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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\/-\/Slitherine+Games?alt=json-in-script"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/search\/label\/Slitherine%20Games"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/-\/Slitherine+Games\/-\/Slitherine+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":{"$t":"69"},"openSearch$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-414714535560286686"},"published":{"$t":"2020-12-24T22:02:00.001+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-12-24T22:02:22.344+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ICBM"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"ICBM"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-N0WU6jeoX38\/X-UOWcR_90I\/AAAAAAAABYs\/aEcN8-hFhaIAi13z7u7q8DlXtto5RFmwQCNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-N0WU6jeoX38\/X-UOWcR_90I\/AAAAAAAABYs\/aEcN8-hFhaIAi13z7u7q8DlXtto5RFmwQCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h300\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003EThermonuclear war is the game about which it's been said that the only winning move is not to play at all. What would it look like if you had to play it out anyway? ICBM is a game which answers that question. Millions will die as eight global regions duke it out with every weapon of mass destruction in their inventory.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EICBM is a real time strategy game from Slitherine with sparse graphics but a deep well of strategy to explore. At the beginning of the game you will be presented with a mostly empty map of the world. Eight regions, such as North America, East Asia, and Europe, are each outlined in their own color and dotted with \u003Cstrike\u003Etargets\u003C\/strike\u003E, ahem, cities filled with millions of innocent civilians. In terms of military power, things start off completely even, with everyone building from the same relatively blank slate. Once the clock starts ticking, the player is given a wide open decision space in terms of what to research, what to build, and where to deploy it. Additionally, at some point alliances will form, which the player is free to enter into, or not, though isolationists will likely find themselves very, very alone once the nukes start flying. That's because alliances allow not just the sharing of vision, but also the sharing of technology, both of these things being absolutely crucial to gaining an edge over the enemy.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-dpH3Kd6Y_FU\/X-UOiixBZ4I\/AAAAAAAABYw\/jTAbz_a8LvEfacun7ziC9PLKvI9iAaAdACNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-dpH3Kd6Y_FU\/X-UOiixBZ4I\/AAAAAAAABYw\/jTAbz_a8LvEfacun7ziC9PLKvI9iAaAdACNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAt the start of the game it would be foolhardy to rush into conflict. ICBM is all about the slow burn as you build up forces and technology, shaping your strategy as you go. Radars must be built so that you can find targets to begin with, as well as defend against the enemy. Then you'll need to decide on what your offense and defense will look like. Do you want wings of bombers or fleets of subs? Maybe you'll attack from space, or a good old fashioned carrier strike force?\u0026nbsp; As you're building up, you'll likely find yourself skirmishing with neighbors. Maybe you catch their sub lurking off the cost and sink it, or maybe they notice your isolated radar site and take it out with an airstrike. Since everything you build costs you time that could have been spent building something else, you'll feel these losses. On top of that, this fighting adds tension to the game, since you never know if this is IT, or just another quick strike before things quiet down again.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-4hn-RRtIcfw\/X-UOqGcfiXI\/AAAAAAAABY4\/rf0fIqKp9K4e2LCPM513boKejH-XhqQogCNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-4hn-RRtIcfw\/X-UOqGcfiXI\/AAAAAAAABY4\/rf0fIqKp9K4e2LCPM513boKejH-XhqQogCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOnce things do kick off, you'll quickly find out just how well or poorly you have planned, and also how well your enemies have done. Didn't bother patrolling your coastlines at all this game? Maybe there's a couple subs hanging out there ready to waste your infrastructure in a matter of seconds. Underestimate the enemy air defenses, and now your bomber wings got wiped out before reaching their targets? That's the ballgame folks. Just the same, the enemy will be running up against your defenses and maybe you've got some surprises for them too. This quick release of destructive energy is what all of the tension of the early game build up has been leading towards. ICBM even has specific mechanics to ratchet this moment up.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne is the option to turn off a feature which pauses the game for every little semi-significant update (like spotting a new enemy unit) because once the full scale war kicks off, it's going to get hectic and there's no fun in stopping it every few seconds. Second, there is a tool for setting up large scale coordinated strike plans that can be set in motion with one click. Given enough buildup time you can find yourself in command of dozens or hundreds of weapons of mass destruction. The tool makes it easy to divvy up appropriate targets for them and even time the attacks to hit all at once.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-jSam0kGUrBE\/X-UOyW-JOPI\/AAAAAAAABY8\/v8j47MYQQE0MCa1LHdiUUtEDSGmt24miQCNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-jSam0kGUrBE\/X-UOyW-JOPI\/AAAAAAAABY8\/v8j47MYQQE0MCa1LHdiUUtEDSGmt24miQCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFor long time strategy fans, you'll likely remember DEFCON from 2006, a game which certainly paved the way for this title. Where DEFCON was streamlined and colorful, ICBM is grayer and more complex. One could certainly enjoy both games, but I could also see someone greatly preferring one over the other. I appreciate the more complex and involved systems in ICBM, where you have a great deal of freedom in shaping your force composition, but while playing I was constantly reminded of how DEFCON managed to provoke a stronger emotional response despite it's more colorful and simpler presentation. Almost 15 years later, I can still vividly recall the ambient sounds in DEFCON which included distant alarms, doors closing, and someone crying in the background as the war played out on screen. ICBM feels much more sterile in terms of presentation. It's functional, but not much else.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-0G7wP0q5xRs\/X-UO-YKugoI\/AAAAAAAABZI\/gXZju5rMEjMYZZHt92RJ8jkbsvsTsQBuQCNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-0G7wP0q5xRs\/X-UO-YKugoI\/AAAAAAAABZI\/gXZju5rMEjMYZZHt92RJ8jkbsvsTsQBuQCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EICBM offers a fun take on strategy gaming, especially if you can get online and play with a group. I could see friends taking multiple runs at each other using different strategies and styles. There is also an online ELO ranking if you want to get into serious competitive play. The AI does a good enough job, but of course will never be as creative or unpredictable as another human.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EICBM is available from the usual online stores, as well as\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/icbm\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/414714535560286686\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/12\/icbm.html#comment-form","title":"7 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/414714535560286686"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/414714535560286686"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/12\/icbm.html","title":"ICBM"}],"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\/-N0WU6jeoX38\/X-UOWcR_90I\/AAAAAAAABYs\/aEcN8-hFhaIAi13z7u7q8DlXtto5RFmwQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w640-h300-c\/image.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"7"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8176350578728937365"},"published":{"$t":"2020-10-30T03:23:00.000+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-10-30T03:23:06.714+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Sleepy Sentry"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Stirring Abyss"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"turn based"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Stirring Abyss"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-snQZ8ylzka4\/X5uDvmZrUOI\/AAAAAAAABXg\/dyIm5MWrw1ElrEv3linsf4ypqV-khQToACNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-snQZ8ylzka4\/X5uDvmZrUOI\/AAAAAAAABXg\/dyIm5MWrw1ElrEv3linsf4ypqV-khQToACNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h300\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESomething is Stirring, down in the Abyss. A submarine, the USS Salem, has a mysterious incident which leaves the crew scattered across the sea floor in diving suits. You awaken as one of the officers, and set to work finding other survivors from the crew and figuring out what happened. As you explore, it becomes apparent\u0026nbsp;that this was no simple naval incident. Aggressive, monstrous creatures stand in your way, and nature seems to be corrupting in disturbing ways all around you. Something...fishy...is going on.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EJust in time for Halloween comes a spooky strategy adventure from Sleepy Sentry and Slitherine Games. Stirring Abyss combines elements of XCOM and the Lovecraft mythos to create something quite different than anything I've seen before. As the leader of the surviving crew from the USS Salem, you'll go on a series of missions, defeating monsters and gathering resources as you unravel the plot. While you might glance at the screenshots and think that this game seems simple enough, there is actually quite a lot going on...beneath the surface.\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:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-oYpBkt3LObg\/X5uEu8Mke8I\/AAAAAAAABXs\/KY4IlCZlPFcHjlIK_xbRs8BTR7dt_tAEwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s2739\/SA3.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1148\" data-original-width=\"2739\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-oYpBkt3LObg\/X5uEu8Mke8I\/AAAAAAAABXs\/KY4IlCZlPFcHjlIK_xbRs8BTR7dt_tAEwCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h268\/SA3.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAfter coming to his senses on the sea floor, your starting character makes his way back to the USS Salem, which has suffered heavy damage. Fans of XCOM will immediately see the influence of the base building in that series reimagined here. Instead of building a base, you'll instead be pumping water out of the various compartments in the sub, and then spending resources to get things operational again. Some rooms have a pre-determined use, while quite a few can provide a benefit of your choosing. Stirring Abyss is very stingy with resources, forcing you to make hard choices about what rooms to bring online first.\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;\"\u003EStirring Abyss is actually stingy in a lot of good ways, constantly putting your team under a ton of...pressure. Crew members don't automatically heal between missions. Resources that you need for repairing the sub are also needed for crafting items and equipment. Power generated by the sub can be used for special abilities during the tactical phase, but needs to be conserved if you're going to keep pumping water out of the sub. During the tactical phase your team is closer to running out of air with each turn that passes. On top of all of that, the tactical combat itself is unforgiving, often pitting your team against overwhelming odds and demanding that you use all of their special abilities to good effect, or else.\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:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZVxt2Yrc8pU\/X5uEuxX_sVI\/AAAAAAAABXo\/viJnv-JOmNE4ah5QGt_0t8w6nTuJbw8nQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s2738\/SA1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1148\" data-original-width=\"2738\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-ZVxt2Yrc8pU\/X5uEuxX_sVI\/AAAAAAAABXo\/viJnv-JOmNE4ah5QGt_0t8w6nTuJbw8nQCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h268\/SA1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe tactical combat is relatively simple in terms of mechanics, but still very satisfying. There are three classes of characters: officers, scientists, and crewmen, each with a different set of options for unlocking new abilities as they level up. Additionally, each character you bring on board is unique, with a few custom traits of their own. Most combat early on consists of stabbing enemies with your handy diving knives, but eventually each character will have a variety of options for dishing out extra damage, hitting enemies with status effects, and supporting each other. Making this far juicier is that this is a game set in a Lovecraftian world, drawing much of its inspiration from\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/The_Temple_(Lovecraft_short_story)\"\u003EThe Temple\u003C\/a\u003E, a short story about a German sub in WWI that meets a troubled end. After just a couple of missions you gain party wide supernatural abilities that you can fire off several times per mission. These include things like teleporting short distances and massively boosting your accuracy. A little further into the campaign you'll unlock a room in the sub where you can mutate your crew members and give them straight up crazy new \"perks\" like tentacle arms and giant claws.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-I4yZhS0k5pw\/X5uEviSE0iI\/AAAAAAAABX0\/MUfRa2nlQLcwF9wc-p7c4PUfKaoSSEKSACNcBGAsYHQ\/s2740\/SA4.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1147\" data-original-width=\"2740\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-I4yZhS0k5pw\/X5uEviSE0iI\/AAAAAAAABX0\/MUfRa2nlQLcwF9wc-p7c4PUfKaoSSEKSACNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h268\/SA4.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\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;\"\u003EYou'll need every advantage you can get, as Stirring Abyss pulls no punches with difficulty. Besides dealing with scant resources, you'll also need to keep a close eye on the hit points of your crew members. While there are a lot of ways to restore hit points (abilities, items, submarine features, and occasionally by killing enemies) almost none of them are free, and absolutely none of them will fill that health meter up in one go. This strategic concern translates to careful maneuvering during the tactical phase. Recklessly wading into a fight can put you at a disadvantage later on. Instead, you'll want to make full use of the options you have. You'll also need to learn how each of the many different enemy types operates. Most have at least a couple of special abilities that you'll need to work around. Besides health points, your crewmen also have a sanity meter which can be depleted by various events, like say, seeing a teammate get ripped apart by a giant shark-man monster. Suffering too much sanity damage can eventually render someone completely insane, which could cost you a veteran of many battles.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;As units level up they can choose from new perks and abilities, depending on their class, as well as stat bonuses that increase things like damage resistance and critical hit chances. These upgrades are pretty straight forward, but to add some complexity there are also a large selection of party-wide bonuses to be unlocked over time.\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;\"\u003EWhile the combat and XCOM elements are quite good, if relatively simple, what really makes this game sing is how it dives into its theme. The impressive music tracks are dark and foreboding, playing up the dread of a deep sea mystery and something unimaginable lurking in the darkness. The graphics, which still screenshots don't fully convey, charmingly draw from the well of 1950's era sci-fi and adventure art. Each mission carries the narrative forward, with lengthy discussions among the crew, detailed descriptions of the various horrors you come across, and the occasional choose-your-own-adventure style minigame. I don't want to spoil too much here, as the mystery of just what is happening is a big part of the draw to go from one mission to the next.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-JPjn-O8gzkc\/X5uEu9VPniI\/AAAAAAAABXw\/dT_4anSEacAAMzB2Pi_8F33T8sVksDrYACNcBGAsYHQ\/s2738\/SA2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1149\" data-original-width=\"2738\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-JPjn-O8gzkc\/X5uEu9VPniI\/AAAAAAAABXw\/dT_4anSEacAAMzB2Pi_8F33T8sVksDrYACNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h268\/SA2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\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;\"\u003EAs a fan of Lovecraft stories and someone who can't get enough XCOM style strategy games, this one was a very pleasant surprise when it popped onto my radar and eventually ended up in my hands. I haven't gotten too far into the campaign yet, as there was a bug (since ironed out in the release version) which tripped me up several times. Even so, there's no doubt in my mind that this game will hold your interest if you give it a shot. The story is fun right out of the gate, and the tactical combat is comfortable but challenging. I look forward to pursuing the mystery further and seeing just what sort of eldritch horrors are causing so much chaos in the briny deep.\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;\"\u003EStirring Abyss is available on GoG, Steam and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/stirring-abyss\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine.\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\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\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\/8176350578728937365\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/10\/stirring-abyss.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8176350578728937365"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8176350578728937365"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/10\/stirring-abyss.html","title":"Stirring Abyss"}],"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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-snQZ8ylzka4\/X5uDvmZrUOI\/AAAAAAAABXg\/dyIm5MWrw1ElrEv3linsf4ypqV-khQToACNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w640-h300-c\/image.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-5625855670598383021"},"published":{"$t":"2020-10-15T05:45:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-10-15T05:45:51.948+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":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: Season 2 Finale DLC"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\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\/-zPRQMFCNiwM\/X4fREriyKII\/AAAAAAAABWY\/bmYZ-T7rt2Ip_fQqPR9XklX1GMOUTeyLwCNcBGAsYHQ\/image.png\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg alt=\"\" data-original-height=\"215\" data-original-width=\"460\" height=\"301\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-zPRQMFCNiwM\/X4fREriyKII\/AAAAAAAABWY\/bmYZ-T7rt2Ip_fQqPR9XklX1GMOUTeyLwCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h301\/image.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBattlestar Galactica Deadlock recently ended its second and final season of DLC with a bang, and after playing through the campaign I'm here to offer my thoughts. As the name of pack implies, \"Armistice\" is a series of missions leading up to the end of the First Cylon War. There are eight missions in the pack, and the campaign plays out in a mostly linear fashion. There are side missions for gathering extra resources and keeping the Cylon threat level down, but really you can plow ahead with the story missions, only pausing if you really need to.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEach mission\u0026nbsp;comes with plenty of story dialogue before, during, and after the operation. Characters you've come to know throughout the lengthy campaign reach the end of their arcs along with the war itself. If you're a fan of BSG and have read up on the lore, you'll be happy to know that many tidbits from the mini-series prequel \"Razor\" are tied into the final missions here. The story ends on a rather somber note, as is appropriate given what happens later in the BSG world. As the player, you know that you have come up a bit short, and some of the characters seem to sense this as well. The Cylon \"super weapon\" hinted at throughout the story gets away, dooming mankind to the events seen in the opening hours of BSG the show.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-y0M-4fi0cvc\/X4fSI9WyPHI\/AAAAAAAABWs\/c-snsiyw26o6SiiKFYGwRbV6AXdP7g09QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s2048\/Untitled.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1055\" data-original-width=\"2048\" height=\"330\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-y0M-4fi0cvc\/X4fSI9WyPHI\/AAAAAAAABWs\/c-snsiyw26o6SiiKFYGwRbV6AXdP7g09QCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h330\/Untitled.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile many of the missions in the campaign boil down to wiping out the enemy fleet, many of them have some kind of objective to accomplish as well, and one towards the end even has a fun gimmick that forces you to manage your fleet much differently than normal. Given that this is the home stretch of the game, it's no surprise that every battle here is a massive slugfest between the best ships you can muster and hordes of Cylons. With just about every option in the game unlocked at this point, and plenty of resources to go around, you have free reign to organize your tactics as you see fit. I enjoyed trying out some of the various munitions I had ignored previously, and of course seeing how things would go if I equipped a nuke in every available slot (hint: things get messy).\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe turn-based space combat still holds strong after years of playing it off and on again. It always feels good to pull together a clean attack the knocks out one enemy ship after another while minimizing your own losses. You have to remain vigilant, as getting lax and allowing a ship to cruise head on into the enemy's guns or torpedoes can get it killed in a single turn.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-YmCcTTy4rQY\/X4fSm3fuNsI\/AAAAAAAABW8\/40xvufg4csAOCBEV09XN2LqrTvhkbfSHgCNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-YmCcTTy4rQY\/X4fSm3fuNsI\/AAAAAAAABW8\/40xvufg4csAOCBEV09XN2LqrTvhkbfSHgCNcBGAsYHQ\/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\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn addition to the Armistice story DLC, the finale also features the \"Modern Ships\" pack. These ships don't appear in the story campaign, but instead are available for skirmish and multiplayer modes. These ships fully tie the game into the era of BSG the show, featuring the sleek Cylon basestars of that era and the Mercury class Battlestars (like the \u003Ci\u003EPegasus\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;seen in the show).\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game also received a free update for all users, the Daybreak Update which you can see all the details of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/steamcommunity.com\/app\/544610\/discussions\/0\/2844543519796145138\/\"\u003Ehere.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Besides a number of quality of life and visual\/performance improvements, the update adds a Photography mode for getting those nifty sci-fi screenshots, and new modes for multiplayer and bigger fleet caps.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI've been a fan of this game for years now, and it was great to play out the conclusion of the story. Fans of the show and fans of tactical combat games should certainly check it out if they haven't yet, as it really is so much better than one might ever expect from a TV show based game that came out many years after hype for the show died down. The developers, Black Lab Games, can be proud of what they've done here, and I look forward to seeing what they do next.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\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\/-4vbJEhCWHag\/X4fS57YAH8I\/AAAAAAAABXI\/nYv1PlZwKs0Lh5varCsuTwL_rsAlmhA4QCNcBGAsYHQ\/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\/-4vbJEhCWHag\/X4fS57YAH8I\/AAAAAAAABXI\/nYv1PlZwKs0Lh5varCsuTwL_rsAlmhA4QCNcBGAsYHQ\/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 style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EBattlestar Galactica Deadlock and all of its content can be found at the usual storefronts, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock\"\u003Eas well as directly from Slitherine Games\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/5625855670598383021\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/10\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-season-2.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5625855670598383021"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5625855670598383021"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/10\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-season-2.html","title":"Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: Season 2 Finale 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:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/-zPRQMFCNiwM\/X4fREriyKII\/AAAAAAAABWY\/bmYZ-T7rt2Ip_fQqPR9XklX1GMOUTeyLwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w640-h301-c\/image.