TOAW - Which Era does it cover Best?

[DonCzirr]

Having a good time right now with my first TOAW game - Balkans 12 scenario

Looking around at the default scenario folders I found that many of the default scenarios are on WW II and modern.

So - question to the TOAW veterans - does TOAW seem to cover particular eras better than others - or - with a good set of designers,

can the subject material can be handled equally well for each time period?

Is the ratio of scenarios simply in line with fan interest for particular eras / wars?

[Catch21]

Hehe, Balkans 12, good luck!

It was built for 20th Century warfare through Korea and the Cold War, and I think that's where it does best. But a good design of course helps, and a number of scenarios are ports from boardgames (Todd Klemme's for example, like Serbia-Galicia 14 and some of his other WWI material- I find all his work just brilliant).

Subject material within this time period works well from WWI through WWII, though there was a time when arty wasn't working too well (now fixed in latest version I believe). I avoided scenarios with nukes (Korea 50-52) and efforts straying outside design specs (Napoloeonic Wars, ACW etc) so couldn't comment. I'm sure others can/will. But I find for WWII particularly it's just brilliant. Like having every board game (AH, SPI++) you ever owned in one box.

Ratios I think are more in line with designer interest, though those designed for the package obviously catered to perceived interest (i.e. 20th Century through Cold War), but designer and player interest are pretty closely correlated (a lot of designers are of course by nature or necessity players too).

Hope this is helpful.

[DonCzirr]

Yep - thanks for the history Chris - that is helpful.

Do you know if there have been attempts to go back further - past Napoleonics?

I have FOG for Ancients -> Medieval but would take a look at such TOAW scenarios if they existed.

[sPzAbt653]

Medieval TOAW ?!?! [:D]

[Catch21]

ORIGINAL: DonCzirr
Do you know if there have been attempts to go back further - past Napoleonics?

A quick search through an old file (all TOAW versions) reveals attempts (pre-1900) at:

Franco-Prussian War 1870
Japanese Civil War 1575
Killer Angels (Jackson Variant) 1863
Killer Angels 1863
Leipzig Campaign 1813
Long Island - NY 1776
Restoration of Rome 268
Roman Civil War 275
Russo-Turkish War 1877
Waterloo 1815

How successful these are I've no idea. Bob Cross did Killer Angels and Waterloo (of CFNA fame)- he is still around last I heard so you might try and get in touch. Brian Topp tried Restoration of Rome- he did a number of well regarded WWII Eastern Front scenarios that were popular back in TOAW's heydey.

[Olorin]

Personally I prefer WWII, but TOAW is quite versatile. I playtested The War of the Ring once and the engine held just fine.