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We will do our upmost to cover in depth as much as possible. We shall be reviewing books, miniatures\\toy soldiers, MiniFigs and of course games, plus interviews, model making and AARs! \nQuote from a reader.. \"Your site is a much needed breath of fresh air, I absolutely love the spectrum of things you cover\/review. Keep up the great work. \""},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/-\/Matrix+Games?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/search\/label\/Matrix%20Games"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/-\/Matrix+Games\/-\/Matrix+Games?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=26\u0026max-results=25"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Mike Wall"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/00412103694827166164"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"42"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"25"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2708478846966155856"},"published":{"$t":"2021-01-22T18:39:00.002+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2021-01-22T18:39:30.827+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"battlefront"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Black Sea"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"combat mission"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Combat Mission: Black Sea"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-3J0NOIvIze4\/YAsYRg-wzTI\/AAAAAAAABa0\/SpYRANXeCfQllsuMvR_geWg2jaBGu7WCACNcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"215\" data-original-width=\"460\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-3J0NOIvIze4\/YAsYRg-wzTI\/AAAAAAAABa0\/SpYRANXeCfQllsuMvR_geWg2jaBGu7WCACNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h300\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you hear a rumor that long time wargame developer Battlefront is making a modern Combat Mission module about the place where you live, you might want to look into taking an extended vacation. I say that because both of their titles set in our time were developed based on smoldering conflicts that soon after turned into serious real life wars. First in Syria with Shock Force, and then in Ukraine with Black Sea. The key difference in each game of course being the intervention of conventional NATO forces, which in both cases was at least within the realm of possibility. If you wanted to see just what a NATO intervention in Ukraine might have looked like, then you are in luck, because Combat Mission: Black Sea is here to provide that experience.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAlthough originally released back in 2014, Black Sea is now joining Shock Force 2 on Steam and the Matrix Store, as Battlefront continues their venture with Slitherine of bringing the Combat Mission series to the largest games platform around. I wrote my take on Shock Force 2 and to some extent the Combat Mission (CM) series as a whole\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/09\/combat-mission-shock-force-2.html\"\u003Ein an article a few months back.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Today I'll try to focus on what sets Black Sea apart and why you might want to add it to your collection.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-Z78SpAe9P1I\/YAsYfjBJT9I\/AAAAAAAABa4\/6rVNOi1dXV8PjCfOlPRk6TmI2BEpYu53QCNcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-Z78SpAe9P1I\/YAsYfjBJT9I\/AAAAAAAABa4\/6rVNOi1dXV8PjCfOlPRk6TmI2BEpYu53QCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs mentioned, Black Sea depicts the most modern conflict of any game in the Combat Mission series, a war in Ukraine involving a full on United States military intervention. That means peer-on-peer conflict with the best Russia has to offer, as well as scenarios involving the slightly less well equipped Ukrainian forces. This is a far cry from the mostly asymmetric\u0026nbsp;scenarios in Shock Force, where the highly trained and well equipped US and NATO troops faced a challenge only because they were asked to accomplish difficult objectives while taking minimal casualties. The enemy forces in that game usually varied in quality from militia rabbles to poorly motivated regular Syrian army units. One can also make a comparison to the WW2 settings of the other CM games. There, the forces are evenly matched in terms of quality most of the time, as they are here. However, as deadly as a WW2 battlefield could be, infantry firefights mostly involved bolt action rifles slinging only a moderate amount of lead around, and tanks could often shrug off a hit or three. Not so in Black Sea.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn Black Sea, everything on the battlefield is a glass cannon. Every unit is deadly when positioned correctly, and dead when not. Modern optics and thermal sites and other gizmos make any move in the open a potential death sentence. In this kind of highly lethal environment, information becomes king. If you can see the enemy first, you can eliminate him without risking your own units. Unmanned drones are present in many missions, providing you with intel about whatever part of the battlefield you task them to observe. If you can get eyes on, say, an enemy APC holding an intersection, you can then drop a burst of precision artillery rounds directly on it and open a gap in the opposing defense. The same can happen to your units just as easily.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-nUL-s6lrlMI\/YAsYkxlF1tI\/AAAAAAAABbA\/7_HaCxr84swRG5mrlyUHxPSNNqdeROWPgCNcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-nUL-s6lrlMI\/YAsYkxlF1tI\/AAAAAAAABbA\/7_HaCxr84swRG5mrlyUHxPSNNqdeROWPgCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn a way, playing a battle in Black Sea can feel like something of a game of chess. This isn't a WW2 situation where you hurl an entire infantry company or two into a slugfest over a village, then roll in some tanks to provide extra firepower, and maybe throw in an artillery strike over a general area. This is a game where you carefully position each asset you have to maximize its potential, and hope it isn't blown up in an instant by some unseen foe.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe assets you have in Black Sea include many of the same units we saw in Shock Force, but with new bells and whistles to reflect a conflict a decade further into the future. For the United States, we have Abrams tanks, Bradley's, and Stryker's of all models. The Russians have T-72's and T-90's and of course a smorgasbord\u0026nbsp;of BMP's, BTR's, and so on.\u0026nbsp;The differences between these vehicles in Black Sea vs Shock Force reflect the nitty gritty details that make Combat Mission games shine. Depending on the exact model in question, many of these vehicles have better optics than they had in Shock Force. Some also have\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Active_protection_system\"\u003EActive Protection Systems\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;which can destroy incoming anti-tank rockets, giving these vehicles a fighting chance on the modern battlefield. Being aware of whether your vehicles\u0026nbsp;are equipped with one of these systems or not is essential to forming a successful plan. Another easily overlooked difference from Shock Force is how the playing field has been leveled during night combat. In Shock Force, the Western forces ruled the night with their night vision equipped vehicles and infantry. Now everybody has some kind of night vision capabilities, although quality still varies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-wtonXyzvUKI\/YAsYs2QEQxI\/AAAAAAAABbE\/tIb5JBDxV9UR84Myo6788LR_T9pcD252QCNcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-wtonXyzvUKI\/YAsYs2QEQxI\/AAAAAAAABbE\/tIb5JBDxV9UR84Myo6788LR_T9pcD252QCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFor better and ill, Black Sea is also still a very similar game to Shock Force and the other CM titles. The interface is exactly the same, which may be frustrating for some, but cozy enough for those already acclimated to it. Quick Battles against the AI are even more underwhelming here than in the WW2 titles, as the generic moves the AI makes in this mode tend to get their units wiped out. Performance with the engine continues to be a mixed bag. While it remains impressive that Battlefront can model a 1:1 battlefield with such exacting detail and at a realistic scope, the engine is just barely up to the task. The framerate can wildly swing as you move the camera around in medium to large scenarios, no matter how powerful your PC might be. Continued updates to the engine have improved things over the years and also made the game look nicer, but at this point I think we would all love to see a jump to something completely new. Hopefully the partnership with Matrix and additional funds from Steam sales will get them there.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe base game comes with 21 stand alone scenarios as well as a campaign for each faction, plus a training campaign. This will keep you busy for a quite a while, as most scenarios are difficult regardless of which side you play, and the campaigns even more so as you must keep your units alive to fight in battle after battle. If you want even more Black Sea, there is also the Battle Pack which adds a new campaign for the Russians and US Forces, along with 6 more stand alone scenarios. For only $10 it's a good amount of content that will keep you busy for hours. There are also a couple dozen user made scenarios and at least one campaign available over at\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.thefewgoodmen.com\/tsd3\/category\/cm-black-sea\/\"\u003EThe Scenario Depot\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;that you can freely download.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-irT62DQJh7g\/YAsZLSEW-RI\/AAAAAAAABbY\/xBFI9VedFYQ7nSAStWZpNFp5aVgWG4aIwCNcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-irT62DQJh7g\/YAsZLSEW-RI\/AAAAAAAABbY\/xBFI9VedFYQ7nSAStWZpNFp5aVgWG4aIwCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you are already a huge fan of Combat Mission, then Black Sea is an easy recommendation. The shift to a very modern battlefield really does make the game feel fresh as you must adjust your tactics to the high-tech, high-lethality reality of a conventional war between two major powers. If you've been putting off the purchase because you didn't like Battlefront's DRM policies of the past and messing with manual patches, well, there's no excuse now. With the game now on Steam, you are only one click away from having the most up to date version of the game on any computer, any time you want it. If you are new to the series and unsure about which game to purchase, remember that Battlefront is great about providing demos for every game.\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.battlefront.com\/black-sea\/cmbs-base-game\/?tab=demo\"\u003EThe demo for Black Sea\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;includes a training scenario and two full scenarios from the game, more than enough to see what you are getting into.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECombat Mission: Black Sea is available on Steam, the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/combat-mission-black-sea\/pc\"\u003EMatrix Store\u003C\/a\u003E, and directly from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.battlefront.com\/black-sea\/\"\u003EBattlefront\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2708478846966155856\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2021\/01\/combat-mission-black-sea.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2708478846966155856"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2708478846966155856"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2021\/01\/combat-mission-black-sea.html","title":"Combat Mission: Black Sea"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-3J0NOIvIze4\/YAsYRg-wzTI\/AAAAAAAABa0\/SpYRANXeCfQllsuMvR_geWg2jaBGu7WCACNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w640-h300-c\/image.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8041504962706012729"},"published":{"$t":"2019-12-11T05:01:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-12-11T06:07:14.413+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Fury Software"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Strategic Command WWI"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"World War One"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WWI"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Strategic Command: World War I"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-lRXwYgYlN9k\/Xex9fmIyVSI\/AAAAAAAABGI\/_EWhIkeEzX0QUYWI5d0eAqUSyl1hpjDnQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/header.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"216\" data-original-width=\"460\" height=\"298\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-lRXwYgYlN9k\/Xex9fmIyVSI\/AAAAAAAABGI\/_EWhIkeEzX0QUYWI5d0eAqUSyl1hpjDnQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/header.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOutside, the leaves have turned and begun to fall in droves, Christmas nears and that familiar music is in the air. On my computer screen, I can only feel pity towards the counters representing hundreds of thousands of soldiers as I begin turn one of the campaign. They think they'll be home for the holidays, but I know there is only a long and difficult war ahead.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EStrategic Command: World War I from Fury Software is the studio's second stab at the Great War. I enjoyed the original game\u0026nbsp; quite a bit a few years back, and the game has only been refined further since then. The most fundamental change that fans of the older game will notice right away is that the square grid is gone, replaced with more traditional hexes. Also, the game is much nicer to look at without a doubt. Beyond the visuals, the gameplay will be very familiar to fans of the series, to the point that you can jump in and play without bothering to check the manual.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-yyCVYTm3AS4\/XfCE3hMGLXI\/AAAAAAAABHg\/MSfKGkMZP2EuSgTksrSjVa03Vq6C3F3XwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SCb.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"768\" data-original-width=\"1366\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-yyCVYTm3AS4\/XfCE3hMGLXI\/AAAAAAAABHg\/MSfKGkMZP2EuSgTksrSjVa03Vq6C3F3XwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SCb.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFor those approaching the series for the first time, here's a look at how the game handles. Strategic Command WW1 (SCWW1) is a grand strategy turn based game where you take on the role of leading either the Entente or the Central Powers in WWI. Unit density is kept to a minimum by using a corps as the standard unit size for infantry. Aircraft, artillery, and HQ units are around as well, but never in great numbers. On the sea things flip the other way, with individual ships each having their own, very valuable counter. The combat is, at a glance, similar to Panzer General and the like, with unit health being represented by a scale from 1-10, and the average combat knocking off 1-3 points from that total. Things aren't quite that simple though, as morale, supply, terrain, entrenchment, and more factors come into play to determine the odds. Still, the game keeps things simple, and it is a great place for less experienced wargamers to dip their toes into the deep end of the pool.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3ouQhx1xRUU\/XfB2v3W39VI\/AAAAAAAABGs\/a_n0eInKFTA2sYxsrGlOrt1k9w5PBFJuwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SC%2B1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3ouQhx1xRUU\/XfB2v3W39VI\/AAAAAAAABGs\/a_n0eInKFTA2sYxsrGlOrt1k9w5PBFJuwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SC%2B1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs someone who likes to fancy myself a hardcore wargamer, but in reality never finds the time for the real monsters, the Strategic Command series is a perfect fit. SCWWI is no exception to that rule. The reason I enjoy the games so much is because they are just complicated enough to make you think hard about decisions, while keeping each aspect of the game simple enough that you can easily pick up and play a few turns a day without any need to consult the manual or go hunting for answers on the forums. I say that in terms of the mechanics of playing the game. When it comes to the actual strategy, well, I can always use a little more help. SCWWI actually delivers on that need right out of the box.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBesides a manual describing how to control the game, there is also a lengthy strategy guide included for the full campaign. It goes over all of the quirks of the gameplay which are not readily apparent to the new player. Things like decision events, partisans, naval blockades, and how certain specific actions you might take will influence the game. Besides that, the guide includes broad strategies for each side, and specific tips for each individual nation. Skimming through this document is a good idea before you embark on the full campaign, since SCWWI, like the other SC games, contains a lot of scripted events that will fire on specific turns or under certain conditions. All of these events are listed in the strategy guide, with information about when they will fire and what the possible outcomes of each decisions will be.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-vW00OwU75x4\/XfCE4E4wghI\/AAAAAAAABHk\/r8wR-pR3H3MznPQYC5ce87xLvE-Q1T_xQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SCA.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"768\" data-original-width=\"1366\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-vW00OwU75x4\/XfCE4E4wghI\/AAAAAAAABHk\/r8wR-pR3H3MznPQYC5ce87xLvE-Q1T_xQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SCA.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThese events can be very powerful and important, sometimes giving you special new units, or allowing you to take a unique action that is otherwise unavailable. You can opt to take the historical path in each of these decisions, but you can also explore the \"what-if\" of an alternate choice. Many of these events can also have randomized outcomes, so history may take a different path even if you make the historical choice. For example, the Zimmerman telegraph just might work this time around, drawing Mexico into the war. Unlikely, but you never know! Some people might feel that this approach can railroad the game a bit, but I appreciate how it is used to handle things that happened historically, but would be difficult to replicate organically through game mechanics.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBesides all of the combat occurring\u0026nbsp;on the map, the player will also need to concern themselves with managing diplomacy, production, and research. All of these areas share one pool of resources (MPPs), and that same resource is also needed to repair damage to existing units, and to use railroads to move units great distances. This means you'll need to be very judicious in how you spend those precious points. Choosing to build a very expensive unit like a battleship, which will take many turns to complete, is not just a simple choice, but something you are actively building your entire campaign strategy around. Other long term decisions like influencing other nations to join your side, or focusing on aerial warfare over submarine warfare, are likewise not choices to be made lightly. No matter what you choose to do, your opponent will put up a stiff fight, and only by matching your choices with an effective strategy will you prevail.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nZDsrhm83Xc\/XfB2w7lDZrI\/AAAAAAAABGw\/eg4k-AtaTakIsNNd_LpmB7_mp_ahqWxBgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SC%2B2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nZDsrhm83Xc\/XfB2w7lDZrI\/AAAAAAAABGw\/eg4k-AtaTakIsNNd_LpmB7_mp_ahqWxBgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SC%2B2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile the AI is prone to make the occasional odd move, and leaves itself open to attack from time to time, it will mostly put up a good fight. If you find the default settings too easy, it's possible to gradually turn up the difficulty, putting yourself at a disadvantage, though this won't necessarily make the AI play any smarter.\u0026nbsp; To get the ultimate challenge, you'll need to go online and find a human opponent. Although I didn't use the online function while preparing this review, it uses the same PBEM++ system as most Matrix\/Slitherine turn based games. Using this system you can play asynchronously, completing a turn and coming back later when your opponent has played their turn. It might take quite a while to play a full campaign against another player, but I imagine it would be a thrilling experience. If you want to try a shorter match, there is a scenario included which begins the campaign in 1917, with the end nearing, but much tough fighting still to be done.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bUQLCA7iHYU\/XfCE3v1lfAI\/AAAAAAAABHc\/x2XidT9KYTo6WR3twhMAHfoDcuQUdkV9wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SCc.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"768\" data-original-width=\"1366\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bUQLCA7iHYU\/XfCE3v1lfAI\/AAAAAAAABHc\/x2XidT9KYTo6WR3twhMAHfoDcuQUdkV9wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SCc.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOverall, I have no real complaints about the game, though there are a few areas where improvements could be made. Naval combat continues to be the weak point of the series, as it is difficult to portray those battles on the same map and scale as the land combat. Some abstractions are forced upon the game due to the question of scale, such as ships entering specific zones in order to be teleported across particular areas.\u0026nbsp; Naval blockades involve parking units on specific hexes, which works but always feels a bit odd. The other main complaint I have is the lack of alternate scenarios. Only three scenarios total are included in the game, the full 1914 start, an alternate version where Italy switches sides, and the 1917 start. I don't recall if the original base game had many extra scenarios, but I really enjoyed all of the smaller scenarios included in the Breakthrough expansion. I was hoping to see some of those reappear here, but no luck. Perhaps they will come along in a DLC at some point.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EStrategic Command: World War I is a solid entry into the series, and I can very comfortably recommend it to anyone who has enjoy the series before, and anyone looking for a good WWI strategy experience. I think Strategic Command strikes a near perfect balance between depth and fun.\u0026nbsp; Few other games can give you so many details and potential strategies to explore, while remaining mechanically simple enough that anyone could sit down and learn all of the mechanics in under ten minutes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EStrategic Command: World War I is available\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/strategic-command-world-war-i\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Matrix Games\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and on Steam.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8041504962706012729\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/12\/strategic-command-world-war-i.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8041504962706012729"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8041504962706012729"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/12\/strategic-command-world-war-i.html","title":"Strategic Command: World War I"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-lRXwYgYlN9k\/Xex9fmIyVSI\/AAAAAAAABGI\/_EWhIkeEzX0QUYWI5d0eAqUSyl1hpjDnQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/header.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-7360909750057623115"},"published":{"$t":"2019-11-23T06:02:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-11-23T06:05:01.977+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Command Modern Air\/Naval Combat"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Command Modern Operations"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warfare Sims"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Command: Modern Operations"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XkgNiSB_pQA\/XdjAF8GOg2I\/AAAAAAAABDc\/-RmlPissNPYN7LIPf15d8eDx5MAvWhobACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"216\" data-original-width=\"460\" height=\"298\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XkgNiSB_pQA\/XdjAF8GOg2I\/AAAAAAAABDc\/-RmlPissNPYN7LIPf15d8eDx5MAvWhobACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECommand: Modern Air\/Naval Operations (CMANO) was released a full six years ago, and has since received endless patches and updates, as well as several DLC campaigns and stand alone scenarios. If you are unfamiliar with the game, I'll briefly describe it, but my primary purpose today is to discuss the upgrade to Command: Modern Operations\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E(CMO)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E. In short, CMANO is perhaps the ultimate sandbox for air and naval combat simulation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWell, if you don't mind that simulation taking the form, visually, of a map covered in simple icons, lines, and rings. It's what all those simple icons, lines, and rings represent that makes the game so fascinating. Essentially, every single aircraft, ship, submarine, and related weapon that has existed since the end of WW2 on up to the present day, and even a bit into the future, is realistically represented within the game. It's all there in a Wikipedia style database that has more specs and stats than you can possibly ever need. Between the official and community made scenarios, there are somewhere north of 600 scenarios on offer, and a powerful editor that you can use to whip up something of your own design. These scenarios depict some hypothetical and utterly fictional situations, but many recreate historical battles and events with a high level of detail.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KbrnTVq20Ig\/Xdi_-yKg5OI\/AAAAAAAABDY\/gk4LGlgCQFY1Vwi5MlbkTnLumOI_E66rACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/CMO%2B5.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"656\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"262\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-KbrnTVq20Ig\/Xdi_-yKg5OI\/AAAAAAAABDY\/gk4LGlgCQFY1Vwi5MlbkTnLumOI_E66rACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/CMO%2B5.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAlthough the graphics might be simple at a glance, the simulation is doing some serious work behind the scenes. Weapons only function within their real design parameters, aircraft burn fuel at variable rates depending on their speed and payload, the thermal layer and other underwater phenomenon are fully taken into account, and, most importantly of all, real world tactics and strategies are the order of the day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile some scenarios are straight forward affairs, many depict actions taking place over multiple days or across hundreds of miles, where you will need to take into consideration things like patrols, reconnaissance, SEAD strikes, mid-air refueling, changes in day\/night, and the rotation of aircraft back to base for rearming and refueling. Many of the nitty-gritty details can be handled by the AI automatically; you just create missions and then assign units to them. However, if you really want to micromanage things, you can go in and manually direct the firing of individual weapons at specific targets.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFor some missions, like attacking particular buildings in an enemy base, you'll want to get in there and assign targets yourself. For other needs, like flying a CAP around the fleet, simply creating an appropriate mission and assigning the correct squadron to it will be all you need to do. How will you know which squadron is the correct squadron? Well, if you don't know your F-22's from your F-18's, or even if you do, you'll want to poke around in the in-game wiki a bit. Keeping Google open in the background might be a good idea as well. Needless to say, this is a game that will require some effort on the part of the player, but will reward you with an incredibly\u0026nbsp;deep and varied experience.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mYPaqTINetc\/Xdi_3EOThkI\/AAAAAAAABDM\/Glloug1umuc5Fz3BT1aMAv_O3fRSyD8VQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/CMO%2B1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"654\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mYPaqTINetc\/Xdi_3EOThkI\/AAAAAAAABDM\/Glloug1umuc5Fz3BT1aMAv_O3fRSyD8VQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/CMO%2B1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENow, after much anticipation, the next iteration of the epic combat simulator is here in the form of Command: Modern Operations. This new version of the game completely replaces CMANO, but also comes with a price tag. This will lead many out there to wonder, is this worth the upgrade price? Alternatively, if you never pulled the trigger on the older version, is now the time to jump in? Read on to see what is new and improved.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFirst up I will direct you to the official \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/CMANO-CMO-FAQ\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECMANO-\u0026gt;CMO FAQ\u003C\/a\u003E, which should answer a few questions you might have. Essentially, if you already own CMANO, you can upgrade to CMO for $40 for a limited time. While that is a considerable fee for an engine upgrade, one must consider that CMANO received non-stop updates for the past 6 years, and we can expect that same level of support for CMO going forward. Any extra content you might have purchased transfers over to CMO, and of course the absolutely massive trove of community built scenarios will still work in CMO. Just to give you an idea of how dedicated the fans are, and how easy the mission editor is to use, I'll point out that there are 476 scenarios in the official community pack, and that number steadily grows. Good luck ever playing all of them!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI was a bit disappointed\u0026nbsp;to see that the previously stand-alone campaigns, like Northern Fury, will no longer be available to purchase as separate mini-versions of the game, but only as DLC within CMO. I thought that was a great way to let people dip their toes into the Command world.\u0026nbsp; New players will now have to bite the bullet and drop $80 on the full game, or wait it out for a sale.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Pl-M1wRRqjM\/XdjGwPtBSfI\/AAAAAAAABD4\/TWR9MxtD20EdhkntazdxY26kawdXaY2jQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/CMO%2B6.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"655\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Pl-M1wRRqjM\/XdjGwPtBSfI\/AAAAAAAABD4\/TWR9MxtD20EdhkntazdxY26kawdXaY2jQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/CMO%2B6.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENow, what exactly are you getting if you do decide to upgrade to CMO? Let's run down the list of new features, and I'll comment on my experiences with them since getting my hands on the game.