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Unit Icons and NATO counters

 
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Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 5:20:17 PM   
NikiAlex

 

Posts: 35
Joined: 5/15/2014
From: Bulgaria
Status: offline 		Hi Guys,
Wondering what visualization you prefer for combat units on game strategy map? More traditional unit Icons or NATO counters? Maybe option to switch between both is the best?

Post #: 1
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 5:24:13 PM   
VegasOZ

 

Posts: 295
Joined: 7/30/2014
Status: offline 		I almost always prefer the stylized units and like it when given a choice. For some games, like Naval, I prefer NATO icons. In that case it "feels" more like what you would see in the CIC.

(in reply to NikiAlex)
Post #: 2
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 5:26:39 PM   
warspite1


Posts: 41353
Joined: 2/2/2008
From: England
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: NikiAlex

Hi Guys,
Wondering what visualization you prefer for combat units on game strategy map? More traditional unit Icons or NATO counters? Maybe option to switch between both is the best?


warspite1

NATO icons. WIF is the best example of the ideal counters:

Land units = NATO counters
Aircraft and Ships = full colour camouflage picture of individual aircraft type / ship

Absolute genius.

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Post #: 3
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 6:03:28 PM   
NikiAlex

 

Posts: 35
Joined: 5/15/2014
From: Bulgaria
Status: offline
quote:

Land units = NATO counters
Aircraft and Ships = full colour camouflage picture of individual aircraft type / ship


This could be quite nice combination. Still seeking a more detailed image of plane/heli/ship could be potentially very large for the purpose of strategic map placement.

Another good option what I was thinking is icon to be the zoom level dependant. When far display NATOs, zooming-in turn them in stylized unit icon. What do you think?

(in reply to warspite1)
Post #: 4
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 6:04:07 PM   
zakblood


Posts: 22687
Joined: 10/4/2012
Status: offline 		unit Icons, as i'm too thick still to understand Nato ones

(in reply to warspite1)
Post #: 5
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 6:27:03 PM   
GaryChildress

 

Posts: 6830
Joined: 7/17/2005
From: The Divided Nations of Earth
Status: offline 		Depends on the game and the mood I'm in. For Panzer Corps I like the unit graphics. For something like Advanced Tactics I prefer Nato counters. Depends on the mood I'm in whether I want to play a game with NATO counters or play one with graphic unit icons.

< Message edited by Gary Childress -- 6/26/2015 7:27:45 PM >

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Post #: 6
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 6:44:10 PM   
Alchenar

 

Posts: 360
Joined: 8/2/2010
Status: offline 		Yeah, it depends entirely on the context of the game which is more informative. Example off the top of my head: in Flashpoint Campaigns a Soviet 'tank company' could be anything from T55s to T80s. It's therefore way more effective to represent those counters on the face with a unit silhouette rather than putting a NATO oval on all of them and making me click through to see the detail.

In War in the East/West, a tank division is a tank division and it's more important on that scale to be able to differentiate between different kinds of division clearly than see minor TOE differences between them.

(in reply to GaryChildress)
Post #: 7
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 7:55:36 PM   
aaatoysandmore

 

Posts: 2848
Joined: 9/11/2013
Status: offline 		Well I do like choice, so I would go with both with 3D being my favorite. Something that looks like a real tiger on the map only minaturized of course.

But, the one thing I really hate in all these new wargames is this factor of "10" representing ALL the units on the map. I prefer schwerpunks method or Avalon Hills with first number being attack, middle number being defense and last number being movement if you're going to use nato counters at all. (4-4-4) ahhh the memories.


(in reply to Alchenar)
Post #: 8
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 8:01:30 PM   
jwarrenw13

 

Posts: 1897
Joined: 8/12/2000
From: Louisiana, USA
Status: offline 		Generally NATO symbols, but I'm flexible, and not in every game, and I agree that options should be available in games whenever possible.