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2335189938109878638"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-15T04:29:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-15T04:29:45.962+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Game Review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Panzer Corps 2"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Panzer Corps 2 - Axis Operations 1939 DLC"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\"\u003E\u003Cp style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cimg height=\"299\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/products\/630\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" style=\"text-align: left;\" width=\"640\" \/\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;\"\u003EAxis Operations 1939 is the latest add-on for Panzer Corps 2 which I \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/03\/panzer-corps-2.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Ereviewed\u003C\/a\u003E earlier this year. Much like the previous game, Panzer Corps 2 shipped with a campaign covering all the headline battles for the German army in WW2, but now it is receiving a series of DLC that take a deeper dive into the war, and visit many smaller and less well known battles in a very lengthy grand campaign. The first DLC featured the Spanish Civil War, in many ways the warm up to WW2 in Europe where the various powers tried out new tactics and\u0026nbsp;equipment. If you have already played through that campaign, you can carry your core force and heroes forward into 1939, or start fresh with a balanced force and several heroes to assign as you please.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BL4hNc1lDNo\/X2Ax9R_qyjI\/AAAAAAAABVY\/8zi4U5aaxpIdFN80Ran3Jr5_8PTYC1lyACNcBGAsYHQ\/s2657\/PZ%2B1.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1183\" data-original-width=\"2657\" height=\"284\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BL4hNc1lDNo\/X2Ax9R_qyjI\/AAAAAAAABVY\/8zi4U5aaxpIdFN80Ran3Jr5_8PTYC1lyACNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h284\/PZ%2B1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\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;\"\u003EOver the course of 15 scenarios you'll visit some of the less gamed battles of the war. While in real life many of these were small scale affairs compared to the later battles of the war, Panzer Corps 2 makes up for this by taking the quirks of the historical situation and offering up unique objectives for each scenario. In most cases you'll be offered up a straight forward objective that isn't too difficult to complete, but, critically, you'll also have at least a couple of bonus objectives that will appear tantalizingly within your grasp. Accomplishing one of those objectives will require only a bit more skill than normal, but taking on both at the same time will often demand some real strategy and perhaps even a few separate\u0026nbsp;runs at the scenario. While you can finish the campaign without doing any of these, the game is far more fun, and more challenging, when you attempt them. In almost every scenario I found myself embarrassingly\u0026nbsp;overstretched on my first attempt, thinking I had things in the bag just before an enemy counter-attack cut off my lead units and ravaged them. The rewards for going the extra mile are Commendation Points, which you'll be able to spend at various junctions to get special units and heroes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ctable align=\"center\" cellpadding=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" class=\"tr-caption-container\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Ctbody\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/screens\/630\/screen_5f33a988671f2.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd class=\"tr-caption\" style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile some of the bonus objectives merely involve taking the primary objective and pushing deeper into enemy territory, others are very unique and fresh. For example, early on you'll invade Czechoslovakia. While you can just roll in and crush all resistance, the ideal way to win the battle is to occupy points all over the map without destroying a single enemy unit. You'll attack and push them back, but never hit them so hard that you wipe one out. As you can imagine, it becomes difficult to cut deep into enemy territory when you keep leaving viable enemy units in your rear. In a later mission fighting the French, you're tasked with capture a huge swath of objectives across the map, but ever so tempting is a heavily fortified city right next to your starting point, that you merely need to raid (simply touch the objective marker once) to complete a bonus objective. It seems so easy, it's right there, you can drive to the objective location on Turn 1, and yet you'll lose half of your force trying to take it directly, or burn through most of your limited turns attempting to encircle and siege the place.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Fv0KujeVnsQ\/X2AyImSHzbI\/AAAAAAAABVc\/d7lV7yHmtQ0WZZF92UnRtI3N790eevngQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s2613\/PZ2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1204\" data-original-width=\"2613\" height=\"294\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Fv0KujeVnsQ\/X2AyImSHzbI\/AAAAAAAABVc\/d7lV7yHmtQ0WZZF92UnRtI3N790eevngQCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h294\/PZ2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: left;\"\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;\"\u003EThroughout the campaign you'll see Czechoslovakia, France, Poland, Finland, and Denmark, offering quite a variety of locales and enemy forces. Your own units will of course not evolve too much over this time period, but you will get the chance to capture various enemy units and add them to your core force if you so choose. You'll also see your units grow in experience, awards which add perks to a unit, and gain more heroes. These heroes are used in Panzer Corps 2 to further customize a unit with special perks, which bend the normal rules of the game. Each unit can have up to three of these guys attached, letting you create some real powerhouses with the right synergies.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/screens\/630\/screen_5f33a92451f68.jpg\" style=\"text-align: left;\" width=\"640\" \/\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;\"\u003EAt the end of this campaign you'll be edging over into 1940. No doubt we will be seeing Axis Operations 1940 in the coming months, where you can take your forces on to invade the rest of Europe. As I know a lot less about this period of the war than the latter portions, I'm very interested in seeing what locations and battles will be featured.\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;\"\u003EAt just $10, Axis Operations 1939 is certainly worth your money if you are looking for some more Panzer Corps 2 action. While it doesn't break new ground, it offers more of the tried and true, but highly polished action of the core game.\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;\"\u003EAxis Operations 1939 is available\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/panzer-corps-2-axis-operations-1939\/pc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;or your gaming store of choice.\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\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/2335189938109878638\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/09\/panzer-corps-2-axis-operations-1939-dlc.html#comment-form","title":"12 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2335189938109878638"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2335189938109878638"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/09\/panzer-corps-2-axis-operations-1939-dlc.html","title":"Panzer Corps 2 - Axis Operations 1939 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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-BL4hNc1lDNo\/X2Ax9R_qyjI\/AAAAAAAABVY\/8zi4U5aaxpIdFN80Ran3Jr5_8PTYC1lyACNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w640-h284-c\/PZ%2B1.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"12"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-3580523886822234065"},"published":{"$t":"2020-09-03T03:51:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-09-03T03:51:12.131+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"battlefront"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"combat mission"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Combat Mission Shock Force 2"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Combat Mission: Shock Force 2"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"299\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.cloudflare.steamstatic.com\/steam\/apps\/1369370\/header.jpg?t=1598885705\" style=\"text-align: left;\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EPigs flying, hell freezing over, Battlefront teaming up with Matrix Games to put Combat Mission on Steam. Which of these things were you least expecting to see in 2020?\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EAfter many years of being competitors, two of the pillars of PC wargaming have established what appears to be a direct business relationship. Shock Force 2 is now available for purchase from a variety of digital stores across the net, including Steam and directly from Matrix's website. Other Combat Mission titles will follow, according to the press release. In addition to being available in new places, you can now expect Combat Mission titles to go on sale on a more regular basis, in line with Matrix Games titles. Battlefront has long resisted this sort of thing, preferring to sell exclusively\u0026nbsp;from their own website, with price discounts few and far between. Matrix made the switch to Steam style sales several years ago and the decision seems to have paid off, with the prolific publisher dropping new titles and DLC's one after another. One can only hope this decision will lead to new cash flows for Battlefront, and more Combat Mission down the road.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mKDu-v3LJf8\/X1BZAPKaL8I\/AAAAAAAABUk\/8SRNP4zXhQcD6eXjDJZb5dpzZvZEZO6NQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1920\/ss_69ca4a82413674e53996cb91ccb38e818f82bb7d.1920x1080.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1079\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mKDu-v3LJf8\/X1BZAPKaL8I\/AAAAAAAABUk\/8SRNP4zXhQcD6eXjDJZb5dpzZvZEZO6NQCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/ss_69ca4a82413674e53996cb91ccb38e818f82bb7d.1920x1080.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EI'll get this out of the way first thing: Yes, if you already purchased Shock Force 2 from the Battlefront website, you will get a Steam key for free. Now, on to one of my favorite gaming moments of the year: Downloading a Combat Mission title directly from Steam, then clicking play and watching the game fire up. No tracking down serial keys, no license activations or limits, just click play and go. Marvelous!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EShock Force originally released way back in 2007. After the critical acclaim of the first generation of Combat Mission titles, I and many others eagerly\u0026nbsp;awaited this jump both to a completely different setting, and a new engine. If you were around then, you probably know how things turned out. The game was a mess on release, bugs abounded and a lot of momentum for the series was seemingly lost. Fortunately for everyone involved, Battlefront got to work and eventually hammered the game into a much better state. The next game in the series, Battle for Normandy, released in far better shape and was followed by several other games and modules over the past decade. Controversially, the past decade also saw four \"engine upgrades\" which improved the engine and made fairly significant changes to the visuals, performance, and more, for a nominal fee. I won't dive into the debate over these updates, but only point out that none of the updates applied to Shock Force. Being the oldest game on the engine, it was left behind for many years. In 2018, Shock Force 2 catapulted the game to the newest version of the engine, it also included touched up and tweaked versions of all the original scenarios, to account for the multitude of balance and mechanical changes in the intervening decade.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cblockquote style=\"border: none; margin: 0 0 0 40px; padding: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-7p3Wq_OtdpU\/X1BZAPF9GwI\/AAAAAAAABUg\/clsJIBBvIocEdh1Lpej7UHw1saXT83qagCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/unnamed1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EAlthough we covered Shock Force 2 back when it originally came out, I think the arrival of Combat Mission on Steam, after so many years of people yammering and arguing about it on forums, is worthy of taking the Strykers out for another spin around the battlefield.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003ELike every Combat Mission title released after it, Shock Force attempts to model tactical combat down to the level of individual soldiers. The game can be played in two modes, either real-time with pause, or WEGO turns where orders are given and then the action plays out for one minute before you can take control again. Although I prefer turn-based for the WW2 titles, in Shock Force I've always been a fan of real time with liberal pausing. Given the more lethal nature of modern combat, a single errant order can get an entire squad wiped out in less than a minute, and when playing as the NATO forces you must almost always been extremely cautious about taking casualties. Unlike the WW2 games, the fighting here is often very asymmetrical. The NATO factions have all the nice weapons, vehicles, and well trained troops, but they are usually outnumbered and forced to take difficult objectives. The Syrian and other opposition forces range widely from units that represent ragtag militias, on up to mediocre regular army forces and the occasional elite unit. Given the wide variety of \"red\" forces available, there is also a huge amount of user made content out there depicting interesting red vs red scenarios and campaigns where the forces are more balanced in ability.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe stock scenarios and campaigns contained within the game depict a fictional NATO intervention in Syria to contain a civil war. As we all know, the civil war part was sadly destined to become a reality several years after the original release of Shock Force. Scenarios based on real events in Iraq and Afghanistan are not part of the game, but can be easily modeled using the units available. There's plenty of user made content depicting such actions if you are interested.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003ENow, all of that aside, how does the game actually play? For veterans of the series who might have skipped Shock Force, you mostly know what you are getting into, with the primary differences from WW2 being that anti-tank guns are replaced with ATGM's and infantry combat is far more lethal with automatic weapons and urban combat galore. For newbies, what you are getting is something I still haven't seen bested by any other game. A detailed simulation that allows you to command realistic forces into modern combat scenarios just like those that have played out a thousand times in the War on Terror. Although infantry are controlled as squads and fire teams, each individual reacts independently of the others, spotting and engaging enemies, reloading, taking cover, or breaking. Vehicles are all controlled individually, with each crewman inside modeled in similar detail. Vehicles can be damaged in a variety of ways, losing their weapons, equipment, and mobility, being knocked out or simply exploded.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; 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:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-LGGwNVGrVQw\/X1BZX1Oq7NI\/AAAAAAAABU4\/djGadKVDVT03PgH1xPfHyne51T0hmhM_wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1920\/unnamed2.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-LGGwNVGrVQw\/X1BZX1Oq7NI\/AAAAAAAABU4\/djGadKVDVT03PgH1xPfHyne51T0hmhM_wCNcBGAsYHQ\/w640-h360\/unnamed2.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EUnderstanding exactly what kind of firepower you have and what you are up against is key to victory. A decades old BMP-2 with a 30mm cannon can wreak havoc on an unwary US mechanized platoon rolling down a road, while a single US rifle squad packing a Javelin can take out that BMP-2\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003Efrom across the map\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;without breaking a sweat. It's all a matter of maneuvering and positioning your forces correctly. Group selecting your best forces and sending them straight at the objective will never work in this game. Scouting, careful advances, focusing of firepower, and the occasional lightning fast assault are what will carry the day.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EWhile there have been plenty of gradual upgrades to the engine over the years, making the graphics and shaders easier on the eyes, as well as improving the AI and mechanics, some of the perpetual issues of the series remain. Ordering around a large force around can be fussy, with every single unit needing it's own specific waypoints for all but the most general of movements. LOS can be finicky as well, with units occasionally unable to see something because they are an inch out of position. It must also be mentioned that although the engine runs the best it ever has, it still has issues maintaining a smooth experience on larger maps, no matter how beefy your gaming PC might be. That said, if you're a fan of the series and missed Shock Force the first time around, Shock Force 2 is well worth your money. If you have the original you can upgrade to the new version for a moderate fee.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-HTXwz2WLEKU\/X1BZAPzTd0I\/AAAAAAAABUo\/kLuLePxrA9wwwtaXsKALhrnD7T0-GWwBgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/unnamed.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are three add-on modules available for the game, US Marines, British Forces, and NATO Forces. All three are quality products that I have played through over the years. The different sorts of equipment each nation has can really mix up your tactics. From the extremely heavily armed Marines to the light but mobile Dutch forces, there is a lot of fun to be had between all of the additional campaigns and scenarios. The add-on's are pricey at $35 a pop, but if you get them in the big bundle you can get a pretty good discount.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EI'm excited to see this new era for Battlefront, and I hope that it works out for them so we can see more Combat Mission in the future. Hopefully at some point they will be able to move to a completely new engine that leaves behind the lingering issues of the current one. Combat Mission still offers an experience that is unique and well worth a look from any wargamer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/1369370\/Combat_Mission_Shock_Force_2\/?utm_source=Press+List+Feb+2018\u0026amp;utm_campaign=7ff79586d0-FoGEmpires_PR_COPY_01\u0026amp;utm_medium=email\u0026amp;utm_term=0_c677a188a0-7ff79586d0-93455909\"\u003EShock Force 2 - Now available on Steam!\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/3580523886822234065\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/09\/combat-mission-shock-force-2.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3580523886822234065"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3580523886822234065"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/09\/combat-mission-shock-force-2.html","title":"Combat Mission: Shock Force 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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-mKDu-v3LJf8\/X1BZAPKaL8I\/AAAAAAAABUk\/8SRNP4zXhQcD6eXjDJZb5dpzZvZEZO6NQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-w640-h360-c\/ss_69ca4a82413674e53996cb91ccb38e818f82bb7d.1920x1080.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1743544093630968708"},"published":{"$t":"2020-06-05T17:04:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-06-05T17:16:43.165+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Shadow Empire"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"VR Designs"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Shadow Empire"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-rVb82NyAr-o\/XtppzBOuEAI\/AAAAAAAABQA\/nm4UrkF4umkZlo3GY8uVK1e9_YgwhIvuACK4BGAsYHg\/s1920\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1080\" data-original-width=\"1920\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-rVb82NyAr-o\/XtppzBOuEAI\/AAAAAAAABQA\/nm4UrkF4umkZlo3GY8uVK1e9_YgwhIvuACK4BGAsYHg\/w640-h360\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EThere are games made by development teams numbering in the hundreds, with multi-million dollar budgets, and cutting edge graphics. These games are usually good fun, and feature impressive visuals and audio, professional writing and celebrity voice actors. Many are also largely forgotten within months or even weeks of release. Why? At their core, many of these games are rudimentary and derivative. They look and sound great, but at the end of the day they aren't all that interesting to play. Then there are games made by ambitious one or two person development studios. Games that push the boundaries of creativity and aren't afraid to not only ask \"What if?\" but to go ahead and make it a reality. Passion projects that would never get the green light from corporate.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003ESo what is Shadow Empire? It's a game that asks: What if you took a hardcore hex-and-counter wargame, set it in a post-apocalyptic sci-fi world, added on detailed economic and logistics modeling, and threw in some Crusader Kings elements just for fun. It's a game with a research tree you would expect from a 4-X title, story elements you would expect from an RPG, and detailed budget allocation decisions you would expect from a city builder. It's a game that seriously has a lot going on, and will take some real effort from the player to put all the pieces in order. The game sports a hefty 350(!) page manual, to give you some idea of just how detailed this experience is going to be.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-QIY4HRjxEtA\/XtpqCmlpl9I\/AAAAAAAABQM\/l6MhEfeYznIBWwWfCZi8RZec58x1dEs0ACK4BGAsYHg\/s2592\/SE%2B7%2Bbreaking%2Bthrough%2Bna%2Blines%2Be.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1408\" data-original-width=\"2592\" height=\"348\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-QIY4HRjxEtA\/XtpqCmlpl9I\/AAAAAAAABQM\/l6MhEfeYznIBWwWfCZi8RZec58x1dEs0ACK4BGAsYHg\/w640-h348\/SE%2B7%2Bbreaking%2Bthrough%2Bna%2Blines%2Be.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003ENow, at this point you're probably either thinking this game sounds amazing, or this game sounds terrifying. If you are in the latter camp, don't run off just yet, it's not all that scary. Shadow Empire (SE) is kind enough to let you start off small, and forgives you for ignoring many of the mechanics for at least a few dozen turns. That's because you start with very little in this game, and must work to accumulate the means to have much more than that. SE, like many other 4-X style strategy games, starts you off with one city, and a small military force. The world around you is a mystery to be explored and eventually conquered, but that world is a hostile one. The game gives off a vibe reminiscent\u0026nbsp;of the classic Mad Max wasteland where there's no telling what might out there. It's a world of roaming bandits, weird religious cults, and the occasional\u0026nbsp;battlemech. Check out my preview AAR for a detailed look at how the early game goes -\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/04\/shadow-empire-preview-graykeep-aar-part.html\"\u003E Part 1\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/05\/shadow-empire-preview-graykeep-aar-part.html\"\u003EPart 2\u003C\/a\u003E. That run at the game came to a halt because of updates breaking my save files, but also because I realized I had done a very poor job of building\u0026nbsp; up my economy, having splurged all my excess resources on unnecessary military units early on. A bit more study of the manual was required to recognize and correct my mistakes.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EThis is the thing about Shadow Empire which will either draw you in or push you away. The game has layers like an onion, layers which you won't even expect to find until you get there. On the surface you see a wargame. In some wargames you might be expected to build some roads to extend your logistical network and keep your units in supply. Okay, that's not too crazy, we can handle that. However, just building roads isn't enough, you also need to build transport hubs, truck stations, and supply bases. You'll likely need to micro-manage even further by tweaking how much supply is sent down a given road. If you're planning an offensive to the west, you can't afford to be sending precious supplies down the eastern road to some unit just sitting there idling. Now, what are these supplies we are sending\u0026nbsp; the troops? Just some generic \"supply\" points? Oh no, we are talking food and ammo and replacements. That food is coming from your farms, farms which are consuming water and require workers to operate, workers who have a morale level that can drop if things are going poorly at the front. This is a game that tracks and models far more than you might guess from a first glance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-7CxE-AAl3FU\/XtpqVngux3I\/AAAAAAAABQo\/9tWZuohCrEM3dOSxy3alKlR90aZUj_scACK4BGAsYHg\/s1309\/SE%2B3%2BZelaria%2B%2528north%2529%2Bblackmails%2Bus%2Bas%2Bwe%2Bget%2Binto%2Ba%2Bwar%2Bwhat%2Bgreat%2Bneighbors.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1083\" data-original-width=\"1309\" height=\"530\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-7CxE-AAl3FU\/XtpqVngux3I\/AAAAAAAABQo\/9tWZuohCrEM3dOSxy3alKlR90aZUj_scACK4BGAsYHg\/w640-h530\/SE%2B3%2BZelaria%2B%2528north%2529%2Bblackmails%2Bus%2Bas%2Bwe%2Bget%2Binto%2Ba%2Bwar%2Bwhat%2Bgreat%2Bneighbors.