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENew User Interface\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECMANO veterans will immediately notice that the new UI is much easier on the eyes than that in the original game. The very generic and plain interface of the original has been restyled with a nice dark theme, some softer edges, and a splash of color. A new row of buttons along the top give you quick access to some of the most common commands and windows that you will need on a regular basis. Overall, the controls are the same as before, and you'll still be digging through menus at times, but this should ease new players into the game a bit better and give veterans a little quality of life upgrade. The bottom line is, the game now looks much more like a \"game\" and less like a piece of generic Windows software. For some players, this won't matter at all, but I very much liked the changes.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBesides looking different the UI now features a lot of new functionality. A much more useful message log now sorts messages into different categories to help you find what you are looking for, and hovering over an entry, for example \"Enemy fighter X destroyed by missile Y\" will now cause a text bubble to pop up on the map, showing exactly where that event occurred. Very useful in the case where you missed something important during a chaotic battle. Another nice update is that the pictures of various units and weapons are now automatically downloaded into the database as you pull them up. Previously, you had to go to the developer website and manually download a giant folder of images to stick in your game files. This doesn't really change the gameplay at all, but is certainly a better solution. Half the fun of the game is that you have access to ALL the toys from the past 70 years of warfare, you're gonna want to at least get a picture of what they look like.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ETacview 3D Integration\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESpeaking of visuals, one major change found in CMO is that you can now integrate it with Tacview 3D Advanced to get a simple 3D view of what's happening on the battlefield. It's important to note that this is a separate software purchase. You do get a nice discount if you own CMO, but it's still almost the price of a AAA release. On the upside, the software can also be used with flight simulators like DCS World, so you could get some additional utility out of it if you are so inclined. A luxury item no doubt, but a very cool feature. For all of its complexity and depth, CMO still involves a lot of staring at simple icons and lines on a map. Having an extra window showing the action in 3D should bring things to life in a more dynamic way. I do not own the software, so I can't give it a review, but here's a shot of what it adds to the game.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-QmABe_JNSLI\/Xdi_91MzEXI\/AAAAAAAABDQ\/HP9-Vb3yZG8i7GXFHY-ufxEfatM0VnfyQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/screen_5d6d076511335.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-QmABe_JNSLI\/Xdi_91MzEXI\/AAAAAAAABDQ\/HP9-Vb3yZG8i7GXFHY-ufxEfatM0VnfyQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/screen_5d6d076511335.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENew Map Layers\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EContinuing with the visual improvements, the game now includes some additional map layers that you can switch on and off as you please. Just as in CMANO, most of the time you will be looking at a Google Earth style globe that you can freely move around and zoom to wherever you desire. CMO adds a new higher resolution map where you can see right down to individual streets and groups of buildings. Unfortunately, I often had trouble getting the map to load as fast as one might hope for. Often, one \"chunk\" of the map would load in higher resolution, and then the areas around that chunk would stubbornly refuse to load in for a long time. I don't know if this was just due to my hard drive not being up to snuff, or an issue with the game engine. In the screenshot below, you can simultaneously see both the gorgeous high-res layer of the map, and imagine the frustration of sitting there waiting for the rest of it to load in.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-T3no3iAfUjU\/Xdi_2sLAwnI\/AAAAAAAABDI\/PE7XYl9Z3scEwwcXS_56cmh-gzvisRe2wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/CMO%2B3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"653\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"260\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-T3no3iAfUjU\/Xdi_2sLAwnI\/AAAAAAAABDI\/PE7XYl9Z3scEwwcXS_56cmh-gzvisRe2wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/CMO%2B3.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI also experienced another visual oddity where bits of two different layers seemed to bleed into each other at times. Hopefully a little more polish can resolve these issues. CMO also adds a few other layers that you can use if you prefer. One of these takes away the satellite imagery and replaces it with a cleaner, utilitarian style of map. I liked playing with this one on while operating in urban areas.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-hn66I9SdcpQ\/Xdi_-Uk0ACI\/AAAAAAAABDU\/EjVnpfDegsYRl5zKYuTiOtrKmmJvMX91gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/CMO%2B4.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"656\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"262\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-hn66I9SdcpQ\/Xdi_-Uk0ACI\/AAAAAAAABDU\/EjVnpfDegsYRl5zKYuTiOtrKmmJvMX91gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/CMO%2B4.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EImprovements to Ground Forces\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBesides looking nicer, the higher resolution\u0026nbsp;terrain visuals also connect with improvements to the actual gameplay. The terrain on the ground is now represented in a far more detailed manner. Hovering your mouse around the map will display information which now includes a specific\u0026nbsp;description of the terrain. Cropland, plains, mountains, jungles, urban areas, forests, swamps, and many more types of terrain are now modeled in the engine. While the description and the visual representation were not always exactly 1:1, it was shockingly close for a map modeling the entire world.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis is important because a long requested update to one area of the game has arrived: ground operations. Of course, given the title of \"Modern Air\/Naval Operations,\" the inclusion of detailed ground combat was never promised, but could only make the game that much more interesting. While mobile ground units are still not a central part of the game, and most scenarios don't have any at all, future scenario makers will now be able to create much more interesting conflicts using them. All of that new terrain information comes into play, along with detailed line-of-sight data. Before, it didn't really matter if you drove some tanks through a swamp, or hid your infantry in dense jungle. Now it matters a great deal. While the developers have made it very clear that they aren't aiming to reach the fidelity of something like Armored Brigade or Command Ops, this is still a pretty nice leap forward.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.warfaresims.com\/?p=4982\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ECheck out this Developer Diary for more details on the changes to Ground Ops\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EUnder The Hood\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBesides the updates to the UI and visuals, the engine itself has received a massive upgrade in terms of performance and modeling. Though I don't have any hard data, I can say with confidence that the game now runs along more smoothly than ever before, which is especially\u0026nbsp;noticeable\u0026nbsp;in the more complex scenarios. More specific updates include improvements to the aircraft\u0026nbsp;dogfighting AI, the flight model, and even the modeling of G-Force effects on air crews. Other improvements to air combat include radar frequency agility and explicit doppler-notching. Do I know what these terms mean? Absolutely not. But they are now part of the simulation. A little research reveals that these are some advanced air combat maneuvers, the inclusion of which show just how insanely detailed and researched this game really is.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EQuick Battle Generator\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis is a great idea, but the first iteration is a bit anemic. The idea is to allow the player to jump right into some action, without the context of a larger scenario to worry about. Air, sea, and underwater engagements can all be created in just a few clicks. Unfortunately, the options and results are very limited. Basically, no matter what settings you pick, it's just a small handful of roughly equivalent units run smack into each other and you see who wins. Spending a short time learning how to use the editor would allow you to whip up far more interesting engagements in just a few minutes. I appreciate the thought here, but I hope this feature will be updated to, perhaps, generate simple scenarios like attacking an enemy base with several squadrons of fighters.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOther Changes\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are just so many minor changes and updates to the game that I don't want to drone on describing every single one, so I'll just rattle off a few more here. If you want the exhaustive\u0026nbsp;list of changes,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.warfaresims.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ejust follow this link to the developer's page\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and start scrolling. There is a lot to read about!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EExpanded Tutorials\u003C\/b\u003E - Self explanatory, but certainly this game needs all the tutorials it can get. Once you know how to create missions and get units into action, the game really isn't that hard to control, but getting over that initial hump can be intimidating.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EChains of War Features\u003C\/b\u003E - The DLC campaign \"Chains of War\" had several features not included in the base game (loading\/unloading cargo and amphibious\u0026nbsp;forces, electronic\/cyberwarfare, detailed aircraft damage modeling, and some high tech toys). All of that is now baked into the base game, and can be used by anyone for their own scenarios.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ERealistic Submarine Communications\u003C\/b\u003E - A cool new optional setting. Just as in real life, submarines that go deep underwater can no longer be easily tracked or communicated with, even by allied units. You won't even be able to see their exact location on the map, so you better think twice before assigning a mission. Just as in the real world, an ELF signal can be sent to request they come back to the surface to re-establish communications.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-pN5M45Ggvjw\/XdjHJHKkegI\/AAAAAAAABEA\/Pa5m9hpv6AIPABUr7N-cy1iPLF3L43w0ACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/CMO%2B7.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-pN5M45Ggvjw\/XdjHJHKkegI\/AAAAAAAABEA\/Pa5m9hpv6AIPABUr7N-cy1iPLF3L43w0ACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/CMO%2B7.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis covers many of the changes found in CMO, but definitely not everything. I'm probably underselling a lot of the changes in how the simulation is modeled, since I'm not enough of expert on what is being depicted to tell you just how accurately things were being modeled to begin with. What I can tell you, is that CMO takes what was already a great system, and makes it several notches better. There is simply nothing else out there like it. It's game where you can convincingly simulate a naval battle from 1950, an air-to-air combat in 1967, and a submarine duel in 1985 all within one unified system.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you already own CMANO and didn't care for it, well, CMO probably won't change your opinion. It's a hefty update, but it doesn't fundamentally change the game in any way. If you loved CMANO and play it all the time, it's a must have. All new updates and content going forward will require CMO, and based on the past six years, we can expect there to be plenty more of both. If you never took the plunge but were curious, the release of CMO is a great time to jump in. Yes, the price is significant, but you will get a one of a kind experience with limitless content.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECommand Modern Operations is available\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/directly%20from%20matrix%20games\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Matrix Games\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and on Steam.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/7360909750057623115\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/11\/command-modern-operations.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7360909750057623115"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7360909750057623115"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/11\/command-modern-operations.html","title":"Command: Modern Operations"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XkgNiSB_pQA\/XdjAF8GOg2I\/AAAAAAAABDc\/-RmlPissNPYN7LIPf15d8eDx5MAvWhobACNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/product_landscape_image.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2734342421131421895"},"published":{"$t":"2019-10-27T18:45:00.000+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-27T18:45:21.733+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"European Theater"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Strategic"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WarPlan"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"World War II"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"WarPlan by Matrix Games"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWarPlan\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eby\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMatrix games\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-rKADk3lUO9E\/XbQt9fgkFkI\/AAAAAAAAE4g\/HFAQu1OlSEQmXGwRbRFIZmBLHdDxhmvawCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/product_portrait_image.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"800\" data-original-width=\"600\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-rKADk3lUO9E\/XbQt9fgkFkI\/AAAAAAAAE4g\/HFAQu1OlSEQmXGwRbRFIZmBLHdDxhmvawCLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/product_portrait_image.jpg\" width=\"480\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;WarPlan is a slight misnomer, although hopefully all countries and generals have them. They are almost always chucked out the window after the first contact between enemy forces. As Clausewitz wrote, \"Friction is the concept that differentiates actual war from war on paper\", and those surprises that make \"even the simplest thing difficult\". Though your plan for the next campaign might be completely sound, it is still at the mercy of the enemy, weather, and your own commanders etc. About the game's cover, why Rommel? Bradley is totally understandable as a general. However, looking at the scope of the game, maybe it should have been Marshall? There are so many choices for the Germans instead of Rommel. This game is a strategic and operational one of World War II in the European Theater. The first question is why? There are so many that have been done, and a few that are very good. Let us look at Matrix's blurb to see what you actually get on your computer screen:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"WarPlan is a game designed and coded by Alvaro Sousa, from Kraken Studios, creator of Strategic Command 2 products (Assault on Communism, Assault on Democracy, Brute Force, Strategic Command 3 Image Importer).\u003Cbr \/\u003EDeveloper Kraken Studios places their emphasis on games that are easy to use, hard to win. WarPlan employs one of the best interfaces to lower micromanagement as much as possible so players can focus on playing and thinking.\u003Cbr \/\u003ESCALES\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe game's scale is massive, covering 70 different potential countries, in a map large 30 miles \/ 50km per hex using a Peters map scaling (which better represents real distances). The land scale is 15k - 60k men, air scale is 300-400 aircraft and naval scale is 2 capital ships + support ships.\u003Cbr \/\u003ECOMBAT SYSTEM\u003Cbr \/\u003ECombat takes place on Land, with multihex attack based on operation points allowing for multiple moves and attack tactics allowing for frontline breakthroughs, on Air, where you can attack selected targets and may automatically support land attacks, and on Sea, where fleet and raider modes affect detection. Night action, Surface, Sub, and Carrier combat are available. Use the Zone of control to restrict the movement of the enemy.\u003Cbr \/\u003E20 different units with 15 different attributes, 17 different technological advancements, 5 different specialties. Each country has their own units with their own attributes. Additionally, units can be impacted by: Breakdown - Land units can be split or reformed, corps may detach a division, armies may split, Formation – Small formations may be grouped into larger ones, Generals - Each player comes with their own generals that affect combat, mobile attack, and retreats, Support pool Units - 11 different support types. Naval units stack in fleets. 1 land, 1 air, 1 fleet per hex. Land units have the capacity of having a specialization. This is an attachment of equipment, elite trained units, or gear. With advancements, this allows for 120 different land unit configurations. \u003Cbr \/\u003ECOUNTRY MANAGEMENT \u003Cbr \/\u003EProduction takes into account oil, manpower, logistics, strategic resources, trade agreements, convoy zones. The system allows you 17 different advancements and each unit has at minimum 2 advancement choices. You can have 47 different unit configurations. The supply system is based on cities, rail, ports, headquarters, and distance from railways. The supply system more accurately represents the North African Campaign. From a diplomatic standpoint, players may declare war, influence, attempt a coup, or negotiate a surrender. Each country has a loyalty score and an entry-level. Actions in-game may alter the entry and loyalty of various countries.\u003Cbr \/\u003EMAP\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe map is Hex based, with 15 different types of terrains subdivided in to sizes with each different features including motorized and non-motorized movement, airfield capacity, and defensive bonuses; 12 different resource types, 5 different strategic resources. Realism is enhanced by the presence of Fog of War, with detection levels that determine information of units. Moreover, 5 different weather conditions make the whole gameplay more challenging.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Eu6-6cndHWU\/XbRA6ddrROI\/AAAAAAAAE40\/d7Joz4-NjdwDGEh16ns0GShJ6lH1oDdggCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/2.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Eu6-6cndHWU\/XbRA6ddrROI\/AAAAAAAAE40\/d7Joz4-NjdwDGEh16ns0GShJ6lH1oDdggCLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/2.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Well that is a bit of a mouthful. Let's take a look under the hood and see how many of the above statements hit the mark.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;One of the really big differences with WarPlan compared to other games is the inclusion of a working interception\/interdiction mode for the units. Supply in the game is also innovative, as seen below.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-HbWYNxtxGeQ\/XbXOCG-iSwI\/AAAAAAAAE5o\/KKaxVrqFu4YPUr9pksi5G6wMVfsXcXmBgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/9.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-HbWYNxtxGeQ\/XbXOCG-iSwI\/AAAAAAAAE5o\/KKaxVrqFu4YPUr9pksi5G6wMVfsXcXmBgCLcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/9.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-6vGIYxLSZqA\/XbRA6QGH5lI\/AAAAAAAAE4w\/xaNF8GV4IHsSj8Rqj5W7NRdmsjGma5YZACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/3.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-6vGIYxLSZqA\/XbRA6QGH5lI\/AAAAAAAAE4w\/xaNF8GV4IHsSj8Rqj5W7NRdmsjGma5YZACEwYBhgL\/s640\/3.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;The map is large, actually very large. I really like this in games. It makes the sweep and size of the operations come to life. Of course for every plus there is a minus in computing. The larger the map means more units and decisions. So, a large map with a lot of units make it much more difficult for a designer to create a competent AI. The map itself tends more toward functionality instead of artistic beauty. This is fine, because I am going to play it, not take a screenshot of it for my wall. You can easily tell one terrain from another. If your old eyes are having a problem, there are numerous levels of zoom available for the budding general. The counters also tend toward function and are easily distinguishable from one another.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-hWG8tk-vB1o\/XbRA9nndmsI\/AAAAAAAAE5I\/u7FBF6-NgiM7a1r1YuP3di4s1fv5Q77kgCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/8.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-hWG8tk-vB1o\/XbRA9nndmsI\/AAAAAAAAE5I\/u7FBF6-NgiM7a1r1YuP3di4s1fv5Q77kgCEwYBhgL\/s640\/8.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003Cu\u003E\u003C\/u\u003E\u003Csub\u003E\u003C\/sub\u003E\u003Csup\u003E\u003C\/sup\u003E\u003Cstrike\u003E\u003C\/strike\u003E\u0026nbsp;The game comes with six scenarios: 1939, 1940,1941,1942,1943,\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eand 1944. These scenarios start not at the beginning of the year in question, but at the date where important operations are going to take place. Thus, in 1943 the date the scenario starts is July sixth. The player does not have to wait until the middle of the year for the Battle of Kursk or the Normandy Invasion to take place. Conversely, this means that the player does not have the chance to change anything before these operations take place. The game is strategic in scope at all times so it does not have scenarios that condense the map and allow the player to play out separate important battles in WWII. This is not a knock on the game, but I do like it when games include them as a choice. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-12FR92yf03I\/XbRA8RmMD8I\/AAAAAAAAE5Q\/fWLe69Aa05Y5HquTA0xbn2GVDP21ilQ1gCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/5.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-12FR92yf03I\/XbRA8RmMD8I\/AAAAAAAAE5Q\/fWLe69Aa05Y5HquTA0xbn2GVDP21ilQ1gCEwYBhgL\/s640\/5.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E Okay, so now we come to the crux of the game. How is the AI, and how effective is it? With most polls showing that eighty to ninety percent of players only play computer games solo, the AI in games is a big deal. So how is this one? It is a bit of a mixed bag. The AI on the operational scale is very good. It will defend and attack with units in a very competent manner. On the Strategic side, not so much. However, with the game being situated in the European Theater of WWII, there are much more times for the AI to shine rather than not. The designer actually has stated that he really likes to work on the AI routines of the game. So this bodes well for future upgrades of the AI to make it that much better.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-26r63JnIAZg\/XbRA8alnW6I\/AAAAAAAAE5U\/l63MTfhQkU843o0NfI2hkdE1jFI8Yp7SwCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/6.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-26r63JnIAZg\/XbRA8alnW6I\/AAAAAAAAE5U\/l63MTfhQkU843o0NfI2hkdE1jFI8Yp7SwCEwYBhgL\/s640\/6.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;One of the game's strongest points is its attention to supply. Unlike many games of its ilk in this one supply actually matters. Most other games abstract it or only really use it for the construction of new or replacement units. In this game, supply matters at all times. For the Axis player, it means that you will have to pay much more attention to supply than you are usually used to. It also means that the game plays more historically correctly than most others. In this game, you cannot make non historical or ludicrous decisions. Take North Africa; because of the lack of supply historically the amount of troops in North Africa had to be on the small size. Some other games allow you to build a huge Panzer Armee to conquer the Middle East. In this game, supply forces the player to play within historical limits. If there is one thing I love about the game it is this. Sandbox games are all well and good, but only if they make sense historically.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Pz8ZP3X-ppg\/XbRA9FLwLmI\/AAAAAAAAE5Q\/kI1KfglkO10nY1hUxUwMs-vj_rHR2d_OACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/7.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Pz8ZP3X-ppg\/XbRA9FLwLmI\/AAAAAAAAE5Q\/kI1KfglkO10nY1hUxUwMs-vj_rHR2d_OACEwYBhgL\/s640\/7.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;The rulebook is over 100 pages long. So you know this is not a 'lite' or 'beer and pretzels' game. The rulebook is laid out well and allows you to instantly look up whatever you need. The fact that Matrix allows you to download the full manual helps immensely. Putting it to your phone or tablet allows you to play and look up\u0026nbsp; the rules at the same time. It also comes with an editor that allows the player to change almost anything he wants. You could also create your own scenarios pretty much from scratch if you wanted to.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jeQEX2Tyros\/XbRA7zL7cNI\/AAAAAAAAE5Q\/i9Z8nhwVm8M6zi2qFp91dWTutIW6LQarACEwYBhgL\/s1600\/4.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-jeQEX2Tyros\/XbRA7zL7cNI\/AAAAAAAAE5Q\/i9Z8nhwVm8M6zi2qFp91dWTutIW6LQarACEwYBhgL\/s640\/4.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E1939 Start\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;The naval war in strategic games are usually the weakest part of the game, especially because it is usually abstracted to an incredible degree. When I play these games I usually ignore the naval aspect completely. In this game the naval war actually means something, and though it is still somewhat abstract, it makes sense.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-C8eoJYmvKw0\/XbRA6D8waRI\/AAAAAAAAE5M\/sPvoALvI3B08juvjoIwkHvLWdzmEw0_iQCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/1.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-C8eoJYmvKw0\/XbRA6D8waRI\/AAAAAAAAE5M\/sPvoALvI3B08juvjoIwkHvLWdzmEw0_iQCEwYBhgL\/s640\/1.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETrying to Save Army Groups Center and North\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;So what is the final verdict? I would say two thumbs ups. For the minutiae lover it has all of the bells and whistles. For the player who only has time to get in a few turns before dinner or bed it is a good game also. The designer is already talking about what he wants to implement in WarPlan II. Do not let this make you\u0026nbsp; think that this game will be abandoned; it has already been upgraded once and the designer is involved as much as he can be with any questions or problems. Thank you Matrix for allowing me to review this excellent game. It is especially good for a first time endeavor, and I look forward to many other games from Kraken Studios. Below will be some links.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMatrix Games:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWarPlan:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/warplan\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/warplan\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERobert\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2734342421131421895\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/10\/warplan-by-matrix-games.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2734342421131421895"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2734342421131421895"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/10\/warplan-by-matrix-games.html","title":"WarPlan by Matrix Games"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-rKADk3lUO9E\/XbQt9fgkFkI\/AAAAAAAAE4g\/HFAQu1OlSEQmXGwRbRFIZmBLHdDxhmvawCLcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/product_portrait_image.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8072845821306228113"},"published":{"$t":"2019-10-25T17:20:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-25T17:20:36.207+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"DLC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warhammer 40k"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"WH40k: Gladius - Fortification Pack"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-S4klyjGho64\/W0baBPdGhNI\/AAAAAAAAAqw\/O_q4S0W4zlQyB2ivTj574pHLZkwzgNdgACPcBGAYYCw\/s1600\/Gladius-logo.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"152\" data-original-width=\"670\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-S4klyjGho64\/W0baBPdGhNI\/AAAAAAAAAqw\/O_q4S0W4zlQyB2ivTj574pHLZkwzgNdgACPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/Gladius-logo.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMy favorite Warhammer 40,000 strategy release of last year continues to expand in the form of a new small DLC and a fresh patch for the full game. Gladius, the 4X title (with a heavy emphasis on the eXterminate portion) is all about building up your war machine and then engaging in non-stop war until you've conquered the map. The Fortification Pack is a new DLC for the game which adds a powerful defensive unit into the roster for each faction. At just $5, this isn't a DLC that's going to radically change the game, but if you've enjoyed it so far, it's a cheap way to bring some fresh options into the mix. Released along with the DLC is the version 1.4 update which focuses on balance changes and bug fixes. It's good to see this enjoyable game continue to receive polish and new content on a regular basis.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-U4W1Qb-kUFE\/XbMgb1QGbWI\/AAAAAAAABBE\/ZVmDvZM4AY46iS18V3tU4aN0q40KQqeGwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/screen_5d9efa739384c.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-U4W1Qb-kUFE\/XbMgb1QGbWI\/AAAAAAAABBE\/ZVmDvZM4AY46iS18V3tU4aN0q40KQqeGwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/screen_5d9efa739384c.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESo, what exactly are you getting in this new pack? Six new units, one for each faction, that will come into play in the mid and late game. The units are all defensive in nature, with some being buildings and some being mobile units that protect their allies. From the official description:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003ESpace Marines - Aquila Macro-Cannon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003EMacro-cannon Aquila Strongpoints are massive fortifications, often used as bastions in Imperial defensive battle lines. Each consists of a munitions silo, topped by a large turret that houses the huge macro-cannon that gives the strongpoint its name. The munitions silo allows the Aquila Macrocannon to fire special \"Quake Shells,\" each of which measures several Terran feet in length and has a powerful charge that causes the shells to reach hypersonic velocity when the Macrocannon is fired.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\" \/\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003EAstra Militarum - Void Shield Generator\u003C\/strong\u003EVoid shields are normally localised force fields reserved for protecting the monolithic Titans of the Adeptus Mechanicus, but static generators can be erected to serve as an aegis for other targets of vital import. The largest Void Shield generators can even project an invisible bubble of power across a large area of the battlefield, sheltering both troops and strategically vital battlefield locations by absorbing or deflecting the energy of incoming munitions.