For Those of Us Who Never Played the Boardgame

[tgb]

but are still interested - how difficult will this be to get into? I loved the idea behind Crown of Glory but the learning curve was almost insurmountable.

[YohanTM2]

Easier to learn but toughter to master IMHO

Removes some layers I just found painful with CoG. I have it but gave up after a month or so

[Ursa MAior]

Yeah I had the feeling it wanted too much to grasp.

[napoleonbuff]

I play with a bunch of people who otherwise don't get into wargames.  There are a lot of rules, but most are intuitive and players can largely concentrate on diplomacy and strategic decisions.  Plus the combat system makes for great stories that we still tell years later (and even non-gamers find them entertaining).

[cdbeck]

I love the theory of CoG, but the practice was insurmountable. I felt like it took an economics PhD to streamline one's country. I certainly hope EiA will have less of a learning curve as well.

SoM

[JodiSP]

I tried to play Crown of Glory but I also gave up after a month or so. The game concept was great but the requirement to order every single area to build roads Barracks etc just drove me mad. I’ve only played EIA as a board game a couple of times and the concept of EIA or EIH or whatever version it is as a computer game just sounds brilliant, can’t wait[:)].

[Alex Gilbert]

ORIGINAL: Son_of_Montfort

I love the theory of CoG, but the practice was insurmountable. I felt like it took an economics PhD to streamline one's country. I certainly hope EiA will have less of a learning curve as well.

SoM

Well, the economics of EiA are vastly simpler-- each province has a value for manpower and for money. It is static-- you can neither improve the economy, nor is there any sort of "exhaustion". For me, I never missed that, as the politics and diplomacy was always the best part of the game. I am usually wary of games described as "simple to learn, difficult to master" because it is usually more the former and less of the latter. However, I always found EiA to be both simple and vastly entertaining.

Alex

[Irish Guards]

Well .. just give it a try .. It's a great game ... [&o]
And as long as you play with good gamers .. Well you will learn lots .. fast ... LOL .. [:'(]
IDG

[Alex Gilbert]

I think you mistook what I said. I have been playing for years and love the game...[;)]

[Adraeth]

For those not familiar at all with the boardgame, i think this game might seem, at first glance, poor in graphic and not so charming at all.... BUT this game is really deep and "brain-taking" especially in pbem...
 
For example in the web anyone can find millions of matches pbem with EiA boardgame and, reading the AARs or discussion forums, can have an idea on vast strategy meaning.
 
Anyway, for those really unfamiliar with boardgame and EVEN with informations of "what the hell is EiA", the game is a Grand Strategy game that focus on strategy moves and problems that simulate really well the napoleonic period, in addition the diplomay system and the peace traties are one of the best around; finally anyone would find that battles have a way to solve them that can force a player to make importat choices.
 
Last but not least the program seems to allow battles to be decided with miniatures .... WOW... what else could you ask??? [:D]

[YohanTM2]

ORIGINAL: Adraeth Montecuccoli

For those not familiar at all with the boardgame, i think this game might seem, at first glance, poor in graphic and not so charming at all.... BUT this game is really deep and "brain-taking" especially in pbem...

For example in the web anyone can find millions of matches pbem with EiA boardgame and, reading the AARs or discussion forums, can have an idea on vast strategy meaning.

Anyway, for those really unfamiliar with boardgame and EVEN with informations of "what the hell is EiA", the game is a Grand Strategy game that focus on strategy moves and problems that simulate really well the napoleonic period, in addition the diplomay system and the peace traties are one of the best around; finally anyone would find that battles have a way to solve them that can force a player to make importat choices.

Last but not least the program seems to allow battles to be decided with miniatures .... WOW... what else could you ask??? [:D]

I've always found it a bit challenging to resolve a PBEM with minatures. Very expensive to keep mailing your turn to the opponent across the world and the poor lead figures get trashed [:D]

[Hoche]

ORIGINAL: Yohan
Easier to learn but tougher to master IMHO

This sums up EiA nicely

[New York Jets]

Hearing all of theses people giving up on Crown of Glory because of the steep learning curve has me wanting to buy it.

I'm an old grognard who likes realism over playability.

[Jabba]

Non-playability does not = realism. COG is by no means realistic. IIRC depots advanced ahead of your armies, you routinely besieged the capital of each province, and instead of worrying about military logistics and strategy, you worried about building courthouses and trading iron for horses. Yawn.

[YohanTM2]

Exactly

ORIGINAL: Jabba

Non-playability does not = realism. COG is by no means realistic. IIRC depots advanced ahead of your armies, you routinely besieged the capital of each province, and instead of worrying about military logistics and strategy, you worried about building courthouses and trading iron for horses. Yawn.

[sol_invictus]

Agreed, there is good complexity and bad complexity. COG had a bunch of bad complexity. The interface was a chore and the economics was not only a chore but out of place imo. Hopefully COG2 will resolve some of these problems as I really like the concept of the game.

[Don60420]

Agreed as to COG. The economic system was completely overblown and really bore little relationship to the historical interplay between economic concerns and building up a nation's military. The game also tended to degenerate into weird ahistoric paths. The way POWs were handled was a mountain of unnecessary complexity. Really a shame since there were quite a few promising elements in the game. I too hope that COG2 salvages what has the potential to be a great game.

[Ironclad]

Its been announced that COG2 will include the option to play a more basic version for those who just want to concentrate on the diplomacy/war. The more complicated economic model and some complex features will still be available in an advanced format. With a new naval battles module and hopefully other improvements from the excellent FOF or tidying up/extension of the original it should make for a welcome expansion

[Sytass]

Hi, another person who hasn't played the original so far.

However, am I right to assume that the game does come with historical flavor (map, units and countries of Napeolonic age) but does not intend to realistically portray the contraptions of the period? I am mostly referring to the AAR just posted where the English player prepares to DOW Portugal (which, historically, is England's oldest ally). So, theoretically, England, France and Austria could ally to carve up Europe between them?

[pzgndr]

I played AH's War and Peace game years ago but never got into EiA.  The scale and scope of both are similar.  I think EiA is more refined and has stood the test of time, and with the PC version coming out I'm looking forward to getting back into Napoleonic grand strategy again.  I never bothered with COG since it struck me as a HOI-style micromanagement game.  Yuk.  EiA is much more appealing.