Wargame of the Year 2008 - the election thread
eddys...@hotmail.com
Yup, it's that time of the year again and there's again a Grand Prize
for you to win : AGEod has graciously offered a copy of one of their
games to one lucky participant. And to make it absolutely clear :
voting for their games will *not* increase your chances of winning it
(*).
The Rules :
1) 1 (wo)man, 1 post - all votes in the open, no emails.
2) The game must have been published in 2008 or late 2007 – in other
words : if you think a game published late in 2007 didn’t get a fair
chance last year, feel free to add it.
3) Post your 1st, 2nd and 3rd place choices - 1st place gets 5 points,
2nd gets 3 points, 3rd gets 1 point.
4) Votes must be in before midnight (GMT) January 15th, 2009
5) In case of a tie, the award is shared.
6) People who for various reasons don't want to post an open vote can
send me a mail - these votes will *not* be counted for the purpose of
this election, but I'll post a separate result if the number of
entrants is significant.
7) I've temporarily unplonked a couple of posters so that I see their
vote as well.
This is what's at stake for the developers - again created by Daniel
Lamb :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25663989@N07/3118676906/
To refresh your memory on what games got published this year :
Montjoie
Early American Wars : Mexican-American War
American Civil War : Antietam
Ancient Warfare : Gallic Wars
Squad Battles - Winter War
Origins of World War 2
Panzer Command : Kharkov
Clash of Steel II
Strategic Command 2 - Patton Drives East
HexKit
XIII Century
Gary Grigsby's War Between the States
Birth of America 2 - Wars in America
Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets
World War 2 - Road to Victory
Combat Mission : Shock Force - Marines Module
Commander : Napoleon at War
Ironclads : American Civil War
Close Combat : Wacht am Rhein
Squad Battles : The Spanish Civil War
Modern Air Power: Air War Over the Mideast
World War One : La Grande Guerre 14-18
World War II - General Commander - Operation : Watch on the Rhein
Strategic Command WWII - Pacific Theater
War Plan Pacific
Distant Guns : Jutland
If you think I missed one (or several) feel free to add them - this is
not a list of nominees.
My vote :
As always I'm putting fun before technical merit - but that's just me.
1st place : War Plan Pacific - no doubt the most fun I had (and
having) with a wargame this year.
2nd place : Panzer Command : Kharkov - got an hour to kill and like
Russian tanks blowing up in 3D ? - this is your game
3rd place : Gary Grigsby's War Between the States - imho technically
the best wargame produced this year - complex, but not a monster.
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
(*) This is how the winner of the AGEod game will be decided :
1) Every entry/voter is given a random number by me
2) When the election is over I zip this list, password protect it and
send it to Mr. Beretta and everyone else asking for it - without the
password.
3) I'll ask Mr. Giftzwerg to pick and post a number between 1 and ...
4) I release the password so Mr. Beretta and everyone else can check
who won the game.
Briarroot
That may mean that I don't have a good idea what the competition was
actually offering, but after all, buying a game is a form of voting too!
;-)
Close Combat: Wacht Am Rhein
Despite the many flaws of the underlying code which (I'm guessing) is
far too complex to fix, both this game and the earlier Cross of Iron are
great games. Yes, I often end up shouting at my monitor in anger and
grinding my teeth in utter frustration at the brain-dead and cheating
AI, and yes there's a bug somewhere in the code that has thus far
prevented me from finishing a strategic campaign, but the game itself
scratches an itch that I've had since I was a teenager re-enacting
famous battles with miniatures on table-tops.
There just isn't any competition in this niche. Steel Panthers had
something of the same sort of feel but that was turn-based. The
original Combat Mission games showed promise but were ruined by their
inflexible timing. The Close Combat games are/were a wonderful concept
poorly executed - and *damn* I wish somebody would rewrite the game
engine from scratch!
--
"Man will always be Man. We tried so hard to create a society that was
equal, where there'd be nothing to envy your neighbor. But there's
always something to envy: a smile; a friendship; something you don't
have and want to appropriate. In this world, even a Soviet one, there
will always be rich and poor; rich in gifts - poor in gifts, rich in
love - poor in love." - Comrade Commissar Danilov in "Enemy at the Gates"
BasKa
perfect for a quick wargaming snack ;-) In case of a diner, I can take
three or four of these 'snacks' and have an hours fun!
2. War Plan Pacific;
3. Mount and Blade (like to add this one, war in horseback is fun!).
Bas
Vincenzo Beretta
1 - Birth of America 2 - Wars in America (5 points)
Yes, it's a remake/expansion, but it gave me more pleasure-for-euro than any
other title I bought. This game made me buy books about the wars covered by
the system (I delved for the first time into what the "War of 1812" was
about and how it was fought, finally), and it is overall my wargame of
choice for 2008.
2 - Panzer Command : Kharkov (3 points)
It was the compatibility with the earlier "Winter Storm" that made it.
Simpler than CM:BB, a little more "grand tactic" in its portrayal of the
battlefield, and with good graphics. The PC series is no substitute for an
improved CM, in my book, but it betters anything done by Battlefront after
CM:AK
3 - War Plan Pacific
I played only the demo, for now, but it was enough to have a blast. I'll buy
it in the New Year along with SAS WWII
* * *
NOTES/COMMENTARY
Let's look at my *real* 2008 wargames, shall we?
JT Campaign Series: I started again to play MP with some friends, and I just
love the cleaness of the system and how it allows you co concentrate on
grand-tactical maneuvering while not losing the "flavour" of technical
capabilities of the single units (overmaneuvering German PkwIIIs in the snow
with your T-34s in this game is still, for some reason, more a blast than in
other systems).
Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin: Still above and beyond... you know
what :o)
Hearts of Iron 2 + mods and expansions: Every time I read a book about WWII
from a strategic/economical point of view I fire up this game.
Brigade Combat Team: Old, but clean and to the point. While I love both
TacOps and AATF (and the backward compatibility of the latter), in 2008 it
was BTC that gave me my fix of "Red Storm Rising".
