ORIGINAL: henri51
Well I bit the bullet and bought the game. So far I have only played the tutorial and part of a scenario, but the game looks good. I haven't read the manual yet, so there are a few things I don't understand, like why some units report out of command although close to the HQ in the desert with no enemies close by. I think I remember seeing that there is a random factor...
The game seems to play well on both XP Pro and Win7 on my work and home computers respectively (Macs using Bootcamp).The game is a good medium complexity wargame somewhat similar to old hex-based Avalon Hill games, or maybe Advanced Squad Leader, although the latter is squad level whereas this game is company -level and higher. I particularly like the command distance idea which forces the player to keep units near their HQs (although I still don't know what that radius is -must be in the manual).
One confusing thing is that one has to deselect a unit before selecting another, with the result that 3 or 4 times the result of clicking on the next unit to move resulted in the previously moved unit moving all the way back to where I clicked with no chance to undo (sometimes you can and sometimes you can't). It happened 3 or 4 ties in the tutorial. Maybe I will get used to it. Another thing is that the travel mode and the movement mode do the same thing, so why have two different keystrokes for it (m and t)? Why do some units travel and some move? [&:]
These are minor nitpicks, and are not important enough to affect a decision to buy or not.
Henri
Yes, there is a random factor to units becoming in command, and being out of command. However, there are occasions where you start off with a 100% probability so you don't always have to be prepared for the possibility of it. If for example, you moved your HQ, or other corresponding unit... have one in a woods, or have had to go through quality checks (and rolled bad), have E-ZoC issues, etc, then your chances diminish from 100%, though there are other issues that could increase your chances above 100% as well.
There are ratings applied to Division HQs that can range from -2 to +2. These the stronger the number, the better effect it has on keeping command, (amoung other things).
Your issue of de-selecting units is one that some people have when first getting used to the GUI. It's because you're not used to this system and keep doing things out of habit that cause this risk. I haven't had a de-select issue in a long time, because I now am in the habit of simply clicking (out of bounds of movement) hexes to make sure I'm de-selected.
In regards to your question about Move vs Travel posture. The Move posture refers to units which NEED to be Emplaced (another posture). Units liked towed artillery and AT companies need to be Emplaced to fire, and hence can only shift locations when in Movement Posture.
Tanks and Destroyers on the other hand don't need to be Emplaced. They can shift locations by either Attack or Travel posture, and go directly into a Defend posture when chosen.
