What boardgames have you played recently?

TopT

Elder Member
Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
2,603
Reaction score
1,398
Location
PA
Country
llUnited States
Windows Steel Panthers WW2 by Shrapnel Games or WinSPWW2 (mostly just call it SPWW2).

Best tactical ASL like wargame out there for the PC.
Thank you. I might actually have to buy this game.
 

holdit

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2006
Messages
414
Reaction score
568
Location
Ireland
Country
llIreland
Better than the Combat Mission series from Battlefront?! Maybe I need to take a gander...
You can't really compare the two. Steel Panthers has a similar range of timeframe, locations and functionality to ASL, and is topdown-only, UGOIGO and hex-based. Combat Mission is limited in timeframe (Sicily/Italy, Normandy, Market Garden, Bulge, Operation Bagration), and is 3D. Apart from Combat Mission being a more visceral experience, it allows the player to more closely match game tactics with historical tactics because there is less design-for-effect involved.

I could never get into Steel Panthers, even though it ticked a lot of boxes for me. With Combat Mission and ASL, my WW2 tactical needs are now satisfied.
 

dlazov

Elder Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
7,991
Reaction score
1,377
Location
Toledo, Ohio
First name
Don
Country
llUnited States
Thank you. I might actually have to buy this game.
It has been one of the best $39 purchase I have made. It's on sale I think for 5 or 10 off over at their site.

Here is the thing about the purchased version, it has much more features than the free version, email me on how to set it up in full screen in Windows 7 or 10 (or Linux, yes it can run in Linux) the SP Camo guys update it every year with patches, bug fixes more scenario and updates and what not (I'll have some of my conversion in hopefully for the 2019 patch). The SP Camo (Don & Andy) have been updating it since 1999, its the only Steel Panthers version that is still updated, upgraded, enhanced and actively developed. In my opinion it out classes the original 1995 version and Matix's version.
 

dlazov

Elder Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
7,991
Reaction score
1,377
Location
Toledo, Ohio
First name
Don
Country
llUnited States
Better than the Combat Mission series from Battlefront?! Maybe I need to take a gander...
I do believe so. I tried CM a couple of times and its not my cup of tea. That game is more or less like Doom for WW2 folks. I am not into seeing the squads and tanks in 3D. I am more into playing a game like ASL or SPWW2 view (top down looking at a bunch of heads of squads and a top view of tanks, much like ASL).
 

Jacometti

Elder Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2008
Messages
3,913
Reaction score
1,898
Location
Halifax, NS
Country
llCanada
Over the last three weeks I have been playing Magic The Gathering with my wife and two sons.

We have had an absolute blast with it......the youngest is 6 years old but able to memorise just about all the cards with their special abilities (he is only starting to read).

Very enjoyable!
 

djohannsen

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
762
Reaction score
620
Location
Within 800 meters.
Country
llUnited States
That game is more or less like Doom for WW2 folks.
I would have said that Combat Mission is VERY much a computer implementation of ASL (though with 3D graphics). I believe (going way back here to the first versions of Combat Mission) that I read that a computer implementation of ASL was the original design intent. The player issues orders to individual squads and fairly accurately modeled vehicles and then one minute of game time plays out (very much mimicking the defensive fire mechanism of ASL). Whether it is one's cup of tea or not, Combat Mission is most certainly not a mindless "shooter" game (like Doom).
 
Last edited:

Paul M. Weir

Forum Guru
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
8,706
Reaction score
3,732
Location
Dublin
First name
Paul
Country
llIreland
Though it's been a decade or more since I played SP, I regarded it as the best of the computer tactical WW2 wargames. There have been many other games in WW2 settings like the raft of First Person Shooter games and the like. Another old game that I played moderately frequently until last year (I have yet not tried to put it up on my new laptop) was Fighting Steel, an early WW2 naval simulator. While both SP and FS have dreadful graphics by today's standard, they did have a real feel of simulating combat.

What appear to be the two most popular games right now are World Of Warships and Tanks. I found playing traditional wargames totally killed any interest in WoT due to the lack of infantry, towed guns and air power. I might eventually succumb to WoWs simply because of the fantastic ship rendering, simply beautiful. WoWs has degenerated into what I call "Islandbush" after the standard PanzerBlitz's "Panzerbush" tactic of staying in cover and firing with little risk. Fine for land battles, but for sea battles ... WTF?

Both are a bit like D&D with healing and skill spells, but WoWs aesthetics might win eventually claim another victim player.

