For those lurkers afraid of buying the game...

[Grim.Reaper]

So everyone, I keep reading it is the best wargame out there and everyone will play for 10 years Can someone speak to the fun factor? My biggest concern is micromanaging a 100 counters and waiting too long for the AI to process their turn. But if the game is truly fun and entertaining, well, I might just have to go for it.

[Davekhps]

ORIGINAL: Grim.Reaper

So everyone, I keep reading it is the best wargame out there and everyone will play for 10 years Can someone speak to the fun factor? My biggest concern is micromanaging a 100 counters and waiting too long for the AI to process their turn. But if the game is truly fun and entertaining, well, I might just have to go for it.

Oh, you'll micromanage plenty more than 100 counters [;)]

Actually, I'm kidding. It's one of those deals where you will pay extra attention only in situations that require extra attention, e.g. the first turn of the game, major assaults and encirclements, turns before and after the mud sets in, etc. But even then, there will be large swaths of the front that you can comfortably ignore, or at least, minimally tend to.

And it's genuinely fun tending: a few things are a bit clunky, some quirks take getting used to, but by and large it's a pleasure organizing your army, establishing your support units, etc.

I've also noticed that a lot of the "power functions" in the game are, to be frank, pretty optional, at least as the Axis against the AI. Air power can run itself, support units will float up and down pretty well without intervention, most leaders are good enough. If anything, at least in the smaller scenarios, I'm finding the Admin points to be *too* generous-- after my first turn tweaking to support units, I generally only need a handful for the rest of the game to change the chain of command when the long marches make it necessary.

Anyway, the short answer: it's not the tedious brand of micromanagement, it's the rewarding brand, the kind that feeds well into the "Just one more turn..." X-factor found in the best games.

[comsolut]

In one of my earlier posts I said the game brings a smile to my face everytime I play, and being 50 now, heaven help me, that gets rarer and rarer with each new game.

I have completed the tutorial, the 3 turn scenario Road to Minsk, and the 17 turn scenario Road to Leningrad. Some game used to be built just around that last scenario. And I still have 4 or 5 more scenarios to play. Currently I am playing the Road to Leningrad as the Russian (after playing as the German).

I admit, my first reaction was another Monster Game like WITP that was cool to look at but very impractical to play (FROM MY STANDPOINT - too much to learn, to much to micromanage). War in the East is very manageable, but I would STRONGLY urge you to do the Tutorial, then the 3 turn scenario Road to Minsk, then maybe the Road to Leningrad (the latter two as the German). The game is DEEP, but if you wade into the waters slowly, scenario by scenario, you will not be disappointed.

And, just my opinion, even if there was no Grand Campaign, the game would still be worth the money just for the scenarios. I can finish a scenario in two-three days, feel a sense of accomplishment, and actually see a VICTORY SCREEN for a change.

One thing I was skeptical about was the one week turns, but the combat and movement system does and OUTSTANDING job of capturing the manuver and series of battles that occur over that time period. Attacking units can push weaker units back then exploit the breakthrough all in the same turn. It has a very authentic feel to the actions.

The command structure is a bear to learn at first, then getting into the logistics can give one a headache, but surprisingly, once you figure it ALL OUT it plays seemlessly. I guess with a game this deep, learning the interface and where all the information is, and how to access it, we can expect some learning curve. But once learned - the game really rocks!! And even before that - IT IS JUST PLAIN FUN. But don't dive into the deep end without learning a few strokes.

Hope this helps.

[Wild]

Grigsby's best, and i've played them all.