Help Me Wargamers With Jobs!
I was playing through a TCP/IP game of CM:BB with a pal a few nights ago when I realized that, especially in lieu of picking up CoD4, R6:V2 and trying to get my hands on a copy of Jagged Alliance 2, that i'd like to play a modern wargame. Something entertaining, fun, set within, let's say 25 years of the present day (going backwards or forwards). And something a little more detailed than the average RTS game.
However, I have two issues. One, I tried to play Steel Panthers, but, like all Hex-based wargames, I found it boring, inaccessible, and no fun. I didn't understand half of what I was doing when I was doing it. Second, from what I remember, the most recent Combat Mission game wasn't exactly inspiring or as fun as previous ones in the series, although I understand it's been patched multiple times since.
So, i'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations. I don't mind the game being hard to learn and being exceptionally detailed, that's what drew me to CM in the first place, just something a little more accessible and pleasing to look at (as well as less intimidating) than the average Hex-based games, and that is (reasonably) modern. Anyone got any ideas?
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Its possible some might not consider this a wargame but I do.
Hearts of Iron 2
Its a great game thats cheap and has lots of mods. Its controls are not that hard to learn and it has lots of possibliities.
Also steel panthers 3 was pretty good but you already said you didnt like that series. Panzer general 2 was fun, but again its like Steel Panthers.
Ya lost me at pleasing to look at. Hardcore wargaming is such a niche that not many developers have the assets for great art departments.
Here is the Wargamer's Corner thread some good suggestions in there, but there is a dearth of modern era games.
That said there is an update of Close Combat, called CC Modern Tactics check it here. I keep thinking about it but have yet to pull the trigger on a purchase.
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Here are some suggestions - not all fall into your "modern" period (as Richy pointed out there are not a lot of good ones set in the period).
John Tiller's Campaign Series - One of my favorite wargame systems ever. Still looks pretty good and is not too complex.
Conquest of the Aegean - The Airborne Assault series has the most innovative wargame engine ever on the PC in my opinion. Scale is battalion/brigade level and it is real time not turn based. AI is superb. They are working on a Battle of the Bulge game currently with the same engine.
Flashpoint Germany - Cold War era Soviets vs. NATO. I enjoyed this one and the developers have continued to release updates even though it has been out a couple of years.
The AGEOD games on the Civil War and Revolutionary war are also very good if you like that period.
The new Gary Grigsby Civil War game from Matrix is also getting good buzz, but I have not tried it yet.
If you are set on a modern era game, the Armored Task Force games from Shrapnel are highly detailed. They are also complex and graphically not really that advanced. Air Assault Task Force is the most recent one.
The Shrapnel versions of the Steel Panther games set in WW2 and a modern one are the best of the Steel Panthers engine games. I have the enhanced version of both and they are fun to fire up now and then. You can dl the free versions from their site to try them out. The enhanced versions cost some $ but provide larger resolution up to 1600x1200 and more features like an editor and some additional PBEM functionality I think.
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I should've been clearer. A little nicer to look at than SP:MBT, which isn't asking much I think. Basically, less hex-based stuff was all. CC Modern Tactics looks like exactly what i'm looking for here Richy, since while I enjoy WWII as a setting, i'm at burnout on it at this point.
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XBL Tag: Prederick
I would still give CM:SF a look. At first glance, it feels more "dry" than CM:BB and the others, but that's more related to the pace of modern combat. The intensity is pretty high and so things happen quickly once they start.
I'm enjoying this game now more than at release. I actually didn't play it for quite a while, but the patches have helped.
Maybe try the demo.
Also, consider "Hornet Leader PC" from Matrix Games - easy, fun, not long for each game.
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Try some of John Tillers' Squad Battles Games.
Squad Battles Vietnam was fun. Tour of Duty had a campaign aspect to it. HPS Sims
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Man, that is some Fugly stuff! SBV
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Ah, no Hex-based games, remember?
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XBL Tag: Prederick
I am. I'd say it looks nice, but apparently it and my PC loathe one another, and refuse to work together, at least on a graphical level. I'm going to see if I can find a workaround.
