SC3 vs Hearts of Iron III - Opinions

[bssybeep]

Just curious for opinions on SC3 vs Hearts of Iron III (I own). Tempted by SC3, but why buy if you already own HOI III? Interested in your opinions. Thanks

[Rosseau]

HOI3 is one of the more complex games I own, next to the Grigsby series. I enjoy modding down to the battalion level with that game. The new Strategic Command 3 has graduated past beer-and-pretzels but can be played out of the box. The editor is detailed and easy to use. So far, the AI seems ruthless and takes advantage of every stupid move I make.

I would not hesitate to buy this latest iteration.

[Templer_12]

Strategic Command WWII War in Europe is in short: "SC3".

There is a demo for the predecessor "SC2".
Check it out, maybe you'll get the idea. [:)]

[sPzAbt653]

I looked into HOI3 before I found SC3. HOI3 certainly is a grand game and I can see why it has such a following, but it was not for me, not what I was looking for. I wanted strategy without such complexity.

[Capitaine]

How can you intelligently play a realtime simulation of WWII in Europe at the corps/division level? I've never understood that game though I've tried several times.

[Rosseau]

If you are looking for historical results, SC3 is hard to beat.

There is plenty of screaming on Steam and Paradox forums on crazy AI behavior of HOI4 that eventually will be fixed. I've had 110 hours of fun with HOI4 due to its sandbox nature.

The combat results are also a lot more detailed and transparent. At least the game simulates frontages, as it's too easy to just pile units on. SC3 is clearly the opposite.

[Fintilgin]

They're so different they can't really be compared. Yeah, they're both WW2 grand strategy games, the same way Skyrim and Half-Life are both first-person games where you kill monsters.

SC is much, much closer to a board war game. If that's a positive or negative to you is entirely up to you. I'd much rather play SC if I'm in the mood for WW2. I like the 'discrete' nature of a turn based strategy game and managing hundreds of units in real time HoI leaves me confused and irritable. [:D]

I'm a big Paradox fan though, and think EUIV is probably the best strategy game ever made. I'd second the notion of checking out the demo for Strategic Command 2 and seeing if it's up your alley.

[bssybeep]

Thanks for all the feedback. Makes for interesting reading. I've tried to start playing HOI3 several times. All the various things you can tweak are just amazing. At the same time, overwhelming and gives me a headache . At this stage of my life, I just want to start a game and play (haha), so I'll probably go with SC3

[Meteor2]

I am a fan of the HoI series for a very long time. Until now, the latest version HoI IV, is a great disappointment.
A lot of features missing, doubtful mechanics and a very, very bad AI.
There you have to wait a year, at least, until you can judge, whether the devs turned it around.
I will spend my time with SC3. [:)]

[demyansk]

I have tried hoi and all those pop ups kill me

[RodyMetal]

I tried to like HOI games but I couldn't, I think the engine is not very suitable for WW2, Multiplayer is no option for me in paradox games in general, so if the AI is potato whatever complexity or super simulation is there, it will be useless.
SC3 and many other matrix WW2 games are real strategy games with great return on investment.

[TheGreatRadish]

They are both fun, but I think it's important to note that HOI is a Grand Strategy game set in the WW2 era, SC is a WW2 Grand Strategy game. I hope that sounds right, but I think it covers the fact that they are built to do different things.

[Grim.Reaper]

Maybe the game World War II Europe is a better comparison....I haven't played it myself but others seem to enjoy it even if not fully done (although pretty ambitious to have 100+ scenarios).

http://schwerpunktgames.com/misc/games/ ... 1939-1945/

[Grotius]

For me the biggest difference is that SC3 is turn-based while HOI4 is real-time. In general, I prefer turn-based wargames. I also think the AI in SC3 is far better than that in HOI4.

[Rosseau]

I mistakenly purchased Schwerpunkt WWIIe at release one year ago. 500 scenarios doesn't matter if the UI and various combat phases remains so clunky. An avid board wargamer with lots of patience can probably handle it, but I can't deal with it just yet.

[jimkehn]

Fintilgin I am with you. I think EU IV is probably the deepest and prettiest game out there.
I have played HOI 3 and I don't like it nearly as well as EU IV. I haven't tried HOI 4. But I can tell you that there is no comparison other than the time frame of HOI3 and SC3. SC3 is a game you can just sit
back and relax and enjoy. HOI is not a game its a career. A vocation. I do get in the mood for those games from time to time but sometimes you just wanna sit back and play a game for the pure enjoyment of it.
So far (and I confess I haven't had SC3 very long) this game is just right. There is plenty of depth but you don't have to have a law degree to find it. If you are on the fence and want a game you can get into
without spending months learning it, then I would highly recommend SC3.

[blackcloud6]

ORIGINAL: JimKehn

Fintilgin I am with you. I think EU IV is probably the deepest and prettiest game out there.
I have played HOI 3 and I don't like it nearly as well as EU IV. I haven't tried HOI 4. But I can tell you that there is no comparison other than the time frame of HOI3 and SC3. SC3 is a game you can just sit
back and relax and enjoy. HOI is not a game its a career. A vocation. I do get in the mood for those games from time to time but sometimes you just wanna sit back and play a game for the pure enjoyment of it.
So far (and I confess I haven't had SC3 very long) this game is just right. There is plenty of depth but you don't have to have a law degree to find it. If you are on the fence and want a game you can get into
without spending months learning it, then I would highly recommend SC3.

Good to hear this. I'm playing an OCS game solitaire right now and a single turn can cook my brain. It's nice to be able to sit at a computer game and play it focusing on the strategy and tactics and not have to bog oneself down on remembering rules.

[battlevonwar]

I was big in the EU2 Community, played some HOI3 and now moved to HOI4. HOI4 is obviously full of issues and catering to the customer. SC3 by appearance resembles a hexagon turn based game(I played all HOIs and all SCs but this one yet) It is going to be patched faster and Hexagon warfare has a whole different feel than RTS. It's immersive! At first you can dislike it but after 5-6 games and learning the rules you will play this for a solid year if you love WW2

... In my Opinion it has a whole different type of way of doing it. Like a car vs a train..try both for sure!

ORIGINAL: bssybeep

Just curious for opinions on SC3 vs Hearts of Iron III (I own). Tempted by SC3, but why buy if you already own HOI III? Interested in your opinions. Thanks

[FelixPraedo]

HOI III and IV are both nice for the reseach and production game. Their AI is terrible and that really spoils the fun for me combatwise (that and the hundreds of insubordinate brigade size land units running around, the almost non existant air units etc...)
So far SC3 seems to have an excellent AI, decent size land units, killer air units and fine naval units!
On top of that the editor promises to be a wannabe game designers dream come true, not only for designing smaller and/or bigger scale WWII games (1 day turns, 1 month turns )
but also WWI, Napoleonic Wars and much more.
I'm gonna have lots of fun and sleepless nights with this game...