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003ELike many wargames, your units in SE are organized into a detailed order of battle. Unlike many wargames, here you have a great deal of control over what that hierarchy looks like. It isn't enough to just put all of your units into one big army, because that will make you inflexible\u0026nbsp;and limit your options. Having mid-level headquarters units allows you to have greater control over where and how supplies are doled out. It also allows you to apply \"stratagems\" to your formations, which can give them massive bonuses to different types of combat, but usually at a cost. For example, giving a boost to attack while lowering defensive values. You wouldn't want all your units weak on defense at the same time, you would want to stick that modifier on your blitzkrieg style formation out on the flank, while another formation holds the line in the middle. Your offensive formation can also be led by a character with a higher skill level at, you guessed it, offensive combat and leading motorized units. In fact, you will be staffing numerous positions in your military and government with characters. Characters who all have fully fleshed out RPG style stats, skills, and experience levels. On top of that, these characters all have opinions, they have factions that they belong to, perhaps even a cult. Every decision you make will influence how they feel about you, based on all of these things, and of course, how much you are paying them.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EThe stratagems I mentioned above are made up of dozens of different \"cards\" that you can play to take a wide variety of actions. The stratagems\u0026nbsp;are split up into several categories, like warfare, diplomacy, and bureaucracy. I found this to be a neat way of giving the player tons of additional options, without further complicated the game with more and more menus and buttons. It also limits your choices on any given turn, and rewards you for investing in a given facet of government, by giving you more of these cards to play over time. So, for example, if you want to conduct some diplomacy with a neighbor, you'll need to play a stratagem. You can't just open up the diplomacy menu and pick an option, you need the relevant card for what you want to do. Things like improving relations, asking for an alliance, or offering scientific cooperation. To get more of these cards, you'll want to form a foreign relations council, give it an adequate budget, select a leader from your pool of characters, and then wait for them to get back to you. This is just one of eight different councils you can form, each of which performs multiple tasks critical to your nation, and each of which needs a budget and leader.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-__ihSkDBjTU\/Xtpqf2JJyVI\/AAAAAAAABQ0\/or-xCjiSJgUjSz_zbvHz1TPt1e7-Dc27QCK4BGAsYHg\/s2559\/SE%2B1%2B-%2BTurn%2B2%2Be.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1307\" data-original-width=\"2559\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-__ihSkDBjTU\/Xtpqf2JJyVI\/AAAAAAAABQ0\/or-xCjiSJgUjSz_zbvHz1TPt1e7-Dc27QCK4BGAsYHg\/w640-h326\/SE%2B1%2B-%2BTurn%2B2%2Be.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003ENow, so far I've described how the game has a ton of mechanics and details bordering on being a bureaucracy\u0026nbsp;simulator. It is that to some extent, but it's a wargame and bureaucracy\u0026nbsp;simulator set in a wild sci-fi world with a detailed back story. It's a world where you might stumble upon a super computer powered AI that your science team is scared to activate, or you might have a cult within your empire that asks you to help fund their very own super computer AI. You might think, why would I want to give funding to these fanatics? Oh look, my best general and most effective administrator are both members of the cult. Well, that complicates things a bit. Also, the cult is offering to give you free stratagems\u0026nbsp;that boost your military formations by supplying them with priests who boost morale. There's no up front cost to doing so, and I can't imagine there would be long term consequences to such actions down the road! As you explore the world, you'll often come across relics from the past golden age of humanity. Facilities that can boost your economy, and machines of war which can single-handedly turn the tide of a conflict in the early game. What caused the end of that golden age anyway? I'll let you read the 15 page long backstory in the manual, but let's just say it involves mind controlling nano-machines motivated by the vengeance of a long dead emperor. This is the \"shadow\" in Shadow Empire. The shadow may be present on your world in any given game, and it might not be. How would you know?\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EShadow Empire is an extremely ambitious project. One that may be too much for some players to enjoy, but I know others will revel in it. It's got everything you would expect from a hardcore wargame. I didn't go into too much detail about this, but it's all there. Endless stats, morale and combat ratings, flanking attacks, entrenchment, artillery support, and so on. The designer\u0026nbsp;is the man behind the Decisive Campaigns series, after all. It's got detailed management layers and research trees for days, stuff that will pique the interest of any 4-X fans. Adding flavor to all of that is the fully fleshed out setting and detailed characters which wouldn't be out of place in a Paradox grand strategy game. The developer has made clear that he is dedicated to this game, and will continue to improve it after release. It's a game that requires some real commitment from the player as well, to get the full experience. I would be lying if I told you that I had even come close to mastering the game after a dozen hours of play. I was just beginning to understand the basics of all the different systems. However, the entire time I was playing, I didn't feel like I was wrestling with the interface, I was immersing myself in an engrossing experience, one where I was learning how to lead a small city-state in a post-apocalyptic\u0026nbsp;wasteland. Oh, and did I forget to mention, this game has a variety of nightmarish alien monsters that might show up and attack you? Yeah, it has that too.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nsQFESTnvvo\/Xtpq91GmtmI\/AAAAAAAABRU\/bXbmILk7jSAjfP83GTX8T5bYRbfech0ngCK4BGAsYHg\/s2925\/SE%2B7%2BFinally%2Bfind%2Ba%2Bmetal%2Bdeposit%252C%2Bluckily%2Bfar%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bhostile%2Bneighbors%252C%2Bneed%2Bto%2Bexpand%2Blogistics.jpg\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"1167\" data-original-width=\"2925\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nsQFESTnvvo\/Xtpq91GmtmI\/AAAAAAAABRU\/bXbmILk7jSAjfP83GTX8T5bYRbfech0ngCK4BGAsYHg\/w640-h256\/SE%2B7%2BFinally%2Bfind%2Ba%2Bmetal%2Bdeposit%252C%2Bluckily%2Bfar%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bhostile%2Bneighbors%252C%2Bneed%2Bto%2Bexpand%2Blogistics.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EShadow Empire, developed by \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.vrdesigns.net\/\"\u003EVR Designs\u003C\/a\u003E, is available directly from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/shadow-empire\"\u003ESlitherine\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and looks to arriving on Steam at some future date.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/1743544093630968708\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/06\/shadow-empire.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1743544093630968708"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1743544093630968708"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/06\/shadow-empire.html","title":"Shadow Empire"}],"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\/-rVb82NyAr-o\/XtppzBOuEAI\/AAAAAAAABQA\/nm4UrkF4umkZlo3GY8uVK1e9_YgwhIvuACK4BGAsYHg\/s72-w640-h360-c\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1721663191770409900"},"published":{"$t":"2020-06-03T02:36:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-06-03T02:36:26.312+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ageod"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"DLC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Field of Glory: Empires - Persia 550-330 BCE"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"299\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/products\/603\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003ELast year saw the release of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/field-of-glory-empires.html\"\u003EField of Glory Empires\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from AGEOD and Slitherine. It represented a new chapter for AGEOD, best known for their deep, yet infamously difficult to get into, series of historical grand strategy games. Empires took most of their best ideas, added a few new ones, and combined it all with a much more user friendly interface. Another interesting twist was linking traditional grand strategy gameplay with the tactical battles of Field of Glory II. This allowed the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eplayer to assume direct command of any battle if they so chose, by launching FOG II, an entirely separate\u0026nbsp;game, playing out the battle, then sending the results back to Empires. This was a bold decision that worked quite well, though you certainly wouldn't want to play out the majority of your battles this way, as it would take ages. All in all, I really enjoyed the game and how it encouraged the idea of civilizations rising and falling over time, allowing the player to \"win\" even after their glorious empire had faded into a has-been.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EThe recent release of Persia 550-330 BCE, steps the game start further back in time, and as the title suggests, features the rise of Persia as a central highlight. The player can step into the shoes of Cyrus II, aka \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cyrus_the_Great\"\u003ECyrus the Great\u003C\/a\u003E, and see if you can match his conquests. Although your neighbors at the start, Babylon and Media, are massive, they are old and worn down empires that have rotted from the inside. It won't take you long to overrun their lands, but after that you will find yourself facing stiffer resistance from the Greek city states. Lucky for you, this DLC also introduces some new features in addition to the new campaign.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/screens\/603\/screen_5e6b528983fef.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003ERegional Decisions will be immediately familiar to any fans of the older AGEOD games. These are essentially bonuses or special powers that you can apply (for a cost) to qualifying regions. They represent all sorts of historical events and realities, but do so in a simple and abstract\u0026nbsp;way that doesn't over complicate things. For example, you can invest resources in attempting to turn the Greeks against one another so they don't have time to ally against you. You can federate barbarian warriors on your borders to improve relations and sap their manpower, or you can invest in building up newly conquered\u0026nbsp;lands. There are many different regional decisions, and all have a cost and potential benefit. Some are unique to certain civilizations, while others can be employed by anyone. This is a perfectly natural addition to the game that makes things more interesting without adding any additional complexity.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EAnother new feature adds a bit of randomness and replayability to the game. Impediments\u0026nbsp;and Boons are, respectively, bad or good features of any given region that you may find as you go about painting the map your color. Things like an impenetrable\u0026nbsp;forest or a bandit infestation which can slow down development in a region until you find a way to deal with the issue. Occasionally you can also find an especially good boon that makes a region far more important than it might be the next time you play the game. This feature isn't quite as meaningful as the Regional Decisions, but anything to mix up strategy and increase replayability is a win in my book. Both of these features are also added into the original campaign timeline, in case you were wondering.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/screens\/603\/screen_5e6b529d69325.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003ESpecial effort was also made to add extra flavor to playing as the key nations of the time by giving them unique events, missions, and more, so that playing Persia won't feel anything like playing as Athens. So far, I've only played a campaign as the Persians, and I have to say it was a new experience compared to my plays of the base game as Rome, and then as various barbarian tribes. I happily found that, much like in Europa Universalis IV, playing as the big names and the little names of history can be fun in different ways. Playing as Persia was a delight. Finally, a chance to play as a rapidly expanding and wildly successful (for a while) empire not named Rome! That said, you can play this campaign as Rome if you wish, though you will be starting from very humble beginnings. Dozens of other tribes and empires are available to play as well, from the Picts up in the far North, to a still powerful Egyptian state, or perhaps you'll lead the Spartans in kicking people into wells all over the Mediterranean.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EField of Glory Empires might not have dethroned the Paradox grand strategy games, but I maintain that it is still a very strong contender in the genre. As I discussed in my original review, the combination of multitudes of trade goods, semi-random construction options, and deep but accessible empire management make it a great choice for anyone interested in the genre. Being able to play out your battles in tactical turn based combat is a cool twist, though entirely optional. The Persia DLC seamlessly strengthens that gameplay with its additional features, and the timeline chosen\u0026nbsp;is perfectly suited to the core theme of the game, the never ending balance between progress and decay.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003EField of Glory Empires - Persia 550-330 BCE can purchased from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/field-of-glory-empires-persia-550-330-bce\/pc\"\u003ESlitherine directly\u003C\/a\u003E, or found on Steam.\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\u003Cfont size=\"4\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/font\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/1721663191770409900\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/06\/field-of-glory-empires-persia-550-330.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1721663191770409900"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1721663191770409900"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/06\/field-of-glory-empires-persia-550-330.html","title":"Field of Glory: Empires - Persia 550-330 BCE"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Joe Beard"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/16522632041187186826"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8837761732945018760"},"published":{"$t":"2020-05-01T05:26:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-05-01T05:26:42.599+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"aar"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Shadow Empire"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Shadow Empire Preview: The Graykeep AAR Part 2"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XuUUh_Fc0HE\/XpO1lnZyR0I\/AAAAAAAABME\/7WUewKm60AsWGNp-gGN95U8R2AtdUJz-wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.jpg\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ci\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/i\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Ci\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/04\/shadow-empire-preview-graykeep-aar-part.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EHere's a link to Part 1 in case you missed it. \u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/i\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Kingdom of Graykeep has already plunged head first into a new age of progress, rapidly expanding its borders out from admittedly modest beginnings. As king, I have many decisions\u0026nbsp;to make\u0026nbsp;that will shape our future, but I am assisted by numerous advisors and staff. I plan to continue recruiting additional bureaucrats and using them to head new councils like one focused on foreign affairs, and another in charge of military research. The more funding we can provide to these councils, the more able they will be to provide me with stratagems, cards which I can play, at the cost of political points, to do things like improve diplomatic ties with a hostile neighbor, or change the tactics of individual military HQ's. Below you can see the world as we know it right now. There is much that is unknown to us, but we know that there is opportunity out in that darkness that exceeds the dangers.\u003C\/span\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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-uPVg_d_yTPY\/XqjUmCoDGrI\/AAAAAAAABOc\/R7qI3rOiVykoE8UG2sM4yLYZwWXKq2e_wCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/SE%2B1%2BCurrent%2BKnown%2BWorld.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"232\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-uPVg_d_yTPY\/XqjUmCoDGrI\/AAAAAAAABOc\/R7qI3rOiVykoE8UG2sM4yLYZwWXKq2e_wCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/SE%2B1%2BCurrent%2BKnown%2BWorld.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\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;\"\u003EMilitarily, our situation is stable but still requiring my full attention. We face two points of contact with non-aligned rebel forces, and are being pressed by a minor power that has no respect for our expansion. Previously, I was able to secure basic diplomatic contact with my neighbors to the north, west, and south, and we all agreed to fix the borders in their current state. While future conflict is almost certainly still on the table, I feel comfortable enough to concentrate my forces to the east, where we have numerous active enemies, and several small towns up for grabs.\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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-tidxqLUP5-g\/XqjXI6j79yI\/AAAAAAAABOo\/_Jz1D_OFy-AiBXgU-iP1oRm4tQK8Ssu9gCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/SE%2B2%2BAmania%2BCuts%2Boff%2Bour%2Bforces.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"296\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-tidxqLUP5-g\/XqjXI6j79yI\/AAAAAAAABOo\/_Jz1D_OFy-AiBXgU-iP1oRm4tQK8Ssu9gCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/SE%2B2%2BAmania%2BCuts%2Boff%2Bour%2Bforces.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\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;\"\u003EAmania (dark blue) makes a fatal error. Going beyond occupying the nominally unclaimed territory between us, they send their soldiers behind my lines, cutting off the bulk of my forces from supply just as we finish off the last of the rebels in the area. This will not stand! I have no choice but declare my first war. I had hoped to avoid this inevitability for as long as possible, at least until we had established a more robust economy, capable of replacing the losses we were sure to take. Fortunately, most of my forces still consist of militia, units which are able to replenish themselves without input from my government. On the downside, these forces are weak in terms of firepower. Our enemy appears to have two units of mechanized walkers to our single walker, but overall we have much greater numbers.\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;\"\u003EFirst things first, I have my troopers breakthrough and take back control of the road leading back to Hawking, our capital. This will ensure my forces aren't soon starved for supplies. Then we begin working on turning the tables against the Amanians by cutting off a couple of their units and eliminating pockets one by one. Alas, the major power to the north, Zelaria, chooses this as an opportune time to shake us down for money. Their leader threatens war if we do not pay tribute. With their forces stationed on the border, immediately ready to attack my army from the rear if they so choose, I decide to pay the tribute that is demanded, and avoid a two front war. I've read that those never go well.\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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-raEDxjCuWGc\/XqjaIryVfzI\/AAAAAAAABO0\/vEe6XXYtAigOqLt0MvDJ2UNxz9n_8m9JQCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/SE%2B3%2BZelaria%2B%2528north%2529%2Bblackmails%2Bus%2Bas%2Bwe%2Bget%2Binto%2Ba%2Bwar%2Bwhat%2Bgreat%2Bneighbors.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"528\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-raEDxjCuWGc\/XqjaIryVfzI\/AAAAAAAABO0\/vEe6XXYtAigOqLt0MvDJ2UNxz9n_8m9JQCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/SE%2B3%2BZelaria%2B%2528north%2529%2Bblackmails%2Bus%2Bas%2Bwe%2Bget%2Binto%2Ba%2Bwar%2Bwhat%2Bgreat%2Bneighbors.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\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;\"\u003EAlthough it stings to lose a large portion of our hard earned cash, it will hopefully buy us time to deal with one enemy before facing another. My forces pounce on Amania forces and press them back. Unfortunately, their walkers are just as formidable as our lone steel beast, able to turn back entire companies of militia riflemen on their own. Our greater numbers soon tell, however, and we are able to isolate and defeat them piecemeal. The next turn, I notice that our borders in that area show only non-aligned rebel forces. Whether we have defeated them entirely, or if their rear was overrun by rebels, is unclear. The only thing that matters is that our front is secure and our forces can continue to advance and liberate more towns in the area. I order the expansion of our road network so that our supplies can flow to the front. With the foreign affairs situation relatively stable for the moment, more attention can be paid to internal matters.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne matter , for example, is whether or not we should interact with an ancient AI computer found in some deep ruins back in Hawking. The machine predates all of our known histories and could give us some interesting revelations. It could cause us problems as well. In the spirit of boldness, I direct our scientists to turn it on and see what happens. The AI gives us a lengthy lecture on ethics, and then supplies the knowledge needed for us to produce more effective firearms. The ethics we take into consideration, the firearms we prepare for production.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-VcYewGxqAb8\/XqpF9j9OnKI\/AAAAAAAABPA\/5Zy4JTzsNZ4xxeJwMlar-A39hISP_ou9wCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/SE%2B4%2BFind%2Bancient%2BAI%2Bunder%2Bour%2Bcity%252C%2Btalk%2Bto%2Bit%252C%2Bwe%2Bget%2Bsome%2Bnew%2Btech.%2BAlso%2Bwin%2Bwar%2Bagainst%2Bminor%2Bpower.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"322\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-VcYewGxqAb8\/XqpF9j9OnKI\/AAAAAAAABPA\/5Zy4JTzsNZ4xxeJwMlar-A39hISP_ou9wCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/SE%2B4%2BFind%2Bancient%2BAI%2Bunder%2Bour%2Bcity%252C%2Btalk%2Bto%2Bit%252C%2Bwe%2Bget%2Bsome%2Bnew%2Btech.%2BAlso%2Bwin%2Bwar%2Bagainst%2Bminor%2Bpower.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\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EProduction, however, requires resources, and my advisors point out to me that we won't be able to build any of the nice new things they have been researching until we secure our own supplies of them. Namely, metal. Our militia army is fine for now, but if we want to build anything better, we need metal. Our dirt roads are fine for now, but if we want to build railroads, we need metal. If we want to expand our industrial base, again, metal. To that end I stop by the economic council meeting and direct them devote the vast majority of their funding to prospecting for resource deposits. The more passive approach I've taken so far has not yielded any results. I have the military continue to explore and bring more territory into our kingdom, hopefully increases the chances we will strike metal.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn the meantime I've begun buying metal on the limited open market. We have an excess of funds at the moment, since we aren't building much of anything (need metal!) and so buying it outright will get things moving for now.\u0026nbsp; I quickly learn that buying too much of one resource causes the price to sky rocket for a time, and vice versa, selling a large amount of food, something we have quite a lot of, causes its price to plummet. As a result, the amount of metal we can acquire at any one time is limited, but useful for finishing some construction\u0026nbsp;projects we started long ago but never had the resources to complete.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere is one nice economic development, the first private construction\u0026nbsp;pops up near the agricultural domes we built early on. A town to support the workers pops up on its own accord, and begins paying taxes. An excellent development indeed!\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=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-i-oVvV53NnQ\/XqpKH44eM-I\/AAAAAAAABPM\/FKmtz9701WQy8-dKdTtYqauo8pvUaIikwCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/SE%2B5%2BFirst%2Bprivate%2Bconstruction%2Bpops%2Bup%252C%2Bfocus%2Bon%2Bfinding%2Bmetal%2Bsource%2Binstead%2Bof%2Btrading%2Bfor%2Bit.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/-i-oVvV53NnQ\/XqpKH44eM-I\/AAAAAAAABPM\/FKmtz9701WQy8-dKdTtYqauo8pvUaIikwCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/SE%2B5%2BFirst%2Bprivate%2Bconstruction%2Bpops%2Bup%252C%2Bfocus%2Bon%2Bfinding%2Bmetal%2Bsource%2Binstead%2Bof%2Btrading%2Bfor%2Bit.