WitE - The Lost Battles

[Al]

http://www.matrixgames.com/news/1059/The.Lost.Battles.are.coming!

I noticed a blurb over at Matrix about this.  I don't own WitE but I think about getting it from time to time.  If I get WitE should I lock myself in my room with about a week's worth of supplies and only reappear when I have figured out how to play the game?
Any helpful suggestions, remarks or thoughts would be appreciated.

[magnus]

 I picked it up on the last sale with the Don to Danube expansion and felt it was well worth it.

At $80 for the game and then to add on the expansion price I would have been much more hesitant.

Not so much because of the game. More so because it is the Eastern front and their are a lot of alternatives to get you EF itch scratched. Advanced Tactics, TOAW, etc.

[Al]

I was thinking that this might be a purchase down the road - either a sale or a bundled set.

[magnus]

 As far as play it is really just like a very well done boardgame port.

If you have played any of the big name EF boardgames you will get it pretty quick.

The interface to me is well done also.

The AI is an AI. If you try to play historically and don't try to make it gamey and read all the different posts to see how to beat it, it will give you a run for your money.

[Wolfe1759]

I've had WitE for some time but only recently decided to make a concerted effort to actually learn how to play it.

Step one - play the Tutorial scenario (takes about an hour)

Step two - play through the Operational Bootcamp (took me 4-5 hours over two or three weekends)

Both the above have dedicated manuals which I found convenient to have in a second window on screen alongside the game window.

The Operational Bootcamp was origionaly on the forum here http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=2649216 with the PDF version now available with the game (when the current patch is applied)

That should give you enough to know what you are doing and how to do it most of the time.

The basic concepts are pretty familiar if you have ever played a board or computer hex based operational wargame.

A lot of the more detailed stuff is / can be automated such as replacements, air support etc.

I still doubt I'll start a full campaign game anytime soon if at all but there are c10 medium to large sized scenarios, the Don to Danube expansion adds 10 more small to large sized scenarios and the upcoming Lost Battles will add 10 more small to huge sized scenarios / campaigns so there is enough to keep me occupied without touching the campaigns.

All in all with the smaller and medium sized scenarios it is a lot less daunting than it at first appears.

[Bismarck]

Like WitP, WitE is almost a way of life. Yes, you should settle down for a long haul and, by all means, wait for a sale.

[Bison]

I've heard that if you pay more for the game you will value it more and want to spend more time playing it.  It's a theory.  Frankly I'd rather have a few extra bucks in my pocket but YMMV.

[Bismarck]

I've heard that if you pay more for the game you will value it more and want to spend more time playing it.  It's a theory.  Frankly I'd rather have a few extra bucks in my pocket but YMMV.

No, an expensive bad or unplayable game is still a bad game. A good game on sale is just as good as it was when bought a full price. Saving the bucks is the way to go.  Good philosophy, Bison.

[Ubercat]

I've heard that if you pay more for the game you will value it more and want to spend more time playing it.  It's a theory.  Frankly I'd rather have a few extra bucks in my pocket but YMMV.

That's how the cult of Scientology justifies charging their clients hundreds of dollars an hour for the privilege of holding 2 tin cans. Their number one goal is clearing the planet of all insanity and creating a heaven on earth. They just have to make millions and millions of dollars doing it so their services will be better appreciated!  :P

[bob48]

The only reason I have not brought this game is its high price (£56 for the d/l version).

[Tuna]

I paid 80 when it came out, and no I do not play it or hardly have.. so the theory that more expensive will make you play the game is total bunk!

FWIW I do like the game.. played Smolensk about 3 times... I just had no urge to dive deep.. At the 80 dollar price tag, these extra  'scenarios' should've been included.. I would probably have given the game more playing time if there were more scenarios, since the high price obviously didn't do that.

[jomni]

WITE is not complex. It is just a matter of pushing counters.  It is a monster game just because it has a lot lot of turns and thousands of counters.  But gameplay is pretty simple.

[Al]

WITE is not complex. It is just a matter of pushing counters.  It is a monster game just because it has a lot lot of turns and thousands of corners.  But gameplay is pretty simple.

In between innings at my son's baseball game I looked over the manual section covering ground units and combat.   Looks pretty straightforward to me - from what I read anyhow.

[jjdenver]

I own it and it's my type of game, but the unit carpet syndrome put me off it a month or 2 after launch and I haven't touched it since. Maybe I'll try it out again if I become convinced the unit carpets are a thing of the past.

[Tuna]

FYI cruising the WITE forum on Matrix, I saw this post for a free kindle book on Amazon

Decision in the Ukraine: German Panzer Operations on the Eastern Front, Summer 1943 (Stackpole Military History Series)