Harpoon Classic Admiral Edition: A shining example about how Harpoon *can*
be coded and maintained (guys, when will you give us MP?). ANW would be the
perfect complement. Amen to that.
The Complete Carriers at War: Yes, the SSG's production from the '90s,
bought last year via NWS. Still the best game on the matter, and way above
the remake.
Highway to the Reich: A classic that never left my HD.
So, except for BoA2, my 2008 was made by old titles. Also, when a *demo*
beats every other title on the map for the third position, you understand
how meager was the year we just left. 2009, however, does seem full of
promises. I'll start with SES WWII.
Vincenzo Beretta
3 - War Plan Pacific (1 point, of course)
Giftzwerg
@r37g2000prr.googlegroups.com>, eddys...@hotmail.com says...
> Yup, it's that time of the year again and there's again a Grand Prize
> for you to win : AGEod has graciously offered a copy of one of their
> games to one lucky participant. And to make it absolutely clear :
> voting for their games will *not* increase your chances of winning it
> (*).
1st Place: PANZER COMMAND: KHARKOV
Easily the best wargame this year. Solid, polished, great editor.
2nd Place: WORLD WAR 2: ROAD TO VICTORY
Played the hell outta this one. If it had featured the painfully
obvious 1942, 1943, and 1944 scenarios that should have been present, it
would have been #1.
3rd Place: HEXKIT
Fun little game. Played it a lot and it deserves a vote.
--
Giftzwerg
***
"Taliban militants are beheading and burning their way through
Pakistan's picturesque Swat Valley, and residents say the insurgents now
control most of the mountainous region outside the lawless tribal areas
where jihadists thrive."
- Associated Press
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
- Giftzwerg
Greg
more for it's obvious potential than it's current state.......but when they
fully patch it up, the definitive WWI strategy game.
JUTLAND
my bias is obvious. despite the completely repulsive copy protection,
there's a good game in there.
<eddys...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1bab4c6d-45f1-4841...@r37g2000prr.googlegroups.com...
Henius
Another "thin" entry:
1st place: Panzer Command : Kharkov. The only "true" wargame I bought
this year. A solid entry, even if it STILL hasn't got that special
feel. And I grew really tired of the german voices... The AI is
improving, though. Get it right next time!
2nd place: Armored Brigade, if that qualifies. There certainly was a
lot of updates, and it is interesting to follow Veitikka developing
this. But RELEASED in 2008?
3rd place: Mount and Blade, got it to Xmas and it is fun
Hmmm, I can feel my wargaming interest slowly fading these days. I
guess I'm not up to reading all those detailed rulebooks any more. It
is much easier to jump in a FPS and blast away - I played STALKER a
lot. And Fallout.
-Henius
von Schmidt
not arrived yet),
2. ...
3. ....
It has been a crappy year for wargames. Especially compared to
mainstream genres, where some real classics have come out (King's
Bounty, Mount&Blade, Fallout 3, Far cry 2, EU3 In Nomine, Civ4 Fall
from Heaven 2 (Total conversion mod which turns it into a sort of
MoM2)).
Or maybe my wargaming expectations were simply set too high by the
previous few years.
-von Schmidt
Miowarra Tomokatu (aka Tomo)
>Yup, it's that time of the year again
Goodness gracious, didn't THAT come as a surprise!!!
I only bought the one new release game this year and I started a
couple of scenarios which had to be discontinued as I installed each
of the two patches so far released.
At the moment, (August 1943 game time) playing as German against all
AI players enhanced with +50% PPs (Easy) I have:
+crushed and completely conquered the USSR, (I've never played
EastFront games before)
+left the Med to the Italians (who have been comprehensively chased
out of North Africa) didn't go near Yugoslavia or Greece- too busy and
the PPs weren't worth the effort,
+built the Kriegsmarine up to a mighty force now rivalling the
combined RN&USN surface fleets
+defeated an English amphibious invasion of Denmark
+held an Allied invasion of Norway to a line south of Narvik
and am conducting a successful strategic bombing campaign against the
UK.
Now waiting on an Allied invasion of France BUT!!! I have the Vichy
regime poised politically to join the Axis, probably within six more
months and R&D on Tanks & Artillery is well advanced.
However, most of my gaming time is being spent in TW: Mediaeval II
(one of the games I'm catching up with after buying a new machine at
the beginning of the year) and I have yet to finish TW: Rome, too. But
they're OLD games, aren't they.
So my vote is for WWII:RTV
Most enjoyable.
rus4...@hotmail.com
wrote:
1. Panzer Command Kharkov
2. Gary Grigsby War Between the States
3. War Plan Pacific
As others have stated, this was not a banner-year for wargames.
Bartow W. Riggs
1) Montjoie
2) Birth of America 2
3) War Plan Pacific
Rob P
"Giftzwerg" <giftzw...@NOSPAMZ.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.23c6a4339...@news-east.giganews.com...
> In article <1bab4c6d-45f1-4841-8127-dfd89f24dc75
> @r37g2000prr.googlegroups.com>, eddys...@hotmail.com says...
>
>> Yup, it's that time of the year again and there's again a Grand Prize
>> for you to win : AGEod has graciously offered a copy of one of their
>> games to one lucky participant. And to make it absolutely clear :
>> voting for their games will *not* increase your chances of winning it
>> (*).
>
Looks like I didn't buy that many current wargames last year. Here are my
votes:
1. CM Shock Force 1.11 - I know this game got released a while back, but the
new patch really does make this game play like a dream. I've been playing
this one solidly between my coding!
2. Panzer Command Karkov - A great game, though the series took me a little
while to get into due to my CM bias. This is a good game, only limited by
the provided maps.
3. Armored Brigade - Someone else mentioned this one. I have the v495
version released last year and it is my first contact with this game. It is
awesome! Everything works so well and is easy to use. All it lacks are a
scenario editor and an OOB editor. The former is very important as one can
only play random battles at the moment which seems a bit of a waste of the
system.
Looking forward to many games next year, most to be released by Matrix. Here
is hoping that they see the light of day next year!
