Wargamer's Corner

Well, it is platoon level 80's us vs them cold war turned hot goodness. The rules are easy to understand, basically, a unit gets a number of to hit dice based on its status and technology. It rolls to hit, the hits are moved aside, then the targeted unit rolls a number of defensive dice based on its status and techs. The numbers needed to hit or to negate a hit are also tech dependant ( as well as being unbit type dependant. So it makes the fights quick and bloody as one would expect with weapons of this lethality. It has artillery rules, infantry, ATGMS, air support, the whole works.

And since Swampy is too damn lazy to post links:

Boardgame Geek WaW: Eisenbach Gap

Lock N Load Games Site

and their first PC wargame Heroes of Stalingrad

I always thought these type of games looked cool in the back of GFW/CGW magazine, but I never pulled the trigger on buying one; is Heroes of Stalingrad worth picking up for someone who has never played a wargame when it comes out? Is it multiplayer or single player only? Is there something else I should try first?

Heroes looks to be a good introductory wargame as it is based on a relatively simple rules system. The publisher states it will be both single and multiplay. Its not available yet in any case.

Here is a oldie but a goodie for a hex based tactical wargame, Steel Panthers Modern Battles, best of all it is free! - WinSPMBT Swampy plays it pretty regular and I try to. Be warned that the interface can be a pain at first.

RichyRambo wrote:

Here is a oldie but a goodie for a hex based tactical wargame, Steel Panthers Modern Battles, best of all it is free! - WinSPMBT Swampy plays it pretty regular and I try to. Be warned that the interface can be a pain at first.

Cool, I'll download it when I get home, I like free. Is there an online/pdf manual for it anywhere?

The download includes a html web manual. Make sure to play the tutorial along with the walkthrough in the manual.

If you want a PDF version here it is in sections

I may pull the trigger on either Carriers at War or Hornet Leader this weekend.

Let us know what you think of the one you pick.

Has anyone tried the new patch from combat mission - shock force? I have read some reviews that say the game is great but heard others say the game is still bug ridden even with the patch.

Tanga has Panzer Grenadier: Beyond Normandy up for $25.99.

Trowan, for a beginner wargame, this may interest you. It should be out very soon by the discussions on the boards.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=478&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

Swamp - did you play Panzer Command: Operation winter storm? If so, what did you think? Is this PC:Karkov game a significant improvement over winter storm?

SwampYankee wrote:

Trowan, for a beginner wargame, this may interest you. It should be out very soon by the discussions on the boards.

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=478&p=1&tmode=1&smode=1

I'm going to try the game Richy recommended over the weekend, see if I can figure it out.

I am probably going to go back to a one of the simple rule set games as well. I occasionally get tunred off by the overly complicated rule sets and interface games. I seem to have acquired ADD as I have aged :).

Waltz wrote:

Has anyone tried the new patch from combat mission - shock force? I have read some reviews that say the game is great but heard others say the game is still bug ridden even with the patch.

It has less bugs and better AI. Still leaves me cold, though.

Knightsabre wrote:

Swamp - did you play Panzer Command: Operation winter storm? If so, what did you think? Is this PC:Karkov game a significant improvement over winter storm?

No, but I played the heck out of the Comat Missions. I may get this one, depending on when it comes out. It looks to be a more cerebral version of Winter Storm. And it seems to be where Combat Mission should have gone. We'll know for sure when it gets reviewed.

But for play by email, I still want to get HoS!!

I tried to install Winspmbt again, but it would not run after I patched it. Guess I'll try again this weekend. Odd, because I thought I had it running a while back.

PC:WS....That's the Koios game? Maybe I should get that, I liked their Roman one a lot... But they don't model the weaponry, do they, like CM? They just roll a die for each attack. Gotta get into that mindset before I try it.

Read the thread for Kharkov, it's release is imminent.

Robear, be sure to install all the patches in order of their release. The most recent patch does not have all the fixes to date.

WinSPMBT wrote:

The main game, whether it's the DL or the CD version MUST be patched with ALL FOUR of the patches that have been issued for this game in the order they were issued for your game to function correctly. Please DO NOT skip the earlier patches !

