The Miscellaneous PC & vidya Games Thread

[celedhring]

OMG Tiller Games released Serbia '14. I know I'd be quickly exhausted by the 90s UI and moving dozens if not hundreds of units around one by one, but it is CALLING TO ME.

You know my first thought was "what happened in Serbia in 2014"   

[Tamas]

OMG Tiller Games released Serbia '14. I know I'd be quickly exhausted by the 90s UI and moving dozens if not hundreds of units around one by one, but it is CALLING TO ME.

I've seen it, but I'm hesitant. I like their Panzer Campaigns engine for WW2 battles, but I feel it doesn't do all that well outside that time period. The Modern Campaigns games are still ok, but I couldn't get into France 14 or East Prussia 14. I may have to give them another try, though.

I have bought it, felt like the insane amount of research that has gone to it (available for free in the designer notes PDF on the site) deserved it.

But yeah I am not convinced. Smaller scenarios start with most troops alread engaged and that's a mighty slog of being a dozen hexes from an objective and having to dislodge the enemy from each one in bloody fights.

[Tamas]

OMG Tiller Games released Serbia '14. I know I'd be quickly exhausted by the 90s UI and moving dozens if not hundreds of units around one by one, but it is CALLING TO ME.

You know my first thought was "what happened in Serbia in 2014"   

[Syt]

OMG Tiller Games released Serbia '14. I know I'd be quickly exhausted by the 90s UI and moving dozens if not hundreds of units around one by one, but it is CALLING TO ME.

I've seen it, but I'm hesitant. I like their Panzer Campaigns engine for WW2 battles, but I feel it doesn't do all that well outside that time period. The Modern Campaigns games are still ok, but I couldn't get into France 14 or East Prussia 14. I may have to give them another try, though.

I have bought it, felt like the insane amount of research that has gone to it (available for free in the designer notes PDF on the site) deserved it.

But yeah I am not convinced. Smaller scenarios start with most troops alread engaged and that's a mighty slog of being a dozen hexes from an objective and having to dislodge the enemy from each one in bloody fights.

I think my biggest gripe was the handling of MGs. They have a range of 2 hexes, but they require a setup turn and clear line of sight which makes using them a huge pain in the ass when on the offensive.

[Josquius]

Soooo Mount and Blade 2 is in early access.

I've too much to play now so shall hold off.
But. Yay.

[Syt]

I think my biggest gripe was the handling of MGs. They have a range of 2 hexes, but they require a setup turn and clear line of sight which makes using them a huge pain in the ass when on the offensive.

I started an East Prussia 14 scenario yesterday. I had forgotten about the two types of artillery - the one that you can fire immediately, and the one that requires one turn to plot before firing. And yeah, re: the MGs: you start with a few MGs in movement mode, but out of range of enemies. So I move them one hex, click deploy ... oops, not enough action points. So you have to move it (1 turn), set it up (1 turn), and then can fire. By which point your own infantry is probably in the way, or have shuffled their feet waiting for the MGs to set up. It's very much the same how artillery moves in Panzer Campaign games, and it seems a bit exaggerated for MG units.

[Syt]

New ACW game:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1241910/Victory_and_Glory_The_American_Civil_War/

Developer: Forced March Games, Electric Games
Publisher: Lock 'n Load Publishing

The War of Brother Against Brother

Victory and Glory: The American Civil War is a game of grand strategy and fast-play tactical battles where you take the role of either the Union or the Confederates and attempt to win. You will move your armies, fight great battles, recruit new troops, and conquer cities. The AI will control either the Confederacy or the Union forces in this great conflict!

Game Features
- Re-fight the entire American Civil War!
- Play either side: Union or Confederacy
- Many specialized unit types that cover everything on land and water:
- Rifles: smoothbore, rifled muskets, even repeating rifles, two types of artillery
- ironclads, wooden warships, blockade runners, and river gunboats.
- Almost 100 unique 'Event Cards' with artwork by Keith Rocco.
- Each card implements special unit upgrades, advantages in battle, new recruits, historical events, or political events that can affect the struggle between North and South.
- Land Battles can be resolved automatically, or with a more detailed tactical battle system.
- Simple resolution for naval battles, gunboat attacks, and bombardment of port defenses.
- Never plays the same way twice. Infinitely re-playable.
- Solo play against a very challenging AI.

Several Settings:
- 1861: fight as the Union or the Confederacy under historical conditions.
- Alternate scenarios for the Union or the Confederacy including several 'what ifs'
- Multiple levels of difficulty,
1). Play the Union against the Confederacy with border states of Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland as independent regions between the two sides. (Washington D.C. is the Union capital and forms an exception to the border-state status).
2). Play the Confederacy against the Union with border states of Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland as independent regions between the two sides. (Washington D.C. is the Union capital and forms an exception to the border-state status).
3). Play the Union against an expanded Confederacy with the states of Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland having seceded and joined the Confederacy. This is an "alternate history" scenario, with the U.S. capital moved to New York City.
4). Play an expanded Confederacy against the Union with the states of Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland having seceded and joined the Confederacy. This is an "alternate history" scenario, with the U.S. capital moved to New York City.

[Tamas]

Yes I agree the machine guns are extremely fiddly.

[Tamas]

Seems like a sequel of the Napoelonic game. I really like the developer (worked with him on the napoleonic game) but I really don't like the publisher.

[Syt]

Seems like a sequel of the Napoelonic game. I really like the developer (worked with him on the napoleonic game) but I really don't like the publisher.

I had forgotten about that one. I wanted to like it, but I never could wrap my head around army organization/movement and battles. Which is kinda crucial for a Napoleonics game.

[Solmyr]

Soooo Mount and Blade 2 is in early access.

I've too much to play now so shall hold off.
But. Yay.

According to a friend, it doesn't look like it's been in making for ten years. And for single-player at least, right now Warband with mods is better.

[Syt]

This one snuck in under radar: https://www.gog.com/game/fields_of_glory

Old Microprose's Fields of Glory. I used to spend a lot of time with that game, though I never fully understood its workings (a common theme for me and wargames).

[The Brain]

I played FoG back in the day. I liked it, but IIRC the artillery charges were annoying.

[Tamas]

I think that was the first computer wargame I played, although I did not know there were such things as wargames at the time.

[Tamas]

I am slowly getting into Serbia '14 I think.

I am playing the "condensed" version of the 1st invasion, so its a fairly large scenario that kicks off just as the battle for Mount Cer starts to unfold. Playing as A-H, obviously. It is interesting, as on and north of Cer, I am trying to form a defensive line to contain the Serbs with units that are in desperate shape already (would be even harder if the AI wasn't timid, while south of it I am on the attack, trying to advance to relieve pressure.