Steel Panthers World at War is still the best

[magresh]

I have been playing wargames for a long time, since 1970. I discovered SPWAW only three years ago and loved it. Bought all the megacampaigns. I play other games, boardgames, the usual pc games, some playstation, fantasy, sims, all kinds.
Not too long ago there was some excitement about a replacement game that would be a sort of greatly enhanced SPWAW. I noticed that the first new game would be a limited theatre, limited time frame, but it would be expanded eventually to sort of equal SPWAW's broad spectrum of countries, units, theatres, time frames and so on. That is probably going to happen one day far in the future. Right now the game is so multi-faceted, so varied in its scope that it is going to be playable for years to come.
I have come to the conclusion that it is the greatest wargame I have played. I love playing Uncommon Valor, now War in the Pacific and the Combat Mission series. Hearts of Iron and Victoria gave me the marvelous option to play any country at a detail level that could be overwhelming yet still fun. Yet after a couple of months I come back to SPWAW and find so much left to enjoy. To all those who have put this together, the game itself, the campaigns, the scenarios, the mods, all of it, and to the guys who kept SPWAW alive, Matrixgames, THANK YOU for your work. You have allowed me to not just play with history, but to see history as it probably unfolded on the battlefield. I will continue to support your games, purchase many, probably enjoy them all, but I will be playing Steel Panthers World at War until you one day make its complete succesor. Thanks again.

[Hexed Gamer]

For all it's quirks it sure is an awesome game ain't it.

Must suck for all the other games out there trying to compete with Steel Panthers as it is almost impossible to compete with free

[BryanMelvin]

ORIGINAL: Hexed Gamer

For all it's quirks it sure is an awesome game ain't it.

Must suck for all the other games out there trying to compete with Steel Panthers as it is almost impossible to compete with free

Ditto [&o]

It is still a blast to play!

[Dragoon 45]

I am in the process of retiring from the Army after almost 30 years of service. I have been on both ends of computer wargames the Army uses, ie ARTBAS, JANUS, WARFIGHTER, and others I can't remember the names of. Except for Logistics play, I do not know of a game that comes close to SPWaW. Anyone can learn to play it. It is the most realistic game out there in my experience. I know of no game that teaches the importance of combined arms better. In fact I used the game to teach young officers and soldiers tactics. The Army has spent millions of dollars on games that do not come close. As far as games available on the civilian side, only Combat Mission comes close, but you can't play a large battle with it and IMHO it has far more artificialities built into it than SPWaW. Many years ago I got a copy of SPWaW v3.0 on a CD from Computer Gaming Magazine, that was the best money I ever spent.

[m10bob]

Personally,I think it is wrong to try to give SPWAW a premature burial.
Too many of us still playing and designing for it.
People are talking about a successor,but,well,"talk" is easy,the proof is in the puddin',and the successor by ANYBODY may not be as versatile..Right?[:)]

[Huffy]

As I have said before...I have drawers full of games I have bought...oh...I get some of them out from time to time...but SPWAW always stays on my comp...and right on my desktop...
My son had a halloween party...and before I knew it...I had about 4 of the young men looking over my shoulder...asking questions.....future wargamers....my son is 9...he can hold his own in just a head to head straight fight...needs some help on the strategy part a bit.
Take care all,
Huffy

[pappasmurf]

Only two other wargames even come close to SPWAW. Both are board games ASL (Steel Panthers is after all basivcally ASL for the PC) and battletech because it has the msot richly developed story line of any game not set in real history.

[parusski]

magresh your post sums up the way I feel. I don't have much to add of worth.

I too want to thank Matrix. Express my love of SPWAW-the ONLY game never removed from my hard drive. So far I have purchased all but a couple of games available. Those not bought held no interest for me.

Matrix now deserves our loyal, finanacial support. They do not deserve all the complaining I have seen lately.

Long live Matrixgames.

David

[VikingNo2]

I agree SPWAW is by far the best game I have ever played, the only other game that gave me this much enjoyment is a old space game called Elite.

[Goblin]

SPWaW kicks ass!


Goblin

[KG Erwin]

No argument here. [&o]

[rrockw]

It is the single best game of its genra that I have ever found... In fact it is one of the fews games that I have played over the course of many years...

Rich

[Wild Bill]

Its versatility and scope are without rival. Graphics are great, game system is easy to learn, emulates very well real WW2 tactics, offers so many ways to fight, has a ton of good scenarios to play and a magnificent editor to do more.

I doubt we'll see another quite like SPWAW.

Wild Bill

[Warrior2]

SPWaW rules!

[robot]

SPWAW rules others just drool and drool and drool.

[Hanal]

When my 15 year old nephew saw me playing SPWaW, he was mezmorized by the burning buildings and smoke filled streets in the village that I was fighting in....he said it was like watching a movie and now plays the game himself...just imagine, a now 16 year old playing a turn based game...there is some hope!

[tracer]

Ditto...SPWAW is the only game that has continually been on my computers since '98. I'd bet that the big-money game companies would love to be able to say that about one of their own products!

[Sergio Castaldi]

Guys!


Spwaw is the only game that i have constantly on my HD.

J love this game. We can make all the changes we want, build battle, using troops, build town and more, more,more. Spwaw is the most hard game that i've played.

And, at last, i'm very happy to have meets all my friends on this Forum.


Sergio

[KG Erwin]

One of the best investments I ever made for my PC was the Altec Lansing ATP3 Desktop Speaker/Subwoofer system. I say this because one of the most immersive aspects of SPWaW is the awesome variety and quality of weapons sounds, explosions, weather effects, and Derek Boain's music.

Crank up the volume and you are THERE. This is why I turn fast artillery OFF. There's nothing like the thunder of a massive naval or artillery bombardment and the accompanying air strikes in preparation for an assault mission. I find it awe-inspiring, and it's no wonder that, in real life, the more inexperienced troops would expect that none of the enemy would be left alive when they began the attack.

Apart from the arty/air, I just love the sounds of the M1 Garands, BARs, Thompson SMGs, grenades, flamethrowers (!) and demolitions that my favorite troops (you know who they are [;)] ) carry into battle.

If any of you guys don't have a subwoofer with your PC sound system, then get one--it makes a world of difference to the total SPWaW experience.

[Wild Bill]

I obtained one recently along with my new machine. It is great!

Wild Bill