Month: February 2013

02/14/13

A Civilization V AAR – Number 9… Number 9… Number 9

Number 9… Number 9… Number 9

Brant Guillory, 14 February 2013

Do the math. Seriously. We’re at 0 AD, and we’re 9 freakin’ episodes into this AAR. Most games run ’til at least the mid-1700s, even on “quick” speed. And the turn/year ratio gets more granular as we go. Oy.

Code Monkey Note: We were going to run another episode of UCG’s Crusader Kings II AAR, but he’s traveling through Lower Bandwidthia right now, and our Ed in Chief seems to be battery-challenged, so you’re getting Civ V Part 9 ahead of schedule…

As always, click images to enlarge

Last time, we updated our tech research plan, wrapped up our first policy tree, and triggered a new Golden Age.

 

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Start Building Already!

I can now get my lumber mills and Colosseums underway. I really need those Colosseums. Bread and circuses, friends. Bread and circuses.

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02/9/13

A Civilization V AAR – Parto Ocho

Brant Guillory, 9 February 2013

Bad puns, great gameplay, and occasionally brilliant maneuvers, as Brant’s Civ V Gods & Kings AAR rolls on.

Click images to enlarge

 

We’re starting to exert some naval influence on the medium seas*, and it’s time to see what’s just over that next horizon.

*You don’t get to the high seas until you discover Navigation.

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Idiot Scout Chizik Succeeds!

Too many more of these fights, and we’ll need to rename him. But for now he managed to knock off an archer, and needs to rest up somewhere.

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02/7/13

Prosciutto – Hamming it up with the di Parmas… Part 13!


By Undercovergeek, 7 February 2013

Plowing into the second ‘decade’ of UCG’s Crusader Kings II AAR…

click images to enlarge

In Part 12 Oberto uncovered a plot to kill his eldest son, stole technology from the Egyptians, and advanced upon Naples after Matilda blocked his claim on the Duchy of Genoa. Now in Part 13 the insidious plot culminates in disaster, Oberto fights the Sicilians, his future subjects, and Matilda’s lineage takes an odd turn.

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We manage to kill the Duke of Naples in battle, this would normally lead to the surrender of his troops, but it seems his son has taken up the banner and the fight continues.

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02/6/13

PC Game Review of XCom: Enemy Unknown

Review by Jim Zabek, 6 February, 2013

Developer: Firaxis and Publisher: 2K Games

XCOM is a top-selling game and GrogHeads’ readers voted it best general strategy game of 2012. What makes it so great?

Back to the Future

Keen observers of PC gaming may note a trend. Over the last several years there has been a move to resurrect, polish, and re-release some great older classics. Tropico, Baldur’s Gate, Sid Meier’s Pirates, StarCraft, and Close Combat to name just a few. The latest game to receive this treatment is XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

I can remember playing the original XCOM when it was first released. It could be a devil to play and win – just when I thought I was making progress in one area the aliens would introduce some kind of new technology or invade my base. They were always just one step ahead. I have played the new XCOM from start to successful finish on the Normal difficulty level (there are four, the next higher level is “Classic”). The normal level of difficulty was quite satisfying and challenging, but allowed me to eventually win without the frustration that the old XCOM gave me. I probably dithered a bit too long before triggering the final series of missions, but I put off developing psychic technologies until I had exhausted all other tech trees. The result was a highly satisfying 60+ hours of gaming – good numbers for many single-player campaigns these days and with my experience I can share insight into the game if you haven’t bought it yet, and I can share a few overall tips on how to win if you’re having some difficulty.

There are gamers out there who will derive great satisfaction in being able to recall every nuance of the original game and point out every deviation by the new one. I am not that guy. Suffice it to say that the original model of XCOM is followed: the strategic game unfolds in a pausable real-time environment as the player invests in technologies and building weapons, armor, and gadgets. The turn-based tactical game is where the player drops a strike team into an alien encounter and proceeds to either kill/capture the aliens, save civilians, or disarm a bomb. It makes for great fun, and while it is clear that the new version isn’t an exact clone of the old one, I found more than enough commonality to be satisfied. The new XCOM is great and I have no complaints. It’s updated enough to feel good, and yet true enough to its roots to recognize its origins.

 

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A UFO is spotted over Russia. If I don’t attempt to engage it, panic will rise there. But do I have the technology to shoot it down? Do I have a team capable of taking on the alien threat?

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02/1/13

GARPA 11 – GrogHeads Advanced Research on Projects Advisory

by Dan Pinkham and Lloyd Sabin

garpaAnother Friday means a lot of things, not least of which is another GARPA. Like a bad rash we just won’t go away. But another GARPA also means plenty more projects to sink your paycheck into.

Join us as we take you around the crowd funding scene and pick out some of our personal favorites this week, which will know doubt become some of your personal favorites because, well, we’re awesome.

See something you like? Leave a comment on forums so we can discuss it. See something you don’t like, well we’ve got a guy for that. Leave your name and number and he’ll pay you a personal visit. His name is…well never mind what his name is. You’ll know him when you see him (or don’t see him).

Let’s get on with it!

Board Game Projects

Gettysburg 150 by Worthington Games

Available for pre-order at a discount11

With the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War well under way, Worthington Games recently announced that Gettysburg 150 is available for pre-order. This division level wargame is meant to honor the 150th anniversary of that climatic battle. Gettysburg 150 utilizes and improves upon another of Worthington Games’ fine products, Hold the Line. Both games share many of the same concepts such as command action points for attack and moving, while units’ power and strength have been modified to reflect the associated scale.

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