Questions from a newcomer (but experienced tac-gamer...)

[$trummer]

This game looks to be right up my alley. I've played Combat Mission but it looks like I can plan better in Armored Brigade. I admire Command Modern Operations but Armored Brigade enables me to use terrain, LOS and tactics to much greater effect in land combat.

Before I pull the trigger, I have one question: How does the game ease a new player in? Are there good tutorials and relatively simple missions to start with. What sort of interface is there to guide a less experienced player? I want my first experience of this very promising game to be a constructive one. Thank you!

[nikolas93TS]

There is no tutorial in the classical sense as dynamic AI is unpredictable, but I suggest playing few first single missions as they are set in a way to emphasize certain game aspects.

I am not in the position to be objective, but quite a lot of people have said the game is easy to jump into. Particularly if you used to play games like Close Combat, WinSPMBT, Combat Mission etc.
Now, in order to master it, I still think reading manuals and players guides is a must for fully understand the deeper mechanics and tips&tricks that make combat easier.

And welcome aboard, I hope you will enjoy the game!

[$trummer]

Thank you, Nikolas, this is most welcome.

I decided to take the plunge and buy it. I put quite a lot of time into learning new tactical/battlefield sims so it’s no small decision. A 3-part gameplay video I watched on YouTube almost put me off the game. To be fair, it’s from the initial wide release and the guy admits that he’s at the bottom of the learning curve but he makes such a mess of the scenario he makes for himself that I found myself asking, as I sometimes did in Combat Mission, “do I want to spend HOURS getting my a$$ handed to me?” The truth is that I never really mind this as long as the AI is playing fair and isn’t “cheating” via hidden LOS advantages, etc. In the end, I realised that the videos were misleading; the poor guy plays so badly that I had no chance to assess the quality of the AI; he uses the FAST move command all the time so the dug-in enemy armor gets the jump on his moving vehicles and he sends vehicles into forested terrain unescorted by infantry. When I play it for the first time later today, I am hoping that the game will reward me if I do not make these mistakes but use sound tactics instead, take my time and do recon. And I will read the manual thoroughly, as usual, although if there is a more home printer-friendly version of it out there, I’d love to know about it because the standard-issue manual is going to be very expensive to print at home.

Thanks again!

[Stimovsky]

I just started to play the game myself.
I could not find a tutorial as such, but there are a couple useful videos online. The best ones I could find were DasTactic's. Sorry, I'm not allowed to post URLs.
I also read Yooper's guide which proved as useful as easy to read. It includes links of interest.

For some time now, I've enjoyed creating small scale scenarios : 9 km², 1000 to 2000 points, so battle after battle I can refine what I need to play my way, and how to make the best of what I can get.
I'm still intimidated by the scenarios that come with the game.

[$trummer]

ORIGINAL: Stimovsky

I just started to play the game myself.
I could not find a tutorial as such, but there are a couple useful videos online. The best ones I could find were DasTactic's. Sorry, I'm not allowed to post URLs.
I also read Yooper's guide which proved as useful as easy to read. It includes links of interest.

For some time now, I've enjoyed creating small scale scenarios : 3 km², 1000 to 2000 points, so battle after battle I can refine what I need to play my way, and how to make small scale the best of what I can get.
I'm still intimidated by the scenarios that come with the game.

Very useful advice, thank you.

[Veitikka]

ORIGINAL: $trummer

And I will read the manual thoroughly, as usual, although if there is a more home printer-friendly version of it out there, I’d love to know about it because the standard-issue manual is going to be very expensive to print at home.

There's a printer-friendly version in the game's 'Manuals' folder. Some parts of the manual are a bit obsolete by now though.

[$trummer]

ORIGINAL: Stimovsky

I just started to play the game myself.
I could not find a tutorial as such, but there are a couple useful videos online. The best ones I could find were DasTactic's.

The Dastactic videos are just great, thank you. One thing: I was surprised by the trouble he was having with pathfinding, especially across bridges. He was remarkably patient, pausing the game and hauling the errant unit back but it can put you at a great, undeserved disadvantage if that happens during a contact. A tank that would otherwise be facing the target would get killed for no good reason if it turns tail due to a pathfinding glitch. Has this issue been addressed, I wonder?

[nikolas93TS]

If you were looking at at series where he plays as Finland secures the two bridges that cross the wide river, that was before multiple stacking feature was introduced. So yes, the issue has been addressed and fixed.

[$trummer]

Many thanks for the info.