Initial Impressions from a newbie...

[Doobious]

I just bought COTA the other day, and have been working my way through the tutorial senarios. I just thought I would post my initial thoughts after completing the first series of the tutorials and a couple rounds with the Sarantaporon - Tactical Exercise Brigade Day Attack.

Wow! This is quite a game. The level of detailed information that is available is amazing. The graphics are clear, understandable to a novice, and the different map graphics mods are great. I really like that I can choose how I want the battlefield to look.

The tutorials are SUPERB! Kudos to all involved. This game has the potential to be overwelming to us non-grognards, but the tutorials are clear, through, and babystep-by-babystep. I noticed posts about how some thought this game might be a bit overwhelming, but all of that is solved by the most complete tutorials I have ever seen.

Issuing detailed orders to multiple units is suprisingly easy. I am very impressed! ...and disappointed with myself that I didn't pay attention to this game when it was initially released.

Wish I had gotten here sooner.

The only thing that I (a non-military guy) am struggling with are the unit abbreviations. Not sure I know my Bgd from my Bn from my Coy yet but I'm sure that will come in time. I will have to print the abbreviation pages from the manual so I know what I am looking at.

Just one question though: In the Sarantaporon - Tactical Exercise Brigade Day Attack, as the allies, I have the "1st UK Arm Bde Base" and I am not sure what the heck is is. Its military symbol is for "logistics", and it is huge! 900 troops! What is a "base" for? Should i just camp this guy in an out of the way corner and let it "logistic" to its heart content? [:D]

...and the Battle of the Bulge is coming for this game system? That should be great! Will there be a campaign mode?

Great game guys! I hope the next installment rekindles multiplayer interest. It would be interesting to play a human, when I am advanced enough for that.

[Arjuna]

Doobious,
 
Welcome and it's always better late than never, hey! [:)]
 
Re Bases. Yes these are used to resupply your units. Don't put them in harms way. Check out the reference manual for how they function and how best to use them. In general the AI will handle all that for you. It will find them a safe base location, deploy them and manage the arrival and despatch of supplies to the units that draw on the Base. Check out the Depot tab in the sidebar when you have selected the Base unit and you will see all the stats that relate to the handling of supplies. Also yopu can change the map display to show the supply line status between a Base and its drawing units and a whole lot more. As I said check out the ref manual and once again welcome.

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: Doobious
Should i just camp this guy in an out of the way corner and let it "logistic" to its heart content? [:D]

Yup - see, you're getting the hang of it already [;)]

Seriously : what makes this engine so great imho is the fact that it's all pretty simple to comprehend and simple logic simply works.

It's a supply base - your units draw supplies from it - hence the roads between your units and the base must be kept clear of interfering enemy units. Losing your base is a bad idea as your units will run out of beans and bullets. Moving your base around too much is also bad because it'll interrupt the flow of supplies.

You don't have to be a 20-year military veteran or grizzled grognard to understand this and though there's some pretty complex stuff going on underneath, you, as the theater commander, don't have to shuffle around supply trucks.

You're the general, not the quartermaster.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx