Download or collectors?

Panzer Command: Ostfront is the latest in a new series of 3D turn-based tactical wargames which include single battles, multi-battle operations and full war campaigns with realistic units, tactics and terrain and an informative and practical interface. Including a full Map Editor, 60+ Scenarios, 10 Campaigns and a very long list of improvements, this is the ultimate Panzer Command release for the Eastern Front!

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Byeohazard
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Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

Took a peek at the manual from the demo and played about 20 mins..I am getting the feeling the printed manual may be helpful as it is over 100 pages long......with tax and shipping and the extra ten bucks for the cd and manual it almost doubles the price of the download.....the game does feel fairly complex however from what i could tell.
With the realization that it "all comes down to me" ie: my learning curve may be different from another players ....just pinging for thoughts and other folks experience with the game!
Thanks!
Joe
currently playing: Panzer Corps
learning Distant Worlds
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Mad Russian
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Mad Russian »

The game isn't hard to play. After your first scenario you'll be playing it easily and learning the little nuances of equipment, movement timing, etc...

I always get the CD because it allows for easy install. That's the reason I would buy the physical copy of PCO as well, but that is simply personal preference not necessity. There is a pdf of the rules in the download so you get a copy of the rules in either case.

Good Hunting.

MR
The most expensive thing in the world is free time.

Founder of HSG scenario design group for Combat Mission.
Panzer Command Ostfront Development Team.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm Development Team.
rickier65
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by rickier65 »

ORIGINAL: Byeohazard

Took a peek at the manual from the demo and played about 20 mins..I am getting the feeling the printed manual may be helpful as it is over 100 pages long......with tax and shipping and the extra ten bucks for the cd and manual it almost doubles the price of the download.....the game does feel fairly complex however from what i could tell.
With the realization that it "all comes down to me" ie: my learning curve may be different from another players ....just pinging for thoughts and other folks experience with the game!
Thanks!
Joe

I agree with MR, the game is fairly easy to pickup. Though I think you will want to refer to the manual for some of the details of how things work, particularly when it comes to interpreting armor values (at least for me), how and why you set SOPs for units, some of the finer details in gameplay might be missed if you don't read the manual at least once.

The download version does have a print friendly version of the manual.

I think it comes down to personal preference.

Thanks
Rick
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Byeohazard
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

Thanks so much for the replies...I sprung for the physical copy with free download! Something about the CL Edition and getting my mits on that printed manual seems to be par for the course for me!
I notice that on the Matrix store site the quick description lists the game as ADVANCED complexity while the body of the description lists it as INTERMEDIATE. May need a quick fix.
Thanks again for the comeback!
joe
currently playing: Panzer Corps
learning Distant Worlds
rickier65
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by rickier65 »

ORIGINAL: Byeohazard

Thanks so much for the replies...I sprung for the physical copy with free download! Something about the CL Edition and getting my mits on that printed manual seems to be par for the course for me!
I notice that on the Matrix store site the quick description lists the game as ADVANCED complexity while the body of the description lists it as INTERMEDIATE. May need a quick fix.
Thanks again for the comeback!
joe

I think I would consider it intermediate complexity myself. I hope yo uenjoy!

Thanks
rick
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Byeohazard
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

Just noticed that the picture of the box att he store sight says DX edition..while the choice to buy specifies CL edition....hopefuly gettn a manual..if not, not the end of the world. Keeping pinkies crossed.
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Mad Russian
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Mad Russian »

The boxed version comes with a physical manual. The DL version comes with a pdf manual. Either way you will be getting a manual!! [8D]

Good Hunting.

MR
The most expensive thing in the world is free time.

Founder of HSG scenario design group for Combat Mission.
Panzer Command Ostfront Development Team.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm Development Team.
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Byeohazard
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

Thanks for the info MR! Appreciated.
currently playing: Panzer Corps
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Byeohazard
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

Recieved my hard copy of the game. The manual is pretty substantial 150+ pages that I find easy to thumb through for reference. I enjoy the hard copy more than the digital so it was a good purchase for me.
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rickier65
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by rickier65 »

ORIGINAL: Byeohazard

Recieved my hard copy of the game. The manual is pretty substantial 150+ pages that I find easy to thumb through for reference. I enjoy the hard copy more than the digital so it was a good purchase for me.

Glad you found the hard copy worthwhile!

Thanks
rick
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Mad Russian
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Mad Russian »

And how is your game play? Did you find the game easy to play after a few minutes?

Good Hunting.

MR
The most expensive thing in the world is free time.

Founder of HSG scenario design group for Combat Mission.
Panzer Command Ostfront Development Team.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm Development Team.
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Byeohazard
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

The game play is actualy pretty easy over all. I'm getting ready to learn artillery in Boot camp 5. What baffles me on occasion is the orders system. I am aware of Orders and sub orders but I may be missing something. Sometimes I can order my leader to advance but the other guys do not want to listen to an advance order etc....I understand that they may be supressed at times but other times I'm not sure why they wont take an order beyond defend or halt. Other times they listen. I know the leader is the primary guy that utilizes the orders but if I have a couple groups and want to sent one to a house and the other to a church I am not always able to do so. Something that is kind of odd is I can order my leader to advance and then the other guys take off towards the back of the map or some other odd ball direction even when I did not order them to move in any direction.. I think I need to see how these units are "connected" Most of the time I do OK but I better learn a few more things about the rubber band colors and orders system.
Having fun!
currently playing: Panzer Corps
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rickier65
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by rickier65 »

ORIGINAL: Byeohazard
....... is kind of odd is I can order my leader to advance and then the other guys take off towards the back of the map or some other odd ball direction even when I did not order them to move in any direction.. I think I need to see how these units are "connected" Most of the time I do OK but I better learn a few more things about the rubber band colors and orders system.
Having fun!

A couple of things might be happening that would cause the behavior you are seeing.

1. The squad(s) you see heading toward the back of the map may have taken fire and failed a morale check and are either retreating or routing.

2. A more likely cause is that you have your SOP for those squads set to standard or cautious and they have spotted an enemy that has enough firepower to cause them to either halt, or even withdraw. It's sometimes possible for them to withdraw only a short distance then they stop and change back to hold. If your units don't seem to want to advance against enemy fire, set their SOP to aggresive. But be warned, they might not withdraw when they should then.

Thanks!
Rick
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Byeohazard
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

Not sure if that is it because when I set the order I see the blue advance rubber band moving foreward for the leader and then the blue rubber band heading to some other eddge of the map for the other guys wo directly ordering them to do anything..I had this happen in the planning phase in the boot camp where I had to move my spotters to the church for artillery to kill the russian trucks. On the turn phase the spotters went to the church and the other guys went to the rear of the map.
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by junk2drive »

A couple of things can cause strange paths. Plotting to the other side of impassable terrain like a river. Plotting too far for the AI to comprehend. Plotting the CO to a passable end point but the sub units cannot end in passable terrain.
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Byeohazard
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RE: Download or collectors?

Post by Byeohazard »

"Plotting the CO to a passable end point but the sub units cannot end in passable terrain"
I bet that is the culprit! I was able to work my way through on another try. I had to click around the different guys and was finaly able to issue a seperate move order for the mis behaving units......on my first go I wasn't able to fix those blue rubber bands going in odd directions so I let it play through and tried again.
currently playing: Panzer Corps
learning Distant Worlds
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