AAR or gameplay on youtube

[jnpoint]

I can see that the beta testers already have been chosen.

Will we then soon se some AAR's or gameplay videos? I hope

[Jim-NC]

Welcome to the forums jnpoint.

[jnpoint]

Welcome to the forums jnpoint.

Thanks.

[Kensai]

I guess AARs will be available after the release of the game. Welcome aboard!

[jnpoint]

maybe while waiting someone could tell me if it's mostly like PON or Civil war II or something different? I'm thinking of economy, production, regional decisions and diplomacy.

[Tamas]

maybe while waiting someone could tell me if it's mostly like PON or Civil war II or something different? I'm thinking of economy, production, regional decisions and diplomacy.

There are plenty of options for economy, diplomacy and research (not to mention other regional decisions), but it does not have the economical module of PON, as it is primarily a wargame. So if I had to I would put it between CW2 and PON in terms of "country management" options. Everything to manage the strategic and operational level of WW1 is there, but there is no economic micromanagement on PON's level.

[jnpoint]

Well, I did like the economic micromanagement in PON, but of course in a short war game it has to be different. In CW2 I felt there were too few options, so somewhere in between sounds good. I'm looking forward to see research in action. Will there also be trade?

[H Gilmer3]

Sometimes one of the actual developers starts an AAR. I have seen that before to help generate interest. Possibly we might get that?

[rwenstrup]

Would love to see an AAR for this game!!

[HerrDan]

Would love to see an AAR for this game!!

And I would love to write one , as soon as the game is out I'm planning on starting one, (I know it's going to be hard to write two AARs at the same time, as I'm still writing mine playing PoN).

[Elmo]

How about a couple of beta testers posting a few turns of an AAR?

[fred zeppelin]

I'd love to see some details about the game. At this point, I assume it's mostly Civil War 2 with pointy hats.

[sandman2575]

+1 I understand the 'everyone in Europe is on holiday' thing but at this point, the lack of promotional buildup for this game feels odd.

[Tamas]

+1 I understand the 'everyone in Europe is on holiday' thing but at this point, the lack of promotional buildup for this game feels odd.

Hey, we have been showing off stuff from the game on the AGEOD site and on Facebook.

I am having some entertaining test games going on now, will try to turn one of them into a quick AAR next week for your enjoyment.

[fred zeppelin]

+1 I understand the 'everyone in Europe is on holiday' thing but at this point, the lack of promotional buildup for this game feels odd.

I'm growing increasingly skeptical myself. If the game had much to offer beyond just being CW2 in a different era, I expect we'd be hearing more about the game by now. Hope I'm wrong. Especially frustrating since they already had a great WWI game that they ignored for years.

Their business model has always been puzzling. It seems to be somewhat north of a hobby but far south of a real business.

[Elmo]

... will try to turn one of them into a quick AAR next week for your enjoyment.

That would be great. Thanks.

[sandman2575]

Hey, we have been showing off stuff from the game on the AGEOD site and on Facebook.

I suspect I'm not the only one here who would sooner gouge out his eyeballs with a dull rusty fork than join Mark Zuckerberg's Fantasmagoric Social Network of Gullible Narcissists Whose Data is Constantly Being Mined and Sold for Mark Zuckerberg's Fun and Profit, aka Facebook. So promo on AGEOD site is appreciated, but please don't put most of your promo marbles in the FB basket.

Quick AAR would be great.

[fred zeppelin]

I suspect I'm not the only one here who would sooner gouge out his eyeballs with a dull rusty fork than join Mark Zuckerberg's Fantasmagoric Social Network of Gullible Narcissists Whose Data is Constantly Being Mined and Sold for Mark Zuckerberg's Fun and Profit, aka Facebook. So promo on AGEOD site is appreciated, but please don't put most of your promo marbles in the FB basket.

Quick AAR would be great.

And it's basically just screenshots anyway. I already know what AGEOD games look like. What I want to know is how this game is is different from CW2, apart from just the cosmetics. How will EAW handle trench warfare, for example? Aeroplanes? Submaries? Gas? Diplomacy? Coordination among allies?

I haven't seen any information on the real meat of the game. If it's out there somewhere, it's very well hidden.

[Florent]

" And it's basically just screenshots anyway. I already know what AGEOD games look like. What I want to know is how this game is is different from CW2, apart from just the cosmetics. How will EAW handle trench warfare, for example? Aeroplanes? Submaries? Gas? Diplomacy? Coordination among allies?

I haven't seen any information on the real meat of the game. If it's out there somewhere, it's very well hidden. "

I totally agree here.

A few years ago, Pocus gave information for Civil War about supply system and the use of railroad or River to deliver the supply, Blocus and many other interesting Game Feature. These were theses features and new additions compared to BoA that made we were eagerly waited for Civil War then.

Here the features are about ...light infantries, mountain infantries, cavalry Next week it will be perhaps about shoes and boots, the color of horses... Are we IGNORANT people. SERIOUSLY what we are waiting for are the NEW system for Artillery Ammunition, Trenches, Economy change ? Gaz, Aviation and how it is used, Submarines, Assault German troops (Stoss Truppen) and how they are used ( Cards, real units), Tanks etc...