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\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnother internal matter comes across my desk. This one is a bit of a touchy subject. The Church of Syndic, by far the most popular cult within my kingdom, requests a hefty donation from the state to fund their ultimate project. They want to create some sort of super computer to solve all of our problems. Such cults are fairly common on our world, though each has its own objectives. Quite a few of my own staff are Syndic sympathizers, and they would be quite upset with me if I refuse, not to mention the church itself being cross with me. They point out that they have donated multiple priests to augment my forces by strengthening their resolve, at no cost at all to the state. In the back of my mind, I am wary of using such priests in our forces, I can't help but think that seeding too many of them among the companies might lead to some sort of insurrection. That said, they do greatly benefit the troops they accompany.\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 decide it is in the best interest of keeping everyone happy to make the hefty donation. That's money we could have used to buy more metal and other resources, but a kingdom is more than just buildings and roads, it must have a happy populace as well. Zelaria, our most powerful neighbor, is at it again with the demands for tribute. I can see their forces build up along our border at times, making everyone nervous. I tell them to shove off this time and the next. Not only because our forces now stand ready to repel any invasion, but also because I don't have that kind of money to spare at the moment.\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=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-1cNGua2Il38\/XquiWagwYAI\/AAAAAAAABPY\/KVwHlzSx2PQwaPPrqayhGxibj5d0pPPGgCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/SE%2B6%2BDonate%2Bto%2BChurch%2Bof%2BSyndic%2Bto%2Bkeep%2Beveryone%2Bhappy.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"292\" src=\"https:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/-1cNGua2Il38\/XquiWagwYAI\/AAAAAAAABPY\/KVwHlzSx2PQwaPPrqayhGxibj5d0pPPGgCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/SE%2B6%2BDonate%2Bto%2BChurch%2Bof%2BSyndic%2Bto%2Bkeep%2Beveryone%2Bhappy.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\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOur investment in prospecting efforts finally pays off! A metal deposit is found in the southern region of the kingdom. Now I just need to order the construction of a metal mine and we will be in business! No more shortages, no more buying at exorbitant prices on the open market! We can really make some progress with a steady flow of materials. Oh, what's this? My construction chief is telling me that the site is too far away and outside of our logistics network. Apparently building such a facility in the middle of nowhere with no way to transport workers and construction equipment to the site is a problem. Ah, well, that makes sense. I consult the writings of my father (the game manual) and realize that I have indeed been neglecting the logistical side of things. Simply building dirt roads is not enough it seems. I order the construction of some transportation centers to get trucks on the road and supplies moving. Once again I'm forced to buy metal on the market to speed up the process.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn the meantime, I look out across my kingdom. We have expanded further than I ever expected by this point. So far out in fact that our units can't be supplied and we begin losing contact with a few of them completely. Logistics really are important it seems! Being a king in this world is far more involved than simply ordering armies around. It requires management of trade, diplomacy, logistics, personal relationships, and more, in far greater detail than one might ever suspect. It looks like I've still got a lot to learn, but things are going quite well in the Kingdom of Graykeep. For now...\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=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-f79l_uf679o\/Xqukiy1jC2I\/AAAAAAAABPk\/9hGz9Tu0gc05yPV5Tt9ZsfTCpNifK2RYgCK4BGAYYCw\/s1600\/SE%2B7%2BFinally%2Bfind%2Ba%2Bmetal%2Bdeposit%252C%2Bluckily%2Bfar%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bhostile%2Bneighbors%252C%2Bneed%2Bto%2Bexpand%2Blogistics.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"256\" src=\"https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-f79l_uf679o\/Xqukiy1jC2I\/AAAAAAAABPk\/9hGz9Tu0gc05yPV5Tt9ZsfTCpNifK2RYgCK4BGAYYCw\/s640\/SE%2B7%2BFinally%2Bfind%2Ba%2Bmetal%2Bdeposit%252C%2Bluckily%2Bfar%2Bfrom%2Bthe%2Bhostile%2Bneighbors%252C%2Bneed%2Bto%2Bexpand%2Blogistics.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;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EShadow Empire is coming out soon from \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/shadow-empire\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESlitherine Games\u003C\/a\u003E. Stay tuned for more coverage of this fascinating title!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\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\/8837761732945018760\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/05\/shadow-empire-preview-graykeep-aar-part.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8837761732945018760"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8837761732945018760"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/05\/shadow-empire-preview-graykeep-aar-part.html","title":"Shadow Empire Preview: The Graykeep AAR Part 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:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XuUUh_Fc0HE\/XpO1lnZyR0I\/AAAAAAAABME\/7WUewKm60AsWGNp-gGN95U8R2AtdUJz-wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-6549436603014867955"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-13T03:22:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-04-13T03:21:59.960+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"aar"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Shadow Empire"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Shadow Empire Preview: The Graykeep AAR Part 1"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XuUUh_Fc0HE\/XpO1lnZyR0I\/AAAAAAAABME\/7WUewKm60AsWGNp-gGN95U8R2AtdUJz-wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.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\/-XuUUh_Fc0HE\/XpO1lnZyR0I\/AAAAAAAABME\/7WUewKm60AsWGNp-gGN95U8R2AtdUJz-wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDay breaks over the kingdom of Graykeep. Well, calling it a kingdom would be a generous statement. Once...long ago, before the Dissolution War, it truly was a magnificent place known around the system. Or so the records and traditions passed down to me by my father say. Truth be told, no one can say for sure what the kingdom was like, or even how long it has been since those glory days. The darkness of endless war and devastation\u0026nbsp;ruined our world, and all of the others known to man during the Dissolution War. A complete loss in communication and trade with other worlds, a regression of technology, and a total breakdown in society has left little standing in the ashes. My family line and a few thousand loyal followers have clung to each other in the city of Hawking and its surrounding villages for centuries, holding out against famine and raiders alike. Now, on the day of my coronation, as I take my deceased father's place, we are poised on the edge of a new era.\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\/-tPHz1IRWSmM\/XpO39wJhCfI\/AAAAAAAABNU\/oBt4Xl2YhN45MW329asOYMJqoytjE2w6gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B1%2B-%2BOpening%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"877\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-tPHz1IRWSmM\/XpO39wJhCfI\/AAAAAAAABNU\/oBt4Xl2YhN45MW329asOYMJqoytjE2w6gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B1%2B-%2BOpening%2Be.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\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;\"\u003EOur resource situation, after years of progress and setbacks, has finally become stable enough to support a small standing army of militia, including vehicles for some units. These forces are divided up into several smaller battalions and one, relatively, powerful offensive brigade. We know little about the world around us, only that there are green prairies to our east, a desert to the west, and mountains in between. Ancient roads, now reduced to dirt paths and traveled only by the occasional merchant, still exist and will serve as our means to resupply the troops we send afield. We do not know how far these roads extend, and will likely need to invest in building new ones as we go.\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;\"\u003EWhen it comes to neighbors, we do know the names of several similar city states like ourselves, but no one is certain where their capitals lay or what their exact dispositions are towards us. The little news we have received indicates that other places are in a similar situation as us, able to field small forces to defend their territory and perhaps expand. In the gaps are roving bands of militia, holding onto whatever they can, but without any proper government. Something is in the air, a feeling of tension as if a spring were coiled, we are not the only ones ready for action.\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;\"\u003EOur goal is to take back what was once ours, and return civilization to this planet. We will do so by force if needed, by diplomacy when possible. This objective will require us to find new resources and invest them in new infrastructure. To that end I direct my secretary to form an economic council and appoint a promising young staffer to lead it. This council will focus on finding resources and developing new technologies to exploit them. There are many other councils that will need to be formed as we go, using some of our political resources, but each one added gives us many new avenues for improvements.\u003C\/span\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\/-RIMTD4y44iI\/XpO395XuuUI\/AAAAAAAABNQ\/EZkP9zrG2fQbWeZ5JQbEfjQmsBOo1U7HACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B1%2B-%2BTurn%2B2%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"818\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"326\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-RIMTD4y44iI\/XpO395XuuUI\/AAAAAAAABNQ\/EZkP9zrG2fQbWeZ5JQbEfjQmsBOo1U7HACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B1%2B-%2BTurn%2B2%2Be.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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOur initial ventures afield go as expected. Troops are sent down the known roads and link up our capital with several nearby villages, adding to the kingdom right away. We also stumble across the wreckage of an advanced vessel from the Galactic Republic days. Somehow, despite the centuries of time that have passed, this wreck remained hidden in a ravine and was never picked over by scavengers. Studying it will greatly help our research efforts as we work to recreate the more advanced technology of old.\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;\"\u003EAs we also expected, before too long our troops begin to push up against the forces of our neighbors, who also seem to be on the move. There are no official borders established between us, as they are as much in the dark as we are. Not looking to immediately get in a fight, I pull my forces back to hold onto the towns we have found, and secure the precious advanced wreckage. In the south, our troopers do not encounter any opposing forces and continue on, locating additional villages to bring into the fold. While adding all of this additional population is the goal of our mission, it also means that we have many more mouths to feed. I decide to invest in a domed farm right outside Hawking, where water is plentiful. I also direct our work crews to start their first infrastructure\u0026nbsp;project by building a short new road out to a village that we have discovered. Hopefully this will be the first step towards a globe spanning network centered around our kingdom of Graykeep.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\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\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-tx9-0bkqt7M\/XpO39zBR-SI\/AAAAAAAABNY\/fzKxVW744vIx_apOGKMzVZnWUUx1HpPDQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B2%2Bturn%2B4%2B-%2BDomed%2BFarm%2Benemy%2Bthreatens%2Bauto%2BMGs%2Bfound%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"832\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"332\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-tx9-0bkqt7M\/XpO39zBR-SI\/AAAAAAAABNY\/fzKxVW744vIx_apOGKMzVZnWUUx1HpPDQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B2%2Bturn%2B4%2B-%2BDomed%2BFarm%2Benemy%2Bthreatens%2Bauto%2BMGs%2Bfound%2Be.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOver the next few months, we bide our time, investing in new government\u0026nbsp;councils while getting a better view of the big picture. We now have a rough idea of the forces facing us from the west, as they continue to encroach on our territory but do not yet attack. Our scouts, initially skittish, reporting the potential foes to be overwhelming in numbers, but cooler heads have prevailed and now we see that their forces in similar to our own, and we have reinforcements we can bring to bear if needed. The troops we sent south find some working automated machine gun bunkers from the Republic days and bring them online. Unfortunately, these units cannot be moved easily, and we do not yet have to means to redeploy them.\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;\"\u003EAs most of our forces are currently\u0026nbsp;occupied with staring down the neighboring army, I decide to invest in an independent company of buggies that can serve as fast scouts to continue exploring the unknown territory\u0026nbsp;around our kingdom.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\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\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-C5ZnhSTyBRE\/XpO3-Qui3DI\/AAAAAAAABNc\/x36m0tAxH6A0DCDgxmMMnN3E92meXrDqACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B3%2BTurn%2B5%2Btrying%2Bto%2Bget%2Bspy%2Binto%2Bminor%2Bnation%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"793\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"316\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-C5ZnhSTyBRE\/XpO3-Qui3DI\/AAAAAAAABNc\/x36m0tAxH6A0DCDgxmMMnN3E92meXrDqACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B3%2BTurn%2B5%2Btrying%2Bto%2Bget%2Bspy%2Binto%2Bminor%2Bnation%2Be.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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOver recent months we have tried to sneak a spy into the lands of Limehead, which have learned is the name of the nation to our west. Their forces have not retreated from the border, and I would like to know what lies beyond their lines.The first two attempts to send over a spy fail, but on the third try they are successful, we expect reports to filter back soon. Our scout company of fast buggies is almost complete, and will move out shortly.\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;\"\u003EWe did get some more good news from our soldiers to the south, after some more poking around in the ruins, they recovered a fully functioning mechanized walker from the Galactic Republic era. Our rudimentary militia, equipped with only basic weapons like rifles, machine guns, and RPG's, will be happy to have this war machine bringing its additional firepower to bear. Knowing that we have so many neighbors around, and hoping for better options to interact with them, I decide to form a foreign affairs council. This will generate more stratagems\u0026nbsp;for us to use in diplomacy.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-2dtJbngiqX4\/XpO3-tNBYfI\/AAAAAAAABNg\/1Su_7HIFjcgEbKZnj2TIaBiF2bhUDF87gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B4%2Bdecide%2Bagainst%2Bwar%252C%2Brespect%2Btheir%2Bborders%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"678\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-2dtJbngiqX4\/XpO3-tNBYfI\/AAAAAAAABNg\/1Su_7HIFjcgEbKZnj2TIaBiF2bhUDF87gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B4%2Bdecide%2Bagainst%2Bwar%252C%2Brespect%2Btheir%2Bborders%2Be.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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Emperor of Limehead, apparently\u0026nbsp;tiring of the ongoing situation between our forces, requests that we formally recognize the current lines as the legitimate\u0026nbsp;border between our nations. With the information reported by our spy, I can now see that there is mostly only mountains and desert out there, and so I decide that peace would be prudent at this time. The lands to our east seem far more promising and hospitable. Recognizing the border improves relations between us and Limehead, so I feel safe to remove the bulk of my forces from that area and send them up the road to the northeast. Our first foray into that area encountered\u0026nbsp;numerous groups of unaligned militia and it is likely we will need to fight to take the resources in that area.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\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\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-xYsMUB6g_fQ\/XpO3-mWRz5I\/AAAAAAAABNk\/B4iqDIwQVwcyBTub5wycHJQu0R6CynIhACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B5%2Bbuggy%2Bruns%2Binto%2Bambush%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"526\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-xYsMUB6g_fQ\/XpO3-mWRz5I\/AAAAAAAABNk\/B4iqDIwQVwcyBTub5wycHJQu0R6CynIhACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B5%2Bbuggy%2Bruns%2Binto%2Bambush%2Be.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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ETragedy strikes the scout company we sent into the wilderness to our east where no roads existed. They find a couple of villages, but upon entering one they were ambushed by the local militia forces and nearly wiped out! Of course, this will not stand. I divert some of my troops to secure those villages and the nearby sea. We will need to begin a large road project here if we want to truly control this area. Sending my forces so far into the countryside with no road for logistics is a bad combination. Running low on supplies renders even the best troops vulnerable and useless.\u003C\/span\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\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XCzPfqJJjac\/XpO3_grRDaI\/AAAAAAAABNo\/-0nZXiNLIV84EWWT66u7zIRzP4W4UCzcACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B7%2Bbreaking%2Bthrough%2Bna%2Blines%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"869\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"346\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XCzPfqJJjac\/XpO3_grRDaI\/AAAAAAAABNo\/-0nZXiNLIV84EWWT66u7zIRzP4W4UCzcACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B7%2Bbreaking%2Bthrough%2Bna%2Blines%2Be.jpg\" 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;\"\u003ETo the northeast, things get hot but go our way as our better equipped army is able to crush several units of unaligned militia. I've begun to consider these forces rebels more than anything else. They should know by now that these lands belong to Graykeep and standing against us is futile. There is another minor kingdom here as well, and we are able to gets eyes on their capital. Like with Limehead, we choose to respect their borders for now so that they will not molest our advances east. After breaking through the rebel lines and driving away most of their forces, we send the battle walker forward to quickly capture a couple more villages. Nothing quite like seeing such powerful ancient technology bearing our banners to bring people into the fold.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\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\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nigHGfOepN0\/XpO3_CBEdaI\/AAAAAAAABNs\/4H2lHpgMBTg8UbFCshEtR6WIGXESzCwHACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/SE%2B6%2BDealing%2Bwith%2Bnon%2Baligned%2Bforces%2Be.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"701\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"280\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-nigHGfOepN0\/XpO3_CBEdaI\/AAAAAAAABNs\/4H2lHpgMBTg8UbFCshEtR6WIGXESzCwHACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/SE%2B6%2BDealing%2Bwith%2Bnon%2Baligned%2Bforces%2Be.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESome of the rebel forces refuse to retreat, and are pounded by our artillery, infantry, and the battle walker. With so much firepower on our side, coming from multiple angles, we are able to inflict heavy casualties while sustaining\u0026nbsp;almost none ourselves. Our forces grow confident with each victory, and kingdom of Graykeep continues to expand under my watch. At home, some new technologies and ideas are discovered, giving us new options and improving the efficiency of my government. I decide to form multiple councils focused on research\u0026nbsp;and development so that we may maintain an advantage over our rivals. I suspect that the going is about to get a lot tougher.\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;\"\u003EThis article is the first in an AAR series I'm doing as a way to preview the upcoming \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/shadow-empire\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EShadow Empire\u003C\/a\u003E. This game has really grabbed my attention with its fascinating premise and deep gameplay. It is from creator of Advanced Tactics Gold and the Decisive Campaigns series. At a glance, Shadow Empire bears some resemblance to those games, and does use a similar combat system. But. This game has so much going on that really sets it apart. The manual includes a dozen pages of back story giving context to the setting and the goes on for another 160 pages detailing all of the various systems and mechanics driving this game. It's a lot to take in, and I'm learning as I go. That's why I choose to do this AAR, to chronicle a game so you can get an idea of what it is like, and to give me time to really sink my teeth into the gameplay and the fun setting. I think this game certainly bears a close look from all wargamers and strategy fans. More to come 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\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\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"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/6549436603014867955\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/04\/shadow-empire-preview-graykeep-aar-part.html#comment-form","title":"2 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6549436603014867955"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6549436603014867955"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/04\/shadow-empire-preview-graykeep-aar-part.html","title":"Shadow Empire Preview: The Graykeep AAR Part 1"}],"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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-XuUUh_Fc0HE\/XpO1lnZyR0I\/AAAAAAAABME\/7WUewKm60AsWGNp-gGN95U8R2AtdUJz-wCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/Shadow_Empire_Keyart.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"2"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8226253010617340045"},"published":{"$t":"2020-04-08T05:06:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-04-08T05:06:20.705+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"DLC"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Fantasy General II"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Owned by Gravity"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Fantasy General II: Onslaught"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg src=\"https:\/\/images.gog-statics.com\/3768dbfc1d54dad561cf620bdc9c21b1883992b296607fd85a40d89e93e69816_product_card_v2_logo_480x285.png\" \/\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;\"\u003ELast year saw the release of \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/fantasy-general-ii-invasion.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFantasy General II\u003C\/a\u003E, the more than two decades overdue follow up to the 90's classic. Slitherine and developer Owned by Gravity decided to revisit their iteration of the game just a little bit quicker. The Onslaught DLC brings two primary new features to the game. A significant of expansion of the air unit roster, and a new campaign that uses branching paths and procedural generation to offer a very replayable\u0026nbsp;experience. There is also an extra mission slotted into the original campaign that will get you easier access to some of the new air units.\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\/-SRLFwj7xRAg\/Xo1MyucwYnI\/AAAAAAAABLg\/nL4zMfuoQb8FQsP9H6H431BWT5FLyCi0gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200325131944_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\/-SRLFwj7xRAg\/Xo1MyucwYnI\/AAAAAAAABLg\/nL4zMfuoQb8FQsP9H6H431BWT5FLyCi0gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200325131944_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;\"\u003EWhile the air units are fun, and I'll discuss them later, the primary reason most players will want to pick up this add on is the new campaign. Taking place after the events of the main story, this new campaign is shorter overall, but is meant to be played more than once. There are three heroes from the original story to choose from, each with a very different style. One uses the standard units from the main campaign, one uses lots of not-so-cuddly\u0026nbsp;animal units, and the last focuses on hiring mercenary units from mission to mission. Each hero also of course has their own style of fighting on the battlefield. In addition to choosing your hero, during this campaign you'll be constantly choosing between different branching mission paths. The different missions will give unique rewards and also shape the story to some extent. This means that you could play through several times before you see every mission, and use a different roster of units each time.