RobP
ERutins
> It has been a crappy year for wargames. Especially compared to
> mainstream genres, where some real classics have come out
Out of curiosity, how many of the wargames on the list did you
actually play?
eddys...@hotmail.com
>
> 1. CM Shock Force 1.11 - I know this game got released a while back,
Well, that's the problem really - the "patch x.xx got released *this*
year, and now the game rocks" is not good enough to make it a 2008
release. Sorry, but they had their shot for WOTY in 2007.
> 3. Armored Brigade
Although I agree that it's pretty awesome, this game is still in beta
and is not officially released yet. I can imagine it being a very
strong candidate for next year's election though.
So, what do I do now ? Give Panzer Command : Kharkov 3 points, or do
you want to restate your vote ?
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
eddys...@hotmail.com
> Another "thin" entry:
>
> 1st place: Panzer Command : Kharkov. The only "true" wargame I bought
> this year. A solid entry, even if it STILL hasn't got that special
> feel. And I grew really tired of the german voices... The AI is
> improving, though. Get it right next time!
>
No - see reply to Rob P.
> 3rd place: Mount and Blade, got it to Xmas and it is fun
Added to the list
Want to restate your vote or do I go with
Panzer Command : 5 points
Mount and Blade : 1 point ?
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
Laryngoscope
"Rob P" <roberta...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:DJd7l.104405$cx7....@newsfe21.ams2...
> 2. Panzer Command Karkov - A great game, though the series took me a
> little while to get into due to my CM bias. This is a good game, only
> limited by the provided maps.
A pretty advanced map maker for PCK is on the way
See http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1993243
It is still in beta but hopefully will be included in the upcoming patch for
PCK.
A comprehensive walk through of what a very old build could do
See http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=1893360
L
The DA
Ambition? Assuming they're eligible, 3 points to EU3:IN. I have trouble
against the AI never mind real hoomans.
2 points to War Plan Pacific. Only the demo so far but I'm saving my
pennies. At first glance, everything seems so random (they need to fix the
Allied AI) but, the more I play, the more I slip back to memories of the 80s
and Avalon Hill's VITP. Using that mindset again, eveything starts to fall
into place.
And 1 to ... Hmm, haven't bought much recently. Daughter plays Mount &
Blade but can't say I'm impressed. Looking forward to a few this year
(BftB, Lock'n Load, Supremacy at Sea).
So, no one gets the 1 point.
eddys...@hotmail.com
> Eddie, what about the 2 expansion packs for EU3, In Nomine and Napoleon's
> Ambition? Assuming they're eligible,
Released in 2008, so they are eligible.
It's 5 - 3 - 1 points so I'll note you down for
EU3-IN : 5 points
WPP : 3 points
Ok ?
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
eddys...@hotmail.com
Out of curiosity, care to post an open vote this year ? :) (*)
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
(*) I know, I know - you'd love to, but given developers and their ego
it would be a Bad Move (tm)
M. Ziegler
1) WPP
2) World War One
3) Jutland (without DRM)
I didnt buy wargames last year, I only tried a few demos. And I will not
buy re releases like CAW. Im waiting for WWII-SAS (as digital download
if possible).
Last month Officers was released in Europe, but its more a RTS than a
wargame. I tried the demo and didnt like it, its a mouse clickfest.
Michael
eddys...@hotmail.com
> Im waiting for WWII-SAS (as digital download
> if possible).
It's out now - got the shipping confirmation mail this morning. Looks
like 2009 has taken a flying start.
As to digital download : +1 here - S&H, Customs and Burn installer to
CD are pretty high on the list of things I don't like paying for.
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
von Schmidt
wrote:
I just received WPP. I guess customs needed some time to slap on £2.97
VAT and to charge me £8 for the privilege of "international handling".
Which is as much as the S&H to get the fecking envelope from the US
all the way to the UK customs office in the first place.
I like having physical media, but not quite enought to pay double the
base sale price.
On the plus side, now I can finally start playing the wargame I
already voted as W-GOTY!
Regards,
-von Schmidt
Rob P
<eddys...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:67a47b55-b69c-4039...@40g2000prx.googlegroups.com...
From me it will have to be Panzer Command: Karkov 3 points! With no second
or third.
Though saying that CM Shock force did have the 'Marines' module released
last year.... does this count?
2008 was a weird year for me in that I spent most of my time playing older
wargames and not buying many new ones. I think this will change in 2009 as
there are a number of wargames due for release which I have been keeping my
eye on!
RobP
von Schmidt
Erik,
I've played a bunch of demos and some preceding titles in series, but
actually do not own any of the actual titles (bar WPP). Bit surprised
myself - I had to check the list twice to make sure!
This year has (for me) been mediocre in the offerings rather than
disappointing in actual buys; for example, I did not feel much like
buying yet another HPS AI-less game or Matrix or freeware remake of
an older game I've played to death already.
And some of the other titles got pretty bad write-ups in reviews or
usenet posts (eg XIII Century, NapoleonAW).
I suspect that I might have pulled the trigger on some of the games if
I had not been caught up in some very good mainstream timesinks (ie
FO3 and King's bounty).
To summarise:
Montjoie -> more a Euro-boardgame than a historical wargame.
Early American Wars : Mexican-American War -> annoyed by the HPS/
Tiller system
American Civil War : Antietam -> annoyed by the HPS/Tiller system
Ancient Warfare : Gallic Wars -> maybe...but so ugly...and HPS/Tiller-
based
Squad Battles - Winter War -> annoyed by the HPS/Tiller system
Origins of World War 2 ->????
Panzer Command : Kharkov -> game system does not appeal
Clash of Steel II -> fooled around with this, but already played
original to death
Strategic Command 2 - Patton Drives East -> gimme hexes and I'll give
you cash
HexKit ->?????
XIII Century -> -> poor reviews
Gary Grigsby's War Between the States -> maybe...but already have a
few ACW.
