paecmaker
02-21-2014, 02:14 PM
"A small car patrol drove along the road, around them scandinavian farmlands and small villages passed by. The only thing heard was the cars and the wind blowing through the large fields, everything was calm and the guys afforded themselves to relax. When they passed a small forest however things changed, suddenly large bangs echoed and moments later the cars were engulfed in flames."
Welcome to the harsh reality of Wargame.
http://www.justpushstart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Wargame-AirLand-Battle-Logo.jpg
Wargame Airland battle is the second game in the wargame serie(the first being European escalation). Basically its a more tactical game similar to world in conflict(and different, for reasons I will mention)
PLOT
The overall plot is that in 1975 an accident happened so the Soviet union attacked western forces and soon it was all out war. While European escalation showed the battles in mainland Europe this is set in scandinavia. The plot goes that while the front in Germany stood still the Soviets launched an attack on Norway to bypass NATO, they moved into sweden forcing them into NATO as well and that is where the game kicks on.
Gameplay
Wargame airland battle is not that fun in singleplayer, the campaign is simply just skirmish battles with a bit of story and "total war style" tactical map in between. While the tactical map is fun I wish they would have made the actual battles more different, now its nothing special from ordinary skirmishes.
The AI during battles can be challenging but they often just rush without cover and certain tactics, so its not until multiplayer the game shines. However more to that later.
I will get this out of the way, Wargame is not a game for everyone. The amount of time and will needed to get into the game will deter most casual gamers so this one is only for the most hardcore rts and military fans.
With that out of the way lets dive deeper into the gameplay.
Unlike most rts games this one lacks base building, instead you call in reinforcements from outside the combat zone(quite similar to world in conflict). The units costs something known as command points. In the beginning of the game you get a fixed amount to let you deploy your units directly however to increase the points you must secure and hold so called command zones(see the picture below)
You hold them by placing a special vehicle in the zone(known as a command vehicle or CV).
http://grogheads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AirLand-Battle-AAR-Image-1.jpg
As you can see on the picture the map is build up from different zones(with fantastic names like alpha, bravo and so on. Or as shown on the picture as Russian names for Pact) You control zones by putting the CVs on them, remember it only works when they stand still. The moment they move you lose control of the zone until they stop again. If both the enemy and you got a CV in a zone it will remain neutral until one of them are dead(or moves)
One big thing that differs this game with many others is that there is no fog of war, The entire map is visible but you can't see enemy units unless one of your units directly sees them. This makes cover like forests really important, not only do they make you harder to hit but to see as well(and it also makes smoke grenades(special artillery attack) really effective as it can make an entire tank assault invisible.
The game features quite the simulation when it comes to your troops, each unit got their own individual set of statistics like Ammunition, fuel, health and morale. While I hope ammo, fuel and health are pretty self explanatory, morale is far more interesting. Basically there are several levels of morale, from calm(100% efficiency) to worried(slight decrease of combat capability) to straight out panicking and routing(fleeing the battle)(there are of course more than these levels :p). Each level makes the unit worse in combat, it takes longer time to shoot and they aim worse and they can easier be stunned. When they rout you lose control of them until they regain their senses.
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h388/paecmaker/2014-01-27_00023.jpg
While I could go very deep when it comes to both fuel and ammo amongst other I will skip that part. I will just say that logistics and supply vehicles are quite important, even more for anti air and artillery units.
Airland battle features more than 700 units, it would be impossible to choose what unit you want during combat so Instead Wargame features something as strange to the rts genre as its genious, card deck building.
Between games you can mess with your unit cards(a group of units is basically a card). Basically you pick the ones you want on your deck, however you only got limited points(each card cost a certain number of points) so you have to prioritize. Dependable on what you want to do decks can look extremely different. If you intend on going 1vs1 an allround deck is good while on 10vs10 you can concentrate on whatever you want. You are free to mix units from different countries(as long they are on the same side, so no Soviet and american units :p) but you get small bonuses if you make "national decks"
For newcomers the armory and deck building can seem scary and full of strange words and numbers but there are pre built decks you can use before trying to build your own(I know I did).
http://i.imgur.com/z39Qa6D.jpg
One of the biggest changes from the previous game(european escalation) is the addition of aircraft. Unlike ordinary units aircraft won't enter the battlefield when you buy them, instead they will show up in a small box on the UI. whenever you need them you select the aircraft in the box and click anywhere on the map, they show up and fly to the location. While aircraft are hard to use you do have full control of them(however the "fire here" command is really useful).
