Jergan88 Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 I want to know from all you wargaming diehards, the best boardgames for a noob like me. My collection so far (is laughable): 1. Risk 2. Axis and Allies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VictorH Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 Try looking at the following sites: www.gmtgames.com www.decisiongames.com www.clashofarms.com Good Luck, it's a great Hobby. Also check out: www.boardgamers.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 23, 2003 Share Posted February 23, 2003 Hmmm Best Wargames Hmmmm Ok I am just going to skip right past games that will cost you a fortune as they are mostly not entry/price friendly subjects ie Advanced Squad Leader, or Advanced Third Reich. I will strongly suggest you visit Columbia Games though... http://www.columbiagames.com/index2.html Because they have the best price friendly entry level board games out there (my opinion). And they are still on sale, not some "look on eBay" notion. For Computer Games, well considering most titles most will suggest are not on sale now (in routine places), you will need a place like here... http://www.cdaccess.com/index.htm They sell retail copies too (interpret as meaning the original version rules books etc). Although free is nice of course. If you have never played Steel Panthers, you have missed the best free full version wargame in existence. It doesn't get better than this. http://www.matrixgames.com/insidemg/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=2 You can also find nice variations on Steel Panthers at Wargamer.com And if you wish, you can find numerous other nice demos of good wargames here... http://www.theblitz.org/downloads/demos.php So as you can see, you have your work cut out. Of course check out the other battlefront games too eh. [ February 23, 2003, 04:42 PM: Message edited by: Les the Sarge 9-1b ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 For some reason i can't connect to the mirrors from which you can dl SPWaW. Les, if you could send the file to drummerguy88@new.rr.com that'd be great. I'll probably go to the site later to see if it still doesn't work for me. Columbia Games. Any suggestions on the wargames i could buy there that would be suit me for cheap? I'm sorry, but I'm flat-ass broke right now, so i don't want to take a risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 Jergen, good news and bad news. Good news, I am behind a payment on my Karma heheh. Bad news, Steel Panthers WaW is routinely something like a 400+ meg file download (yes large file). The game is quite frankly one of the hobby's best offerings, inspite of it first hitting the shelf in 95. Variations are open. You can get demos of SP1 SP2 and SP3 from here. http://www.theblitz.org/downloads/demos.php#sp Perfectly acceptable copies of the game, but all early editions. SP2 is more fully Steel Panthers Modern Battles. It has since been re built into the full version free game from Wargamer.com known as SPMBT. SP3 is more fully known as Steel Panthers Brigade Combat (it's platoons of units not individual vehicles). The only downside of the demos, they are only demos. And they are DOS environment games. SPWaW 7.1 though is fully XP capable (with no odd hassles needed). Wargamer.com, has recently been acquired by Military Gamer Online. http://www.militarygameronline.com/insidemgo/index.php (I think everyone knows that though). The files should appear there soon enough. But you can locate SPWW2 and SPMBT through the old Wargamer. SPWW2 is incidentally the differing opionion of the better game, from SPWaW. Regarding Columbia Games. I am not experienced with their non WW2 titles, but I do have Victory the blocks of War and their "Front" titles East front etc. I recommend both, but Victory is hands down, price friendly, beginner friendly, and it is like chess, easy rules (fewer than Axis and Allies literally) but definitely a challenge against a smart opponent. Ok back to the Karma statement. I have a cd burner, and basically ever known demo at my finger tips (ok every known demo that means a hoot to mainstream computer wargaming). I have in the past recieved help with troublesome files, and I have also sent others files they had trouble gaining (some of us are not blessed with nice hi speed connections ). So my point is, do you wish me to send you a cd crammed with the best in wargaming free on the net (free as in honest up front free, the sort you will not find an affront to your sense of honour, I am not suggesting free games that are commercially on sale). A Steel Panthers ultra cd is possible (ie has every known SP file a SP fan would like a copy of). And when mailing, 1 cd or 2 is about the same expense. I could throw in an assortment of other popular, normally available downloads (such as Allied General and Third Reich). You are only required to give me somewhere to mail said cds (which we can establish through email, I will send you a greeting from me to the one you posted for that purpose if you desire). Choice is yours, and comes free of expense (gotta like that eh). Karma, ya gotta love it hehe. [ February 23, 2003, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: Les the Sarge 9-1b ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 yeah, that'd be awesome. just send me an email and i'll give you my address and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltero Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 If you want good Boardgames? There are tons of them. But not many people play board games anymore Settlers of Catan is a good one, Not War game though. Illuminati Is another one, not war, But good to bring people together and have fun, guys and gals like those two. If you are talking about you and a bud getting together and playing A War game(board). Napoleon, the waterloo campaign is easy and fast. Amoeba