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game recommends playing on \"Iron Maiden\" mode. One save file, no quicksaving or restarting missions. And, as I learned the hard way, letting your hero take one too many hits and die is an instant game over, forcing you to start from scratch. I enjoyed playing using this mode, as the procedurally generated missions here tend to play much more quickly than the missions of the original campaign. This comes with the sharp trade-off of losing all of the in-mission storytelling and events, as well as the more complex mission objectives. Most missions here are simple affairs, like moving your hero across the map, or capturing a handful of objectives.\u0026nbsp; Even without any scripted surprises or side missions, the combat can still be unpredictable and interesting. The in-game world is in a state of chaos, with multiple factions fighting for control in the power vacuum left by the events of the main campaign. This is reflected by most maps in Onslaught having the potential for three-, and even four-way fights to break out between the various factions and neutral wildlife units wandering around the battlefield.\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\/-dgPMkTPnR-Y\/Xo1MuUm_K2I\/AAAAAAAABLc\/3bJ8TERDj90iQHhGf1072OfAGUJCi4RygCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200331233129_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\/-dgPMkTPnR-Y\/Xo1MuUm_K2I\/AAAAAAAABLc\/3bJ8TERDj90iQHhGf1072OfAGUJCi4RygCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200331233129_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 story itself is not nearly as deep as last time, but still has its moments. Essentially, your hero of choice is having vivid dreams, drawing them to seek out a powerful artifact in the war-torn lands of the Empire. This prompts you to go on a merry goose chase around the game world, seeking one item after another and fighting with a wide variety of enemies. The story is the same regardless of which hero you choose, but the way you go about it can be quite different each time you play.\u0026nbsp;There's always a choice between two or three missions which each have different goals and rewards, and may send you down a separate\u0026nbsp;path for a while. Ultimately, you'll always arrive at the same key story moments, and the overall story itself story doesn't change all that much regardless of your choices. The story does have a couple of charming moments and fun characters, but for the most part is just there to provide context for the procedurally generated missions.\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 new campaign, Onslaught also greatly expands the roster of aerial units in the fray. In the base game there are some air units, but they are limited to just a few choices. Now there's a wide variety of flying fighters, including many flavors of giant eagles. These various units can act as general purpose flyers, interceptors, or bombers. Although these additions don't radically change the game, they do open up some new tactical options, especially the bomber eagles, which can fly out, attack, and return to safety in one turn. You'll also need to be prepared to defend against such tactics.\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\/-yBR7duF2W-A\/Xo1MzPduZoI\/AAAAAAAABLk\/79BuekJFJvEajwhbYTyMcaeG0twSrlBwACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200331124302_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\/-yBR7duF2W-A\/Xo1MzPduZoI\/AAAAAAAABLk\/79BuekJFJvEajwhbYTyMcaeG0twSrlBwACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200331124302_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;\"\u003EAt the end of the day, Onslaught is a nice addition to game if you enjoyed the main story and want a fresh experience. The missions play quickly, getting you straight to the action and on to the next challenge. There's a good amount of replayability between the three heroes and the numerous choices of missions along the way. While the story feels like more of a glorified side-quest than an epic tale, it serves its purpose. If you want some more Fantasy General II in your life, Onslaught is an easy recommendation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EYou can pick up Fantasy General II: Onslaught on \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/1193871\/Fantasy_General_II_Onslaught\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESteam\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.gog.com\/game\/fantasy_general_ii_onslaught\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EGoG\u003C\/a\u003E, or \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/fantasy-general-ii-onslaught\/pc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E.\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\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"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8226253010617340045\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/04\/fantasy-general-ii-onslaught.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8226253010617340045"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8226253010617340045"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/04\/fantasy-general-ii-onslaught.html","title":"Fantasy General II: Onslaught"}],"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\/-SRLFwj7xRAg\/Xo1MyucwYnI\/AAAAAAAABLg\/nL4zMfuoQb8FQsP9H6H431BWT5FLyCi0gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/20200325131944_1.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-4867427686805934064"},"published":{"$t":"2020-03-21T04:43:00.004+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-03-21T04:43:49.016+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Flashback Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Panzer Corps 2"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Panzer Corps 2"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\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:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/products\/422\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/products\/422\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOftentimes, you hear the term \"tried and true\" thrown around when discussing various game mechanics and styles of play. There may not be any flavor of strategy gaming more tried and true than that which was epitomized by the classic Panzer General released in 1994. Many, many war and strategy games have drawn from its simple, yet effective style of turn based combat. Just about every type of setting from fantasy, sci-fi and real history has gotten the Panzer General treatment at some point.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIf you aren't familiar with this sort of game, here's the quick version. Hexes, IGO-UGO turns, resource points, units which gain experience and are carried forward from mission to mission, and the ability to upgrade those units over time to bigger and meaner versions of themselves.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; 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\/-WYmJCZmp8sU\/XnWV1ZzqbGI\/AAAAAAAABKE\/-jhhBZTJ5x80vD8o96JyxM1ZeorEFRk1QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200320105612_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\/-WYmJCZmp8sU\/XnWV1ZzqbGI\/AAAAAAAABKE\/-jhhBZTJ5x80vD8o96JyxM1ZeorEFRk1QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200320105612_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne of the most prominent of these successors was Panzer Corps from Slitherine, which stuck closely to the original setting of WW2, while updating everything about the game from the visuals to the number crunching going on under the hood. The game was obviously quite successful, as it spawned an almost never ending supply of official new campaigns and user made scenarios. Now Panzer Corps takes another leap forward in the form of a brand new sequel.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; 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\/-h81QGDZc1OI\/XnWV36FlJKI\/AAAAAAAABKQ\/nsVT2_GTx5snH_J59udAQZ4O40ebhNKWwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200320140849_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\/-h81QGDZc1OI\/XnWV36FlJKI\/AAAAAAAABKQ\/nsVT2_GTx5snH_J59udAQZ4O40ebhNKWwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200320140849_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERight off the bat, Panzer Corps 2 is visually the prettiest thing Slitherine has ever released. Caught somewhere between trying to appeal to the wargaming crowd and the mass market, the publisher has put out many games over the years that were \"just okay\" when it came to visuals. With Panzer Corps 2 I think they can confidently say that they finally have a truly great looking game to show off. Not just on the technical\u0026nbsp;side of things, but in terms of pure style. Panzer Corps 2 has got style in spades, even compared to many mainstream games. The entire package, from the menus, the unit models, the UI, the new strategic view, and most especially the map itself, looks sleek and polished. The colors really pop off the screen, with a perfect level of contrast and lighting that makes pretty much everywhere you fight look beautiful, be it green forests or arid deserts. The unit models all look great, being realistic enough, but with just a touch of style to smooth the edges, matching the look of the trees and mountains\u0026nbsp;around them. The developers clearly were proud of the models, as you can zoom in as close as you like to check them out. I could go on, but you get the idea, this is a visually appealing game whether we are talking mainstream or wargames.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENow, how about the gameplay, are we looking at a massive leap forward there as well? Well, the short version is that if you loved the previous game, this is a no brainer to purchase. If you hated the first one, you probably won't find a radically different experience here. If you were in the middle, read on, as there are a lot of nice tweaks across the board that improve the experience in many ways.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; 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\/-Rc_DaZhjsZ0\/XnWVtapGSgI\/AAAAAAAABJ8\/wnolskiB-SEW8i4pgVo4CeJRAB-VQNYUwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200320105350_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\/-Rc_DaZhjsZ0\/XnWVtapGSgI\/AAAAAAAABJ8\/wnolskiB-SEW8i4pgVo4CeJRAB-VQNYUwCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200320105350_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOften, when a sequel to a game with a lot of DLC comes out, users find themselves feeling like the sequel is quite anemic in terms of content compared to the fleshed out previous game. They might also be concerned about the expectation of buying a lot of the same DLC all over again. (*cough* The Sims *cough*). With Panzer Corps 2, while I have no doubt DLC is on the way, the initial experience is quite beefy. The campaign only lets you play from the German side of the war, but features more than twice as many possible missions as the Panzer Corps 1 campaign. You can play the war from start to finish, or jump ahead to the operations of Barbarossa, Kursk, North Africa, or Italy. While playing the full campaign, you will often get chances to choose one branching path or another, offering different experiences on a second play through. In addition to a bigger campaign, Panzer Corps 2 also comes with a tutorial campaign, several tactical puzzles, some large standalone scenarios (Crete, Fall Weiss, a couple fictional ones) and a random skirmish generator. I found the random skirmish generator to be a fun alternative to the campaign, giving you a chance to experiment with all sorts of units and tactics while not worrying\u0026nbsp;so much about being efficient across multiple missions. It also lets you set up chaotic free for all battles between every faction in the game, something you certainly won't experience in the normal missions. Not to mention all of this can be done in multiplayer matches as well.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI feel like a key missed opportunity here was not including some kind of mode akin to the Advance Wars series, where you fight over resource producing towns and unit producing factories. As far as I can tell, you get a starting set of units, initial resource points to spend as you please, and that's it. This makes for fierce but brief battles, which is fun but there's room for more here. I would have loved a mode where you start with perhaps only a couple basic units, and then gain resources each turn depending on which objectives you hold, leading to an escalation over time of more expensive units appearing on the battlefield. Just a thought, if developers or modders are listening!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; 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\/-QUL2ToUnENo\/XnWVlUH8pOI\/AAAAAAAABJ0\/y9lOWsFzIrohT9jgXUwLPoRMwIMKqrZVgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200318224159_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\/-QUL2ToUnENo\/XnWVlUH8pOI\/AAAAAAAABJ0\/y9lOWsFzIrohT9jgXUwLPoRMwIMKqrZVgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200318224159_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe mechanics of the game have been tweaked in a lot of minor and significant ways, although the core experience will be readily familiar to fans of the genre. Generally speaking, Panzer Corps 2 does a lot of things that give the player control over their experience and I love this aspect. When starting a campaign, you can choose a preset difficulty setting, or fine tune things in some interesting ways. For example, as in many turn based games, there is an undo button for those times when you misclick or just flat out make a bad move. Here, you have a ton of options about how this feature works. You can limit yourself to only so many \"undos\" per turn, or per mission, or none at all, or unlimited. You can change how revealing the map works, how random the combat results are, whether supply and weather are a concern, and how many commander trait points you get (more on that in a moment). You can also crank the difficulty way up in different ways, or switch on Ironman mode.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe game also gives you new options in how to shape your force to match your play style. At the beginning of the campaign, you can customize yourself as the commander. You get a couple of points to put into perks like extra mobility for tanks, or making enemy units deteriorate faster when you cut them off from supply. You can also choose some negative options like getting new units later, or not having access to artillery at all. Selecting these negative traits gives you more points to spend on the positive ones. This system is great, as it can really let you change up how you play the game on different campaigns. There is also a new system for specializing your units over time. After every mission you will get a new \"hero\" which you assign to a unit, and each unit can have up to three of these guys. Heroes don't give flat stat bonuses, which are always boring, but instead gives the unit an interesting perk. Some examples are one that gives the unit a large experience bonus when it takes losses, and another that causes any enemy unit attacked to lose all of its movement points for the turn. This in turn makes for fun choices about how to best utilize them and eventually combine 2-3 perks in one unit.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; 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\/-MPRfpE2Gaic\/XnWVk3DOL0I\/AAAAAAAABJw\/xqWiRAkMMUEPHHBse_HroOkv8rQCiAHvQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200320102145_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\/-MPRfpE2Gaic\/XnWVk3DOL0I\/AAAAAAAABJw\/xqWiRAkMMUEPHHBse_HroOkv8rQCiAHvQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200320102145_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESo now we've hit on many of the supporting elements of the game, but what's new and improved about the core of Panzer Corps: the combat? While the heart of the gameplay remains the same, numerous of changes have been made which add some much needed nuance to your battles. I won't list out every single change, but to suffice to say many changes have been made to make the experience more enjoyable, flexible, and minus a few of the frustrating aspects from the previous game. I will go into some of the things that were highlights to me, and made the combat much more engaging than before. One huge change is to the way supply works. It is now very similar to Order of Battle, in that certain cities and other spots on the map serve as supply hubs, and your units must be able to trace a path to them to stay \"in supply.\" If cut off from supply lines by the enemy, a unit will quickly become less effective and then completely helpless. This is a great change, and opens up a lot of tactical decision making about cutting off enemy units instead of fighting head on, and deciding how risky you want to be when racing units ahead of your main force.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EDirect combat has been changed with a more detailed system for suppression and accuracy. Units will now often take suppression \"damage\" which reduces their attack capabilities for the turn. Some units like artillery and anti-aircraft batteries will not do much direct damage, but will inflict a lot of suppression, indirectly protecting friendly units and softening up targets for attack. Accuracy is a new stat for units, determining how many of their shots actually hit in each attack. This value can be influenced by many factors, including the presence of an adjacent recon vehicle or aircraft. This makes recon units that much more useful in combat. There are actually many such adjacency bonuses\u0026nbsp;that will influence how you shape and deploy your force. Having combat engineers on hand will let other units ignore some of the enemy entrenchment level, anti-tank units can now provide supporting fire from behind the front line, and having friendly units in flanking positions makes an enemy easier to attack.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; 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\/-51_OdNwVLVo\/XnWVxRxqA3I\/AAAAAAAABKA\/dkJ8kr0vEkU3h8jZY54WfgjO48V_JO65QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200320105453_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\/-51_OdNwVLVo\/XnWVxRxqA3I\/AAAAAAAABKA\/dkJ8kr0vEkU3h8jZY54WfgjO48V_JO65QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200320105453_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAnother welcome change is how aircraft work. No longer do aircraft wander the battlefield for numerous turns, waiting to run out of fuel. Instead, they now can only operate within a certain range of their assigned airfield, and will return to base at the end of each turn. This feels much better than the old system, and gives each side a certain area of the map in which they can or can't project air power. Capturing airfields is more critical than ever, as doing so will allow you to bring your aircraft forward to continue supporting your advance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere are many other changes I won't go into detail about, but all of them add up to make the experience of playing Panzer Corps 2 feel more polished and fun than ever before. The more nuanced combat model, the inclusion of unique perks for your commander and heroes in individual units, and the gorgeous, slick visuals combine together to make for a fresh beginning for a long standing series. A lot of these changes will go a long way towards addressing the chief complaint that many had about the first game, which is that it felt more like a puzzle you needed to solve than a true strategy game. Although I haven't made it all the way through the full campaign, I have yet to hit a point where I felt like continuing was impossible due to choosing the wrong unit mix along the way, or that a given scenario had one \"correct\" way of playing it. The many small changes have made it such that things are far more flexible, both on and off the field of battle.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; 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\/-Mq-TdvyjBjw\/XnWVnwonpxI\/AAAAAAAABJ4\/8tHwKHG6cG0M5zGJTOxmw_0rlytleVQ_QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/20200317221700_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\/-Mq-TdvyjBjw\/XnWVnwonpxI\/AAAAAAAABJ4\/8tHwKHG6cG0M5zGJTOxmw_0rlytleVQ_QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/20200317221700_1.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOverall, I find Panzer Corps 2 to be a significant step forward from the previous game. Lessons have been learned both from that game and the success of other games in the genre over the past decade. Take those positive changes in design philosophy, along with some new ideas, and a fresh coat of paint, and you've got yourself a real winner. I think most anyone who enjoys this kind of game at all will enjoy Panzer Corps 2, and even some critics of the first title will be won over by the improvements.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPanzer Corps 2 is available on Steam or\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/panzer-corps-2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFollow me Twitter at \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_AWNT_\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E@_AWNT_\u003C\/a\u003E or email me at beardjoe33@gmail.com\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/4867427686805934064\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/03\/panzer-corps-2.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4867427686805934064"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/4867427686805934064"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/03\/panzer-corps-2.html","title":"Panzer Corps 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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-WYmJCZmp8sU\/XnWV1ZzqbGI\/AAAAAAAABKE\/-jhhBZTJ5x80vD8o96JyxM1ZeorEFRk1QCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/20200320105612_1.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-8805418382676558322"},"published":{"$t":"2020-03-14T13:55:00.003+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-03-14T13:55:25.727+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":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: Ghost Fleet Offensive"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\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\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"299\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/products\/598\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\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'll be honest, I've watched so much of Battlestar Galactica that I occasionally hear the sound of the DRADIS scanning for Cylon contacts in my dreams. It's no surprise then that I can never get enough of content related to that show and universe, and BSG Deadlock continues to feed that hunger many years after the show has come and gone. Not only did Black Lab Games and Slitherine deliver a far better core product than I think anyone would have predicted, they have relentlessly updated and expanded the game for more than two years post release. The newest DLC, Ghost Fleet Offensive continues the second \"season\" of the game's story and content.\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\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"359\" src=\"https:\/\/steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net\/steam\/apps\/1143820\/ss_d23aeceb174606c94b4d37246ff71bd4c77bf0ae.600x338.jpg?t=1582630521\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\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;\"\u003EThe 10 mission storyline continues the enjoyable blend of politics, intrigue, and warfare that you know and love from BSG. A brief amount of time has passed since the end of the last DLC \"Resurrection\" and you remain in command of the Galactica itself. Like in the previous campaign, this DLC uses a smaller version of the strategic map from the original game. This streamlines that portion of the game to the point of simplicity, which some may like and others not so much. The focus here is primarily on the story missions, with smaller side missions to gather extra funds and experience in between. You still need to manage resources, build ships, research tech, and keep the Cylon threat level under control, but there isn't the balancing act of defending a dozen worlds and spreading fleets across a large map. The story missions themselves are good fun and tell another piece of the Battlestar Galactica saga, the story of the Ghost Fleet, which was featured in the short Blood and Chrome series. Essentially, you'll be going on a deep strike behind Cylon lines, looking to strike a crippling blow to their war machine.\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\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net\/steam\/apps\/1143820\/ss_48fe467b9521dbc9ea87b90f146f8afdb26233ed.1920x1080.jpg?t=1582630521\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\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;\"\u003EIn addition to the new campaign, this add-on brings in several new ships, more toys for the toy box! For the colonials, there are two new ships. First, the Orion class frigate, which is able to use stealth tech to sneak in close for hit-and-run attacks. Second, the Defender support ship, which can send marines over to friendly ships to defeat boarding parties and boost their sub-systems. The Cylons also get a new ship, the Medusa, which can power up other Cylon ships around it and provide extra point defense cannons to take out your missiles and torpedoes. The Cylons are also packing some new heat in the form of virus mines that can disrupt your ships' systems, and cluster nukes that, well, you can imagine. Radiological Alarm! As with all the other DLC for Deadlock, more variety makes for more replayability and new tactical possibilities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EEven if you don't pick up Ghost Fleet, you'll benefit from the continued development of Deadlock in the form of the free Fleet Admiral update. The most practical changes come in the form of UI tweaks and quality of life updates.