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All I really want is something that gives me the same Napoleonic strategy experience as that old classic Board game 'War and Peace' I've been waiting over 20 years and I really thought CNAW might finally be it...looks like it won't.

I really doubt I'll ever see a good hex based Napoleonic strategy simulation game ever

Why must it be hexed based?? I was also a War&Peace player, waiting for a decent grand strategy Napoleonic computer game. Empires in Arms is pretty good and getting better with each update. (See my review at Wargamer.com) I recently got into the GMT boardgame The Napoleonic Wars with its 2d Edition printing this summer. Both W&P and TNW were designed by Mark McLaughlin, but TNW is card-based and uses a point-to-point movement system. It's a very interesting and compelling game design. Whereas I used to be a diehard hex-based grognard, I'm learning to appreciate different designs. It would be neat to see some developer take on W&P and perhaps TNW for computer adaptation some day. Perchance to dream, yes?

Anyways, I'm looking forward to trying CNAW. I understand the need for some abstraction, and I'm curious how the gameplay goes. The real trick is getting nations to surrender and then later return to play. The developers appear to have done this, plus make some improvements on the CEAW engine. This won't be THE Napoleonic game, but may certainly be a fast and fun game to play. So we'll see. [8D]

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

All I really want is something that gives me the same Napoleonic strategy experience as that old classic Board game 'War and Peace' I've been waiting over 20 years and I really thought CNAW might finally be it...looks like it won't.

I really doubt I'll ever see a good hex based Napoleonic strategy simulation game ever

Why must it be hexed based?? I was also a War&Peace player, waiting for a decent grand strategy Napoleonic computer game. Empires in Arms is pretty good and getting better with each update. (See my review at Wargamer.com) I recently got into the GMT boardgame The Napoleonic Wars with its 2d Edition printing this summer. Both W&P and TNW were designed by Mark McLaughlin, but TNW is card-based and uses a point-to-point movement system. It's a very interesting and compelling game design. Whereas I used to be a diehard hex-based grognard, I'm learning to appreciate different designs. It would be neat to see some developer take on W&P and perhaps TNW for computer adaptation some day. Perchance to dream, yes?

Anyways, I'm looking forward to trying CNAW. I understand the need for some abstraction, and I'm curious how the gameplay goes. The real trick is getting nations to surrender and then later return to play. The developers appear to have done this, plus make some improvements on the CEAW engine. This won't be THE Napoleonic game, but may certainly be a fast and fun game to play. So we'll see. [8D]

Well, the reason I specified that I want it to be hex based is because that seems the only way to capture the scale of the Napoleonic conflicts. Take 'Crown of Glory' an otherwise good Napoleonic strategy game. It's province based, which isn't necessarily a problem in itself but I find the provinces in CoG a little too big, which makes the game map seem a little smaller than I'd like. It also severely limits the options for operational movement...Something which was a huge part of Napoleonic warfare.

I'd like the fact that dragging an army all the way to Moscow feels like a long and tortuous march....not simply popping over there in a few short turns.

I've looked at 'Empires in Arms' and I'll certainly keep an eye on it, but initial reviews were mixed; particularly concerning the AI, and it's also another province based game.

Aegod 'Campaigns of Napoleon' looks very good but, unfortunately, there's no grand Campaign and there's little option in the initial acenario setups for modifying starting deployments from the historical.

I honestly now don't think I'll ever see a Napoleonic strategy game that captures the feel I got in 'War and peace' Which is not only a shame but, considering how simple the game mechanics were, a bit puzzling why nobody has ever come close to even trying to do it.

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

... getting nations to surrender and then later return to play. The developers appear to have done this, plus make some improvements on the CEAW engine ...

So nation can surrender and after some time return to war again ? If yes, it is really improvement of CEaW style ... great

Monday 29th September download release????

According to Slitherine's website, yes. Matrix usually take a while to upload games though so i guess i wouldnt be suprised if that was put back slightly.... we shall see on monday!

Yes, we are planning to release on Monday the 29th for download. The physical release will unfortunately be a bit delayed in this case, probably a couple of weeks behind the download release due to printer delays.

Any chance of an answer to our questions on a few threads here beforehand???

Thanks for the reply Erik..... looking forward to monday [8D]