Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

Well, you all talked me into giving it a try. I am working my way through the spreadsheet of Kull's. Doing the West Coast of the US now. I figure another two week or so to finish the setup. Many thanks for all his hard work and also to Strategy Gaming Dojo's tutorials in helping with some basic understanding of the game.

Enjoy your stay. [8D]

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

Well, you all talked me into giving it a try. I am working my way through the spreadsheet of Kull's. Doing the West Coast of the US now. I figure another two week or so to finish the setup. Many thanks for all his hard work and also to Strategy Gaming Dojo's tutorials in helping with some basic understanding of the game.

Seriously, do not try the Grand Campaign first. Use the Coral Sea as a training campaign, then the Guadalcanal campaign.

Here are a couple of threads to read through with advice for the Coral Sea and the Guadalcanal scenarios.

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.a ... dy%2Cstead

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.a ... dy%2Cstead

I usually use about 15-20 mins per turn.

Of course turns when I am doing amphibious invasions or first campaign turns take more time.

But with 2-day turns vs. AI, I can often (when day off or vacation) do a month in game time in a day. Of course that is serious commitment of your spare time...[8D]

Everyone has his or her own pace and it's highly dependent on the opponent and the general approach to the game.

I say that anything between 15min and 2.5hrs is plausible.

If you are organized, you can cut the playing time considerably.

My experience (I play PBEM only):
-JAP Scen01 before June '42 takes roughly 1hr per turn
-JAP Scen01 between June '42 and the end of '43 takes roughly 30min per turn (exceptional situations excluded)
-ALL Scen01 before mid '43 takes 1hr per turn
-ALL Scen01 after mid '43 takes between 1hr and 2hr per turn

These are averages, obviously.

Individually, I have a time allotment of 1hr per turn. Most of my games have a very precise and clearly defined planning and this really cuts the time devoted to each turn.

When you are in the initial Japanese expansion, for example, having a GANTT with the various units and their activities helps a lot.
A very rough initial "feasability study" I did recently for my last PBEM:

Thanks all. I will probably give the scenarios a try first, but as I am already on India on the setup for the campaign game I might as well finish setting it up:) A little more than 1600 lines to go!

Suggest for new players:

1) Coral Sea - literally an hour or two if not less
2) 10,000 mile war - a few hours to a day or two for beginners

edit: Play both as Allies

I am on turn 8 and each turn has been taking me at least 10 hours. I still feel like I leave a lot of things undon, even with the spreadsheet.

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

I am on turn 8 and each turn has been taking me at least 10 hours. I still feel like I leave a lot of things undon, even with the spreadsheet.

It's gonna take what It's gonna take...You're learning so It's ok....GP

ORIGINAL: btd64

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

I am on turn 8 and each turn has been taking me at least 10 hours. I still feel like I leave a lot of things undon, even with the spreadsheet.

It's gonna take what It's gonna take...You're learning so It's ok....GP

Very good point! Think back on each of those turns. How many of those ten hours did you spend doing things as opposed to figuring things out? Granted there is a lot to do, especially in December when you have so many balls in the air. But each turn that passes, you'll find that you have a growing awareness of what is going on and how to perform the myriad actions necessary to keep it all flowing.

ORIGINAL: Kull

ORIGINAL: btd64

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

I am on turn 8 and each turn has been taking me at least 10 hours. I still feel like I leave a lot of things undon, even with the spreadsheet.

It's gonna take what It's gonna take...You're learning so It's ok....GP

Very good point! Think back on each of those turns. How many of those ten hours did you spend doing things as opposed to figuring things out? Granted there is a lot to do, especially in December when you have so many balls in the air. But each turn that passes, you'll find that you have a growing awareness of what is going on and how to perform the myriad actions necessary to keep it all flowing.

And keep a notebook....GP

Don't worry. I have been playing this game, and its predecessors for more that 50 years if you count the pre computer version which took a 10 x 10 room (at least) to set up the game and had a locking door to prevent the necessity of a "Paw of Cat" rule. This one is much easier, and also quicker. GO for it. As Heinlein wrote - Take life in big bites.. You might even play the Japanese side.

ORIGINAL: RevRick

Don't worry. I have been playing this game, and its predecessors for more that 50 years if you count the pre computer version which took a 10 x 10 room (at least) to set up the game and had a locking door to prevent the necessity of a "Paw of Cat" rule. This one is much easier, and also quicker. GO for it. As Heinlein wrote - Take life in big bites.. You might even play the Japanese side.

I came upon a picture of Wonder Woman that you posted about ten years ago, shall I repost it?

Yeah I cut my teeth on Fire in the East/Scorched Earth so I know big games. My very first game was AH 1914 back in 1970.

Guess I will have to break down and keep a notebook. Problem is that I will have to read my own handwriting, lol!

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

Yeah I cut my teeth on Fire in the East/Scorched Earth so I know big games. My very first game was AH 1914 back in 1970.

Guess I will have to break down and keep a notebook. Problem is that I will have to read my own handwriting, lol!

Notepad . . .

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

Yeah I cut my teeth on Fire in the East/Scorched Earth so I know big games. My very first game was AH 1914 back in 1970.

Guess I will have to break down and keep a notebook. Problem is that I will have to read my own handwriting, lol!

Notepad . . .

I tried notepad. It doesn't work as well as a spiral notebook....GP

ORIGINAL: ggeilman

Yeah I cut my teeth on Fire in the East/Scorched Earth so I know big games. My very first game was AH 1914 back in 1970.

Guess I will have to break down and keep a notebook. Problem is that I will have to read my own handwriting, lol!

Get a voice recording device. That's what I did.[:D]

Well I have my notebook, but really have not figured out what to write down. Most of what I am doing is finishing up the future entries on the Kull spreadsheet. On Dec 16th so that is about to run out. Starting to feel like Patton in the middle of a French intersection trying to untie the cargo not at Rangoon!
I spend an hour or two a day watching Strategy Dojo and his playthrough although he is starting to mess me up a bit. Some things he does cut into things that are already set up. Occasionally I am starting to see things before he does though. He will say how am I going to do this and I have already figured it out! Hey one or two down, twenty thousand to go!!!

A suggestion, when you make convoys loaded with troops, fuel, and/or supplies, name the convoy with the destination. That way the convoy will remind you.

Go for it! I might like to see it again...