New Player after some advice

[LuckyCJS1001]

I have just got the game and am working through the basics.

How have you all approached the game from a point of view of learning the rules/mechanics ?

I decided to start with the Basic game but having got the printed manual (good job BTW) and reading some of the AAR's I want to keep adding stuff like Generals, disposition etc.

Trouble is, and this is not a moan, I now want to learn it all and just jump in.

Strangely though I feel no compunction to do the Detailed Battle thing. So am I missing out by not playing with Detailed Battles on ? Is there any point in playing with generals etc without playing the Detailed Combat sub game ?

Im thinking there is but I was just wondering what others think.

Can I just say though that so far this is the best money I have spent on a game for a long time. Big fat manual, great looking map (how about a zoom in/out for the main window [:)]) and did I mention the big fat manual. Takes me back 25 years to my board wargaming days.

Anyone else remember sitting there trying to work out if Case 10.0.2.5 overides Case 14.2.8.5 when the unit in question is hidden in a woods within LOS of a scout unit with a +2 modifier because the wind is out of the NE ? [:D]

[Drex]

You got to play the detailed battles. Its like another game within a game: tactical within operational/strategic. the generals do make a difference in both quick battles (QB) or detailed battles(also called Hex wars or HW). but practice with small HW and work up to the large. give your troops as many attributes as you can. Read Hard Sarge's AARs.

[Gil R.]

Generals are very important even if you don't play detailed battles: they make invaluable contributions to quick combat battles, and also help determine initiative for armies on the move, provide bonuses to garrisons, and both teach troops under them special abilities and raise their quality and disposition. So while the game can certainly be played without generals, they do have value even if you never fight a detailed battle.

From what you've written, it sounds like you should first learn the strategic game, and then try some detailed battles (which is like learning a second game). A few weeks ago I put up a poll thread (it's fallen to the second or third page of the forum by now) in which it was revealed that the overwhelming majority of players play detailed battles at least some of the time. You might find yourself in the group that fights detailed battles when a battle looks interesting or important, but otherwise is content to use the quick combat system.

[Bombsight]

Hey Lucky,
The first lesson with any Matrix game is to read the forums!

[Hard Sarge]

Hi Lucky
 
first off, remember, play as you want to, if you want to work with the HW side of things, it can be fun, but if you don't, don't
 
QC will give you a good run for your money and get you there faster, HW will take longer and can be more work, but is great fun, if it is what you like
 
give it a try, use both, pick and chose your battles, not every battle needs to be HW or QC, but nothing says that everyone needs to be either
 
the same with the options, use what you like and turn off what you don't
 
overall, I doubt there will be many people who will play the game using the same settings I use, and I don't think anybody should have to, we added all the options (well, Eric did:) so each player could play the game the way they think is best, not the way we think it is
 
play it, enjoy it, if you have any questions, we will be around, or someone will be