Diggypiggy

I've been watching the developement of this game for a long while now and was excited to download the demo last night. I have been a wargamer for many years and have liked WWII tactical simulations since the cardboard Squad Leader series. I have noticed on this board and others many negative comments about this game. I think alot of this is due to the fact that most RTS gamers are not accustomed to realistic simulations. This is not a game where a Tiger tank can take twice as many hits as a Sherman tank from infantry rifles before it explodes. There are no bases to build or resources to harvest, thank God. I downloaded and played throught the demo last night and I must say I really had alot of fun, and thats really what a game is all about isn't it. Now for what I consider to be the weak spots in the game as far as the Demo is concerned. What in the world was that crazy defense tutorial scenario all about? How many ways can I get my butt kicked? I couldn't figure that one out at all. I think that AT guns as small as those were should be alot harder to hit. They only lasted a few seconds even if they held their fire and hid behind trees. Spotting them and hitting them should have been much harder IMHO. Otherwise they are pretty much cannon fodder. The fourth tutorial scenario was fun until I again captured the AT guns and was obliterated before they could even be rotated to bring them to bear. Which brings up another point, I forgot to rotate one cannon and the crew just sat there and got killed, shouldn't the AI at least try to survive? Duck, run, rotate the gun themselves, something? Maybe this was an intentional programming decision but just felt strange to me. I know many have complained about the AI but it seems to me it may have been a concious decision that we micromanage our troops, but going head to head in micromanagement with a computer, jeez I'm not sure. The battle scenario was cool, I loved the tactical considerations the terrain presented and the mix of units I was allowed to have. I think the initial set-up was and is a fooler for alot of people. Completely untenable defensive placement for the amount of troops the Russians bring to the fight, especially with the artillery bombardments. In the game is there any way to know what you will be facing or is every scenario going to have to played twice to win? Some kind of reconosance would have been helpfull. The eye candy and the excellent sound really brings the battle to life and makes a great immersive experience. I think for me though I may have to watch the board for a while and see what the patches bring to the table before I buy. I'm really torn on this one, I so much want this game to succeed. Thanks for the fun evening with the Demo, I think I'll play that battle scenario again and try some different strategies!