Airplanes really changes the battlefield, their speed and sheer firepower can change the course of battle in seconds. However their cost and vulnerability to anti air makes it risky to use them.
When it comes to multiplayer you can go from 1 vs 1 up to 10 vs 10, I have personally mostly played 10 vs 10.
There are som different game modes however destruction is the most played. Basically its a massive team deathmatch where you get points for killing enemies,the team with most points in the end(or passes the point limit) wins.
Conquest is the second largest mode, this time its not about killing but about controlling zones. You only score by controlling zones, not by killing enemies.
There are a few more modes but these are the only I have played and frankly, I have never even seen the others.
While 10 vs 10 may seem lot I would recommend it for new players, the sheer amount makes it easier to blend in and to make misstakes without the whole team loosing thanks to you. When you get the basics you can try smaller games.
The problem I have with these big games however is that the number of symbols can sometimes be so many you have a hard time even finding your own guys, and there are also many leavers during the games. Now a game is rather long, my longest game was 90 minutes but ordinary games are about 40 minutes long and sadly its rare to see that no one leaves during the game. Heck one time I was alone on my team(in a 10 vs 10), I got control of all units on this MASSIVE map.
These maps are extremely large, to put in perspective you are in a small corner of the map, often fighting in one single zone. While the big maps are fun(even though it take ages to go somewhere) the overall map design is pretty boring. Its the same fields, the same villages and the same forests, the zones look different and some maps got a way different "flow", for example one there are rivers all over the place and only a few bridges you then have to fight to control.
After a game there is a replay function where you can watch your earlier games, something I personally love to do. Sadly I have several problems with this replay tool. First you cant rewind, you can speed up, slow down and even stop time but you cant turn back(except to restart from the beginning). I have also noticed that when you have the game sped up for a long time and suddenly go back to normal its like the game doesnt get it. The game still moves like when you sped it up and it can be really annoying.
MECHANICS
The game engine/graphics are absolutely stunning, while the details may not be as good as in company of heroes the massive scope of the game makes up for it. You can zoom in from a single tank up to a point where you see the whole map in less than a second, it goes much faster than to bring up a map and its seriously something I miss in many other games. From the heat of the battle into the seat of the commander you control the battlefield. Sadly you hardly have time to look at your guys in detail as there are always things to do/enemies to defeat(thats where the replay tool comes in).
The sounds in the game are pretty good, there are voices for each nation(in their respective language). For the smaller nations there is however only voice each(so all units share the same voice) and in the long run they can be annoying(the script is far from good).
However the sounds of the combat is suitable and large battles are epic in both visuals and sounds.
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h388/paecmaker/2014-01-27_00029.jpg(The weather today is cloudy with a chance of sun and artillery shells)
Overall
Airland battle is one of the best RTS games out there today, the tactical gameplay combined with card deck building makes it a one of a kind. Sadly there are a few things that prevents this game from reaching the big market. First the game is hard to learn and the tutorials aren't so good. The singleplayer is sometimes a joke compared to Campaigns in other RTS like Starcraft, World in conflict, Company of heroes. The maps are also kinda boring with little to no dispersity, only one or two maps forces you to think in other ways.
However while the game can be demanding at first the moment you get the hang on it you will love playing multiplayer, there is nothing more epic than 20 players battling out together.
PROS AND CONS
Pro
+ Unprecedented tactical gameplay, the only game I have ever seen who got so many possible ways to defeat your enemies.
+ Massive maps, All the maps are massive, like really massive.
+ Lots of units, this is an extreme understatement. There are over 700 units with individual stats.
+ Many nations, With 12 nations there is lots of diversity on the battlefield.
+ Decks, this is a really interesting aspect on the game and its almost as fun building your deck as fighting with it.
+ Iriszoom engine, the game engine is really powerful.
+ ARTILLERY FTW.(yeah this is a game of artillery)
Con
- The difficulty barrier is a bit to high, its hard to get into the game and the tutorials aren't that good.
- Pretty boring Single player Campaign.
- Most of the maps look pretty similar, while the game is set in sweden/Norway we do have some different nature than large fields and small villages(with the same houses) dotted with small forests.
- The replay tool is pretty glitchy, You cant even rewind time, how is that logic for a replay tool.
-Leavers, while I do know this is nothing the game have anything to do with I have had several games ruined because people left.