Birth of America 2 - Wars in America -> after BOA1, Nap and ACW I do
not really need a BOA2
Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets -> gimme scenarios and I'll give you
cash (1)
World War 2 - Road to Victory -> maybe...if some scens get added or
the price drops
Combat Mission : Shock Force - Marines Module -> poor reviews
Commander : Napoleon at War -> poor reviews
Ironclads : American Civil War -> poor reviews
Close Combat : Wacht am Rhein -> this looks awfully familiar
Squad Battles : The Spanish Civil War -> annoyed by the HPS/Tiller
system
Modern Air Power: Air War Over the Mideast -> annoyed by the HPS/
Tiller system
World War One : La Grande Guerre 14-18 -> this itch has been scratched
(also: not done by AgeOD)
World War II - General Commander - Operation : Watch on the Rhein ->->
poor reviews
Strategic Command WWII - Pacific Theater -> gimme hexes and I'll give
you cash
War Plan Pacific -> WARGAME OF THE YEAR (rather by default)
Distant Guns : Jutland -> uninterested in subject matter. Enjoyed the
DRM debacle, though.
(1). Kharkov - DOTD has the distinction of being the first Matrix-
published SSG game I've skipped. I prefer quality to quantity, but not
to the tune of coughing up full price for 4 (Battlefront) or 1
(Kharkov) scenarios.
Regards,
-von Schmidt
eddys...@hotmail.com
> <eddyster...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:67a47b55-b69c-4039...@40g2000prx.googlegroups.com...
>
>
> > On 2 jan, 02:03, "Rob P" <robertapoll...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >> 1. CM Shock Force 1.11 - I know this game got released a while back,
>
> > Well, that's the problem really - the "patch x.xx got released *this*
> > year, and now the game rocks" is not good enough to make it a 2008
> > release. Sorry, but they had their shot for WOTY in 2007.
>
> >> 3. Armored Brigade
>
> > Although I agree that it's pretty awesome, this game is still in beta
> > and is not officially released yet. I can imagine it being a very
> > strong candidate for next year's election though.
>
> > So, what do I do now ? Give Panzer Command : Kharkov 3 points, or do
> > you want to restate your vote ?
>
> From me it will have to be Panzer Command: Karkov 3 points! With no second
> or third.
Now I'm even more confused :)
1st place = 5 points
2nd place = 3 points
3rd place = 1 point
> Though saying that CM Shock force did have the 'Marines' module released
> last year.... does this count?
Yes - it's on my proposed list as well.
So, you want to vote for that one too ?
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
Giftzwerg
@z27g2000prd.googlegroups.com>, eddys...@hotmail.com says...
> > Though saying that CM Shock force did have the 'Marines' module released
> > last year.... does this count?
>
> Yes - it's on my proposed list as well.
Heck, if we disallowed scenario-paks, John Tiller would have last been
eligible in 1998.
Giftzwerg
41g2000yqf.googlegroups.com>, er...@matrixgames.com says...
<raises hand>
I actually played twelve of these, if you count demos. I *regularly*
played four or five of them.
So I'm kinda in Vinnie B's camp; wargaming-wise, 2008 didn't stack up
well against other years, evidenced by the fact that the lion's share of
my gaming time was spent with previously-released wargames and non-
wargames.
[Shit, I bet I spent as much time playing FALLOUT3 as I did playing all
the 2008 wargames *combined* - just since F3's release date *two months
ago*! And there wasn't a single 2008 wargame that had me hustling home
to get in some extra playing time the way FALLOUT3 did.]
Another crushing disappointment is that zero of the three highly-
anticipated games on my "must buy" list - BATTLES FROM THE BULGE, HEROES
OF STALINGRAD, and NAVIES AT WAR - actually appeared in 2008. It's like
*really* annoying to see piles of shitty scenario-paks (like another
SQUAD BATTLES title...) or DRM-infected, Nazi-eLicensed crap (like
JUTLAND...) roooooolling out of the publishers while all the good stuff
languishes.
Here's hoping I can get *one* of the games I'm waiting for this year.
Sheeeeeesh.
Rob P
<eddys...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ee579922-7ab1-4e03...@z27g2000prd.googlegroups.com...
> On 2 jan, 12:31, "Rob P" <robertapoll...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> <eddyster...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>
>
> Now I'm even more confused :)
>
> 1st place = 5 points
> 2nd place = 3 points
> 3rd place = 1 point
>
>> Though saying that CM Shock force did have the 'Marines' module released
>> last year.... does this count?
>
> Yes - it's on my proposed list as well.
>
> So, you want to vote for that one too ?
>
Lol - Okies I got a handle on this now - must read top post next time...
1 - CM Shock Force Marines - 5pts
2 - Panzer Command Kharkov - 3pts
Can't give a third place as I haven't played any other new wargames!
RobP
eddys...@hotmail.com
> So I'm kinda in Vinnie B's camp; wargaming-wise, 2008 didn't stack up
> well against other years
I think pretty much everyone agrees on this - there were some good
games released in 2008, but they were few and far between.
The contrast is perhaps so big because the previous two years gave us
a lot of games which were well above average
From 2006 :
Conquest of the Aegean
Birth of America
TOAW III
Take Command : Second Manassas
Air Assault Task Force
World at War : A World Divided
...
From 2007 :
AGEod's American Civil War
Advanced Tactics
Carriers at War
Forge of Freedom
Commander : Europe at War
Guns of August
...
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
Henius
> Want to restate your vote or do I go with
>
> Panzer Command : 5 points
> Mount and Blade : 1 point ?
>
> Greetz,
>
> Eddy Sterckx
That is ok, as I get the opportunity to grumble over the referee.
Surely not the best year in wargaming. Perhaps we were spoiled?
-Henius
Vincenzo Beretta
> the 2008 wargames *combined* - just since F3's release date *two months
> ago*! And there wasn't a single 2008 wargame that had me hustling home
> to get in some extra playing time the way FALLOUT3 did.]
FO3 was game of the year for me, too. And, looking back at 2008, the games I
fondly remember are often in the "Did I *really* played *this*?" genre:
Dead Space: I could write a paper about all the problems the game has (only
a couple good ideas, repetitive gameplay, Resident Evil Clone, idiotic
camera angles, more...) and still I enjoyed the hell out of it.
Tomb Raider Underworld: Tried it on console thanks to a friend, bought it
for the PC the same afternoon. I liked commanding Lara around so much that
for the New Year I bought both Anniversary and Legends from the bargage bin.
