Battleground Europe (WWIIOL) worth it?

[Dowly]

A simple question; is it worth the monthly fee?

I've been following it's progress from pretty much the beginning, but never got around to subscribe, I'm looking to make a change to that. :hmm:

[Captain Vlad]

My experience with the game is very outdated, but I have played, and I'll happily offer my opinion.

When I was subscribed the game was very very strong in some points and very weak in others. On the good side, the vehicle and weapon modelling was exceptionally detailed and accurate (with some minor quibbles) and the variety of 'rarely seen in a game' units is awesome. On the bad, it could sometimes take quite a while to find bad guys to shoot at, and the learning curve was horrendous.

The best thing about it was that it really is a virtual battlefield. You're not gonna run into the edge of the zone, or find that you never get to shoot your tank's main gun at a target farther than 30 meters away. I've had gun duels with hostiles who were over a kilometer a way from me and drove my painfully slow Matilda for miles to return to base after the place I was defending was overrun.

I know they've added a lot since I played, aiming to get people into action quicker, and to put both sides in close proximity of each other. I don't know how well it's worked. I'd love to try it again, but my current connection won't allow it.

Final answer? Well, I probably have more singular 'never forget' moments from WWIIOnline than any other massively multiplayer game, so I have to recommend trying the free month, at least. On the other hand, I'm not sure whether it's appeal would stand up if their were other games like it.

If you wanna hear some war stories, btw....lemme know. I got plenty.

[Dowly]

Thanks Vlad. Doesnt come as an surprise that I'm gonna aim to the role of an fighter pilot. I've seen tons of vids of the huge airbattles and bomber formations, how common it is to see a big airbattle in WWIIOL? And overall, how is the player situation? Am I to except hundreds of players? Like you said, it is a real virtual battlefield and that's what fascinates me. I want to fly low in my 109, make a pass over convoy of friendly forces going towards the front and wave my wings to let them know we flyboys are there to support them.

Oh and yes, warstories are always welcome.

[Captain Vlad]

Originally Posted by Dowly

Doesnt come as an surprise that I'm gonna aim to the role of an fighter pilot. I've seen tons of vids of the huge airbattles and bomber formations, how common it is to see a big airbattle in WWIIOL?

The air action was what I was originally interested in, but my computer at the time wouldn't handle aerial warfare on that game too well. Ironically, now that it will, I can't play due to net stuff.

There were plenty of 'squadrons' at the time, and on their squad nights, you could see some pretty impressive aerial action. For a long time, it was strictly tac air, as there were no strategic targets to hit, but that changed when they introduced R&D and the factories it requires. A group outing to bomb an enemy factory into pebbles and charcoal was a fairly common thing after that, and naturally the other side wouldn't just let that happen. Bridges are destrucible now, too.

One thing I don't know if they've changed: When I was playing, there was no 'loadout' screen...for anything. You couldn't trade a couple grenades for more ammo...and you couldn't not carry the bombs that 'come standard' with a particular aircraft. Kind of a hassle to have to jettison your ordnance every time you take, say, a P-39 up, and also irritating that you a Bleinheim couldn't lug around something besides the 25-lb eggs that made up a good chunk of their loadout.

This was why the Allied flyboys got so happy when the P-39 was introduced (USA isn't in the game, btw, but they introduced US equipment as 'lend-lease' stuff for France since they had no post-41 stuff). A lot of the Allied planes had very small bombs, but the Bell had a nice, fat 500 or 1000 lber.

And overall, how is the player situation? Am I to except hundreds of players? Like you said, it is a real virtual battlefield and that's what fascinates me.

Right now, I don't know. Been too long since I played. Prime time, back in the day, you'd see all sorts of people. 4am, not so much, though there's always someone on, naturally.

I want to fly low in my 109, make a pass over convoy of friendly forces going towards the front and wave my wings to let them know we flyboys are there to support them.

I've had wings waggled at me for just that reason. I've also told a flyboy that couldn't see his target where a good place to drop his bombload would be. I've had German fighters chased away from my gunboat by the 'just in the nick of time' arrival of two French Hawk 75's. Etc.

Oh and yes, warstories are always welcome.

Excpect a PM.

[Overkill]

I was very disapointed in WWIIOL.

Red Orchestra only involves ground combat (infantry and armor) but it's much better and does not cost a monthly fee to play online. You can download it from Steam for around $20.

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Overkill

I was very disapointed in WWIIOL.

Red Orchestra only involves ground combat (infantry and armor) but it's much better and does not cost a monthly fee to play online. You can download it from Steam for around $20.

I have RO and didnt like it that much.

[Tikigod]

I really enjoy this game from the broad tactical perspective. My friends and I sign up from time to time to play for a month or two. The graphics and engine are dated but, the experience you get from the game is worth signing up at least once to try.

Best Features:
Huge Terrain and Map Scale - Although there aren't any sharp elevated mountains the terrain is very well designed and makes approaching cities, objectives, and finding enemy a fun challenge. You still have valleys and rolling terrain but, most are gradual.