Outcome
This is personally a game I love and if you liked world in conflict or want a more tactical RTS(without base building) I really recommend it, but be warned that its not for everyone, and its not for singleplayer.
If I haven't scared you away I'll see you in Valhalla.
Welcome to the harsh reality of Wargame.
http://www.justpushstart.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Wargame-AirLand-Battle-Logo.jpg
Wargame Airland battle is the second game in the wargame serie(the first being European escalation). Basically its a more tactical game similar to world in conflict(and different, for reasons I will mention)
PLOT
The overall plot is that in 1975 an accident happened so the Soviet union attacked western forces and soon it was all out war. While European escalation showed the battles in mainland Europe this is set in scandinavia. The plot goes that while the front in Germany stood still the Soviets launched an attack on Norway to bypass NATO, they moved into sweden forcing them into NATO as well and that is where the game kicks on.
Gameplay
Wargame airland battle is not that fun in singleplayer, the campaign is simply just skirmish battles with a bit of story and "total war style" tactical map in between. While the tactical map is fun I wish they would have made the actual battles more different, now its nothing special from ordinary skirmishes.
The AI during battles can be challenging but they often just rush without cover and certain tactics, so its not until multiplayer the game shines. However more to that later.
I will get this out of the way, Wargame is not a game for everyone. The amount of time and will needed to get into the game will deter most casual gamers so this one is only for the most hardcore rts and military fans.
With that out of the way lets dive deeper into the gameplay.
Unlike most rts games this one lacks base building, instead you call in reinforcements from outside the combat zone(quite similar to world in conflict). The units costs something known as command points. In the beginning of the game you get a fixed amount to let you deploy your units directly however to increase the points you must secure and hold so called command zones(see the picture below)
You hold them by placing a special vehicle in the zone(known as a command vehicle or CV).
http://grogheads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AirLand-Battle-AAR-Image-1.jpg
As you can see on the picture the map is build up from different zones(with fantastic names like alpha, bravo and so on. Or as shown on the picture as Russian names for Pact) You control zones by putting the CVs on them, remember it only works when they stand still. The moment they move you lose control of the zone until they stop again. If both the enemy and you got a CV in a zone it will remain neutral until one of them are dead(or moves)
One big thing that differs this game with many others is that there is no fog of war, The entire map is visible but you can't see enemy units unless one of your units directly sees them. This makes cover like forests really important, not only do they make you harder to hit but to see as well(and it also makes smoke grenades(special artillery attack) really effective as it can make an entire tank assault invisible.
The game features quite the simulation when it comes to your troops, each unit got their own individual set of statistics like Ammunition, fuel, health and morale. While I hope ammo, fuel and health are pretty self explanatory, morale is far more interesting. Basically there are several levels of morale, from calm(100% efficiency) to worried(slight decrease of combat capability) to straight out panicking and routing(fleeing the battle)(there are of course more than these levels :p). Each level makes the unit worse in combat, it takes longer time to shoot and they aim worse and they can easier be stunned. When they rout you lose control of them until they regain their senses.
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h388/paecmaker/2014-01-27_00023.jpg
While I could go very deep when it comes to both fuel and ammo amongst other I will skip that part. I will just say that logistics and supply vehicles are quite important, even more for anti air and artillery units.
Airland battle features more than 700 units, it would be impossible to choose what unit you want during combat so Instead Wargame features something as strange to the rts genre as its genious, card deck building.
Between games you can mess with your unit cards(a group of units is basically a card). Basically you pick the ones you want on your deck, however you only got limited points(each card cost a certain number of points) so you have to prioritize. Dependable on what you want to do decks can look extremely different. If you intend on going 1vs1 an allround deck is good while on 10vs10 you can concentrate on whatever you want. You are free to mix units from different countries(as long they are on the same side, so no Soviet and american units :p) but you get small bonuses if you make "national decks"
For newcomers the armory and deck building can seem scary and full of strange words and numbers but there are pre built decks you can use before trying to build your own(I know I did).
http://i.imgur.com/z39Qa6D.jpg
One of the biggest changes from the previous game(european escalation) is the addition of aircraft. Unlike ordinary units aircraft won't enter the battlefield when you buy them, instead they will show up in a small box on the UI. whenever you need them you select the aircraft in the box and click anywhere on the map, they show up and fly to the location. While aircraft are hard to use you do have full control of them(however the "fire here" command is really useful).
Airplanes really changes the battlefield, their speed and sheer firepower can change the course of battle in seconds. However their cost and vulnerability to anti air makes it risky to use them.
