Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Gamers can also use this forum to chat about any game related subject, news, rumours etc.

Moderator: maddog986

Post Reply
User avatar
warspite1
Posts: 41896
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:06 pm
Location: England

Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by warspite1 »

What is the general consensus?
Now Maitland, now's your time!

Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
elmo3
Posts: 5797
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2002 10:00 am

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by elmo3 »

Haven't played Warplan but I never liked the "whack-a-mole" naval design in Strategic Command. No idea if it was every improved as I quit playing a while ago.
We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. - George Bernard Shaw

WitE alpha/beta tester
Sanctus Reach beta tester
Desert War 1940-42 beta tester
User avatar
LarryP
Posts: 3300
Joined: Sat May 14, 2005 9:37 pm
Location: Carson City, NV

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by LarryP »

I've played both, SC series a lot more as it's been out forever. They are both real good. As far as reasons to choose one outside of personal preference, can't think of any. I personally favor WarPlan, I like the format of the entire game better. SC for me kind of chugs along at a boring rate after a while. However that's probably just me. I'm no help so I'm shutting up now... [>:]

Edit: I thought of a bit more. In the SC series you can choose scripts to alter the game play, and there are lots. It's quite configurable. You can turn events on or off.

Both games have great docs.

I never liked the production menus in SC, just too unfriendly for me. I also don't like the maps system in SC. Same reasons. Personal preferences though cause they work fine.
User avatar
Zovs
Posts: 8576
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:02 pm
Location: United States

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by Zovs »

My take is if choice is between the two then I'd pick Warplan.

I am slightly biased I did play test it.

Both have excellent developers that listen to their users and in Al's case (Warplan) he squashes bugs and adds features like there is no tomorrow.

Warplan is more like a board war game in some sense but its both an operational and strategic war game then SC. SC in my opinion is more like a grand strategic game. In it, you can manipulate Spain and or Turkey into the war. In Warplan its very much more difficult to do that.

Those are my thoughts and opinion.
Image
Beta Tester for: War in the East 1 & 2, WarPlan & WarPlan Pacific, Valor & Victory, Flashpoint Campaigns: Sudden Storm, Computer War In Europe 2
SPWW2 & SPMBT scenario creator
User avatar
MrsWargamer
Posts: 1653
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2014 4:04 pm

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by MrsWargamer »

I have to wonder which is more ideal as well.

I think I'd lean juuuuust a bit in favour of Warplan. I have both. Warplan looks a tiny bit more operational and less strategic.
Wargame, 05% of the time.
Play with Barbies 05% of the time.
Play with Legos 10% of the time.
Build models 20% of the time
Shopping 60% of the time.
Exlains why I buy em more than I play em.
User avatar
LarryP
Posts: 3300
Joined: Sat May 14, 2005 9:37 pm
Location: Carson City, NV

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by LarryP »

To be fair and honest (I'm definitely NOT a politician) I get in moods to where I play both. I have a long term game going with SC World War. I also play quicker games in Warplan.
Rosseau
Posts: 2931
Joined: Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:20 am

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by Rosseau »

I'd agree on Warplan edging out the SCII series, for the reasons already posted above. I can't speak about the multiplayer experience, though, but assume the OP is talking SP. Also, check the Warplan mod forum for more colorful counters if that matters to the OP.
James Taylor
Posts: 676
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2002 10:00 am
Location: Corpus Christi, Texas
Contact:

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by James Taylor »

That's right, WP is a quicker play, not as much micromanagement. That being said, SC has some nice features, diplomacy & research, that in my opinion are more interesting and impact game play.

I've played both since inception and still do, one is not better than the other, they're different and require a more varied strategic/operational approach. Its a wargamer's enhanced experience to have both available.
SeaMonkey
User avatar
warspite1
Posts: 41896
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:06 pm
Location: England

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by warspite1 »

Thanks for the replies. I bought Warplan today and must say I was struck immediately by the 'look' of the game and the zoom levels. For me and my eyesight this is most welcome.