(in reply to aaatoysandmore)
Post #: 9
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 8:05:34 PM   
fvianello


Posts: 534
Joined: 8/6/2002
From: Italy
Status: offline 		NATO symbols for anything after 1870. Unit icons for everything else.

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(in reply to NikiAlex)
Post #: 10
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 9:44:42 PM   
Wolfe1759


Posts: 798
Joined: 1/20/2008
From: Shropshire, UK
Status: offline 		Strategic level - NATO

Operational level - NATO

Tactical Level - Unit Icons (e.g Heroes of Stalingrad or Conflict of Heroes (counter view)) or top down images (e.g. Close Combat)

If it is a war game being played on a map (ideally with hexes) I generally hate 3D images.

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Post #: 11
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/26/2015 11:42:21 PM   
aaatoysandmore

 

Posts: 2848
Joined: 9/11/2013
Status: offline 		Hate is a strong word.....relax, hug somebody today. Kick yah shoes off. Yall come back now.

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Post #: 12
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/27/2015 11:40:43 AM   
Capitaine

 

Posts: 1043
Joined: 1/15/2002
Status: offline 		A lot depends on the quality of the graphic icons and, as others have stated, the context of the game. At tactical levels icons seem to work best while at operational level NATO counters do. At a strategic level icons can also work to signify the type of unit, but again it comes down to the quality of art if so.

(in reply to aaatoysandmore)
Post #: 13
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/27/2015 2:46:28 PM   
KISSMEUFOOL!


Posts: 121
Joined: 11/18/2013
Status: offline
quote:

NATO icons. WIF is the best example of the ideal counters:

Land units = NATO counters
Aircraft and Ships = full colour camouflage picture of individual aircraft type / ship

Absolute genius.

Yes, WiF has it best.

(in reply to Capitaine)
Post #: 14
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/27/2015 8:01:03 PM   
wodin


Posts: 10762
Joined: 4/20/2003
From: England
Status: offline 		Give me NATO for Operational and above but at tactical scale I prefer a unit icon showing a side on profile and black not coloured. I've just created over 300 unit symbols\counters for a certain game that will come out in a new patch and also be in a new game.

< Message edited by wodin -- 6/27/2015 9:02:10 PM >

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Post #: 15
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/28/2015 1:17:16 AM   
wodin


Posts: 10762
Joined: 4/20/2003
From: England
Status: offline 		That's because they are all Panzer General clones.
quote:

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore

Well I do like choice, so I would go with both with 3D being my favorite. Something that looks like a real tiger on the map only minaturized of course.

But, the one thing I really hate in all these new wargames is this factor of "10" representing ALL the units on the map. I prefer schwerpunks method or Avalon Hills with first number being attack, middle number being defense and last number being movement if you're going to use nato counters at all. (4-4-4) ahhh the memories.





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https://www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk/

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Post #: 16
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/28/2015 5:51:20 AM   
aaatoysandmore

 

Posts: 2848
Joined: 9/11/2013
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: wodin

That's because they are all Panzer General clones.
quote:

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore

Well I do like choice, so I would go with both with 3D being my favorite. Something that looks like a real tiger on the map only minaturized of course.

But, the one thing I really hate in all these new wargames is this factor of "10" representing ALL the units on the map. I prefer schwerpunks method or Avalon Hills with first number being attack, middle number being defense and last number being movement if you're going to use nato counters at all. (4-4-4) ahhh the memories.






So I noticed. I don't like them either. The horror if the new Steel Tigers uses this kind of system?

(in reply to wodin)
Post #: 17
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/28/2015 5:57:34 AM   
wodin


Posts: 10762
Joined: 4/20/2003
From: England
Status: offline 		I very much doubt it..but if it does then it certainly isn't a new Steel Panthers game..

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Post #: 18
RE: Unit Icons and NATO counters - 6/28/2015 5:21:43 PM   
Chris Hampton


Posts: 32
Joined: 8/11/2012
Status: offline 		I like the NATO counters myself. I feel it gives a real war room feel to a grand strategy game.

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Post #: 19
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