Looking for a good strategic game.. Ideas?sc

raymond6751 · 11-04-10, 03:41 PM

I have been game mastering a full recreation of WW2. November 15th we begin turn six, March 1940. Lots of war left. Multiplayer.

Just the thing for boredom.

Link in my signature.

Skybird · 11-07-10, 07:51 AM

Strategy? Grand Scale? Operational? Cold War? Red Storm Rising...?

---> Modern Campaigns: Danube '85

http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/product...nubeFront.html

Initially I was nerved by the interface a bit, some aspects of it. But I then used a mod for map and counters, and then colour-coded the counters myself - I now have learned to love it.

The big campaign game covers all of West-Germany, from Southern Denmark to mid-Austria, plus the relevant parts of the GDR, all of Berlin, parts of France, Netherlands. It is also ideal for solo-play (against yourself, if you want, like often old table-cosims were played by many), but there is also an AI opponent. Play-by-mail is possible, too. There are mods beefing up the balöancing and setup for the great campaign, making it all even more realistic. However, it is very time-consuming to handle the full campaign. Small, limited, local operations are avialable too, plus editors for OOBs, unit statistics, scenarios

Scaling: 1 hex=1 mile, 1 turn=3 hours, counters represent mostly companies, batallions, special units, headquarters, batteries. Certain units ( ATGM laucnhers) can come as 2-4 vehicle platoons/sections (German Jaguars f.e.).

Playing area (65000+ hexfields)

Other superb strategy games I would recommend (beside Chess, of course

) :
> Conquest of the Aegean (or the new Battle for the Bulge)
> Steel Panthers MBT or Steel Panthers WWII (free!)
> The Operational Art of War III (new extensive patch just released as functional Beta, changing the looks dramatically for the better).

Janus · 12-25-10, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

[...]

---> Modern Campaigns: Danube '85

http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/product...nubeFront.html

Initially I was nerved by the interface a bit, some aspects of it. But I then used a mod for map and counters, and then colour-coded the counters myself - I now have learned to love it.

I found this thread researching for Danube Front '85, couldn't find a demo for this game on HPS's site though. As far as I understood it the game is part of a whole series - is there a demo for a similar game available or at least a downloadable manual to get a feel for the game?

Does the game have a chain of command comparable to Airborne Assault series where the player can give orders to an HQ unit which will then process the order and task subordinate units to execute the assigned mission or is Danube Front '85 a micromanagement nightmare?
Oh, and will it work with Windows 7?

Raptor1 · 12-25-10, 04:58 PM

There's no demo that I know of any HPS game. You can download the documentation updates from their website and extract it anywhere to read the manual.

Chain of command comparable to Airborne Assault, definitely not (No game that I know has that besides, of course, the Airborne Assault games). You can issue formations an axis of advance and order the AI to take care of moving those formations, as well as firing and assaulting, but I can't comment on how well it does with it at the moment.

And it will work on Windows 7 just fine if you patch it.

Janus · 12-26-10, 06:46 AM

Okay, thanks.
Which of the three modern campaigns games - Fulda Gap, North German Plains, Danube Front - is the most comprehensive (stock scenarios, amount of user created content available)? In other words: which one should I get?

Raptor1 · 12-26-10, 06:54 AM

Well, I don't know about the number of stock and user created scenarios, since I only have Danube Front. I think Fulda Gap's scenarios were incorporated in North German Plain or are available to download as a free expansion, so that game might be obsolete. Danube Front is the only one that includes the complete campaign scenario (The entire Central Front from Austria to Denmark), so go with that if you want to play the grand campaign.

I've tested the AI orders thing some more and it seems it's only any good for automatically moving larger forces around and not useful for combat operations, I suppose that's what it was designed for anyway.

Janus · 12-26-10, 07:25 AM

Fast answer again

I'm going to get Danube Front now...

11-04-10, 03:41 PM	#1
raymond6751 Admirable Mike Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,338 Downloads: 421 Uploads: 0	Blow my own horn I have been game mastering a full recreation of WW2. November 15th we begin turn six, March 1940. Lots of war left. Multiplayer. Just the thing for boredom. Link in my signature. __________________ Game Designer: Close The Atlantic - World War Three https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/...orld-war-three

11-07-10, 07:51 AM	#2
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,705 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	Strategy? Grand Scale? Operational? Cold War? Red Storm Rising...? ---> Modern Campaigns: Danube '85 http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/product...nubeFront.html Initially I was nerved by the interface a bit, some aspects of it. But I then used a mod for map and counters, and then colour-coded the counters myself - I now have learned to love it. The big campaign game covers all of West-Germany, from Southern Denmark to mid-Austria, plus the relevant parts of the GDR, all of Berlin, parts of France, Netherlands. It is also ideal for solo-play (against yourself, if you want, like often old table-cosims were played by many), but there is also an AI opponent. Play-by-mail is possible, too. There are mods beefing up the balöancing and setup for the great campaign, making it all even more realistic. However, it is very time-consuming to handle the full campaign. Small, limited, local operations are avialable too, plus editors for OOBs, unit statistics, scenarios Scaling: 1 hex=1 mile, 1 turn=3 hours, counters represent mostly companies, batallions, special units, headquarters, batteries. Certain units ( ATGM laucnhers) can come as 2-4 vehicle platoons/sections (German Jaguars f.e.). Playing area (65000+ hexfields) Other superb strategy games I would recommend (beside Chess, of course ) : > Conquest of the Aegean (or the new Battle for the Bulge) > Steel Panthers MBT or Steel Panthers WWII (free!) > The Operational Art of War III (new extensive patch just released as functional Beta, changing the looks dramatically for the better). __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert. Last edited by Skybird; 11-07-10 at 10:35 AM.

12-25-10, 04:58 PM	#4
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	There's no demo that I know of any HPS game. You can download the documentation updates from their website and extract it anywhere to read the manual. Chain of command comparable to Airborne Assault, definitely not (No game that I know has that besides, of course, the Airborne Assault games). You can issue formations an axis of advance and order the AI to take care of moving those formations, as well as firing and assaulting, but I can't comment on how well it does with it at the moment. And it will work on Windows 7 just fine if you patch it. __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

12-26-10, 06:54 AM	#6
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	Well, I don't know about the number of stock and user created scenarios, since I only have Danube Front. I think Fulda Gap's scenarios were incorporated in North German Plain or are available to download as a free expansion, so that game might be obsolete. Danube Front is the only one that includes the complete campaign scenario (The entire Central Front from Austria to Denmark), so go with that if you want to play the grand campaign. I've tested the AI orders thing some more and it seems it's only any good for automatically moving larger forces around and not useful for combat operations, I suppose that's what it was designed for anyway. __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

12-26-10, 06:46 AM	#5
Janus XO Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 434 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Okay, thanks. Which of the three modern campaigns games - Fulda Gap, North German Plains, Danube Front - is the most comprehensive (stock scenarios, amount of user created content available)? In other words: which one should I get?

12-26-10, 07:25 AM	#7
Janus XO Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 434 Downloads: 25 Uploads: 0	Fast answer again I'm going to get Danube Front now...