Advice for a confused noob

[TheGreatRadish]

Myself and my friend have been HoI2 players who only get the chance to play MP for a few hours every 3-4 weeks due to living far apart. As you can imagine, it's frustrating because of the micro-management and attention to detail needed in HoI2.

So, we've been looking for a WW2 grand strategy game we can play and come back to easily whilst we sip beer and fire up the BBQ and maybe even finish a game, whilst having fun at the same time (I'm not calling it a 'beer and pretzels' game, I just feel it offers something a bit more functional and easy to use given our time constraints, correct me if I'm wrong)! I have tried the WaW demo and I think it's fantastic, probably just what we wanted. It's great that it also has the advantage of PBEM, we would find that really useful.

I have a couple of questions before I rush off and buy it, though.

Firstly, we like to play out a global war with Japanese involvement (my friend's a bit of Jap fanboy ). I note that SC2 has a global scenario but I can't see one for WaW. Will there be one?

The new Patton drives East expansion. Should we wait until it's released before buying the game or is it just as well to go ahead and get SC2:WaW today?

How is the MP experience? I find the fact that each player controls one side, Axis or Allies, instead of individual countries, appealing in our circumstances. No AI interference and a true 1 vs 1 contest. How do you feel about that?

My apologies for asking questions that have most likely been asked before but I want to make sure we're making the correct decision. I'm 90% sure I'm going to get it because the game looks great and the demo plays well but any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Timskorn]

Welcome Mr. Radish!

A lot of us here have been playing this series for years. It really is a testament to how great the games are. If you need help, or a beatdown from someone, this is the place to come.

From what Hubert has hinted at in the forums, it seems a global war WaW version is in the works. I have to say though, I'm almost done playing my first 1vs1 global war map for SC2 and it's a blast. In fact, you'll find that WaW doesn't necessarily obsolete SC2. WaW is great and adds a ton of new things, but you'll find that it's also refreshing to go back to the simpler yet still very strategic SC2, particularly for multiplayer games.

As for PDE's release, I don't think it matters in terms of whether to buy WaW or not. In my opinion all three games are worth owning and playing, and for different reasons.

The MP experience is fantastic. The AI is great, but MP is where it's at. You can TCP/IP, but personally I enjoy PBEM. You can have multiple games going and play at your leisure. Most turns don't take more than 10 minutes to complete too.

If you already enjoy the demo, you'll love the game.

[TheGreatRadish]

Thanks very much, Timskorn.

Well, I'm going to buy it, then .

By the looks of it, I'll be playing alot of SP games too, it's just got that 'one more turn' factor. It's a joy to play (based on the demo) and given my appetite for WW2 wargames I'm ashamed that it's taken me until now to notice it.

[SeaMonkey]

You ain't dead yet Radish! Would have been too bad had that happened without a little SC in the can.

Plenty of us around here been likewise that lucky.

This is something you won't ever regret.

[TheGreatRadish]

Bundle pack now purchased and installed :cool:

Now it's time to get to grips with it!

[Gdtrfb]

Say goodbye to sleep for a while!!wicked addictive game play and so easy to edit even my tech retarded butt can work the editor....anyway check out the honch mod when ya get your grip on the game..good luck and have fun!

[TheGreatRadish]

Wow, I've been playing all day and all I can say is it's magnificent - I have rarely been this satisfied after buying a game, seriously.

It's going to be great for multiplayer, sure, but even in single player it's a blast.

[Timskorn]

Yes, you've come in to the series at a great time. Compared to when SC2 was originally released the AI has progressed by leaps and bounds. As Allies on Expert, without AI experience bonuses, I get a very competitive game.

Between that and PBEM games you'll be busy for a long time.

[Hubert Cater]

TheGreatRadish,

Glad you like the game and keep an eye out for the upcoming Patton Drives East expansion. There will be some really great USA vs. USSR campaigns as well as some dynamic alternate history WWII campaigns to boot

Hubert

[Iron Ranger]

'a few hours to finish a game' Tell us when you get to that point, seams for a true run from 39-44+ it will take days and days. Normally you will see the invasion of USSR in a few hours, then the fun begin's.

[TheGreatRadish]

Thanks chaps for all you helpful comments.

Well, I thought it would be nice to report on how our first LAN game went. We played for two days with the Fall Weiss campaign - we didn't play all day, we alternated between SC and CMAK so I feel that we did well.

Firstly, I played as the the Allies, my friend (now a happy customer too, I may add) was the Axis. We were playing in the same room so were able to learn the game together by discussing the mechanics and rules which was very useful.