\u0026nbsp; There is also the titular new Fleet Admiral difficulty level if you really want to challenge yourself. Some other nice enhancements are new portraits for your officers and the ability to choose the flagship of your fleet.\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\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg height=\"359\" src=\"https:\/\/steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net\/steam\/apps\/1143820\/ss_32d4a045faf4a9713cad8c49fce8e0a686536923.600x338.jpg?t=1582630521\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\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;\"\u003EFor the price, Ghost Fleet offers a fair amount of new content, though it isn't game changing. There may be some players who aren't interested in the more linear campaign style here, and are waiting for some more of that open ended strategic gameplay from the core campaign. If you're like me though, you are deep enough into this game world that you'll want to pick this up just to keep up to date with the story and expand your ship roster even further. I give this DLC a solid recommendation and even more so recommend the core game if you have not picked it up yet. I think it continues to be a hidden gem mixing tactical space combat with an enjoyable strategic layer.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGhost Fleet Offensive can be found on\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/1143820\/Battlestar_Galactica_Deadlock_Ghost_Fleet_Offensive\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003ESteam\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-ghost-fleet-offensive\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from 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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003EFollow us Twitter @_AWNT_ or email me at beardjoe33@gmail.com\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\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\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\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\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\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/8805418382676558322\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/03\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-ghost.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8805418382676558322"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/8805418382676558322"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/03\/battlestar-galactica-deadlock-ghost.html","title":"Battlestar Galactica Deadlock: Ghost Fleet Offensive"}],"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"}}],"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-5637325804457509935"},"published":{"$t":"2020-02-18T14:54:00.002+00:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2020-02-18T14:54:41.705+00:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Panzer Corps 2"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Preview"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Panzer Corps 2 - First Look Video and Open Beta for Field Marshal Pre-Orders"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\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 style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cimg height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/images\/products\/422\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPanzer Corps 2 is just over the horizon! The long awaited sequel to one of Slitherine's biggest titles comes out March 19th, and you can see a bit of gameplay in my video below. If you want to play the game yourself, then you are in luck. Those who pre-order the Field Marshal edition (includes first two DLC and other goodies) will have access to a similar beta version from Feb. 18th to the 20th. So if you loved the first game, go ahead and hop in, this one looks to be a winner no doubt. If you're curious, check out my video and others.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/panzer-corps-2\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESlitherine Page\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/store.steampowered.com\/app\/1072040\/Panzer_Corps_2\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ESteam Page \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EPlease Note: I had some kind of unexpected issue with my recording, which resulted in it looking quite laggy when moving the camera around quickly. This is not reflective of the actual game, which runs perfectly smooth. I'll try to fix it and get a better version out when I can.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\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 allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gX1wK6gsjZM\" 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: 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- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/5637325804457509935\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/02\/panzer-corps-2-first-look-video-and.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5637325804457509935"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5637325804457509935"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2020\/02\/panzer-corps-2-first-look-video-and.html","title":"Panzer Corps 2 - First Look Video and Open Beta for Field Marshal Pre-Orders"}],"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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/gX1wK6gsjZM\/default.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$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-6407569015214498072"},"published":{"$t":"2019-10-09T04:43:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-09T04:43:19.674+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Close Combat"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Close Combat: The Bloody First"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hbm4v32oL8I\/XYeCe4WAtaI\/AAAAAAAAA-A\/-r8OWW0GfXUstHKP04w5VE37aY-IIccagCPcBGAYYCw\/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=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-Hbm4v32oL8I\/XYeCe4WAtaI\/AAAAAAAAA-A\/-r8OWW0GfXUstHKP04w5VE37aY-IIccagCPcBGAYYCw\/s640\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" 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;\"\u003EThe original Close Combat came out over 20 years ago, and was one of my very first introductions into the world of wargaming. Someone of great gaming taste downloaded and installed the demos for the original games onto a PC in my junior high computer lab. I later stumbled across them, was enthralled with the depiction of realistic tactical combat, and here I am writing reviews for a wargaming website twenty years later. Needless to say, Close Combat as a series has a secure foothold in my mind. Since that time, the license shifted to Matrix Games, where a few additional iterations of the game have been made over the years, but only now has the series made the significant step into the world of three dimensional graphics. Does Close Combat: The Bloody First capture the spirit of the old while boldly striking into new territory? Well..sometimes.\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 Bloody First follows the story of the Big Red One, the 1st Infantry Division of the US Army as it fights its way through World War II. The game features three campaigns, and a total of 11 operations spanning North Africa, Sicily, and finally Normandy. You'll lead your company of riflemen across open deserts, rough hills, and bocage country. The scope of the game is impressive and flexible. You can hop into any single battle you want, or play an operation spanning a handful of connected skirmishes, or go for a full campaign encompassing several operations. Then, of course, there is the grand campaign linking it all together into one very long venture. Each way of playing will lead you to approach the game a bit differently. Your troops aren't just faceless rifle squads and machine gun crews, as every single man has his own name and stats. Surviving battles will lead each soldier to gain experience, awards, and become better fighters. While playing the grand campaign, you would most certainly develop a few favored squads of veterans, units that you can rely on, but also don't want to lose so far into the war. If simply playing a one-off battle, you might put winning the fight far above keeping any particular units out of extreme danger.\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\/-ABgj2e9JU10\/XZwOuBMlcdI\/AAAAAAAABAU\/1t7X9nf-UdMAbqQCXPzJmrcLLesL4vOnQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%252818%2529.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\/-ABgj2e9JU10\/XZwOuBMlcdI\/AAAAAAAABAU\/1t7X9nf-UdMAbqQCXPzJmrcLLesL4vOnQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%252818%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;\"\u003ERegardless of how you choose to play, as commander of a rifle company, you begin each battle by choosing which of you squads to field. Usually you will only put a couple of platoons into any one battle, alongside some support assets, like tanks and engineers, from other units. I really enjoyed this freedom, since it lets you shape your tactics before the battle even begins. Your missions include a variety of offensive and defensive scenarios, in which you will fight the Axis over control of various points around a map. Rarely will you come even close to routing the enemy from the map entirely, it's usually enough to simply break their morale and take a couple of additional locations. Depending on the operation and how things go, you might fight again on the same map, with different starting positions based on how the previous battle turned out. There are some touches here like destroyed tanks remaining on the map from one skirmish to the next. Between battles you will be given options like advancing rapidly, waiting to regroup, or conducting a daring night attack. This gives a bit of say over the overall strategic picture, in addition to the tactical fights themselves.\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\/-cOQPCaeM39A\/XZ1OrnWJJII\/AAAAAAAABAg\/NV1_OhSO1iYTO6y9MrYhsVi3iVs10Sh-ACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%252820%2529.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\/-cOQPCaeM39A\/XZ1OrnWJJII\/AAAAAAAABAg\/NV1_OhSO1iYTO6y9MrYhsVi3iVs10Sh-ACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%252820%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 get to the meat of the game, the tactical battles. As mentioned before, The Bloody First takes the big step into 3-D graphics, which is a radical shift from the previous Close Combat games, where the player was looking straight down on a battlefield populated by sprites and 2-D terrain. In those older games, it was difficult to see the contours of the terrain and just how tall a hill or ridge was. Here the 3-D engine is used to great effect to create realistic looking terrain, with plenty of bumps and low-spots for infantry to maneuver through. However, many of the maps feel very small and restrained. Often, after you hit go, your forces will almost immediately be in contact with the enemy, and the fighting will not cease until the scenario ends. Now, I know the name of the game is Close Combat, but we are going to need just a little room to maneuver! Some of the maps are larger, but even so something about the scale of the game leads to them still feeling cramped most of the time. This is really a game about quick battles at the smaller scale of things, and that is okay, but just know that is what you are getting.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn terms of the core gameplay, infantry vs infantry combat, I think the game does things quite well. When ordering your men about, little silhouettes appear to show you exactly where they can or can't take cover, making it very easy to see their exact destination. Combat occurs at a very realistic feeling pace. Set up a couple squads of riflemen a hundred yards from each other in good cover, and they will pop away at one another to little effect. Maybe one guy will get hit every few minutes. Catch that enemy rifle team in the flank with a machine gun, and they will immediately start taking casualties and be forced to flee. At close range the fighting gets bloody, as the little digital soldiers will start hurling grenades back and forth. The game is at its best when the scenario is focused on the infantry combat. Add any vehicles to the fray and suddenly things feel a bit off kilter, especially in the early campaigns where there is almost no way for your infantry to harm even a lowly armored scout car.\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\/-f9X9dspaKZo\/XZwOYs6M0NI\/AAAAAAAABAE\/nHTc3qcz-1QoBwMpH2pWwzzr8jKf8NdmACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%252816%2529.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\/-f9X9dspaKZo\/XZwOYs6M0NI\/AAAAAAAABAE\/nHTc3qcz-1QoBwMpH2pWwzzr8jKf8NdmACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%252816%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;\"\u003EFor me, the weakest area of the game has to be any time armored vehicles take to the field. On some of the smaller maps, and especially given the open desert terrain of North Africa, a single tank can control the entire battlefield, destroying infantry at will. If both sides have armor, things aren't much better. The tank on tank combat feels very random, with two stationary tanks sometimes spending several minutes repeatedly shooting at and missing each other, even at very short range. In all of the scenarios I played, it simply never felt very satisfying. The AI for vehicles also seems weaker than that of the infantry. In one scenario I played, one enemy tank charged straight into my starting area immediately after the scenario started. Not a great move. Their other tank sat at the back of the battlefield, never moving an inch. Not a great tactic either. The game could definitely\u0026nbsp;use some work in this area.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe other area of the game I must be critical of is some of the graphics and sound. Sound effects wise, the gunshots and explosions all sound pretty decent, making for a noisy and realistic battlefield. However, when there isn't any shooting going on, the game is completely silent. Some ambient background noises would go a long way here. Maybe the wind blowing, distant explosions, that sort of thing. Add to that the lack of animation for trees\/bushes\/grass swaying in the wind, and a washed out color palette, and you get a very static feeling battlefield outside of active combat. My final gripe here is the voice lines for units. There just aren't very many, and you'll often hear the same one played multiple times in a row.\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\/-Y8W_rS-SF9o\/XZwNs7otAzI\/AAAAAAAAA_8\/aD8WcjqLnJYA3G5eZx9fwSMSBbnvtXtegCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%252815%2529.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\/-Y8W_rS-SF9o\/XZwNs7otAzI\/AAAAAAAAA_8\/aD8WcjqLnJYA3G5eZx9fwSMSBbnvtXtegCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%252815%2529.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EGraphically, the game is a mixed bag. The environments look gorgeous, with a very natural flow to the terrain. This is where the game benefits the most from the switch to 3-D. These look like very real places, created with a careful attention to detail. The maps are strewn with little flavorful bits like farm carts and hay bales that can be used as cover.\u0026nbsp; The infantry models, on the other hand, aren't so great. I understand this is not a game made with stunning graphics in mind, but the infantry here have almost no detail to them, and have muddy textures to boot. You won't be able to see exactly what the models look like though, since the camera is very restrictive and won't let you tilt down very far, or zoom in too close. The vehicles look alright, but aren't anything to gawk at, and besides, you can't zoom in very close to get a good look at them anyway. The effects like explosions, tracers, and smoke all work well enough to create a lively battlefield, but again are just okay. I harp on the graphics only because the game falls, to some extent, into that same trap that so many series fell into back in the early 2000's when they transitioned from tried and true 2-D graphics into first attempts at 3-D graphics. The 3-D allows for some cool new things, but it's hard to deny that the previous 2-D entries in the series\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E(e.g. Panthers in the Fog, Gateway to Caen)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;were, arguably, more aesthetically pleasing.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAlso, despite the modest graphics, the game tends to stutter a bit here and there, like the engine is struggling to run smoothly for no apparent reason. I expect this can be patched out soon enough.\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\/-n2M_0jh3wu0\/XZ1PLS0z-qI\/AAAAAAAABAs\/clNu3vZIM5s5J9TQhodDAbKQa-kap3MoQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%252819%2529.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\/-n2M_0jh3wu0\/XZ1PLS0z-qI\/AAAAAAAABAs\/clNu3vZIM5s5J9TQhodDAbKQa-kap3MoQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%252819%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, I've dinged the game for quite a few things, but this comes more from a place of love than anything else. As a fan of the series, I wanted the game to be a bit better than it is. That said, it does a lot of things well, and some things better than its peers. The game is very accessible, with a UI that makes it easy to get the information that you need. Units have colored arcs showing you at a glance what direction they are facing and their current posture, and red arcs that pop up to let you know they are taking fire from a general direction. Important events pop up in a list you can click on to jump immediately to the action. Giving orders can be done in two different ways, so you can do whichever feels natural to you. A very handy LOS tool lets you move the mouse around and dynamically visualize what can be seen from any particular point. The aforementioned soldier silhouettes\u0026nbsp;show you exactly where your men will go when you give them an order, and can be drug around to line up exactly how you desire. The game should be easy to learn for beginners, and like riding a bike again for series veterans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe combat offers some great moments, like when a squad of riflemen breaks under an enemy attack, but then Private Johnson suddenly goes into \"heroic\" mode and stands his ground, single-handedly fending off an enemy assault. Your overall strategy and tactics do have a real effect on the outcome, as a passive approach will usually get muddled results, while carefully maneuvering your squads while suppressing key enemy positions will yield a decisive victory. These moments are satisfying, and left me feeling like a good commander who made a difference. Despite all of those moments, the game simply lacks a certain spark. There is a core here that does something right, but the game overall needs a bit more polish to really shine.\u0026nbsp;\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\/-ZDJR2KO8acU\/XZ1PFeFha2I\/AAAAAAAABAo\/JHNk43g_4Is8k6vcugIHPVBzF0qNFJRKgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%252821%2529.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\/-ZDJR2KO8acU\/XZ1PFeFha2I\/AAAAAAAABAo\/JHNk43g_4Is8k6vcugIHPVBzF0qNFJRKgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%252821%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;\"\u003EClose Combat: The Bloody First may be the necessary learning step for a classic 2-D series as it transitions into the world of 3-D. Hopefully the game can be improved somewhat through patches, and I really look forward to seeing how the next iteration of the series shapes up. There is a market out there for people who want some realistic tactical combat, but don't want to spend hours wrestling with learning something like a \u003Ci\u003ECombat Mission\u003C\/i\u003E or \u003Ci\u003EGraviteam Tactics\u003C\/i\u003E game. Close Combat could very easily be that series.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EClose Combat: The Bloody First is available\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/game\/close-combat-the-bloody-first\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Matrix Games\u003C\/a\u003E, as well as on 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- 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\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\/6407569015214498072\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/10\/close-combat-bloody-first.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6407569015214498072"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6407569015214498072"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/10\/close-combat-bloody-first.html","title":"Close Combat: The Bloody First"}],"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\/AAAAAAAAA-A\/-r8OWW0GfXUstHKP04w5VE37aY-IIccagCPcBGAYYCw\/s72-c\/product_landscape_image.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-6981042363770784023"},"published":{"$t":"2019-09-29T23:36:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-10-01T20:52:22.606+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ageod"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ancients"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Field of Glory Empires"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Grand Strategy"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Field of Glory: Empires"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-4clg9QwFu6s\/XZEuX5CgDDI\/AAAAAAAAA-Q\/ivHOybdshpE0lrroAPfrhmJ55daUjPOYgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/product_landscape_image%2B%25281%2529.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\/-4clg9QwFu6s\/XZEuX5CgDDI\/AAAAAAAAA-Q\/ivHOybdshpE0lrroAPfrhmJ55daUjPOYgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/product_landscape_image%2B%25281%2529.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;\"\u003EWhat happens when you take a developer known for their deep, yet utterly arcane historical strategy games, and link them with a publisher known for making wargaming accessible to the masses? You get Field of Glory Empires, a rich grand strategy title that carves out its own space in the genre.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAt a glance, one could quickly draw comparisons to the Total War or Paradox grand strategy games, but Empires sets itself apart with multiple mechanics that address some of the shortcomings of those series. One wholly unique feature of Empires is the way it integrates with a completely separate game, Field of Glory II, to allow you to play out the battles in that game. Though I must immediately point out that having Field of Glory II is by no means necessary to enjoy Empires. In fact, you probably won't want to command every battle personally, since that would add hours and hours to a campaign. However, if you already own Field of Glory II, and enjoy grand strategy games, it makes a whole lot of sense to get Empires. Suddenly, those fun tactical battles, the results of which were mostly inconsequential, take on significant weight. Now you are defending your capitol from an invading army, or fighting to claim a critical new province for your empire. Some may balk at the idea of needing two different games to get the \"full\" experience, but each can be had for much less than a typical $60 game, and both are worthwhile on their own, so I think it is reasonable enough.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENow, back to Empires itself. The basics of the grand strategy genre are mostly here. You begin the game by selecting one of dozens of different ancient tribes and civilizations. All your ancient favorites are here, from Rome and Carthage to the Greek city states and the \"barbarian\" tribes of Europe, and many more. The map spans all of Europe, North Africa, and stretches east to cover a portion of India. The standard campaign runs from 310 BCE to 190 CE. This is a lovely starting point just after the death of Alexander the Great and before the Punic Wars. Rome is on the rise, but many older civilizations are still lingering, their historical decline still a bit in the future. And that concept of rise and decline is a core theme of 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\/-i8Jv9Ghe-0U\/XZEvydMYLmI\/AAAAAAAAA-0\/uMDbb_RPVRQhJZQTvziEsN3VLkw6MH2YACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%25283%2529.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\/-i8Jv9Ghe-0U\/XZEvydMYLmI\/AAAAAAAAA-0\/uMDbb_RPVRQhJZQTvziEsN3VLkw6MH2YACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%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;\"\u003EUnlike in many other similar games, simply painting the map your color will not lead to victory in Empires. As the Romans and many empires before and after them can attest, growing too large leads to many problems. In many cases, an empire that reaches a certain size will inevitably experience a rapid and sometimes total collapse. However, despite their complete collapse we still discuss and often think highly of the Romans today, almost 2000 years later. They left quite the legacy, didn't they? That is how victory is measure in Empires - how many \"Legacy\" points you are able to accumulate before the end of the game. Legacy points can be gained in many ways, and only lost in one or two ways. However, many of the ways you accumulate Legacy will also earn you \"Decadence\" points. This can be countered by focusing your resources on things that generate \"Culture\" points. Too much decadence leads to unrest, revolts, civil war. Countering those problems gets more difficult as your state grows larger and gets older.