Matrix Games Forums

Greetings!

I just wanted to say hello to everyone here. I've recently stumbled upon this beautiful genre of gaming and now I think I might have developed a problem my wife doesn't appreciate, haha. Help me if I ever discover a community that loves to do tabletop stuff in the real world. Anyways, I've always had somewhat of a draw for Wargaming I suppose, since I had no idea Combat Mission was considered a Wargame. I always classified it, since I was a young lad, as a Combat Simulator that was really fun to play around with and see how different scenarios could unfold, an alt-history if you will, but I guess this is what Wargames are. Anyways, as of late, I have been finding myself very bored with the current offerings for Strategy. Aside from Combat Mission, I play a lot of Steel Division 2, Company of Heroes 2, Age of Empires 4, Hearts of Iron IV etc. But these games are getting less and less fun. Aside from Combat Mission of course ( I love you CM). Sure they are challenging in their own ways, but not in the ways I am wanting to be challenged.

Until this website. Wow. Hexagonal Wargaming is my new love. Where have you been all my life?! I just dove deep guys. I bought the following over the weekend and taking bites from them all. I'm in trouble

1) Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive
2) Shadow Empire
3) Strategic Command WW2: War in Europe
4) Strategic Command World War 1

I'm waiting to purchase GG War in the East 2, because that game doesn't even look like a game. I have no idea what the hell that is. That is just pure chaos and how do you even begin to play that monster. DC: Ardennes is by far the most fun to play for me and has taken the majority of my play time. Challenging with very deep mechanics. This game is a breath of fresh air. I want to buy every damn DC game. That is by no means a knock to the others, I am so happy with every single purchase I've made so far and I look forward to giving Matrix more of my money, because this website has some of the best that gaming has to offer under their roof. I'm hooked for life and I am REALLY looking forward to playing some matches with you guys in the future.

Cheers!

-A

Hello and welcome aboard!

Welcome to this great and interesting world of hexbased gaming

Glad to see two of Vic's games on there (Shadow Empire and DC:Ardennes)...

Thank you for the welcomes! And @ernieschwitz, Yes! I LOVE those two games and I cannot stop playing them I will be buying Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa today!

Don't forget to look at the games that are on sale.

Hello

welcome to the forum, please remember our sister site also, as both sites have great games to offer

https://www.slitherine.com/forum/index.php

You guys are awesome! Thanks for the welcomes! @RangerJoe, thanks for the heads up. I have the store on Matrix and Slitherine bookmarked, haha. So just a little update, I bought more! These games are amazing!
My list and continuing to grow:

1) Decisive Campaigns: Barbarossa
2) Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive
3) Shadow Empire
4) Strategic Command: World War I
5) Strategic Command WWII: War In Europe
6) GG War in the East 2

I think I want to get something for the Pacific Theater next and also ACW. Would anyone have any recommendations for the Pacific or the ACW? I would greatly appreciate any suggestions! I think you guys can see I like both Strategic and Operational the most, I think or at least that is what my library is starting to consist of? I'm not entirely sure. I am pretty sure Shadow Empire is a 4x/Wargame hybrid of some sort, it is very very weird but extremely fun. War in the East 2 was going to be a wait for me, but after reading heavily on it, I've discovered that a general consensus is that the game actually isn't the monster that I thought it was and actually comes with very playable small scenarios for new players and there are SO many guide and tutorials online if you don't feel like trying to learn by Manual + Game only. So it's definitely nice to have a guide to follow along with while having a manual up as well for referencing. Perfection! Anyways, I'm so happy I've discovered these games and especially all of you, you guys rock!

-A

Aranki wrote: Sat Oct 19, 2024 11:49 pm I think I want to get something for the Pacific Theater next and also ACW. Would anyone have any recommendations for the Pacific or the ACW?

War in the Pacific/Admiral's Edition is the Pacific cousin to something like War in the East. Started out as a Gary Grisby title and then got expanded and improved by Henderson Field Designs. With turns that range from one day to three it does take some time to play out.

Platoonist wrote: Sun Oct 20, 2024 2:40 am

Aranki wrote: Sat Oct 19, 2024 11:49 pm I think I want to get something for the Pacific Theater next and also ACW. Would anyone have any recommendations for the Pacific or the ACW?

War in the Pacific/Admiral's Edition is the Pacific cousin to something like War in the East. Started out as a Gary Grisby title and then got expanded and improved by Henderson Field Designs. With turns that range from one day to three it does take some time to play out.

Thank you so much for your reply. WitP: AE seems even more insane than WitE2, WOW. Is that the only great Operational level Pacific game? SC: War in the Pacific seems great and I will definitely be getting it, but SC definitely does not scratch that itch like Decisive Campaigns and War in the East 2 does. Not even close..

Aranki wrote: Sun Oct 20, 2024 2:53 am Is that the only great Operational level Pacific game?

There's also WarPlan Pacific if you want something not as complex or time-consuming as WitP/AE but a closer simulation than the Strategic Command title. (Oil and fuel use is represented) However, I always find myself falling back on WitP/AE as I find myself missing all the quirks, details and personalities of the various ships and aircraft classes. In the other games at that scale, they're usually generically portrayed by type, and individual ships are primarily grouped together as indivisible units or flotillas.

Platoonist wrote: Sun Oct 20, 2024 3:01 am

Aranki wrote: Sun Oct 20, 2024 2:53 am Is that the only great Operational level Pacific game?

There's also WarPlan Pacific if you want something not as complex or time-consuming as WitP/AE but a closer simulation than the Strategic Command title. (Oil and fuel use is represented) However, I always find myself falling back on WitP/AE as I find myself missing all the quirks, details and personalities of the various ships and aircraft classes. In the other games at that scale, they're usually generically portrayed by type, and individual ships are primarily grouped together as indivisible units or flotillas.

Sounds like I need to buy WitP: AE then if I want my Pacific Theater fix with all the nuances like GG's WitE 2. Thanks for your input on this! Do you have any recommendations for the American Civil War? It seems Civil War II gets mentioned a lot here. How does this community feel about Grand Tactician: The Civil War 1861-1865? It seems to be a good mix of Operational, Strategic and Tactical. That seems like a really cool mixture.