The Seven Years War.

[stormbringer3]

This game looks interesting to me. I have minimal experience with a John Tiller game. I'd appreciate any opinions about this game.
Thanks.

[sPzAbt. 502]

I got it for support but have not played yet much, it looks and feel great with historical accuracy, has a deep economic model but lacks multiplayer.
It is one man project initially, found a partner and they are now planning something new the last I checked.

I would recommend it based on my limited experience, these type of indie games need the support of grognard gamers.

[stormbringer3]

Thank you for your reply, but I think the game you have is a different game. The one I'm considering has no economic model at all. John Tiller Software has a lot of game systems such as Panzer Battles, Civil War Battles etc. I think I came across your game looking for info on Tillers' game. It's a little suprising that these two different games have the same name.

[Philippeatbay]

The game has a good tactical model based on Tiller's Renaissance engine.

There are a few artefacts of the 16th and 17th century game that haven't been flushed out yet, and the game is currently 2D only.

Having said that, a year or so after release the original renaissance game got a set of 3D textures, so I wouldn't be surprised if Seven Years War got an update a year or so from now.

There are two graphics mods for the game, one that makes a few minor adustments, and one that harmonizes it with my Napoleonic mods.

The game is especially interesting if you've played any of the Tiller Napoleonics, because it shows how warfare evolved from the middle to the end of the 18th century.

(It also makes it pretty obvious which optional rules you shouldn't use in a Napoleonic game).

[gamer78]

Does the game have whole war battles or more specific battles such as in Napoleonic Wars series. I think I like the most France'14 and then Tunisia'43 games. Pbem gameplay was better than JTS Leipzig less house rules. But musket&pike engine rules seems different.

[Philippeatbay]

I am not familiar with the term 'whole war battles' and don't know what it means.

Like most JTS games, Seven Years War has battles and campaigns, launched by two separate icons.

One thing that strikes you immediately when you are coming from the Napoleonic games is how much easier it is to play a game when you don't have the map cluttered with hordes of skirmish companies.

The one thing I don't like about France '14 is that fire combat tends to happen three times instead of just once, which can lead to a lot of clicking in a big scenario.

You don't get that here.

[gamer78]

Forgive my English... [:)]
I mean I did the whole campaign in AGEOD Rise of Prussia AAR with Narwhal in Paradox forum in the past.( 1757-1763) Does all important battles in The Seven Years War's game? Not the campaign but battle scenarios.

And yes skirmishers was a problem in Napoleonic games. Thank you!

[Philippeatbay]

If you click on the Operations link towards the bottom of the game's product page it will give you a complete list and description of all of the individual battles currently in the game.

http://www.johntillersoftware.com/Muske ... rsWar.html

[rommel222]

Greetings to All,
JTS Seven Years War review at the Wargamer!
http://www.wargamer.com/reviews/john-ti ... years-war/

JTS Seven Years War youtube video of game play 2 hrs 22 minutes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fwEb2uAcI0
Opening screen is a Stalingrad 1942 map so listen as the presenter goes into Seven years War tutorial scenario

[tdavie]

I’ve got the game, have played it extensively so ask away with any questions.

Tom

[stormbringer3]

Tom,
What's your opinion of the Campaigns? I see that some of the scenarios were designed to play vs. the AI. Does the Campaign game use them?
How user friendly is the save game system? Some games are really good and others are a pill.
Thanks.

[tdavie]

ORIGINAL: stormbringer3

Tom,
What's your opinion of the Campaigns? I see that some of the scenarios were designed to play vs. the AI. Does the Campaign game use them?
How user friendly is the save game system? Some games are really good and others are a pill.
Thanks.

1) The Campaigns - it uses the ‘AI’ specific scenarios but in a very simple branching fashion with little variability. If you take a particular option/choice you will always end up with the same battle. I found a bug in an early campaign game (said bug was fixed) where you couldn’t proceed further no matter which choice you made.

2) The battles themselves are very good; accurate rules that ‘encourage’ realistic tactics on the part of the player. But the AI has a problem with using it’s cavalry effectively. It has a tendency to throw what should be a massed attack at you as instead a continual dribble of regiment after regiment. So a somewhat gamey tactic is to st on or near victory point hexes with a large number of units offering clear fields of fire and....

3) The save game system. It’s easy to start a particular historical battle as a single one off and save it half way through but being an;e to give it an alternate name. The same thing with a campaign game; you can stop halfway through a scenario and save it as Bob’s first campaign.

The longest battle I played was 48 turns. That took about 3-4 days of playing it a few hours a day. The game can play faster or slower. The introductory scenario I find very replayable as the Austrians.

There are currently only ‘counters’ as the map graphics (3 levels of zoom) although the placeholders are there for 3D graphics (looking like the old Talonsoft I mean). I’ve spent a lot of time on this game but got sidetracked by a couple of other Tiller games.

Tom

[stormbringer3]

Thanks for your detailed information.

[gamer78]

I've tried to enjoy Napoleonic games but always ended up playing France'14. Better Pbem (my opinion) and less house rules. From what I've read this has different game rules. Still not decided to buy France'40 or this. If it was cheaper I would buy both. [:(]