I mentioned Fighting Steel, now well aged, but still had many subtle realism aspects. One thing not mentioned in the manual is that if your ship was on fire, a good tactic was to steam with the wind direction and speed and that increased the chances of and reduced the time for extinguishing the blaze. In addition, unlike WoW damage can permanently reduce your speed, number of guns and their accuracy. If you have taken on water you slow down and as some of the water is pumped off your speed can increase.
 

dlazov

Elder Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Messages
7,991
Reaction score
1,377
Location
Toledo, Ohio
First name
Don
Country
llUnited States
I would still say that SPWW2 is much more of an implementation of ASL then CM.

Of course opinions would vary on this.

My rendition of Paw of the Tiger (Scenario F):


My rendition of Trial By Combat (Scenario U10):
 

djohannsen

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
762
Reaction score
620
Location
Within 800 meters.
Country
llUnited States
I found playing traditional wargames totally killed any interest in WoT due to the lack of infantry, towed guns and air power.
The lack of any realism in the modeling of most tanks would probably kill any enjoyment for you. I LOVE WoT, but only because it is a "tactically rich" game and I can suspend any notion of reality while playing. If you are bothered by the lack of felicity in the characteristics of any given tank, it would make you crazy.
 

djohannsen

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
762
Reaction score
620
Location
Within 800 meters.
Country
llUnited States
I would still say that SPWW2 is much more of an implementation of ASL then CM.
I didn't mean to state any opinion on this question, as I've never played SPWW2. I just wanted to get a more accurate assessment of Combat Mission on the record - except for the 3D perspective and the fact that all your forces simultaneously execute their orders, it's very ASL-like.
 

Paul M. Weir

Forum Guru
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
Messages
8,706
Reaction score
3,732
Location
Dublin
First name
Paul
Country
llIreland
The lack of any realism in the modeling of most tanks would probably kill any enjoyment for you. I LOVE WoT, but only because it is a "tactically rich" game and I can suspend any notion of reality while playing. If you are bothered by the lack of felicity in the characteristics of any given tank, it would make you crazy.
I don't know how good the tank attributes are modelled in WoT, my guess would have been quite good or even excellent, it's just I am so used to and wedded to combined arms, the lack of same is what kills it for me. It's not like ASL doesn't in some cases have weakness in armour factor fidelity. My interest in and knowledge of naval combat is much shallower so WoWs would not have the same "turn off" factor. Both are quite beautiful games and I guess quite addictive, I could not fault them in that regard.

Anyway enjoy what you enjoy!
 

djohannsen

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
762
Reaction score
620
Location
Within 800 meters.
Country
llUnited States
my guess would have been quite good or even excellent
It's definitely a game and NOT a simulation. That being said, every tank in the game plays differently and requires different tactics in order to be successful.
So, I enjoy it as a tactically rich and visually stunning and immersive game, but a simulation it is most definitely not.
 

Proff3RTR

Elder Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2014
Messages
4,270
Reaction score
597
Location
Cornwall
Country
llUnited Kingdom
If you want a good Tank simulation with some combined arms elements then you want a PC game called T-34 Versus Tiger, made by the same Russian company that made a very good Simulation of the Kharkov offensive during early 42 from both sides (annoying as I forget the name and I had both games). Both are very good in simulating Tank combat, and the Tiger is a beast!
 

Attachments

TomK

Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2017
Messages
88
Reaction score
141
Country
llUnited States
About a month ago I played Marengo from the Napoleon at War Quad by SPI.
 

Yuri0352

Elder Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2014
Messages
2,115
Reaction score
1,200
Location
25-30 Hexes
Country
llUnited States
Today we played the first battle scenario of Coral Sea, which is the 'introductory ' module of Avalanche Press ' second world war at sea series. I was the U.S. Navy player, and I was rather soundly defeated in this cruiser/destroyer night battle (the Long Lance torpedoes were devastating!). As we became familiar with the rules, I've really been enjoying this game and it's mechanics. I am very much looking forward to the next scenario which is a night surface attack upon a Japanese convoy.

My first impression is that I have finally found a decent WWII naval game. Amazing how the absence of a chapter B really reduces the level of complexity. :)
 

djohannsen

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2017
Messages
762
Reaction score
620
Location
Within 800 meters.
Country
llUnited States
Anyone play titles from the GBACW series? My brother-in-law is coming down tomorrow and we may try something from Twin Peaks (I'm trying to quickly cram enough of the mechanics into my head that I'll be able sit down to this and muddle through, with considerable help).
 
Top