Grognard Wargamer Thread!

tgb123 · 2016-03-08T19:25:05.000Z

Ex-S Woo:

Wow - I have been sinking A LOT of time into Pike and Shot : Campaigns recently. Probably the first wargame I’ve really fallen for.

Are there other games in similar vein that really focus on the tactical layer? After much experimentation I’ve decided that grand strategic games don’t really do it for me.

Most do. Is there a particular period in which you’re interested?

ioticus · 2016-03-08T19:32:31.000Z

Played many, many hours of SSi war games on the Apple 2+ growing up.

Ex-S_Woo · 2016-03-09T05:06:45.000Z

tgb123:

Most do. Is there a particular period in which you’re interested?

Hmm - I think I’m pretty open about the periods but I do find myself really enjoying playing with early firearms units in battles.

I find most of the paradox games impenetrable though.

TheWombat · 2016-03-09T05:26:52.000Z

Ex-S Woo:

Wow - I have been sinking A LOT of time into Pike and Shot : Campaigns recently. Probably the first wargame I’ve really fallen for.

Are there other games in similar vein that really focus on the tactical layer? After much experimentation I’ve decided that grand strategic games don’t really do it for me.

You might try the Battle Academy games; they’re the engine Pike & Shot was based on, but they’re WWII. Very nicely done, middle-lightweight in terms of grog-ness, available on tablet as well as PC. Definitely worth a look. They also have a fantasy version called Hell, which is quirky and I think pretty good too.

Ex-S_Woo · 2016-03-09T18:20:48.000Z

TheWombat:

You might try the Battle Academy games; they’re the engine Pike & Shot was based on, but they’re WWII. Very nicely done, middle-lightweight in terms of grog-ness, available on tablet as well as PC. Definitely worth a look. They also have a fantasy version called Hell, which is quirky and I think pretty good too.

Hmm - would you recommend both or should I just pick up Battle Academy 2?

Rod_Humble · 2016-03-09T18:29:09.000Z

Ex-S Woo:

Wow - I have been sinking A LOT of time into Pike and Shot : Campaigns recently. Probably the first wargame I’ve really fallen for.

Are there other games in similar vein that really focus on the tactical layer? After much experimentation I’ve decided that grand strategic games don’t really do it for me.

Yeah its a great game. I would also look at Field of Glory (Ancients/ Medieval) Richard Bodley Scott’s previous Matrix game (well his rules converted to a PC game). It is less polished than Pike & Shot but has that that feel of “weight” to the units that he brings to his wargames designs.

http://www.matrixgames.com/products/378/details/Field.of.Glory

tgb123 · 2016-03-09T18:43:15.000Z

Victory and Glory-Napoleon releases on the 17th. Check it out.

TheWombat · 2016-03-10T04:53:36.000Z

Ex-S Woo:

Hmm - would you recommend both or should I just pick up Battle Academy 2?

Well, they cover different aspects of the war (West vs. East), but BA2 does have more engine improvements I think. Don’t know if they’ve been retrofitted. I suspect it doesn’t matter that much if you’re into one theater or the other. I think BA is available cheaper though.

belouski · 2016-03-10T08:49:53.000Z

A new page needs a new recommendation for Atlantic Fleet. I liked where Pacific Fleet was heading and they followed through on it. I’ve just started the Dynamic Atlantic campaign, and have only faced a BC and a few DD, but am glad it wasn’t more because I’m still learning the Gunnery. It was way too simple in Pacific, so I was glad to see it modified, and I think I really like the modification. I’m going to cross-post in Little Indie Games because I’m not a real Grognard, but really like this game.

vyshka · 2016-03-11T02:44:34.000Z

Has anyone made the jump from Command Ops to Command Ops 2? Is it worth it?

Profanicus · 2016-03-11T03:50:31.000Z

Unless you have multiple low res screens, version 2 isn’t worth it.

On a single screen, the old fixed interface was better. Changing all the windows to be floating and drag-able makes things cluttered and fiddly. You can’t even scale them to fit more stuff in.

On a high res monitor, the text is too small and you’ll likely get graphic errors trying to run the game at a lower res - welcome back the days of lowering your desktop res to run the game so you can read the font!

So you’re paying for the move to the new module-based purchase model, some bug fixes, a couple of new visualisation overlays, and a revised interface. Except the interface is a bit of a fail.

TimJames · 2016-03-11T07:26:02.000Z

Thanks for the update on CO2. I think I’ll wait for the next rev.

Profanicus · 2016-03-11T13:39:58.000Z

I guess it also depends on how much you want to play the newer modules.

Rod_Humble · 2016-03-11T13:47:01.000Z

Atlantic Fleet got me back into Silent Hunter 4. Gosh darn this is a fun game. Well they are BOTH fun games :)

Fishbreath · 2016-03-11T14:03:25.000Z

Rod Humble:

Atlantic Fleet got me back into Silent Hunter 4. Gosh darn this is a fun game. Well they are BOTH fun games :)

I’m feeling pretty weak on that front myself. SH4 is one of my all-time favorites, and that’s from a guy who usually likes modern subsims more.

What I really wish is that there had been a Destroyer Command to go with SH3 or SH4. That’s the experience I feel like I’m missing after Atlantic Fleet.

BrianRubin · 2016-03-11T14:18:06.000Z

This has made me realize I own Silent Hunters 3-5 and have yet to touch any of them. I should fix that. Thanks!

Rod_Humble · 2016-03-11T14:31:34.000Z

Fishbreath:

I’m feeling pretty weak on that front myself. SH4 is one of my all-time favorites, and that’s from a guy who usually likes modern subsims more.

What I really wish is that there had been a Destroyer Command to go with SH3 or SH4. That’s the experience I feel like I’m missing after Atlantic Fleet.

Yeah the destroyer command part is excellent in AF would be great to see in a silent hunter game.

Brian Rubin:

This has made me realize I own Silent Hunters 3-5 and have yet to touch any of them. I should fix that. Thanks!

Enjoy. 4 is my fave, admittedly in large part because I have a hard time playing as a German U Boat commander but the pacific is so big in terms of scale and variety I think its very enjoyable from that angle as well.

SamS · 2016-03-11T15:42:55.000Z

Profanicus:

I guess it also depends on how much you want to play the newer modules.

Given the new modules are all variants on battles before and after the Bulge, not very.

There was a Pacific map floating around the Matrix forums at one stage. Now that would get me on board with the new game.

Fishbreath · 2016-03-11T19:04:43.000Z

Half of the module list is Market Garden, Greece, and the Mediterranean. There’s an Eastern Front coming.

JeffL · 2016-03-12T13:42:20.000Z

TheWombat:

Just started playing Atlantic Fleet on my iPad; I’ve had the game for a while but only fiddled with it. It is, as noted, quite excellent, and I’m pretty stunned it’s running on my freakin’ tablet. The same platform filled with Candy Crush Saga clones (well, not MY iPad, but iPads in general).

Picked this up for my iPad and so far, very impressed. Just playing single engagements right now, setting up custom battles to learn how to use the controls for the various ships. I need to actually read a manual if it has one.

Questions on submarines: Setting up a custom battle, it appears there is only one class of submarine to select for the Allies? Also, when you dive, how do you know how deep you’re diving - not sure how to dive (or ascend) to periscope depth, and come to think of it, can’t remember seeing a periscope view?