Sound Behavior - direction and distance. The game really shows the importance of sound in combat. The dstances are so great between areas of conflict that you could be driving for miles without seeing or hearing any enemy. When driving armor etc. You find yourself consantly stopping and shutting down your engines just to listen for enemy movement.

Roles: Any of the classes you choose to enter the game with you can use for multiple roles. When flying you can spend time actually collecting useful intel of enemy positions and movements rather than just going out to kill enemy.

Objectives: The entire map is a linked resource point supply chain. As towns and forward bases are captured resource points are changed gradually (as the structures come back online for other team) and accordingly (based on the location and linked nearby towns/forward bases). So if you lose a major city to enemy you lose a good portion of production of the equipment you can spawn in with to fight enemy. So all objectives have an actual value (unlike most games). A great feature of this complexity is the length fo tiem it takes to attack and defend assets. There are so many times I have spent a Friday or Saturday night ro even a Weekend defending or trying to capture just one town. I have yet to see another game that allows you to join in progress throughout any given time to reenter an ongoing battle at this scale.

Damage Modeling: For as bad as the graphics are the damage modeling is pretty decent. Each unit has weak areas and is damaged according to where it is hit. Tracks get damaged, engines die, crews can get killed from weak or light armored areas, well placed shots can kill crew through turret openings, infantry die from headshots and vital areas or get wounded and bleed out in others.

No Healing or Repairs: If your vehicle is damaged you pretty much sit and fight to death or you despawn. If you don't despawn at a base location you will not get credit for kills. So, the game does give people an incentive to live and not just rush in to die. Infantry are the same. Except with infantry if you are injured or bleeding otu you can have a friend rush you back to base to despawn for credit before you die.

Originally Posted by Dowly

A simple question; is it worth the monthly fee?

I've been following it's progress from pretty much the beginning, but never got around to subscribe, I'm looking to make a change to that. :hmm:

[Dowly]

There's a reason for the dated graphics. The game map is over 28,000 square KMs, no loading in between the different areas etc. Today's graphics would need a PC yet to be made to run the game.

But the graphics dont bug me at all, the atmosphere is just great along with the best teamwork I've seen in a long long time. At the time of writing this, I'm in a JU52 with my new squad, the 1stFJ on our way to relief our surrounded squadmates in a enemy city they jumped into.

I wouldn't mind resubbing, though I can only play in the dead of night or I lag out constantly.

Is there a Subsim squad going?

"Dowlies Death Divers" Perhaps?

[Dowly]

Originally Posted by Rilder

"Dowlies Death Divers" Perhaps?

:rotfl:

No, I'm with the 1stFJ squad atm, think I stay with them. Nice guys, really like to work as team, especially when paradropping.

[Captain Vlad]

Ya' know, I stopped playing before they introduced paras....

*quivers*

[Dowly]

Phew... finally the High Command gave us the permission to go in an capture Antwerp, the biggest city in the whole of Belgium. We had capped and pulled back from it the whole week, but last night we captured few towns around it making Antwerp worth capturing. What a fight it was. :p

July 15th

I spawned as sniper at the SE FB (our mobile spawn had been destroyed, didnt notice. DOH!) and got a lift from one of our Panzers moving in towards the Antwerp Airfield. Roughly 2 kilometers from the AF, I wished the Panzers good hunting and start slowly crawling my way towards the forest ahead, I was in open field at this point.

Few minutes later I started noticing muzzleflashes ~700-800 meters away in the treeline. I immediately stopped what I was doing and raised my scope on it, 3 shots and the threat was eliminated.

I continued creeping with my face on the mud towards my target. Five or so minutes later I reached railroad tracks that were coming from Antwerp and continued to the S, at this point I spotted an enemy anti-tank gun moving in the hedges few hundred meters to north. The bushes were obstructing my view, so I only could get a few lucky shots in and hope for the best, later on I learned I didnt hit, but one of our own ATGs had killed it.

Upon reaching the forest, I scanned the area ahead. More open ground and on the other side of it was the Airfield Armybase, my target. After 5 or 6 minutes of searching for possible threats, I moved on, as low as I could. Enemy planes were taking off and landing all the time, the war in the air seemed to be raging aswell. As usual, the Luftwaffe guys were either way over the city or absent.

I kept on crawling towards a pair of 2 story warehouse buildings (veh spawn) without encountering any enemies on the way. I couldnt believe it! The whole of airfield armybase was left undefended, stupid move from the allies.

When I got into the base, I rushed into the bunker, hoping there isnt a Bren waiting for me. Again, nothing. I captured the armybase and defended it until I was replaced with an MG soldier that came to help me. Shortly after our troops captured also the Airfield CP at the NW corner. I RTB'd with 1 kill and 1 capture.

[vodkaphile]

I'm a builder with a lifetime subscription so I pop in now and again.


After you play for a month, you'll get addicted. It is just very hard to learn.


Ace's High II is good as well for flight sim.

[Dowly]

Coolio! The life subscription thing would be awesome but a wee bit costy for me.

[Captain Vlad]

Hey Dowly, they ever change it to where you can actually use the sights on your SMG?