First impressions here please

[Catgh_MatrixForum]

Judge is correct. The AI decides how to play the game from the starting positions you give it.

[ETF]

Ok so what are some negatives to the game? Has to be some

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: Chelco
I played the first tutorial and had a blast. My favorite tool/aid so far (don't laugh, I AM that ignorant of Cold War) the line of sight key. No more guessing what's the vintage point that controls the valley. No more guessing of what's the best ambush position.

LOS check is great tool. But, as Belphegor and I discovered in our latest PBEM game, it's even more fun to play vs. human using "No LOS check" option. That way you HAVE to semi-guess what's best ambush position and what's the vantage point that controls the walley etc.

O.

[TheHellPatrol]

ORIGINAL: ETF

Ok so what are some negatives to the game? Has to be some

After a night plus one full day i have only two "negatives"...
1) The scrolling takes some getting used to, i'm a lefty and using the keyboard arrows would be nice. Note: If you set the scrolling to the outside borders when you try to hit the "end turn" button the map scrolls...i don't think this was intended.
2) I saw some pixels in the "gas cloud"[X(], not as smooth as the explosions...that's it[:D].
Pretty minor "negatives" for a freshly released piece of software...i must say[;)]. I am really liking this title, and anyone who has played Highway to the Reich be right at home as far as the style of play. I won a decisive victory as Nato/scn.#1 with fog of war etc. and the reason i enjoyed it so much was my proper defensive deployment coupled with a few well placed "chemical attacks" which led a few units into my ambush...great fun!

[Marc von Martial]

1) The scrolling takes some getting used to, i'm a lefty and using the keyboard arrows would be nice. Note: If you set the scrolling to the outside borders when you try to hit the "end turn" button the map scrolls...i don't think this was intended.

You can adjust the scrolling behaviour to whatever suits you under

GAME -> SET MAP AUTOSCROLLING PARAMETERS

Just pick a scenario and adjust to preferd settings. This will stay default untill you adjust them another time.

[ETF]

With this WEGO is it like Combat mission style in the sense we both give orders and sit back and watch the action? How long is the combat phase?

[Catgh_MatrixForum]

ETF,

Yes it is much like Combat Mission. The combat phase length is user setable. The default is 30 minute pulses, but it can go down to 10 minute pulses.

[IronManBeta]

ORIGINAL: TheHellPatrol

ORIGINAL: ETF

Ok so what are some negatives to the game? Has to be some

After a night plus one full day i have only two "negatives"...
1) The scrolling takes some getting used to, i'm a lefty and using the keyboard arrows would be nice. Note: If you set the scrolling to the outside borders when you try to hit the "end turn" button the map scrolls...i don't think this was intended.
2) I saw some pixels in the "gas cloud"[X(], not as smooth as the explosions...that's it[:D].
Pretty minor "negatives" for a freshly released piece of software...i must say[;)]. I am really liking this title, and anyone who has played Highway to the Reich be right at home as far as the style of play. I won a decisive victory as Nato/scn.#1 with fog of war etc. and the reason i enjoyed it so much was my proper defensive deployment coupled with a few well placed "chemical attacks" which led a few units into my ambush...great fun!

Funny you should mention HTTR. Yes the game mechanics are extraordinarily similar although HTTR's are more extended in almost ever way. This was completely coincidental but amazing nonetheless. When I met the creators of HTTR at Origins in June we had a great time comparing notes. I like FPG because it is quicker and gets you to the point more directly. I like HTTR for the times when I really want to delve into the deepest details and get a god-like view of the details of the battlefield. I don't know if 2 games constitutes a trend, but it is nice to see some new directions in this genre too. Creativity is alive and well at Matrix!

Marc has described how to reset the map scrolling. Give it a try and report back on what settings seem to work for you. As Marc mentioned, once you have a setting that you like then it will be remembered every time you play the game thereafter. I might add that the playtesters disagreed somewhat on what constituted a 'natural' set of parameters. I have my favorites which nobody else seemed to like. I'd be interested to hear what worked for you.

Cheers, Rob.