Sue me.
(Actually, I liked the interesting plot and the fact that most of the game
makes you look around and *think*, instead of either blazing away or being
forced to hammer buttons in a spastic fit. Also, it is not a rythmin' game
masked as a 3D platform the way Prince of Persia has sadly become)
Dominions 3: OK, of course I'm not surprised that I played this ^_^ But
every single game is a totally new experience - something really rare today.
Galactic Civilizations II Complete: I have the feeling that it's no
coincidence how the designer of this game is also one of the smartest guys
around re: DRM and gamers' rights.
Sins of a Solar Empire: A masterpiece. Don't be fooled by the space theme
and the "real time" gameplay: it's real time the way Europa Universalis is,
and the game is sheer Sci-Fi *strategy* excellence.
Giftzwerg
rec...@hotmail.com says...
> > [Shit, I bet I spent as much time playing FALLOUT3 as I did playing all
> > the 2008 wargames *combined* - just since F3's release date *two months
> > ago*! And there wasn't a single 2008 wargame that had me hustling home
> > to get in some extra playing time the way FALLOUT3 did.]
>
> FO3 was game of the year for me, too. And, looking back at 2008, the games I
> fondly remember are often in the "Did I *really* played *this*?" genre:
Yeah. FALLOUT3 - all by itself - manages to rescue 2008 from the slag
heap of gaming history. Any year when a FALLOUT title hits the shelves
is, by definition, a fairly decent gaming year.
To recap, I'd say my three criteria for judging 2008 a relative
"failure" in a wargaming context are:
(1) I spent much of my gaming time on non-wargames. Sure, BIOSHOCK and
HALF-LIFE EPISODE 2 were 2007 titles, but they tied up a heckuva lotta
my gaming time for the first couple of months of 2008. And FALLOUT3
utterly crushed any and all competition for the last couple of months of
'08. And students of geography will note that the precious late spring,
summer, and early fall months here at 45 N. Lat. are generally reserved
for packing with outdoor pursuits, so it's not like you'll find me
hunched over my mouse in July.
(2) I spent much of my wargaming time on previously-released wargames.
Except for PC:K, CC:WAR, WW2:RTV, and a couple of others, it was pretty
much all CARRIERS AT WAR, HTTR, COTA ... the usual suspects.
(3) My Xmas stocking contained exactly *zero* of those wargaming titles
I was most eagerly awaiting. No BFTB. No NAW. No LnL:HOS.
Indeed, I think it's a bit telling that, in assessing my picks for WOTY
2008, I find that not a single one of these titles would have made the
top *five* in 2006 or 2007.
Raging Tiger
eddys...@hotmail.com
> Why is "HexKit" included? It's been around for eight years....
Version 4.0 was recently released which technically makes it a 2008
game.
Real answer : I screwed up :) - with so few good wargames getting
released I had a really good look at in only some months ago so it
kinda stuck with me as a "2008 release"
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
Raging Tiger
wrote:
Roger, understand. I guess the real question is why it would be
included at all...the quality of the game created depends entirely on
the individual created, and has nothing to do with the engine used.
eddys...@hotmail.com
>
> Roger, understand. I guess the real question is why it would be
> included at all
I see. Your point is that it's simply an engine, not a game. Well, it
came with a game - Crecy - and for me half the fun with any game is
tinkering with it so that's what I did with HexKit.
I guess in a year of abundance it would have gone unremarked.
Care to post a vote ?
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
Bartow W. Riggs
"von Schmidt" <von_s...@mail.com> wrote in message
news:3a3adbce-773c-42a3...@m15g2000vbp.googlegroups.com...
On Jan 2, 4:36 am, ERutins <er...@matrixgames.com> wrote:
> > It has been a crappy year for wargames. Especially compared to
> > mainstream genres, where some real classics have come out
>
> Out of curiosity, how many of the wargames on the list did you
> actually play?
<snip>
To summarise:
Regards,
-von Schmidt
I'm not sure I would characterize Montjoie as a Eurogame. I was suprised to
see Eddy put it on the list as a wargame though. Is the old AH "Kingmaker"
a wargame? Nevertheless it is an excellent game and a lot of fun to play,
with good AI and really fun with a couple of humans and computer players
intermixed.
That's why it got my vote.
eddys...@hotmail.com
>
> I'm not sure I would characterize Montjoie as a Eurogame. I was suprised to
> see Eddy put it on the list as a wargame though.
It's the Hundred Years War on a very abstracted level - so why not ?
> Is the old AH "Kingmaker" a wargame?
Debatable - but Montjoie is more of a wargame because of the way
battles are resolved - with reserves committed or not, seaborne
invasions, deciding where (and if) to fortify, deciding when to yield
instead of going all-out, alliances, economic constraints, etc.
It was received quite well and there's an Italian City States /
Renaissance expansion planned.
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
von Schmidt
> Regards,
> -von Schmidt
>
> I'm not sure I would characterize Montjoie as a Eurogame. I was suprised to
> see Eddy put it on the list as a wargame though. Is the old AH "Kingmaker"
> a wargame? Nevertheless it is an excellent game and a lot of fun to play,
> with good AI and really fun with a couple of humans and computer players
> intermixed.
>
> That's why it got my vote.
To be clear: I did not mean that description as a put-down at all. I
meant it reminded me of the European boardgames which have taken the
world by storm in recent years (Catan, Carcasonne etc): easy to play,
usually based around cards rather than dice, gaming against your
opponent rather than the system.
I agree that it's not a historical wargame, and should not really be
on the list (nor should the excellent M&B and |EU3).
But since it is, you might as well give it its dues!
Regards,
-von Schmidt
eddys...@hotmail.com
>
> I agree that it's not a historical wargame, and should not really be
> on the list (nor should the excellent M&B and |EU3).
> But since it is, you might as well give it its dues!
Well, the list in the OP is just my list, a suggestion, not *the*
list. It was more or less agreed years ago that for the purpose of the
WOTY the definition of a wargame is : "whatever we say is a wargame"
i.e. if a regular in here thinks <game x> is a wargame he can put it
on the list and vote for it.
