Recommendations for new player for PBEM war games

[Pubz0mbie]

Hi All,
I introduced my brother to PanzerCorps (1&2) and now he is really into playing the play by email system.
We are both shielding in lockdown and the games have been a real great way of staying sane when we cant see each other!!!

We would love to move on to something larger scale or strategic - any ideas would be great please.
Im used to traditional wargaming and he isnt so stuff that is simple to grasp at first world be great.
Thanks in advance
Steve

[Orm]

Hello, Steve.

Maybe Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa can be an alternative for you? I had fun playing several email games with it.

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=1530

[Orm]

Or if you want Grand Strategy, then perhaps MWIF could be something to look at. But it has not any internal play by email system. So mailing saves is the workaround but it works. Or actually playing netplay at the same time.

[RFalvo69]

I really enjoyed Flashpoint Campaigns PBEM. I played the heck out of it with a wargaming pal of mine and we had a lot of fun. Many scenarios, BTW, are very replayable: both sides can try different strategies, or you can simply switch sides and see who is the best with a given side (I know that you can do that with a lot of games, but in FP:C this worked really well).

[ernieschwitz]

ORIGINAL: Orm

Or if you want Grand Strategy, then perhaps MWIF could be something to look at. But it has not any internal play by email system. So mailing saves is the workaround but it works. Or actually playing netplay at the same time.

The title of this post is Recommmendation for a new player for PBEM war games and in his post he makes sure to point out that they should be straight forward to go to... MWIF is NOT any of that.

[James Taylor]

The next step up from PzCorps would be most likely either Strategic Command(SC) or WarPlan(WP).

Both have a vibrant community to help with questions and strategies and there is a PBEM server to control games over the internet.

[budd]

Check out any of the Strategic Command games, good step up from Panzer Corps. There all good fun in PBEM. Then maybe move up to Warplan. I've also had fun with the Battle Academy games in PBEM, either of them, 1 or 2.

[Orm]

ORIGINAL: ernieschwitz

ORIGINAL: Orm

Or if you want Grand Strategy, then perhaps MWIF could be something to look at. But it has not any internal play by email system. So mailing saves is the workaround but it works. Or actually playing netplay at the same time.

The title of this post is Recommmendation for a new player for PBEM war games and in his post he makes sure to point out that they should be straight forward to go to... MWIF is NOT any of that.

Well. It may very well be that you are right. But since one of the brothers are used to wargaming I thought they capable of deciding for themselves if the game is to complicated for them, or not. When I got into World In Flames I was a total newbie at wargaming and I didn't find it complicated. I did find most aspects "simple to grasp" although I had to refer to the rule book all the time. I found the game to be incredible fun.

With that said; Strategic Command would perhaps have been a better suggestion for a Grand Strategy game.

[Pubz0mbie]

ORIGINAL: Orm

ORIGINAL: ernieschwitz

ORIGINAL: Orm

Or if you want Grand Strategy, then perhaps MWIF could be something to look at. But it has not any internal play by email system. So mailing saves is the workaround but it works. Or actually playing netplay at the same time.

The title of this post is Recommmendation for a new player for PBEM war games and in his post he makes sure to point out that they should be straight forward to go to... MWIF is NOT any of that.

Well. It may very well be that you are right. But since one of the brothers are used to wargaming I thought they capable of deciding for themselves if the game is to complicated for them, or not. When I got into World In Flames I was a total newbie at wargaming and I didn't find it complicated. I did find most aspects "simple to grasp" although I had to refer to the rule book all the time. I found the game to be incredible fun.

With that said; Strategic Command would perhaps have been a better suggestion for a Grand Strategy game.

MWIF

Thank you all for these sugestions - Do all the Stragtegic Command titles have the simailar PBEM system as panzercorps?
I'm looking at Strategic Command WWII War in Europe in particular as its a period of history my bro knows well and I seem to remeber we had a game that was similar way back around 2000 that we used to play hotseat.
It looks the perfect fit for starters.

MWIF looks fantastic too - but maybe a bit too pricey until next payday defo one for the wishlist though.

Thanks again for your time,
Steve

[MrsWargamer]

You mentioned PBEM, and thus I'm not mentioning anything that I think is not ideal PBEM content.

I think the TOAW IV offering is worthy of consideration. Lots of content and options. Not as much Grand Strategy as the Strategic Command title though, which is also worth mention. SC has a European centric offering as well as a global scale offering. Not very complex in design. Warplan is worth mention. Very classic wargame looking, a bit more detail.

MWorld in Flames and Gary's War in the East or War in the West are the very deep end of the pool.

The Order of Battle design has a very good free offering level. A skightly more involved experience up from Panzer Corps.

On Steam, there is also Unity of Command 2. The successor to the original Unity of Command. That was here in the past. A nice design worth your attention.

[Zovs]

Warplan

[Pubz0mbie]

Thank you guys - adding all these to my wish list and have grabbed SC ww2 ET
cheers,
steve

[Simulacra53]

Good choice!

[Pubz0mbie]

yeh its brilliant!!!!
thanks guys