When it comes to multiplayer you can go from 1 vs 1 up to 10 vs 10, I have personally mostly played 10 vs 10.
There are som different game modes however destruction is the most played. Basically its a massive team deathmatch where you get points for killing enemies,the team with most points in the end(or passes the point limit) wins.
Conquest is the second largest mode, this time its not about killing but about controlling zones. You only score by controlling zones, not by killing enemies.
There are a few more modes but these are the only I have played and frankly, I have never even seen the others.
While 10 vs 10 may seem lot I would recommend it for new players, the sheer amount makes it easier to blend in and to make misstakes without the whole team loosing thanks to you. When you get the basics you can try smaller games.
The problem I have with these big games however is that the number of symbols can sometimes be so many you have a hard time even finding your own guys, and there are also many leavers during the games. Now a game is rather long, my longest game was 90 minutes but ordinary games are about 40 minutes long and sadly its rare to see that no one leaves during the game. Heck one time I was alone on my team(in a 10 vs 10), I got control of all units on this MASSIVE map.
These maps are extremely large, to put in perspective you are in a small corner of the map, often fighting in one single zone. While the big maps are fun(even though it take ages to go somewhere) the overall map design is pretty boring. Its the same fields, the same villages and the same forests, the zones look different and some maps got a way different "flow", for example one there are rivers all over the place and only a few bridges you then have to fight to control.
After a game there is a replay function where you can watch your earlier games, something I personally love to do. Sadly I have several problems with this replay tool. First you cant rewind, you can speed up, slow down and even stop time but you cant turn back(except to restart from the beginning). I have also noticed that when you have the game sped up for a long time and suddenly go back to normal its like the game doesnt get it. The game still moves like when you sped it up and it can be really annoying.
MECHANICS
The game engine/graphics are absolutely stunning, while the details may not be as good as in company of heroes the massive scope of the game makes up for it. You can zoom in from a single tank up to a point where you see the whole map in less than a second, it goes much faster than to bring up a map and its seriously something I miss in many other games. From the heat of the battle into the seat of the commander you control the battlefield. Sadly you hardly have time to look at your guys in detail as there are always things to do/enemies to defeat(thats where the replay tool comes in).
The sounds in the game are pretty good, there are voices for each nation(in their respective language). For the smaller nations there is however only voice each(so all units share the same voice) and in the long run they can be annoying(the script is far from good).
However the sounds of the combat is suitable and large battles are epic in both visuals and sounds.
http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h388/paecmaker/2014-01-27_00029.jpg(The weather today is cloudy with a chance of sun and artillery shells)
Overall
Airland battle is one of the best RTS games out there today, the tactical gameplay combined with card deck building makes it a one of a kind. Sadly there are a few things that prevents this game from reaching the big market. First the game is hard to learn and the tutorials aren't so good. The singleplayer is sometimes a joke compared to Campaigns in other RTS like Starcraft, World in conflict, Company of heroes. The maps are also kinda boring with little to no dispersity, only one or two maps forces you to think in other ways.
However while the game can be demanding at first the moment you get the hang on it you will love playing multiplayer, there is nothing more epic than 20 players battling out together.
PROS AND CONS
Pro
+ Unprecedented tactical gameplay, the only game I have ever seen who got so many possible ways to defeat your enemies.
+ Massive maps, All the maps are massive, like really massive.
+ Lots of units, this is an extreme understatement. There are over 700 units with individual stats.
+ Many nations, With 12 nations there is lots of diversity on the battlefield.
+ Decks, this is a really interesting aspect on the game and its almost as fun building your deck as fighting with it.
+ Iriszoom engine, the game engine is really powerful.
+ ARTILLERY FTW.(yeah this is a game of artillery)
Con
- The difficulty barrier is a bit to high, its hard to get into the game and the tutorials aren't that good.
- Pretty boring Single player Campaign.
- Most of the maps look pretty similar, while the game is set in sweden/Norway we do have some different nature than large fields and small villages(with the same houses) dotted with small forests.
- The replay tool is pretty glitchy, You cant even rewind time, how is that logic for a replay tool.
-Leavers, while I do know this is nothing the game have anything to do with I have had several games ruined because people left.
Outcome
This is personally a game I love and if you liked world in conflict or want a more tactical RTS(without base building) I really recommend it, but be warned that its not for everyone, and its not for singleplayer.
If I haven't scared you away I'll see you in Valhalla.