Matrix Games Forums

Having been burned once by one matrix game (Gary Grigsby's World at War), I'm asking, should I buy this game?

I like a detailed, complex wargame. I'm not much of a fan of area-movement and lots of dice rolling for combat (hence my dislike of W@W). I'm not a big expert on or fan of games of the Napoleonic era but I do like Empires in Arms which I'm playing my 1st game of FTF. I do play a lot of hex based WWII games so consider myself a competent "wargamer" but not an expert in any one style.

I like something I can play against the AI and enjoy -- I spend a bit of time on offshore trips and so I don't get to FTF or even PBEM much (internet access is a bit limited in the middle of the pacific ocean). I also like PBEM games when I'm home or in port. I prefer a close defeat to a walk-over victory (I refuse to play Germany vs Poland 1940 or Russia vs Germany 1945 scenarios for that reason).

So, given the above, is this a game I'm likely to enjoy?

depends on what you like. this and WaW give you the opportunity to rewrite history. other games are more historical. Some are more tactical. This is the big picture.

I also consider myself a part-time wargamer and like simple, quick yet immersive games that I don't need to re-learn how to play if I stop playing for a week.

This game is a combination of area movement for the strategic component and when two armies meet, if they are big enough, you battle on a hex grid. This system works really well. Grand strategy with lots of half-hour tactical battles.

It has a rather steep learning curve when first starting out. I bought it months ago and kept putting it away without getting beyond one or two turns. In the end I followed the Raleigh Guides for starting out and they helped enormously. Once the basic concepts are learned, you will find that play becomes fluid - not refering back to the manual all the time. And the tactical hex battles are simple yet full of strategic decissions.

If you buy it make sure you also download Raleigh's guides (particularly if you don't have internet access). The game works well with ALT-TABing between it and the guides. I really enjoy the game now and would highly recommend it.

The game isn't without its faults but on the whole I find it enjoyable. If you are a fan of this era, it is definitely one you should get. If you like detailed complex games, then you should know it's detail only extends to the division level for the tactical battles. Most of the rest is done at strategic (or Grand tactical depending on your definition) level that encompasses Europe, North Africa and parts of the Middle East. It's definitely complex in some ways but also quite simple in others. I'm somewhat critical of the diplomatic AI myself as many nations are jumping on me even though I'm not the leader. Sadly, this means Spain might win the scenario as I have to fight off nations from all sides. Of course, that does add to the challenge of the scenario so in that respect it's good. One of the nice things about the game is that you can follow history or completely re-write it. After all, no one ever expected Sweden to set-up an empire like I did. But that wasn't without many challenges as they are not a large nation!!

Unfortunately as far as I know there isn't a demo version so the best you can do to get a feel for the game is go through the forums. Some people's AARs are good things to read. Hope you enjoy.

OK thanks for the response everyone.

I will buy this game when I have some spare time to play it. The AARs look interesting.

Where do you get the Raleigh guides from?

I enjoy it very much and have played a few PBEM games and stand alones.  It's worth it!