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\" \/\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003EChaos Space Marines - Noctilith Crown\u003C\/strong\u003ENoctilith Crowns are brutal edifices raised up by the Chaos Space Marines to weaken the very foundations of reality. Crafted from the mysterious material known as blackstone, these vast psychic resonators thin the veil to deadly effect, shielding your own units and damaging enemy psykers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-M7rIXAySP08\/XbMgcqM_UtI\/AAAAAAAABBI\/14NTp_5Bhho3HXo_0tAl9hraGHzxOxCeACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/screen_5d9efa8f91a8f.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-M7rIXAySP08\/XbMgcqM_UtI\/AAAAAAAABBI\/14NTp_5Bhho3HXo_0tAl9hraGHzxOxCeACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/screen_5d9efa8f91a8f.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\" \/\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003ENecrons - Gauss Pylon\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThe mysterious Necron defence turrets, designated as 'Pylons' by those who originally encountered them, were first recorded on the uncharged world of WDY-272. Rising suddenly from the desert sands, the Gauss Pylons opened fire without warning and with devastating effect, tanks and armoured carriers burning as the crescent-shaped weapons tore through the unsuspecting Imperial Guard column whilst resisting all return fire.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\" \/\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003EOrks - Big Mek\u003C\/strong\u003EEspecially talented or popular Mekboyz will soon attract a following, lording it over a growing gang of underlings. A Mek with this much clout is referred to as a Big Mek, and can prove indispensable to the local Warboss with his knowledge of shokk attack guns, force field technology, and tellyporta rigs.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\" \/\u003E\u003Cstrong style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\"\u003ETyranids - Biovores\u003C\/strong\u003EA Biovore is a squat, bloated creature -- yet no less deadly for all that. Deep within its lumpen form, the Biovore nurtures a clutch of Spore Mines -- living bombs that blanket the enemy in acids, poisons and shrapnel-sized pieces of chitin. Biovores thump forward in battle, bony protrusions on their fore-limbs anchoring themselves into the ground as they release their vile payload in a single shuddering spasm.\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-cfATT27eVko\/XbMgc4jOOaI\/AAAAAAAABBM\/ZX0Mt63zWgIIKrr_LHcqIkgSjCT0mjlDQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/screen_5d9efa99dcfea.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-cfATT27eVko\/XbMgc4jOOaI\/AAAAAAAABBM\/ZX0Mt63zWgIIKrr_LHcqIkgSjCT0mjlDQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/screen_5d9efa99dcfea.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile I haven't had time to play through multiple campaigns to try out all of these units, they clearly add some fun new options to the game. Who doesn't like building giant artillery cannons and shield generators? If you've enjoyed Gladius in the past like I did, this seems like a no-brainer.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you haven't had a try at Gladius yet, it's 50% off right now if you \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/warhammer-40000-gladius-relics-of-war\/pc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ebuy directly from the Matrix store\u003C\/a\u003E. The game is definitely worth your time at $20 if you want a relatively simple, war focused 4X steeped in 40k grimdark-ness\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you already have Gladius, the Fortification Pack can picked up in the usual places - \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/warhammer-40000-gladius-fortification-pack\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethe Matrix\/Slitherine store\u003C\/a\u003E, Steam and GoG.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8072845821306228113\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/10\/wh40k-gladius-fortification-pack.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8072845821306228113"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8072845821306228113"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/10\/wh40k-gladius-fortification-pack.html","title":"WH40k: Gladius - Fortification Pack"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-S4klyjGho64\/W0baBPdGhNI\/AAAAAAAAAqw\/O_q4S0W4zlQyB2ivTj574pHLZkwzgNdgACPcBGAYYCw\/s72-c\/Gladius-logo.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-3311422535874024702"},"published":{"$t":"2019-09-22T15:21:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-09-22T15:21:58.509+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Close Combat"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Preview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Close Combat - The Bloody First Preview Video"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hbm4v32oL8I\/XYeCe4WAtaI\/AAAAAAAAA98\/DgUQCPAIKoQNUhrdtwEqaIH1L-BXZoy6gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"216\" data-original-width=\"460\" height=\"298\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hbm4v32oL8I\/XYeCe4WAtaI\/AAAAAAAAA98\/DgUQCPAIKoQNUhrdtwEqaIH1L-BXZoy6gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EToday we've got an early look at the beta build for Close Combat: The Bloody First. The series goes 3D under the direction of Matrix Games, and I'm excited to give it a spin. Check back in a couple weeks for coverage of the final product, releasing on October 3rd.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E(Sorry about the audio on this video, I forgot to adjust settings and so my voice is drowned out by much of the shooting. You aren't missing much, just my ramblings.)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cfNWFPBCYn4\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/3311422535874024702\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/close-combat-bloody-first-preview-video.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3311422535874024702"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3311422535874024702"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/close-combat-bloody-first-preview-video.html","title":"Close Combat - The Bloody First Preview Video"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hbm4v32oL8I\/XYeCe4WAtaI\/AAAAAAAAA98\/DgUQCPAIKoQNUhrdtwEqaIH1L-BXZoy6gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/product_landscape_image.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2036116641726031626"},"published":{"$t":"2019-06-24T00:18:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-06-24T00:18:35.736+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Preview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WarPlan"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"World War II"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"WarPlan - First Look at Beta (Video)"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mjptWl9CaO8\/XRAHf9u1y-I\/AAAAAAAAA60\/-Mi1ec0Np5oMu8noy-He_uKruo3Daz-jQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/WarPlan_logo.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"318\" data-original-width=\"1400\" height=\"144\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mjptWl9CaO8\/XRAHf9u1y-I\/AAAAAAAAA60\/-Mi1ec0Np5oMu8noy-He_uKruo3Daz-jQCLcBGAs\/s640\/WarPlan_logo.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you're curious about\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/806\/details\/WarPlan\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWarPlan\u003C\/a\u003E the new strategic level WW2 game from Kraken Studios and Matrix Games, look no further than the video below. I give the game a quick spin, going through the various menus and invading a bit of Poland.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPlease note that the game is still in beta!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ckhnS4TNLHQ\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2036116641726031626\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/06\/warplan-first-look-at-beta-video.html#comment-form","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2036116641726031626"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2036116641726031626"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/06\/warplan-first-look-at-beta-video.html","title":"WarPlan - First Look at Beta (Video)"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mjptWl9CaO8\/XRAHf9u1y-I\/AAAAAAAAA60\/-Mi1ec0Np5oMu8noy-He_uKruo3Daz-jQCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/WarPlan_logo.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-4258378173646899483"},"published":{"$t":"2019-05-14T05:07:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-05-14T05:09:02.012+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Armored Brigade"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Cold War"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"RTS"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Veitikka Studios"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Armored Brigade - Italy-Yugoslavia Pack + Campaign Generator"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EArmored Brigade, the real-time tactical sandbox which covers a vast swath of Cold War gone hot possibilities, has received its first add on content. It's called Nation Pack: Italy-Yugoslavia, and as the name suggests, it adds two unique new nations to the game. I won't go too far into describing the base game, since\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/11\/armored-brigade-by-matrixslitherine.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ERobert did a good job of that here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Suffice to say, this a 2D RTS that will feel familiar to anyone who has played Close Combat or Combat Mission.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-XvyTHQ8ctBE\/XNo9xKCJV9I\/AAAAAAAAA38\/q13XfQgjS1EPwHNo2TiVrAGmQK9Ug6u5ACLcBGAs\/s1600\/2019-05-13%2B%25281%2529.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-XvyTHQ8ctBE\/XNo9xKCJV9I\/AAAAAAAAA38\/q13XfQgjS1EPwHNo2TiVrAGmQK9Ug6u5ACLcBGAs\/s640\/2019-05-13%2B%25281%2529.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat really sets the game apart is its vast scope. The game covers theoretical war in Europe between\u0026nbsp;the years of 1965 and 1991. Accurate army rosters are available for 7 different nations in the base game, with this add-on increasing the count to 9. The other significant feature of the game is how it generates battlefields. Rather than having hand crafted maps or randomly generated ones, the game ships with several gigantic, accurate maps of various interesting locales in Europe. Individual maps are then generated from this by simply drawing a box of your desired size on that big map, and there you go, a new place to fight over. Combat can scale from company sized skirmishes to brigade sized brawls. This is the beauty of the game, it can be stretched and squeezed to give you exactly the sort of battle you want.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-6KAN5kGtpVI\/XNo9y7XlqgI\/AAAAAAAAA4A\/wxGSnTQlW5shufWp-d7O4ZBeHDcurNZawCLcBGAs\/s1600\/2019-05-13%2B%25282%2529.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"897\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-6KAN5kGtpVI\/XNo9y7XlqgI\/AAAAAAAAA4A\/wxGSnTQlW5shufWp-d7O4ZBeHDcurNZawCLcBGAs\/s640\/2019-05-13%2B%25282%2529.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003EInfantry squad knocks out a T-55 after losing their ride into town.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis new nation pack extends that sandbox even further by giving you two new nations to play with and a new map that covers 61 square kilometers of the Italian-Yugoslavian border. The two nations combined add over 250 new units to the game. That's a lot of new toys to play with! Now, I'm no aficionado of the Italian and Yugoslavian military makeup\u0026nbsp;in this era (or any, really), so I'll\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/product.asp?gid=802\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Elink to the official description here\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;which has a nice summary of the strategic thinking in those nations during the Cold War. The short version is, these nations were not the titans of the world, fielding first rate tanks and elite infantry. These are the oddballs, nations that had no desire to fight WW3 to begin with, nor did they have the resources to match the big boys if they wanted to. I've loved playing these sorts of secondary powers in every wargame since I got Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin as a kid. It's always fascinating to dig around in the OOB and see what kinds of units are available, and then figuring out how to fight a battle with what you've got. Here I was especially interested in some of the earliest formations, which include plenty of WW2 leftovers. I know lots of people are clamoring for the game to be expanded into a full on WW2 game, but here you can at least get a taste.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ya3b5z3W9FY\/XNo9jZDAEuI\/AAAAAAAAA3w\/FMQPD6FYJi0TiKbI0-1OcVvmTZbOTWMIACLcBGAs\/s1600\/2019-05-13%2B%25283%2529.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"896\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-ya3b5z3W9FY\/XNo9jZDAEuI\/AAAAAAAAA3w\/FMQPD6FYJi0TiKbI0-1OcVvmTZbOTWMIACLcBGAs\/s640\/2019-05-13%2B%25283%2529.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENow, let's look at the new map a bit, as it offers a great variety of terrain to fight over. There are constricting mountain valleys, wide open plains, urban zones, coastal areas, and lots of rivers to cross. I have not fully explored the map yet, of course, but every battle so far has been on a tactically interesting battlefield. Where the map really shines is when you combine it with the new campaign generator.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe one great shortcoming of Armored Brigade (besides the lack of multiplayer) is that the game does not come with any campaigns and only a handful of scenarios. Those scenarios are mostly tutorials, and after playing around with them you are left with only one-off battles that you generate. While the battles you can generate are excellent, and created exactly the way you want, they are still just one off battles with no narrative or larger stakes to consider. That has all be changed with the free update launching alongside this nation pack, which adds a dynamic campaign generator to Armored Brigade, even if you don't have the DLC.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-BUx3bDguw6s\/XNo9sKlPvZI\/AAAAAAAAA30\/8X6bf1FEeVMoLDE3b4a3J9uvlWnJA06MwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/2019-05-13%2B%25284%2529.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"899\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"358\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-BUx3bDguw6s\/XNo9sKlPvZI\/AAAAAAAAA30\/8X6bf1FEeVMoLDE3b4a3J9uvlWnJA06MwCLcBGAs\/s640\/2019-05-13%2B%25284%2529.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: small;\"\u003EEach green box represents a potential battlefield for the campaign. It can be much shorter, of course, or feature much larger battlefields.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis campaign generator is analogous to the single battle generator in that it is very flexible and easy to use. You just click on the map to indicate the general track you want the campaign to take, tweak the settings and scope as you please, and away you go. Each campaign starts off with a meeting engagement, and then the winner will advance and the loser retreat. As the battle moves towards one end of the campaign track or the other, the defender will be able to get more supply points and be able to build fixed defenses like pillboxes and such. If the momentum of the battle shifts and the fighting passes back over old ground, the destruction of the previous fights will be evident. This can change the landscape of a battlefield that is fought over several times, creating an immersive narrative for the player.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELosses also carry over from one battle to the next. The player will receive a certain amount of supply points after each battle, and these can be used to repair and refit units lost in the fighting.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mtfyt-2o-cE\/XNo9uRN0-PI\/AAAAAAAAA34\/nFhr7nJBolIIjsHwLFh-YXdz6JMLJMttwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/2019-05-13%2B%25285%2529.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"901\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mtfyt-2o-cE\/XNo9uRN0-PI\/AAAAAAAAA34\/nFhr7nJBolIIjsHwLFh-YXdz6JMLJMttwCLcBGAs\/s640\/2019-05-13%2B%25285%2529.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis is a feature that the game desperately needed, and I'm happy to see it added as a free update. Really the only thing that I didn't like about the base game was that the battles never felt like they carried much weight, since they were just randomly generated one-off affairs. Now you can have a narrative arc, with real consequences for your losses and poor (or brilliant) decisions in battle. I haven't had enough time with the game to play out any epic campaigns just yet, but I imagine many players will be firing up a titanic US vs USSR campaign that spans the length of the Germany map. The especially cool thing is that everyone's campaign will be unique!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESo, if you have been enjoying Armored Brigade so far, this is an easy recommendation. The two new nations add some extra variety to what is available in the base game, and the new map is excellent. If you were on the fence about Armored Brigade, the free update including the campaign generator has given it a lot more value, and I suggest that you take another look. I imagine we will be seeing several nation packs similar to this one over the next couple of years, and I look forward to trying them out. In a sandbox of a game like this, you can never have too many toys or too much sand.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EArmored Brigade and the Italy-Yugoslavia Nation Pack are available\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/product.asp?gid=802\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Matrix\/Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/4258378173646899483\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/05\/armored-brigade-italy-yugoslavia-pack.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4258378173646899483"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4258378173646899483"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/05\/armored-brigade-italy-yugoslavia-pack.html","title":"Armored Brigade - Italy-Yugoslavia Pack + Campaign Generator"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-XvyTHQ8ctBE\/XNo9xKCJV9I\/AAAAAAAAA38\/q13XfQgjS1EPwHNo2TiVrAGmQK9Ug6u5ACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/2019-05-13%2B%25281%2529.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2308933107476260758"},"published":{"$t":"2019-05-03T18:43:00.004+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-05-03T18:43:52.021+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Afghanistan"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Every Single Soldier"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Afghanistan '11 Royal Marines DLC - AAR \u0026 Review"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-xVMGrzXke_4\/XMvJQZyelrI\/AAAAAAAAA0Q\/SGhn5pf6I_wLhW93SWgm8s0fT5Z5rkO0ACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Afganistan11_RM-logo.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"470\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"188\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-xVMGrzXke_4\/XMvJQZyelrI\/AAAAAAAAA0Q\/SGhn5pf6I_wLhW93SWgm8s0fT5Z5rkO0ACLcBGAs\/s640\/Afganistan11_RM-logo.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFirst things first, this article is much belated. I took a bit of a hiatus from posting here last fall and this new add on for Afghanistan '11 was next on my list to review, but when I came back it slipped through the cracks and was missed. So, I thought I would make up for being tardy by writing up a combo AAR and review.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFrom developer Every Single Soldier, and publisher Slitherine, Royal Marines is an expansion for Afghanistan '11, a game just as much about the logistics of war as it was about the fighting. Royal Marines doesn't change up the formula too much, but does give you some new toys to play with, and some additional options for conducting your counter-insurgency (COIN) ops.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELike in the base game, Royal Marines includes a 10 mission campaign with historically based scenarios that give you unique situations and restraints to deal with. The other way to play the game is by jumping into a randomly generated map, where you will always have the same overall objective, but be completely free in how you want to pursue it. I have not played through the entire Royal Marines campaign, but I sampled several of the missions and saw that there is some good variety here if you are looking for a fresh challenge. This early mission, however, is not very complex, but I thought it would give a good sampling of what the game is like.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EToday I'll be playing the second mission of the campaign, Operation Condor. This mission is loosely based on a real event. On May 16th, 2002, an SAS patrol was attacked for several hours by militants. The SAS patrol was extricated from its predicament by the arrival of AC-130's and Apache helicopters. The next day, a 1000 man strong force led by Royal Marines was deployed to the area with the goal of eliminating any enemy presence.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AknpKz0_3DQ\/XMvFGSna9hI\/AAAAAAAAAyw\/lNC-RK1cjAYA6XR790upzaZx7WfPl_lYACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.41.55.17.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AknpKz0_3DQ\/XMvFGSna9hI\/AAAAAAAAAyw\/lNC-RK1cjAYA6XR790upzaZx7WfPl_lYACLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.41.55.17.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFor the purposes of this scenario, that real life operation is abstracted as seen below. I have a base already established in the central, somewhat eastern area of the map. I need to send out forces to hunt down and destroy all Taliban units on the western half of the map. In A'11, the east edge of the map always represents Pakistan, and that is where new Taliban\u0026nbsp;units will come from. Cutting off any reinforcements will be an important part of my strategy. Local militant units can also pop up from hidden caves all over the map. These are difficult to eliminate entirely, but doing so isn't my concern in this scenario. I'll also need to get the Hearts and Minds score above 55, which shouldn't be too difficult. In A'11, winning over the local villages scores you more political points (your currency for new forces) and can yield intelligence, like the location of poppy fields which supply funds to the Taliban until they are destroyed.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-SwBOW2sOiHc\/XMvFvmcfQPI\/AAAAAAAAAy4\/ujMl8vvz7oMhJp2zEjt1lhfDCvFN0WITQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.42.39.80.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-SwBOW2sOiHc\/XMvFvmcfQPI\/AAAAAAAAAy4\/ujMl8vvz7oMhJp2zEjt1lhfDCvFN0WITQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.42.39.80.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIt doesn't take a tactical genius to look at the map above to see that geography will not be on my side in this scenario. Much of the map is mountainous terrain, with only one lonely winding road linking the two groups of villages. I'll need to get SAS units up in those mountains to spot for the enemy, and a convoy organized to travel through the valley and set up a FOB (forward operating base) on the far side. Every unit can only carry a limited amount of fuel\/rations into the field. This means that any forays by friendly units must either be short ranged, or directed towards a FOB where they can resupply and take shelter from insurgent ambushes. For the insurgents, the mountains represent their safe haven, where only a few of my units can reach them. My special forces units (the SAS boys) are able to stay in the field longer than regular infantry, and can set up observation posts from which they can spot insurgents scurrying about in the mountains. They will be the key to locating the enemy. Once spotted, helicopters, artillery, and air strikes will be brought to bear to wipe them out. A FOB on the western half of the map will allow me to keep my helicopters and SAS units supplied. A conventional ground force will be needed to establish and secure said FOB.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBefore going on the offensive, I first want to send a small convoy out to visit the nearest village to the east, and then set up a FOB a little further down the road. Spreading FOB's all over the map is generally a good idea, as it gives you more places to park units and to extend your reach. You can also use SAS units to train Afghanistan National Army (ANA) units in each FOB. In a normal game of A'11, as the turns go by you are forced to gradually hand over security to the ANA, so the more troops you can train, the better. You can also train ANA helicopters, artillery, and APC's at your main base, which I will also be doing. We will need a lot of helicopters in order to overcome the difficult terrain here and sustain the SAS posts in the field without interruption.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-41JJMH02Ccg\/XMvGwRL0lMI\/AAAAAAAAAzQ\/jEUKVsGUwaYSKRdKi0ojuufzCm0qsWgMQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.45.40.51.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-41JJMH02Ccg\/XMvGwRL0lMI\/AAAAAAAAAzQ\/jEUKVsGUwaYSKRdKi0ojuufzCm0qsWgMQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.45.40.51.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe visit with the village elders goes well, and we are given the location of a poppy field on the far side of the map. Taking this out will net us some political points, and weaken the Taliban. The only problem is that the field is much too far away to reach on the ground until we have a FOB over there. Luckily, we have helicopters on tap. Unfortunately, a couple of Taliban units pop up and damage our mine-detecting unit at the head of the convoy on the next turn. Without its ability to detect and destroy IED's, any road trip into uncontrolled territory will almost certainly meet disaster. The convoy is recalled back to HQ to repair.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-hQPbth1AeeQ\/XMvIJFjwx2I\/AAAAAAAAAzo\/lFQoh_4l3Bglxf_B2I_-jojSKkoepqlUQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.53.43.53.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-hQPbth1AeeQ\/XMvIJFjwx2I\/AAAAAAAAAzo\/lFQoh_4l3Bglxf_B2I_-jojSKkoepqlUQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B22.53.43.53.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile my first mine detector is in the shop, the second is sent down the road to the west, in an attempt to clear the first section of the road for follow-on forces in the next turn. The unit is also ambushed by insurgents and damaged. It seems the enemy is not hiding, but is aggressively operating right outside my main base. A drone is called in (you can have one on the map at a time) to recon the area. Three militant units are spotted and our available firepower is directed at them. Artillery and infantry from HQ, and an airstrike (an ability that can hit anywhere on the map, but has a long cool down) are used to knock out one of the enemy detachments and send the others fleeing. It seems we will need to clear out the immediate area before making a run to the west. To this end, I deploy a couple of SAS units into the nearby mountains.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-53v5NUVw2-o\/XMvIKUvhyXI\/AAAAAAAAAzs\/AzJw65ba0TQQim4BiZ0KgLir_CDUbZJSwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.01.18.82.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-53v5NUVw2-o\/XMvIKUvhyXI\/AAAAAAAAAzs\/AzJw65ba0TQQim4BiZ0KgLir_CDUbZJSwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.01.18.82.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHelicopters are not completely immune to insurgent forces, but they don't have to worry about IED's or terrain, making them critically important in A'11. Despite the rocky start to the ground campaign, the Royal Marines of Charlie Company are airlifted across the map to that poppy field that the villagers told us about. Destroying it should slow the flow of new Taliban units, and rewards us with 1000 political points, which is quite helpful as I've overextended a bit and almost run out. Without a nearby FOB established, the Marines hop aboard their helicopter for a ride back to HQ.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E(Apologies for some of these images being far too bright. From what I gather, there is some kind of shader issue right now which causes this to happen The developers are working on it.)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-xoImV9brJnE\/XMvIXz8nkQI\/AAAAAAAAAzw\/pXXDJx1SUzYflLx5o1YcteS9i0k97iKzQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.06.36.72.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-xoImV9brJnE\/XMvIXz8nkQI\/AAAAAAAAAzw\/pXXDJx1SUzYflLx5o1YcteS9i0k97iKzQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.06.36.72.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EA couple of turns later, my second attempt at a western bound convoy is more successful. As you can see above, the vehicles have almost reached the key crossroads on the western half of the map. However, they are still a couple of turns away from safety, and end this turn in a highly vulnerable position sandwiched\u0026nbsp;between two mountain ridges. From the message log, you can see how important sweeping for IED's is in this game. Three were eliminated on this turn alone. The insurgents will come back by and try to place more IED's all the time. Areas under direct observation are safe, but even a recently traveled road cannot be trusted if it was out of your sight for just a turn or two.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-sNJrZU7dpQE\/XMvJEHSUSFI\/AAAAAAAAA0M\/fw78IpuJIVomlvFi-b0LUnoGPMOITfHgwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.10.26.30.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-sNJrZU7dpQE\/XMvJEHSUSFI\/AAAAAAAAA0M\/fw78IpuJIVomlvFi-b0LUnoGPMOITfHgwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.10.26.30.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBack to the east, the Taliban presence is still strong. I was able to establish a waterworks at the nearby village (which makes them happy and nets you political points each turn) but my convoy was once again forced to retreat to safety before establishing a FOB. Pushing out in this direction will require some firepower. Luckily for me, a special event fired which gave me TWO Apache gunships for free. These are some of your most potent offensive weapons in the game, but come with a hefty price tag. Getting two for free is a real boost, and I set them to work immediately. The Apaches can engage the enemy from long range, don't have to worry about terrain, and have a decent chance of destroying an insurgent unit in one hit. These enemy units are also in range of my artillery, and it gives them a good reason to run back to Pakistan.