Wargamer's Corner

Saw this announcement on the ConSimWorld Discord - Anyone have experience with Armchair Generals or the Armchair Dragoons Digital Conference?

I signed up for a couple of sessions, most important to me is a seminar on how to use Vassal and Tabletop Simulator.

As part of Steam's festival, a couple of upcoming Microprose wargames have demos available this week.

I've tried the demo for Regiments, which seems heavily inspired by Eugen's Wargame series. Based on the tutorial, it seems pretty decent -- anyone who spent time with Wargame should be right at home here. The most visible change is that the basic unit is now a platoon rather than an individual vehicle. Another change I like is the much less fiddly treatment of infantry (now treated as a single unit together with their APCs/IFVs -- you hit a button to mount or dismount).

I did notice that Wargame's signature deck system seems to be missing. I don't know how much that will affect replayability, since the "meta" layer of designing a deck -> playing the game -> tweaking the deck -> playing again was a key part of Wargame's appeal.

There's also a demo of Carrier Command 2, which I haven't tried yet.

I noticed that Valor & Victory is getting a release today on Steam. I haven't played the original board game (a seemingly well-respected print & play), looks neat.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/9...

Steam Description: Valor & Victory is a fast-playing, easy to learn World War II squad-level game system. Based on the original Valor & Victory board game, the digital edition provides you with an accessible and deep challenge, developed for classic tabletop game lovers.

Published by Slitherine.

It's out! ....And now I have to get back to work. Dammit!

Neutrino wrote:

I noticed that Valor & Victory is getting a release today on Steam. I haven't played the original board game (a seemingly well-respected print & play), looks neat.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/9...

Steam Description: Valor & Victory is a fast-playing, easy to learn World War II squad-level game system. Based on the original Valor & Victory board game, the digital edition provides you with an accessible and deep challenge, developed for classic tabletop game lovers.

Published by Slitherine.

I picked it up this morning. Hoping to give it a test drive later today or tomorrow.

The tutorial shows a quick and streamlined system. Getting excited for an actual scenario after work!

Neutrino wrote:

I noticed that Valor & Victory is getting a release today on Steam. I haven't played the original board game (a seemingly well-respected print & play), looks neat.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/9...

Steam Description: Valor & Victory is a fast-playing, easy to learn World War II squad-level game system. Based on the original Valor & Victory board game, the digital edition provides you with an accessible and deep challenge, developed for classic tabletop game lovers.

Published by Slitherine.

I'll be grabbing it today. If anyone wants to do PBEM or live PvP (if they have it), let me know.

GioClark wrote:

Saw this announcement on the ConSimWorld Discord - Anyone have experience with Armchair Generals or the Armchair Dragoons Digital Conference?

I signed up for a couple of sessions, most important to me is a seminar on how to use Vassal and Tabletop Simulator.

I signed up for that a few weeks ago, after going to the San Diego Historical Games conference a few weeks ago and having a great time. Unfortunately, our daughter's high school graduation party is this Sunday, and there are guests in town, so I'm not sure I'll make any of the sessions. Bummer.

I was poking about in the Discord last night, and the conference on the whole looks lightly attended. The one I went to a month ago had 250+ people attending, and all the sessions were busy and active. This one looks on a smaller scale, and I think less than 50 people had signed up the last time I checked. I don't think they're as good at promoting/organizing as the San Diego people were. The sessions I looked at, as well, seemed more like gaming sessions rather than demos or presentations, for what that's worth.

I can say that I know they are running some VASSAL Bootcamp sessions at this conference too, and the people that did those sessions at the San Diego conference were really good. It was a great session.

Already hit a bug in V&V. Selected a unit in a stack and fired, missed. Selected another unit in the stack and tried to fire at a different target; the fire indicator came up but the shot was not completed. Could not deselect, do another action, or choose another target. Sigh.

Godzilla Blitz wrote:
GioClark wrote:

Saw this announcement on the ConSimWorld Discord - Anyone have experience with Armchair Generals or the Armchair Dragoons Digital Conference?

I signed up for a couple of sessions, most important to me is a seminar on how to use Vassal and Tabletop Simulator.

I signed up for that a few weeks ago, after going to the San Diego Historical Games conference a few weeks ago and having a great time. Unfortunately, our daughter's high school graduation party is this Sunday, and there are guests in town, so I'm not sure I'll make any of the sessions. Bummer.

