Wargamer's Corner

Somehow I missed it, but Conflict of Heroes: Ghost Divisions expansion released last week for $15. Two campaigns from Army Group
Center, featuring the 7th Panzer and the Grossdeutschland divisions. All scenarios can be played stand-alone. Requires the 1.30 update.

CoH is a marvelous turn-based tactical WWII game which replicates the popular Eastern Front board game series from Academy games, while offering some improvements on previously clunky mechanics. Slitherine is developing the second full game in the series, Storms of Steel, for release... Um... for release. It focuses on Kursk.

The mechanics are in the beginner to low intermediate range of complexity, while the game itself can be very challenging for one side. It's common to play scenarios from both sides to compare results, since some are realistically unbalanced. Great game for newbies to the genre. (For older or more hard-core gamers, it's essentially an action-point based Squad Leader style game with special action cards to influence play.)

If you want to see the boardgame itself, check out the Academy Games website.

And to round out today's joyousness, we have the just-announced reissue of the first half of Conquest of the Aegean done as an expansion to Battles from the Bulge! Sure to start a flurry of discussion, it's 30USD for download, 20USD if you have your CotA serial number to use as a coupon code. It's 19 scenarios in what is fair to say is an entirely different terrain setting from BftB, and it IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Run, don't walk, to your nearest Matrix download site.

David Kershaw of DK Simulations (an Android Wargame developer) has put up on Google Play a free game called Wargame: Poland 1939.

It can be seen/played here if you have Chrome or Firefox, but IE is playing up.
http://www.kerpob.com/p39_chrome/

Here's the request for playtesters thread over at BoardGameGeek.
http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/9494...?

Here's the development thread over at BGG
http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/9000...

It's also available for iPad and Android!
It's hex and chit shuffling, too!

spelk wrote:

David Kershaw of DK Simulations (an Android Wargame developer) has put up on Google Play a free game called Wargame: Poland 1939.

It can be seen/played here if you have Chrome or Firefox, but IE is playing up.
http://www.kerpob.com/p39_chrome/

Thanks for the tip! Pretty easy to get a major Axis victory with the default settings, but I'll be interested to take another crack at it with the mobilized Poland and no surprise options. Quick, fun, and well worth checking out!

Robear wrote:

Somehow I missed it, but Conflict of Heroes: Ghost Divisions expansion released last week for $15. Two campaigns from Army Group
Center, featuring the 7th Panzer and the Grossdeutschland divisions. All scenarios can be played stand-alone. Requires the 1.30 update.

CoH is a marvelous turn-based tactical WWII game which replicates the popular Eastern Front board game series from Academy games, while offering some improvements on previously clunky mechanics. Slitherine is developing the second full game in the series, Storms of Steel, for release... Um... for release. It focuses on Kursk.

The mechanics are in the beginner to low intermediate range of complexity, while the game itself can be very challenging for one side. It's common to play scenarios from both sides to compare results, since some are realistically unbalanced. Great game for newbies to the genre. (For older or more hard-core gamers, it's essentially an action-point based Squad Leader style game with special action cards to influence play.)

If you want to see the boardgame itself, check out the Academy Games website.

Conflict of Heroes developers are friends of mine. Let me know how you like it.

I've really enjoyed the base computer game, and I have the boardgame, but have not played it with another player yet. I expect I'll like the expansion too.

Crossposting from the iPad thread, but can anyone enable on Slitherine's Great Battles Medieval ? It's $5 temporarily, so time is running out, but I'd love a recommendation, please!

Hegemony Gold is 75% off or $4.99 at the Steam summer sale. There is also a demo which I played and adored.

Strangeblades wrote:

Hegemony Gold is 75% off or $4.99 at the Steam summer sale. There is also a demo which I played and adored.

I remember the crew on Three Moves Ahead were fairly enamored with it when they interviewed the developer many moons ago. At a fiver, definitely worth a go.

Tried Assault Wave on the iPad today. It's interesting. I don't like some of the art style; the maps have height, but it's impossible to tell, and they use these Weird Tales style GIs to illustrate panels. Well, if Weird Tales had overweight Americans and zombie flasher Germans. It's very noisy in a not very useful way.

That out of the way, the gameplay is in fact interesting. You start with a few units (like infantry, flamethrower team, armored car, medium tank, tank destroyer), a few actions (for example, Charge lets one unit move faster for a while) and some supporting actions/units like off-board artillery, aircraft strikes and healing. Each unit is worth some victory points, and there is at least one VP location on the map. First side to make it's VP number wins the match. Occupying the goal means holding it for a short period after taking it. Terrain provides some cover and maybe fire advantages.

The gimmick here is that each player starts at the opposite end of the field, and when they put down a unit, it moves at it's speed directly forward. So if you want to capture a particular location, you have to start a unit driving directly at it. If you want to support that unit, you start others on adjacent lines, or behind it. They roll forward at different speeds depending on type, and generally stop when fighting, so it's entirely possible to plan and execute a momentary local superiority over your opponent's force in one area, if you have the foresight. This also means you have to aim for the VP location, as well as "pop ups" locations which offer free actions and units to place for the first player to get to them (hence the Charge action).

Finally, each unit type in the game has a timer, and once you use the action or place the unit, the timer has to run down before you can do it again. This means that you have to calculate your "waves" of units to certain lines in order to deal with enemy strengths and weaknesses at the time, and prevent any of them breaking into your deployment area.

What complicates this? Well, guess what. Infantry is great against other infantry, but not so hot against tanks. AT infantry is the opposite. Tank destroyers kill other tanks, but are vulnerable to artillery and other AT weapons. Medium tanks do well against both infantry and tanks, but there are other tanks that are not so balanced. So it has much more of a standard tactical game in the short firefights, because even if you are outnumbered, if you have one TD against three armored cars, say, it will probably kill at least two of them, and if you have an action to speed up it's firing it'll take on all three. Likewise, put an AT infantry into what appears to be a bocage field and they will have a field day with approaching armor. But unlike regular games, it's like all the units are wind-up toys; it's when and in what combinations you release them that determines whether you win or lose in any particular part of the field.

I don't know how many total scenarios there are, and I have not tried multiplayer. The first campaign seems to have six maps in it; if the others are similarly short, then this might not be a very long-lasting game. Or, they could simply release more and more campaigns with new units and terrain and maps, and that would help keep it interesting.

This is no CM:Normandy for the iPad. (And of course; that's a thing already.) This is what CM would have looked like if Konami did it as a top-down scroller in 1978, but hired the Avalon Hill game designers to do unit differentiation. It's a weird beast, but I can see why Battlefront picked it up. Definitely a lite game for hardcore wargamers. Worth a go if you're interested after looking at the screenies, or the above description, or if you find it on sale sometime.

I just wish they had used some other art style.

For any fellow WARMACHINE addicts, kickstarter has started for a PC turn based version of the game here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

They've already made funding but thought you might want to know

Another Wargame Kickstarter begins today, Wars and Battles. Looks good, with 7 battles coming to the game (if it all gets funded)

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...

From the blurb:

A portal to history

Wars and Battles is not only a game, it is a portal: Wars and Battles will be launched in December 2013 with two battles (Gettysburg 1863 and Normandy 1944).

Then we plan to launch one battle every two months and we have already 5 additional battles in the pipeline (Austerlitz 1805, Kharkov 1943, Market Garden 1944, The Korean War 1950-51 and October War 1973) that will all be launched in the first half of 2014.

"Armageddon™ invasion starts in 2014

Warhammer® 40,000® turn-based strategy videogame details are disclosed

Slitherine and Games Workshop® are pleased to announce Warhammer® 40,000®: Armageddon™. Having announced an exciting partnership with Games Workshop a few weeks ago, Slitherine are delighted to release further details. Slitherine have acquired the exclusive rights to Games Workshop’s “Battle for Armageddon” setting in order to create a series of amazing multiplatform, turn-based, hex-based games. Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon will make full use of Slitherine's expertise in creating compelling and challenging strategy gaming experiences. The initial game is set during the Second War of Armageddon and players will lead the Imperial forces of the Armageddon Steel Legion and Space Marines® from the Ultramarines, Blood Angels and Salamanders Chapters against Ghazghkull Thraka’s massive Ork Waaagh! invasion through over 30 scenarios, on the hostile terrain of the planet and its gigantic Hive Cities.

"It is very exciting to see a game like this come alive - I just can't wait to play it!", said Iain McNeil, Development Director of the Slitherine Group. "It's been almost 15 years since a turn-based strategy game set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe has been released and we think it is now time to deliver that experience to all fans around the world".

“The Battle for Armageddon is a classic event in the lore of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, having been detailed in games, models and novels over the past 20 years.” said Jon Gillard, Head of Licensing at Games Workshop. “Slitherine's masterful use of their classic digital wargame style applied to this seminal setting will delight fans of both.”

The game is currently in development for PC and iOS and will release in the first quarter of 2014.

Main features of the game include:

The game portrays the Second War for Armageddon™ in great detail, from the initial Ork landings to the final liberation of the planet;
It contains a large branching campaign with 30 major scenarios, plus additional 5 tutorial scenarios that explore the story in detail;
A complex plot, which can develop during a mission, right in the middle of battle, creating an engaging story line with unexpected twists;
Players lead Imperial troops of the Armageddon™ Steel Legion, with supporting assets from a number of Space Marine chapters against the ferocious Orks;
Fight alongside Commissar Yarrik and Commander Dante against the cunning Ork Warboss Ghazghkull Thraka;
Carry over battle-hardened veterans from scenario to scenario, using their experience and upgrading their equipment;
Detailed combat model with terrain, weather and morale effects;
Extensive modding options delivered through a powerful and easy-to-use game editor.
Some numbers:

Over 35 scenarios;
Over 100 unit types, with unique roles, stats and special abilities;
20 different units stats;
A separate set of maps are designed and balanced specifically for multiplayer via Slitherine's PBEM++ system."