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-MnhVYZh4o8Q\/XMvI4ICzOLI\/AAAAAAAAA0I\/eeTqauuxG9szhOUaCRlC0EFa_xHh2I6dwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.14.25.28.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-MnhVYZh4o8Q\/XMvI4ICzOLI\/AAAAAAAAA0I\/eeTqauuxG9szhOUaCRlC0EFa_xHh2I6dwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.14.25.28.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETen turns in, let's take stock of the overall strategic picture. So far, I haven't accomplished much, but the framework is there. I have SAS units monitoring the mountains to the north, my convoy safely arrived in the west, and the local area around HQ is now secure. I've also won over the neighboring village and made visits to a couple of others.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAll that said, there are still a lot of insurgent units on the board, plus more that I can't see.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EVisiting villages is an important part of the game, as it helps increase your H\u0026amp;M score, and occasionally gives you the location of an enemy unit, IED, or poppy field. This intelligence isn't always available however. Villages with little campfires burning are more likely to give you info, and so you want to visit them ASAP. In the original game these fires would stay lit until you came by, but in the Royal Marines DLC, they will go out soon if you do not make a visit. I like this change, as it adds some urgency to this aspect of the game, and forces you to be more flexible.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XOhE1X5sjaM\/XMxodXQ-7hI\/AAAAAAAAA00\/4bRFnV3v-TwBUVaGnrdBFihurotC-OR0QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.16.18.87.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XOhE1X5sjaM\/XMxodXQ-7hI\/AAAAAAAAA00\/4bRFnV3v-TwBUVaGnrdBFihurotC-OR0QCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.16.18.87.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOn the next turn, a sandstorm blows in. This limits movement for all of my units and I have recall some helicopters back to HQ before they can complete their assignments. Fortunately for my western convoy, they are able to get the FOB built, and take shelter within it. Nature can at times be a greater obstacle than the enemy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-SYGYYuCHOqw\/XMxoNgvTaBI\/AAAAAAAAA0w\/H7KY4OzZBjg__IYZ-U53wTORCslWJJCdACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.18.56.95.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-SYGYYuCHOqw\/XMxoNgvTaBI\/AAAAAAAAA0w\/H7KY4OzZBjg__IYZ-U53wTORCslWJJCdACLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.18.56.95.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs the sandstorm clears, my western FOB gets to work. The minesweeper heads out to clear IED's from the nearby roads, and the Marines visit the village. My construction vehicle is also dispatched to build a water works there. All of these actions draw the local villages to the coalition side, making things easier for me, and satisfying the second victory condition for this scenario. My next step here will be to try and win over the village to the north. It isn't very far away, and is along the road. The village to the south is irrelevant at this point, as it is too remote to commit my limited resources\u0026nbsp;towards. Sorry, folks!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3iiDc2QVsKM\/XMxn2GclqWI\/AAAAAAAAA0o\/wZQFxUiMrMwBoNccg-ey86fIFq0S_aDpwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.25.28.41.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-3iiDc2QVsKM\/XMxn2GclqWI\/AAAAAAAAA0o\/wZQFxUiMrMwBoNccg-ey86fIFq0S_aDpwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.25.28.41.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EZooming back out, you can see that I now have a FOB in the east and west. The HQ area looks clear, but out west we have a swarm of insurgents and IED's to deal with. I've also lost the village in the NE corner of the map to the militants. Winning them back may be difficult due to their location far away from my primary objective. For now I'll focus on eliminated the enemy from that area. Additional units are dispatched west now that they can operate out of the FOB.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-2fzdPBnNEhY\/XMxpaPTWszI\/AAAAAAAAA1I\/J2f2WmmwyN8c2ZeFGxCcDzTDb37Ss5r8gCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.31.02.76.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-2fzdPBnNEhY\/XMxpaPTWszI\/AAAAAAAAA1I\/J2f2WmmwyN8c2ZeFGxCcDzTDb37Ss5r8gCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.31.02.76.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAt the western FOB, the fighting gets intense as several more Taliban units pop up. My SAS men are there to spot them, and once again heavy firepower is brought to bear. One Apache arrives to help the outpost, and an artillery unit will be airlifted over soon. Artillery units in FOB's require a lot more attention than they do at the HQ. A dedicated artillery expansion must be built for the FOB, and ammunition must be brought in by supply trucks or helicopters on a regular basis. For this mission, supply trucks are simply not an option. My helicopters continue to do logistics work, bringing rations to the SAS units in the field, and supplies to the critical western outpost.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-CKcyvsm1h9g\/XMxpVN-jQtI\/AAAAAAAAA1E\/SMWE_tjffIo1i04VtrdyeY_Bfp72YzmdwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.38.13.67.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-CKcyvsm1h9g\/XMxpVN-jQtI\/AAAAAAAAA1E\/SMWE_tjffIo1i04VtrdyeY_Bfp72YzmdwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.38.13.67.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOn turn 16, things are looking good, but we still have our work cut out for us. The eastern FOB is busy fighting off Taliban reinforcements coming over from Pakistan. This is exactly what I want, but continues to tie down one of my Apaches. In the west, the enemy has been beaten back from the FOB, but still has a presence scattered around the objective area. Fortunately for me, I now have a nearly complete net of SAS observers gradually moving west and sweeping the area. Each time an enemy is spotted, artillery and helicopters operating out of the FOB are called up to eliminate them.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/--Yki6igJwds\/XMxpgtWuplI\/AAAAAAAAA1M\/QDXfpivglT4k1biUyK0cAxL2xKptYwi9wCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.48.24.63.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/--Yki6igJwds\/XMxpgtWuplI\/AAAAAAAAA1M\/QDXfpivglT4k1biUyK0cAxL2xKptYwi9wCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.48.24.63.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EA couple of turns later, and the strategic picture is looking excellent. The enemy has been eliminated from most of the map, I have eyes in the field able to stop any new units from entering the objective zone, and a convoy headed out of the western FOB on its way to make nice with that northern village. A couple more poppy fields were found and eliminated, giving me a massive advantage in resources. Things are looking good!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-MxRSBPQ3hPk\/XMxp-nR0lJI\/AAAAAAAAA1Y\/97BJdbA0AUwX8ZbH02MW-H60pK0aVfj0ACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.49.55.66.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-MxRSBPQ3hPk\/XMxp-nR0lJI\/AAAAAAAAA1Y\/97BJdbA0AUwX8ZbH02MW-H60pK0aVfj0ACLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.04.25%2B-%2B23.49.55.66.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThings are going even better than I thought, as on the next turn my Apache gunship takes out this final Taliban unit in the objective zone, fulfilling that part of the mission. As you can see, my Hearts and Minds score is now at 66, well above the required 55 for the scenario, and my political points are maxed out. All and all, a very good operation for the coalition despite some early stumbles. I call the mission a win, even though it doesn't actually end on the next turn. One thing I don't like about the campaigns in A'11 and this expansion, is that sometimes you are forced to play the scenarios out to the full 60 turns of a standard random map, despite completing the assigned objectives of the scenario. In this case, I've completely taken over the map and won over the villagers. Continuing to play would simply involve clicking end turn and smoking any insurgent unit silly enough to wander into range. Not too exciting, so I call it win and pack things up. In a full standard match, part of the challenge is that you must hand over control to the ANA gradually over time. At the end, the ANA must stand alone against the insurgents. In that case, it makes sense to play out to 60 turns, since that is part of the experience. Here though, it doesn't really gel with the idea of specific set of goals based on a relatively short real world operation.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThat ends the AAR, but I have a couple more points to make for the review. Several other changes come with the DLC that I haven't mentioned so far. One significant addition, which didn't make an appearance in this scenario, is the inclusion of civilian traffic along the roads. And yes, as you might guess, this traffic can be used by the Taliban to send suicide car bombs right up to your units. In order to screen this traffic, you can now build roadblocks wherever you see fit. In order to help balance things out, and add some immersion to the game, you can now also get Afghan police units. You earn these by winning over villages to the coalition. This all adds yet another layer to the intricate dance of logistics and planning that is Afghanistan '11. Much like in the real conflict, engaging with and destroying the enemy is the easy part. Building up the infrastructure that will allow you to lock down an area and keep the insurgents out is the difficult part.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you enjoyed the base game, it's safe to say that you will enjoy the Royal Marines add on. With new missions, new strategies, and new units to play with, there's plenty here to explore. Especially for the very reasonable price of $10, you really can't go wrong.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAfghanistan '11 and the Royal Marines DLC are available\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/726\/details\/Afghanistan.11.Royal.Marines\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Matrix\/Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or on Steam.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EP.S. - I hope you enjoyed the AAR\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E. I plan to do some full fledged ones soon, so this was a bit of trial run.\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2308933107476260758\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/05\/afghanistan-11-royal-marines-dlc-aar.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2308933107476260758"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2308933107476260758"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/05\/afghanistan-11-royal-marines-dlc-aar.html","title":"Afghanistan '11 Royal Marines DLC - AAR \u0026 Review"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-xVMGrzXke_4\/XMvJQZyelrI\/AAAAAAAAA0Q\/SGhn5pf6I_wLhW93SWgm8s0fT5Z5rkO0ACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Afganistan11_RM-logo.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-7890302460615593926"},"published":{"$t":"2019-03-20T04:28:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-03-20T04:28:17.440+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Battlestar Galactica"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Black Lab Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock - Season One in Review"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-zOORdfTH6r0\/XJG94K_9mCI\/AAAAAAAAAxI\/bpEH8rYzm2wo7C66pio2K-kLSKsZk-ytACLcBGAs\/s1600\/BSGD_Sin-and-sacrifice-logo.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"337\" data-original-width=\"800\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-zOORdfTH6r0\/XJG94K_9mCI\/AAAAAAAAAxI\/bpEH8rYzm2wo7C66pio2K-kLSKsZk-ytACLcBGAs\/s640\/BSGD_Sin-and-sacrifice-logo.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBattlestar Galactica: Deadlock released all the way back in 2017, and since then it has received a series of updates in the form of both free patches and paid DLC. Developed by Black Lab Games, and published by prolific strategy game outfit Slitherine, Deadlock exceeded my own expectations by a great deal. I feared it would be a low budget, overly simple strategy game trying to cash in on the BSG name. But no, it was really quite good and I enjoyed it a lot, as you can see from my \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/06\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-broken.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eoriginal review\u003C\/a\u003E. Deadlock had not just a solid tactical layer with tense, WEGO space combat, it also had an immersive strategic layer that tied all the battles together. The only thing you could really knock the base game for was that it was a little light on content. The core was good, but there were only so many missions, and only so many ships to play with. We've now had a string of DLC and updates released to solve that issue.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-zVYo4azuY4o\/WxLxsQ7dYnI\/AAAAAAAAAoE\/84dESmzMV78uHYBuzyFr3BjSpDrk_tR_QCPcBGAYYCw\/s1600\/20180530232215_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-zVYo4azuY4o\/WxLxsQ7dYnI\/AAAAAAAAAoE\/84dESmzMV78uHYBuzyFr3BjSpDrk_tR_QCPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/20180530232215_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDeadlock is the story of what happened during the First Cylon War, years before the events of the TV show. (Which if you haven't seen, do yourself a favor and watch it immediately). This is a game about a full scale space war, in which you have command of the entire strategic picture. The Cylons get in a sucker punch to start the war, knocking out much of the Colonial Fleet and leaving your mobile shipyard as the only means to get humanity back on its feet. From that point it's up to you to decide what ships are built, what new tech is unlocked, and where you take your forces. Each of the 12 colonies has its own morale level, and if it drops too low they will exit the war. To keep all of humanity in the fight, you'll need to build up multiple fleets and spread them out to fight off Cylon raids. In addition to random attacks, there is also a series of story missions to tackle, and plenty of side missions that give extra bonuses if you complete them in time.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESo, that's the basic gameplay, but what about all these updates and DLC? What do they do? That's the focus of my article today, as we step through all the pieces that make up \"Season One\" of the game. Between several free patches and paid DLC, the game has seen the addition of new features, ships, weapons, missions, story, and an extra game mode. Let's step through each \"episode\" of the season in order, to see how it all adds up to the current state of the game.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-F0jb6HopyOw\/WxLxlJhGMGI\/AAAAAAAAAoE\/o4GUVrB55X8rknwuOVxxeky-C1t4ELe0gCPcBGAYYCw\/s1600\/20180530223701_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-F0jb6HopyOw\/WxLxlJhGMGI\/AAAAAAAAAoE\/o4GUVrB55X8rknwuOVxxeky-C1t4ELe0gCPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/20180530223701_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs an aside, before we get started, I will point out that you can't go wrong with the base game alone. It's a full experience that you can get a lot of enjoyment out of. If you do like it, everything else here just makes that experience bigger and better. I've put in quite a few hours with the game, but jumped at the chance to play the campaign again with even more features and tactical options.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EReinforcement Pack\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe first DLC for the game is purely an injection of new ships and weapons. For a very modest price you'll get to see four new ship types (two for each side) and a variety of mines added to the game. The new ships give you some nice options for customizing your fleet, one ship is unlocked right from the start, and of course increases the variety of challenges you will face from the Cylons. The mines give you another option when choosing special weapons for you ships, and, being mines, create new strategic options in battles. This update doesn't change the core of the game, but you'll certainly want it to help flesh out the experience.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EThe Broken Alliance\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe first major DLC for Deadlock is the one that is a must have in my opinion. It integrates all of its new content smoothly into the existing campaign, making for a richer overall experience. This DLC features an 8 mission story campaign which you play alongside the normal story missions. Anyone who has watched BSG knows that politics plays a central role in the story and drives a great deal of internal conflict for the humans. The Twelve Colonies of Man rarely agree about anything, even in the midst of a war. The Broken Alliance campaign, as the name suggests, focuses on the internal strife and intrigue which plagues humanity throughout the First Cylon War.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Broken Alliance also adds four more new ships (two for each side) and a new squadron type for each side. The new ships add even more tactical options to the game. The Celestra resupply ship, for example, has little firepower potential on its own, but it can provide extra ammo for other ships mid-battle. Even more helpful is its ability to repair a section of armor on a friendly ship in combat. Each ship has separate armor sections for each side, top, and bottom. Lose a section of armor and now that ship becomes less useful, as you can't risk exposing an unarmored section for long. With the Celestra around you can patch things up and get a warship back in the fight. You can even use this offensively, hardening the nose of a Battlestar as it goes head on against an enemy group.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-j4-du0bVKFo\/WxLyFuly9wI\/AAAAAAAAAok\/nWjhWz5GPMAjyJ_iUZCRNJGpJSf0Jh2yACPcBGAYYCw\/s1600\/20180510225315_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-j4-du0bVKFo\/WxLyFuly9wI\/AAAAAAAAAok\/nWjhWz5GPMAjyJ_iUZCRNJGpJSf0Jh2yACPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/20180510225315_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EEndurance Update\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAround the same time as the Broken Alliance came out, the game received a big free patch. This patch did some balancing, made the UI better, and generally polished the game. The best new feature was adding persistent damage to ships between battles, and visibly showing battle scars on ships after they took some hits. The persistent damage adds another layer of strategy to the game, as now you must spend resources to get ships back to full health. This seems like something that should have been in the game from the start, but I'm glad they added it in as a free update.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAnabasis\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe next DLC for the game added an entire new mode, which was initially received with mixed opinions, but has since been balanced and polished a bit to make for a better experience. The new mode Operation Anabasis tells the story of a colonial fleet sent out on a deep strike mission against a Cylon base. Things go topsy-turvy as usual, and the fleet must flee back to Caprica, Cylons in hot pursuit the entire way. These mode obviously draws directly on the plot of the BSG show, in a good way. Your fleet starts out strong, but includes many civilian ships you must try to protect through battle after battle. You can repair your ships if they survive a fight, but that's about it. Each jump brings with it a random new set of bonuses and penalties to deal with. Your final performance is measured by how many ships you get back to Caprica safely, if you get there at all. While the mode is standalone, it does feature characters from the main storyline, and ties in with the overall plot of \"Season One.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-CRnw28OZorg\/XJG7jaExO1I\/AAAAAAAAAww\/w_ZuiTI8mLI57K8M9PnvEHvAmNra4GwbQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.03.17%2B-%2B13.53.45.96.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-CRnw28OZorg\/XJG7jaExO1I\/AAAAAAAAAww\/w_ZuiTI8mLI57K8M9PnvEHvAmNra4GwbQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.03.17%2B-%2B13.53.45.96.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile the new survival mode is separate\u0026nbsp;from the main campaign gameplay, the new DLC includes plenty of new content for it. Several new types of munitions are available that are far more interesting than the standard missiles and rockets of the base game. The EMP Generator lets you pull off that Star Trek-esque move from the BSG pilot, in which a ship winds up its generators to release an electromagnetic pulse, which damages any Cylons venturing too near. The Cylons also get some new toys, so watch out!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnother addition from this DLC is a dozen new types of side missions that can pop up during a regular campaign. These aren't just new maps (though there are new maps), but completely new types of objectives to accomplish.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESin and Sacrifice\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe just released, final DLC of Season One. Sin and Sacrifice extends the story of Deadlock beyond the conclusion of the original campaign and the Anabasis mission. The Cylons have been beaten back, but of course the big bad is still out there, ready to launch a fresh attack on the twelve colonies. You can either jump straight to this campaign with a pre-built late game fleet, or carry over your own fleets from the base campaign. I didn't have enough time to make it through the entire campaign just yet, but what I've seen so far is great stuff. Big battles between late game bruisers are the order of the day. There is plenty of new variety in what you are trying to do each mission as well, besides blowing apart as many toasters as you can, as usual. The two new ships added to the game reflect this idea. The humans get the Heracles, a new heavy offensive ship that is literally\u0026nbsp;covered in gun turrets. It doesn't get any munition slots, but it can blast away at an entire Cylon fleet all at once. The Cylons get a new fighter support ship, which can repair their fighter squadrons mid battle and boost their performance. That's nothing to sneeze at when late game fleets are hauling around a half-dozen or more fighter squadrons at the least.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-_mb00y1_gGY\/XJG7iqCgo9I\/AAAAAAAAAws\/L-B49NLQySQK4AmQGgX45tX_-0cV8vyNwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.03.17%2B-%2B13.46.11.24.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-_mb00y1_gGY\/XJG7iqCgo9I\/AAAAAAAAAws\/L-B49NLQySQK4AmQGgX45tX_-0cV8vyNwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2BScreenshot%2B2019.03.17%2B-%2B13.46.11.24.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe other big, really cool addition to the game that Sin and Sacrifice brings is additional radio chatter. Previously, your ships had little voice lines announcing important things like missiles being launched or ships taking hull damage, but there were only so many of them, and they always sounded the same. Now, however, a ton (1100+ in fact) of great bits of radio chatter have been added into the background of a fight. You'll here plenty of utterances of \"Frakkers!\" and \"Blast those toasters!\" and every thing else you would expect from the BSG world. This adds so much flavor to the game and really increases the immersion as you watch the battles play out.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EVeterancy Update\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnother free update, which just came out along with Sin and Sacrifice, the Veterancy update adds a significant new feature to the game: the ability for individual ships to gain XP and \"level up\" over time. In the base game, you have fleet commanders who gain levels and unlock new abilities. The ships, however, never changed, no matter how many battles they survived or enemies they destroyed. That's all different now, as ships can level up and become more deadly over time. I really love this addition, as now you can really latch on to your early ships that hang around through a dozen battles and become your aces. Losing one, of course, will sting badly as you can't just crank out another veteran warship in a couple turns.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-GKYNjfWqMuU\/WxLyD7g_mlI\/AAAAAAAAAoo\/HRvXicig6rg5heuAbY42nIVFzbohFRk-ACPcBGAYYCw\/s1600\/20180510223409_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-GKYNjfWqMuU\/WxLyD7g_mlI\/AAAAAAAAAoo\/HRvXicig6rg5heuAbY42nIVFzbohFRk-ACPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/20180510223409_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn addition to what I've listed here, the game has also been polished a great deal from when it was released.\u0026nbsp;The game looks, sounds, and plays better than ever before. If you pick up the game, along with all the DLC, you'll be looking at paying a AAA game price, but you will be getting a very good, rich experience. Each DLC expands on the story and content of the original game, and I think each one is worth a purchase. All of them together make for a meaty game that you can sink a lot of hours into. As a big fan of the show, I'm really happy that such a worthy game was finally created.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECalling it Season 1 implies that there will be a Season 2, and the developers have confirmed that fact over on the forums. I look forward to seeing what else is added to the game!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBSG: Deadlock is available on PC, PS4 and XBOX One\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/7890302460615593926\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/03\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-season.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7890302460615593926"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7890302460615593926"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/03\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-season.html","title":"Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock - Season One in Review"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-zOORdfTH6r0\/XJG94K_9mCI\/AAAAAAAAAxI\/bpEH8rYzm2wo7C66pio2K-kLSKsZk-ytACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/BSGD_Sin-and-sacrifice-logo.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1723245489692588979"},"published":{"$t":"2019-01-16T03:39:00.002+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-01-16T03:39:48.099+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"4x"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gladius"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Proxy Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warhammer 40k"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Gladius - Relics of War: Tyranids DLC"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-Br3vvZLm8UA\/XD6g3qnED8I\/AAAAAAAAAsg\/YN2op1kRcD0lEYQGtc7GUI566XT2d9lewCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/WH40KGladius_Tyranids_artwork.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"397\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-Br3vvZLm8UA\/XD6g3qnED8I\/AAAAAAAAAsg\/YN2op1kRcD0lEYQGtc7GUI566XT2d9lewCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/WH40KGladius_Tyranids_artwork.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: \u0026quot;arial\u0026quot;; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAmong the multitude of Warhammer 40k games that have swarmed across gamers’ PC’s the last couple of years, only a few really stood out as interesting uses of the license. One of my favorites from last year was Gladius: Relics of War. This 40k take on the 4x genre was a streamlined and fast paced rendition of the classic 4X formula. Diplomacy was completely tossed out the window in favor of a massive roster of units, each with their own distinct tactical uses. If you aren’t familiar with the game at all, check out \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/07\/warhammer-40k-gladius-relics-of-war.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Emy review here\u003C\/a\u003E for all the details. Now we have the first new faction DLC for the game, bringing an alien horde perfectly suited to the battlefields of Gladius: the Tyranids. While the DLC doesn’t change the overall structure of the game much, the Tyranids come with their own set of unique mechanics that are a masterclass in matching theme and gameplay.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb id=\"docs-internal-guid-a90670d7-7fff-ff4f-f0df-548d16010b27\" style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you’re reading this, then you’re probably familiar with the Tyranids already. These are the Zerg of the 40k world. Giant, nightmarish swarms of monsters that resemble a varied assortment of giant space bug dinosaur things. They’re all teeth and claws, plasma launchers and acid blood, controlled by a mind hive consciousness and numbering in the trillions. They feel no fear, no remorse, and only desire one thing: to consume all biological life everywhere they go. Sounds like some great new neighbors, right?\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-9rK6CJGV1xQ\/XD6lDMHE8OI\/AAAAAAAAAtU\/oMhSaenDRog4eGu86GZeumPi7GYQwMm5ACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.13%2B-%2B22.47.56.11.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-9rK6CJGV1xQ\/XD6lDMHE8OI\/AAAAAAAAAtU\/oMhSaenDRog4eGu86GZeumPi7GYQwMm5ACLcBGAs\/s640\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.13%2B-%2B22.47.56.11.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile the Tyranids have a number of fearsome and deadly units in their arsenal, they actually begin the game quite weak. The lower tier Tyranid units are cheap and many are fast, but they can’t venture too far by themselves. Remember that part about being controlled by a hive mind? Not all of the Tyranid units have a direct “synaptic link” to the hive. Every turn spent out of direct contact with the hive causes these units to lose health and they can even become feral if detached too long, causing the player to lose control of them. This means that you must keep a more powerful unit around that can act as a relay for the hive mind. I really liked how this forced you to make some tough tactical considerations. Use your big bads to spearhead an offensive, and you risk their destruction. Losing your link to the hive could cause an offensive push to completely disintegrate. Playing as the Tyranids involves a lot of expansion and contraction of your forces. Send some fast scouts out for reconnaissance, quickly pull them back to a synaptic linked unit, then concentrate your forces and move towards whatever goal you have in mind (i.e. consuming everything in your path). This makes playing the Tyranids tactically distinct from other factions. Each group of weaker units needs a synaptic unit as the core of their group, and they must all move together to be fully effective. Compare this with the Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard) who’s lowliest unit of guardsmen can at least be stationed alone in some remote corner of the map to watch over a flank. For the Tyranids, a grouping of units is almost always necessary for any task. The Tyranids do not hold ground very well, they must always be on the move in one direction or the other.