First Impressions

[dumasclub]

I am blown away by the graphics and detail. The map is probably the best map of the Pacific War I have ever seen. Includes the U.S. West Coast, which most other board games of the war do not. i have not been excited about a game since my purchase of Kroger's Operational Art of War years ago. The rules are a little over the top, but being an avid ASL fan, not insurmountable. Definitely, worth the time invested and money spent. I like how the phases are structured in the game. This is the first game that has the complexity of a board game with the added appeal of being a computer game.

[jpinard]

Is there a way to dumb down the rules if they're too overwhelming? I'm more of an Axis and Allies level of boardgamer...

[Grotius]

Dumasclub, if you're used to ASL, then you should have no trouble learning the rules to WITP. And I agree, WiTP has a lot of the feel of a traditional complex hex-based wargame, which is one of many reasons I like it.

Jpinard, you can automate some things, but the game is still far more complex than Axis and Allies. You're in charge of every significant ship, plane, ground unit, and pilot in the Pacific theater. You've got to move supply, fuel, oil and resources around the map. To invade an atoll, you need carriers, surface ships, transports, auxiliary ships, replenishment task forces, air cover, and of course ground units. To run any kind of air mission out of an airbase, you need ground air-support personnel. If that kind of thing doesn't sound fun to you, you might want to pause before buying.

Edit: fixed a typo.

[Toro]

Dumasclub: welcome to WitP Anonymous! Glad to have ya.

JP: as Grotius notes, this ain't no A&A. But, if you ever played more complex board games (Avalon Hill, SPI, etc), you'll love this. Lots of complexity, but you can pick it up fairly quickly. Just buckle up, first. [;)]

[jpinard]

I played some Avalon Hill game called Panzer Blitz 30 years ago. I liked it.

[Grotius]

Ah, PanzerBlitz is a classic. If you liked that, you might like WITP too. WITP is obviously much much larger in scope, and WITP has far more logistics (supply, aviation support, production, etc.). But PanzerBlitz had its share of complexity too. I like 'em both.

[Capitaine]

Guys, comparing this game to PB and its 8-12 turn scenarios is a bit over the top. If you rate WitP's complexity rating as a "10" on a scale of 1-10, PB would be something like .2 [:'(]

The degree to which you have to manipulate resources and production, in a pretty non-graphic sort of way (more like a spreadsheet exercise), there ain't a whole lot of excitement goin' on.

Now, if good battle/campaign scenarios are ever developed, this game can really shine IMO.

[Grotius]

Capitaine, PanzerBlitz wasn't ASL, but it wasn't Axis & Allies either. Put another way, PB had its share of minutiae. I recall lots of fussing with line of sight and movement rules.

And we'll just have to agree to disagree about WITP. In my view, this is the best computer wargame ever made.

[Raen]

In the first impressions category, I really, REALLY like the music.

[aspqrz02]

Panzerblitz: Using waggons to block forest road hexes against enemy armoured units ... classic! Brings back memories [:D]

Phil