Anniversary Coupon

[Toby42]

I have an anniversary coupon to use up next week. I have all of the other Strategic Command games but not a WWI game. Is this worth the buy or is it just WWII in Europe with trenches and no tanks?

[FOARP]

I think it's worth the buy, quite different to WW2 - different fronts, different countries, different events. I bought the whole SC3 pack with my anniversary coupon (plus it was on discount - the coupon and christmas/easter/whatever discounts are combined) and it was great value. The WW1 game is the best of the bunch in my opinion.

[mdsmall]

It is quite a different game from the WW2 game. The Central Powers are divided between three Majors: Germany, which is the strongest power but nowhere near as dominant as it is in WW2; Austria-Hungary, which is much stronger than Italy in WW2 as the number two ally; and the Ottomans, who are weak at the start but can grow significantly if not attacked and which occupy a lot of strategic terrain. The Entente is also a more plural side, with Britain and France roughly co-equal powers with different strengths and Russia, which is the weak sister of that alliance, and which is ultimately undermined by revolution within. Italy and Serbia also can prove surprisingly resistant thorns in the side of the Central Powers. The U.S.A. does usually enter the war, but when depends a great deal on German submarine strategy against Britain. Artillery is the key technology, in place of aviation and tanks (though tanks do make their appearance later in the game and there are lots of planes which primarily make your artillery more effective through spotting). The German navy, though still weaker than the British one, is much larger than in WW2 and can challenge Britain if skillfully used. Spotting and Fog of War are a bigger factor in the WW1 game, because aviation is much weaker and trenches block sight lines, so using airships to know what is going on beyond the enemy front line is important. The pace of combat differs more from front to front - not surprisingly, you have slow, grinding attrition on the Western front and the Italian and Serbian fronts, but more open campaigns of movement on the Eastern front against Russia and potentially in Mesopotamia and Palestine against the Ottomans. But because cavalry is relatively weak, you rarely have the kind of breakthroughs that tanks in WW2 can achieve. More Minor powers survive the opening year of the war, especially if Germany decides against invading Belgium, and they offer more strategic options if you can use diplomacy to recruit one or two to your side. But none are as strong as Spain or Turkey in the WW2 game. Perhaps the biggest difference is that National Morale is the key strategic factor in the game: every Major can be defeated by having its NM driven to zero and by 1917-8 every Major is battling on with NM factors that can be below 50% - so capturing territory and destroying units to reduce National Morale plus the reciprocal naval blockades by Germany and Britain are essential strategies.

Overall, for the modest cost, it is worth buying and deciding for yourself.

Michael

[Toby42]

I have a 50% coupon so the price would be lunch money!

[Simulacra53]

Arguably the best game in the series, imo.

[Philippeatbay]

+1

[Platoonist]

ORIGINAL: Toby42

I have an anniversary coupon to use up next week. I have all of the other Strategic Command games but not a WWI game. Is this worth the buy or is it just WWII in Europe with trenches and no tanks?

When I bought this title several weeks ago, had the same trepidation you do that because this game shares the same map and many of the same components as SC2 WiE, that it would feel like a glorified mod. However, I have been pleasantly surprised so far. It definitely has it's own vibe. I've been playing the Central Powers and it's been quite a challenge juggling all those fronts as they come into play. At times it feels like a continent wide siege operation with moving ramparts.

Besides trenches, there are some nice new touches, like the ability to stockpile shells for artillery barrages and naval minefields. I'm kinda hoping naval mines can be worked into the earlier titles at some point. You can also fund Arab uprisings in your opponents colonies to keep them distracted. Zeppelins are cool, but for now I mostly use them for naval patrols.

Of course it helps if you are somewhat interested in the subject matter. I know World War One is usually gaming poison. People associate it solely with deadlocked armies and brain dead leadership, but I have been enjoying this iteration of it so far. Far more engaging than the TOAW scenarios on the subject. In addition, it's a refreshing break from the tired old blitzPolandParisLondonRussia of the WW2 games.

[Toby42]

I picked this up today with my coupon! It makes a nice deal. I'll start messing with it later tonight! I'm sure that it will be fine!

[FOARP]

ORIGINAL: Platoonist

....a refreshing break from the tired old blitzPolandParisLondonRussia of the WW2 games.

This is important. There really is only so many times in so many games that I can play essentially the same scenario and basically after playing the original SC, the WW2 scenario in Civ, Panzer General, HOI1, HOI2, HOI3, Panzer Corps and HOI4 and a few other WW2 games I’m afraid I may have reached that limit. I literally opened WIE when I bought it in the bundle with SC:WW1 and WAW a while back, blitzed Poland, and then haven’t played since because the sense of deja vu was too strong. I’m sure I’ll play it through properly eventually, I just need a year or two away from WW2 games.