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-CKSR1mcynIc\/XD6k2o9VCNI\/AAAAAAAAAtQ\/ZSEjS_zPzc8NCpSNr5s2ukPsaid1NUV7QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.10%2B-%2B22.15.12.09.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-CKSR1mcynIc\/XD6k2o9VCNI\/AAAAAAAAAtQ\/ZSEjS_zPzc8NCpSNr5s2ukPsaid1NUV7QCLcBGAs\/s640\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.10%2B-%2B22.15.12.09.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOn the strategic level, the Tyranids have some distinct differences as well. Resources have been distilled down to just two things, biomass and influence. Biomass is the organic matter that the Tyranids melt down and turn into all of their fearsome creatures and buildings. You get this by stripping the land bare and building up certain base structures. Unsurprisingly, you always need more, more, more. You can also reclaim some biomass by bringing units back to base to be tossed back into the bubbling goo. While this sounds like a minor gimmick, it’s actually entirely necessary for smoothly switching gears between one tier of units and the next when you are running tight on resources. A situation I found myself in several times. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe other resource important for Tyranid strategy is influence. This is used to power many buildings and some key special abilities. You can burn through a lot of influence in a hurry by scooping up extra biomass anywhere on the map with the Malanthrope unit, or to keep units under control longer when they are away from the hive mind. Having just the two key resources for all of your production and abilities may sound simple, but it actually creates an interesting economic situation where you are constantly balancing one with the other, while trying not to simultaneously run out of both. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EA great touch to the game is how the Tyranids actually change the appearance of the map around them as the game progresses. The expansion of your hives and the special ability of the Malanthropes literally strips the planet to the bedrock, removing all vegetation and any trace of life one hex at a time. Gladius isn't all that pretty to begin with, and the Tyranids do their best to make it look even worse.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-tPJJTLEctr8\/XD6kQinQuVI\/AAAAAAAAAs8\/ipmD5zk-zb0K3NQ1BsKrDx0-AEdrJWnsgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.13%2B-%2B22.47.35.27.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-tPJJTLEctr8\/XD6kQinQuVI\/AAAAAAAAAs8\/ipmD5zk-zb0K3NQ1BsKrDx0-AEdrJWnsgCLcBGAs\/s640\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.13%2B-%2B22.47.35.27.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELike the other factions, the Tyranids have a tech tree mostly focused on unlocking new units and then bigger and badder upgrades for them. You can choose to spread research around to give yourself a lot of options, or focus on upgrading one particular line of units quickly. I really liked the variety of units offered for the Tyranids. You of course have hulking monstrosities that you can load up with tons of weapons, but there are also incredibly fast units for hit-and-run tactics, a stealth unit, and a hero that can allow you to move units around underground. All of these options, with the general mix of units between cannon fodder infantry and the big stuff that could startle a Space Marine, give the Tyranids a great roster to choose your army from.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile the Tyranids may sound like an unstoppable faction ready to swarm over everyone else on Gladius, they are actually rated “Hard” (along with the Imperial Guard faction) and this was no lie. My first run at the game on normal difficulty ended with my being overwhelmed by two enemy factions and some neutral units at the same time. This was mostly my fault for trying to spread out too far, too fast. On my second run I took the difficulty down a notch to Easy. Around turn 200 I’m still alive, but it’s been a struggle most of the way. The enemy AI pulls no punches and the world itself is hostile to your presence. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-eDF1pHNltJw\/XD6jlQY6p5I\/AAAAAAAAAs0\/_bpQLS_o7tAI_s-7K-9dLNG9eWT7jUqlQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.10%2B-%2B21.15.28.38.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-eDF1pHNltJw\/XD6jlQY6p5I\/AAAAAAAAAs0\/_bpQLS_o7tAI_s-7K-9dLNG9eWT7jUqlQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.10%2B-%2B21.15.28.38.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELook at all that lovely biomass, ready to be consumed.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELastly, I wanted to touch on the updates to Gladius overall since launch in July last year. A long series of small updates and tweaks has really polished what was already a solid experience. The most impressive is the enemy AI, which for me presented a serious challenge. In a big name 4X series which uses the same sort of hex-based combat and rhymes with Bivilaration, it has long been a common sight to see an AI make bone-headed moves with their units and waste them on futile attacks while marching right past much easier targets. Not so in Gladius. Here the enemy forces will swarm out of the fog of war if you venture near their territory, only to immediately pull back if you are able to heavily outnumber them. Enemy units routinely scout the edges of your territory, snapping up undefended strategic resource locations and prodding deeper where they can. The enemy will give battle when they have a large enough force, and then reinforce or retreat as the fight goes one way or the other. It was rare to get an easy kill on an enemy unit without extending your own forces into the no-man’s-land. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-KMdoZdpUZnI\/XD6kRgG76rI\/AAAAAAAAAtA\/Pz-SGkcaWEor7NaASOWCjkpADDZUFAoHQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.13%2B-%2B22.31.20.59.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-KMdoZdpUZnI\/XD6kRgG76rI\/AAAAAAAAAtA\/Pz-SGkcaWEor7NaASOWCjkpADDZUFAoHQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2019.01.13%2B-%2B22.31.20.59.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Imperial Guard won't go down as easily as you might imagine.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs you can tell from my review, I really like the Tyranids expansion for Gladius. While the game has a had a couple small DLC since launch, this is the first addition of an entire faction and it has set the bar very high. The matching of theme and gameplay mechanics is top-notch and makes the Tyranids a fresh experience even for veterans of the game. I imagine we are guaranteed to see more factions added over time, and I hope they are all done this well.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E-Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cb style=\"font-weight: normal;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGladius: Tyranids is \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/products\/790\/details\/Warhammer.40,000.Gladius.-.Tyranids\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eavailable directly from Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E and on Steam\/GoG\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;\"\u003EDeveloper: Proxy Studios\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"ltr\" style=\"line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;\"\u003EPublisher: Slitherine\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap; white-space: pre;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/1723245489692588979\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/01\/gladius-relics-of-war-tyranids-dlc.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1723245489692588979"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1723245489692588979"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/01\/gladius-relics-of-war-tyranids-dlc.html","title":"Gladius - Relics of War: Tyranids DLC"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-Br3vvZLm8UA\/XD6g3qnED8I\/AAAAAAAAAsg\/YN2op1kRcD0lEYQGtc7GUI566XT2d9lewCK4BGAYYCw\/s72-c\/WH40KGladius_Tyranids_artwork.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-7928762792844890516"},"published":{"$t":"2018-10-11T22:32:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-10-11T22:32:32.849+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Armored Brigade"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Preview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"slitherine"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"tactical"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"World War III"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Preview of Armored Brigade by Matrix Games and Veitikka Studios"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPreview of Armored Brigade\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eby\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMatrix Games\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eand\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EVeitikka Studios\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-SYa4Flyp6H0\/W74dObRafcI\/AAAAAAAADOk\/820Bo-pR4s8CUom4RaZCuvfehfrzeo7IgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/hqdefault.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"360\" data-original-width=\"480\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-SYa4Flyp6H0\/W74dObRafcI\/AAAAAAAADOk\/820Bo-pR4s8CUom4RaZCuvfehfrzeo7IgCLcBGAs\/s640\/hqdefault.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;It is big and it is beautiful, and it is all dolled up to come to your home in a short while. I believe it was Ty Bomba who said \"Nato, Nukes, and Nazis\" sell wargames. By the amount of gamers that want to wargame a possible World War III, I believe he is right. In lieu of a box cover I have used this pretty painted pachyderm. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-IUo8jlDOQnQ\/W7zVxFymNfI\/AAAAAAAADOE\/XcZicl39gSQgP_4sW9MDu1_glwaGvuoJACLcBGAs\/s1600\/1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-IUo8jlDOQnQ\/W7zVxFymNfI\/AAAAAAAADOE\/XcZicl39gSQgP_4sW9MDu1_glwaGvuoJACLcBGAs\/s640\/1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMain Menu Screen\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"ii gt\" id=\":o9\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"a3s aXjCH \" id=\":o8\" role=\"gridcell\" tabindex=\"-1\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I have had the privilege bestowed upon me by Matrix Games and Slitherine to take the soon to be released Armored Brigade for a spin. To sum up the game in one word, it is 'excellent'\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E. The game play and components added are exactly what you would want and expect from a Cold War gone hot land game. Each side's night fighting capabilities etc. have been factored in. However, the greatest part of the game are the\n abilities that the game gives you when you generate your own missions. \nFirst,we have the maps; you can make your own or use any size that come with the \ngame. These can be from as small or as large as you want. One of the \nvery interesting parts of the game is that neither side knows exactly \nwhere all of their objectives actually are. The years that the game can \nmodel the NATO and Warsaw Pact forces are from 1965-1991. You have four \npreset choices for your forces: Armored, Mechanized, Infantry, or \nDynamic, although you can pretty much mix and match for any force you want for \nboth sides. So, you can see that the player gets to play with a vast \namount of choices to make any mission you can envision. Unlike many other World War III games, this does include Finnish forces.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAt the moment there are no campaigns, and few scenarios that you can \njump right into. As we mentioned, the mission generator is pretty easy to\n use, so you will be up and firing in no time. In talking with the developer, campaigns will be added as DLCs later on. This game is meant for \nsingle player only right now. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Just remember that these screen pictures are still of a preview version and they could change.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHere is the link to the trailer:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XWONTj0P_JU\u0026amp;feature=youtu.be\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XWONTj0P_JU\u0026amp;feature=youtu.be\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-Xy0vPgX3kdk\/W7zVwlzTFFI\/AAAAAAAADOA\/W2Muw2AXCBIW_J5qQLrYXip5nfzomzexQCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-Xy0vPgX3kdk\/W7zVwlzTFFI\/AAAAAAAADOA\/W2Muw2AXCBIW_J5qQLrYXip5nfzomzexQCEwYBhgL\/s640\/2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFulda Gap Map\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I\n had downloaded and played the free version a few years ago and it was a\n good game. Now it has really grown up. The game has been described as a\n cross between the Close Combat Games and Command Ops. I think that hits\n the nail right on the head. The following Twitch stream of the game is \nall encompassing. Just so you know, it is over 2 1\/2 hours long. About half of the video is on how many choices you have in generating a mission. Yes, there is that much stuff to play with. The other half is actual game play. Here is\n the link:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/videos\/320309527\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/videos\/320309527\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;Armored Brigade also has dynamic weather which you can see in this video:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yXnAMa9XeoY\u0026amp;feature=share\"\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=yXnAMa9XeoY\u0026amp;feature=share\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-vKSZ4LvM6Tw\/W7zVxV3hkrI\/AAAAAAAADOQ\/ifvQXlHRJDMeAHMHxqDpLygk_aUZRN4igCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-vKSZ4LvM6Tw\/W7zVxV3hkrI\/AAAAAAAADOQ\/ifvQXlHRJDMeAHMHxqDpLygk_aUZRN4igCEwYBhgL\/s640\/3.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWarsaw Pact Setup For The River Crossing Scenario\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-z5WGbRaz1TI\/W7zXpLigAyI\/AAAAAAAADOY\/FD5UOeIfAkUajCgWtcz4MyWp8XALFrOeQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/4.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-z5WGbRaz1TI\/W7zXpLigAyI\/AAAAAAAADOY\/FD5UOeIfAkUajCgWtcz4MyWp8XALFrOeQCLcBGAs\/s640\/4.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis Is A Close-up Of The Above Scenario\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"adL\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable class=\"cf wS\" role=\"presentation\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"amq\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERobert and Jason\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"amr\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/7928762792844890516\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/10\/preview-of-armored-brigade-by-matrix.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7928762792844890516"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7928762792844890516"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/10\/preview-of-armored-brigade-by-matrix.html","title":"Preview of Armored Brigade by Matrix Games and Veitikka Studios"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-SYa4Flyp6H0\/W74dObRafcI\/AAAAAAAADOk\/820Bo-pR4s8CUom4RaZCuvfehfrzeo7IgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/hqdefault.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8388247835932907459"},"published":{"$t":"2018-07-06T21:04:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-07-06T21:04:19.718+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Desert War 1940-1942"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"North Africa"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Desert War 1940-1942 by Matrix and Slitherine games"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDesert War 1940-1942\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eby\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMatrix and Slitherine Games\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Og7rYY1sgeM\/WuR4Izv9t-I\/AAAAAAAACSE\/xFVGWoAF7j0s4V2Goa-NpnDA-esqryREQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desert-war_Box_3D_170.gif\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"220\" data-original-width=\"170\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Og7rYY1sgeM\/WuR4Izv9t-I\/AAAAAAAACSE\/xFVGWoAF7j0s4V2Goa-NpnDA-esqryREQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desert-war_Box_3D_170.gif\" width=\"494\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;We wargamers seem to be split at times into two camps. First, we have the generation that grew up on computer wargames. Second, we have the grognards that cut their teeth on board wargames before they found computer ones. To me, Desert War is very much like a board wargame ported to the computer, and not a game that was built from the ground up as a computer game. This, I think, is where the almost Jeckyll and Hyde reviews of this game have come from. The younger computer generation seems to find the game hard to get into and the UI not user friendly, while those of us who have manually picked through stacks to figure out battle odds are more at home with the game and how it plays. I know I am over simplifying each side of the argument for length's sake.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-jUqGNt9_lMM\/WuSGLANNjvI\/AAAAAAAACSU\/-yW1jpW4ackRedXW-g0akmOw9IThDd4XACLcBGAs\/s1600\/1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-jUqGNt9_lMM\/WuSGLANNjvI\/AAAAAAAACSU\/-yW1jpW4ackRedXW-g0akmOw9IThDd4XACLcBGAs\/s640\/1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;In terms of what games wargamers really want, the North African campaign is always near the top of any poll. I believe this is because there has been so much written about the campaign compared to many others. Rommel has been put on a pedestal as the greatest German general, and a master of tank warfare. The Italians have unfortunately been labeled as inept, and very easy to defeat. I think you would get a different answer to that label by the English soldiers who were in the desert campaigns. This desert war has been shrouded in myth, much like T.E. Lawrence and his desert war. So let us see what exactly you get when you purchase Desert War:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u0026nbsp;\n  \u003Cb\u003E\"\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAir, Naval, and Ground Assets\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/b\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eare off-map capabilities that can be brought into play when the owning player sees fit.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EAir assets\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003Erepresent squadrons that can conduct \ncounter-air, interdiction, ground attack and ground support missions. \nAir reconnaissance (recce) assets represent flights of two to four \naircraft. Air recce assets can collect information about the location \nand type of enemy ground units on the map.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENaval Assets\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003Erepresent individual ships able to provide of ground attack and ground support missions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \u003C\/span\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOff-map Ground Assets\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003Eprovide additional capabilities that can influence the on-map battle. \u003Cb\u003EGround Assets\u003C\/b\u003E include electronic warfare assets, command and control (C2) activities, and Special Forces.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Unlike in many computer wargames, Desert War 1940-42 employs a \u003Cb\u003EWEGO\u003C\/b\u003E system. \u003Cb\u003EWEGO by its nature is about the Player’s ability to plan for and manage chaos\u003C\/b\u003E; to find solutions to perceived challenges to accomplishing the mission with the tools at hand.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  In this way, every decision you make must be carefully considered. \nLearn to think three moves ahead and outsmart your opponent!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"content\"\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Re-discover surprise on the battlefield!\u0026nbsp; The \u003Cb\u003EWEGO game system\u003C\/b\u003E makes for great fun and realistic game play.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E12 scenarios\u003C\/b\u003E that explore the action from the Italian Invasion of Egypt in 1940 to Rommel's defeat at El Alamein in late 1942.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EControl land, air and naval forces\u003C\/b\u003E at the battalion, air group, and individual ship level.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Allocate \u003Cb\u003ECommand, Special Forces and electronic warfare (EW)\u003C\/b\u003E assets to influence the battles.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ESimple on-line gameplay using Slitherine's PBEM system.\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\n  \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EFull game editor;\u003C\/b\u003E build your own maps, forces, and \ngraphics.\u0026nbsp; Includes an AI scripting language that provides a challenging\n AI opponent capable of \"changing its mind\" based on the human player's \nactions.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EScenario List:\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul style=\"margin-bottom: 0px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  2nd Battle of Bardia (introductory scenario)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Operazione E: The Reluctant Offensive, 13-20 Sep 1940\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Into The Blue: Battle of Sidi Barrani, 9-12 Dec 1940\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Beda Fomm: Death of an Army, 1-7 Feb 1941\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Enter Rommel \u003Ci\u003E(only Multiplayer - no SP)\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Battle of Sollum: Operation Battleaxe, 15-18 Jun 1941\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Sunday of the Dead: Battle of Sidi Rezegh, 18-24 Nov 1941\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Rats vs The Ram: Battle of Bir el Gubi, 19-21 Nov 1941\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Gazala--First Five Days, 26-30 May 1942\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Gazala--The Cauldron, 29 May - 10 Jun 1942\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Gazala--Fall of Tobruk, 11 - 21 Jun 1942\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  High Tide at Alam Halfa, 30 Aug - 5 Sep 1942\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none; margin-left: 72pt;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  2nd Alamein: From Lightfoot to Supercharge, 24 Oct - 3 Nov 1942\" \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-yhaY7Q1hrSE\/WuSGXSL5pOI\/AAAAAAAACSY\/WnVkCGeUMBUr27Lv7XwxjqDztOeX0QzBwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-yhaY7Q1hrSE\/WuSGXSL5pOI\/AAAAAAAACSY\/WnVkCGeUMBUr27Lv7XwxjqDztOeX0QzBwCLcBGAs\/s640\/2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOptions Screen\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; So the first thing to notice about the game that it is a WEGO, and not a IGOUGO game. This type of action is where a computerized wargame really shines. To those unfamiliar with the term WEGO means that both sides determine their moves, and then they are simultaneously played out during the movement and battle phase. Board wargames have come a long way with simulating time and fog of war, but computer wargames are still better at it. The only thing that computer games cannot replicate is the ability to see the consternation in your opponent's eyes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/--ostgZwXbi4\/WuSGdz951oI\/AAAAAAAACSg\/8jVc2jcJczI-z_eEnxdbdw_Iq4Xbb2d4ACLcBGAs\/s1600\/3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/--ostgZwXbi4\/WuSGdz951oI\/AAAAAAAACSg\/8jVc2jcJczI-z_eEnxdbdw_Iq4Xbb2d4ACLcBGAs\/s640\/3.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EScenario Selection Screen\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;The next item to notice about the game is the large amount of different scenarios that the game comes with. The game simulates the incredible difference in warfare from 1940 to 1942, not only the large difference in the armaments, but also how it was used.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-4qxeE54vCac\/Wzp4Ef0EViI\/AAAAAAAAClg\/5T8cetp6tMw_4ExeXocdZZLVH5JprQ5mwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/4.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-4qxeE54vCac\/Wzp4Ef0EViI\/AAAAAAAAClg\/5T8cetp6tMw_4ExeXocdZZLVH5JprQ5mwCLcBGAs\/s640\/4.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBattle of Sidi Barrani\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E The third item about the game is that is has a lot of counters. I am talking a Grigsby game amount of counters. It seems funny that I have no problem, and actually enjoy, a board wargame with hundreds of counters. However, in computer wargames it is always nice to have an AI adjutant to hand things over to such as artillery fire etc. I can see where some gamers might have a problem with the amount of counters and data that a player must absorb in order to play the game correctly.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-D4m28QkNZWw\/Wzp4CZrXQFI\/AAAAAAAACls\/IDYI2reu4RMinxXbySWAGEgCRQiw4jT8gCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/10.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-D4m28QkNZWw\/Wzp4CZrXQFI\/AAAAAAAACls\/IDYI2reu4RMinxXbySWAGEgCRQiw4jT8gCEwYBhgL\/s640\/10.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIntroductory Scenario\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E The developer likes input from buyers, but also non-buyers. The game has been worked on continually from its first version until now. That is one of the biggest reasons to support different developers. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I am not a big fan of the North African campaign so maybe it is that fact that has given me more pause than usual in digging into the game.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-lpLfFIQAWmY\/Wzp4CCh_LRI\/AAAAAAAAClw\/YrAg6MnluTYRhTqJSO2DQOIqGgQV2OszQCEwYBhgL\/s1600\/11.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-lpLfFIQAWmY\/Wzp4CCh_LRI\/AAAAAAAAClw\/YrAg6MnluTYRhTqJSO2DQOIqGgQV2OszQCEwYBhgL\/s640\/11.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESecond El Alamein, These are just the Axis Units\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; So I am not truly ambivalent about the game. It is just that I have to be in the right state of mind to fire it up. It is not a game that you can start and then play for a half hour, and then head off to dinner. For this game I have to be ready to invest some time and to sink into my chair for a good long while. I am sure players of 'World in Flames', or 'War in the Pacific' will understand. I like the game, I just have to be ready to delve deeply into it. For those of you who like 'beer and pretzel' games, please stay far, far away. For anyone who is looking for a deep wargame, here it is. It is unbelievable to me that this started as a labor of love. This was a free download once. The game has come a long way since then, but it's still really only a hobby project. For everything that the developer has added into the game this is still hard for me to grasp.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;If you noticed, the review is late. I waited for the first patch to see if some items cleared up. I was having 'artifacts' show up on my screen after playing for a while (an artifact is a left over portion of a window that has since been closed). After seeing that no one else was complaining of this, I updated my drivers etc., and it no longer shows up. The AI in the game was another matter. In some of the scenarios the AI would not really attack at all. The developer has worked on this and has said that he would continue to look at the AI. It does seem to be better after the patch. The other thing is this review seems to be cursed, at least for me. I have lost the rough draft twice on it, which is funny because it has never happened to me before.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;So, bottom line, this is a good to great game as long as you are interested in putting the time into learning it. One good thing about the game is the number of tutorials that have been done. Some of the best have been done by \"Slick Wilhelm\" from the Matrix Games forum.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERobert \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8388247835932907459\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/07\/desert-war-1940-1942-by-matrix-and.html#comment-form","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8388247835932907459"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8388247835932907459"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/07\/desert-war-1940-1942-by-matrix-and.html","title":"Desert War 1940-1942 by Matrix and Slitherine games"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Og7rYY1sgeM\/WuR4Izv9t-I\/AAAAAAAACSE\/xFVGWoAF7j0s4V2Goa-NpnDA-esqryREQCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Desert-war_Box_3D_170.gif","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-3809030959269561432"},"published":{"$t":"2018-06-02T21:04:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-06-02T21:04:50.564+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Battlestar Galactica"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Black Lab Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"space"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"turn based"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: The Broken Alliance"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-P6Ii5gOa1G4\/WxL4MJrHMcI\/AAAAAAAAAow\/7HacY8Wnwco7_3zovvaLkAqzwU9pD4kpACLcBGAs\/s1600\/BSGD_The-Broken-Alliance_logo_black.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"800\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-P6Ii5gOa1G4\/WxL4MJrHMcI\/AAAAAAAAAow\/7HacY8Wnwco7_3zovvaLkAqzwU9pD4kpACLcBGAs\/s640\/BSGD_The-Broken-Alliance_logo_black.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBattlestar Galactica Deadlock: The Broken Alliance (BSGD:TBA...still a mouthful, let's just go with BA) is the freshly released expansion to last year's surprisingly excellent we-go space fleet strategy game from Black Lab Games. I never got a chance to play the base game before a few weeks ago, so this review will cover both the full game and the new DLC.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFor players already familiar with Deadlock, I'll cover The Broken Alliance in detail first, then go back and give a overview of the base game for newbies. BA integrates smoothly into the existing dynamic campaign structure, enhancing it rather than being a separate\u0026nbsp;experience. The campaign exists as a series of eight special missions that you can attempt to complete in the midst of the existing war against the Cylons. The first mission marker will appear as soon as you finish the initial tutorials, giving you the option to add one of the brand new ship types to your fleet right away. You can of course ignore it for awhile if the Cylons are focusing your attention elsewhere. As the name of the DLC implies, these missions center around the tenuous alliance of the human worlds in the face of the Cylon onslaught. Much like in the BSG TV series, the aims of the front line\u0026nbsp;military commanders and the ambitions of various politicians don't mesh, leading to plenty of drama and tension. There are several new characters with strong personalities who are part of a neat story line that will keep you hooked. These events all take place within the overall war that you are already fighting, and add more decision points to a campaign that already had a good amount of replayability.