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
von Schmidt
wrote:
Meh, I am *far* too lazy too go around hunting for 2008 wargames you
might have missed - especially as I suspect you run a proprietary,
intricate wargame application which auto-updates itself from direct
ftp links into publisher's databases.
So I'm happy to use your list as the definitive one.
Despite the occasional lapse such as the inclusion onf Montjoie and
Hexwar ;-)
Regards,
-von Schmidt
The DA
Cool
Bartow W. Riggs
<eddys...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2c50ba0d-4772-4702...@b41g2000pra.googlegroups.com...
After all, Montjoie can't be a Eurogame, it's got dice!
Seems to me I bought it in 2007 though, not 2008. I'm not absolutely sure.
Great news about an expansion!
DirkG
> Hi,
>
> Yup, it's that time of the year again and there's again a Grand Prize
> for you to win : AGEod has graciously offered a copy of one of their
> games to one lucky participant. And to make it absolutely clear :
> voting for their games will *not* increase your chances of winning it
> (*).
>
> The Rules :
>
> 1) 1 (wo)man, 1 post - all votes in the open, no emails.
> 2) The game must have been published in 2008 or late 2007 – in other
> words : if you think a game published late in 2007 didn’t get a fair
> chance last year, feel free to add it.
> 3) Post your 1st, 2nd and 3rd place choices - 1st place gets 5 points,
> 2nd gets 3 points, 3rd gets 1 point.
> 4) Votes must be in before midnight (GMT) January 15th, 2009
> 5) In case of a tie, the award is shared.
> 6) People who for various reasons don't want to post an open vote can
> send me a mail - these votes will *not* be counted for the purpose of
> this election, but I'll post a separate result if the number of
> entrants is significant.
> 7) I've temporarily unplonked a couple of posters so that I see their
> vote as well.
>
> This is what's at stake for the developers - again created by Daniel
> Lamb :
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/25663989@N07/3118676906/
>
> To refresh your memory on what games got published this year :
>
> Montjoie
> Ancient Warfare : Gallic Wars
> Clash of Steel II
> XIII Century
> Gary Grigsby's War Between the States
> Ironclads : American Civil War
> Distant Guns : Jutland
>
> not a list of nominees.
>
> My vote :
>
> As always I'm putting fun before technical merit - but that's just me.
>
> 1st place : War Plan Pacific - no doubt the most fun I had (and
> having) with a wargame this year.
> 2nd place : Panzer Command : Kharkov - got an hour to kill and like
> Russian tanks blowing up in 3D ? - this is your game
> 3rd place : Gary Grigsby's War Between the States - imho technically
> the best wargame produced this year - complex, but not a monster.
>
> Greetz,
>
> Eddy Sterckx
>
> (*) This is how the winner of the AGEod game will be decided :
>
> 1) Every entry/voter is given a random number by me
> 2) When the election is over I zip this list, password protect it and
> send it to Mr. Beretta and everyone else asking for it - without the
> password.
> 3) I'll ask Mr. Giftzwerg to pick and post a number between 1 and ...
> 4) I release the password so Mr. Beretta and everyone else can check
> who won the game.
>
I've actually only bought two off that list. So between them I'd rate them:
1. American Civil War : Antietam
2. Early American Wars : Mexican-American War
3. -
My December purchases were AGEOD ACW and Advanced Tactics.
KG_Jag
<eddyster...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Yup, it's that time of the year again and there's again a Grand Prize
> for you to win : AGEod has graciously offered a copy of one of their
> games to one lucky participant. And to make it absolutely clear :
> voting for their games will *not* increase your chances of winning it
My votes are:
1. Gary Grigsby's War Between the States: It's Grigsby. It's a
wargame. It's a very week field/year.
2. Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets: Watch out Battlefront; they're
coming to getcha!
3. Early American Wars : Mexican-American War: Sneaks in based on
subject.
Game that might have made list, but which was disqualified due to
toxic DRM: Distant Guns : Jutland.
Epi Watkins
@r37g2000prr.googlegroups.com>, eddys...@hotmail.com says...
> Hi,
>
> Yup, it's that time of the year again and there's again a Grand Prize
> for you to win : AGEod has graciously offered a copy of one of their
> games to one lucky participant. And to make it absolutely clear :
> voting for their games will *not* increase your chances of winning it
>
> The Rules :
>
> 1) 1 (wo)man, 1 post - all votes in the open, no emails.
> words : if you think a game published late in 2007 didn=3Ft get a fair
> chance last year, feel free to add it.
> 3) Post your 1st, 2nd and 3rd place choices - 1st place gets 5 points,
> 2nd gets 3 points, 3rd gets 1 point.
> 4) Votes must be in before midnight (GMT) January 15th, 2009
> 5) In case of a tie, the award is shared.
> 6) People who for various reasons don't want to post an open vote can
> send me a mail - these votes will *not* be counted for the purpose of
> this election, but I'll post a separate result if the number of
> entrants is significant.
> 7) I've temporarily unplonked a couple of posters so that I see their
> vote as well.
>
> This is what's at stake for the developers - again created by Daniel
> Lamb :
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photos/25663989@N07/3118676906/
>
> To refresh your memory on what games got published this year :
>
> Montjoie
> Ancient Warfare : Gallic Wars
> Squad Battles - Winter War
> Origins of World War 2
> Panzer Command : Kharkov
> Clash of Steel II
> Strategic Command 2 - Patton Drives East
> HexKit
> XIII Century
> Combat Mission : Shock Force - Marines Module
> Commander : Napoleon at War
> Ironclads : American Civil War
Just one.
War Plan Pacific
I do see some big problems, but it's the only turn-based game I've
played since I got it.
Epi
Song of the Moment: Suo Gan
Especially the version by Ambrosian Boys Choir (or
Ambrosian Junior Choir). It's on the soundtrack for
Empire of the Sun. There could be better versions.
I haven't heard them though.
FTW7
well worth the price for one scenario
2)Strategic Command WWII - Pacific Theater . A very enjoyable and fast
moving game, that I wish had hexes.
