Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Larac

I know alot of folks really like it, and I am thinking about getting it.

The price of course makes me slow down a bit, but from what I read it seems to be worth it.

Fixed incomes are not good for gamers.

Can a few folks give me a line or two on what WITP does so well every wargamer into WWII should play it?

I guess I am trying to talk myself into it and need a little help, spending 100USD on a computer game, as if if get it I'll need that manual

Thanks for the help
Lee

Just to add the perspective of a newbie –

I come to WitP: AE as a Hearts of Iron 3 refugee. Bought HoI3 the day it came out, and was a huge fan of the series. But I’ve shelved it for now, and I suspect for several months to come. Even after hotfixes and a major patch, the game is plagued by major bugs and a lobotomized AI. It’s simply not fun in its current state.

So, feeling the need for a grand WWII strategy game, I started to look more & more into WitP. I had the same hesitations as you. “$100 for a single game? Hearts of Iron was only $40. And it sounds almost unbelievably complicated. I’m a WW2 enthusiast, very knowledgeable and have played many WW2 computer games… But can’t claim to be a true grognard…”

I hemmed & hawed for a couple of weeks. Then, feeling plenty bored by not being able to play the deep WWII strategy game I had expected in HoI3, I bought WitP: AE.

Let me be completely honest. When I fired it up for the first time and looked & clicked around the map and UI idly for a few minutes, I had an initial pang of buyer’s remorse. “Uh oh… $100 for this?? The task force icons on the map look like something out of Atari’s “Combat.”

So, just so you’re prepared if you do buy it: if you think the gfx of Paradox titles are lackluster, be prepared to be taken aback by the no-frills look of WitP.

But of course, as I’m sure everyone in this forum will attest: judge a strategy game not by its graphics. Agreed. I personally think HoI3, for example, looks really great. But right now it’s a Porsche with a VW Bug’s engine (…notice the pun on “bug”). WitP is by contrast a humble looking Ford Focus with a V10 600 horsepower 6 liter turbo.

In other words, it’s all in the guts. And to be honest, the look of WitP has definitely grown on me. The thumbnails of the aircraft – and there are *a lot* of models -- are especially pleasing.

And if you do wind up buying WitP, a piece of friendly advice: PAY THE EXTRA $$ FOR THE PHYSICAL SOFTWARE **WITH THE MANUAL.** I’m glad I did.

You cannot play this game without thoroughly reading the manual. And I for one cannot read 300+ pages in PDF form. Yes, the manual is 300+ pages.

In fact, reading the manual is what turned my initial gut-reaction disappointment into genuine fascination. The manual really is fascinating. It’s incredibly well documented. And once you get a sense of all the things you can – and have – to do in this game, you will probably get hooked, as I am starting to be.

There truly are things in WitP that can make Hearts of Iron feel like Risk by comparison. It’s *that* deep.

The one thing I’m wondering now is… How am I going to find time to play this beast? It’s absorbingly time-consuming. Your first turn especially so – you have a lot of Task Forces and missions to assign in the first turn (if you want). I’ve made a few aborted efforts on the ‘grand campaign’ and have just begun a new one with the new patch. Let’s put it this way – I’ve spent hours setting up my first move – I still have more to go – and I haven’t pressed “End Turn” yet.

So I’m hoping the pace will pick up a little after the first couple of turns… But, end of story: I’ve put away HoI3, and I’m not missing it at all. WitP has definitely sucked me into its vortex of OOB’s and convoy assignments...

My goodness Sandman, if you can learn to play this game as good as you can write, you will be a hell of a Pbem opponent! [;)]



Edit: And welcome to the game Sandman2575.

The pace does pick up after a few turns.  The first turn takes a LOOONNNNGGG time.  And if you miss something, you've only lost one day;  it's a long war.  Once you get everything set up right much of the "housekeeping" operations take care of themselves.

And you get heart pounding/stopping action like this. Just one more turn [:D][:'(]

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Deboyne Islands at 101,140

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 23,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 20
B5N2 Kate x 58



Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 11


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 5 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
DD Kilty, Bomb hits 1
CV Enterprise, Bomb hits 4, on fire
CA Houston, Bomb hits 1
DD Crane
DD Dent
DD Porter
CA Chicago


You never know what is just around the corner[:'(]

Yeah, the 1st turn will take a long time, because you are setting hundreds of units off on their missions, but after that, you just add a few more fresh units each turn to "keep the boys up front moving in the right direction"..You develop strategies after a few turns you had not considered earlier, based on the experiences of your units, weaknesses of your enemy....It is fun when you see that happen.

I read the manual for WITP once, never opened it again because the Forum is full of nice folks smarter than me who will answer any question I might have.

After a couple of years, even WITP became a "beer and pretzels game"....

I have only bought 2 wargames since I purchased WITP years ago, (which saved a ton of money).

I bought War Between The States, and WITP-AE.....(Glutton for punishment, or addict?)

ORIGINAL: Larac

I know alot of folks really like it, and I am thinking about getting it.

The price of course makes me slow down a bit, but from what I read it seems to be worth it.

Fixed incomes are not good for gamers.

Can a few folks give me a line or two on what WITP does so well every wargamer into WWII should play it?

I guess I am trying to talk myself into it and need a little help, spending 100USD on a computer game, as if if get it I'll need that manual

Thanks for the help
Lee

Buy the game. Come join the cult, erm I mean gang. Sorry, I mean group of fanatical followers, opps, I mean our " club ". Your new life will be AE, work, family, exercise. Either in that order, or you can maybe skip the last three.

ORIGINAL: m10bob

I read the manual for WITP once, never opened it again because the Forum is full of nice folks smarter than me who will answer any question I might have.

I'm definitely finding this to be true -- seems to be a very supportive & responsive group on these forums. (For contrast, check out the Paradox HoI3 forums... OK, I'm done kvetching about HoI now... got it out of my system.)

Thanks everyone for the feedback & tips.

ORIGINAL: m10bob

After a couple of years, even WITP became a "beer and pretzels game"....

[X(]

Well once you figure out that all you have to do is to set up major hubs and develop your operations from there, turns go quite fast.

The first 6 months are really long because it's basically a set-up phase on steroids. Once you've passed it, you only have minor adjustments to do.

I tried to explain the fascination with this game to my wife by telling her it was like a chess match on a board the size of our living room floor, and never, ever the same game twice.

To be fair Hearts of Iron and War in the Pacific are completely different is style and depth. World in Flames when it comes out is more
comparable to HoI - but will be better (WiF fan!!)

WiTP AE is an amazing game, not for the faint of heart but theres plenty of help if you need it from the forums...

ORIGINAL: Swayin

I tried to explain the fascination with this game to my wife by telling her it was like a chess match on a board the size of our living room floor, and never, ever the same game twice.

Yeah...that's it....a chess game.....with 50,000 "pieces".....

That's what I said, too ... she just sort of gave me a blank "why would you ever want to do that" look. [:D]