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-g-btR8qZJxM\/WxLxqxclkzI\/AAAAAAAAAns\/BhHcM0E5-iomZKDZr9lwQlUQm-ylsmgBwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180530232031_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-g-btR8qZJxM\/WxLxqxclkzI\/AAAAAAAAAns\/BhHcM0E5-iomZKDZr9lwQlUQm-ylsmgBwCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180530232031_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAlong the course of the campaign, you will get to try out some new toys and face new enemy ships. Each side of the Human vs Cylon war gets a new offensive capital ship, a new support ship, and a new fighter type. These give you some fresh options for building your fleet in the campaign, and add a little extra spice to the multiplayer gameplay. For example, the first mission of the BA campaign gives you access to the \u003Ci\u003ECelestra\u003C\/i\u003E class resupply ship, which can augment armor on a specific section of a friendly ship, and also send extra missiles or torpedoes over to restock your offensive ships. The \u003Ci\u003ECelestra\u003C\/i\u003E has no means of attack at all, but opens up new tactical options. You can use the armor buff to help a ship take the brunt of the enemy attack, constantly moving the extra layer of defense around to offer the most protection.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;The ability to restock missiles makes another early game ship type, the \u003Ci\u003ERanger\u003C\/i\u003E missile frigate, able to continue firing long after its munitions racks would normally have run empty. Although a resupply ship may not seem that sexy at first glance, it really does give you a new dimension to consider in your battle plans.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-VArJLAELwiM\/WxLxknzb_uI\/AAAAAAAAAng\/rPSm3mYNz6YdXBmfH1ZvSiv2my6uHlgyACLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180520171203_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-VArJLAELwiM\/WxLxknzb_uI\/AAAAAAAAAng\/rPSm3mYNz6YdXBmfH1ZvSiv2my6uHlgyACLcBGAs\/s640\/20180520171203_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Broken Alliance expansion released alongside a substantial patch which adds many improvements to the game even if you don't pick up the DLC. The\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/steamcommunity.com\/games\/544610\/announcements\/detail\/1643131131196478513\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EEndurance Update\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;adds one key new feature, persistent damage, which effects both the tactical and strategic layer for the better. Previously, ships would return to full health after each battle, regardless of whether they took a beating in the last fight. This meant that there was no reason not to rush in headlong as long as you knew you could kill the enemy before they knocked out one of your guys. Now it's in your best interest to fight each battle with the future in mind, minimizing damage whenever possible. This damage is shown visually as it happens, which makes the battles feel much more like the show, as ships limp away from a tough fight covered in bruises.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOverall, The Broken Alliance is easily worth the cost of admission and, along with the Endurance Update, enriches an experience that was already rather solid. This is the best kind of DLC, one that seamlessly integrates into the original game and makes what was already there better. Between the new content and persistent damage, veteran players have more than enough reason to spin up their FTL drives and hop back in for another round against the toasters.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-F0jb6HopyOw\/WxLxlJhGMGI\/AAAAAAAAAnk\/kjMRbk2S9sIcnfrUjmbKlJXDKPJcPK3bwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180530223701_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-F0jb6HopyOw\/WxLxlJhGMGI\/AAAAAAAAAnk\/kjMRbk2S9sIcnfrUjmbKlJXDKPJcPK3bwCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180530223701_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat if you're fresh to the BSG Deadlock scene and want to hear a bit more about that dynamic campaign and those cool looking tactical battles? I've got you covered!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBSG Deadlock is a game about the first Cylon War, which happened many years before the events of the rebooted TV series. The Galactica is not some ancient warship ready to be turned into a museum, but instead it is one of the premier flagships of the Colonial Fleet. Unfortunately, the Galactica has gone missing, and following a strong blow from a surprise Cylon assault, the Colonial Fleet is in rebuilding mode. This is where you start the campaign, right in the middle of a war that has been going on for some time with no end in sight, hence \"Deadlock.\" There's no running and hiding from the Cylons here, this is a game all about big ships slugging it out in head-to-head confrontations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe gameplay is broken up into two distinct halves. The tactical battles, and the strategic layer. Each heavily influences the other, and you will need success in both to carry humanity to victory.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kMP2D2G81wM\/WxLyJRdv0oI\/AAAAAAAAAoc\/w_5h1ZOPq480LXZec2kil8yVbtu5hJ9TgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180512214803_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kMP2D2G81wM\/WxLyJRdv0oI\/AAAAAAAAAoc\/w_5h1ZOPq480LXZec2kil8yVbtu5hJ9TgCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180512214803_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOn the strategic level, the game features a dynamic campaign where you maneuver your fleet, and later, multiple fleets, around the Twelve Colonies of Kobol, fighting off the Cylons where they appear, and also taking on special scenarios that move the story forward. The twelve human worlds provide you with resources each turn, but they can drop out of the alliance if you don't defend them, much like nations in XCOM. However, here you can bring them back into the fold over time. As part of the strategic layer you are able to build ships, research new designs, assign and promote officers, and set priorities for the war as you see fit.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere's some interesting decision making to be had in terms of how you use the resources available to you. New ships can be built fairly cheaply over the course of a few turns, or pumped out immediately for an exorbitant price. Likewise, officers can be promoted (allowing you to level up their abilities) for free as they gain experience, or you can use valuable resource points to push them faster. The technology tree isn't vast, but does require you to decide priorities based on how you want to fight your battles. If you want to jump straight to a Battlestar tier of ship, you'll have to forgo many of the cheaper upgrades and designs that could make your starting fleet more potent.\u0026nbsp; There's something to be considered here every turn, since even moving your ships rapidly across the map can put a strain on your resources. Letting them idle for a few turns is much more fuel efficient, but of course means that the Cylons are raiding unchecked somewhere.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-v-alHzysgeg\/WxLxpvD9f9I\/AAAAAAAAAno\/69r0YxOD-qUUki4WXtYM-_ky2fGpiRE2QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180530225100_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-v-alHzysgeg\/WxLxpvD9f9I\/AAAAAAAAAno\/69r0YxOD-qUUki4WXtYM-_ky2fGpiRE2QCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180530225100_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI enjoyed the strategic part of the game because it gives you the freedom to conduct the war how you want, while still pushing you forwards constantly. Your operations are centered around a mobile shipyard that tags along with one of your fleets. It gives your starting fleet a bit of help in battles with its two fighter squadrons and some turrets. However, soon you must build additional fleets and send them out alone to keep the enemy in check across the twelve colonies. Doing so will give you benefits, since worlds support you more when you have a military presence there, and having more fleets spread around makes it much easier to drive off the Cylons wherever they appear.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-zVYo4azuY4o\/WxLxsQ7dYnI\/AAAAAAAAAnw\/Zu1Vy9So3joNuqrJZ1TKdZVrYFV-WPVkwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180530232215_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-zVYo4azuY4o\/WxLxsQ7dYnI\/AAAAAAAAAnw\/Zu1Vy9So3joNuqrJZ1TKdZVrYFV-WPVkwCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180530232215_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe other half of the game is the tactical battles. This is the meat of the game, where you face the enemy head on and do your best to defeat them while taking minimal casualties. The interface for commanding your ships is easy to use, but there is a ton of depth to explore. The action is broken up into we-go turns where orders are given by both sides, then the action plays out briefly before giving you another chance to issue orders.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EShips have separate armor on all four sides plus the top and bottom. Once the armor in one section gets chewed up, the ship starts taking damage to its \"health\" points. Ships have specific sections like engineering and fire control which can be damaged and must be repaired to restore functionality. Each ship also has specific arcs of fire depending on where the turrets are. One of your starting ship classes can only fire forwards and backwards, while the other can only fire broadsides. Later models have more arcs, including some that are on the top or bottom. All of this means that you absolutely must use the concept of three dimensional space to your advantage. I tried a lot of tactics like stacking ships vertically and doing a space rendition of crossing the T. One must also consider that missiles or torpedoes fired by your ships will crash into any friendly ships in the line of fire, so you need to consider that when coming up with a formation.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are some other small tweaks you can make every turn, like using a slider to add more power to either defense or attack (at the cost of speed) or boosting all power to the engines to cover some ground...er space. As your ships take damage, you can direct repair crews to whichever section of the ship you think needs to be repaired first.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBesides your large ships, you will also be fielding plenty of Viper and Raptor squadrons. The Vipers are your fighter jets, going out to attack enemy fighters and harass larger ships. They are great for projecting some power rapidly across the battlefield where needed. They can also play defense, and try to intercept incoming missiles. The Raptors are your utility players, equipped for electronic warfare, defense against Cylon hacking, boarding operations, and a small rack of missiles just for fun. Probably my only big complaint with the game is that you never seem to get those close in third-person shots of the Vipers that were so common in the show.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-GKYNjfWqMuU\/WxLyD7g_mlI\/AAAAAAAAAoQ\/MZuFweSqIPMsZvumV4WJxeTLEBdzqnR2ACLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180510223409_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-GKYNjfWqMuU\/WxLyD7g_mlI\/AAAAAAAAAoQ\/MZuFweSqIPMsZvumV4WJxeTLEBdzqnR2ACLcBGAs\/s640\/20180510223409_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe tactical battles initially seem like they could get repetitive or easy since you see a lot of the same ship types over and over, but that isn't the case. Each time you go out the enemy is in a different configuration, and the battles are so dynamic in how they flow from moment to moment that they never become repetitive. I had a constant drive to experiment with different strategies to see what would produce the best results. Again, I have to mention how the 3-D aspect of space combat really does come into play here, unlike in many space combat games where it doesn't really matter that much. As you add more ships to the mix, the tactical possibilities open up even more and as different enemy ships appear your tactics must adjust to the new threats they pose. All of this taken together makes for a lot of variety as the campaign progresses from small-medium skirmishes to late game heavy-weight bouts.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEven when a battle mostly goes your way, this is a war between powerful opponents, and you will lose ships. It's heartbreaking to see a ship you've had from early on get caught in a kill zone because you maneuvered them too aggressively, or when a Cylon frigate manages to get off one last salvo of torpedoes which hits the one weakened section of armor on one of your ships, destroying it just as the battle ends. Losing ships and building new ones is part of the game, and really makes it feel like you are in a fierce battle for survival.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-UWQzopp0ZJc\/WxLyCGRx3II\/AAAAAAAAAoM\/Y0XiZjOOm_sCJwHkvY0tiCvQxTBVJp2HQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180510222803_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-UWQzopp0ZJc\/WxLyCGRx3II\/AAAAAAAAAoM\/Y0XiZjOOm_sCJwHkvY0tiCvQxTBVJp2HQCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180510222803_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe graphics and sound do a great job of depicting space battles in the style of the BSG reboot. Missile trails, cannon fire, flak bursts, it's all there and puts you right into the show. Zoom in on a ship and you can even see its name painted on the side. As ships take damage they will shows the scars of battle on their hull, with fire leaking out here and there. The sound effects perfectly match the action, with the dull boom of cannons followed by the deep cracking of a capital ship breaking up. One cool feature of the game is that you can watch a complete replay of each battle once it is over, with cinematic camera shots showing off all of the action. This turns a long series of brief turns into an uninterrupted movie that can be very enjoyable to watch when a battle goes your way.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI have to praise the music in particular. It is not the exact same music from the show (as far as I can tell), but it captures the same style perfectly. If you want a game that puts you right into the action of a Battlestar Galactica battle, this is it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIt goes without saying that I give this game a strong recommendation. If you are a fan of the show, you must play it. If you are a fan of turn-based tactics, XCOM style strategy-tactical mixes, or space combat, you should definitely be interested. The combat is great, the dynamic campaign provides a rich context for why you are fighting, and the game perfectly captures the atmosphere of the BSG universe. I didn't even mention the great voice work that goes into the story scenarios and briefings, where you get all the political intrigue and infighting that is common to the setting. With the addition of The Broken Alliance expansion, a good game is made even better. The game is half-off for the next week, so it's a great time to join the fray.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESo say we all!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBSG Deadlock and its expansions are available directly from Matrix Games.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/product.asp?gid=692\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EDeadlock Base Game\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/728\/details\/Battlestar.Galactica.Deadlock.The.Broken.Alliance\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EThe Broken Alliance DLC\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game is also available on Steam, PS4, and XBOX ONE.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/3809030959269561432\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/06\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-broken.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3809030959269561432"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3809030959269561432"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/06\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-broken.html","title":"Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: The Broken Alliance"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-P6Ii5gOa1G4\/WxL4MJrHMcI\/AAAAAAAAAow\/7HacY8Wnwco7_3zovvaLkAqzwU9pD4kpACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/BSGD_The-Broken-Alliance_logo_black.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-5304859623810552991"},"published":{"$t":"2018-05-27T03:41:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-05-27T03:41:14.665+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"air combat"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Lordz Game Studio"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WWII"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Check Your 6!"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-awMGvI191sE\/WwoZfZl8ezI\/AAAAAAAAAnQ\/p1WPvA8KddAFefq3-mbPbFkr1GrF86dXQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/CY6_logo-600.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"166\" data-original-width=\"600\" height=\"176\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-awMGvI191sE\/WwoZfZl8ezI\/AAAAAAAAAnQ\/p1WPvA8KddAFefq3-mbPbFkr1GrF86dXQCLcBGAs\/s640\/CY6_logo-600.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECheck Your 6! from The Lordz Game Studio brings the air combat board game of the same name to the digital world. Although the board game includes many expansions covering various theaters and eras, this initial release for PC focuses on the classic Battle of Britain clashes between the RAF and Luftwaffe. Check Your 6! uses a we-go turn-based system where each side plans out the orders for all of their aircraft and then hit go to see what happens. However, it's quite a bit more complicated than just that, as we will see.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhen planning your movement for a turn, there are multiple factors to consider: where your aircraft is now, where you want it to be on the next turn, or three turns from now, and of course where the enemy aircraft are. Movement includes steering left and right, altitude adjustments, fancy maneuvers, and the ever critical speed. Climbing will slow you down, and diving will similarly\u0026nbsp;speed you up. Going faster isn't always the best option, and so one must think ahead when setting a course. Sharp turns can also slow an aircraft to a dangerous point, forcing you to be judicious with such maneuvers. Mastering movement is a critical part of every engagement; unless you get your aircraft into the proper position, you will have no chance of taking a good shot and doing some damage.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-NYsWpLnGPQk\/WwoX8kgoT4I\/AAAAAAAAAmw\/-SMZ0shi2Y8CAFIxMLU2UQzp3qaMxBNTgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180422175948_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-NYsWpLnGPQk\/WwoX8kgoT4I\/AAAAAAAAAmw\/-SMZ0shi2Y8CAFIxMLU2UQzp3qaMxBNTgCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180422175948_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhen attacking an enemy, several variables are thrown together to give you a percentage chance of success. The angle and speed of the aircraft involved play a role, as well as the distance between them. It's quite difficult in this game to get anything resembling a sure hit unless you are able to maneuver\u0026nbsp;perfectly into position behind an enemy. Often you will be forced by circumstances to take lower percentage\u0026nbsp;shots and hope for the best. Assuming an aircraft is hit, there are all sorts of things that can happen next. Simple hull damage, engine\u0026nbsp;damage, crew casualties, a fire starting, or no damage at all. These variable results can make for some moments worthy of cheer, as well as frustration when things don't go your way.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe 18 scenarios available can be played from each side, and all of the ones I played were at least partially based on some sort of real life sortie. You reward for winning a scenario is a nice text blurb describing the real historical result of the action. Otherwise the scenarios are not linked in any way, and you can play them in any order. On the plus side, these scenarios feature much more than simple fighter vs fighter combat. Often one side must defend some kind of objective on the map like a bridge on the ground or bombers in the air. Variable placement of units for each side means that a given scenario could play out somewhat differently from one attempt to the next.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-8YNvpAE5Lsk\/WwoX8UOVGpI\/AAAAAAAAAms\/atl5cnbh7HULd8p7pZKqTK56F3Ltip0hgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180422180138_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-8YNvpAE5Lsk\/WwoX8UOVGpI\/AAAAAAAAAms\/atl5cnbh7HULd8p7pZKqTK56F3Ltip0hgCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180422180138_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are numerous different aircraft available for each side, and each one has it's own strengths and weaknesses. I know we all want to command a full squadron of Spitfires at every opportunity, but sometimes they just aren't available and you have to make due with what's on hand. Adding a little variability among similar units is how each pilot has their own experience rating. Better pilots essentially \"move\" last, and so get a chance to adjust their initial orders after seeing if an enemy zigged or zagged.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECheck Your 6! takes a few hours to really give you a good feeling for the flow of air combat. There is a tutorial which explains the controls well enough, but doesn't give you enough time to really understand how to conduct a dogfight. Thus, I found the game frustrating at first, but then grew to enjoy it a bit more as I gained some experience. You must be able to foresee how running your fighter at full throttle means it will overshoot that bomber it was trying to get behind, or how sharply climbing to meet the foe will leave your guys with no speed remaining to make a sharp turn. I certainly learned these lessons via the school of hard knocks.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe flow of the combat can be bogged down a lot when you are tweaking movement and facing, and considering the future positions of a dozen different aircraft, but I imagine there are more than a few players out there looking for the exactly that level of control.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-L4XJ1HykaSU\/WwoYrLwFzKI\/AAAAAAAAAnA\/qQ_y5XiJMaoyLDQoqqYxgGDBiYybTj1vQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180410025743.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1001\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-L4XJ1HykaSU\/WwoYrLwFzKI\/AAAAAAAAAnA\/qQ_y5XiJMaoyLDQoqqYxgGDBiYybTj1vQCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180410025743.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game won't dazzle anyone with it's graphics, animation, or sound, but for a board game to digital conversion it looks okay for something that will probably be ported to iPads and the like before long. One thing I found odd\u0026nbsp;were the blurry ground textures, especially in missions where you are attacking ground targets.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-SSZ9aeSlIgg\/WwoYrJilW3I\/AAAAAAAAAm8\/AiUW3RH5VmUx5F88pC0dQlrAaVBCMnfpwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180410025746.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1000\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"400\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-SSZ9aeSlIgg\/WwoYrJilW3I\/AAAAAAAAAm8\/AiUW3RH5VmUx5F88pC0dQlrAaVBCMnfpwCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180410025746.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOverall, I can't really give a broad recommendation for the game, though fans of the board game should be pleased and if you are really interested in turn-based combat and WW2 aviation, you'll probably enjoy it. That isn't to say that Check Your Six! is a bad game by any means, it simply suffers the common fate of many physical-to-PC conversions, in that games which feel dynamic and immersive on a table can feel a bit clunky and slow on the PC.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECheck Your 6! Can be purchased\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/product.asp?gid=708\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Matrix Games\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or on Steam.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/5304859623810552991\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/05\/check-your-6.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5304859623810552991"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5304859623810552991"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/05\/check-your-6.html","title":"Check Your 6!"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-awMGvI191sE\/WwoZfZl8ezI\/AAAAAAAAAnQ\/p1WPvA8KddAFefq3-mbPbFkr1GrF86dXQCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/CY6_logo-600.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8863624957640323996"},"published":{"$t":"2018-05-13T04:11:00.003+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-05-13T04:11:44.706+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Battlestar Galactica"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Black Lab Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"New DLC Announced for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: The Broken Alliance"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-cSyy14mzTXY\/WveoYIpbR4I\/AAAAAAAAAl8\/yvdeVnmX8VcrVmqHRd69MUxAAHg73t-vgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/BSGD_The-Broken-Alliance_logo_black.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"800\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-cSyy14mzTXY\/WveoYIpbR4I\/AAAAAAAAAl8\/yvdeVnmX8VcrVmqHRd69MUxAAHg73t-vgCLcBGAs\/s640\/BSGD_The-Broken-Alliance_logo_black.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhat do your hear? Nothing but the rain!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-HkgzOiVLPmk\/WvepkOZQs9I\/AAAAAAAAAmQ\/8ITqMIkjz0UrcZ7YP5HGxSWM3LH9sJVuwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180510223409_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-HkgzOiVLPmk\/WvepkOZQs9I\/AAAAAAAAAmQ\/8ITqMIkjz0UrcZ7YP5HGxSWM3LH9sJVuwCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180510223409_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGood news for fans of Battlestar Galactica Deadlock, a new DLC has been announced for release in the near future! The Broken Alliance will add several new ships to the mix, and integrate new missions and a new subplot directly into the existing campaign structure. Here's the official description:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETensions are rising during the First Cylon War.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cem\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnti-Caprican sentiment threatens the Quorum alliance. Discontent and pessimism spreads throughout the colonies. While politicians and diplomats frantically negotiate to keep the alliance together, Colonial Fleet receives a strange request from Aquaria. It’s the start of a chain of events that could change the tide of the war…\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENew Quorum campaign\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E“The Broken Alliance” presents players with 8 new story missions that are integrated seamlessly into the single player campaign, and linked together into a brand new plot that explores the intricate maze of Colonial politics. New characters enter the fray, disrupting old pacts and forging new partnerships. The Broken Alliance expands the lore of the Battlestar Galactica universe, and brings a new story of intrigue and backstabbing to Deadlock.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENew ships\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe expansion comes with four brand new capital ships and two new squadrons, bringing new functionality and tactics to the First Cylon War.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMinerva-class Battlestar\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;– The precursor of the Mercury-class Battlestar, the Minerva is a new addition to Colonial Fleet that concentrates artillery, firepower and life support into a compact hull. Although it has less staying power than other battlestar classes, the Minerva’s versatile gun placements and expanded missile capabilities have provided it with a reputation as a devastating capital destroyer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003ECelestra-class resupply ship\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;- The Celestra class is a Colonial research ship that uses a suite of drones to apply ablative armour plating to friendly units. A resupply depot has been retrofitted into the hangar, allowing Raptor crews to make supply runs mid-mission to fleet cruisers and battlestars.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EAssault Raptors\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;– Assault Raptors are an aggressive variant of the trusted Colonial utility vehicle. The external rocket pods on these ships are capable of significant anti-capital support, and the crews are trained in live combat support, at the expense of their usual ECM suites.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EArgos-class Basestar\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;- As Colonials continue to push fighter space supremacy as a force in the war, the Cylons continue to reply with their intent to overwhelm with numbers. Larger than the Cerberus and Basestar Mk I, the Argos contains an overwhelming array of hangars and missile tubes, but hosts little in the way of self-defense.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EHydra-class resupply ship\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;- The Hydra is a Cylon resupply ship equipped with repair drones that are launched and attached to friendly units. Despite having no armaments of its own, the Hydra has a complex Fire Control system that is heavily integrated with its Tech Bay. This system allows it to coordinate missile strikes with nearby friendly units, significantly increasing the efficiency of the Cylon’s deadly missile tactics.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 8px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cem\u003EScorpion Sentry\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;– The Scorpion is a defensive sentry drone with high calibre guns and pin-point accurate anti-missile capabilities. Although they excel at area control, they are unable to operate until they have been stabilized after moving.