\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\/-awhO4xXo4Ko\/XZEwxgXg42I\/AAAAAAAAA_I\/MQFVR91XdEkWXc8nlt8RShISRcTTK-A5ACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%25289%2529.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-awhO4xXo4Ko\/XZEwxgXg42I\/AAAAAAAAA_I\/MQFVR91XdEkWXc8nlt8RShISRcTTK-A5ACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%25289%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;\"\u003EThe Emerald Isle makes for a nice \"Tutorial Island\" to learn the basics.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIt's a bit difficult for me to explain succinctly, but the long and short is this: Empires uses several core mechanics to capture a story that has played out so many times in history. Powerful states tend to rise out of obscurity, build themselves up to great heights, and then collapse more from internal rot than from outside aggression. I definitely recommend cracking open the player manual and reading through the relevant sections, as it's a bit obscure how it all works at first. The game does have in-game tutorials and a helpful glossary that will teach you everything else without much trouble. However, you will initially be at a loss as to the importance of progress\/decline tokens, Culture-Decadence Ratios, Loyalty, and Legacy points if you don't at least skim through the manual. The manual also has a lengthy strategy guide section and designer's notes that explain the reasoning for the mechanics in the game, so it's well worth your time.\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\/-2w1FvV5yQhI\/XZEvqBHUdJI\/AAAAAAAAA-s\/7Ag1dpSG4RYUpsEC6KAsN9UaV3dSNsB1gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%25284%2529.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\/-2w1FvV5yQhI\/XZEvqBHUdJI\/AAAAAAAAA-s\/7Ag1dpSG4RYUpsEC6KAsN9UaV3dSNsB1gCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%25284%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;\"\u003EAs an example, winning battles and raiding enemy provinces will sometimes net you slaves that you can distribute into your provinces. These slaves will naturally have a high level of unrest and always be a potential source of rebellion. Likewise, taking control of peoples who are ethnically different from you will lead to them being less than happy with their new rulers. The larger your population in a region, the greater their unrest will become as well. Much of this can be mitigated by building things like circuses and gladiator arenas, but these buildings grow your decadence score. As you slide from, let's say, a meritocratic republic built on duty and honor, into a bloated empire dependent on bread and circuses to keep people happy while slaves do all the work, the risk of revolt and civil war will grow despite your best efforts. It's a wonderful system that naturally responds to your actions and pushes your empire into the logical consequences.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: medium;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAs to the less abstract and more \"day-to-day\" mechanics of the game, any veteran grand strategy player will easily be able to hop in and get going with minimal fuss. The map is broken up into hundreds of provinces, and depending on who you are playing as, you will start with anywhere from one province to a couple dozen under your control. Within each province there is a population under your control. Population is represented by blocks of manpower that you can shift around to focus on food, infrastructure, money, or culture production. You can also construct buildings that will enhance production of those four resources. One interesting note in Empires is that you can only construct one building a time in a province, and you can only select what you want to build from an ever changing pool of options (one building per resource). If you don't like your current pool of options, you'll have to waste several turns rolling a new one. This creates an interesting strategic dilemma. I only have a very limited number of building slots in this province, and I really want to build XYZ, but it hasn't come up as an option yet. Do I spend several turns to see if it comes up next time, or do I go with Plan B right now? I'm not sure how historically accurate the concept is, but I found it refreshing to not use the same cookie cutter build order in every province like you would in other grand strategy games.\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\/-X1Q8DjXXKaA\/XZEwzTSiVUI\/AAAAAAAAA_M\/AJqAEXCZQB8PuQTcZR-3IP7XzZP6TW-jQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%25286%2529.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-X1Q8DjXXKaA\/XZEwzTSiVUI\/AAAAAAAAA_M\/AJqAEXCZQB8PuQTcZR-3IP7XzZP6TW-jQCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%25286%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 icon on the map indicates a special trade good in that province.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\n\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EMany of the buildings require trade goods in order to function efficiently, or to give a bonus to their production. There are a ton of these trade goods, some examples being horses, iron, wine, fish, and many more. Some of these are available in certain provinces from the start, while others are produced by buildings. You can trade for these goods internally and with other states. Trade is another area where the game functions differently than you might expect. Unlike in say, Civilization, you don't make a direct agreement to import some good from another state and have it be available for your own use wherever. Rather, in Empires, trade goods are moved around in an organic way, with the buildings you construct creating a demand that can be met by any trade good containing province within range. If you control the source of the good, you'll make a little cash even when trading with yourself. If you have to import it from elsewhere you'll pay full price, and vice versa, you can make money by exporting your goods. This is all only indirectly under your control, and creates a neat living economy as demand for goods appears in regions depending on the buildings constructed there, and buildings are constructed depending on what goods are available.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe military side of things should be familiar enough to most strategy gamers. If you have ever played an AGEOD game before, you will immediately recognize the how all of this works, but be relieved to find that things are very simple this go around. Various unit types (skirmishers, infantry, and cavalry of all variety are available) are built in a region and then combined to create an army. Every unit has strengths and weaknesses, special perks like performing better in specific terrain, and each individual unit has an experience level that rises as they survive battles. On your turn you assign an army to move here and there, and give them a \"stance\" such as simply moving about, or immediately assaulting any forts they come across, or to go raiding neighboring provinces. Units don't actually move until you hit the end turn button, at which time ALL units from every state move at once. This means you could miss that enemy army you were targeting, or blunder into one you weren't aware of.\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\/-wuVb97VVne0\/XZEw8uYO3kI\/AAAAAAAAA_Q\/Y0T7CrpstT0Kue69mZTAqqeDloJKsqtuACNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%25288%2529.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\/-wuVb97VVne0\/XZEw8uYO3kI\/AAAAAAAAA_Q\/Y0T7CrpstT0Kue69mZTAqqeDloJKsqtuACNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%2B%25288%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;\"\u003EWhen two armies meet, a battle commences. As I mentioned above, you can opt to take direct control if you own Field of Glory II, and play the battle out there. This is a mostly seamless process, as Empires closes, Field of Glory II opens, and you hit a button to import the battle. Then the reverse occurs and you are right back in Empires with the battle result. Otherwise, the battle plays out in Empires with no real direct input from you. Your input is in how you decide to compose your army, and where you send them to fight. Army composition is far more engaging than in something like Europa Universalis, as unit types are far more distinct, and your army will very much reflect the empire you have built. Most units require that you have access to particular trade goods or meet other requirements. Additionally, almost every province can produce some variety of unique unit, that is better than its standard counter-part and often has extra perks, but is also more expensive. I really liked this feature, as it gives historical flavor to an army raised in any particular region.\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\/--S9KXdMHgnw\/XZEvtLZEQTI\/AAAAAAAAA-w\/ppvUb8WA6ncjun8HtRxWNYXwoReyQJBigCNcBGAsYHQ\/s1600\/Screenshot%2B%25285%2529.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\/--S9KXdMHgnw\/XZEvtLZEQTI\/AAAAAAAAA-w\/ppvUb8WA6ncjun8HtRxWNYXwoReyQJBigCNcBGAsYHQ\/s640\/Screenshot%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;\"\u003ESo that hits all the highlights, but don't be mistaken, there are plenty of additional nitty-gritty details that I didn't get into, but you can learn about as you play. I want to reiterate how genius the victory point system is in this game. Because your legacy points remain in place even if your once great empire collapses, it's entirely possible to win the game while NOT being the biggest blob of color on the map. You can play through the rise, the golden age, and then the decline and fall of an empire, and still win the game. A fall is not guaranteed, of course, but the mechanics of the game will push you further and further in that direction unless you prove yourself a very capable leader.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe deep and interesting designs of developer AGEOD have finally evolved into a game system that anyone can play (without an excessive amount of head scratching), and it is a great moment that bodes well for their future. Despite going up against some of the most popular grand strategy games out there, I think Field of Glory Empire really shines as a fresh take on the genre. The Culture and Decadence system fleshes out an idea that is usually relegated to a simple \"happiness\" score in other games, and makes it the core of the gameplay loop. This completely changes how you think about building and managing your empire, and makes the plausible scenario, that your empire eventually crumbles, still be a fun part of the game.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI give a strong recommendation to Field of Glory Empires, and it's a real no-brainer if you already own Field of Glory II, as both games benefit from combining the two.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EField of Glory Empires can be purchased\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/field-of-glory-empires\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine,\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as well as on Steam and GoG.\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(As of this writing it's 10% off, go grab it if you are interested!)\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\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\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\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\/6981042363770784023\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/field-of-glory-empires.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6981042363770784023"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/6981042363770784023"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/field-of-glory-empires.html","title":"Field of Glory: Empires"}],"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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-4clg9QwFu6s\/XZEuX5CgDDI\/AAAAAAAAA-Q\/ivHOybdshpE0lrroAPfrhmJ55daUjPOYgCNcBGAsYHQ\/s72-c\/product_landscape_image%2B%25281%2529.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1195562933721432947"},"published":{"$t":"2019-09-08T22:11:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-09-08T22:11:42.479+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Fantasy General II"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Fantasy General II - Invasion"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\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\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-QeLrHaudVLQ\/XXVr9GXoZHI\/AAAAAAAAA9U\/hBCEHRPOGrIWEFxXm01YGQwXwKc_-PLcQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FantasyGeneral_Logo_small.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"467\" data-original-width=\"1000\" height=\"298\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-QeLrHaudVLQ\/XXVr9GXoZHI\/AAAAAAAAA9U\/hBCEHRPOGrIWEFxXm01YGQwXwKc_-PLcQCLcBGAs\/s640\/FantasyGeneral_Logo_small.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;\"\u003EFantasy General II revisits a classic title, over 20 years old, and hurls the series into the 21st century. How does the style and setting hold up, and how have the advancements in game design over the past couple of decades been used to improve over the original?\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\/-w1vosIKeR_o\/XXVsNf3vH7I\/AAAAAAAAA9g\/quxatvHAf8k3llshh_-rdK84S_KDW8XbwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FantasyGeneral_II_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\/-w1vosIKeR_o\/XXVsNf3vH7I\/AAAAAAAAA9g\/quxatvHAf8k3llshh_-rdK84S_KDW8XbwCLcBGAs\/s640\/FantasyGeneral_II_2.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 original Fantasy General, as the name implies, and as you may already know, is direct re-theming of Panzer General, the game that launched a thousand spiritual sequels. The core gameplay will be familiar to anyone who has played Panzer Corps, Order of Battle, Warhammer 40k: Armageddon, or any number of other games featuring turn-based combat on a hex grid, in which the player carries over units from mission to mission in a lengthy campaign. Sound familiar? I'm sure you've played something like it before. While Fantasy General II does not break any innovative new ground overall, it does offer a very satisfying rendition of this gameplay style.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFantasy General II picks up 300 years after the events of the first game, which focused on the \"Shadow Wars\" which ravaged the land, leaving a shattered world fought over by numerous factions. This is especially true for the various barbarian clans of the west, who have been set against themselves by the powerful Empire of the east. No one has been able to unite the clans for many years, and they instead squabble among themselves. As the player, you take on the role of Falirson, son of Falir One-Eye, who is the chief of your barbarian clan. While the game opens with some simple missions where you fight and raid other clans, before long you are swept up in a high fantasy story of mysterious wizards, forest dwelling witches, and trolls galore.\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne aspect I love about the game is how it gives you plenty of chances for some light role-playing via choose-your-own-adventure style choices. These pop up both in and out of battle, and almost always have some kind of tangible effect. Choices that benefit you in the immediate moment can sometimes have consequences down the road in a different mission. What would be a simple, meaningless dialogue choice in most games, can sway the morale of your entire army in Fantasy General II.\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\/-WQ6K4nuworQ\/XXVrbpyagGI\/AAAAAAAAA9E\/9rDBPnxdEGoHTAlVfn_VUa-QeDQ0LxtWwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FG%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\/-WQ6K4nuworQ\/XXVrbpyagGI\/AAAAAAAAA9E\/9rDBPnxdEGoHTAlVfn_VUa-QeDQ0LxtWwCLcBGAs\/s640\/FG%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;\"\u003EThe writing and story are well done overall, avoiding the common pitfalls of such games by skipping on cliche, over the top characters and instead offering a set of characters who are grounded and speak in a realistic tone, given their circumstances. Important characters and even your own troops will speak up to offer valid points about what they think you should do or say when faced with a dilemma, and sometimes choosing what you believe is \"right\" will be met with sharp consequences.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EIn addition to hero units like the protagonist, your army is yours to create and customize as you see fit. Units you recruit are retained from mission to mission and gain experience in battle, allowing them to level up and become more powerful over time. You begin with just two unit choices, young barbarian warriors that are either male or female. These raw recruits then proceed up one of the two class trees as you scrape together the resources and cash needed to make the promotions. These can be tough choices, as you only get a very limited number of these resources (weapons, armor, and mana) and you have a need for just about every type of unit.\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\/-FNQ50xr0isM\/XXVrgvf5BiI\/AAAAAAAAA9I\/zAJU7xgIn9sYxCXlHbYmGIs3Y8jZd3UdgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FG%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\/-FNQ50xr0isM\/XXVrgvf5BiI\/AAAAAAAAA9I\/zAJU7xgIn9sYxCXlHbYmGIs3Y8jZd3UdgCLcBGAs\/s640\/FG%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;\"\u003EThe various unit types you can field all have advantages and disadvantages, special traits, and distinct roles in combat. There are shock troops, skirmishers, soldiers with shields for stopping ranged attacks, mounted warriors and ranged attackers of your own. Units can pick up special items over the course of battles, and use these to further specialize themselves. For example, an early item you get is a magic ring that makes the unit holding it fight better in forest terrain. While that might sound like a minor thing, there are numerous small tweaks like this which make all of your units feel unique. Your various individually named squads can also pick up permanent perks from one-time events hidden away here and there in the campaign, making them feel like they have a bit of history to them. It can really hurt to lose a unit that has been with you since the beginning, and has accumulated multiple boons. I'll be honest, I've reloaded more than once in order to save such a unit.\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\/-zEVnPzbyQxY\/XXVsNRdg81I\/AAAAAAAAA9c\/KMymm1IG0iYg7N5o3EIzPOYUbmkajjO3gCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FantasyGeneral_II_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:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-zEVnPzbyQxY\/XXVsNRdg81I\/AAAAAAAAA9c\/KMymm1IG0iYg7N5o3EIzPOYUbmkajjO3gCLcBGAs\/s640\/FantasyGeneral_II_11.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\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe campaign is a sprawling 30+ mission affair that will take quite a while to work your way through. Though I have not finished it entirely, I can say that so far the missions offer a good amount of variety. Some have you escorting a character through hostile territory, others task you with defending against invading hordes, and of course many involved you attacking enemy positions and defeating their army. Many areas of the map are covered in fog, and hide secrets well worth seeking out. Ancient ruins, caves, and more can be explored by your troops in order to find treasure and items. Temples give your entire army a buff as lon\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eg as you hold them, and mana pools offer a steady supply of mana points for your magic users. There are also usually villages scattered around the map that can replenish your losses mid mission.\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOne neat thing is this game is how casualties work. Every unit has a health bar. This starts off filled with green, but after combat sections will turn red. These are \"wounded\" soldiers which can be restored by having the unit spend its entire turn resting. Sometimes though, the red sections will be lost as well, these units are \"killed\" and cannot be restored except by visiting a village or replenishing them between missions. I really liked this mechanic, as it forces you to choose between pushing your forces hard, or slowing down to let them rest and be replenished. There is another mechanic which puts pressure on you to complete missions as quickly as possible, essentially the longer the battle goes on, the more civilians who flee the area, leaving no one around to tax after the battle. Without funds, you can't upgrade your units or buy new ones.\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\/-KVGYFv4wV1g\/XXVsLluEy7I\/AAAAAAAAA9Y\/XJPVIGrqSXojoEYckpFK6Jb1FMJAOBuowCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FantasyGeneral_II_15.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\/-KVGYFv4wV1g\/XXVsLluEy7I\/AAAAAAAAA9Y\/XJPVIGrqSXojoEYckpFK6Jb1FMJAOBuowCLcBGAs\/s640\/FantasyGeneral_II_15.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;\"\u003ESo, what about complaints with the game? This is one of those games where there really aren't any glaring flaws to discuss, but the experience overall probably won't blow you away. It's a fun, satisfying game, but not unlike games you have played before.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EWith at least two expansion packs promised in the future, I suspect we will see even more variety in units and perspectives in terms of the story in due time. The core game will certainly please anyone who likes this sort of gameplay and wants a fantasy version of it. It's one of those games you can load up in under a minute and find yourself having a fun time just like that.\u0026nbsp; I look forward to seeing where they take this series in the future.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EFantasy General II is available \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/fantasy-general-ii-invasion\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from\u0026nbsp;Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as well as on 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- 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\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\/1195562933721432947\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/fantasy-general-ii-invasion.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1195562933721432947"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1195562933721432947"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/09\/fantasy-general-ii-invasion.html","title":"Fantasy General II - Invasion"}],"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\/-QeLrHaudVLQ\/XXVr9GXoZHI\/AAAAAAAAA9U\/hBCEHRPOGrIWEFxXm01YGQwXwKc_-PLcQCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/FantasyGeneral_Logo_small.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-5210012164850191470"},"published":{"$t":"2019-08-25T22:37:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-08-25T22:37:39.806+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Order of Battle"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"The Aristocrats"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"ww2"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Order of Battle: WW2 - Red Star"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-GSIzBJxDgMQ\/XWLudz5GfeI\/AAAAAAAAA8M\/k6QwnfKBy7I8NNDVfwcyoecU2qfyDmfnQCLcBGAs\/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\/-GSIzBJxDgMQ\/XWLudz5GfeI\/AAAAAAAAA8M\/k6QwnfKBy7I8NNDVfwcyoecU2qfyDmfnQCLcBGAs\/s640\/product_landscape_image.jpg\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOrder of Battle: World War II grows ever larger with the release of yet another DLC campaign for the Panzer General-esque strategy game that I have really enjoyed since its initial release over four years ago. While Red Star doesn't change up the formula in any significant way, it does give you another 13 mission long campaign covering plenty of famous, and less well known, battles.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ERed Star is the first of a trilogy of linked campaigns covering, you guessed it, the actions of the Red Army across the full spectrum of WW2. Now, you're probably immediately picturing the Eastern Front, Barbarossa and Stalingrad and so on. Hold on though, this is Order of Battle, a game which was created by developers who seem keenly interested in showcasing some of the less well known and less gamed theaters of the war. Red Star covers actions of the Red Army from 1938 to 1941, which means you'll be rather deep into the campaign before you see a single German panzer.\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\/-9jbn94LDnuw\/XWL90iUDUOI\/AAAAAAAAA8o\/tmKuwz2k2D8UMfwbJ7I9Ddpiz45ZISpaACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Red%2BStar%2B2.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\/-9jbn94LDnuw\/XWL90iUDUOI\/AAAAAAAAA8o\/tmKuwz2k2D8UMfwbJ7I9Ddpiz45ZISpaACLcBGAs\/s640\/Red%2BStar%2B2.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 DLC starts off with a trio of missions against Imperial Japan, at the battles of Lake Khasan and \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battles_of_Khalkhin_Gol\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EKhalkin Gol\u003C\/a\u003E. These are battles which I've read snippets about here and there, but never studied in detail. Seeing very early war tanks and even bi-planes roaming the battlefield made for a fresh experience. The Japanese are tough early game opponents, as you must make due with poor equipment and inexperienced\u0026nbsp;troops.