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Ouch! Unfortunately, that's been Battlefront's Achilles Heel for all the CM games.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
I know you said no hex based games, but there is one exception that should be made. If you can find either Panzer General or Allied General, they still hold up today as exceptional entry-level wargames. I cannot recommend them highly enough(?)
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BTW Matrix Games has some links to new Heroes of Stalingrad gameplay videos. They look good. So good, in fact, that if it were socially acceptable to say that you have touched yourself to a wargame gameplay video, I might confess.
That may be the next game I play by email Seeing that Richy won;t send a setup of SPMBT!!
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Panzer Tactics DS is a recent total Panzer General copy, for the DS of course. I believe you could pick that up somewhere. And if you want, Home of the Underdogs has at least Panzer General for Win95 version, saving you the hassle of DOSBox configuring, VESA compliance et al.
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Pred - Modern, non-hex based, and attractive: FlashPoint Germany
I actually thought Tour of Duty looked nice.
You know what are good looking games? SSG's Decisive Battles and Battlefront. They look like good copies of board wargames. They play great too, about as close to the old VforVictory games I loved.
Links:
Battles in Italy
Battles in Normandy
Battlefront
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Thanks for the advice everyone, although I fear Swampy, our definitions of "attractive" may differ slightly.
CM:SF doesn't seem to like me, but what i've seen of CC:MT looked really, really cool. I think i'll splurge on that first.
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XBL Tag: Prederick
Post a few AARs. With your writing skills and sense of humor, I imagine they could be quite amusing.
You don't have to call me Lieutenant, Rosie......
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It's CC. The AI alone will ensure it's amusing.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
Well because I just started USMC Command & Staff College I dusted off both CM:SF and Theater of War and patched both of them are pretty good. You definitely have to "rethink" the way you play games and use real tactics. I am glad that "reality" isnt as brutal as CM:SF - I had one of my Strykers get immobilized by an RPG shot from 700+ meters out
I was like WTF!!! It was literally the golden BB. I am really looking forward to the Marine expansion.
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BTW, CM:SF is $20 currently at GamersGate.
Nice deal.
I am too, Spy, this game has come to life for me.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
I really tried to like that game, but no dice....
You don't have to call me Lieutenant, Rosie......
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I still want to find the bastard with the magic RPG - just so I can call down mortars on him from afar - over and over again. The use of IED's is pretty nifty as well. Every little smudge makes you stop and examine it.
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Spy, can you describe a bit about the conditions of that rpg shot? Seems like it's a long freaking way. I may set this up in a test scenario to see what happens.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
I was doing the scenario where you took the 6-8 Strykers through or around a small village. One of my vehicles hit an IED about 500+ meters out and then the vehicle at the rear took the magic RPG shot. I couldnt reproduce it - I think the game AI rolled a 100 to hit
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I looked around the web and I'm guessing maybe an RPG-29? That's listed as 450m-500m useful range, so... Maybe.
This has me playing again.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
Abu Susah, is it? OMG. I tried that for the first time. I'm cashiered for sure. If I survive. My sergeant will probably shoot me when I'm not looking, given the situation we found ourselves in.
I do want to say that this game is much, much better than when it first came out.
Infantry go where you want them to, they can deal with buildings (and you can see them properly inside buildings) and in general the game makes much more sense.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
Spy - I played it again this afternoon, and a different tactic gave me a 220-19 win (I lost one Stryker to a missile or something similar). It's amazing what changing two things did. And I thought the effects of the choices I made were pretty realistic.
Guys, this game has been greatly improved over time.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
Yeah - it really does have an excellent combined arms and maneuver reality to it. If you follow the mission orders and use true "tactics" you can really surprise yourself at the realism of how things play out. I have been switching between this one and Theater of Warover the last couple of days.
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I really should reinstall ToW.
How closely do you follow orders? I mean, do you stay on roads or the like? I prefer to plow up the fields and do things like harass with artillery fire on my own initiative. Seems to work.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.