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-1b7iA4sDJQc\/Wvepp02PWmI\/AAAAAAAAAmU\/leUsPSusTjAkqDOOB0cRl5I4PzlYQ1jZQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20180512214803_1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-1b7iA4sDJQc\/Wvepp02PWmI\/AAAAAAAAAmU\/leUsPSusTjAkqDOOB0cRl5I4PzlYQ1jZQCLcBGAs\/s640\/20180512214803_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI'm personally very excited to get a chance to cover this DLC. I'm a huge BSG fan and always enjoyed the political infighting just as much as the space battles. I started a fresh campaign to experience how the DLC fits into the game, and as you can see in the above screenshot, I've just reached the point where the new story line begins. Expect more coverage soon!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8863624957640323996\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/05\/new-dlc-announced-for-battlestar.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8863624957640323996"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8863624957640323996"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/05\/new-dlc-announced-for-battlestar.html","title":"New DLC Announced for Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: The Broken Alliance"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-cSyy14mzTXY\/WveoYIpbR4I\/AAAAAAAAAl8\/yvdeVnmX8VcrVmqHRd69MUxAAHg73t-vgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/BSGD_The-Broken-Alliance_logo_black.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-7284474362817359120"},"published":{"$t":"2018-01-03T05:42:00.004+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2018-01-03T05:42:53.975+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Order of Battle"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Panzerkrieg"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"The Artistocrats"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Order of Battle: Panzerkrieg"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOver the past few years I've traveled the WW2 landscape with the Order of Battle series from\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Artistocrats,\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;and seen some exotic locales. The series, which started in the Pacific, eventually visited such rarely gamed battlefields as Burma, China, and a hypothetical expanded Battle of the Atlantic. However, the biggest, most popular battlefields cannot be ignored forever. The series from kicked off a multi-part German grand campaign with the Blitzkrieg pack a few releases back, which featured the early war conflicts in Europe and ended at the gates of Moscow. Now with the latest DLC, Panzerkrieg, we rejoin the Germans as the bitter winter of '41 sets in.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BH_I-lg_1Dw\/Wkxr7MkU1pI\/AAAAAAAAAh8\/YUSGaVfWj5wRStCNgr7RHmfYbkou52hTQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2017.12.11%2B-%2B23.28.41.96.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"267\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BH_I-lg_1Dw\/Wkxr7MkU1pI\/AAAAAAAAAh8\/YUSGaVfWj5wRStCNgr7RHmfYbkou52hTQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2017.12.11%2B-%2B23.28.41.96.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAlthough one might expect to play Blitzkrieg before Panzerkrieg, it isn't required. You can customize your starting force to a certain extent, or take the default army. I went with the latter option, and quickly realized it might be best to come into Panzerkrieg with a top notch army formed during a successful play through of the Blitzkrieg campaign. Which is to say that Panzerkrieg is probably among the most difficult campaigns available for Order of Battle, at least for me. I haven't played all of them, but I have finished several and rarely had much difficulty on the default settings. The challenge of the game usually came more from trying to complete all of the bonus objectives rather than winning the scenario, which was a given.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EYour forces in Panzerkrieg, much like their real-world counterparts, are up against the ropes as soon as things kick off. The first few missions have you fending off Soviet offensives from multiple directions while also attempting to achieve various objectives, usually trying to save isolated German forces. Attrition will become a key concern in your campaign, just as in the real battles. While your troops are deadly, they can only fight so many battles before needing repair, but the Soviets have a seemingly endless supply of fresh units to throw at your lines. You will also have to deal with their far more effective T-34 and KV-1 tank units. I found that as the campaign wore on I simply did not have enough resource points to keep all of my units topped off and fully upgraded, as I would expect based on past campaigns for Order of Battle. About half-way through the campaign I realized my forces were just too worn out to continue, there was no way I could win the scenario I was up against.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-0rT3rXWZk5Q\/Wkxr9BlTR1I\/AAAAAAAAAiA\/mZ1uDxQ-67At5OKf6PcqHCgKjH72lnx7ACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2017.12.18%2B-%2B00.19.23.27.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-0rT3rXWZk5Q\/Wkxr9BlTR1I\/AAAAAAAAAiA\/mZ1uDxQ-67At5OKf6PcqHCgKjH72lnx7ACLcBGAs\/s640\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2017.12.18%2B-%2B00.19.23.27.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESurprisingly, I found this to be quite refreshing. I had always considered this series to be just a little too easy on the default setting, and it fell into that trap of similar games where things snowball and tend to get easier the better you perform. I know there are several higher difficulty settings, but I personally prefer to play most games at the default setting to get the experience that the developers intended for the average player.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI had to stop and ask myself what went wrong here. Why did I lose the campaign when I have played this game quite a bit and felt very confident going through each mission? (At first). I thought back on my play and realized that I had been sending my troops out to fight battles that were unnecessary. Instead of simply accomplishing the objectives set out for each scenario, I had rather impetuously sent units out looking for fights when they should have stayed put at their post. Many of the early scenarios include numerous Soviet units that are beyond your area of operations, and don't need to be engaged. Seeking to rack up kills, and not considering the long war ahead, I had sent full strength units off to find trouble by attacking these enemy forces. Sure, I crushed them, but then I needed to spend resources repairing those units, resources that should have been saved for other units fighting to win the scenario. I also raced to complete my objectives as fast as possible, to my own detriment. Given 30 turns to complete a scenario, I had put the pedal to the metal and tried to finish it off in 20. This usually led to far higher casualties from units getting overextended or ambushed.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P9Tudcg7KOs\/WkxrG1Cb1KI\/AAAAAAAAAhw\/4do-Iqbj21kE1viglnDdlzQs_Wh9XbeZgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20170919020245.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P9Tudcg7KOs\/WkxrG1Cb1KI\/AAAAAAAAAhw\/4do-Iqbj21kE1viglnDdlzQs_Wh9XbeZgCLcBGAs\/s640\/20170919020245.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis is a campaign that needs to be approached with a bit more forethought than most. You need to accomplish your objectives in the present scenario, but also be looking to build up your forces, or at least maintain them, rather than grind them down in reckless battles. My defeat actually made me want to go back and purchase the Blitzkrieg DLC so that I could control my core units from the very beginning of the war and have a greater familiarity with them heading into the harsher (for the Germans) years of the conflict. Carrying a single force through what will eventually be three linked campaigns, expanding and upgrading it with better units and leaders, should be quite the experience. I can only imagine how much more difficult the scenarios could potentially be towards the end of the war.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-yyE-_EfIXkk\/WkxrPQJWZyI\/AAAAAAAAAh0\/YPAdjwCVHNwTLMQ-weC6dIr9IS_Qf0iKgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20171130081549.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-yyE-_EfIXkk\/WkxrPQJWZyI\/AAAAAAAAAh0\/YPAdjwCVHNwTLMQ-weC6dIr9IS_Qf0iKgCLcBGAs\/s640\/20171130081549.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI haven't gone into the details of exactly how the game works in this review, since I've covered that ground in previous reviews and not much has changed here on a fundamental level. All the units you would expect to see on the Eastern Front are present, from Russian conscripts to Panzer III's and Flak 88's. You'll need a balanced force to deal with all of the threats you will face on the ground as well as in the air. Losing control of the skies can make your day that much harder. In my failed campaign I simply could not afford to keep more than a couple of fighter units in the air, and the Soviet bombers took full advantage of it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAlthough Panzerkrieg covers more familiar ground than most of its fellow Order of Battle campaigns, it offers up a fresh challenge to even veteran players. Of course, many players may have been looking forward to fighting through some of the most iconic battles of the war, like Sevastopol, Kharkov, and Stalingrad within the Order of Battle system. The series continues to deliver one of the best, most polished versions of the tried and true Panzer General flavor of wargaming to date. I recommend this campaign DLC for anyone who enjoys the game, just be prepared for some stiff resistance from the Soviets!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAvailable directly from Matrix\/Slitherine\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/712\/details\/Order.of.Battle.Panzerkrieg\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ethrough this link\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or on Steam.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/7284474362817359120\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/01\/order-of-battle-panzerkrieg.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7284474362817359120"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7284474362817359120"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2018\/01\/order-of-battle-panzerkrieg.html","title":"Order of Battle: Panzerkrieg"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BH_I-lg_1Dw\/Wkxr7MkU1pI\/AAAAAAAAAh8\/YUSGaVfWj5wRStCNgr7RHmfYbkou52hTQCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Base%2BProfile%2BScreenshot%2B2017.12.11%2B-%2B23.28.41.96.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-434425355450085524"},"published":{"$t":"2017-12-04T00:20:00.000+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-12-04T00:20:17.171+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"20th Century Warfare"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"The Operational Art of war IV"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"The Operational Art of War IV by Slitherine and Matrix games"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/store\/587\/The.Operational.Art.of.War.IV\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Operational Art of War IV\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eby\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/\"\u003ESlitherine\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/\"\u003EMatrix Games\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ahW5AkKXmsE\/WiK9KahQxCI\/AAAAAAAABpc\/MA9d1rTyDNAdt7_cnTwRdAWi1g6bxhwwACLcBGAs\/s1600\/TOAOW4_logo_game-page.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"407\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"162\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ahW5AkKXmsE\/WiK9KahQxCI\/AAAAAAAABpc\/MA9d1rTyDNAdt7_cnTwRdAWi1g6bxhwwACLcBGAs\/s640\/TOAOW4_logo_game-page.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\"It's here, it's here, let the bells ring out, and the banners fly; feast your eyes on it, it's too good to be true, but it's here.\" With a little help from Bugs Bunny's genie, I am pleased to announce the arrival of 'The Operational Art of War IV'. TOAW has been with us for almost twenty years. Originally designed by Norm Koger and released by Talonsoft in 1998, this is the fourth (actually more) in the series. The game is a throwback to the times when a gamer would buy the entire battles of Napoleon or Civil War instead of just one or a few. The game shipped with more than 200 scenarios, but the release of new and older ones ported over to the updated engine is growing each day. These scenarios have been released in just the last few days:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFranco-Prussian War\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBitter Victory Sicily PO version (AI)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECoral Sea 1942 PO version (AI)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBocage Hell\u0026nbsp; - Normandy at 1 km a hex\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEuropa 1947 \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;To go into the reasons that a person who owns TOAW III would want to buy the new version, I will let Slitherine and Matrix games give us a short run down, and then post a link to a discussion. The store page has these items listed:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003E\"New naval warfare features\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  The modeling of ships has been improved. Instead of treating ships as a\n single piece of equipment, like a gun or a squad, they are now treated \nas complex systems that incur damage in combat. Ships have new armor, \ndurability, accuracy, speed, and agility parameters.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Embarked units no longer employ their own strengths in defense. Naval \ncombat now evaluates attackers’ Anti-Naval strengths as individual \nshots\/planes – employing their shell weights to determine armor \npenetration and resulting damage.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Sea Interdiction can now be employed by aircraft, ships, and coastal \nguns. Ships subjected to sea interdiction fire counterbattery back (or, \nin the case of carriers, counterstrikes).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003ENew Supply system\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  There is now an intermediate supply state that falls between \n“Supplied” and “Unsupplied”. It’s called “Overextended”. A new parameter\n called the Overextended Supply Threshold has been implemented. That is \nthe location supply value below which locations are overextended. Units \nin such hexes will function somewhat between how supplied and unsupplied\n units function. The result will be that it will be much more difficult \nfor units to press on at red-lined unit conditions from such locations.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Motorized unit movement over improved roads can be set by the designer\n to be less than one MP per improved road hex (for example, ½ MP per \nhex). If optioned, this affects supply in that supply lines traced over \nimproved roads will extend proportionately further than over other \nterrain, like regular roads. Note how this would especially affect \ndesert scenarios.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  The limit of 50% unit supply recovery per turn has been lifted.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cb\u003EOther game features\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Range Limits: Ranged units can have their nominal ranges player \nlimited. This can be used to tailor bomber ranges to match fighter cover\n ranges or to make units with multiple range equipment operate within \nthe range of the shortest-ranged equipment. The DBR will reflect the \nmodified range.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Deployment Recovery: Ranged units retain their deployment states after\n combat and ground assaulters can recover theirs if a planned combat is \ncanceled.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  New Bridge Destruction Rules: There is an option to limit bridge hexes\n (for destruction purposes) to locations where the road feature \ngraphically crosses the river feature.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Combat Report Review. Combat reports are saved in the pbl\/sal files for review by both players during their player turns.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px none;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\n  Adaptation of Matrix’s PBEM++ system.\"\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; This link will take you to a post by 'Curtis Lemay' from the Matrix games forum that has a more in depth list of the game changes that are too numerous to list in this review:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/forums\/tm.asp?m=3899655\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/forums\/tm.asp?m=3899655\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; This is a post from one person who designed a scenario for the game 'Oberst_Klink':\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: \u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot;; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003E\"Well... $39 gets you... 72 cans (12fl.oz) of Milwaukee's Best in WV (at least when I was there), excluding the pills for reducing acid reflux. Now, seriously. The additional features (see Bob's reference) are more than worth it. As for me, I don't care about the UI; I want the inner works (under the hood?!) to be better than those of its predecessor. And they are. If I compare how the AI acted at my Tutorial '41 and now...woooo! The friggin' bugger even gave\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cb style=\"-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: Verdana; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003Eme\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/b\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: #e1e1e1; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: \u0026quot;verdana\u0026quot;; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003Ea hard time! And I created the scenario to be a... walkover? As for me; I rather skip heartburn after 72 cans of MB's :)\"\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; To understand my take on the game, you have to know two things. I really have no interest in the North African WWII campaigns at all, and especially the later Tunisia campaign. I have read about both, but neither, especially the latter, has really caught my attention. For no particular reason, I fired up the 'Kasserine 43' scenario from the first screen. To be honest I was overwhelmed by the amount of the other scenarios to choose from. I fully expected to play one or two turns and then switch to a WWI scenario. The UI changes and the whole game presentation seems to be different in a new and exciting way for the better. I am now on the eighth turn of 'Kasserine 43' and I couldn't be more engrossed or happier. I have owned every iteration of the game that has been released. I have also played board wargames since the 1960s and computer ones starting in the very early 1980s. I have not been so engrossed by a pure wargame in many a year, and never by a scenario that I don't even enjoy reading about.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-HxinPSFOuBQ\/WiLQ34itlyI\/AAAAAAAABp0\/MYzu_yX-z-crPX7QfqyMkfd1TE--G_53wCLcBGAs\/s1600\/2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-HxinPSFOuBQ\/WiLQ34itlyI\/AAAAAAAABp0\/MYzu_yX-z-crPX7QfqyMkfd1TE--G_53wCLcBGAs\/s640\/2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I have taken Kasserine, and with four turns left I have an overwhelming victory, but the Free French and now the English are coming in as reinforcements. I think I have shot my bolt, and now I need to hang onto to the different victory point hexes I have.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-NoVNnp71s_0\/WiLVOlQ2LBI\/AAAAAAAABqA\/vCzMb7jlqAg_E9h1ELEHYuVFZN6l_irjwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-NoVNnp71s_0\/WiLVOlQ2LBI\/AAAAAAAABqA\/vCzMb7jlqAg_E9h1ELEHYuVFZN6l_irjwCLcBGAs\/s640\/3.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E Just as in history, the Kasserine attack was really just a spoiling one, and never had the forces needed to turn it into much more than that. I am pretty sure that my forces are now heavily outnumbered and even if I win this fourteen turn scenario, it will not really change the campaign one bit.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-06nzdeM_bUo\/WiLXq9xPFfI\/AAAAAAAABqQ\/FrBOdjk96e0bSBWxUAdDajEKIdAuYNRSwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/4.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-06nzdeM_bUo\/WiLXq9xPFfI\/AAAAAAAABqQ\/FrBOdjk96e0bSBWxUAdDajEKIdAuYNRSwCLcBGAs\/s640\/4.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I have no intention of wasting my troops with an attack, but I wanted to show the 'Combat Planner' screen. It is a godsend, and feels like having a chief of staff to turn to.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-JdRa68HBzx4\/WiLYoip2MoI\/AAAAAAAABqc\/iP-XVAT3xmUaHdBa-hHUkq8CkE1AQ3J_wCLcBGAs\/s1600\/5.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-JdRa68HBzx4\/WiLYoip2MoI\/AAAAAAAABqc\/iP-XVAT3xmUaHdBa-hHUkq8CkE1AQ3J_wCLcBGAs\/s640\/5.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;So my first fully played through game\/scenario about the North Africa campaign is over. The Allies in the end did not have the overwhelming might I thought they would have, but still I was on the defensive. In this day and age where every minute of our lives count, it is still amazing to me that this game pulled me into a historical campaign that I never read about anymore. My gaming is almost always commanded by my reading. I read about a particular historical campaign, and then open up a game that deals with it. What might get the book publishers happy is that I am thinking of picking up a book about Kasserine. For a game to be able to have that impact, and not the other way around, is pretty amazing to me.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-IjJUwJT9hPQ\/WiLbuL7kjsI\/AAAAAAAABqo\/iZcDFK32pNk0_A6vmncRN3iVylVxowKHwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/7.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-IjJUwJT9hPQ\/WiLbuL7kjsI\/AAAAAAAABqo\/iZcDFK32pNk0_A6vmncRN3iVylVxowKHwCLcBGAs\/s640\/7.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;This is a tiny scenario compared to the rest of the gaming goodness that is included with the game. Here is a screenshot of a much larger one that you can get lost in. This a shot of the 'Barbarossa 1941' scenario:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bYqxI4ksv7Q\/WiLeKd0v1EI\/AAAAAAAABq0\/IpMGJuLJYbQEqBBPBYNiGJkNbEi59iF6QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/8.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-bYqxI4ksv7Q\/WiLeKd0v1EI\/AAAAAAAABq0\/IpMGJuLJYbQEqBBPBYNiGJkNbEi59iF6QCLcBGAs\/s640\/8.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;This is a shot of the above scenario's bigger brother 'FITE II'. Fire in the East is the monster of monsters eastern front scenarios that comes with TOAW IV. Please, someone work on getting this beauty an AI.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-p2jRJBz77x8\/WiLgMXYrsYI\/AAAAAAAABrA\/jTb3QE_Zvs4eJcJ1r8fuG4un6HcPzFQAQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/9.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-p2jRJBz77x8\/WiLgMXYrsYI\/AAAAAAAABrA\/jTb3QE_Zvs4eJcJ1r8fuG4un6HcPzFQAQCLcBGAs\/s640\/9.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E This is a screenshot of one of my favorite scenarios, the 1918 German offensives.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-rVHLrKP0cXY\/WiLuYsu2baI\/AAAAAAAABrQ\/4s306h7vnsYJFKTmmH2cZ3C8OORHHysxwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/10.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-rVHLrKP0cXY\/WiLuYsu2baI\/AAAAAAAABrQ\/4s306h7vnsYJFKTmmH2cZ3C8OORHHysxwCLcBGAs\/s640\/10.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E This is a zoomed out shot of the Pacific War at 25 km per hex.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-dvMs3VHYhLI\/WiLupxIFQLI\/AAAAAAAABrU\/-KjmndUITygWUo7idlvqHDIi3Os3n6YOQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/11.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-dvMs3VHYhLI\/WiLupxIFQLI\/AAAAAAAABrU\/-KjmndUITygWUo7idlvqHDIi3Os3n6YOQCLcBGAs\/s640\/11.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp; This is the same scenario zoomed into New Guinea.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-Z7ZLEug3RxQ\/WiLu4MmGe5I\/AAAAAAAABrc\/fLX1oT5wEhkzUaqrpd4jwYoyvhHvNeACQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/12.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-Z7ZLEug3RxQ\/WiLu4MmGe5I\/AAAAAAAABrc\/fLX1oT5wEhkzUaqrpd4jwYoyvhHvNeACQCLcBGAs\/s640\/12.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; If you have never bought into the franchise, now is your time. For less than dinner with a friend, you will get enough gaming greatness to last a lifetime. For those of you like me who have every single one of the TOAW games and the old manuals it is well worth the money to invest again in the games future.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;I haven't even touched upon the new and vastly improved naval warfare. This part of the game has made Pacific Ocean scenarios and Mediterranean ones actually enjoyable. The AI in all of the scenarios I have tried seems to play much harder than I remember. The dedicated team that worked on updating this already great game to the level it is at now should be congratulated. I, for one, say thank you.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERobert\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E \u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/434425355450085524\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/12\/the-operational-art-of-war-iv-by.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/434425355450085524"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/434425355450085524"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/12\/the-operational-art-of-war-iv-by.html","title":"The Operational Art of War IV by Slitherine and Matrix games"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Robert Peterson"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/17114299951391079193"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-ahW5AkKXmsE\/WiK9KahQxCI\/AAAAAAAABpc\/MA9d1rTyDNAdt7_cnTwRdAWi1g6bxhwwACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/TOAOW4_logo_game-page.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-3945621386961625080"},"published":{"$t":"2017-11-25T18:01:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-11-25T18:01:24.257+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Command Modern Air\/Naval Combat"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warfare Sims"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Command: Shifting Sands"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-t4d4Nppjtug\/WhTxDzPfT-I\/AAAAAAAAAe8\/b47BehzL_5IV5wpoQsq11MKyJDhazTC1QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/C-SS_logo.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"477\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"190\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-t4d4Nppjtug\/WhTxDzPfT-I\/AAAAAAAAAe8\/b47BehzL_5IV5wpoQsq11MKyJDhazTC1QCLcBGAs\/s640\/C-SS_logo.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECommand: Shifting Sands is the latest stand alone expansion for the massively detailed naval and combat simulator that is Command: Modern Air\/Naval Combat (CMANO). Developed by Warfare Sims and published by Matrix\/Slitherine, CMANO is a powerful simulator that lets the player explore detailed scenarios depicting air and naval combat of every stripe since WW2 to the present and even a little beyond. Just about every ship, aircraft and submarine that has ever been built is in the game database. The primary drawback is that CMANO has a hefty price tag. There also isn't a demo, so to give curious players a chance to get their hands on the gameplay without too much of a hit to the wallet, the developers have put out several stand alone campaigns. The other two, Chains of War and Northern Inferno, featured hypothetical conflicts. Shifting Sands, on the other hand, features the numerous historical battles between Israel and its not so friendly neighbors over the course of several decades. While you won't have access to the full CMANO database, you do get to play with toys from a few different technological time periods. In several cases these scenarios depict the historical first use of some new weapon or tactic.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs mentioned, Command is a real-time simulation of air and naval combat, calculating for just about every variable you could imagine. Real time as in the game literally ticks by one real second at a time unless you speed it up. Direct ground combat is depicted to a much lesser degree, though there is no shortage of targets on the ground and things like anti-aircraft units shooting back at you.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game sacrifices a great deal in one area to make its extremely broad scope possible, the graphics. This is a game involving a lot of map staring, as simple icons representing units move around and fire little dots at each other. What the game lacks in cinematic visuals it more than makes up for with some serious number crunching going on under the hood.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;This game includes more details than I could possibly discuss here, but just to name a few: terrain, weather over a ground target, the temperature of the water at various depths, airspeed and weight with regards to fuel consumption, realistic time needed to rearm and refuel aircraft, and the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow all play a factor. Okay, maybe not that last one. The key point being that the developers have attempted to include just about every significant factor involved in the operations depicted. You very well may need to do some homework to fully understand what is happening in the game. Fortunately, Command makes it easy to at least get started.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-XHz8QovQic0\/WhmtNrtDFAI\/AAAAAAAAAfg\/YMP2IQynxTcEejT8cN2YfRUspnexbTY6QCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20170927043406.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-XHz8QovQic0\/WhmtNrtDFAI\/AAAAAAAAAfg\/YMP2IQynxTcEejT8cN2YfRUspnexbTY6QCLcBGAs\/s640\/20170927043406.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EShifting Sands comes with several training scenarios, and a newbie player will be wise to go through them all more than once while keeping the manual open in another window. This will get you familiar with the core mechanics, however it won't teach you much about how to conduct a large scale complex operation on your own. There are a few great sets of videos on YouTube\u0026nbsp;which can help in that regard. This is the mark of a truly great wargame: the game gives you all the tools you need to simulate a realistic battle scenario, but requires you to actually develop and employ realistic tactics to succeed. Simply launching every aircraft you have and throwing them at the enemy won't get you very far at all. You will need to analyze the situation and deploy your units with a degree of precision if you want to make a good showing. Learning all of these tactics and stratagems\u0026nbsp;is part of the experience of playing the game, and shouldn't scare anyone away. I think most people buying a game like this \u003Cb\u003Edo\u003C\/b\u003E want to learn about those sorts of things, and the game will reward you for it.