Matrix Games Forums

After reading a couple of recent threads involving an individual who picked up the game, experienced frustration when he didn't master the game in 2 weeks, and quit, it caused me to reflect on what kind of person really enjoys a game like UV.

It is most certainly not for everyone, much like military service or heavy math is not for everyone.

Uncommon Valor is a game of tremendous depth and complexity. It took me months (and some hard lessons learned in PBEM) to claim basic proficiency.

If you are someone who picks up a game and expects to master it in a sitting or two, think again. Even mastering the mechanics is difficult (a source of endless frustration for some), let alone understand the subtlies that effect things such as morale, fatigue, logistical planning and operations, and hands off management of TFs and airgroups. No matter how you slice it, it ain't easy. But if it was easy, I would not like it like I do and still be playing it 15 months later.

So if you lack patience to play the game with an eye for detail, attempt to understand why things happen and how your actions effect these things, and take time to search this forum and read the threads that have the answers to many questions, you are playing the wrong game.

This is a game that mirrors warfare: many turns or planning, preparation, probing, and logsitical execution, with a short number of turns of critical combat. If you want whiz-bang CV on CV non-stop action, play another of the games mentioned by some others on some recent threads. Yes, in that case, Gary Grigsby games are not for you.

But for the grognard gamer, nothing is better than UV.

You had better study your logistics, and plan for your CV TFs to attack the AP/AK and AO/TK more often than combatants. That can be frustrating - as in pulling out your hair frustrating when you have spent two game weeks analyzing a pattern (3 day on two day off Tokyo Express) with the Yamato and Musashi making Grumman salad out of Henderson Field - Get the CV's in good shape - relatively sys damage, good morale and numbers on Air Groups - even had the weather at least not being abyssmal - get the CV TFs into position about 5 hexes off of Shortland when the Tokyo Express is returning from the night metal mashing run - and then watch 2/3rds of the attacks (the strongest ones at that) run off and attack two measley little AP task forces and leave the BB SAG alone. THAT is more than frustrating. And this is supposed to be Marc Mitscher driving that TF. That is a time for an INT WotTheFlock message to GG. Like the CAG on Top Gun would have said, whoever was in charge of that FUBARed OP would be lucky to spend the rest of his hitch flying rubber dog poop out of Calcutta in the monsoons.

Rev - I'd love to hear you on a Sunday

doing other things that had me around the block a few times...before the Lord decided to clean me up. At least I cleaned it up a little bit, but I'm just and old anchor-clanker who was raised by a jarhead DI, and who does not believe in sugar coating too much. (I can sling the bovine fertilizer with the best of them when required - however, this isn't a pulpit - unless someone is hurting - then I'll get back to the real business.) Besides, I'm somewhat medicated from a ruptured disc right now - reduces inhibitions somewhat.

Fair winds, and God Bless;

denisonh wrote:.... .........

Even mastering the mechanics is difficult (a source of endless frustration for some), .............

Not my biggest gripe, but you certainly are correct about this unnecessary difficulty.

It appears that WitP will be a little smoother in this category but that is just based on what little I've seen from the screen shots.

denisonh wrote:After reading a couple of recent threads involving an individual who picked up the game, experienced frustration when he didn't master the game in 2 weeks, and quit, it caused me to reflect on what kind of person really enjoys a game like UV.

It is most certainly not for everyone, much like military service or heavy math is not for everyone.

Uncommon Valor is a game of tremendous depth and complexity. It took me months (and some hard lessons learned in PBEM) to claim basic proficiency.

If you are someone who picks up a game and expects to master it in a sitting or two, think again. Even mastering the mechanics is difficult (a source of endless frustration for some), let alone understand the subtlies that effect things such as morale, fatigue, logistical planning and operations, and hands off management of TFs and airgroups. No matter how you slice it, it ain't easy. But if it was easy, I would not like it like I do and still be playing it 15 months later.

So if you lack patience to play the game with an eye for detail, attempt to understand why things happen and how your actions effect these things, and take time to search this forum and read the threads that have the answers to many questions, you are playing the wrong game.

This is a game that mirrors warfare: many turns or planning, preparation, probing, and logsitical execution, with a short number of turns of critical combat. If you want whiz-bang CV on CV non-stop action, play another of the games mentioned by some others on some recent threads. Yes, in that case, Gary Grigsby games are not for you.

But for the grognard gamer, nothing is better than UV.

Love the game, making mistakes is just part of the learning process with any game. You flok up and pay the price and them make sure you don't do it again.

Some time you screw the pooch so much you give it up and start again but thats the whole fun of the game, that sinkin feeling when it all goes to hell when you least expect it to.

As a grognard i love this game especially spending the first six months parked in Aus waiting for enough kit to show up to make a fight of it!

Buy game...
install game...
play game...
save game...
replay turn...
replay turn...
replay turn...
save game...
read manual...
play game...
replay turn...
read manual...
print manual...
play game...
begin to understand...
play game...
read manual...

Ah, the cycle of life continues!

This one grows on you.

Aloid :p