I was poking about in the Discord last night, and the conference on the whole looks lightly attended. The one I went to a month ago had 250+ people attending, and all the sessions were busy and active. This one looks on a smaller scale, and I think less than 50 people had signed up the last time I checked. I don't think they're as good at promoting/organizing as the San Diego people were. The sessions I looked at, as well, seemed more like gaming sessions rather than demos or presentations, for what that's worth.

I can say that I know they are running some VASSAL Bootcamp sessions at this conference too, and the people that did those sessions at the San Diego conference were really good. It was a great session.

Thanks for the reminder and I could've sworn I remembered you mentioning it previously. I just couldn't find the post.

I'm planning to be at the VASSAL bootcamp session tomorrow morning at the very least. Does this use the ConSimWorld Discord or is there a dedicated one? I couldn't seem to find one and the events themselves appear to have broken links.

EDIT - Thanks for checking in the Discord. I found the invite link on my registration email.

GioClark wrote:

I'm planning to be at the VASSAL bootcamp session tomorrow morning at the very least. Does this use the ConSimWorld Discord or is there a dedicated one? I couldn't seem to find one and the events themselves appear to have broken links.

There is a dedicated Discord server, it's not ConSimWorld. I don't think a link I'd send would work, because I suspect it's closed and tied to your registration. I forget how I got in, it must have been sent to me when I registered, prolly email or something, or in the Events registration stuff?

Let me know if you can't figure it out and I'll ask on their server.

I'm hoping I can make a session or two, but it's going to be tricky.

EDIT: Yeah, I got a link sent via email to the Discord.

Robear wrote:

Already hit a bug in V&V. Selected a unit in a stack and fired, missed. Selected another unit in the stack and tried to fire at a different target; the fire indicator came up but the shot was not completed. Could not deselect, do another action, or choose another target. Sigh.

Hopefully they'll be diligent with the patches. I've just played the tutorial and now I'm reading the manual. Hopefully, I'll get into a scenario tomorrow.

It's actually simple enough to just dive in. Lots of reminders for each phase. I just did the tutorial and got stuck in.

Highly recommend checking out the Regiments demo on Steam. Nice game - part Europe Air Land Battle, part World in Conflict.

Hey GioClark, did you get to some sessions? Try the VASSAL Bootcamp?

I checked in a few times but it was a crazy busy weekend here. About the only session I watched was a few minutes of an Atlantic Chase session, but it was a couple of people teaching someone to play so it was moving pretty slowly. On the whole it seemed really quiet the times I checked in.

Godzilla Blitz wrote:

Hey GioClark, did you get to some sessions? Try the VASSAL Bootcamp?

I checked in a few times but it was a crazy busy weekend here. About the only session I watched was a few minutes of an Atlantic Chase session, but it was a couple of people teaching someone to play so it was moving pretty slowly. On the whole it seemed really quiet the times I checked in.

Just played a session of Atlantic Chase via VASSAL this last week. Interesting design!

Godzilla Blitz wrote:

Hey GioClark, did you get to some sessions? Try the VASSAL Bootcamp?

I did manage to get to the VASSAL bootcamp in on Friday. Not saying I didn't learn a lot about how to use the client but it wasn't compelling enough to get me to attend any other sessions.

After some more updates, dived into Lock'n'Load Digital Tactical again this weekend. it definitely plays well and quickly single-player. And they added in the scenario generator for $8 the other day, so replayability just went through the roof. They still have a lot of DLC yet to release but it's turning in a great deal.

Valor and Victory looks like a simpler cousin of this, turn and phase-based rather than impulse and phase-based. But it's still buggy. Wait for a patch. It's got some cool features to it that remind me of ASL, like Fire Lanes. Doesn't have Hero generation, though, I don't think.

Anyway, both these games are good, it's just Digital Tactical is further along in delivering on its goals.

Robear wrote:

After some more updates, dived into Lock'n'Load Digital Tactical again this weekend. it definitely plays well and quickly single-player. And they added in the scenario generator for $8 the other day, so replayability just went through the roof. They still have a lot of DLC yet to release but it's turning in a great deal.