[TheHellPatrol]

Thanks guys, i was aware of the setup options but i need to fiddle with it until i find the perfect combination[:)]. I'm not used to having so many choices/options[&o][:D]

[TheHellPatrol]

ORIGINAL: RobertCrandall
I have my favorites which nobody else seemed to like. I'd be interested to hear what worked for you.
Cheers, Rob.

Okay, i found the perfect setup: game boundary 40/40/40/10(right)...i can hit the end turn button without scrolling[:D][&o]. Back to the front[8D].

[Black Cat]

Just started playing the 1st. Tutorial as the WP which is to advance to a VP hex.

The one thing that seems a bit odd is that my screening, non moving units are taking losses from US units that cannot be seen by my units that are being hit. There is a blinking spot, which I guess represents the US unit ??, some noise, and I lose 3-5 units without ever returing fire or seeing the attacker ??

Since the US units are moving I would think that not only should they be seen first, but in fact hit first, and hardest, but`s it`s not playing out that way. The US units just charge in, and do massive damage to the screening units....any comments on this or am I mis-understanding the command settings. which I left at default ?

[Murky71]

It's been a while since I played the tutorial, so I'm not completely sure what is supposed to happen. To get a clearer picture, you might want to try to turn on the setting which shows all units (both your own and the enemy). I think it's the first item in the realism settings (from the fpg main menu).

Once you can see what the us forces are doing, you can also see whether or not those forces have been spotted by your own. There should be a dot in the lower right hand corner of the unit counter when spotted. Let us know if it makes more sense this way.

[GreenDestiny]

I get the impressions in this game..... that if you move..... you losse, if your the WP.
I just beat the crap out of the WP, while drinking in six Miller Genuine Draft Beers on the first secenario, the titans one, sorry, for the spelling I'm on number ten right now[;)].
The more I think of it , I think that there's no way the WP can ever ever win in this war. I killed while I'M drunk off my ass and almost fell over, over 180 WP for a lost of 25 for NATO. And most of the time I just hit the next turn button. I just send in the Helos in and they did half of the work. Also, most of my losses were because I ran out of ammo....Kill E'm Alll.

I'll try again tomarro, maybe I was ugly....[:)]

[Oleg Mastruko]

ORIGINAL: GreenDestiny

I get the impressions in this game..... that if you move..... you losse, if your the WP.
I just beat the crap out of the WP, while drinking in six Miller Genuine Draft Beers on the first secenario, the titans one, sorry, for the spelling I'm on number ten right now[;)].
The more I think of it , I think that there's no way the WP can ever ever win in this war. I killed while I'M drunk off my ass and almost fell over, over 180 WP for a lost of 25 for NATO. And most of the time I just hit the next turn button. I just send in the Helos in and they did half of the work. Also, most of my losses were because I ran out of ammo....Kill E'm Alll.

I'll try again tomarro, maybe I was ugly....[:)]

I was constantly raising issues of playability and game balance on the beta board... just ask Robert and others how boring I was sometimes [;)] I came out with impression it is nigh on impossible to win as WP vs. human in PBEM. Before Dredd jumps in - yes I lost one game vs. him as NATO (or was it a draw?) but it was due to my grand stupidity (I failed to notice sector X brings him mucho points so I simply forgot to defend it).

Now, let me add I love this game, it is very enjoyable overall, my general impressions are very positive, and - technically - is a first class product. I was, and still am, excited to be able to beta test it. But as for the playbalance - WP has snowball's chance in hell to win. That's just how it is.

Again, I said many times on the beta board it's not easy to complain about something - when you have no historic reference, ie, WW3 (luckily) never happened, so usual grognard's arguments about realism are thrown outta window. There are no stats like we have for WW2 - tank losses, causes, operational reports, production numbers... (Edit: I meant to say we have stats for WW2.)

But most of the game's parameters are so biased against WP, it's not funny...

O.

