General Staff
Posts: 424
Joined: 4/13/2006
From: Dublin
Status: offline
|
quote:
1) I have read tutorials are outdated, but heyhellowhatsnew (forum user name) had other difficulties too. Did he miss something in the manuals, or are manuals really lacking?
2) I'd also like to know about scenario sizes. I prefer small maps with few counters as in Battle Isle, Panzer General, and Panzer Corps series. Does TOAW3 deliver such scenarios? How many?
3)What about historical accuracy? I remember from TV about American Civil War that one Union commander had significant advantage over his Confederation counterpart, but he hadn't balls to attack. Is this delay scripted for the AI in related scenario? Can I burn Moscow before handing it over to Napoleon? Can I tell finnish artillery and Stukas to target motorized barges (instead tanks) in order to prevent T-34s crossing the river?
One of the greatest things I have experienced in wargames is player is not alone, but he has AI controlled allies (Battle Isle 3, Jagged Alliance 2, Pathway to Glory). Does TOAW3 have that?
4) As I understand supply and logistics, some hexes are sources and delivery is described as numbers over other hexes. What would I need to do in order to keep my own supply open and block those of the enemy? Is air supply modelled, and what player needs to do to keep Dakotas or JU-52s flying?
5) Comparison to JTCS and WITE: what is better in TOAW3, and what is not? Broad scale of the wars over broad scale of time...
6) anything else?
1) To an extent he missed some things- for instance in the tutorial referenced in Post # 17, he asks what an RBC is, when it's specifically stated in the previous sentence/paragraph- "RBC (Retreat Before Combat)", then shortened thereafter.
Manuals- been a while but they were adequate++ for me once I put the effort in- and it is something of a learning curve but well worth it. Then again, I'd be from days when you bought a (board) game per war/battle so could need to know several sets of rules to play several different EF games for example. But without serious effort, you'd be in danger of getting lost, but I'd suggest that's true for any number of games++ you mention.
2) See Rugged Defense Scenario Listings for a pretty comprehensive DB including- possibly of topical interest to yourself- scenarios on the the Winter War (Suomossalmi, Naykkijaervi). You can see # of units, briefing etc...
3) Qs:
a) You can toy with whatever deviations from history the designer has permitted/allows. And of course you are free to engineer your own triumphs and tragedies, either as a player or designer.
b) You can shell or bomb hex location(s), what you destroy or sink is determined by the engine.
c) To your last Q, not really, except what the designer builds in to manage units. It's essentially a 2 player game- or Player versus AI. See Europe Aflame for the concept of events in 1939-45 Europe for example, but my understanding is that it only allows for countries to enter on one side or another- someone may well correct me on this.
4) See http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=3210671 and this illustrates a lot of things. It quotes the manual, it's one of the most intelligible, concise and precise explanations of supply in TOAW I've seen and perhaps most importantly it shows how players in the TOAW Community help each other out.
5) Some others probably play- or have tried- these other games. Maybe they can provide comparisons.
6) What TOAW lacks these days is programming and further development support, and this is a crippling deficit.
An additional thought- If I were looking again I'd buy one of the Command Ops series: Highway to the Reich/Battles from the Bulge. There's a demo available. It's made by a really useful Australian outfit- seems to me in terms of experience, thought, skill and most importantly relative to TOAW these days, ongoing development- Panther Games of 'Trial of Strength' fame (for those with longer memories), which I remember fondly as something of a quantum leap in EF board wargames. Command Ops seems similar in that regard (I just wish I had more time to review it further- I keep putting it on the long finger). Maybe someone has played both and could chime in here with an opinion.
Whatever you decide, I wish you well.
< Message edited by General Staff -- 3/13/2013 8:49:45 PM >
_____________________________
Tactics are based on Weapons... Strategy on Movement... and Movement on Supply.
(J. F. C. Fuller 1878-1966)
|
Printable Version
Considering to buy - questions - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread