Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Grotius

For now, I seem to have solved my map-orientation issues. I've slid stiff plexiglass underneath the maps, allowing me effectively to extend my table a few inches on each side. It seems pretty stable on the whole. I worry mostly about Honolulu, but in the event of seismic activity on the far east end of the map, I can temporarily relocate Nimitz and friends to a safe spot on the ocean floor.

Now to start setting up Global War, for solitaire play. This will bring up an even more heart-wrenching moral question: whether to clip the counters. I have my trusty Oregon counter-clippers (in smaller and larger sizes), but the thought of clipping thousands of counters makes my hand hurt. Also, these counters have side-sprues, which might make the need for clipping less acute. I will probably resolve this dilemma when I start setting up my first country.

Another question: which optionals? I know that's a huge topic, but if anyone has some quick thoughts on optionals for CE, I'm all ears. I play with most of the MWiF options; I usually don't play with Cruisers in Flames. I'm open to suggestions.

warspite1

If you are going to start a game you may want to check out the errata that's already started appearing....

https://www.a-d-g.com.au/pages/downloads

Well, my friends just received their deluxe. The game is nice but i was not impressed except for the map. The counters had the same size (i thought they were slightly bigger), the side-sprues may avoid the trimming but they may be a problem themselves (dunno because we didn't separate the counters yet, if they keep that little dot with them.

There were more full colour A3 combat tables. A separate reminder of the terrain cost apart from the one printed, the production circle and other auxiliary tables were also in cardboard...

Improvements, no doubt, but not as much as I thought they'd be, so my anxiety is calmed. [:D][:)]

If you are going to start a game you may want to check out the errata that's already started appearing....

Thanks, Warspite. Fortunately, it's a pretty short list of errata so far.

Improvements, no doubt, but not as much as I thought they'd be, so my anxiety is calmed.

LoL, I'm glad you're calmed! I've never owned the boardgame, so for me, this package is glorious. As you say, the maps are the best part. But the counters are quite beautiful too. I'm glad they're not larger, because that would require larger maps, heh. So far I've had pretty good look punching out the counters. Yes, a little side nub sometimes remains, but I've had success filing these down with my fingernail. I might use a nail-file to do a cleaner job of it. I'm inclined NOT to clip the counters, because the corners are clean, and the counters are already on the small side.

Much as I like MWIF, it's great to be able to look at the entire board in one glance, and not to have to zoom in or out or whatnot. Also, the physical map and counters are so darned colorful. Even the rule and scenario books are beautiful -- nicer than a PDF.

On optionals, the main issue I'm wrestling with is whether to use any of CLiF, Convoys in Flames, and Rough Seas. I know CLiF is very pro-Allied, and my games already lean toward the Allied side. Does CoIF rebalance the game toward the Axis? I hear Rough Seas does, but I'm not sure it sounds like a fun option to play with. Any advice on these optionals?

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: Grotius

For now, I seem to have solved my map-orientation issues. I've slid stiff plexiglass underneath the maps, allowing me effectively to extend my table a few inches on each side. It seems pretty stable on the whole. I worry mostly about Honolulu, but in the event of seismic activity on the far east end of the map, I can temporarily relocate Nimitz and friends to a safe spot on the ocean floor.

Now to start setting up Global War, for solitaire play. This will bring up an even more heart-wrenching moral question: whether to clip the counters. I have my trusty Oregon counter-clippers (in smaller and larger sizes), but the thought of clipping thousands of counters makes my hand hurt. Also, these counters have side-sprues, which might make the need for clipping less acute. I will probably resolve this dilemma when I start setting up my first country.

Another question: which optionals? I know that's a huge topic, but if anyone has some quick thoughts on optionals for CE, I'm all ears. I play with most of the MWiF options; I usually don't play with Cruisers in Flames. I'm open to suggestions.

warspite1

If you are going to start a game you may want to check out the errata that's already started appearing....

https://www.a-d-g.com.au/pages/downloads

Noooooooooo! [:(]

I don't know why people would want to play with Rough Seas. Are you out to simulate WWII with or without Admiral Halsey's typhoon? It's worthless chrome IMNSHO.

I'm starting light and easy, so I've setup the WiF Classic Barbarossa scenario.

This is a beautiful game.

Brian.

Thanks for the image.

However, I wonder about the counter colors.

It looks like USSR is Orange and Germany is Beige. I checked on 2 different machines/screens and still see that on both.

The map colors look normal - just the counters.

Dave

ORIGINAL: davidachamberlain

Thanks for the image.

However, I wonder about the counter colors.

It looks like USSR is Orange and Germany is Beige. I checked on 2 different machines/screens and still see that on both.

The map colors look normal - just the counters.

Dave

Yeah - I think the colors look washed out a bit due to the lack of lighting in my gaming room, as you'll notice that the left hand side of the photo is somewhat darker than the right hand side. Also, the Romanian counters that come with the game, are printed in a slightly lighter shade of grey, than the German counters, together all these effects are making them appear closer to CW counters.

Probably lost a bit of resolution as well, as I had to shrink the photo so it displays properly on this forum, the original was way too big!!

Brian

I have only played to MWiF and looking at your picture some things arise. For instance, the lack of land space for Finland in the map changes completely what you can do with the Finnish troops, right? I usually try to go around Ladoga lake and cut some train connections in MWiF, but that seems to be not possible here. Do you think your options are reduced with the physical map compared to MWiF?

ORIGINAL: juntoalmar

I have only played to MWiF and looking at your picture some things arise. For instance, the lack of land space for Finland in the map changes completely what you can do with the Finnish troops, right? I usually try to go around Ladoga lake and cut some train connections in MWiF, but that seems to be not possible here. Do you think your options are reduced with the physical map compared to MWiF?

There is an optional Scandinavian map also present in the game. But to be honest, I like MWIF because it has the unified map...

The off-map box rules have been revised in CE with the hope of being able to play the game quite effectively without the Scandinavian and Africa maps (and BTW the Territorials have been revised too which also lessens the need to use the Africa map).

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: juntoalmar

I have only played to MWiF and looking at your picture some things arise. For instance, the lack of land space for Finland in the map changes completely what you can do with the Finnish troops, right? I usually try to go around Ladoga lake and cut some train connections in MWiF, but that seems to be not possible here. Do you think your options are reduced with the physical map compared to MWiF?

There is an optional Scandinavian map also present in the game. But to be honest, I like MWIF because it has the unified map...

The whole dynamic with Finland and the USSR seems significantly different between WiF and MWiF. In WiF, as I see in the map above, there's not much room to maneuver (e.g., flank each other) and a lot fewer hexes to defend to protect Murmansk and Archangel. How does all that work in WiF? Does the map in MWiF make it too easy for the Germans to cut off Murmansk and flank the Soviets in the north?

The short answer is Yes, but so did the Scandinavian map in WiF.

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

The short answer is Yes, but so did the Scandinavian map in WiF.

Thanks. Also, without the Scandinavian map is appears much easier to keep your forces in supply moving between Murmansk and south through Karelin that it is in MWiF.

I really miss being able to walk around that map.

I need a Wargame room first, before I invest in this monster.
Now which of the children currently occupy the room I need???

Yes, you can do things in the WIF game in the Finland area. Remember offmap hexes in the cardboard wargame can hold 4 units or 5 if playing with divs as long as at least one is a div.

No, it's not easy because of the difficulty to maneuver and because of supply.

There is some patch in the new map for that area. I don't like it either. I would prefer Scandinavia map, unfortunately this doesn't seem to be popular in my group.

My game arrived yesterday in all its glory. Still in shrinkwrap; unboxing will no doubt be an elaborate operation. But it looks like a beautiful product on the outside!

ORIGINAL: Grotius

On optionals, the main issue I'm wrestling with is whether to use any of CLiF, Convoys in Flames, and Rough Seas. I know CLiF is very pro-Allied, and my games already lean toward the Allied side. Does CoIF rebalance the game toward the Axis? I hear Rough Seas does, but I'm not sure it sounds like a fun option to play with. Any advice on these optionals?

I'm not sure you are going to get very many informed opinions on those questions. The entire ASW rule has been re-written and even the combat results system for Sub Combat has been changed in Collector's Edition. On top of that, the CoIF counters are different now too. I have no idea how the new rules will work out on those.

Since you are playing a new game with lots and lots of small new rules changes, I would start out by playing without any extra counters. There will be plenty to absorb without the extra kits.



WiF has always looked good with the colorful counters all over the map, particularly in the middle of the war with all of the countries active, but not yet the really high counter densities of the late war. I have always liked using the Minor Country Convoy Point counters, even thought we use the original rule of just using Major Power CP counters, because they look good on the map. (In other words, we totally ignore the Cooperation rule for Minor Convoy Points - silly).

Thanks for your advice, Brian. You're right -- even the playtesters say they haven't played with the new CoIF counters. And I'm no guru on RAW7, to say nothing of RAW8, so it probably makes sense for me to simplify my workload for a first play. I do want to play with oil, and I fear CoIF would make oil more complex. So yeah, I've been setting up my first game without either CLiF or CoIF. I sorta look at all those pretty aux cruisers sadly as I put them in my "not this time" box, but there will be a next time.

I'm in the unusual position of playing the boardgame after having tested and played MWIF for 12 years. It's a very different experience, and it's not just the differing map. Just setting the game up has given me a more intuitive sense of how things fit together. For example, I now physically see a couple dozen force pools for each major power; in MWIF, I'd have to filter the force pools to do that, and I don't do that often. Already I have a clearer idea of what's in each pool, and what units I *didn't* draw when setting up. Also, without Steve's helpful guiding hand, I have to find things myself -- enforce the US trade agreements, for example. (Including one with Italy now; I don't recall that in MWIF.)

Anyway, setup for Global War is going smoothly so far. It took me a while to grok sorting counters and reading the setup charts, but now it seems easy. (I fired up MWIF to check some of my work.) I've done the USA and USSR; working on Italy now. Maybe I'll post an AAR somewhere. Half-tempted to post it in these forums, to give people a sense of the many differences between MWIF and CE.

One mundane question: where do people typically keep the reserve pool? The game allocates a tiny little wedge of the production-wheel board for this pool, but that wedge is already brimming with Soviet reserves. I'm using counter trays for everything else (GMT & Plano); maybe I need one more just for the reserve pool?