Matrix Games Forums

I got good by playing Lost Victories Over and over and over. Due to patches and game crashes. Made me the infantry commander I am today. Also I learned a lot from playing VikingNo2 in PBEM games.

I spend a large proportion of time fighting the AI. Not because the AI is much of a challenge, but so I can get a good idea for the capabilities of various weapons systems.

(I would say here that the AI is pretty darned good, IMHO. I usually win, but it's by no means guaranteed. It seems like the AI gets these blinding insights every once in a while.)

We goes to the proving grounds a lot!

Then when I get into a PBEM, I already generally know what to expect out of my units (like ski troops) and I have fewer surprises during the game coming from my own units. ("What do you mean you're out of ammo? Stop shooting your bazooka at fleeing crews, you fool!!").

In the PBEM game, I only have to deal with surprises from my opponent, not my own units. Heh.

The only campaign I've run through, was Desert Fox. I never completed it. Much of that is a desire to play the game using other countries, other eras, etc., rather than to spend that time mothering one force through a series of battles.

I have played through the Campaign Generator a few dozen times. But the units become supermen after 5-6 games, and it starts to bore rather than entertain. :rolleyes:

Playing against a human either in PBEM or online is the best way to really learn, because human players differ from one to another. Playing against the computer in any given situation can be rewarding and fun especially if the battles are well designed as in any of the Megas and later battle creations. They also are great to try new technics and strategies but the human factor is still the most challenging.

1.) Playing against the AI. Like Cpt. Pixel said, it gets you familiar with your units. It also allows you to develop your tactics, much like a wargame--it's not like the real thing, but it's close enough.

2.) PBEM's. Now that I've started playing against people, I'm beginning to get a feel for combat rhythm--when I should exploit a sudden weakness, and when that weakness will recover before I can truly exploit it.

3.) Predesigned Campaigns: Munda... Munda... Munda... thanks, Wild Bill.

I only recently started PBEM but I have years and years of experience against the AI. I think the generated campaigns starting in 1939 are the best way to learn. It forces you to use (and thus learn) all the units in the order in which they were developed, not just the big, bad late model Tigers & Panthers and such. Since, as Capt. Pixel says, your units get super human after a short time, I usually quit around 1942. All the tactics I learned using the cheap equipment makes it even easier to play when you get the really nice toys.

When I got the game, the first thing I did (except three-four battles vs. AI) was to start a Soviet long campaign in '41. With difficulty set to "Hard", True troop "OFF" and AI advantage ON, this was initially more than a match even for an old SP1/SP2 player (remember German training levels peak just around '41).

So I tried again.

And again.

I quickly found out my troops did not stand a chance if they were scattered evenly across the map. So I immediately learned to concentrate forces and *smite* the enemy at just one point. And it worked! Then I went on to play offensive engagements, and learned to use artillery to smash the tight defensive formations of the AI and run over them with infantry supported tanks just afterwards (after having tried tanks without infantry support you don't want to try again).

I have found that these tactics have worked ever since. Only small adjustments must be done in order to play a human. I found out when I played my first PBEMs. At that time I was mainly an infantryman. It might be that I still am. Sometimes.

I got good?

Writing the manual and being on the beta team:D

Touche' Brent I guess it does help being an insider.

:rolleyes:


Mine was all natural talent...

I'd have to say that in my case it was a mix of playing scens and campaigns, but, mostly, it was being a Raider and testing scens by, among others Louie Marsh, Wild Bill, and, most especially:

Redleg.

His scens tend to show very different forces and situations and tend to be very hard to win, and so teach a lot.

Alex
We miffed it, again, 24-7. One would think a championship coaching staff would understand to Run the Football!! Still, we are in the hunt.

I got passable playing the AI in battles, I got better playing scenarios.

I found out planning in Mega Campaigns

But I got humble when playing humans.

You haven't played anything worth getting excitable about till you have played a person.

This game is only truely great when played against another person. Owtherwise, it is just a very good game.

I don't consider myself a 'good' player, but I have become passable. I started out playing lots vs. the AI, mostly with scenarios, and campaigns that caught my interest historically. I found some of them easy and some not as easy. Last spring, I decided to try some pbem games, and joined the blitz ladder ... I got some draws (barely), but mostly got creamed ... but over time I have gotten a bit better, and I find that playing a skilled human opponent is the best (and most rewarding) way to play this game ... you also get to meet some great people

One thing that probably had the most profound effect on both my skill (such as it is ), and my interest in this game is the fascinating people and topics and battles covered in various threads of the Steel Panthers World at War & MegaCampaigns Forum.

I would have to say most of my expierence came from "live" games useing SP3. Playing the highest rated players in several leagues have helped too. But over all good players and a willingness to try other options and terrain gave me a wide range Tactics.

i think all points are valid, mostly this 2:

1. playing good designed camps and scens
( playing generated battles against AI is not THAT
difficult, but clever designed camps - long,long road to
victory, russian steel, stalingrad...for example - are
a challenge.

2. playing humans with some experience (or even very good
players). it´s really a big difference i must say. the first 2-3
games were really hard, but that´s the way to learn.
after 6-7 PBM games till now, i´m still no good player i
would say, but a "above average" perhaps

reading in this forum of course is a good source of
valuable information and entertainment, too.

A young man with a violin case under his arm is walking down the street in New York City. He stops an elderly man and asks him:

"Pardon me. Can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?"

To which the senior replies:

"Young man ... practice, practice, practice."

Bing

i got a lot better by testing Wild Bill's
scenarios....then by getting killed by
Warrior PBEM.

casebier

Umm putting in the time.eventually you learn what the units can do and you use them accordingly.

To be honest, I think of my Steel Panthers skills as no more than "ok". I am unwilling to call myself "good" at the game.

I usually just concentrate on having fun with it, and leave the tweaking and fiddling for those that insist on doing that for their fun.