Second Front (by MicroProse)

[Skybird]

Currently downloading, its out since a few hours.


Trailer:


15 minutes of whats in the game and editor and workshop. Options look fantastic.

[Skybird]

Background on the developer and idea: 20 years from idea to technical realisation






00:05:00:

Q: "Person playing this game can use these objects to block a player's movement along the map. What other ideas or strategies could they also employ to make it difficult for the opposition player to get a foothold in the game?"
A: "Being an American is a good strategy."

[Skybird]

Download the manual from here:

https://cdn.akamai.steamstatic.com/s...f?t=1675156504


And on page 51 it reveals that artillery called in by radio, and air raids may not be available right now, but are planned to be put in in a future version update.

[Skybird]

This is an awesome package. Round and polished around the edges, intuitive controls, nice graphics, superb gameplay, superb editor, user-made missions downloadable and de-downloadable from within the game with just one button press, and plenty of cosim typical "simulation" stuff very obviously working under the hood. Many small tutorials for every nation, separating the training of various aspects of infantry and tank-based combat. Even the pdf manual they have done in a slighty different and unique way, and its quite extensive, thogh evry easily accessible.

One needs to be deaf and blind to not realise that this project truly is a work of true love. I'm hyped, so far the game lives up to the high expectations I had.

They also say, write that they plan for the long haul and that addons with content including more nations and battlefields are coming: they mention jungle and desert, which to me translates into: British and Japanese troops coming (so far it is Germans, Americans, Russians). Air support and radio-controlled artillery strikes will come, too.

The visual presentation simply is homogenous, in German we would say: "aus einem Guss". I like it, and it does not come at the cost of missing information . Tables and numbers stuff is internally calculated of course - but the player must not bother with it, can simply let it work for him.

Recommended! If you like tactical wargames, you will LOVE this game, it ties all the lose ends, it poishes all the right buttons and it all fits together very well, and in a well-done manner, it shows that the author of the game played cosims himself for all his life. It reminds me of famous tabletop cosims like Advanced Squad Leader, Close Combat and Silver Star cosims. Just much more accessible. Biggest map size is 50x50 hexes. Units are individual officers and specialist fighters , squads (6-12 soldiers), MG and mortar crews, and individual vehicles. The car park is HUGE, the technical specs of every tanks and vehicle again presented in a very accessible fashion. In the way they did the design of this system, they did an awesome lot of things right and made many very correct decisions.

The game comes with around 48 onboard single missions, 5 campaigns, and already half a hundred user-made missions plus some campaigns are easily downloadable from Steam Workshop, from within the game, I assume it were Beta testers for the most who designed these. The editor is easy to use, very powerful, the intgeraiton of the Steam Workshop into the game makes it easy to access user content (you click one button from the game main menu, you chose, you click another button, and the mission is loaded), so I would expect the community to produce a growing stream of content.

Currently and until Februiary 7th, a price discount is given: 29 instead of 34 Euros.


Text review:
https://hexedandcountered.com/second...c-game-review/


And the text-associated in-depth video review, 1 hour:

[Skybird]

Random find: a photo of Advanced Squad Leader (ASL). Both maps are the same.

[mapuc]

WOW talking about taking a board game up to a higher level

Markus

[Skybird]

The developer listens and has released a couple of small hotfixes, also unlocked all missions. More stuff coming.



This video illustates a couple of small detials and tips that nevertheless should be known, since they deal with things that are often used. I am surprised in Stema forums how many people obviously do not mind to read the manual, it is extensive both on gameplay, and editors.



I like the game very much, the mix of carboard cosim and miniature wargame is almost ingenous. It snot poerfect, but will apraoch that level over time, it has already been indicated that many things can change, can be added.



There was debate on to what degree this is Advanced Squad Leader. I say just two things on this.



First, ASL is a classic, it was very infuential and in its design did a lot of things very well, and also some things not so well: personally, I never got too warm with it and meanwhile have forgotten about it again, but thats taste. But it is no more the best of its type, many wargamers pointed out in those steam discussions. It should not be taken as the holy gospel of wargaming.



And second, Second front is not ASL, and ASL is not SF. Take SF as the standalone title that it is. It reminds of ASL, and obviously is influenced by it, is close to it - but it is not ASL, and thus it is not better or worse just depending on the level to which it copies ASL. Its two different games, and SF never claimed it wnated to be the PC-version of ASL.



