Rule the Waves 2

[al_infierno]

How is the non-combat part of the game? Research, design, diplomacy, economy, etc.? I suspect that the strategic aspects of the game might interest me more than the actual tactical battles...

The ship design is by far the best part of the game, and probably where you'll spend the majority of your game time.  The research, diplomacy, economic etc. aspect is fun as well, but since you play the role as the admiral of the navy, you don't have much direct control over what your nation does aside from random events where you can choose to piss off one nation or another, that kind of thing.

Going to war or staying at peace is abstracted as sort of a "tension meter" with each foreign country, and if you pass an arbitrary threshold, you are now at war.  Also -- and this is as big one for me -- the AI nations never go to war with each other.

So overall, I'd say that the strategic layer is a bit of a mixed bag leaning towards good; the ship design is fuckin' great; the tactical battles are fairly forgettable (and honestly just slow down the game for me -- the game desperately needs an auto-resolve.)

[Jarhead0331]

Ouch! No auto resolve!?

[DennisS]

Ouch! No auto resolve!?

No. You either accept the battle, or forfeit the victory points. I believe..and don't quote me here, that if you give up the battles, you stand a greater chance of a white peace. Not sure about that one...but I HAVE dominated a war, and gotten just that.

Now, just to be safe, I play every fight. If you know that going in, then accept the dramatically slower pace of your campaign. Battles every month, that take 20 minutes to play. For a two year war, easily anticipate 6 hours of battle. Average 4 wars per campaign...about 50 hours to complete. As mentioned before, 20 hours or more will be spend fiddling with the ship construction.

When one of your creations work well, it's a real treat. When that CL with four inch main guns gets loose among a bunch of enemy DD's, and wrecks them, it is very gratifying. Opposite that is when a turret blows up, and your new BB does a "Hood."

[solops]

How long after buying did you guys have to wait for the key?

[ArizonaTank]

How long after buying did you guys have to wait for the key?

I had mine within a few hours.

[Grim.Reaper]

I ordered day one which is when they had a lot....think it still came within a day or two.  I know it wasn't same day for sure.

[solops]

Got mine and sent in the registration stuff last night. No response yet.

[Jarhead0331]

Add-on announced -

In order to do full justice to jet operations and missiles we are in the process of developing an expansion to RTW2 tentatively called "Ironclads to Missile Cruisers".

The expansion is currently planned to include the following features:

* 1890 start date.

* More detailed treatment of jet aircraft and the resulting modifications to carriers.

* Better simulation of missiles (ASM and SSM).

* Night air operations.

* Persistent ship histories.

* Refurbishing submarine operations and introducing long range submarines.

* Technology and game-play is setup so play through 1970 is fully supported.

While we are looking at other features for potential inclusion, the above list is what we will include at the minimum. Any additional features will be announced as we progress.

Game-play through 1970....very interesting.

I never got this one, mostly because it seems like a hassle to buy.

Is it worth going through the effort?

[Grim.Reaper]

Add-on announced -

In order to do full justice to jet operations and missiles we are in the process of developing an expansion to RTW2 tentatively called "Ironclads to Missile Cruisers".

The expansion is currently planned to include the following features:

* 1890 start date.

* More detailed treatment of jet aircraft and the resulting modifications to carriers.

* Better simulation of missiles (ASM and SSM).

* Night air operations.

* Persistent ship histories.

* Refurbishing submarine operations and introducing long range submarines.

* Technology and game-play is setup so play through 1970 is fully supported.

While we are looking at other features for potential inclusion, the above list is what we will include at the minimum. Any additional features will be announced as we progress.

Game-play through 1970....very interesting.

I never got this one, mostly because it seems like a hassle to buy.

Is it worth going through the effort?

Sadly, bought day one and have never played the game yet....I always forget about it.  So I can't be any help on the actual gameplay, guess I ought to try it at some point before the new version comes out:)

As for purchasing, wasn't much of a hassle although some people don't like the process....just required an email or two exchange with the company (i.e. you give them you machine unique id, they give you a registration code).  I play other games that use the same process so was used to it myself.

[al_infierno]

If they added auto-resolve for tactical combat I would be all over it.  Having to play out every single battle, even the most irrelevant and tiny, killed my enjoyment of this game.

[Tripoli]

Add-on announced -

In order to do full justice to jet operations and missiles we are in the process of developing an expansion to RTW2 tentatively called "Ironclads to Missile Cruisers".

The expansion is currently planned to include the following features:

* 1890 start date.

* More detailed treatment of jet aircraft and the resulting modifications to carriers.

* Better simulation of missiles (ASM and SSM).

* Night air operations.

* Persistent ship histories.

* Refurbishing submarine operations and introducing long range submarines.

* Technology and game-play is setup so play through 1970 is fully supported.

While we are looking at other features for potential inclusion, the above list is what we will include at the minimum. Any additional features will be announced as we progress.

Game-play through 1970....very interesting.

I never got this one, mostly because it seems like a hassle to buy.

Is it worth going through the effort?

Yes, it is worth getting. The tactical resolution is based on the "Steam and Iron" game engine.  I did an AAR using it several years ago http://www.grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=16935.0

The RTW game adds to "Steam and Iron" by letting you design your ships, balancing armor, engines, fuel capacity, and armament.  I think the results are fairly historical.  I've been working on a draft AAR of RTW2, but have never finished it because I haven't figured out a way to easily make the actual battles interesting to a reader, without resorting to a video AAR.  If folks are interested, I can finish it up.

[Jarhead0331]

The upcoming DLC looks awesome!

https://www.navalwarfare.net/files/SAI/RTW2_Expansion_Catalog.pdf

[Sir Slash]

Wow! Simply WOW! As always, the devil will be in the details, but this looks like a Naval Enthusiasts wet-dream kind of thing.  :dreamer:   I can't wait for my ironclads to go up against the AI's Nuclear Carrier battlegroups. 

[ArizonaTank]

The upcoming DLC looks awesome!

https://www.navalwarfare.net/files/SAI/RTW2_Expansion_Catalog.pdf

Amazing! Can't wait to get my hands on it!

[al_infierno]

Still no auto resolve for battles eh?  :(