I planned for a fairly historical war but my friend turned history on it's head in such a way that seriously impaired his ability to win the war, much to my delight. He eliminated Poland in November 1939 and waited out the winter with only some naval action taking place between us (going heavily in favour of the Allies).

Spring arrived and I braced myself for a German onslaught in France but I nearly fell off my chair when I was informed by message that Germany had declared war on Sweden!!! Upon receiving control of Swedish units, I was easily able to repel the German invasion, defeating his last unit in July 1940.

Meanwhile, no invasion of France came until he began to move units into Benelux in OCTOBER 1940, much to my glee. As winter set in, I was not only able to hold France but the Benelux countries too! Stalemate resulted with further British reinforcements arriving to help hold the line - the German opportunity for a quick victory was gone.

The USSR was able to join in early-summer 1941 and made immediate advances into the former-Poland, only to be brought to an abrupt standstill west of Koenigsberg. At this point it became clear that my friend had massed almost all of his heavy hitters on the Russian frontier. Again, stalemate.

Diplomatic pressure from both sides resulted in Italian entry in the late Autumn of 1941 and US entry on an almost historical date. French Armour and British airpower halted the Italian advance before it had even crossed the Alps and newly arrived US armies in early 1942 began to push the Italians back into Northern Italy whilst the Allies in North Africa advanced beyond Tobruk, the French entered Northern Germany and Germany's Eastern armies buckled under the weight of overwhelming Russian pressure.

It was at this point (mid-summer 1942) that we ended the game, due to my friend needing to travel 250 miles back home but we both throughly enjoyed the experience and will be playing many times again. Unfortunately, he made some astonishing strategic blunders - I don't understand why, he's usually fairly shrewd - that cut the war very short but he's already looking forward to rectifying that.

I know that these kind of stories are not that interesting to most of you but I felt a need to share my first MP experience of the game with you as that's why I bought it.

[arado234]

I found that quite interesting and very strange(especially the Axis moves).Ive never heard of anyone doing what the Axis player in your game tried.

[Moonslayer]

Left field strategies can sometimes work; for a beginner I would say that unusual strategies are one of the best ways to improve your understanding and strengthen your game play quickly.

Look out for him after a couple more pvp games

[arado234]

I agree Moonslayer.Sometimes the most wayout strategies work and they can be alot of fun to try.

[Bill101]

Originally posted by TheGreatRadish:

my friend... made some astonishing strategic blunders - I don't understand why, he's usually fairly shrewd - that cut the war very short but he's already looking forward to rectifying that.

I expect that he'll learn the most and come back with some really nasty strategy! Best way to learn is to try out the unexpected, my mistake is in keeping on trying out the unexpected. One just has to be a good loser too!

[SeaMonkey]

I won't point out the blatant lessons of life this series of posts refers to.

Rather I'll remind you that unlike SC, in life you can't reset the clock and go back to start over.

[jon_j_rambo]

The Great Radish in the house calling people "chaps", I love it.

[Juergen2SS]

I love this game. I played pvp and as the Axis I got Italy in the war by early 1940, France capitulated and at the same time invaded Yugoslavia and Greece. By the end of 1940 Germany controlled Poland, France, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Holland. The Brits were on the move down in Africa so I built some subs to help out the Italians, pretty much decimated the Brits in the Med, but I lost 1 sub, and 2 Italian Cruisers. Saw the need to help the N. African campaign so I beefed up the diplomats toward Tuyrkey. By late 1941 I was defending France from the Brits, but I landed 1 Armor, 1 Sp. Forces and 1 Army in N. Africa near Syria. The Italians were barely holding on to Tobruk, but when I landed it caused some issues with the Brits. With literaly no Sea assets left in the med the UK lost N. Africa by 1941 early. At this time I had been preparing for Russia. Now with Italy controling N. Africa, I pressed the DAK towards Saudi Arabia. Turkey became an ally to the Axis powers, with of course Hungary, Romania and bulgaria, Finland. In the end with pressure from Turkey the war in the east was a little easier, but close. The US became involved in 1942, thank god I had bought a large ammount of air power, really helped destroy transport ships before they reached the W. front, with support from Axis subs in france. My surface fleet was bottled up until about 1944 where I felt comfortable about engaging the Allies surface fleet, with Russia pretty much routed I was able to transfer assets to the west, and build more naval and air units... in the End we had just landed on the Southern shores of the UK. The Axis had at this time level 5 tanks, and airpower with level 2 AT, and level 3 inf.

Totaly fun game.. next time Im playing the Allies!