I don't know when I'll get around to Warplan at present as I've got two SC WaW on the go and I want to play more games of this first. I must say I am enjoying SC immensely - even though I'm getting my butt roundly handed to me [:D]

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4927786

https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.a ... e=5�
Now Maitland, now's your time!

Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
User avatar
Fred98
Posts: 4019
Joined: Fri Jan 05, 2001 10:00 am
Location: Wollondilly, Sydney

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by Fred98 »

Warplan. Its a wargame. Strategic Command is silly.
User avatar
LarryP
Posts: 3300
Joined: Sat May 14, 2005 9:37 pm
Location: Carson City, NV

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by LarryP »

ORIGINAL: Fred98

Warplan. Its a wargame. Strategic Command is silly.

Must be me feeling silly when I play it then. [:D]
User avatar
uncc
Posts: 441
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2002 7:20 am
Location: Virginia, USA

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by uncc »

I'm just gonna wait for Warplan Pacific.
It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once -- David Hume, Scottish philosopher (1711 - 1776)
User avatar
warspite1
Posts: 41896
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 1:06 pm
Location: England

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by warspite1 »

ORIGINAL: uncc

I'm just gonna wait for Warplan Pacific.
warspite1

Having played World In Flames, playing just the European war is a bit of a let down. I am enjoying SC WaW and hope I enjoy Warplan so that I can equally enjoy Warplan Pacific.
Now Maitland, now's your time!

Duke of Wellington to 1st Guards Brigade - Waterloo 18 June 1815
gamer78
Posts: 633
Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2011 5:33 am

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by gamer78 »

Strategic Command improved in every aspect over years but not naval warfare. That is mostly 1 or 0 result in pbem engagement in naval warfare. For the Pacific, Warplan Pacific has ideas that is already implemented in Europe war. They are both good games.
User avatar
LarryP
Posts: 3300
Joined: Sat May 14, 2005 9:37 pm
Location: Carson City, NV

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by LarryP »

ORIGINAL: uncc

I'm just gonna wait for Warplan Pacific.

I'm looking forward to this too! I remember playing Uncommon Valor by Matrix, great game in the Pacific. Pretty old now though.
User avatar
Elessar2
Posts: 1333
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2016 12:35 am

RE: Warplan or Strategic Command Europe

Post by Elessar2 »

I'm not sure what would be the optimal way to handle the naval aspect in a turn-based strategic game. All games that I've seen seem to fall underneath several design philosophies:

1. Sea Zones [WiF]. Both sides can move their ships into the same sea zone, and, after a bunch of die rolls, see what got sunk. [Or shot down in the case of any planes present] I've found this to be rather dissatisfying & inelegant, seeing as how it is so much subject to the random dice gods. [warspite1 can probably give you some nice stories on that topic]

2. One ship/stack/task force per sea space, sail around until you find the enemy, active player only can attack. [SC] Someone mentioned above how this is akin to whack-a-mole, and yeah. Here a huge advantage accrues to the active player, and the naval game may often devolve into both players waiting around until the other side reveals itself first, at which point the first player will try to pounce and get the first rounds of strikes in. In principle (given a sufficiently-sized map) this is more elegant, less subject to purely random factors, but aggravating if you are on the receiving end first.

Warplan seems to have a mix of features of both #1 & #2 [after perusing the manual just now]-lots of random search rolls, only the active side can attack apparently, tho the defending side can intercept. [Someone who is more familiar with it can correct and educate me here]

3. Wego [WitP], both players give their orders, computer then runs the turn and takes care of all combat automatically according to the rules & limits as well as the doctrines both players have assigned their forces. Leads to gamey ahistorical silliness like cap traps and is only as good as the AI in question (read: not always good, often counterintuitive if not infuriating even if you are fully cognizant of all of the little rules and exceptions). Also no longer technically turn-based by this point.

4. Tactical battlefields: both forces when determined to have engaged will shift to a smaller screen where the battle plays out, and they can give their forces specific orders. For large campaigns with tons of units may not be worth the huge time sink & micromanagement that would be involved. [Yes I know WitP has these, but without any active input from the players] For a pure turn-based game this may be the most satisfying & elegant, but as said can bog the game down.
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”