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: Oleg Mastruko

ORIGINAL: GreenDestiny

I get the impressions in this game..... that if you move..... you losse, if your the WP.
I just beat the crap out of the WP, while drinking in six Miller Genuine Draft Beers on the first secenario, the titans one, sorry, for the spelling I'm on number ten right now[;)].
The more I think of it , I think that there's no way the WP can ever ever win in this war. I killed while I'M drunk off my ass and almost fell over, over 180 WP for a lost of 25 for NATO. And most of the time I just hit the next turn button. I just send in the Helos in and they did half of the work. Also, most of my losses were because I ran out of ammo....Kill E'm Alll.

I'll try again tomarro, maybe I was ugly....[:)]

I was constantly raising issues of playability and game balance on the beta board... just ask Robert and others how boring I was sometimes [;)] I came out with impression it is nigh on impossible to win as WP vs. human in PBEM. Before Dredd jumps in - yes I lost one game vs. him as NATO (or was it a draw?) but it was due to my grand stupidity (I failed to notice sector X brings him mucho points so I simply forgot to defend it).

Now, let me add I love this game, it is very enjoyable overall, my general impressions are very positive, and - technically - is a first class product. I was, and still am, excited to be able to beta test it. But as for the playbalance - WP has snowball's chance in hell to win. That's just how it is.

Again, I said many times on the beta board it's not easy to complain about something - when you have no historic reference, ie, WW3 (luckily) never happened, so usual grognard's arguments about realism are thrown outta window. There are no stats like we have for WW3 - tank losses, causes, operational reports, production numbers...

But most of the game's parameters are so biased against WP, it's not funny...

O.

It was a draw.

But I still think, PBEM or generally against a human opponent, WP can win...but I will say that they have to make more of an effort than NATO....but I still think they can win...I'd also say that WP can win against NATO AI...against Human NATO player, it'll be alot tougher...but do-able.

I've started a game with someone and I have choosen to be Wp...so I'll let you know how I get on...

[ETF]

Well can one not just provide more assets to off set the Nato Tech and training superiority? ie wasnt it like 4 to 1 in the WP's favour in Germany?

[JudgeDredd]

ORIGINAL: ETF

Well can one not just provide more assets to off set the Nato Tech and training superiority? ie wasnt it like 4 to 1 in the WP's favour in Germany?

There are big differences in the NATO/WP numbers in the scenarios...maybe not 4-1...but all the same. NATO units tend to have 3/4 units in a platoon...WP has, on occasio, 17 units...and there are more of them.

You just have to be very competent if you're going to play as WP against a human player, I think.

[Oleg Mastruko]

Starting numbers are usually around 3:1 or 4:1 in favor of WP, but at the end losses are usually like 7:1, or 8:1 in favor of NATO. Those were average outcomes during my testing. What GD said above: 180 WP losses for 25 NATO (more than 7:1).

Check out AAR from my game vs. Belphegor here on the public FPG board, I achieved kill rate 160:33 (roughly 5:1) and had the game lasted one turn longer he'd automatically lose because he went below 20% of his starting OOB (when you fall below 20% it's sudden death endgame).

More important than losses themselves is that I ended with 61 vehicles which is 56% of my OOB. He had 77 vehicles at the end, but that was just 18% of his OOB.

O.

[Erik Rutins]

Well, notwithstanding Oleg's comments, I've found that the advantage is not so much a NATO or WP issue, but one of the defender vs. the attacker. Getting in the first shot from a possibly concealed position with weapon systems of this level of lethality tends to be a big advantage. NATO may be able to get a bit more out of that defending advantage due to its weapon systems. A WP player will definitely lose more than he will kill if attacking, but quantity can definitely wear NATO down. When NATO is on the attack, WP gets those defending advantages and life for the WP player becomes a bit easier.

Regards,

- Erik

[FritjofH]

I just finished the first tutorial as WP.
The AI just charged me and got slaughtered right away. I still have 40 'runners' (90%) and NATO is completely anihilated: 0 'runners'! But the game ended as a draw![:@]
In the Staff Overview, NATO is listed with 0 runners but 45% of starting 'line' strength. Maybe I killed them too fast? [:D]
Beside this, I really like that game!