Beautiful Game !!!

[mariovalleemtl]

Congratulation (again) SSG for this beautiful product. I have ALL your games and this one is a little gem.

Of cause, like other gamers, I would have prefer if you guys have put more scenarios in the box. I also remember when I first buy TAO years ago. It was the only scenario in the box and I was very please because it was a wonderful game. With Battles in Italy and Battlefront SSG was more generous with 4 scenarios in each box. So we get use with this kind of luxury. I hope you came back with that for your next titles. Anyway, I am not rich but I prefer to spend my $$ with peoples like you who give me so many greats hours of wargame fun over the years. [:)]

Taking about that, I did not like so much Across the Dnepr . My favorite is Ardenne, Korsum, Sicilly, Market Garden and Normandy. I this order. I prefer small scenario, like Karkov. I will love to see those titles redone with your new system.

Keep the good work !

mario

[Erik Rutins]

Thank you, Mario. I'm very glad you are enjoying Kharkov and appreciate you taking the time to post about it.

From what I've heard, it's also quite possible to convert Battlefront scenarios to Kharkov so I expect quite a few to be "ported over". The team at SSG are also hard at work on further installments with this engine.

[Ron]

Pretty quiet place for a new release...
 
So how does it play?
 
What about the AO's - how do they work in practice? Any issues with them, ie what happens when a unit is forced to retreat?
 
What is the AI like? Does the new AO help it overall?
 
What about the new editor? Is it as clunky and obtuse as before?
 
 
 

[Waffenamt]

I wavered for over a year with deciding about Battlefront and never ended up purchasing it because the bad seemed to outweigh the good. If the new user-made scenarios had AI I probably would have gotten it. I'm again tempted with this one, but the silence is deafening and I'm not quite convinced yet. I fear that feeding the 1 scenario per game habit might even lead to worse - like pay-per-turn! I'll  do my best to keep an open mind and wait to see if this one has a future and what more people say about it.
 
Regards

[Kung Karl]

I realy like the feel the AO gives the game. You have to examine the areas and plan acordingly. Great feature! Looks like a fantastic game from the small time I have tried it.

[mariovalleemtl]

Hi Ron,[/align] [/align]I did not play to mush yet but I could tell you that it is very fun so far.[/align]Yesterday, my Russian opponent loose some 15 units on the first turn because he did not pay to much[/align]attention where he stop his troupes after a fast advance. German have a lot of fast elite troupes.
They could overrun a hex and go back in a defensive position in just a blink. [/align] [/align]Before, I set the AI to play again itself. It was bloody galore and the Fascist win. 

Like usual, the AI know how to punch. I think the AO help a lot the AI behavior.[/align] [/align]Taking about the AO, I find it is very cool. You feel like you are the Field Marshal in charge of the battle BUT [/align]you must obey to the directives of the Furher or those of Stalin who had planned this bellicose choreography weeks in advanced . So you don't do exactly what you would like to do.[/align]Anyway, if Adolf is in person on the battlefield, you just have set the AO so you could do just anything you won. [/align] [/align]I am to lazy to look at the editor. [8D][/align] [/align]Hope it help you.[:)][/align] [/align]mario[/align]

[emcgman]

Hey Nick,

I sat on the fence for a couple months before purchasing Battlefront. I already had TOAW III, Steel Panthers and JT Campaign Series. I kept thinking the same thing about only having 4 scenarios.

I'll tell you what, Battlefront is like the filet mignon of hex based strategy gaming. The system is tight, the tactics are diverse, and the historical feel with the units and hand drawn maps equals or surpasses anything I've played.

This is 1 km per hex with battalion size units.

I would have to say that if anyone is a fan of hex based wargaming, they're practically cheating themselves by not having Battlefront.

As a result, I have since purchased Korsun Pocket/Across the Dnepr, and Battles In Normandy.

[Redmarkus5]

I own Battlefront, BiI, BiN, Korsun as well as TOAW and many more. This latest engine feels more refined and more realistic.  It's hard to say exactly why this is so, but the balance between command and control, combat, movement and logistics is very effective.  You really do have think like a real general (I imagine!) and plan your strategy carefully. 
 
The AI seems very powerful, although how much of this is scripted I can't tell.  I have been having a tough time defending as the German side vs. the AI on my first game.  My only concern is that the briefing text at the start of each turn is almost 100% accurate in terms of telling me things like "the Soviets should now be entering the woods south of Kharkov..." etc.  Is this because I should expect similar results every time I replay the scenario?
 
My other complaint is the limited support for higher screen resolutions.  The game looks good on my laptop but horrible and fuzzy on my big flat screen, which is actually where I would prefer to play it.  Great job bringing together the best parts of the BiI and Battlefront engines, SSG, but it's time to update the interface and icons now.
 
Overall, is it worth the money I paid for download+CD+VAT+shipping?  Only "maybe" and only if we get several good free user scenarios complete with well scripted AI.

[hank]

For those of you who've played both BiN/BiI and BF, which system does K:DotD remind you of the most ?
 
After reading many of the posts prior to K:DotD's release, I thought it may be more like the Decisive Battles games (BiN/BiI) than Battlefront.  But now that its out, what do you think?  Or is it an equal mix or the two prior system and hard to do a comparison?
 
 

[mossicon]

My other complaint is the limited support for higher screen resolutions.  The game looks good on my laptop but horrible and fuzzy on my big flat screen, which is actually where I would prefer to play it. 

Given the prevalence and cheapness of widescreen monitors, I would say this was essential, and presumably not that difficult to add?

[Erik Rutins]

Widescreen native support is in the works, but it's actually as MAJOR a change as can be. The existing engine couldn't support it, though it does look fine scaled up on widescreen monitors. The new CAW engine does support multiple resolutions and SSG is in the process of integrating this new graphics engine into their operational land games as well, but it is a big effort and could not be completed for this release.

We do hear you all though and SSG is working on it.

Regards,

- Erik

[mossicon]

Thanks for the positive response. The complexity of programming a game completely eludes me! I appreciate the endeavours. Looking forward to getting my copy with a printed manual, my 15 minutes with the game so far has mostly been guess work [8D]

[Fred98]

ORIGINAL: hank

For those of you who've played both BiN/BiI and BF, which system does K:DotD remind you of the most ?

It feels more like Battlefront than ony of the others.

The scale is not limited. It can be any scale you wish and in that respect resembles BiI

Joe

[Waffenamt]

Thanks emcgman,
 
Your comments might have swayed me a few months ago but I guess the thing about Battlefront is that it has been or is about to be superceded by this new game. But 4 scenarios is better than 1 so I won't count my chickens yet!

[Ron]

Thanks for your feedback Mario. I opted out of Battlefront but the new AO seems an exciting feature and I decided to get this. It does seem very different from the DB series upon initial looks, will have to read the manual and work through the tutorials, but feels like the first time I bought the original TAO, exciting stuff.
 
 

[Noakesy]

ORIGINAL: hank

For those of you who've played both BiN/BiI and BF, which system does K:DotD remind you of the most ?

I have all the SSG games you mention (TAO, KP, AtD, BiN, BiI and BF) and to my mind it reminds me more of BF than the others (if only in look and feel, but also the arty treatment and so on). I played BF quite a lot, but never really go into it. I've played the AI on Kharkov a couple of times and got whipped (v.rarely play AI, normally PBEM), which I don't see to be a problem. To my mind it looks a great game. The scenarios thing may sort itself out if it's popular - there's AtD to come, and Ian on the SSG forums has also hinted he may port his immense BF scenarios which provides more - as per Erik's statement on another thread, the user community has to make the scenarios (other than those that might be introduced by SSG). The user scenarios on BiI didn't all come along at once, they take time (and I have to admit I've not made any shamefully but enjoyed those that have been added).

[Redmarkus5]

My only other request is for solitaire play mode in any user made scenarios.  It's really frustrating to see the announcement "New scenario posted", navigate to the dl and then note the little "PBEM only" tag!!!  I don't do much PBEM as I travel a lot and like to be able to play several turns on a flight and not just a single PBEM turn...   Am I the only one?  The scenarios that followed BiI and BiN were excellent.  And just look at TOAW...  That game is still alive after what, 8-10 years?  And I bet if they jazzed it up with a modern interface and re-launched, it would sell all over again.
 
I am on turn 11 of the Kharkov scenario as the Axis - I'm bleeding and unable to advance further, although I have held Kharkov and taken Izyium...  A stalemate I am guessing.  Challenging and satisfying game - certainly harder to master than the previous titles I suspect.  I'm pleased I bought it.

[RedMike]

Kharkov is a great game! I'm enjoying it.

[Kung Karl]

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

My only other request is for solitaire play mode in any user made scenarios.  It's really frustrating to see the announcement "New scenario posted", navigate to the dl and then note the little "PBEM only" tag!!!  I don't do much PBEM as I travel a lot and like to be able to play several turns on a flight and not just a single PBEM turn...   Am I the only one?  The scenarios that followed BiI and BiN were excellent.  And just look at TOAW...  That game is still alive after what, 8-10 years?  And I bet if they jazzed it up with a modern interface and re-launched, it would sell all over again.

I am on turn 11 of the Kharkov scenario as the Axis - I'm bleeding and unable to advance further, although I have held Kharkov and taken Izyium...  A stalemate I am guessing.  Challenging and satisfying game - certainly harder to master than the previous titles I suspect.  I'm pleased I bought it.

I am mostly a single player guy too. I do PBEM but I like to be able to play the AI whenever I want. Nice to have this Kharkov battle to play around with now, great game!

[HercMighty]

ORIGINAL: Kung Karl

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

My only other request is for solitaire play mode in any user made scenarios.  It's really frustrating to see the announcement "New scenario posted", navigate to the dl and then note the little "PBEM only" tag!!!  I don't do much PBEM as I travel a lot and like to be able to play several turns on a flight and not just a single PBEM turn...   Am I the only one?  The scenarios that followed BiI and BiN were excellent.  And just look at TOAW...  That game is still alive after what, 8-10 years?  And I bet if they jazzed it up with a modern interface and re-launched, it would sell all over again.

I am on turn 11 of the Kharkov scenario as the Axis - I'm bleeding and unable to advance further, although I have held Kharkov and taken Izyium...  A stalemate I am guessing.  Challenging and satisfying game - certainly harder to master than the previous titles I suspect.  I'm pleased I bought it.

I am mostly a single player guy too. I do PBEM but I like to be able to play the AI whenever I want. Nice to have this Kharkov battle to play around with now, great game!

I wouldn't put my hopes up on AI with user created scenarios, I still think it is the same problem of a complicated un-documented AI that requires to much time, effort and understanding that the people who make the scenarios don't have the time or interest in investing in. I asked about the AI documentation in the Editor Guide that Eric keeps pumping and got no response [:(]