HPS new games

[Prince of Eckmühl]

This whole deal looks like a jig-saw puzzle to me. Sea, air and sub-surface appears to be more or less done. It wouldn't take a lot more, land and logistics perhaps, to make something like a full-blown Guadalcanal campaign possible. Were that to come to pass, no one is gonna be ******** about the graphics. Even if what I suggest doesn't materialize, the game can still work as Harpoon-WW2.

[E]

ORIGINAL: garymc

Your first task is to ready a search. Once you have your search aircraft brought up from the hanger deck, you can then assign a search mission. So, for instance, you assign 14 SBDs from the VS group to a search arc of 190-310. Because the US VS groups are set up in pairs (as they did historically), you'll get 7 searches flying search patterns within that arc (generally to your west in that case).


Be sure to have your TF headed into the wind, and launch them.

Then, you'll likely want to get your first CAP of the day up. You'll assign them a Patrol mission, with their Patrol target being your carrier. This will lead them to hover over your TF, looking for enemy snoopers.
Once that's launched, you can begin to bring your strike aircraft up from the hanger and get them spotted, ready for when your search group finds something.

Once you spot the enemy, you can launch your strike, with the # and type of aircraft you want, and send them on their way. You can manually control aircraft, but generally, at least until they go in for the attack, it's best to let the AI fly them to their target.

Can you show me some screenshots for airplane management/loading/spotting and some for mission planning/launching?

[wodin]

ORIGINAL: Sarge

I disagree, in the operational setting ‘n scale as implemented in Panther’s titles at least HTTR I don’t see the need for a campaign.

Im not saying Panther games really need a campaign...I prefer campaigns at squad \platoon level.
So I agree with you Sarge. Its just a shame people wont buy their games because of a lack of campaign especially when they said they really need more sales to keep in business, the thought of the loss of those guys gives me a shiver. To think we may never see an eastern front game using this engine is heartbreaking all because the Bulge game doesnt sell enough.....we need as many new buyers as possible.

[SuluSea]

ORIGINAL: garymc


As someone mentioned, clouds are very much in the game, and they do have effects.

Hello Gary, for the price at NWS I'm definately interested. Can you explain the clouds, I'm wondering if they are dynamic like CaW where you see them on the screen moving , some thicker than others?

or

While playing the scenario is the whole map for instance partly cloudy?

or

Something different?

Thanks.

[Ashtur]

As to the clouds. Generally, you'll have patchy clouds, (so a situation like Coral Sea with one carrier in clouds, and the other in clear is very possible). Then those clouds move along with the wind.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

I ordered the game on Sunday, and it arrived in today's mail.

The game's installed, but I've obviously got a lot to learn. I think that I shall just sail around for a while and practice plane-handling and other operations. I would mention, however, that the interface is easier to navigate than I expected. And for some reason,  Naval Campaigns Midway feels more like a game about carrier warfare than Carriers at War.

We'll see.

[Fred98]

ORIGINAL: wodin

Im not saying Panther games really need a campaign...I prefer campaigns at squad \platoon level. So I agree with you Sarge. Its just a shame people wont buy their games because of a lack of campaign......

In my case its not the lack of a campaign. Its the game engine I'm not keen on.

-

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: Joe 98

Its the game engine I'm not keen on.

Wow, you must have gotten your copy before I did! [;)]

I can state emphatically that the surface combat portion of the NCM is going to be superior to CaW, because the latter really didn't have one.

As I write this message, my "Jakes" are taking off from their cruisers on a search mission! [8D]

[Ashtur]

I'd missed that someone had asked for a few screenies. My apologies. I just grabbed these quickly, so I didn't turn on Fog of War, so you can see both sides. I grabbed the screens off the hypothetical Wake Island scenario.

The first of these is the overall plane management dialog:



Now, this is setting up a search using the Saratoga's VS group. What you do is select the aircraft for the mission from the previous screen (using Crtl-Left or Shift-Left), and then go to the mission:



Finally, setting up a strike:



To set up an integrated strike (multiple plane types or even from multiple carriers) you use a distinct package name, and then choose that from the dropdown for any additional stike elements you want to add.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

garymc,

If I accidentally "spot" some a/c, how can I undo the order?

Forgive me if this is bold-printed in the docs, but there's a lot to read (and digest). [;)]

[Ashtur]

Ok, either way, you just hit the "Spotting" button again.

The real key is if you've already got the plane spotted, or just in the queue.

If they're just in the queue, it'll say "to spotting". Hit the "spotting" button, and it'll remove them from said queue, no penalty.

If you already have em spotted, then it'll put em in the queue and say "to hanger", and take the 120 seconds per plane.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

ORIGINAL: garymc

Ok, either way, you just hit the "Spotting" button again.

Thanks for the tip; I'll give that a stab.

For our readers, this game is completely unlike anything that I've looked at for carrier operations.

For example, when my carriers are under attack, I can maneuver to avoid being hit.

Likewise, when I want to launch some a/c, I have to turn my flattops into the wind.

All in all, I think that it's very cool. [8D]

[V22 Osprey]

This Midway game looks fun. Would you guys recommend it if you already have WitP AE? I know these are two completely different games, but still.

[Prince of Eckmühl]

It's just completely different from anything else that I've ever played on a computer. They've drilled down into the decision making process as regards items like I describe above. Some folks will say that players shouldn't have this much control over some of this stuff, and it's better off left abstracted. HOWEVER, I think that it's a total hoot so far. IMHO, it blows CaW out of the water. BTW, the developer has included a lot of statistical analysis of their modeling as regards combat results, the sort of thing that is a CONSTANT topic of conversation on the WitP forum. This is likely the best $40 that I've spent on a wargame in the last two years.

EDIT: In some ways it reminds me of the Harpoon games, only it's somewhat simpler (being from a different era of warfare).

[wodin]

Sounds like theve combined their air war games with their naval games and hit the jackpot. I enjoyed War over Vietnam but found a lack of challenge. This sounds much better.

[htuna]

hmmm.. this is peaking my interest... but wait!!... I've got too many games!!!! Must resist, must resist!

[Grim.Reaper]

Wow...with these first impressions, hard to not pull the trigger and purchase. Keep them coming:) I do have a few questions if you have time.

1) With all the depth, is it tedious to play? Ton of micromanagement?
2) How long does an average game take to play? Can you save in the middle of a game?
3) Might be too early for this one, but does each scenario seem replayable with different outcomes or do you think they would playout roughly the same each time?
4) In the end, does it have a "fun" factor and seem like a game you just can't put down?

Thanks!

[JudgeDredd]

Just bought from NWS on the basis of this thread... Don't normally buy from NWS because of postage and delivery time - but I'm off to Scotland for a week...so it should be here by then.

[RedArgo]

I also bought this based on this thread and the price. I'm looking forward to it. My first ever game for the TRS-80 was Avalon Hill's Midway, so this kinda comes full circle.

[Grim.Reaper]

Yet again I was weak and I have also placed an order, even as I was awaiting more feedback:)

Something about Midway. I have always enjoyed playing that battle in other wargames. I even remeber playing it on the Commodore 64 (could have been Vic-20, can't remember which one since I had both) as a game with a bunch of dots and on a tape:)