[fred zeppelin]

Here the features are about ...light infantries, mountain infantries, cavalry Next week it will be perhaps about shoes and boots, the color of horses... Are we IGNORANT people. SERIOUSLY what we are waiting for are the NEW system for Artillery Ammunition, Trenches, Economy change ? Gaz, Aviation and how it is used, Submarines, Assault German troops (Stoss Truppen) and how they are used ( Cards, real units), Tanks etc...

Right. The little information they have leaked out actually is more worrisome than exciting. Seems like the main focus is on minor unit stats rather than on the big picture - the things that made WWI so unusual. Can't help but wonder if their focus is where it should be.

(They seem to be exerting more energy suppressing WWI Centennial than in promoting EAW. Odd.)

[Ace]

Ok, here are answers to some of your questions:

Trench warfare - it is age engine first, trench warfare is possible, frontage has been modeled in a way that spreading your lines and covering whole front is advisable. On the Eastern front, there is more room for maneuver and trench warfare is less prominent.

Aeroplanes are present like support mobile airfields. Every airfield unit not on passive posture will automatically perform recon/fighter/bomb mission increasing detection in surrounding areas (up to 3 region away) - more planes more regions with increased detection. Bomb mission will apply automatically in those areas. Fighter duties are self explanatory. Don't expect air power will act like ww2 mobile artillery, but if your opponent disregards adequate fighter cover, they can be serious drain on his resources later in the war.

Submarines are present and they reduce UK icome. If submarines are allowed to roam freely, expect UK support for the war to drop significantly, forcing it out of the war. German player can research technologies that increase submarine effect and unlock newer models for purchase, while British research in ASW can do the opposite. If Germans put too much subs into action, USA will go closer into joining the war on the Entente side.

Gas can be researched. There are various gas tech levels. Each new level bring new type of gas available. Once you acquire the tech, you can play regional decisions on enemy regions neighboring your positions. If the enemy didn't research the tech, results are devastating for the first few uses. After some time, when adequate countermeasures are set up, gas is little less devastating. But then new gas tech can be researched and...

Diplomacy. Every neutral country can be swayed to your side by sending diplomats to them. Every country has some tendencies, so what if scenarios are possible but not as likely. For example, Italy can join the Centrals if Austria gives them Istria and South Tirol, and French refuse to cede them Tunisia.

Since there are 3 playable factions - coordination is not necessary - you basically control both the British and the French and minors that join to the West Entente side.

[fred zeppelin]

Thanks for the information.

Trench warfare - it is age engine first, trench warfare is possible, frontage has been modeled in a way that spreading your lines and covering whole front is advisable. On the Eastern front, there is more room for maneuver and trench warfare is less prominent.

Hard to know how this will play out until we see some AARs. Extended frontage is not exactly the same thing as trench warfare. We'll see.

Aeroplanes are present like support mobile airfields. Every airfield unit not on passive posture will automatically perform recon/fighter/bomb mission increasing detection in surrounding areas (up to 3 region away) - more planes more regions with increased detection. Bomb mission will apply automatically in those areas. Fighter duties are self explanatory. Don't expect air power will act like ww2 mobile artillery, but if your opponent disregards adequate fighter cover, they can be serious drain on his resources later in the war.

Submarines are present and they reduce UK icome. If submarines are allowed to roam freely, expect UK support for the war to drop significantly, forcing it out of the war. German player can research technologies that increase submarine effect and unlock newer models for purchase, while British research in ASW can do the opposite. If Germans put too much subs into action, USA will go closer into joining the war on the Entente side.

Gas can be researched. There are various gas tech levels. Each new level bring new type of gas available. Once you acquire the tech, you can play regional decisions on enemy regions neighboring your positions. If the enemy didn't research the tech, results are devastating for the first few uses. After some time, when adequate countermeasures are set up, gas is little less devastating. But then new gas tech can be researched and...

Diplomacy. Every neutral country can be swayed to your side by sending diplomats to them. Every country has some tendencies, so what if scenarios are possible but not as likely. For example, Italy can join the Centrals if Austria gives them Istria and South Tirol, and French refuse to cede them Tunisia.

Since there are 3 playable factions - coordination is not necessary - you basically control both the British and the French and minors that join to the West Entente side.

These all sound good - and pretty much identical to WWI Gold.

[Ace]

Artillery ammunition. In cw2, supply wagons held both general supply and ammunition. Now they hold only generals supply. Ammunition is carried by separate units (basically supply units that carry ammunition for the big guns).

Stromtroops are present as real units available when late inf tech is researched, and when they are in the area, rgd can be played on the enemy area reducing his trenches. Also, special stormtroop assault battleplanner tactic can be chosen only if you have stormtroops in your army.

Tanks are units available after researching appropriate tech. There are also specific battleplaner tactics only if you have tanks in your army.