Right, I did that. There was one message about a corrupted file, but it installed correctly. Now that I think about it, that might be it - but it happened when I tried to open the same file twice, so I thought it was just a glitch.

I'll try again.

It works! Two differences - no corrupted file messages, but also, this time the install program rebooted my system. That didn't happen last time. Woot!

Rich, you should give the guys an AAR of Panzers Forward!.

Those Leapord II's are kicking the sh*t out of my tanks, which I felt I had poistioned most of to have an advantage when the Leapords arrived.

Matrix just put Panzer Command: Kharkov on their front page, saying it's "a few weeks" away. Probably before the end of the month, so I'm gonna budget for this.

IMAGE(http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/upfiles/9/262B17EDC4104B619913C30B165743DE.jpg)

Oh, yeah - PBEM Heaven!

Anyone tried or seen a solid review of Lost Empire: Immortals yet? Some kind of space 4x game put out by Paradox.

A new patch is out for Hearts of Iron 2: Doomsday Armageddon! Looks like a lot of bug changes, and some interesting gameplay changes. For example, wolfpacks are now recognized by the AI and get advantages compared to solo or small groups of subs.

Get it from the usual suspects via today's Blues News, or GamersGate if you DL'd from there.

List of changes

************************************************** ************************************************** **
* 1.2
************************************************** ************************************************** **

- Spycosts are now properly checking the senders sliders, not the targets sliders.
- All unit modifiers are now saved, even if at 0.
- 0 IC is now saved properly.
- Reversed some messages for spies.
- Naval attachments should now be deployable after a save&reload.
- AI now takes naval brigades under development into account when determening to build more.
- Free manpower now handles fractions.
- Funding partisans have a cap, and is slightly less efficient than before.
- Nationalism/Partisans now drop by 1% a month.
- Mission efficiency in combat is now applied correctly.
- The game now correctly identifies submarines in logics for wolfpacks and ASW.
- ASW should not be less effective catching submarines, but more effective.
- Shorebombardment modifier is now capped at 25% as in doomsday.
- Fixed a crashbug in the AI.
- A military controlled country should no longer cancel unit orders when a war is declared.
- Fixed a large amount of syntax bugs in the leader/tech databases.
- Fixed a problem with an upgraded radar attachment giving distance bonus instead of costing supplies.
- Naval attachment can now actually upgrade.
- Fleets will now upgrade attachments even if the first attachment is not eligible.
- Naval attachment upgrades progess is now shown properly in the ledger.
- Any province that can trace supply back to capital through puppets/allies, will now ships its resources back automatically without need for convoys.
- Have fixed that the improved version of the ASW attachment no longer says capital ASW (as it won’t go onto capital ships)
- A number of events how have pictures, or more exactly are reusing other pictures.

