Thinking of buying...

[SheperdN7]

As the title suggests, thinking of buying this game, want to ask some questions.

1. The base vanilla game starts in 1943, is there still a way for the Axis to have victory?

2. I have seen on this forum that there are a lot of problems with the victory point system in this game. Is this a deal breaker right there?

3. I have played WitE and WitP:AE and heavily enjoy them both, however AE is on a whole other level when it comes to detail and the air war. WitE's air war is... well not as good. Does WitW improve on this aspect to be a very good system?

[bairdlander2]

Yes.No.Yes.It is a great game

[Dobey455]

1) Germany isn't going to be invading the UK or storming Moscow. Victory in this sense is destroying the allied armies while maintaining German forces.
There are a number of AAR's where the German player prevented the Allied player from getting a toe hold on the continent and \ or drove their invasion force back into the sea.

2) I have been re-thinking this recently - I am starting to think the fact the in multiplayer games players seem to choose to play almost exclusively with the "East Front Control" box turned off is partly responsible for people being unhappy with the points system as they are eliminating one of the major pathways to victory (an early Soviet conquest of Berlin).

3) The only game I have seen with a better air war system is "Gary Grigsby's Bombing the Reich". In fact, I suspect this model may borrow heavily from Grigsby's earlier work. (Just my opinion) [;)]

[jack54]

The Christmas sale (50%) is making this a very tempting purchase.

I'm SURE it's a very good game; I just have a tendency to buy games but don't actually play them.

[bairdlander2]

ORIGINAL: jack54

The Christmas sale (50%) is making this a very tempting purchase.

I'm SURE it's a very good game; I just have a tendency to buy games but don't actually play them.

Then buy me some games and I will play them for you.

[SheperdN7]

ORIGINAL: Dobey
1) Germany isn't going to be invading the UK or storming Moscow. Victory in this sense is destroying the allied armies while maintaining German forces.
There are a number of AAR's where the German player prevented the Allied player from getting a toe hold on the continent and \ or drove their invasion force back into the sea.

That's what I had in mind when I was thinking "Axis victory", I've always been fascinated with the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge) and the concept of "Hitler's Last Gamble" which was one last ditch effort to at the very least get the war in to a stalemate in the west. By 1943 it'll be impossible for Germany to win the total world war but it was still certainly possible to win a front, although it was becoming more bleak by the day.

I've also played BTR and I enjoy the air combat model and strategic bombing model in that game so that definitely answers my air war question.

[veenee]

ORIGINAL: jack54

The Christmas sale (50%) is making this a very tempting purchase.

I'm SURE it's a very good game; I just have a tendency to buy games but don't actually play them.

LOL, same here! but I think I am going to get it on sale this weekend.

[SheperdN7]

I think I'm going to purchase this game, without the Torch expansion though, I only really play these games for the GC. Thanks for all the help generals!

[budd]

Can you delegate air or ground to the AI while you learn? Can you do this at any time and switch back and forth?

[loki100]

ORIGINAL: **budd**

Can you delegate air or ground to the AI while you learn? Can you do this at any time and switch back and forth?

you can hand the entire air war to the AI, or engage in various mixes of automation and manual control or do it completely by manual control.

For learning I'd suggest start with the AI creating and setting up the air directives (ie your missions) and then start to amend as you get a better feel for what you want to happen.

In the end I suspect that most players end up fully in manual control. It helps you to keep the Luftwaffe as a viable threat that bit longer if you are playing the axis. As the allied player you come to realise that tactical airpower is your single most important asset ... and also over the early part of the game (up to the invasion of France), strategic bombing is the main thing you are doing.

[budd]

ORIGINAL: loki100

ORIGINAL: **budd**

Can you delegate air or ground to the AI while you learn? Can you do this at any time and switch back and forth?

you can hand the entire air war to the AI, or engage in various mixes of automation and manual control or do it completely by manual control.

For learning I'd suggest start with the AI creating and setting up the air directives (ie your missions) and then start to amend as you get a better feel for what you want to happen.

In the end I suspect that most players end up fully in manual control. It helps you to keep the Luftwaffe as a viable threat that bit longer if you are playing the axis. As the allied player you come to realise that tactical airpower is your single most important asset ... and also over the early part of the game (up to the invasion of France), strategic bombing is the main thing you are doing.

Thank you for the info.

[HMSWarspite]

One thing WitW does give you is the total lack of realism of Hitler's ambition for Bulge. A big force, to be true but a shadow of the old German army. Shells of divisions, MPs low, and tanks numbers lower... All he did was hasten the end and that is all he could ever do. As for capturing Antwerp - well, a couple of Allied divisions supplied by air and sea, and the sky falling on the axis while they try and besiege it... In his dreams! On the other hand, the Allies can strangle themselves with lack of supply, and a well fought Axis defence of the Rhine/Ardennes can win the game (assuming they don't in France)... The benefit of games like this for understanding history is always immense for me.

Don't get me wrong, the German can have a very good game, it's just it wont be by recreating 1940, but by careful husbandry and patience. Punishing the odd Allied stack whilst making them fight every hex of the way (yet not defending hopeless cases or squandering assets).

I am very much looking forwards to WitE2, where both sides can do large offensives under the supply system... Should be great.

[SheperdN7]

Yes I agree with what you have said about the realism of actually winning Bulge, never mind actually taking Antwerp. But that being said I also look at that situation and there's really only two options available- sit and wait till the end or close your eyes and try to roll a 20.

I'm looking forward to WitE2 as well, right now I'm having a blast with the first one but I can see why there needs to be a sequel. Biggest thing I'm looking forward to is the rumoured War in Europe which I would guess would only happen a few years after WitE2 is released, which I would think would be East and West combined into one game stretching the entire conflict from 1939-1945.

[jack54]

ORIGINAL: veenee

ORIGINAL: jack54

The Christmas sale (50%) is making this a very tempting purchase.

I'm SURE it's a very good game; I just have a tendency to buy games but don't actually play them.

LOL, same here! but I think I am going to get it on sale this weekend.

I think I'll get 'Torch' with it.... also 50% off includes North Africa... 2 Air only scenarios and a 'dead Hitler' campaign [:)]