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe mechanics of the game might look overwhelming at first, but really you can get started without delving too deeply into the dozens of options and functions available. As the commander, your job isn't to micromanage every unit and weapon. The AI can do a decent enough job as long as you give it the right orders. This is done simply by choosing an area or target for a mission and then assigning units to it. There are default mission types set up for just about everything you might need, from anti-submarine warfare to air superiority ops. Within each mission, you can tweak all the finer points. Do you want aircraft to launch in flights of two or three aircraft each? Do you want your ships to investigate and potentially engage targets out side of their designated patrol zone or should they stay put? You can also set the rules of engagement and behavior for the AI at the unit and mission level, and also general orders for your entire side. These settings tell the AI how to act in various situations so that you don't have to manually intervene constantly.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-e1RbKHpPmdw\/WhmtWPC0nHI\/AAAAAAAAAfk\/yKHOy0paKaszKKa3BPeT2xD6oZ3hfSiIQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20170927043526.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-e1RbKHpPmdw\/WhmtWPC0nHI\/AAAAAAAAAfk\/yKHOy0paKaszKKa3BPeT2xD6oZ3hfSiIQCLcBGAs\/s640\/20170927043526.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOnce you have a grip on the basics, the game lets you go much deeper. For example, a ground strike mission can be built by the player selecting exactly which aircraft in a group will target which buildings and with what weapons down to the exact number of bombs dropped. You can also plot a course and set altitude and speed. Taking control like this will let you pull off much fancier maneuvers\u0026nbsp;and likely see better success in the more complex scenarios. And Shifting Sands will give you more than a few complex scenarios to deal with.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe campaign starts off with a little taste of naval action during the Suez Canal Crisis and then a solid air combat scenario that requires you to perform recon, attack, defense, and air superiority missions all at once but is still manageable. After that, it's off to the races with scenarios such as Operation Focus, the opening move of the Six Day War in which the Israelis historically destroyed almost the entire Egyptian air force. The naval scenarios tend to be much less complex, due to the smaller numbers of units involved, but are still made interesting because one major error could cost you the win. This is also an area of the world that has a ton of civilian shipping, making it tricky to pick out foes until they are either dangerously close or already firing at you. That said, the aircraft focused missions are the star of the show here. While you can play through the campaign in chronological order, you can also just pick out the scenarios you are most interested in from the list. The only difference when playing the campaign is that you must reach a certain score threshold to unlock the next mission. This should serve as a good challenge for even experienced players, since simply coming out ahead in a scenario is not enough to hit that score. You will need to accomplish all or most of your objectives while avoiding taking too many casualties.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AGvze2g9e5Q\/WhmtbkCD1mI\/AAAAAAAAAfo\/CF4ejm41brQIXArjWxwFHRySpRasqDCdwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/20170927043403.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AGvze2g9e5Q\/WhmtbkCD1mI\/AAAAAAAAAfo\/CF4ejm41brQIXArjWxwFHRySpRasqDCdwCLcBGAs\/s640\/20170927043403.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are also a few interesting \"what-if\" scenarios that round out this pack. One gives you a chance, as the Israelis, to use nuclear weapons in a last ditch effort to hold the line. Another puts you in command of the US 6th Fleet on the day the USS Liberty was attacked by the Israeli military, and in this scenario the United States responds very harshly. These are great examples of what can be done with Command system. not only can it simulate events that did happen historically, it can be used explore all sorts of hypothetical scenarios that might have played out. Of course, to access the hundreds of community scenarios that have been made over the past few years, you'll need to buy the full version CMANO. I think Shifting Sands serves as a great entry point for those curious. It's also a decent buy for veteran commanders. They get 17 well made scenarios to add to their collection, and can continue to support the develop of the system overall.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESo, if you are looking for a detailed air and naval combat simulator, and don't mind the minimal graphics and sound, you really can't do better than Command. The game has been continuously updated since its release about three years ago, and Shifting Sands benefits from all of those updates. This is a great way to try out the system and see if it's for you, without plonking down $80 or waiting for a big sale. Though if you like Shifting Sands, I highly recommend getting CMANO, it's a game that you could spend years tinkering with and learning new things from. There are so many community scenarios available that the average gamer would take a lifetime to play them all. Definitely\u0026nbsp;some serious bang for your buck.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMatrix Store:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/707\/details\/Command.Shifting.Sands\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ELink Here\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDeveloper Website:\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.warfaresims.com\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ehttp:\/\/www.warfaresims.com\/\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ECommand: Shifting Sands is also available on Steam.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\nP.S. I had to borrow my screenshots for this review from the official page, since my normal means of capturing them didn't seem to agree with Command and came out rather useless. I had some really good ones too!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/3945621386961625080\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/11\/command-shifting-sands.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3945621386961625080"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3945621386961625080"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/11\/command-shifting-sands.html","title":"Command: Shifting Sands"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-t4d4Nppjtug\/WhTxDzPfT-I\/AAAAAAAAAe8\/b47BehzL_5IV5wpoQsq11MKyJDhazTC1QCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/C-SS_logo.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-7563081723071626519"},"published":{"$t":"2017-09-01T03:57:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-09-01T03:57:16.417+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Burma Road"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Order of Battle"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"The Aristocrats"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Order of Battle: Burma Road"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-YBTpZmXhaUE\/WaY9qZZ3omI\/AAAAAAAAAaQ\/miZ7Hy_IcGgJZMphfOT0lwxjy0DwkqxWACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Logo-OoB-Burma-Road.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"280\" data-original-width=\"1149\" height=\"154\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-YBTpZmXhaUE\/WaY9qZZ3omI\/AAAAAAAAAaQ\/miZ7Hy_IcGgJZMphfOT0lwxjy0DwkqxWACLcBGAs\/s640\/Logo-OoB-Burma-Road.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOrder of Battle: Burma Road is the latest campaign add-on for the ever expanding Order of Battle family developed by The Aristocrats. Earlier this year I reviewed\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/04\/order-of-battle-kriegsmarine-review.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EOOB: Kriegsmarine\u003C\/a\u003E, which saw the player take on another side of the war not seen too often in wargames. Although Kriegsmarine was forced by practicality to move from historical naval actions to fictional Nazi pipe-dreams rather quickly, this new DLC featuring the British Commonwealth forces is loaded to the brim with historical, yet often forgotten,\u0026nbsp;battlefields.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAlthough I consider myself a WW2 history buff, I must admit that this theater was one I knew almost nothing about going in. I knew the British had to fight throughout the region to defend India and other holdings, but I couldn't have named a single important battle. Imagine my surprise when halfway through the campaign I take a break from fighting off the Japanese to visit Bombay where I'm tasked with tracking down and arresting Ghandi! Not the kind of thing you expect to see in a wargame. However, I enjoyed the change of pace, and the history lesson attached.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-jF9kH6IQsRQ\/WajK-TRvZCI\/AAAAAAAAAak\/qTGjP26nvMUQiZGpRhLM-NGiYY00EW53gCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Order%2BOf%2BBattle%2B%2BPacific%2B08.29.2017%2B-%2B22.28.45.01.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-jF9kH6IQsRQ\/WajK-TRvZCI\/AAAAAAAAAak\/qTGjP26nvMUQiZGpRhLM-NGiYY00EW53gCLcBGAs\/s640\/Order%2BOf%2BBattle%2B%2BPacific%2B08.29.2017%2B-%2B22.28.45.01.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EUnlike some of the other campaigns, Burma Road doesn't seem to add many new features to the overall game structure. The only significant difference I noticed was a more extensive use of friendly AI units than I've seen in the other campaigns (though I haven't played them all just yet). This fits thematically, since the Commonwealth forces were made of units from many different nationalities. Your core of British regulars will often find themselves fighting alongside various colonial forces, sometimes under your direct control, and sometimes not.\u0026nbsp; You can also add some of the weaker colonial infantry to your core units at a cheap price, or get a nice splash of flavor by adding a unit of Gurkhas to your team. There are also SAS and SBS units to unlock, and all the British machines of war you know and love: Spitfires, Crusaders, and heavy artillery are all on tap.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile this campaign does not shake up the core gameplay much, the scenarios available should please any fans of previous OOB installments. The rough terrain of southeast Asia makes for a tricky battlefield where putting units in the right positions is key to making them useful. Jungles, swamps, and hills are prominent on many of the maps, which can make even a large battlefield feel rather cramped. Frontage becomes a critical issue and you will not always have the option to make a flanking maneuver, unless you are willing to send a unit through the jungle, which may reduce its cohesion. You can, and must, use this to your advantage as well. In many of the scenarios you facing an onslaught of Japanese units that outnumber your troops. Setting up a line of defense on tactically smart ground will keep your boys in the fight longer, and save resources for upgrades instead of replacements.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-Wc2HqBt8EQo\/WajK9oVbI5I\/AAAAAAAAAag\/VkrxFdmmfEk-XT6pbxyIQSZDudwrImbzACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Order%2BOf%2BBattle%2B%2BPacific%2B08.29.2017%2B-%2B23.19.28.02.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-Wc2HqBt8EQo\/WajK9oVbI5I\/AAAAAAAAAag\/VkrxFdmmfEk-XT6pbxyIQSZDudwrImbzACLcBGAs\/s640\/Order%2BOf%2BBattle%2B%2BPacific%2B08.29.2017%2B-%2B23.19.28.02.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI found the actual objectives of the missions to be varied and interesting. Most missions will start you off with one objective, then throw some new twist at you midway through. Your decision will usually be to determine what share of your forces you want to dedicate to different sections of the battlefield. It's not uncommon to be defending in one area and attacking in another. Given the heavy amounts of jungle on most maps, you will also want to send out fighters and scout cars to do reconnaissance when you can spare them. Fighting every enemy unit is usually not necessary, and it can make more sense to maneuver around difficult spots to complete your goals with minimal losses.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThis campaign is focused primarily on ground and air forces, with naval units only making occasional appearances. I found that ruling the skies was always very important, if not particularly challenging. The Japanese have some deadly tactical bombers that will inflict a lot of casualties on your forces if you don't take them down quickly. This is pretty easy to accomplish though, since your Spitfires and Hurricanes can make quick work of the Japanese fighters and then go after the bombers. You can also pick up some experienced squadrons by completing bonus objectives. One is the American Flying Tigers, which can be added to your force to make it even more culturally diverse.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AKqpW18QJPE\/WajMMjXux6I\/AAAAAAAAAaw\/3cdXYNATpssu63g4p7Eqe_R2_BrL70YPwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Order%2BOf%2BBattle%2B%2BPacific%2B08.31.2017%2B-%2B21.53.54.03.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-AKqpW18QJPE\/WajMMjXux6I\/AAAAAAAAAaw\/3cdXYNATpssu63g4p7Eqe_R2_BrL70YPwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Order%2BOf%2BBattle%2B%2BPacific%2B08.31.2017%2B-%2B21.53.54.03.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOverall, I found this to be a solid addition to the Order of Battle line up. While it doesn't shake things up too much, it takes a proven formula and uses it to explore a less well known section of the war. No one would have been shocked if The Aristocrats had visited the old standards like Normandy, Barbarossa, or Bastogne first, but I'm glad they are taking the road less traveled. This game play, if you are the type who enjoys it like me, is perfectly suited to tackling so many small and medium sized sections of the war. A North Africa and Mediterranean campaign would fit it like a glove, for example. Final verdict: keep the campaigns coming, I think this game still has a lot of room to grow.\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/7563081723071626519\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/09\/order-of-battle-burma-road.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7563081723071626519"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/7563081723071626519"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/09\/order-of-battle-burma-road.html","title":"Order of Battle: Burma Road"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-YBTpZmXhaUE\/WaY9qZZ3omI\/AAAAAAAAAaQ\/miZ7Hy_IcGgJZMphfOT0lwxjy0DwkqxWACLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Logo-OoB-Burma-Road.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8724515583798646387"},"published":{"$t":"2017-08-04T06:20:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-08-04T06:20:03.092+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Blue Wizard Digital"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Mode 7"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"podcast"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"sanctus reach"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"skirmish line"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"SMAC Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Space Tyrant"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"tokyo 42"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Skirmish Line Podcast - Episode 2"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-DsC90h2mbRE\/WYQCAQCnoMI\/AAAAAAAAAYU\/VLzNSAAp9w4MtQ3WpOuKNjB4B6MCREsHgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/220px-Voltigeurs_of_a_French_Line_regiment_crossing_the_Danube_before_the_battle_of_Wagram.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"336\" data-original-width=\"220\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-DsC90h2mbRE\/WYQCAQCnoMI\/AAAAAAAAAYU\/VLzNSAAp9w4MtQ3WpOuKNjB4B6MCREsHgCLcBGAs\/s200\/220px-Voltigeurs_of_a_French_Line_regiment_crossing_the_Danube_before_the_battle_of_Wagram.png\" width=\"130\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEpisode 2 of the podcast is up! This episode features a review of the movie Dunkirk, a look at what's been posted here on AWNT in the last few weeks, first impressions of Tokyo 42 and Space Tyrant, and finally a review of Legacy of the Weirdboy, the first DLC for Sanctus Reach. I hope you enjoy listening, and I am still very much open to feedback and suggestions. Thanks!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ciframe frameborder=\"no\" height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/336201617\u0026amp;color=ff5500\u0026amp;auto_play=false\u0026amp;hide_related=false\u0026amp;show_comments=true\u0026amp;show_user=true\u0026amp;show_reposts=false\" width=\"100%\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\n\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EJoe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8724515583798646387\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/08\/skirmish-line-podcast-episode-2.html#comment-form","title":"3 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8724515583798646387"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8724515583798646387"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/08\/skirmish-line-podcast-episode-2.html","title":"Skirmish Line Podcast - Episode 2"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-DsC90h2mbRE\/WYQCAQCnoMI\/AAAAAAAAAYU\/VLzNSAAp9w4MtQ3WpOuKNjB4B6MCREsHgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/220px-Voltigeurs_of_a_French_Line_regiment_crossing_the_Danube_before_the_battle_of_Wagram.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"3"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1836566635409525393"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-28T15:40:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-28T15:42:44.795+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carrier Deck"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Every Single Soldier"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Carrier Deck 1.1.2 Gameplay"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/amazon\/Logos\/CarrierD_logo_500px.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/amazon\/Logos\/CarrierD_logo_500px.jpg\" data-original-height=\"135\" data-original-width=\"500\" height=\"172\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI did a \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/06\/carrier-deck-review.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ereview of Carrier Deck\u003C\/a\u003E last month when it released, but the game has had a solid patch applied since then, which fixed pretty much all of the issues I had with it. I wanted to do a video of the game in action, so you can see how it plays after being smoothed out a bit.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEnjoy!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Cn4aF2m0R4U\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/1836566635409525393\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/carrier-deck-112-gameplay.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1836566635409525393"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1836566635409525393"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/carrier-deck-112-gameplay.html","title":"Carrier Deck 1.1.2 Gameplay"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/Cn4aF2m0R4U\/default.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-6737988496768197782"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-17T05:26:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-17T05:32:11.748+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"sanctus reach"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Straylight Entertainment"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warhammer 40k"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Sanctus Reach: Legacy of the Weirdboy DLC Review"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/amazon\/Logos\/SanctusReach_Warhammer_Logo.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"171\" data-original-width=\"590\" height=\"184\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/amazon\/Logos\/SanctusReach_Warhammer_Logo.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELegacy of the Weirdboy is the first DLC available for Warhammer 40k: Sanctus Reach. If you aren't familiar with Sanctus Reach, please check out my review for the base game,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/01\/warhammer-40k-sanctus-reach.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ewhich can be found here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;In short, it is a turn based strategy game in which the Marines of the Space Wolves Chapter take on a horde of Orks while defending the Knight World of Alaric Prime. Legacy of the Weirdboy flips you over to the other side of this bloody conflict, putting you in the green skin of Big Redd da Warphead, a \"Weirdboy,\" or mage type of character, for those who don't speak 40k.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBig Redd is on a mission to build a \"teleporta\" that he will use to strike at the heart of the Space Marines. Standing in your way is a deadly army of said Marines, eager to turn your Orks into so many piles of body parts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELegacy of the Weirdboy offers you a vast array of unit types to play with, as your horde is made up of Orks of all shapes and sizes, carrying a variety of weaponry. I was eager to get my hands on some units in particular, like the massive Battle Wagon and various \"Meks\" which sport all sorts of nightmarish pointy appendages, rocket launchers, and flame throwers. These units gave me a lot of trouble in the base game campaigns, so it was quite the thrill to use them myself. The Orks have some new units to try out as well, including a very useful medic hero. The Space Marines have a few new toys of their own that you will discover throughout the campaign. If your Orks survive long enough to kill some Marines, they can gain experience and level up, unlocking a choice of various new special abilities. Some of these can turn decent units into really vicious\u0026nbsp;killers.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-pCQDMMIn2Yc\/WWw6SvWesQI\/AAAAAAAAAX0\/-Re0ePglVAgpKUAgoq84x2faZny8SxkggCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2B07.16.2017%2B-%2B20.38.59.01.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-pCQDMMIn2Yc\/WWw6SvWesQI\/AAAAAAAAAX0\/-Re0ePglVAgpKUAgoq84x2faZny8SxkggCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2B07.16.2017%2B-%2B20.38.59.01.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EExploring the ins and outs of your own personal Waaagh is the meat of this experience for veterans of the Space Marine campaigns.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI found that the Ork units did not handle how I expected, but in a good way. While some of your units are just living shields to distract the enemy, this is not a campaign where you can simply charge forward without finesse, hoping to overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers. The Space Marines are heavily armed and armored, and will cut your Orks to ribbons if you charge at them recklessly. Even the most basic Space Marine squad will not go down easily, and must be dealt with in a deliberate manner. This contrasts with the Orks, who have a mixture of super-heavy units and glass cannons, with a large helping of marginally useful, but ultimately expendable, cheap units to round things out.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EA battle of attrition will go poorly for you, which was a lesson I quickly learned before rebooting the first mission.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BvtRVayvQis\/WWw6SBikEsI\/AAAAAAAAAXw\/xix2qCMzX4QHnYyx_gs6Mgxmj9hEDLQmQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Desktop%2B07.16.2017%2B-%2B20.39.46.03.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"900\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BvtRVayvQis\/WWw6SBikEsI\/AAAAAAAAAXw\/xix2qCMzX4QHnYyx_gs6Mgxmj9hEDLQmQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Desktop%2B07.16.2017%2B-%2B20.39.46.03.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe DLC improves a bit on the structure of the campaign itself, but still leaves room for improvement. Like in the base game, the campaign consists of a handful of set-piece battles separated by 3-4 skirmish battles each. These skirmishes are still rather unremarkable filler, but the story missions themselves have been improved with more detailed intros and some nice artwork to set the scene. There are only four of the story missions, but each one is a hefty scenario that will take a couple of hours to complete. The overall story is still thin compared to other Warhammer 40k games, but feels much more coherent than before. I hope for the next DLC the ratio of filler to story missions is improved, since they are quite good and varied in their gameplay.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOverall, this is a solid expansion for fans of Sanctus Reach, and is exactly what I like to see in add-on content. Every facet of the game has been improved in some way, while giving you a fresh new experience to enjoy. The price is a very reasonable $10. I expect we will be seeing several more DLC for Sanctus Reach, and I look forward to watching how the game evolves. Fingers crossed that we get to see the Imperial Guard join the fray!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELegacy of the Weirdboy can be purchased\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/697\/details\/Warhammer.40,000.Sanctus.Reach.-.Legacy.of.the.Weirdboy\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Matrix\/Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E, or found on Steam.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/6737988496768197782\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/sanctus-reach-legacy-of-weirdboy-dlc.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6737988496768197782"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6737988496768197782"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/sanctus-reach-legacy-of-weirdboy-dlc.html","title":"Sanctus Reach: Legacy of the Weirdboy DLC Review"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-pCQDMMIn2Yc\/WWw6SvWesQI\/AAAAAAAAAX0\/-Re0ePglVAgpKUAgoq84x2faZny8SxkggCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Desktop%2B07.16.2017%2B-%2B20.38.59.01.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2521831891627211927"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-12T17:03:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-12T17:04:14.901+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"sanctus reach"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Straylight Entertainment"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Warhammer 40k"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"WH40k Sanctus Reach: Legacy of the Weirdboy Gameplay Video"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/amazon\/Logos\/SanctusReach_Warhammer_Logo.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"171\" data-original-width=\"590\" height=\"115\" src=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/amazon\/Logos\/SanctusReach_Warhammer_Logo.png\" width=\"400\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ELegacy of the Weirdboy, the first DLC for Sanctus Reach, just came out. You can expect my full review in a few days, but in the meantime here is a gameplay video to give you a taste of what you can expect. For once I make a video and actually win the scenario!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/2IVZM4UdgRM\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWatch it on Youtube\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ciframe allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"YOUTUBE-iframe-video\" data-thumbnail-src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/2IVZM4UdgRM\/0.jpg\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"266\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/2IVZM4UdgRM?feature=player_embedded\" width=\"320\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n- Joe Beard\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2521831891627211927\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/wh40k-sanctus-reach-legacy-of-weirdboy.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2521831891627211927"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2521831891627211927"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/wh40k-sanctus-reach-legacy-of-weirdboy.html","title":"WH40k Sanctus Reach: Legacy of the Weirdboy Gameplay Video"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/2IVZM4UdgRM\/default.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-4471440778179166896"},"published":{"$t":"2017-07-07T04:32:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2017-07-07T04:33:47.761+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Carrier Deck"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Every Single Soldier"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"podcast"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"skirmish line"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Introducing the Skirmish Line Podcast"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P_RntCGuP9E\/WV8BCmm1MsI\/AAAAAAAAAXM\/Dvi25fv3Vu4xsk_rFj4EtkwQHZLOd1CRgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Voltigeurs_of_a_French_Line_regiment_crossing_the_Danube_before_the_battle_of_Wagram.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"580\" data-original-width=\"380\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P_RntCGuP9E\/WV8BCmm1MsI\/AAAAAAAAAXM\/Dvi25fv3Vu4xsk_rFj4EtkwQHZLOd1CRgCLcBGAs\/s200\/Voltigeurs_of_a_French_Line_regiment_crossing_the_Danube_before_the_battle_of_Wagram.png\" width=\"130\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EHello everyone, today I'm introducing my new podcast \"Skirmish Line\" This podcast will bring you more the great content you expect from A Wargamer's Needful Things, delivered in a new way. I listen to a ton of podcasts, and have wanted to try doing it for myself for a long time. This first episode is rather short and I'm sure my delivery could use some work, but I hope you enjoy it!\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMore episodes to come in the weeks and months ahead!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Ciframe frameborder=\"no\" height=\"450\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=https%3A\/\/api.soundcloud.com\/users\/318069332\u0026amp;color=ff5500\u0026amp;auto_play=false\u0026amp;hide_related=false\u0026amp;show_comments=true\u0026amp;show_user=true\u0026amp;show_reposts=false\" width=\"100%\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/4471440778179166896\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/introducing-skirmish-line-podcast.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4471440778179166896"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4471440778179166896"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/07\/introducing-skirmish-line-podcast.html","title":"Introducing the Skirmish Line Podcast"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-P_RntCGuP9E\/WV8BCmm1MsI\/AAAAAAAAAXM\/Dvi25fv3Vu4xsk_rFj4EtkwQHZLOd1CRgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Voltigeurs_of_a_French_Line_regiment_crossing_the_Danube_before_the_battle_of_Wagram.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}}]}});