3)World War One : La Grande Guerre 14-18. Just played the demo. This
game has some very interesting concepts. I will hold off on buying
this one till it has matured
charlie
p.ox...@ca.rr.com
Atmospheric, ingenious and manageable. (But keep that manual handy)
finbogey
>
>The contrast is perhaps so big because the previous two years gave us
>a lot of games which were well above average
>
>From 2006 :
>
>Conquest of the Aegean
>Birth of America
>TOAW III
>Take Command : Second Manassas
>Air Assault Task Force
>World at War : A World Divided
>...
>
>From 2007 :
>
>AGEod's American Civil War
>Advanced Tactics
>Carriers at War
>Forge of Freedom
>Commander : Europe at War
>Guns of August
>...
Hey Eddy, you're making me feel good about my recent buys! I didn't
buy anything from 2008, but the 3 titles I just bought at the recent
Matrix sale all come from that list.
That's a valuable thing about this ng. In cases where I'm not an early
buyer, it's a great way to research possible purchases. Between the
chatter about games here and the links to external reviews you
constantly post, this place is like Consumer Reports for wargames.
-fin
Briarroot
> ...
> Hey Eddy, you're making me feel good about my recent buys! I didn't
> buy anything from 2008, but the 3 titles I just bought at the recent
> Matrix sale all come from that list.
>
> That's a valuable thing about this ng. In cases where I'm not an early
> buyer, it's a great way to research possible purchases. Between the
> chatter about games here and the links to external reviews you
> constantly post, this place is like Consumer Reports for wargames.
>
Truly. Eddy is the MVP of this group. :-)
--
"Every time that we try to lift a problem from our own shoulders and
shift that problem to the hands of the government, to the same extent we
are sacrificing the liberties of our people." - John F. Kennedy
Miowarra Tomokatu (aka Tomo)
wrote:
>Truly. Eddy is the MVP of this group. :-)
>
Hear ,Hear!
Mark Garnett
My votes are:
1. Panzer Command - Kharkov
2. Ancient Warfare - Gallic Wars
3. Squad Battles -Winter War
Cheers
Mark
<eddys...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1bab4c6d-45f1-4841...@r37g2000prr.googlegroups.com...
Hi,
Yup, it's that time of the year again and there's again a Grand Prize
for you to win : AGEod has graciously offered a copy of one of their
games to one lucky participant. And to make it absolutely clear :
voting for their games will *not* increase your chances of winning it
(*).
The Rules :
1) 1 (wo)man, 1 post - all votes in the open, no emails.
2) The game must have been published in 2008 or late 2007 – in other
words : if you think a game published late in 2007 didn’t get a fair
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25663989@N07/3118676906/
Gary Grigsby's War Between the States
Birth of America 2 - Wars in America
Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets
World War 2 - Road to Victory
Combat Mission : Shock Force - Marines Module
Commander : Napoleon at War
Ironclads : American Civil War
Close Combat : Wacht am Rhein
Squad Battles : The Spanish Civil War
Modern Air Power: Air War Over the Mideast
World War One : La Grande Guerre 14-18
World War II - General Commander - Operation : Watch on the Rhein
Strategic Command WWII - Pacific Theater
McGlu
for my favorites...
1. Panzer Command : Kharkov
Fun game with great developer support.
2. Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets
Contains the amount of polish that all wargames should strive to
achieve. Areas of Operation make each play through very different.
3. Combat Mission : Shock Force - Marines Module
Brings the game system to the point where it needed to be from the
start.
eddys...@hotmail.com
>
> 2. Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets: Watch out Battlefront; they're
> coming to getcha!
The comment made me doubt if you really mean to vote for SSG's Kharkov
game and not for Panzer Command : Kharkov - I agree that a year with 2
"Kharkov" games is asking for this kind of confusion :)
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
KG_Jag
Sorry--I intened to vote for Panzer Command : Kharkov by Koios Works.
Mike Kreuzer
eddys...@hotmail.com
> On Jan 4, 11:07 pm, "eddyster...@hotmail.com"
>
> <eddyster...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > On 2 jan, 23:12, KG_Jag <wburb...@netscape.net> wrote:
>
> > > 2. Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets: Watch out Battlefront; they're
> > > coming to getcha!
>
> > The comment made me doubt if you really mean to vote for SSG's Kharkov
> > game and not for Panzer Command : Kharkov - I agree that a year with 2
> > "Kharkov" games is asking for this kind of confusion :)
>
>
Rectified.
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
ERutins
> 2008 was a dud year.
While I won't cast any votes, I don't agree that 2008 was a dud. Just
looking at the ones we published, there are several I consider as good
or better than any previous wargame we've put out. Quantity-wise,
there were less but there are some quality wargames in that list. For
those who have written off 2008's list of games, I would recommend
taking a second look and giving a few more a try, you may be
pleasantly surprised.
Regards,
- Erik
eddys...@hotmail.com
> > 2008 was a dud year.
>
> While I won't cast any votes, I don't agree that 2008 was a dud. Just
> looking at the ones we published, there are several I consider as good
> or better than any previous wargame we've put out. Quantity-wise,
> there were less but there are some quality wargames in that list.
I've got the impression this is seriously getting under your skin :)
It's not just here - at every wargame forum there's a sort of general
mood that "this year wasn't as good as the previous". Now, for
starters : 2007 and 2006 were vintage years - I called them the Golden
Years of wargaming in here and said we were getting spoiled. As they
were better than average, a perceived or real drop in quality was to
be expected somewhere down the line. Most wargamers seem to think that
drop occured in 2008 - no big deal - going over the list of games
expected in 2009 there's no worry game production in our favourite
genre will dry up.
Greetz,
Eddy Sterckx
von Schmidt
For
> those who have written off 2008's list of games, I would recommend
> taking a second look and giving a few more a try, you may be
> pleasantly surprised.
>
> Regards,
>
> - Erik
If you put a sale on the more recent games rather than the ones that I
already bought at full-price, I might ...(hint, hint).
