Just got the game....wonderful!

[HansBolter]

I just got a copy and am absolutely loving the oppurtunity to resurrect old, fond wargaming memories of many nights of fun assaulting Malta in Avalon Hill's old "bonus" game in their Assault on Crete game. I bypassed all the other scenarios and jumped right into Malta.

I have to admit I haven't bothered to print out and read any of the documentation yet and am probably not taking advantage of many of the features added since HTTR (printer cartridges are dry and need replacing), but I am having a blast anyway.

HTTR was such a radical change from most traditional wargame mechanics that I had to read all the documentation to get a handle on it.

I'm thinking already of tackling the task of creating some alternate scenarios for Malta. Perhaps something along the lines of the attack depicted in the old AH game where the Folgore dropped with the Germans. Dropping into teh zone where they drop in the current game scenario was hit or miss in thge AH Malta game. Either you dropped in tact and overwhelemed the important objectives quickly or you were devastated on the drop and lost the game. While a more boring strategy, it was usually safer to derop on the far western end of the island and fight your way through the Victoria Line, although this would sometimes make getting a port by the scenario deadline a close run affair. On that note, the AH game considered Birzebugia(sp?) a viable port for the purpose of landing follow up seaborn waves. The current game scenario seems to discount it as a usable port.

Damn, I'm rambling. Anyway, great game! I am looking forward to getting new ink cartridges and reading up on the game mechanics nuances.

[wodin]

The major improvement Ive found is the UI. So much easier to play the game now. Best UI Ive seen in a game. I always had difficulty with HTTR UI but with the buttons at the bottom its fantastic. A joy to play.

[Crimguy]

I vote for the Automatic Pause feature as the best innovation.  I now play the game almost exclusively using that feature, automatically pausing every 2-3 hours or manually when my plans are doomed, or reinforcements show up.

[HansBolter]

I haven't yet learned of the autopsuse feature so thanks.

I am a notorious pauser (main reason I avoid multiplayer games) who likes to study and delve into what is happening.

I pause for orders, always and in the middle of a close assault, I tend to pause every 15 minutes or so to assess the course of events.

I am also notorious about "tidy" battlefields.

I left a few gaps in my perimeter as I built up on Malta and a few lone companies infiltrated behind my lines and started harrassing my artillery and supply bases. I scraped together an ad-hoc force of unassigned "extra" companies and spent a day and a half hunting them down and cornering them. It was rather distracting from the main effort, but was also a bit of fun. I relied on macro-management for the main assaults giving orders to regiments and some batallions, so the micro management of hunting down the infiltrators with individual companies kept me intimately involved in ongoing activity. I love the ability to engage in both macro and micro management as conditions and command desires warrant.

[Crimguy]

Hit the "R" button on the game speed controls.  Set it to pause after a specified time.

Nothing like the kettle boiling, and when you return, find out you forgot to pause, your troops have been routed all over the map, and the day is lost.

[Vance]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter
I'm thinking already of tackling the task of creating some alternate scenarios for Malta.

Yes! Go for it. With your experience invading Malta you can create some interesting scenarios.

[GoodGuy]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter

I am a notorious pauser (main reason I avoid multiplayer games) who likes to study and delve into what is happening.

Btw, you can pause multiplayer sessions as well (or create a savegame to analyze your opponent's moves, then reload the game a week later for the next session, for example).
The slowest speed wins, so let's say your opponent hits the "fast" or "normal" speed button, the game will be paused immediately if you hit the pause-key. If your opponent has some patience (and if he is willing to accept frequent pauses), a multiplayer match still can be thrilling. COTA's AI is excellent, but a human opponent carrying out evil moves, can be even better. [:D]

My 2 cents

[HansBolter]

Of course nothing like a human opponent.

I really miss the days when I actually got together with my buddies once a week for our all night marathon wargaming sessions.

[Arjuna]

HansBolter,
 
Welcome!
 
I am glad you are enjoying the game and yes I too miss the social aspects of wargaming. One thing on our wish list that is dear to me is Team Play, which would see teams of human players playing against each other over LAN or the internet. So you would have say four players on the Axis and another four on the Allied, each commanding a group of forces. This is a big feature and won't be done just yet but I would like to go that way.
 
Enjoy COTA.

[LarryP]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter
I haven't yet learned of the autopsuse feature so thanks.

I am a notorious pauser (main reason I avoid multiplayer games) who likes to study and delve into what is happening.

I pause for orders, always and in the middle of a close assault, I tend to pause every 15 minutes or so to assess the course of events.

I am also notorious about "tidy" battlefields.

Oh my! I found another brother. I could have written the above. That's why I don't play multiplayer as I also stop and savor the menus, situation, graphics options, buttons, everything! I read reviews on game durations and I laugh. They say "I completed the entire campaign in 30 hours." If it were me, add 30 hours plus just for browsing purposes. [:D]

LarryP

[TheJoat]

ORIGINAL: Arjuna

HansBolter,

Welcome!

I am glad you are enjoying the game and yes I too miss the social aspects of wargaming. One thing on our wish list that is dear to me is Team Play, which would see teams of human players playing against each other over LAN or the internet. So you would have say four players on the Axis and another four on the Allied, each commanding a group of forces. This is a big feature and won't be done just yet but I would like to go that way.

Enjoy COTA.

Now, that's what we're waiting for! Hopefullly you will be able to play a team against the AI - when we're all in the same room, it makes it easier if we cooperate.

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: HansBolter


I am a notorious pauser (main reason I avoid multiplayer games) who likes to study and delve into what is happening.

I pause for orders, always and in the middle of a close assault, I tend to pause every 15 minutes or so to assess the course of events.

I feel a big part of the game is keeping a close eye on your units. Checking their ES as the battle goes on etc etc. In large scenario's I find going at the slowest setting gives you enough time to check up on your units.