Thinking of buying

[british exil]

Have been reading quite a bit of the AAR's over the holiday season.
Seems like an intersting game.And am wondering if it's a game for me.

I just have a few questions. Which will probably be answered very fast.

Is it based on a Sid Meyer's Civ game?
Starting out with no units and having to buy your own forces?
Do I have to create a HQ to supply my forces?
Do I have to supply my forces myself or can this be done by AI?

This are the first that come to mind. Might be a few more to follow.

Cheers in advance

Mat

[Barthheart]

ORIGINAL: british exil

Have been reading quite a bit of the AAR's over the holiday season.
Seems like an intersting game.And am wondering if it's a game for me.

I just have a few questions. Which will probably be answered very fast.

Is it based on a Sid Meyer's Civ game?
Starting out with no units and having to buy your own forces?
Do I have to create a HQ to supply my forces?
Do I have to supply my forces myself or can this be done by AI?

This are the first that come to mind. Might be a few more to follow.

Cheers in advance

Mat

Nothing to do with Civ. Not even close in idea.
In random games you start with one HQ. You must build troops and conqurer the rest of the map.
HQ's are needed to supply troops.
Supply flows automatically as long as there is a path. You can also transfer supplies by horse/truck/halftrack or by cargo ship.

It's a great game. Lots of fun. Great support from developer.

[emcgman]

1) Not really based on Sid Meyer Civ, but does have a `build 'em up' aspect to it.

2) Both

You can generate `random scenarios' and start with just 1 city and build your forces/empire from scratch.

There are also many pre-designed scenarios included and already available from modders, that include varying degress of the `build 'em up' aspect.

3) A `Supreme HQ' starts on the map, but you can create additional HQ's to travel with and supply your frontline forces. (in random scenarios) Most pre made scenarios, the number of HQ's might vary at the beginning, depending on the scenario design.

4) Your HQ's supply your forces when within range, you can also `oversupply' your HQ's so they can travel beyond range of the `Supreme HQ'. As long as your local HQ is within range of your units, the supplies travel automatically to your units. But you can micro `oversupply'.

Advanced Tactics is a very versatile game, and is a great integration of `build 'em up' and operational level combat. You have complete control over what your units consist of. It uses a `container' system so each map unit icon can contain anything you want it too. You `transfer' subgroups to and from the `container' icon units.

[british exil]

First. Thanks for the quick responses.
Now a anather question should I just download the game or should I buy the game with the complete setup(disk and written manual)?

Sounds like my evenings are going to be very busy.

Mat

[emcgman]

Complete disc and manual is always better, if your budget allows.

But it's not some 500 page manual, like some games, that you might want the manual as a `souveneir' Of course a complete manual is included with the game file either way.

[emcgman]

To give you an idea of the editor mod ability, there's already a `fantasy' scenario available based on `Lord of the Rings' using custom pictures, etc.

For the user mods, just go direct to VR Games website, the entire downloadable list is there, personally approved by the VR team.

[rickier65]

ORIGINAL: british exil

First. Thanks for the quick responses.
Now a anather question should I just download the game or should I buy the game with the complete setup(disk and written manual)?

Sounds like my evenings are going to be very busy.

Mat

I used to be a fan of buying the boxed set with manual. I've moved away from that. I like being able to play a game without having the CD in thr drive (for when I go on trips and take laptop. Also, I can print the manual - the download comes with a (I think it's called "white") manual version for printing.

The boxed set comes with a grayscale manual in any case. If you print it yourself, you can have full color.

Rick

[DasTactic]

Actually, there is an aspect to the game that those that play it may take for granted. And it was looking at the game from the perspective of the Civ series that highlights it.

In Civ, you build a single unit at each city and it can take a number of turns to build depending on the improvements at the city. In AT, the city cannot be improved but instead has a pre-defined production point value. You can allocate these production points to build up to four different production chains. This may mean that a small city is building a tank every fourth turn (like in Civ) but a large city may be building some supply, a few tanks, a bunch of soldiers and some political points each turn. The production is automatically allocated to the city's HQ (as long as it can trace a supply route).

The second major difference is that the 'units' in AT are simply holding pens for your forces and that you mix and match their contents. You can add to these holding pen units at any time from your HQ, and you can build as many of these holding pen units as you like - as long as you have the political points to do so. You can put as few or as many of your available forces into each holding pen unit.

I just woke up so if this isn't clear I've got an excuse.[8|]

[british exil]

downloading now.

13% done.
Just have to be patient.

[emcgman]

13% done? You must have `net zero' high speed! [:D]

One tip it took me a bit to figure out. Whenever you have any foot personell, being an individual `infantry' unit, or `staff' in an HQ, you can increase the movement alowance with Trucks. Put trucks in your forward, frontline HQ, that way they can keep up with motorized or tank. Put trucks in your infantry units, they will become motorized.

Also, put trucks in your `Supreme HQ' this will give you strategic transfer capacity.

You can build roads with engineers, very important to increase movement. I believe roads also help increase supply radius.

Also, don't forget to assign an HQ to your newly discovered Cities, usually I'll assign to my closest HQ, otherwise the production will go to watse.

[british exil]

Thanks for the tips.

Will have to keep that in mind.
Probably will play learning by doing

Mat