I'm guessing this will be squad scale rather than individual soldier?

Oh, here's a detailed image of Imperial Guard tanks to be used in the game.

As for squad scale, hmm, the writer and some commentators believe this will be based on an existing game engine - maybe Panzer Corps. No official word on that though.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/e9tA6yH.jpg)

I've been waiting my whole life (exaggeration) to play a large-scale war version of any WH40K property.

Just found an interview with Slitherine on WH40K Armageddon (and other things) at Pocket tactics. It sure looks like squad scale and it will be based on the panzer corps engine. Link below, very excited!!!

http://pockettactics.com/2013/07/22/an-afternoon-with-slitherine-part-two/#more-9887

Aeyr wrote:

Just found an interview with Slitherine on WH40K Armageddon (and other things) at Pocket tactics. It sure looks like squad scale and it will be based on the panzer corps engine. Link below, very excited!!!

http://pockettactics.com/2013/07/22/an-afternoon-with-slitherine-part-two/#more-9887

Yup. I just read that interview too. I too am very excited. *fingers crossed*

Yep. I'll play that.

Armageddon's a great setting for this sort of gameplay. Wonder if you'll be playing as Yarrick...

That's all well a good but I just want a digital version of 40k so I can play different armies without spending hundreds of hours and dollars to develop them =)

I'll probably buy it too, though.

Robear wrote:

This is no CM:Normandy for the iPad. (And of course; that's a thing already.) This is what CM would have looked like if Konami did it as a top-down scroller in 1978, but hired the Avalon Hill game designers to do unit differentiation. It's a weird beast, but I can see why Battlefront picked it up. Definitely a lite game for hardcore wargamers. Worth a go if you're interested after looking at the screenies, or the above description, or if you find it on sale sometime.

I just wish they had used some other art style.

Actually there is a 'CM:Touch' for the iPad. And amazingly well done.

Yeah, I have it, but I was trying to allude to the fact that it's cut down, like Assault Wave in a sense. It's an awkward analogy, I know.

Strangeblades wrote:

Oh, here's a detailed image of Imperial Guard tanks to be used in the game.

As for squad scale, hmm, the writer and some commentators believe this will be based on an existing game engine - maybe Panzer Corps. No official word on that though.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/e9tA6yH.jpg)

Just seeing that got this stuck in my head:

Cool, didn't see anything about this game until I saw this thread. Panzerkorps is a fun hex based game and with Warhammer 40k IP, this should be an awesome match!

I've been playing a bunch of XIII Century Gold lately. It's quite a realistic 13th century warfare simulator. The developers did a ton of research using historical documents to build the game. Also, all of the campaigns are based on historical events with accurate renditions of the terrain. I got it as part of an indie gala bundle, but I think that it regularly sees a price drop during steam sales. Keep an eye on it if it sounds interesting to you.

I am really excited for that Warhammer 40k game now. I was lurking in this thread because I found an old army of miniatures for the tabletop version of 40k and had an itch for some wargaming. I have nobody to play with locally anymore, so if this game could work out I would be stoked.

To be honest, I am surprised that there hasn't been some sort of game in the 40k universe that tried to replicate the tabletop version until now.

Sdnick wrote:

I am really excited for that Warhammer 40k game now. I was lurking in this thread because I found an old army of miniatures for the tabletop version of 40k and had an itch for some wargaming. I have nobody to play with locally anymore, so if this game could work out I would be stoked.

To be honest, I am surprised that there hasn't been some sort of game in the 40k universe that tried to replicate the tabletop version until now.

I know that it's not turn based like the tabletop game, but I am playing the hell out of Dawn of War 2 and having a blast with it.

PWAlessi wrote:

I know that it's not turn based like the tabletop game, but I am playing the hell out of Dawn of War 2 and having a blast with it.

I just re-installed it actually. I didn't love it when I bought it about a year ago, because I was always more of a fan of the style of the original Dawn of War. But my 40k itch is so strong that I will probably get some enjoyment from it this time.

Any ideas on the best Dawn of War 2: Retribution campaign?

Sdnick wrote:
PWAlessi wrote:

I know that it's not turn based like the tabletop game, but I am playing the hell out of Dawn of War 2 and having a blast with it.

I just re-installed it actually. I didn't love it when I bought it about a year ago, because I was always more of a fan of the style of the original Dawn of War. But my 40k itch is so strong that I will probably get some enjoyment from it this time.

Any ideas on the best Dawn of War 2: Retribution campaign?

I don't know, I just started Retribution for the first time tonight. I'm playing the Space Marine campaign first.

I played through vanilla DoW 2 and Chaos Rising over the past couple of weeks. I was sad that I couldn't import my crew into Retribution.