Any first impressions??

Germany At War: Operation Barbarossa 1941 is an elegant turn-based design, inspired by classics such as Panzer General, but with more of a historical focus. You command the German forces through a branching historical campaign covering the entire 1941 campaign as well as part of the 1942 campaign. Dozens of scenarios stretch from the Soviet border all the way to Archangel and towards Astrakhan, the original military goals of Operation Barbarossa. Step into a wargame where your performance will rewrite history, through an addictive combination of compelling gameplay, realistic events and challenging battles.

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wodin
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Any first impressions??

Post by wodin »

As the title says..any first impressions??

The fact it's a more indepth Panzer Corps has my interest.
Numdydar
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Numdydar »

Played a few scenerios today and started the AGN campaign.

It is a larger scale PC but with actual Divisions, Regiments, etc. versus what is in PC. Also real maps and terrian are used. So that AGN for example actually has the correct areas they fought over in '41. Riga is in the proper location for example.

I really like the limited unit denisty as I can actually due a turn fairly quickly versus WitE [:)]

There are some simplifications that some may not care for. There are no supply lines like in UoC or WitE. Units use supply to move and fight and when they get low on one or both, they have to stop and refit which takes resources. But you can do that anywhere as long as you did not do anything and are not next to an emeny unit. So you do not have to worry about where you move. This may be different the the Grand Campaign, but this is the way it works with the games I have played so far. So it plays more like a tactical game versus a strategic one since the unit density is so low. There are a total of 20 units for all of AGN, including the AC and the area they have to move around in is pretty big.

The air part of the game seems a liitle light too. The AGN campaign which is the smallest of the campaigns, only has 4 AC for all of AGN, 2 fighters and 2 bombers. Seems a little too few to represent all the AC assigned to AGN. Again not sure how this would be represented in the larger campaigns.

You can buy units and they carry over from each campaign just like PC. You have so many slots again just like PC. I always use the 2d NATO units whenever I play these games so I cannot give an opnion on how the models look.

I hope this is helpful
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wodin
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by wodin »

Thanks mate. I have no interest in the models;)
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Dumnorix
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Dumnorix »

Ok - I take a look at the first screens of this game and here are some of my critic points.

1. The map graphics look very bad - for me this really is not playable, the basic terrain, the houses, the forest - all looks very simple,

2. I dont like the very low poly unit models - all the scale of them to each other is faulty.

3. The menu graphics are not appealing,

I am searching for a game like Panzer general II (PG3D) with 2013 graphical design !

I send you soon an example of my own game !

..I forgot - the scenario list and the scale is again a game with no historical depth background. I like an mix with John Tillers Campaign Series, but in company level, HPS produced scenarios, and a terrain graphic like Panzer Corps, but with much more tile sets and 360° turnable unit graphics with full animations like CIV III.

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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by ComradeP »

The air part of the game seems a liitle light too. The AGN campaign which is the smallest of the campaigns, only has 4 AC for all of AGN, 2 fighters and 2 bombers. Seems a little too few to represent all the AC assigned to AGN. Again not sure how this would be represented in the larger campaigns.

Air units are generally represented at Geschwader-scale, aside from those supporting AGN, which is why there are fewer on the map than in games where they are represented on Gruppe-scale. The air war is, in my opinion, more challenging than in PG or PC as it is more difficult to establish air superiority or air supremacy as losses from air to air combat are often low to average and is it usually impossible to destroy the VVS in the opening turns of a scenario.
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Toby42
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Toby42 »

Is this IGO/UGO? Or is it continuous play? Or is it like Battle Academy?
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by ComradeP »

IGO-UGO
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Erik Rutins
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Erik Rutins »

Hi Dumnorix,
ORIGINAL: Dumnorix
Ok - I take a look at the first screens of this game and here are some of my critic points.

1. The map graphics look very bad - for me this really is not playable, the basic terrain, the houses, the forest - all looks very simple,

2. I dont like the very low poly unit models - all the scale of them to each other is faulty.

3. The menu graphics are not appealing,

I am searching for a game like Panzer general II (PG3D) with 2013 graphical design !

I send you soon an example of my own game !

..I forgot - the scenario list and the scale is again a game with no historical depth background. I like an mix with John Tillers Campaign Series, but in company level, HPS produced scenarios, and a terrain graphic like Panzer Corps, but with much more tile sets and 360° turnable unit graphics with full animations like CIV III.

This is all based on looking at the screenshots? It certainly sounds like this is not the game for you - if you are looking for a new Campaign Series at company level, that really has nothing to do with this game. If you do enjoy Panzer General, I think you would enjoy this one if you gave it a chance, but I'm guessing from your post that will not happen. That's fine, every game is not for every gamer, but I can say from playing and working on this one, it's a good game.

Usually first impressions threads are more oriented towards asking folks who are playing the game to post their experiences.

Regards,

- Erik

Erik Rutins
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lparkh
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by lparkh »

The poster in question has very strong opinions about graphical issues and tend to post on that topic quite a bit. He is doing his own 3D graphical work which he posts as well. Can't remember if it is for PC or not.
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Tzar007
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Tzar007 »

ORIGINAL: Numdydar

There are some simplifications that some may not care for. There are no supply lines like in UoC or WitE. Units use supply to move and fight and when they get low on one or both, they have to stop and refit which takes resources. But you can do that anywhere as long as you did not do anything and are not next to an emeny unit. So you do not have to worry about where you move.