Valor and Victory looks like a simpler cousin of this, turn and phase-based rather than impulse and phase-based. But it's still buggy. Wait for a patch. It's got some cool features to it that remind me of ASL, like Fire Lanes. Doesn't have Hero generation, though, I don't think.

Anyway, both these games are good, it's just Digital Tactical is further along in delivering on its goals.

Lock'n'Load seems pretty determined to be take the crown for squad-level tactical combat away from ASL. They've been present at both conferences I've been to, and seem pretty dialed in. That's awesome that they've got a scenario generator available. I'm going to pick up a couple of the scenario packs during the Steam sale.

GioClark wrote:
Godzilla Blitz wrote:

Hey GioClark, did you get to some sessions? Try the VASSAL Bootcamp?

I did manage to get to the VASSAL bootcamp in on Friday. Not saying I didn't learn a lot about how to use the client but it wasn't compelling enough to get me to attend any other sessions.

Good to hear you got in, sorry to hear it wasn't super compelling stuff. Were there a good number of people in the session? The bootcamp I went to had a half dozen and the energy was pretty good.

Not sure how much of a discount they will get, GB, but they are worth it. The scenario generator is freaking $8 and I believe it lets you mix and match elements (maps, units, etc) from the various DLCs you own.

Robear wrote:

After some more updates, dived into Lock'n'Load Digital Tactical again this weekend. it definitely plays well and quickly single-player. And they added in the scenario generator for $8 the other day, so replayability just went through the roof. They still have a lot of DLC yet to release but it's turning in a great deal.

Valor and Victory looks like a simpler cousin of this, turn and phase-based rather than impulse and phase-based. But it's still buggy. Wait for a patch. It's got some cool features to it that remind me of ASL, like Fire Lanes. Doesn't have Hero generation, though, I don't think.

Anyway, both these games are good, it's just Digital Tactical is further along in delivering on its goals.

Very interesting observation. I had played a couple of the scenarios in V&V and I feel the same way. I'm going to jump back into LnL tactical and spend some more time there until V&V matures a bit.

Natus wrote:
Godzilla Blitz wrote:

Hey GioClark, did you get to some sessions? Try the VASSAL Bootcamp?

I checked in a few times but it was a crazy busy weekend here. About the only session I watched was a few minutes of an Atlantic Chase session, but it was a couple of people teaching someone to play so it was moving pretty slowly. On the whole it seemed really quiet the times I checked in.

Just played a session of Atlantic Chase via VASSAL this last week. Interesting design!

Yes, I've been building up my wargame collection after being away from board wargames for a while, and this one looks really interesting. Somehow I've already managed to build up a backlog though, so it might be a bit before I get to it.

Robear wrote:

Not sure how much of a discount they will get, GB, but they are worth it. The scenario generator is freaking $8 and I believe it lets you mix and match elements (maps, units, etc) from the various DLCs you own. :-)

I thought I recalled that they got a reasonable discount during the Steam sales. We'll find out later this week, so just a few days to wait.

Lock'n'Load Digital Tactical - For the Emperor! is out. Wake Island, Phillippines, Guadalcanal, Bougainville, Saipan, Guam and Peleliu.

Have you messed with the LnL scenario generator at all Robear?

Not yet. Definitely this weekend.

Garg, looks like NONE of the Lock'n'Load content is on sale during the Steam sale. What the heck?!?

That’s what I figured. It’s all a bit too new, I suspect.

Anyone tried War on the Sea ? I love Atlantic Fleet, but this looks like a step up in complexity.

Robear wrote:

That’s what I figured. It’s all a bit too new, I suspect.

But ... but ... but... it was on sale before, right after release.

My plans for world Lock'n'Load domination are shattered. I probably could have saved $2 or so.

davet010 wrote:

Anyone tried War on the Sea ? I love Atlantic Fleet, but this looks like a step up in complexity.

I was just looking at this yesterday again. A month or so ago I was watching a Let's Play on it, and it seemed both awesome and broken. Some of the detail and thinking and strategy behind it seemed really fun, and yet for every awesome part it seemed the game had something that either kind of worked or was a tedious pile of micromanagement to sort out.

Judging by the Steam comments, it sounds like the developers are really working hard to improve it, so perhaps it's made some substantial progress since I last saw it.

I just liked the base game, and it was like $5, so I just bought all of the bits at the release discount. Not disappointed.