Matrix Games Forums

I like the new name.

I hope this game will be releasd soon.

Ditto! Much more lively than Trench or WWI.

I dunno. "Trench" is like "wench," which is pretty hot.

I think I'd buy a wargame called "Wench."

ORIGINAL: pasternakski

I dunno. "Trench" is like "wench," which is pretty hot.

I think I'd buy a wargame called "Wench."

I'd certainly be looking forward to the screenshots and intro movie more than usual.

I think Trench does sound a bit static and boring. The new title is better. I might have gone for "The Great War" or "Road to Versaille" or something, but this is certainly an improvement.

Regards,
IronDuke

OK, now we're on the third name for this one. Wasn't Guns of August the name of a WWI history book? Not that I care what the name is, this one is high on the purchase list.

Whatever its origin, the expression "Guns of August" is lifted directly from the Avalon Hill paper-and-cardboard WWI strategic-level game. I never liked it, because it is a reference to the initial offensives in 1914, indicating that the game is only about events in that year, not throughout the historical war period.

Still, it beats the he11 out of "Trench."

ORIGINAL: pasternakski
Whatever its origin, the expression "Guns of August" is lifted directly from the Avalon Hill paper-and-cardboard WWI strategic-level game.

THE GUNS OF AUGUST is the title of Barbara Tuchman's 1962 Pulitzer Prize-winning history of the opening month of WWI which was made into a film in 1965. I'd say that AH borrowed the title of that book/film for their boardgame and Adanac is entitled to do the same for their computer game.

I have no argument with anything you say. I know the origin of the phrase, and I know that Adanac can use it, with permission, or with some addition (like 1914-1918) that renders it non-identical.

My point remains the same. I'd like to see some originality.

How about "World War I: Spring Break and Phosgene Gas."

"The Guns of August: How I Spent My Summer Vacation."

"1914-1918: The Flower of Europe Deflowered."

ORIGINAL: pasternakski
"1914-1918: The Flower of Europe Deflowered."

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I remember reading somewhere that the British average losses per day for WWI were 5,000 men. French loses were similar, and German were around 7,000 per day. Does that sound right, or am I totally off base here?

mbatch, those numbers are very elevated. 4x365=1460x5000=7,300,000 for England. If I remember correctly, England lost around 900,000, France lost 1,300,000, and Germany lost around 2,000,000

You know, I think you're right. Those numbers may have been for a specific time period. But your numbers do sound more like what I remember reading for the totals...Getting old is a b*tch.

.

Do those figures for the wounded take into account that some personel were wounded several times?

have no argument with anything you say. I know the origin of the phrase, and I know that Adanac can use it, with permission, or with some addition (like 1914-1918) that renders it non-identical.

My point remains the same. I'd like to see some originality.

How about "World War I: Spring Break and Phosgene Gas."

"The Guns of August: How I Spent My Summer Vacation."

"1914-1918: The Flower of Europe Deflowered."

Your horrible [:D]

Yes Greyshaft your right it was a Pulitzer Prize winning book. I did not know it became a film. Who starred in it, and I wonder if I can get my hands on it. In all I like the name "The Guns of August." I just wish it could have been a tad bit more original. Somebody earlier mentioned "The Road to Versailles." Now I like that! Maybe it could have been "1914-1918 The Road to Berlin." I think that would play an interresting twist on consumers in a market that is saturated with Band of Brothers and The Greatest Generation.

Also, it was always my understanding that the casualty rate was caused by offensives, and the otherwise day-to-day duty in the trenchs was rather boring. Battles like Verdun which lasted for about 3 months entailed every day combat. Or the British Summer offensive of 1917, which was the worst offensive ever mounted by His Majesty's Empire made a high casualty rate on a day-to-day basis.

ORIGINAL: DoomedMantis

Do those figures for the wounded take into account that some personel were wounded several times?

Probably not, although I suspect that "killed and died" only accounts for one corpse of each type...

ORIGINAL: ShermanM4
the casualty rate was caused by offensives, and the otherwise day-to-day duty in the trenchs was rather boring.

Disease was never boring. The chart of casualties above doesn't specify "Killed & Died" for nothing.

I read that in 1917 casualties among the Brits were around 5,000 through normal attrition (disease, constant artillery fire, raids and small-scale attacks etc) without an offensive in progress. Could be wrong and I don't have the book next to me.

I like the name Road To Versailles too, catchy

ORIGINAL: FrankHunter
I like the name Road To Versailles too, catchy

I dunno, Frank, "Road to Versailles" presupposes Allied victory.

I think the name implies it covers just the early stages too. The Great War 1914 -1918 would have been my choice. Or even something like Paths of Glory. Anyway its only a name.
As for casualties I can't remember the figures off the top of head but the 5000 quoted sounds about right - it would cover sick, wounds, dead etc. By the way the majority of deaths and wounds were caused by artillery so it was a constant attrition and large upheavals in battle. The highest single day for the Brits was the first day of the Somme. And it was I believe also the costliest battle. For the French is was the first three months of the war (lost something like a million men) - not Verdun as is usually supposed. Those red trousers attracted Machine gun bullets!
Not sure about the Germans but I think it was the 1918 spring offensive which were also the biggest battle the british Army has ever taken part in (according to my Osprey book on the subject).

Don't really like the namechange myself. First, Trench wasn't all that bad (Bloody stinking Trench might have been better though;-). Second, whatever the origin of the title, Guns of August tends to remind veteran players of the Avalon Hill game and these two games obviously ain't related.

In general I don't think it's a good idea to use a name which is either identical or very similar to the name of a previous game. Unless of course it's derived from said game. Considering that WWI hasn't been all that much covered in wargaming (ok I have some 8-9 games on the subject, many recently published, so it's no longer an empty wasteland, but still few games compared to WWII) I think a more original name would have been found.

Marc aka Caran...