)
-Starcraft 1,2

Tactical Games (focusing more on positioning, manouevering and small(er) unit tactics
-Company of Heroes (sterling recommendation)
-Dawn of War (basically a simulation of the WH40K tabletop game, it is extremely good)
-Men of War, as mentioned by previous posters

Hybrid Tactical and Strategic
-Total War series
For lower end PCs I recommend Rome Total War
Otherwise, if you prefer medieval combat, Medieval Total War, if you want to relive the Enlightenment and Napoleonic Eras, Empire Total war

These games have a strategic turn based map, where you control your nations resources and army movement

However, when armies collide, or you lay siege to an enemy stronghold, you move to a tactical battlefield, where things like flanking, terrain, cover all play a huge role in deciding who will win.

[gunnut]

I heard Gunnut talking about Men of War so i tried their latest standalone, MEN of War: Assault Squad.
Was very impressed. It forces you to think of cover and flanking when moving, taking any significant position results in fierce local counter attacks and there are countless things you can do with each of the different units.
Tanks are also handled well, instead of a health bar, the chance of a hit are calculated based on armor thickness, angle etc. So you can knock a tank out by damaging its main gun or disable it by hitting a tread.
I was very impressed by the aggressiveness of the AI overall.

I don't recall talking about a game called "men of war." In fact, this is the first I've heard of it.

The game I play most often are Civilizations series, Starcraft, Counter Strike, and most recently, World of Tanks.

[Genosaurer]

Men of War is quite good. It's a repolish of Faces of War, which was itself a repolish of Soldiers: Heroes of WWII. Very fun mechanics and a nice engine, although the difficulty curve is brutal.

[Zad Fnark]

I've been dabbling a little with Flames of War. I bought a couple of "pilot models" to build. A Stug IV and a Stuart V. It seems an interesting system. Kind of a blend of Warhammer and Squad Leader.

I've been doing Warhammer 40k and FB for about 6-7 years now. It kind of sucked me away from my 1/48 aircraft hobby. 60 kits in the basement unbuilt ever since.

My brothers and I have ArmA2 night every Saturday. I spend lots of my time re-creating our old favorite missions from Operation Flashpoint. I think I've gotten reasonably good at scripting from doing this.

I also have two PBEMs going on in War in the Pacific - Admiral's Edition. The entire Pacific war with every unit, one day at a time at 40 miles per hex.

ZF-

[USSWisconsin]

Back before computer games ...

[gunnut]

Back before computer games ...

I played Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition.

[bolo121]

I don't recall talking about a game called "men of war." In fact, this is the first I've heard of it.

The game I play most often are Civilizations series, Starcraft, Counter Strike, and most recently, World of Tanks.

I dont recall exactly, but I remember hearing the name first here at WAB and since you are one of the main posters in game related threads i thought ypou had mentioned it.

Anyway you should give it a try its great fun and reasonably priced.

Spent last night after i got home from work trying to rush and capture enemy 88s

[USSWisconsin]

here are the rules I developed

Back before computer games ...