On a more serious note: the 2008 wargames are not all duds, but 2006
and 2007 seem to have been quite a bit better in terms of number of
really good wargames.
Hence the votes with only one or two tiltles in the top 3.
Regards,
-von Schmidt
Giftzwerg
64913a...@b38g2000prf.googlegroups.com>, eddys...@hotmail.com
says...
Speaking for myself, it wasn't even a drop in quality that soured me on
2008. The games I opted for were, on the average, pretty good. There
just didn't seem to be as many of them as in the previous period ... and
Santa didn't bring me any of the ones I was really pining away for.
Double-whammy.
In other words, FALLOUT3 was the only title in 2008 that had me saying,
"I'd crawl through a mile of broken glass to buy that game!"
--
Giftzwerg
***
"Taliban militants are beheading and burning their way through
Pakistan's picturesque Swat Valley, and residents say the insurgents now
control most of the mountainous region outside the lawless tribal areas
where jihadists thrive."
- Associated Press
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"
- Giftzwerg
Henius
> taking a second look and giving a few more a try, you may be
> pleasantly surprised.
>
> Regards,
>
> - Erik
You may be right.
But speaking for myself, I got so burned by pre- ordering TOW that I
promised myself never again to buy any game before a "maturing" of the
product has taken place. Never do the same mistake twice - find new
ones.
So far I have kept that promise - with the addendum, that below a
certain $ threshold, anything is safe to buy.
So I got a little out of control i the christmas sale... :)
-Henius
Vincenzo Beretta
> general mood that "this year wasn't as good as the previous".
> Now, for starters : 2007 and 2006 were vintage years - I called
> them the Golden Years of wargaming in here and said we were
> getting spoiled.
Also we should consider how, strictly speaking, we are not in a "drought" -
but some of the titles that could have made 2008 a good year were simply
posponed by either a few months or even a few days:
- Battles of the Bulge: 'nuff said
- War in the Pacific AE: Looked like a "2008" title, but it got posponed
- World in Flames: One of the titles I'm waiting more impatiently. Same as
the above.
- Supremacy at Sea: Wasn't a 2008 title by a single day
- AGEOD WWI: Yes, it came out in November, but it looks that it will be
finished by 2009 :o)
Had these four games (plus a working WWI) came out in 2008 the year would
have been very different.
For 2009, add some anticipated titles like AGEOD's "Vainglory of Nations" &
"Rise of Prussia", SAS WWI, HoI3, the Eagle Day to Bombing the Reichcombo,
Lock 'n' Load and some titles I'm sure I'm forgetting about, and you have
the makings of another good year.
Frank E
1) ---------------------
2. Panzer Command Kharkov
3. War Plan Pacific
PCK was the only new wargame I bought this year but, at least so far,
it didn't grab me enough for me to give it top honors so I'm putting
it at number two. WPP is based on the demo as I haven't gotten around
to buying it yet so I can't rank it higher than 3rd place. Odds are
that it would have been number 1 if I'd had some time to play it.
I'm also one of those that spent most of the year playing non-wargames
and of my top 3 games this year, none would be wargames. Those would
be:
- Fallout 3 (GOTY)
- Sins of a Solar Empire - good enough to pull me away from Fallout 3
- Warhammer Online
Rgds, Frank
Giftzwerg
rec...@hotmail.com says...
> - Battles of the Bulge: 'nuff said
> - War in the Pacific AE: Looked like a "2008" title, but it got posponed
> - World in Flames: One of the titles I'm waiting more impatiently. Same as
> the above.
> - Supremacy at Sea: Wasn't a 2008 title by a single day
> - AGEOD WWI: Yes, it came out in November, but it looks that it will be
> finished by 2009 :o)
>
> Had these four games (plus a working WWI) came out in 2008 the year would
> have been very different.
"Could'a, would'a, and should'a - plus 75 cents - will buy you a small
coffee at Dave's Williston Rd. Citgo."
- Giftzwerg
Vincenzo Beretta
"Giftzwerg" <giftzw...@NOSPAMZ.hotmail.com> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:MPG.23cc1a21a...@news-east.giganews.com...
> In article <SLr8l.32709$J84....@tornado.fastwebnet.it>,
> rec...@hotmail.com says...
>
>> - Battles of the Bulge: 'nuff said
>> - War in the Pacific AE: Looked like a "2008" title, but it got posponed
>> - World in Flames: One of the titles I'm waiting more impatiently. Same
>> as
>> the above.
>> - Supremacy at Sea: Wasn't a 2008 title by a single day
>> - AGEOD WWI: Yes, it came out in November, but it looks that it will be
>> finished by 2009 :o)
>>
>> Had these four games (plus a working WWI) came out in 2008 the year would
>> have been very different.
>
> "Could'a, would'a, and should'a - plus 75 cents - will buy you a small
> coffee at Dave's Williston Rd. Citgo."
> - Giftzwerg
I'm pretty sure last time it was an ice cream ^^
kev9000
1) Panzer Command : Kharkov
Hopefully we'll have more to vote for this time next year!
N Schieben
My votes are:
Panzer Command : Kharkov - 5 pts.
Pretty good, and it replaces CM1 for me but I don't like the "mount"
command and found it tedious stepping through units against monotonous 3d
terrain.
Ancient Warfare : Gallic Wars - 3 pts
If you can hold your nose and get past the Tiller-style interface and
graphics you'll find a very challenging game back there. If you want to win
you must fight tough AI opponents using real tactics from those time.
Nothing Tiller-like in that part!
Nothing - 1 pt
I did buy Kharkov - DotD but I won't give it a point since I've shelved
since it's just 1 scenario, no matter how many variants they say there is
and SSG is now backtracking on 1km/hex scenarios. You're still looking at
the same map and apart from a small user scenario there's just nothing in it
for me!
I almost sprang for BOA2 and WW2-RtV, but decided to keep my wargaming time
reserved for COTA and OAW3 instead.
Regards,
The Rules :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25663989@N07/3118676906/
Kharkov : Disaster on the Donets
World War 2 - Road to Victory
Combat Mission : Shock Force - Marines Module
BP
Haven't played the rest of this year's candidates.
BP