So, where to start?

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Genosse
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:08 am

So, where to start?

Post by Genosse »

Hello WitE community! Quick intro - I am Genosse hailing from DC and I have done decent levels of wargaming, usually at more tactical and less daunting operational levels: Steel Panthers, the Tiller series etc. I have been interested in War in the East for a long time and am finally firing up my copy to learn it.

My prep work has been looking through the forums, searching for tutorial videos, listening to the Three Moves Ahead podcasts on the game, and successfully playing the Road To Minsk scenario a couple of times.

So I get basic combat, movement, and supply. The chasm in front of me is understanding the intermediate game mechanics well enough to start the longer Road To scens and my first Barbarossa attempt.

I'm slowly picking through the manual and 1.08 notation, but it is dense and I know you don't need to know all the nitty gritty to start enjoying the game. I just need to understand leaders, basic air game, basic production, and how supply/replacement type concepts work over a mid length scenario like Barbarossa.

I have had a hard time finding good tutorial style Let's Plays and for me at least, the WitE wiki is down and inaccessible, so I can't access the operational tutorial pdf by dlazov66 - if anyone has a copy I would love to get it by email.

In summary, I am looking to get pointed towards Let's Plays, AARs, forum threads, and websites or any other resources geared towards introducing the game to new and intermediate players.

Thank you for your input and thanks to 2by3 and Matrix for an amazing product!

- Genosse
jwolf
Posts: 2493
Joined: Tue Dec 03, 2013 4:02 pm

RE: So, where to start?

Post by jwolf »

I recommend the "Operation Boot Camp" which is the top sticky thread here in the War Room. It gives a play by play intro to the Road to Leningrad scenario. It's very well done and well worth your time IMHO. After you run through that, try the Road to L scenario on your own, and then I recommend Road to Moscow and Road to Dnepropetrovsk. That gives you one each of the Road to X scenarios, north center and south, each one lasting 17 turns which is the duration of the summer offensive before crummy weather arrives. After you have seen what is involved in each section of the front you should be in position to try Barbarossa or a full campaign.
Genosse
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:08 am

RE: So, where to start?

Post by Genosse »

Thanks Jwolf - I saw that thread but was wondering if:

A) it was the same as dlazov's 'Lost Tutorial' referenced in the 'Lost Tutorial Found' thread (sorry won't let me post links) which is apparently a pdf on the WitE wiki, which I believe is down right now, and

B) if it isn't the same, is it also available in pdf form, as referenced by Don here: "Please note that the PDF version of this complete with the graphical images is currently going through the play-testers proofing process (as of 12/20/2010. As soon as it is finalized we will find a way to get it to you. Don"
I think a pdf would be a little easier to follow.

Thanks, and if anyone can email me one/both of dlazov's strategy pdfs (if they exist) please let me know, that would be awesome!
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loki100
Posts: 11699
Joined: Sat Oct 20, 2012 12:38 pm
Location: Utlima Thule

RE: So, where to start?

Post by loki100 »

ORIGINAL: jwolf

I recommend the "Operation Boot Camp" which is the top sticky thread here in the War Room. It gives a play by play intro to the Road to Leningrad scenario. It's very well done and well worth your time IMHO. After you run through that, try the Road to L scenario on your own, and then I recommend Road to Moscow and Road to Dnepropetrovsk. That gives you one each of the Road to X scenarios, north center and south, each one lasting 17 turns which is the duration of the summer offensive before crummy weather arrives. After you have seen what is involved in each section of the front you should be in position to try Barbarossa or a full campaign.

Just to add to this, play one of the various Moscow scenarios (either the short one with the base game or the longer, and better, one with Lost Battles) before going on to a full campaign. It'll start to give you an idea what sustained adverse weather does to the game dynamics and some of the implications of the rules around the first winter to help simulate the Soviet offensive
swkuh
Posts: 1034
Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:10 pm

RE: So, where to start?

Post by swkuh »

Can't imagine the intellect needed to learn from the rule book & various change logs, game play is best teacher! (And, please report what was a surprise.)

Suggest you try a few moves in each major weather state, both sides. The expansion packs offer additional scenarios; worth it to keen players.

Most difficult to learn are the long term issues, such as air policies, production, support unit distribution, admin points management, and more. But these issues reflect players' preferences.

Welcome to the game.
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HITMAN202
Posts: 714
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2011 3:10 pm

RE: So, where to start?

Post by HITMAN202 »

rrbill, I can't agree more. I think the War Room's "A collection of the best WITE..." is the most insightful. Go to the post and select the dropbox. IMO it is by far the most practical and useable (not theoretical gunk.) Ketza has 2 great posts where he step by step demonstrates a good first turn Axis strategy. I hope to copy his approach in an AAR where as the Axis I'm playing the A-1 set on "hard", +1 defense, random weather and harsh blizzard. It's at turn 22, and I'm losing, but not to the extreme. I'm not afraid of being conquered by the "dumb A-1" (it's not so dumb), but the abuse I'll get from Sillyflower. He hits below the belt.

I'm an experienced player and enjoy playing the game 30 minutes to 1 hour a day. A quality PBEM or server game often requires more than 2 hours per turn. I applaud the diehards who post AAR's.

A few morsels for Noobies...

The strategies for maximizing and minimizing attrition are seldom discussed. For the Axis, attrition during non-blizzard is 3-4 times the combat casualties and sometimes more than ten times during '41 blizzard turns !! Each Axis division adjacent to a Soviet unit (even a measley armor brigade) at the end of a Soviet turn adds 50-70 bodies to the Axis attrition losses. So Axis forces should try to minimize (not avoid) units being adjacent to Soviet forces. But this is a generalization with many, many exceptions :) :) :)

Axis ground attack/ground support can be very complicated, but is best used (only IMO) against modified defense strengths under 100. Against stronger defense values, it's of little or no value (IMO.)
WITE is a good addiction with no cure.
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