Matrix Games Forums

Just purchased the game but really struggling on basics. I have read the manual, not completey but the first few chapters. I have a few questions.

1) When I setup I place all the units on the map then end the setup phase. I get an error saying 'add or remove units' but it doesn't give any indications which ones to remove. I've added all the units on the counter page so I can't add any more.
2) What are 'factors' and how many should you put in a unit?
3) I run on Vista so I downloaded the winhelp32 program so the inline help would work but it just seems a repeat of the pdf manual. Is there another help programe or even better a tutorial.

The game looks very comprehensive but I seemed to be struggling with fundamental issues. The manual is good except I think it assumes a certain amount of knowledge about the game engine which I dont have.

Thanks in advance

u dont need to place all "units" but u need to place all factors. the message you describe comes from having "empty" unit counters on the map

Hey RedSandman,

They guy you want to talk to is Murat and he has a Tutorial FAQ running here: tm.asp?m=1695769

Ask him when you've got any questions, as his info tends to be the most accurate.

Cheers,

Ted

Well Monadman and Marshall are REALITY and thus far more accurate info than mine but when I am wrong it is usually in the right direction (I think [:D]).

matrix promised to write a tutorial.

you are not alone struggling with the game. I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do , in what order and why ...

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

matrix promised to write a tutorial.

you are not alone struggling with the game. I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do , in what order and why ...

I guess mine is worse than I thought [:(]

sorry, i didnt read yours ... were can I find it?
thx

I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do

This cracks me up. I have a refrigerator magnet that reads: THIS LIFE IS A TEST. IF THIS HAD BEEN A REAL LIFE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO. [:D]

ORIGINAL: pzgndr

I personally gave up until i have a tutorial explaining me what I should do

This cracks me up. I have a refrigerator magnet that reads: THIS LIFE IS A TEST. IF THIS HAD BEEN A REAL LIFE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO DO. [:D]

The difference is that you didn't pay to be born and God doesn't hand out quick start guides.

He paid for this game. A functional manual with a quick start guide is an industry standard.

And, like life, this game isn't a test. It is entertainment.



GSB

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

sorry, i didnt read yours ... were can I find it?
thx

tm.asp?m=1693001

Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !

With a lot of beating each other over the rules

The boardgame was nicknamed "Empires and Arguments" right?
 
 
 
 
 
 

ORIGINAL: Marshall Ellis

The boardgame was nicknamed "Empires and Arguments" right?

Pretty much. Mostly for differing "rule interpretations", as most like to call them. I sometimes call them "rules rapists". Either way, it's a lot of arguing.

I thought it was EiA - "Ending in Arguments"

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !

Any answer regarding the ZIP file?

thx

1) When I setup I place all the units on the map then end the setup phase. I get an error saying 'add or remove units' but it doesn't give any indications which ones to remove. I've added all the units on the counter page so I can't add any more.
2) What are 'factors' and how many should you put in a unit?
3) I run on Vista so I downloaded the winhelp32 program so the inline help would work but it just seems a repeat of the pdf manual. Is there another help programe or even better a tutorial.

The game looks very comprehensive but I seemed to be struggling with fundamental issues. The manual is good except I think it assumes a certain amount of knowledge about the game engine which I dont have.

Thanks in advance

Lets see...

1) As you place corp counters on the map, click on the corp counter after it is placed, then click the "add factors" botton in the lower left hand corner (or whatever the botton is called...next to it is "add to garrison" botton). Your available forces will pop up in a window. At what forces you wish with the toggle bottons. Note, if you place a corp/counter but do not place any factors in it, the game will tell you to remove them before going on. Empty counters cannot remain on the map. Also, leaders must be assigned. One thing. In set up you can place a corp anywhere and fill it. In normal reinforcement, the new corp must be in supple, either on or adjacent to a depot or in a city to recieve new troops.

2) A factor represent about 1000 men. So one factor of infantry is 1000 soldiers. There are Guard, Infantry, Militia, Cavalry, and for Fr and Ru, Artillery factors.

3) I have refused to touch Vista yet, so no help there.

yamma

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

ORIGINAL: nukkxx
Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !

Any answer regarding the ZIP file?

thx

Yes, zip files are not allowed in the War Room so I had to load it into Mods here:
tm.asp?m=1694572

Thanks

ORIGINAL: nukkxx

Ok the tutorial helps a lot for the first steps. Thanks. However, I didn't find the "attached ZIP" which I guess contains the full setup. Where is the zip file ?

I also had a look to the rest of the tutorial and it well done but the game seems INCREDIBLY complex ... rather discouraging IMO.

I hardly imagine how this could have been played on a boardgame !

It's simple; us old wargamers had to learn to read the rules - all of them - and interpret them without the crutch of computer code to do our thinking for us. The best way to learn the rules for a wargame is to read through the rules once, try a test game (with the rule book open and handy), then read through the rules again in more depth, paying particular attention to the sections where one had trouble from the test game.

In this specific instance, the definition of the difference between units and factors is clearly spelled out in the manual.

As for knowing what to do, well, again, there us old-school wargamers have the advantage of having been forced to use the trial-and-error method We'd try different strategies (usually based around the victory conditions) and see what worked and what didn't, then make adjustments, and so on. We didn't have tutorials, but then again, we didn't have interface problems, either. It's amazing what one's brain and pen and paper can accomplish.