wars if fun with six or four players and everbody likes. Dune Is my favorite mutiplayer game. Midway was a fun two player WWII game. well there are lots of board games out there. You can find most of them at grognards.com Have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 Okay, I now have 80 dollars (booyah to not being broke). Does anyone have Axis and Allies Europe? I've been looking at it, and it looks pretty good, but I just want to know if its better than regular Axis and Allies. Is Victory worth the money? I'm worried it will be too simplistic. Also, how many players can play if i buy the basic game (no bundle)? I may buy EastFront. I don't know. Les, which is the best "Front" title? EastFront sounds like it would be pretty fun. Thank you to all who are helping me test the waters and wargaming. I really appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_j_rambo Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 I've played all 3 different Axis & Allies games. 1) Original 2) Europe only 3) Pacific I like them all. I played #1 to death, so there's nothing left there for me. Matter of fact, I've been playing the Pacific version. Something new, something old. Legend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 Victory it's Blue vs Red no historical limiting bias. Its simple, but not moronic (which is nice of course). The game uses basic units, basic military hex using turn based systems. The neat part is low counter density, and with the blocks you get a modest fog ow war element (which is also very nice). Customisable, and expandable. You get a 2 player set in basic purchase. You can get the elite sets for each side as add ons (not required). You can purchase additional sets of differing colours so multi player exists (how many wargames of any quality can sit 6 players comfortably). Of the Front games hmmm. Well East Front has the Volga Front add on. But West Front is after all not the oh yet another East Front game. Med Front is also nice (as it is not yet another East and/or Western Front game). Beauty is they all link together eventually, so hey you can always get the others if you like one. Worth the money? When was the last wargame a grognard and a beginner could both like, that you bought? Before you get Axis and Allies Europe, check out Axis and Allies Pacific. Both are great, but there seems few good pacific board games out there. You might find a Pacific game a refreshing difference. Email on the way by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 I guess what i'm asking is does A&A Europe suffer from a smaller scale or benefit from it? I'm worried that Pacific supports only 2 players. I want to get at least one more-than-2-player game. [ February 23, 2003, 11:24 PM: Message edited by: Jergan88 ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 Oh look at my sig line, people that say people no longer play board games are in denial Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 Oh, and if it's not too late, mail the email to drummerguy88@new.rr.com. I was forced to give my dad's email address after multiple attempts at registering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 Was not even aware of the other email actually, I used the one you originally wisely put in the body of your post, you outsmarted yourself heheh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 24, 2003 Author Share Posted February 24, 2003 Sorry, I'm a spaz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve C Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Originally posted by Jergan88: Okay, I now have 80 dollars (booyah to not being broke). I may buy EastFront. I don't know. Les, which is the best "Front" title? EastFront sounds like it would be pretty fun. Jergan, I have East Front 1& 2 and one of the scenario packs. There's a lot to like about this series, with a few reservations. 1) The AI is mediocre. 2) The campaign mode is weak. This is seemingly pretty cool because you have to husband your core units - but the battles become monotonous after a while. Despite the accumulated losses and your guy getting promoted occasionally, you never get the feeling that you're fighting a coherent campaign. 3) The smaller scenarios are often the best, the big ones which you think would be awesome, such as the monster with all of Stalingrad modeled, are unwieldy because both you and the AI move and fire platoon by platoon (there are some group moves but these help only a little). That said, I like the John Tiller games and he has continued to refine the system. I recommend the Panzer Campaigns series. I just got Smolensk '41 and I love it. The level is operational, hex = 1km and basic unit is the battalion. You can play anything from 7 turn quickies to the huge 175 turn main scenario with a 75,000 square km map, controlling two Panzer Armees, wow ! The AI in this series is better than East Front and there's a "fast AI" option which speeds things up a lot. You can also play PBEM or hot seat. The 2D maps are a thing of beauty and there's some very cool downloadable artwork for your units on the web. The Squad Battles series is more like East Front in that you're controlling animated individual tanks and squads of infantry. Looks promising but I haven't played it. You can play in 3D or conventional top-down 2D with counters. It's similar to Combat Mission in scale, but conventional turn-based, as opposed to the more novel system in CM. Anyway, here's a link: http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/Squad_battles/EagStrk/EagStrk.html [ February 24, 2003, 08:16 PM: Message edited by: Steve C ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 25, 2003 Author Share Posted February 25, 2003 hmmm...EastFront and Victory is 100 dollars... Sooo...EastFront is a lock (I can't wait to play it). What should I get, Victory or Axis and Allies (Europe or Pacific or just stick with the regular version?). Also, tell me about EastFront (boardgame). What is it exactly? Does it have different scenarios or is it just one game? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Steve, you have made a natural enough error so it is no biggie, but those "Front" games mentioned were board games. As such, your comments while possibly relevant to the games you mentioned, were not relevant to the actual board games from Columbia games heheh. Columbia Games has games utilising blocks titled East/West/Mediteranean Front that I own currently. As well as other titles part of these series of linkable board games designed to all fit together into a whole. They are very nice games. I am unsure if they have ever been done in any form of computer mode though. But East front as a title does indeed exist as a computer game (I own East Front II as well as Western Front through a compilations set). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Jergen, if competition is between East front and Victory. Then your choice should be based on... East Front for historical simulation value and a some day chance of adding to it the others of the Front series. or Victory, based on the assumption, you don't have any historical basis to cramp the game. That and with future add on sets you can go beyond 2 player games. East Front is a good game, but frankly it is only playable one way ie its the Russian Front afer all. Victory is more a "system" ie you can play small games, medium games and large games. That and Victory can be played vs a novice and not bog them down, as well as vs a grognard (and they will show you in 3 turns if you suck). So my own vote has to be with Victory. Additionally. You will have to learn the rules of East Front (much the same way a wargamer has to read the rules to any wargame). Yes gamers there once was a time when you either read the rules or tough bananas, you were not able to play the game. Reading the rules to Victory takes about as long as reading the Sunday comics (assuming you read as fast as me hehe). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 I want to make clear. Victory has like 8 pages of rules. But are we all agreed, SC is a simple game to run, but hardly a moron friendly game. Simple does not mean useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jergan88 Posted February 25, 2003 Author Share Posted February 25, 2003 I see there are plenty of add-ons to Victory. Les, do you have any? Could you recommend any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 For those just tuning in, this is the company and the games in question. http://www.columbiagames.com/Products/Wargames/index.html Plenty of add ons yes, but hmm I won't call it what it isn't heheh to purchase every add on you get to thinking hmm where's the vaseline heheh. The company could have marketed the game a little less spread out and maybe a bit less expensive, I might be wrong though, but some how some of the add ons seem hopelessly expensive fr little reason. Most of the add ons are essentially two bloody map panels and that's it. Frankly a wise gamer can make home made maps with a simple graphic utility and a decent printer if you scan the basic maps (because the terrain is very stylised at best). Must have components are really just the initial game and that's it. Next you can buy additional basic sets for additional players. Hey if you actually have 3 guys that would play even once a month, hit them up for 5 bucks each in a love offering to help make the purchase hehe. For increased indulgence, you can purchase the elite sets (each side gets one). This will double the cost of each additional player set though. And if one player gets one, they will all want one. These sets are eventually worth it. But my call, buy the basic game, ensure you really like it first (I think though it's a safe bet you will call it one of your best wargame purchases ever). Maybe get one additional colour set if you are feeling aggressive. It allows a three person game (I am happy fer ya if you can actually get more than 3 wargamers in a room at one time). The elite sets are cool, but they are just that, cool. Although one elite set for one of the core sides might allow one side to be the super power side. The bundles are a good cash value by the way, but lets face it, anything past 100 bucks has to earn its way into anyones wallet hehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Just emailed Columbia Games, god someone needs to show them how to make a good web site heheh. They DO indeed have a computer version of East Front (but finding that out is no small miracle. Want to try the demo, they have one here. http://www.columbiagames.com/Products/Wargames/index.html I have not tried it yet, but hmmm it should be interesting seeing how they do a computer version of a blocks based game. Phooey, yet another site, where a link to a specific page gets you no where. Click on East Front, then click on Computer East Front to, locate the demo. [ February 24, 2003, 10:11 PM: Message edited by: Les the Sarge 9-1b ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les the Sarge 9-1b Posted February 25, 2003 Share Posted February 25, 2003 Last post tonight. The demo seems to be a nice rendition of the board game. User friendly interface as well. Only snag, its a game you buy as a download. This might not entertain some people. I for one don't have a credit card, so even if I was willing to use one, and even if I didn't mind a download purchase, I would be at a loss. Price seems ok, but for those that need flash bang in their game, forget it. Although any of the SC mob, will likely not be complaining (after all SC has plain imagery, and we all like it just fine). I am seriously contemplating finding a way to get the game though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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