Courtesy of Amazon, a "Free" Game!

[zman1974]

Having been such a good customer of Amazon lately, I received a $25.00 reward certificate in the mail yesterday. I did a great deal of research for a couple of wargames, and decided on the following:

Highway to the Reich (Operational)
Squad Battles: Advance of the Reich (Tactical)

Before I pull the trigger, I thought I would submit this thread for other opiniions. Basically, I'm looking for one operational and one tactical game.

I already own, CM Anthology, Korsun Pocket, PC: WS, and CEAW.

The other games I considered were Battlefront, CotA, and JT Panzer Campaigns Stalingrad '42. Remember, I can only buy what is on Amazon. Here are the links I used to search:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_sw?url=search-alias%3Dsoftware&field-keywords=matrix+games

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_sw?url=search-alias%3Dsoftware&field-keywords=hps

Thanks,

Jim

[JudgeDredd]

Highway to the Reich is a great game...never played it, but heard plenty of positives, and I know COTA is built on that engine (and enhanced) so I know the engine is superb. You can't go wrong with that or the Squad Battles series. They are good choices. If you're getting them for $25, then I go for it. The other are likely to cost considerably more.

There are so many great games there...Flashpoint Germany is another modern great.

I can't make your choices for you with that list...I'm like a kiddie in a sweat shop! So many great titles. The two you have choosen are good budget priced games

[Hertston]

You could do a lot worse.

CotA is a better game than HttR, but there isn't much in it and a particular interest in Market Garden might swing a decision HttR's way anyway. Likewise, IMHO, the Vietnam 'Squad Battles' games are better than the WW2 ones (mainly because the system handles helicopters so well) but again it comes down to what your interests are.

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: zman1974
Having been such a good customer of Amazon lately, I received a $25.00 reward certificate in the mail yesterday. I did a great deal of research for a couple of wargames, and decided on the following:

Highway to the Reich (Operational)

Applause - you made the right choice - Enjoy ! [:D]

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[zman1974]

Thanks, guys. 
 
I'm a WWII junkie.  In regards to HTTR vs. CotA it's definitely an "interest" thing; I simply like Market Garden better than the Balkans.  Now, if they move that a bit farther south and did NA I would be on board in a second.  Still, as CotA has received such raves a thought I might buy both, and experience the system in it's entirety before the Bulge game comes out.  Did the changes CotA implimenent find their way back into HTTR? 
 
Still, I'm a big fan of Squad Leader (not ASL so much; too complex for my taste), and by gosh, SB: AotR looks like a port in some ways. 
 
Jim

[HansBolter]

CotA has two Malta scenarios that make it worth the price even if you never play the battles in the Balkans.

You might just be surprised though at how great some of the Balkan fights really are.

I highly recommend Spartans at the Pass.

[dakuman]

I have Highway to the Reich zman, highly recommend it. Haven't tried CotA yet, but i hear it is even better. Good luck with your purchase.

[zman1974]

I decided to switch to SB: Winter War.  It comes with Trotter's book on the subject for free, and I must confess this is one part of the war I know little about, but also wanted to.  Both should ship tomorrow.
 
Jim

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: zman1974
I decided to switch to SB: Winter War.  It comes with Trotter's book on the subject for free, and I must confess this is one part of the war I know little about, but also wanted to.  Both should ship tomorrow.

Trotter's book is excellent - I bought it on Amazon just because people who bought SB:WW were raving about it. Now I have pre-ordered (*) SB:WW as well because I want to game it. Game-book combinations are just lethal for my wallet [:D]

Just one other thing : Panther Games, makers of Highway to the Reich and Conquest of the Aegean have a new game with an even more improved engine coming out. Check out the Battles from the Bulge forum right here on this board.

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

(*) I know it's been out for a while, I'm just combining orders to save on S&H

[Kuokkanen]

What is Squad Battles?

[sterckxe]

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen
What is Squad Battles?

A series of tactical level, hex-based, turn-based wargames produced by John Tiller at HPS

Various theatres and eras, from Vietnam to WWII to modern day Afghanistan, but all using the same engine which is either dinosaur era or a golden oldie depending on who you talk to.

The game/episode that got mentioned here deals with the Winter War between Russia and Finland and contains the pdf version of the Trotter book.

More info : http://www.hpssims.com/pages/products/S ... erwar.html

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

[zman1974]

The only real competitor at this scale (squads and individual vehicles) would be the CC series of games.  Neither SB or CC has what I would call a modern interface or graphics, but both provide a good simulation of tactical warfare at the platoon level.  The main difference would be that CC is an RTS while SB is turn-based.
 
Jim

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: sterckxe

ORIGINAL: Matti Kuokkanen
What is Squad Battles?

A series of tactical level, hex-based, turn-based wargames produced by John Tiller at HPS

Are they still available? Does that engine have any advantages over SPWAW, WinWW2 and WinSPMBT?