Important change compared to cw2 is that every stack led by a general can MTSG to adjacent regions. There are also available CiC for every mayor nation. They give bonuses to subordinate armies in similar style as Army commanders gave bonuses to Corps commanders in cw2.

Once more on the topic of trench warfare, in multiplayer trench stalemate is the most likely outcome, against AI veteran player can create openings in enemy lines that can be exploited for front breakthrough.

[fred zeppelin]

Artillery ammunition. In cw2, supply wagons held both general supply and ammunition. Now they hold only generals supply. Ammunition is carried by separate units (basically supply units that carry ammunition for the big guns).

How easy is it to keep your armies supplied with ammunition? It ought to be costly and require serious advance planning. Virtually every nation in WWI suffered serious ammunition shortages at various points in the war, and I hope the game simulates this.

Important change compared to cw2 is that every stack led by a general can MTSG to adjacent regions.

Is this something you can toggle on or off? For example, there may be instances where I want to maintain the integrity of my line and I don't want units to abandon a region.

Once more on the topic of trench warfare, in multiplayer trench stalemate is the most likely outcome, against AI veteran player can create openings in enemy lines that can be exploited for front breakthrough.

This is my biggest concern about the game. I'm skeptical that the CW2 engine can adequately represent the sort of trench warfare that occurred on the Western Front, at least not without some changes to greatly increase the defensive power of units and the effectiveness of entrenchment. I know a veteran player can always beat the AI, but I hope the average single-player game doesn't turn into Blitzkrieg 1914.

[Taciturn Scot]

Hey, we have been showing off stuff from the game on the AGEOD site and on Facebook.

I am another person who won't use Facebook. If you guys are paying to maintain boards like these, surely it would be useful to post links to any promotional articles elsewhere here in this forum.

I am very, very interested to read more about this game.

I hope the average single-player game doesn't turn into Blitzkrieg 1914.

I am also a little concerned to read that a more likely outcome of trench warfare is that veteran players will able to break through enemy lines against the AI. Not everyone plays PBEM and I'd rather hope that the game was balanced so that the AI was at least able to hold a front line on the western front It won't garner much support if players playing against the AI were able to march into Paris in 1914 or Berlin in 1915 without much effort.

[Ace]

Ammo production is mostly done by ammo factories which are rather expensive. If you don't build them by regional decisions in advance, you will run out of ammo. The problem is especially important for Western Entente. If you plan to mass lot of artillery, you need to produce lot of ammunition units (basically supply wagons that carry ammo - also rather expensive).

If you toggle evade fight special order on or put them to passive posture, units will not MTSG. But, you would want to MTSG most of the time, it allows you to spread the line and not create any gaps.

When I first tried the game, I expected that all units will have defensive stats way higher than offensive ones. I was surprised AGEOD didn't go that way and here is why. If all defensive stats were 5 times higher, there would be no battles on the western front at all. Every intelligent player would sit in his trenchs and would use made up bombardment RGDs to inflict casualties on the enemy side. So, the entire front would be static with casualties inflicted by various harrasment rgds. Not fun at all - to only place same rgds on the map over and over again. So they went another way. They kept offensive stats about 2 times lower than defensive stats - so higher casualties in assaults are expected, but it does not forbid the player to actually plan offensive movements on the map. Player (mostly Western Entente player) will plan assaults which will inflict casualties to the defender, but will hardly push him back if he has enough men in the region, simply because low frontage allows ample reserve forces to the defenders. So, this creates a situation where WE player needs to assault over and over again for little territorial gain, but it will drain Germany resources which has lower manpower pool to draw from. It doesn't just make static front where nothing happens as it can in late CW2 game when higher entrenchments kick in. Of course, WE player can choose to sit back and defend, but this will make Russians feel the pressure. This front is rather large and mobile, so stronger force is more decisive there.

I am an AGEOD veteran and I haven't been able to march into Paris in September 1914 - and if I recall history, that was a real possibility in the early war, not probable bot possible. So, Athena has it flaws, but most of the time it holds its own rather well and throws a surprise from time to time as well.

Marching to Berlin as WE is nearly impossible, if you play on higher difficulty. The best chance to win the war is to inflict more casualties to the Germans and to maintain tight blockade. The stronger the blockade, the more quickly will German Home front fall, as in history this actually won the war for the Entente.

[Taciturn Scot]

Good to hear. The info seems to be coming out now.

BTW, I am in no way a veteran AGEOD player yet and this is a definite purchase for me. I am even seriously considering playing this PBEM as well. WW1 done properly will be something special indeed.

[Elmo]

I am another person who won't use Facebook.....

No Facebook for me either. Please post the info here if you want us to see it.

[Ace]

Me too, I guess we are anti facebook bunch overhere.

[Kensai]

Guys, Facebook is rather secure with the right settings nowadays. But even if you don't want to use a real name, it's ok. Create an account with a fake one and follow the channel there. It is not a bad platform, it's secure and a very good (and cheap) advertisement method for the game.