Players thoughts on WITE?

[Phanatikk]

How do veteran players feel about the game? Worth the money?

How does it compare to say... Hearts of Iron?

Or Second Front (from back in the day?)

As worthwhile as WITP?

Input appreciated.

[Aurelian]

Hearts of Iron it is not. You don't run a country, just the military. No politics/research/production. (The Soviets can build support units, Army HQs, and ground combat units, but it's limited by APs.)

Far superior to Gary's previous east front games.

IMHO, as worthwhile as WiTP. And plays alot faster.

[delatbabel]

This has much more detail at the operational level than Hearts of Iron. I'm a Second Front / War in Russia player from way back, if you enjoyed those you'll enjoy WitE although it takes a LOT more getting used to. You don't have control over production like you did in SF/WIR but then in those games you could go gamey stuff like flipping your aircraft factories to produce IL-4s, wait until they build up to production 20 and then flip them back to fighters and have a hundred or so per turn from each factory.

The jury's out on game balance. SF/WIR almost never ended in draws, this game often does. SF was biased a bit in favour of the Soviets, this is balanced about the same, WIR was balanced heavily in favour of the Germans.

For all the whinging it's the best eastern front game out there.

[hfarrish]

I grew up playing Second Front as a kid (one of...one, at least at my age) and this is similar in scope (albeit sans production and the Western / Italian Front holding screens), but much, much more in-depth. Division movement instead of Korps/Army, support unit management, HQ structure management, etc. It is definitely a lot more work but I think it can be a lot more rewarding as well. As previous posters mentioned, nothing at all like HOI.

As I think most people would say, playing the game is a trade off between the rewards of successfully setting up your defense or an amazing offensive maneuver, and the fact that the game is still working through balancing issues. Initially the game was far too easy as the Soviet player, as all you had to do was set up huge fortified carpet lines in late 41 that would grow into massive 40 mile deep high-fort carpets into 42; this was nerfed and now the Soviet side is a desperate race to run away until you have the strength to fight the Germans...neither feels quite right.

Either way, I'd recommend it - historical or not its still fun and I have definitely gotten my money's worth.

[RCHarmon]

Will you play against the AI only or will you seek out human opponents?
How important is the air war to you?
Are you looking for a good game or or are you looking for a historical type simulation?
The game has an editor, but not enough of the game is open to editing.

If you get this game, for the first six months you will think that this is the best game ever. Then at that point, some of the quirks will really begin to show. You will have to balance it out for yourself at that time just how much you like the game knowing its quirks. Maybe by then you will have gotten your moneys worth.

It is a good AI game. I probably got my moneys worth and for sure a lot of frustration. I really want to like this game, but the quirks do it in for me against human opponents. Against the ai you can have some decent games.

[usersatch]

I really like this game and the money was well spent. BUT it doesnt hold a candle to WITP/AE!!! Daily turns (AE) vs. week to weekly turns (WiTE) (I LOATHE this) and lack of serious design support (WiTE) are the things that make the difference between the two (to me). Like I said, you can't go wrong with this game...when you get tired of the PTO!

[76mm]

This is a pretty good game and worth the money if you are interested in the Russian Front. If you play a couple of games against the AI and then maybe a few PBEM games you'll get your money's worth.

That said, the game is far from perfect and I doubt you'll still be playing it in ten years, as people are apparently doing with WitP-AE. While the devs have made quite a few changes since release (frankly, to fix a host of issues that should have been fixed prior to release), it doesn't sound like many further changes are in the cards, so what you see is what you get.

You might want to look at some more critical views, so might want to look at some posts by Pelton and/or Heliodorus in various threads; many of the points they raise are valid, although the ranting can get old at times (although Pelton seems to have mellowed lately)... Despite the validity of many of the points they raise, the game is still quite fun, at least for awhile.

[juret]

its worth the money. extreme eastern front simultation.

i played HOI from 1st version to last alot and WITE is much better wargame.

HOI is very good and worth the money to but WITE is a better game, better strategy game and offer longer and more advanced gameplay when it comes to land combat.

[Klydon]

The question comes down to if you intend to play against the AI or other players.

Against the AI, I think the game is a lot funner for both sides.

Against other players, it has a ways to go right now and it isn't going to be fixed anytime soon (dev team is busy with WiTW).

For me personally, it was worth the money.

[Phanatikk]

I appreciate the comments.

I would probably play exclusively against the AI, as with P:AE.
I've read the comments about the Sir Robin strategy affecting the game. It can happen in AE as well, vs Human.

- Phanatik

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Phanatik

I appreciate the comments.

I would probably play exclusively against the AI, as with P:AE.
I've read the comments about the Sir Robin strategy affecting the game. It can happen in AE as well, vs Human.

- Phanatik

Some Sir Robinskies are more equal than others [:D] In WitP AE you basically sacrifice weak garrisons: the bulk of your forces have not even arrived (the industry is working at full steam: 1943 onwards). In the east, circa june 1941, millions of your men will be trapped and destroyed if you dare stay and fight... and once the slaughter is over you will notice "oh, how come, I almost ran out of counters. Who would have thought it!.." [8D]