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ENext you go for a quick trip to Poland for a single mission. Although the historical outcome here was 100% inevitable, it was actually one of the more memorable missions of the game. To give you a challenge, the scenario casts your forces as the very tip of the invading spear, racing ahead of supply lines. You have only a very limited number of points available for deploying units, and every turn your total available supply is shrinking. The only way to get more supply is to capture Polish cities and towns. This means you must charge forward and overwhelm the defenders as quickly as possible, in order to keep your units in supply.\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\/-7uhQQNcCWRw\/XWL9va5bOlI\/AAAAAAAAA8k\/95uHLX05zsQACz-TLPmoDqOUmTXy0vpKACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Red%2BStar%2B3.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\/-7uhQQNcCWRw\/XWL9va5bOlI\/AAAAAAAAA8k\/95uHLX05zsQACz-TLPmoDqOUmTXy0vpKACLcBGAs\/s640\/Red%2BStar%2B3.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\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAfter conquering Poland it's time for the \u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Winter_War\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EWinter War\u003C\/a\u003E against Finland. Some of this conflict has actually been covered from the point of view of the Finns in the Winter War DLC, but now it's time to play it from the Soviet perspective. As you may know, despite massively outnumbering the Finns, especially in terms of tanks and aircraft, the Soviets got a very bloody nose in this conflict. Here a major feature of many of the scenarios are the Finnish ski troops who constantly pop out of nowhere on your flanks and attempt to cut off your lead units from their supply sources. The terrain itself is against you, as the heavily forested maps slow down your mechanized forces, and conceal ambushes at every turn. I enjoyed these scenarios, as I was forced to patrol the edges of my advance instead of blindly pushing all of my units forward to the objectives.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EAfter the conclusion of the Winter War, we finally reach the main event, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. These missions make up the final third of the campaign culminating with the defense\u0026nbsp; of, and Soviet counter-attack outside Moscow. The battles here scale up in size as you are now facing a more than equal foe, coming at you with all the tanks and aircraft you can handle. To counter that, you finally get to upgrade your own tanks and aircraft and leave those inter-war units behind. The battles here will be more familiar to most than the earlier ones, but the scenario design continues to be well done. As in all the OoB campaigns, every mission gives you primary objectives which you must accomplish to win the scenario, but there are also optional objectives which give you some kind of bonus if you can complete them.\u0026nbsp;\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\/-QPYzGMMgsjo\/XWL9rzreqPI\/AAAAAAAAA8g\/bY3L8kuia2EKGVOqVeB76bCKV15q9nszACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Red%2BStar%2B5.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\/-QPYzGMMgsjo\/XWL9rzreqPI\/AAAAAAAAA8g\/bY3L8kuia2EKGVOqVeB76bCKV15q9nszACLcBGAs\/s640\/Red%2BStar%2B5.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;\"\u003EMy one major critique of the campaign is that the specialization tree (permanent perks which you can spend points to unlock between missions) does not offer many interesting choices, or many choices at all.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;I would have thought that for a DLC on the Red Army, we would see a big tree with lots of interesting and flavorful choices, but really there were only a couple which did something unique. The rest were all either generic options from other campaigns, or very minor benefits with some Soviet flavor text tacked on.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOverall, Red Star does not bring any big changes to the tried and true formula of Order of Battle, but if you like what you've played before, you will have a good time with this one as well. I do love a grand campaign of this sort, so I'm looking forward to carrying my experienced core units further into the war in the next two installments.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EOrder of Battle: WW2 - Red Star is available\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/game\/order-of-battle-red-star\/pc\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;as well as on Steam and GoG. As always with Order of Battle, you can play the training campaign as well as the first scenario of each campaign (including Red Star) for free if you want to try before you buy.\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\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\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\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\/5210012164850191470\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/08\/order-of-battle-ww2-red-star.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5210012164850191470"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/5210012164850191470"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/08\/order-of-battle-ww2-red-star.html","title":"Order of Battle: WW2 - Red Star"}],"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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-GSIzBJxDgMQ\/XWLudz5GfeI\/AAAAAAAAA8M\/k6QwnfKBy7I8NNDVfwcyoecU2qfyDmfnQCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/product_landscape_image.jpg","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-3591803978662107191"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-30T00:42:00.000+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-30T00:42:13.791+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Fantasy General II"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Fantasy General II - First Look Gameplay (Video)"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv style=\"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\/-y8DtnHmFlfY\/XT-DawCZvXI\/AAAAAAAAA7w\/KuxSQ9sD6yIw-JQdrnyTwvkBgWStvGxAQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FantasyGeneral_Logo_small.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"467\" data-original-width=\"1000\" height=\"298\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-y8DtnHmFlfY\/XT-DawCZvXI\/AAAAAAAAA7w\/KuxSQ9sD6yIw-JQdrnyTwvkBgWStvGxAQCLcBGAs\/s640\/FantasyGeneral_Logo_small.png\" width=\"640\" \/\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\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\u003Ciframe allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3MMFPOIXTgs\" width=\"560\"\u003E\u003C\/iframe\u003E\n\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003ET\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Eime for another gameplay video featuring some early game scenarios from the upcoming \u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.slitherine.com\/products\/776\/details\/Fantasy.General.II\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EFantasy General II\u003C\/a\u003E! You may remember the original Fantasy General from way back in the 90's, a spin-off of the genre launching Panzer General. The series is back and looking more three-dimensional than it once did. I was lucky enough to get an early build of the game an\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003Ed wanted to share it with you, so far it's looking pretty sharp!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\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\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\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/3591803978662107191\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/07\/fantasy-general-ii-first-look-gameplay.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3591803978662107191"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/3591803978662107191"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/07\/fantasy-general-ii-first-look-gameplay.html","title":"Fantasy General II - First Look 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:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-y8DtnHmFlfY\/XT-DawCZvXI\/AAAAAAAAA7w\/KuxSQ9sD6yIw-JQdrnyTwvkBgWStvGxAQCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/FantasyGeneral_Logo_small.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-2409933825161857185"},"published":{"$t":"2019-07-19T18:18:00.002+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-07-19T18:18:51.305+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Gladius"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"intel"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"video"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"WH40K"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Chaos Space Marines DLC for WH40K Gladius - Gameplay Video"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kjDQAQ1SvlQ\/XTH66FF57eI\/AAAAAAAAA7Y\/Jo2AdEkgD2QMRXaB3n4XxXGCFtEjXcPRgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Gladius_logo-15_small.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"464\" data-original-width=\"1500\" height=\"122\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kjDQAQ1SvlQ\/XTH66FF57eI\/AAAAAAAAA7Y\/Jo2AdEkgD2QMRXaB3n4XxXGCFtEjXcPRgCLcBGAs\/s400\/Gladius_logo-15_small.png\" width=\"400\" \/\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;\"\u003EThe newest DLC for Gladius is out, and it brings the Chaos Space Marines to the fray. I haven't had enough time with the game yet to give a full review, but I wanted to share some gameplay if you wanted to see how they handle in the early turns.\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\/NDlkI-nXD3Y\" 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: 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\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\/2409933825161857185\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/07\/chaos-space-marines-dlc-for-wh40k.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2409933825161857185"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/2409933825161857185"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/07\/chaos-space-marines-dlc-for-wh40k.html","title":"Chaos Space Marines DLC for WH40K Gladius - 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$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-kjDQAQ1SvlQ\/XTH66FF57eI\/AAAAAAAAA7Y\/Jo2AdEkgD2QMRXaB3n4XxXGCFtEjXcPRgCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/Gladius_logo-15_small.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4437416196467752074.post-1999723719641728007"},"published":{"$t":"2019-06-17T05:36:00.001+01:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2019-06-17T22:32:23.445+01:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Ancients"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Byzantine Games"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Field of Glory II"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Matrix"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"review"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"Slitherine Games"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Field of Glory II - Wolves at the Gate DLC"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-H8WjR_iUdd8\/XQY39swtpZI\/AAAAAAAAA40\/PZTJsTeaPasvWWuwJxWaznH7bCU_ND-3gCLcBGAs\/s1600\/FoG2_Wolves-at-the-gate_logo-nostone.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"306\" data-original-width=\"1228\" height=\"158\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-H8WjR_iUdd8\/XQY39swtpZI\/AAAAAAAAA40\/PZTJsTeaPasvWWuwJxWaznH7bCU_ND-3gCLcBGAs\/s640\/FoG2_Wolves-at-the-gate_logo-nostone.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThe Vikings have landed on the shores of Field of Glory II from Byzantine Games and Slitherine. In this fifth DLC add-on for the tactical turn based ancient warfare sandbox, the timeline is extended much further into the future, all the way up to 1040 AD. The base game \"only\" covers 280 BC to 20 BC, for reference. You can\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2017\/10\/field-of-glory-ii-by-slitherine-and.html\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Eread our original review here.\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Since it's release, other DLC have covered the highs and lows of the Roman Empire (both East and West), with other packs focusing on the earlier powers of the Mediterranean and Middle East like the Greeks and Persians. This pack moves us firmly into the so-called\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dark_Ages_(historiography)\" target=\"_blank\"\u003E\"Dark Ages\"\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;of history, when the lack of a civilizing\u0026nbsp;influence from Rome led to barbarians and heathens running wild across Europe. As any history buff knows, this concept is rather\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003Epassé\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;these days, but it still makes for a pretty good theme for a wargame.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/-CplMYlE8qpY\/XQcL-WnZJjI\/AAAAAAAAA5M\/TZ5d-ODHeuwh9QhUaxJX0iE7K2Ij2lFBACLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.03%2B-%2B23.59.33.15.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-CplMYlE8qpY\/XQcL-WnZJjI\/AAAAAAAAA5M\/TZ5d-ODHeuwh9QhUaxJX0iE7K2Ij2lFBACLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.03%2B-%2B23.59.33.15.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"background-color: white;\"\u003EIf you're reading this, you probably have a pretty good idea of what Field of Glory II is like, so I'll get to exactly what's on the tin of this latest DLC. Wolves at the Gate expands FoG II by adding:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"content\" style=\"background-color: white; margin-bottom: 6px; padding: 10px 12px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cul style=\"margin: 5px 5px 10px 20px;\"\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E19 new factions\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E55 new units\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E76 new army lists\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E6 new Epic Battles\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E74 new Quick Battles\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EExpanded Custom Battles module.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EExpanded Sandbox Campaign module.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E6 new historically-based campaigns.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003ENew Allies feature added in accompanying game update.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/ul\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/-MweqFK7fa1U\/XQcLvER6BeI\/AAAAAAAAA5I\/onC6-IUu59A3s9x2OBUmB63js5wq-NTUQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.03%2B-%2B23.47.34.55.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-MweqFK7fa1U\/XQcLvER6BeI\/AAAAAAAAA5I\/onC6-IUu59A3s9x2OBUmB63js5wq-NTUQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.03%2B-%2B23.47.34.55.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EYou can get the full list of factions and armies\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/792\/details\/Field.of.Glory.II.Wolves.at.the.Gate\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Efrom the product page,\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;but I'll list off a few that might get your attention. The Vikings are most definitely here, and I played a few battles with them. Huscarls and Berserkers give them quite an offensive punch, though their other infantry are a bit rubbish. Also, don't expect too much cavalry support. Some of the battles I played in this era were purely melee infantry affairs, with not an archer or mounted warrior in sight. This was quite different from the last DLC I played, Age of Belisarius, which featured the exact opposite, with mounted archers dominating the battlefield. There are many other armies representing northern Europe on hand as well. The Franks, Anglo-Saxons, Lombards, Scots, Irish, British, Visigoths and more have all come to play. There is also plenty of new content here for the east, with the Byzantine and Arab rosters being filled out with multiple armies. Going even further east, some Indian factions are represented and featured in a full campaign. Here's the full list of new campaigns so you can see some of the major historical figures who fit into this era:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EArab Conquest\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EBasil II (Byzantine Resurgence)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003ECharlemagne\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EMahmud of Ghazni\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EWolves from the Sea 1(Viking Age from Viking point of view)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003Cli style=\"border-bottom: 0px;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EWolves from the Sea 2(Viking Age from enemy point of view)\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/li\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/-8Dro0gR0uo0\/XQcMDu0E9WI\/AAAAAAAAA5U\/gwBcICpexmo4c7VOYvo5XBpUwq8BXeWGQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.04%2B-%2B00.42.51.80.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-8Dro0gR0uo0\/XQcMDu0E9WI\/AAAAAAAAA5U\/gwBcICpexmo4c7VOYvo5XBpUwq8BXeWGQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.04%2B-%2B00.42.51.80.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EI tried a sampling of the campaigns and found them all to offer some different flavors of combat. If you have played any of the previous campaigns in Field of Glory II, these work the same way. You go from battle to battle with some small choices in between that change the scenarios a bit.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003EThere is also, as always, a sandbox campaign mode that plays similarly but lets you take your nation of choice and go up against a variety of historical enemies in randomly generated battles.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; 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\/-_LB19-CnK-Q\/XQcNdNHEdlI\/AAAAAAAAA5k\/X4V9KJCprgIQcgo7OgmbIaLX8A5yAuOFwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.09%2B-%2B18.13.02.95.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-_LB19-CnK-Q\/XQcNdNHEdlI\/AAAAAAAAA5k\/X4V9KJCprgIQcgo7OgmbIaLX8A5yAuOFwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.09%2B-%2B18.13.02.95.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EOne new feature that was patched into the game alongside this DLC is the \"Allies\" feature. This lets you mix in units of historical allies with a given army roster in custom battles. This means even more variety as you can spice up your favorite faction or army with some new units. If you like ancients warfare games, this is really a one stop shop. I can only assume, based on Field of Glory I, that there is plenty more DLC coming that will add more and more factions to the game. Just about any match-up you can imagine is either in the game already or will be before long.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #333333;\"\u003EI thought I'd end the review with a little recap of how the\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Battle_of_Clontarf\" target=\"_blank\"\u003EBattle of Clontarf\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #333333;\"\u003E\u0026nbsp;went for me. This is one of the epic battles included, and one that I had never heard of before. The battle featured a mix of Vikings and Irishmen fighting for control of the Emerald\u0026nbsp;Isle. It was an infantry only battle, which was actually tactically\u0026nbsp;interesting, as my standard strategies involving archers and cavalry were not options at all.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/-uGs3VxxqBC4\/XQcNkO9Ir7I\/AAAAAAAAA5o\/HRYQnJR1Smo1Dm_0j6Fy_5neOt6I79CigCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B22.37.40.88.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-uGs3VxxqBC4\/XQcNkO9Ir7I\/AAAAAAAAA5o\/HRYQnJR1Smo1Dm_0j6Fy_5neOt6I79CigCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B22.37.40.88.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe battle lines are drawn up. A roughly equal number of infantry on each side are facing off across mostly flat ground. I'll need to look for any advantage that could give me some leverage.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/--9AtiXSaT-g\/XQcN0Md7JsI\/AAAAAAAAA5w\/dio1whm0_fgiXsByAqaPXJAAKUBdqNtJQCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B22.38.40.20.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/--9AtiXSaT-g\/XQcN0Md7JsI\/AAAAAAAAA5w\/dio1whm0_fgiXsByAqaPXJAAKUBdqNtJQCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B22.38.40.20.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EI'm commanding the forces of Brian Boru, the man credited with breaking the hold of the Vikings over Ireland by decisively\u0026nbsp;winning this battle. Hopefully I can match up to my historical counter-part!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/-zKp0z6q9-bw\/XQcPDbSByqI\/AAAAAAAAA6I\/zEZdGeY_TcQG3-HVS-RG3xinXkkjEXSlgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B22.48.58.58.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-zKp0z6q9-bw\/XQcPDbSByqI\/AAAAAAAAA6I\/zEZdGeY_TcQG3-HVS-RG3xinXkkjEXSlgCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B22.48.58.58.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe fighting begins, but both sides have a large reserve of infantry not yet committed\u0026nbsp;to the line. I try to position my men to take advantage of a couple of dips in the terrain. Units fighting uphill will always have a harder time of it.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/-IBcXX6YDmH4\/XQcPNsrMtVI\/AAAAAAAAA6M\/4-Zc08ZHNE4kWqOAcz5UFShZvw3w5XRFwCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B23.02.47.93.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-IBcXX6YDmH4\/XQcPNsrMtVI\/AAAAAAAAA6M\/4-Zc08ZHNE4kWqOAcz5UFShZvw3w5XRFwCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B23.02.47.93.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003ENow the fighting is raging in earnest, units begin to waver and break all down the line. On my left flank I see an opportunity. A morale check cascade causes multiple enemy units to waver, and I have several strong infantry units on the far edge of the line. If I can hit the enemy just a couple more times they should go from bending to breaking.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\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\/-lze1nR-MWRU\/XQcPTDNl5_I\/AAAAAAAAA6Q\/tZyHBLd61FgNJlNLQpAiU9O-BCEHaOCqgCLcBGAs\/s1600\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B23.06.09.74.png\" imageanchor=\"1\" style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: black; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cimg border=\"0\" data-original-height=\"670\" data-original-width=\"1600\" height=\"268\" src=\"https:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-lze1nR-MWRU\/XQcPTDNl5_I\/AAAAAAAAA6Q\/tZyHBLd61FgNJlNLQpAiU9O-BCEHaOCqgCLcBGAs\/s640\/Field%2BOf%2BGlory%2BIi%2BScreenshot%2B2019.06.13%2B-%2B23.06.09.74.png\" width=\"640\" \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cspan style=\"color: #333333; font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003ESuccess! The enemy's right flank flees the field and my strongest units are positioned to roll up the line. Although my center and right flank wavers off-camera, my forces manage to hold. Catching the entire enemy line in the flank as I'm about to do above is essentially game over. With no strong enemy reserve on hand to blunt my advance, my forces hack their way down the line, routing the enemy units one after another. The Vikings are driven from Ireland!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EField of Glory II continues to entertain me even after a couple of years of playing off and on. I really \u003Ci\u003Ewanted\u003C\/i\u003E\u0026nbsp;to enjoy the fist game in the series, but could never quite get into it. The sequel however gets me hooked every time I fire it up. I always want to take just one more turn, and see if this time I can finally crack the enemy line, or find out whether my flank can hold long enough for my overall strategy to come together. Wolves at the Gate doesn't fundamentally change anything about the game, but it does offer a new series of campaigns and scenarios to play around with. This game really is a massive sandbox, and more toys always makes the sandbox more fun!\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003EThe DLC can be purchased\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\"http:\/\/www.matrixgames.com\/products\/792\/details\/Field.of.Glory.II.Wolves.at.the.Gate\" target=\"_blank\"\u003Edirectly from Slitherine\/Matrix\u003C\/a\u003E. It's also available on Steam and GoG.com.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit; font-size: large;\"\u003E- Joe Beard\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cspan style=\"font-family: inherit;\"\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cdiv style=\"font-size: 12px;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Ch3 style=\"background-color: #145095; border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 10px;\"\u003E\n\u003C\/h3\u003E\n"},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/feeds\/1999723719641728007\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/06\/field-of-glory-ii-wolves-at-gate-dlc.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1999723719641728007"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4437416196467752074\/posts\/default\/1999723719641728007"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"https:\/\/www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk\/2019\/06\/field-of-glory-ii-wolves-at-gate-dlc.html","title":"Field of Glory II - Wolves at the Gate 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:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/-H8WjR_iUdd8\/XQY39swtpZI\/AAAAAAAAA40\/PZTJsTeaPasvWWuwJxWaznH7bCU_ND-3gCLcBGAs\/s72-c\/FoG2_Wolves-at-the-gate_logo-nostone.png","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"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"}}]}});