- USA Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- TUR Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SWE Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SOV Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SIA Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SAF Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- ROM Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- PER Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- NEP Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- MEX Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- MEX Pre Global War scenario had two entries for belligerence in the INC file removed one.
- JAP Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- ITA Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- GER Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- GER Pre Global War scenario had two entries for transports and escorts in the INC file removed one set.
- FRA Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- ENG Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- CHI Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- CHI Pre Global War scenario had province ID 1305 listed twice as a national province (removed one).
- BRA Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- BRA Pre Global War scenario had province ID 816 listed twice as a national province (removed one).
- AST Pre Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- Pre Global War scenario had no enddate (added 1954 as the enddate)
- USA Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- TUR Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SWE Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SOV Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SIA Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- SAF Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- ROM Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- PER Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- NEP Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- MEX Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- JAP Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- ITA Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- GER Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- FRA Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- ENG Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- CHI Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- CHI Global War scenario had province ID 1305 listed twice as a national province (removed one).
- BRA Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- BRA Global War scenario had province ID 816 listed twice as a national province (removed one).
- AST Global War scenario had their transported model IDs set to -1 when it should have been 0.
- Global War scenario had no enddate (added 1954 as the enddate)
- USA 1945 scneario file fixed over 40 duplicated experience entries for initial OOB units.
- SOV 1945 scenario had province 1177 with damaged AA guns which is not used any where else changed it to un-damaged.
- SOV 1945 scenario had two entries for transports and escorts in the INC file removed one set.
- SOV 1945 scenario had province ID 208 defined twice in the INC file (removed one)
- SAF 1945 scenario had an Interceptor in the INC file with two model numbers removed one.
- AI will choose what units to use for invasion more wisely.
- Added several minor leader images and tech team images
- Added several missing propaganda images
- Added Generals for U74 and U87
- U96 Had minsiter IDs fixed
- U97 Had minister IDs fixed
- country.csv had a duplicate entry UTC one should have been UCS.
- U88, U90 and U99 fixed duplicate tech team IDs.
- Land Doctrine tech ID 14090 remvoed the command to effect land forts as it does nothing in game.
- Japan Minister file line 13 had ID 5211 when it should be 5011 (Dupe ID problem)
- UCH Minister file line 46 had minister ID 65343 when it should be 65344 (Dupe ID problem)
- UPR Minister file line 21 had minister ID 79729 when it should be 79719 (Dupe ID problem)
- RUS Minister file had roughly 10 ministers with the same ID from the SOV file (fixed).
- UTC Minister file had roughly 10 ministers with the same ID from the SAL file (fixed)
- CGX 1936 scenario file had a spy bug going to CBX (not exist) changed to CXB.
- GER 1936 scenario file had two starting interceptors in the INC file but trying to attach a brigade (brigade removed)
- USA 1936, 1938 scenario file had a spy bug going to PRO (not exist) changed to PRU.
- FIN 1938, 1939, 1941 scenario file had a spy bug going to DAN (not exist) changed to DEN.
- GER 1938 scenario file line 1274 had an infantry division under development with a month of "nov" changed to "november"
- SPA 1938 scenario file Spain starts with a destroyer but it specifies a brigade model instead of a model (fixed).
- USA 1939 scenario file line 1824 had two strength parms for the strategic bomber removed one.
- GER 1944 scenario had an armor division specified in INC file with two models, one should have been a brigade model.
- JAP 1944 scenario had a light armor division specified in INC file with two models, one should have been a brigade model.
- SAF 1944 scenario file had a starting interceptors in the INC file but trying to attach a brigade (brigade removed)
- SOV 1944 scneario file fixed over 40 duplicated experience entries for initial OOB units.
- USA 1944 scneario file fixed over 20 duplicated experience entries for initial OOB units.
- PER 1944 scneario file had all of their techs defined under techlevels should have been techapps.

Any GWJ eyeing this?

http://www.simhq.com/_land2/land_072...
http://www.combatsim.com/story.php?i...
http://www.lighthouse-interactive.co...

I have really been looking for a good WWII tank sim - hell I do not think I have played anything since Panzer Elite or WWII Online - might be because there hasn't been anything...

The T-72 game was lots of fun and seemed very accurate in it's portrayal of the tank systems, even the driving. So I'd say this is a must-buy if the subject interests you.

I remember the effort it took to get the older tanks into juuuust the right position to be hull down and yet at the right angle to fire at the target. Clashing gears, the inertia and the underpowered engines all conspired to induce embarrassing errors. You haven't lived until your hull-down position suddenly turns into hull-up and enemy AT rounds start smacking into the hillside nearby.

Graphics were good too.

Robear wrote:

The T-72 game was lots of fun and seemed very accurate in it's portrayal of the tank systems, even the driving. So I'd say this is a must-buy if the subject interests you.

I remember the effort it took to get the older tanks into juuuust the right position to be hull down and yet at the right angle to fire at the target. Clashing gears, the inertia and the underpowered engines all conspired to induce embarrassing errors. You haven't lived until your hull-down position suddenly turns into hull-up and enemy AT rounds start smacking into the hillside nearby.

Graphics were good too.

Ya I had some great times with Panzer Elite when it first came out. WWII Online was my first "MMO" and I wasted so many hours moving with my group just to get into position before dawn! Awesome!!!

I forgot about T-72 and it is on STEAM now for $9.95!

Well, it's the same dev team as T-72, fwiw.