Does that mean that if you have units trapped behind enemy lines they will still be able to get resupply simply by not having them adjacent to an enemy unit and not moving? If that is so, it means encircled units can still get full resupply?
PKH
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by PKH »

Does that mean that if you have units trapped behind enemy lines they will still be able to get resupply simply by not having them adjacent to an enemy unit and not moving? If that is so, it means encircled units can still get full resupply?

There are various effects based on how many neighboring enemy units there are. When fully surrounded you can't resupply at all I believe.

I've only played a couple of scenarios and tried a bit of the campaigns. The game plays fine, and offers enough variation to Panzer Corps for me. I feel the aircraft could use a good deal more range though. At the moment, they barely move farther than a tank in one round.

I have to agree with the earlier post about the map graphics. They are very primitive, and the different terrain types could stand out a bit more. This is something I think the developers need to spend some time on if they want to reach a broader public.
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Ronald Wendt
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Ronald Wendt »

Hello,
ORIGINAL: Tzar007

Does that mean that if you have units trapped behind enemy lines they will still be able to get resupply simply by not having them adjacent to an enemy unit and not moving? If that is so, it means encircled units can still get full resupply?

yes currently only contact with enemies limits/cancels the possibility of supplying units.

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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by stormbringer3 »

Is there a possibility that this will change, possibly as an option, to increase realism?
Thanks.
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Ronald Wendt
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Ronald Wendt »

Hello,

yes, there is a possibilty for a change in this and added as a new rule. It was discussed during development but postponed due to lack of time as there is much more to it than just adding the rule.

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stormbringer3
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by stormbringer3 »

I'm sure that the scenarios in the Campaign Game will have different turn lengths. What would be a guess on the average scenario number of turns? I saw that the Campaign has 37 scenarios so I'm trying to get a feel on how long the Campaign Game will be. I'm lucky enough to be retired so I can spend many hours a day PC gaming.
Thank you.
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Ronald Wendt
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Ronald Wendt »

Hello,
ORIGINAL: stormbringer3

I'm sure that the scenarios in the Campaign Game will have different turn lengths. What would be a guess on the average scenario number of turns? I saw that the Campaign has 37 scenarios so I'm trying to get a feel on how long the Campaign Game will be. I'm lucky enough to be retired so I can spend many hours a day PC gaming.
Thank you.

this really just a guess but the average should be about 14-15 turns. If you play a campaign you do not see all 37 maps though. Your performance and decisions influence which maps you will see and which not. E.g. if you choose AGN and perform well you get the opportunity to capture Leningrad - if you do not the choice won't appear.
After Smolensk you decide which army group should be the main axis and maps of the other two will be "solved" in 1942 so you won't have to fight all of them.
This way there is always something left to explore after a few games with the A-A campaign.

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stormbringer3
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by stormbringer3 »

Thanks for your answer. I've decided to buy the game!
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Ronald Wendt
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Ronald Wendt »

Hello,
ORIGINAL: stormbringer3

Thanks for your answer. I've decided to buy the game!

you always welcome. [:)]

Regards,
Westheim
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Westheim »

Got the game; really makes me remember old Panzer General (never got myself Panzer Corps), but with a few differences. The maps seem so much larger, battles feel less generic.

Graphics are low key, which is not a bad thing, I'll happily take great gameplay over great graphics any day. Still, it seems quite demanding on my laptop, and I find that scrolling is quite rough, to be honest. Might be just my cheap machine, though.

The AI doesn't seem too stupid, they managed to counter attack my miserable flanks in the first scenario of the AG North mini campaign quite nicely.

Looks very promising here.
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Numdydar
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RE: Any first impressions??

Post by Numdydar »

ORIGINAL: Tzar007

ORIGINAL: Numdydar

There are some simplifications that some may not care for. There are no supply lines like in UoC or WitE. Units use supply to move and fight and when they get low on one or both, they have to stop and refit which takes resources. But you can do that anywhere as long as you did not do anything and are not next to an emeny unit. So you do not have to worry about where you move.

Does that mean that if you have units trapped behind enemy lines they will still be able to get resupply simply by not having them adjacent to an enemy unit and not moving? If that is so, it means encircled units can still get full resupply?
You can be on the other side of the map from where your main supply areas should be and as noted above, you are not next to enemy units, your unit could get fully supplied and get full replacements [X(]. For example I easily ran a unit up to Riga in the AGN campaign and resupplied it along the way. Even when I was hexes away from any road.

Since the unit density is so low (too low imho) it is very easy to slip units through the front lines and run amuck behind the lines will no ill effect. Which kind of ruins the game for me so I really hope something is done to address this.

Personally I would love rail lines to be on the map and had to be repaired as in WitE. It just seems wrong to be playing on Eastern Front maps that have no railroads. Especially how critical they were in real life.

While I do like the low unit density, I think it is way too low and should be at least 50% higher than it is currently. So maybe that can be addressed as well.
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