is it good for newbies?

The development team behind the award-winning games Decisive Campaigns: From Warsaw To Paris and Advanced Tactics is back with a new and improved game engine that focuses on the decisive year and theater of World War II! Decisive Campaigns: Case Blue simulates the German drive to Stalingrad and into the Caucasus of the summer of 1942, as well as its May preludes (2nd Kharkov offensive, Operation Trappenjagd) and also the Soviet winter counter-offensive (Operation Uranus) that ended with the encirclement of 6th Army in Stalingrad and the destruction of the axis minor armies. With many improvements including the PBEM++ system, this is a release to watch for wargamers!

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adrianoku
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is it good for newbies?

Post by adrianoku »

I'm not totally newbe but i'm askin' if there is a good manual or tutorial?
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mercho
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by mercho »

I am in the same situation as you. I just started the game for the first time, and there is a tutorial (don'z know how good / long it is) and the manual has about 104 pages.So it should cover most parts of the game i will say.There is also a replacement guide, a reinforcment guide, order of battle guide and an editor guide.

mercho
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Tac2i
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by Tac2i »

The game's complexity rating is labeled "Intermediate, Advanced." That said I believe almost any Matrix Games wargamer can learn to play this game. If you have played Advanced Tactics or its follow on, Advanced Tactics Gold, you'll have a leg up on the learning curve. Of course, if you have play Decisive Campaigns: Warsaw to Paris, you should be able to launch right into it with just a minimal learning curve.
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sullafelix
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by sullafelix »

There is a lot to do in a turn but the UI and the manual etc. make it so it is not overwhelming.

It might look to complex at first but just ease into it with the smaller scenarios.
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spelk
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by spelk »

I'd say it's easy to play, once you understand the thought process involved in running a turn.

Take a look at my Warsaw to Paris AAR's here:
http://sugarfreegamer.com/?page_id=1123

And my Case Blue Preview AAR - which covers one of the short "learner" scenarios - the 2nd Battle of Kharkov.
http://sugarfreegamer.com/?p=38802

I try to explain every decision and action I make, so they take me a long time to knock out, but hopefully they'll give readers an idea as to the methodology of playing the game. I must stress that I'm no expert at these games, just an enthusiastic novice, who enjoys wargaming the history on offer with these titles.
adrianoku
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by adrianoku »

I know it's an intermediate game but i don't think it could be a problem if well explained. I asked for the quality of the manual because a friend of mine borrowed me the one of Warsav to Paris and I've found it lacking in many parts (nowhere was explained the icons of the counters for example) and the game itself, if I remember well, had no tutorial at all.
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MikeToth
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by MikeToth »

I would say a newbie should have no problems with this game. It's a gem
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LiquidSky
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by LiquidSky »


Well..I have never played its older sibling Warsaw to Paris, but I have played many other computer wargames. Without reading the manual I was able to jump into the campaign and move units, attack and such. After reading the manual, I was able to launch airstrikes, recon hexes.... It seems to be a fairly easy UI.

Not sure yet how to guage whether or not to launch an attack, but that will come with some experience.

I wish that when I hit the right mouse button = escape key..although I could reprogram my mouse to do that, to easily exit menu's

Lots of stuff for me to figure out, but so far it seems like a very nice game, and I am glad I spent the money to buy it.
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Rosseau
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by Rosseau »

At $40, it is an astounding package, and learning the game system is half the fun. Being rather slow to begin with, I found the first DB quite the challenge. Even more so than WitE for me, as it's easier to push counters in that game. It seems less is "hidden under the hood" in DB, so you need to use your noodle, even against the AI.

This is the most excited I've been about a release since WitE. Have fun!
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Duck Doc
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by Duck Doc »

It is a very intuitive game engine. The mechanism for movement, artillery or indirect fire and direct combat is a little different but very easy to learn and the tutorial in the first game did a good job explaining how to do things. Compared to WitE Decisive Campaigns has a learning curve that is not so steep. I happen to think it is a good engine for a newbie to learn on. The smaller scenarios in the first game were excellent for learning. Beware, however, the number of units involved in the larger scenarios may be daunting at first. One of the best gaming experiences available imltho. There were weaknesses in the first game manual but hopefully they have been remedied. Run, don't walk, to get this game.
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Redmarkus5
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by Redmarkus5 »

"imltho"? :)

wdtsf? (what does that stand for?) ianoihsb! (its a new one I haven't seen before!)
WitE2 tester, WitW, WitP, CMMO, CM2, GTOS, GTMF, WP & WPP, TOAW4, BA2
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PirateJock
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by PirateJock »

ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

"imltho"? :)

wdtsf? (what does that stand for?) ianoihsb! (its a new one I haven't seen before!)

in my less than humble opinion ? Big head [:'(]

Cheers
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Duck Doc
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RE: is it good for newbies?

Post by Duck Doc »

lmaaho!!![:D]

ORIGINAL: PirateJock
ORIGINAL: redmarkus4

"imltho"? :)

wdtsf? (what does that stand for?) ianoihsb! (its a new one I haven't seen before!)

in my less than humble opinion ? Big head [:'(]

Cheers
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