Matrix Games Forums

I purchased WITW and have begun playing out the tutorial and reading the player handbook, manual, etc. I have played other simpler war games. I am finding I enjoy this so far.

However, given the steep learning curve and magnitude of this game, I am hoping some other players could give me some advice/strategy to help improve my odds of enjoying the game (i.e., not giving up). Unlike other games, where I have an itch and drive to get up and running ASAP to "win" the game, my thought with this is to more "enjoy the journey." I am looking at this much more like a marathon and a story being played out. My sense is I may only make one move in any given sit-down, or spend an hour reading part of the manual. In other words, focus less on winning and getting to the end, and instead enjoy learning and seeing the process play out, perhaps over many months of playing.

However, any other thoughts or advice would be welcome. Essentially, how do you enjoy playing the game and what suggestions would you have?

BKL

I came to this via WiTE1 so that may have coloured my approach.

In essence, the purely ground combat/movement bit was not new (it is actually but I knew enough to get on with it) but things like the impact of airborne and naval operations were.

So to get over that hurdle, I played the Husky scenario quite a lot and a couple of starts of the 1944 campaign June start.

The airwar confused the hell out of me. So I basically started with it mostly automated. I used the AI to set Air Directives to my overall design/priorities. Then I started amending the AI generated ADs to suit my interests, then went on to designing them from scratch. In an AI game you can stop almost anywhere on this scale that suits you.

Play 3 scenarios to death, or at least the opening turns.

Any of the strategic air war scenarios, just get used to what seems to work, try different patterns of bombing, look for different outcomes etc.

The Breakout scenario, this will teach you more about the application of tactical air power than anything else in the game. Its also worth doing the first few turns solitaire (the Germans are essentially passive), see how interdiction works (its real power is a bit obscured for the allied player).

Either Arnhem or Westwall - either will do. These will teach you how to manage a supply shortage. Do you repeat the historic approach of leaving everyone short or do you try to concentrate resources. How do to this? Depot and HQ priority. Again try combinations, see the results.

I've never really got into the post-Sicily Italy scenarios, at that stage it was the GC that grabbed my attention.

If you've done the above, you have some feel for how it all works but you need to put it together. The big thing with the Allies in the GC is to have a rough plan. Say you want to do 3 invasions in Italy (plus poss smaller disruptive ones). Think about the units you'll use, where to put your TaskForces, how to build up your airpower, when/how to take Sardinia and Corsica, east or west coast? When to make France the priority (you can leave your TF in Italy up to early Jan).

Then the big choice, where to land in France. Brittany, historical, around the mouth of the Seine, Pas de Calais? Count hexes, try to generate a landing that needs as few TFs as possible to keep the temp ports open, ensure your TFs do not have to sit next to a German retained port.

You don't have to fuss the details, but you do need to plan the big picture stuff.

In the strategic air, how are you going to balance gaining VPs with hitting things that matter? What matters? Well trucks and medium tank production really hurt the German, I personally thing you can (ahistorically) ignore the Luftwaffe plants. How to balance the need for escorts with the need to hit certain factories. How to sustain the campaign (its very easy to burn your crews out by over-doing it), when to lift the war over Germany to support the France landings, when to go back to bombing Germany.

What side is it you want to start out with?

Thank you!

ORIGINAL: Zebtucker12

What side is it you want to start out with?

Allies. Thoughts?