Very good game. And nicely accessible.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by mapuc

WOW talking about taking a board game up to a higher level

Markus

Looks like all the advantages of the old Avalon Hill games without the disadvantage of dealing with people.


Looks interesting.

[Skybird]

Confirmed now: the armies of Britain, Canada, Australia and India will be content of the new DLC. Maps will look like this:













I think the Japanese will invade the game at some time, too.

[em2nought]

Thanks for all the info, I'm really interested in this one.

[Skybird]

And this is the developer speaking. The dev "team acutally is just one code,r one graphcis artist, and I think a third guy (or not, I am not certain).

Originally Posted by jo.bader on Steam Forum

Second Front by the numbers
Hey gents!
Second Front is a big game and we wanted to share with you some numbers and details that are a bit too detail-ish to be included in the front Steam Store Page.
Are you ready? Let’s go:

Scale: Size of Hex is about 28 meters
Terrain types: there are 23 different terrain types. Here they are: Clear, Woods, Stone Building, Wooden Building, Marsh, Ford, GraveYard, Orchard, Rocks, Brush, Grain, Plowed Field, Water, Debris, Birchs, Explosion crater, Beach, Wall, Hedge, Factory, Stream, Path, Road.
Buildings: there are approximately 149 different building types. Wagons, Locomotives, Bunkers, Windmills, Churchs, Factories.
Movement: there are five different ways to move in Second Front: Infantry, Tracked, Off-road-wheels. Truck, Halftracked (guns must be pushed or towed)


Vehicle Units: Units are divided into 6 categories: Tanks, Assault Guns, Halftracks, Armored cars, Trucks, Guns.
At the moment we have included 220 vehicles and guns across three nationalities (German, American, Russian); here is the breakdown:

31 German Tanks
24 German Assault Guns
19 German Halftracks
10 German Armored Cars
7 German Trucks
15 German Guns

24 American Tanks
2 American Assault Guns
9 American Halftracks
3 American Armored Cars
6 American Trucks
7 American Guns

26 Russian Tanks (2 americans land lease)
7 Russian Assault Guns
2 Russian Halftracks (2 americans land lease)
3 Russian Armored Cars
5 Russian Trucks
10 Russian Guns

Infantry units: Second Front has infantry units too, of course...
14 German Infantry Units
12 American Infantry Units
13 Russian Infantry Units
28 light and heavy MGs, Bazookas,Panzerschreck and Mortars for each Nation
+9 Leader for each faction

Last note about future plans: here are some ideas we have been toying with; nothing is confirmed though.
Desert
Jungle
Paratroopers
Day-night cycle
Motorcycles
Prisoners
Mines
Wind, Snow and Rain
Close Air Support
Artillery Strikes
and other Nations

[Skybird]

"Bully Beef and Biscuits", the first DLC for Second Front, is announced to be released "soon". Apparently it offers desert tiles that will be available to use even for non-customers of this DLC, and what by thew small icon of the release annuncement seems to be British or Commonwealth troops - which makes sense, considering the new map theme.

[Skybird]

Its here. Its free. Its very British.





How are the British Forces Different?


The British forces won’t cower in the face of the enemy, so they will be a tough opponent. The infantry forces also have an advantage when aiming.

When engaging against German forces you will need to keep in mind the advantages that they have in the field. They have assault engineers in some scenarios which can be the strongest infantry opponent in the game. In the later years of the war they also have an advantage when it comes to their 88mm and 75mm guns.

New Terrain Types and Decorations:


Terrain types in the desert are unique.

When it comes to flora, the scrub tree is different to those seen in the European theater, and Cacti that can pin you like wire.

Movement across the sand takes more movement points. There is also the element of sun blindness that should be taken into account in the early morning and later afternoon, which will impact your visibility.

Vehicles leave a dust trail two hexes behind them that can provide visibility cover for infantry units.

There are new desert buildings that are weaker than wooden buildings, but you will be able to gain access to the rooftops which are an ideal location to set up mortars.

Map creators will now be able to make new maps and scenarios set in the desert. This will include:
New Desert Terrain types
10 new desert buildings
24 new desert decorations