Help me choose my next game.

[Three4Flinching]

Hi all!

Very new to wargaming and currently playing Panzer Corps 1. While I absolutely enjoy the game I feel that I would like to take a step towards a bit more complexity. I also feel that PzC tends to be a bit too much of a "puzzle-game" for my taste and that you need to know the enemy placement etc. before hand to win a map (as such, replaying the same map a few times to know what happens and where everything is). While I do understand that this could be due to my lack of tactical and strategic sense, it still takes away a bit of the enjoyment for me.

Either way, I'm planning on buying a new game and my pick is either Pike and Shot: Campaigns or Strategic Command: WWI (both time periods are of interest). Which would you recommend me getting knowing my lack of experience with the genre and interest of getting on a bit deeper.

Cheers!

[mainsworthy]

I have Pike and Shot, its no to bad, but the SCWW1 I have heard good things and prob will pick it up soon aswel

[wodin]

World War 1 Gold\Centennial is for me the best grand strategy WW1 game. I've tried them all and I'm a WW1 obsessive.

https://www.matrixgames.com/game/world-war-one-gold

[Kuokkanen]

If you want to play historical wars, Decisive Campaigns series is pretty good. Game play is similar to Panzer Corps, but with less puzzle, more realism, and historical accuracy. Each unit on the map is made of a variety of infantry, guns, and vehicles. This means that if a mechanized regiment lose proportionately more vehicles than infantry, it turns to a foot infantry unit and moves as slow.

If you don't want to be limited to historical wars alone, Advanced Tactics Gold (ATG) from same developer is also a good choice. Game comes with some historical scenarios, but historical & equipment accuracy are considerably less than in Decisive Campaigns games (tanks are Light Tank, Medium Tank II etc.). ATG is heavily moddable and there are a good number of scenarios and campaigns with a larger variety of equipment with historical names. Game has also a random generator: you tick few checkboxes, and based on the options, game proceeds to create a random map. In this case players get to choose what military hardware is made and how to organize the units. Alternative to ATG would be the developer's magnum opus, Shadow Empire with much more depth and complexity. I'm totally coming off as Vic fan boy, aren't I?

[ernieschwitz]

What can I say? Vic makes good games.

[Rosseau]

Because the OP mentioned Pike & Shot, I am only posting to suggest that Field of Glory II and FoG II Medieval are years ahead of the Pike and Shot game system. Of course, if one is married to that era, then my suggestion doesn't carry much weight.

Best wishes, and maybe let us know what you decide. There is also the 30% sale, so good timing!

[Three4Flinching]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

@Rosseau Would love to play Field of glory 2 Medieval but I don't think my laptop can handle that game. My specs are Ryzen 5700, 16 gb ram with intergrated Radeon rx vega 8 512 mg ram.

[Rosseau]

You could always buy it on Steam, check it out and then refund it. And then come back here and get the 30% off if it does work! I don't think Steam would mind that much.

[Three4Flinching]

Just to let anyone who is interested know, I chose Strategic Command: WWI. I recently bought the book "The sleep walkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914" (2013) by Christopher Clark, so I plan on reading that and learning the game at the same time.

Thanks again for all suggestions on other games, I have added them to my wishlist

[gamer78]

.

[RFalvo69]

My first suggestion, here, is always John Tiller's Campaign series. Turn based, grand tactical (each unit is a platoon within a chain of command), covers all WWII theaters, comes with an incredible numbers of scenarios (plus others done by the community easily found on the internet) and after many years is still very pleasant to the view (the mapboard resembles a diorama with miniatures).

An added plus is that each unit is accompanied not only by a stats screen but also by a brief paragraph with historical notes, how it was employed etc. - truly an extensive encyclopedia of WWII equipment for those approaching the subject for the first time.

[Three4Flinching]

John Tiller's Campaign series looks great, I added them to my wishlist. Thanks for the suggestion!

[wodin]

Just to let anyone who is interested know, I chose Strategic Command: WWI. I recently bought the book "The sleep walkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914" (2013) by Christopher Clark, so I plan on reading that and learning the game at the same time.

Thanks again for all suggestions on other games, I have added them to my wishlist

Ahh shame, you should have gone for WW1 Gold. Never mind. Maybe you'll get it at a later date.

I have plenty of WW1 book recommendations if you want some.

[Three4Flinching]

Just to let anyone who is interested know, I chose Strategic Command: WWI. I recently bought the book "The sleep walkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914" (2013) by Christopher Clark, so I plan on reading that and learning the game at the same time.

Thanks again for all suggestions on other games, I have added them to my wishlist

Ahh shame, you should have gone for WW1 Gold. Never mind. Maybe you'll get it at a later date.

I have plenty of WW1 book recommendations if you want some.

I would love some reading suggestions, thank you. I have added your game suggestion to my wishlist. When choosing game one of my main "boxes" to check was that it is beginner friendly. I may be wrong but what I have read and watched regarding SC:WW1 made me feel that it is a bit easier for a person who is rather new to the genre.

That said, knowing that there are other, and possibly better, games covering the same time period is always a big plus.

[wodin]

here you all go. Just a few to get going with. Everyone is a must own\read. I've tried to mention books that aren't dead famous like All quiet on the Western Front, Memiors of a Fox Hunting Man, Undertones of War,and Good bye to all that etc etc.

Over all view of the war

Pandoras Box by Jorn Leonhard (you just can't get anything that will come close in looking at all aspects)

The Great War by Peter Hart (All his books are very good indeed)

Attrition by W Philpott (great read)

Over view of a battle\campaign

First day of the Somme by Martin Middlebrook (A classic)

The SOmme by Peter Hart

Bloody Victory: The Sacrifice on the Somme and the Making of the Twentieth Century by W Philpott

Fire and Movement by P Hart

Gallipoli by L A Carlyon

Passchendaele: The Sacrificial Ground by N Steel anbd P Hart

The German Army on ........... by J Sheldon ( All the books in the series are must reads\owns thats the Somme, Ypres 1914, Vimy Ridge, Cambria, Western Front 1915, Spring Offensives 1917 and PAschendale)

Verdun Regiment by J Bracken (amazing read)

Liasion 1914 by E Spears (superb account, a classic)

Memiors etc

Old Soldiers Never Die by F Richardson

War the Infantry Knew by J C Dunn (A classic must read)

Four years on the western front by A Rifleman

Storm of Steel by E Junger

Sagitairius Rising by C Lewis (Classic memoir of pilot)

Somme Mud by E Lynch

Of those we loved by I Read

The War Diary of the Master of Belhaven: 1914-1918 by R Hamilton

Unit history etc

To Conquer Hell by E Lengell (for the USA side of things)

Till the trumpet sounds again Vol 1 and Vol2 by R Nicoll (shear brilliance)

The Other Side of the Wire Vol1 to 3 by R WHitehead (again pure brilliance Vol4 the last volume due this year)

High in the empy blue by A Revell

Amazing well researched fiction

Richer Dust by S Hope

Covenant with death by J Harris

Winged Victory by V Yeates

Goshawk Sqd, Hornet Sting and War Story by D Robinson

Zero Hour by I Gale

Hurrah for the next man to die by S Winter