Should I buy?

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> The Operational Art of War IV >> Should I buy?

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Should I buy? - 11/17/2017 3:13:57 AM

Nutrino

Posts: 8
Joined: 6/23/2015
Status: offline

I'm a veteran of tabletop wargames. Computer gaming is a bit new to me, however, and I'm not particularly computer literate. This looks like a terrific simulation that takes a lot of the tedium out of learning/playing a very complex game with an incredibly long set of rules that, obviously, need to be learned to play the game well. After all, the object of gaming is to have fun--not get bogged down in the rules.

I'm not opposed to spending the money for a game well designed. Coders, especially for a game like this, need to be compensated for their sweat and toil, but is this newbie friendly enough with tutorials and such to make it worthwhile for me to buy and invest the time to learn? Are there tutorials available ingame and have seasoned players put out Utube help? Is there sufficient forum help to get past the

rough spots? If I buy the game will I just get frustrated with the learning curve and abandon it?

Thanks for anyone who cares to respond to this thread. I appreciate it.

Nutrino

Post #: 1

RE: Should I buy? - 11/17/2017 3:21:59 AM

larryfulkerson

Posts: 39932
Joined: 4/17/2005
From: Tucson, AZ
Status: offline

quote:

Are there tutorials available ingame and have seasoned players put out YouTube help?

IIRC there aren't any INGAME functions but Steve Sill has devoted a lot of time putting out
YouTube videos, short tutorials to help get the new player started. Google TOAW.

quote:

Is there sufficient forum help to get past the rough spots?

I'm going to say yes. Bob Cross knows everything there is to know about TOAW IV. He helped
write it. You CANNOT stump him with a question about T4. And he lives on the forum.
Also, there's lots of people who have been with TOAW through it's various incarnations and can
usually be of substantial help for people like you and me.

quote:

If I buy the game will I just get frustrated with the learning curve and abandon it?

Depends on your education level, IQ, patience level, whether you love your parents or not, just broke
up with your girlfriend or not, wrecked your car recently, or came down with a disease. Probably not.

(in reply to Nutrino)

Post #: 2

RE: Should I buy? - 11/17/2017 3:30:22 AM

alwaysdime

Posts: 178
Joined: 4/28/2009
From: USA
Status: offline

The learning curve could bit you but its worth it in the end. If you are used to yougo Igo style of games it could be rough. The way this works is you have 10 combat "phases". If you have a unit that can move 10 hex's and move them 5 and then attack you will loose half your turn. That movement takes time. Once you understand that with the phases you can attack multiple times with a unit and maybe 0 with another you will get the hang of it. If a scenario is 1 day turns can't you expect a unit to move for 23 hours, attack, and then still have time left in the game.

I hope you try it. I have played since the 90's and love it. You just have to learn its realistic time and not a "go X and attack" then next unit. It sounds odd but its great.

(in reply to larryfulkerson)

Post #: 3

RE: Should I buy? - 11/17/2017 3:50:01 AM

gbaby

Posts: 180
Joined: 2/2/2016
Status: offline

When I started with TOAW years ago, I hated it. The time impulse turn was confusing, hard to accept when all I wanted was a good operational turn based game.

I kept coming back to TOAW, there were so many scenarios. I was puzzled how some folks loved this thing, what was I missing?

Finally on TOAW III I got it, the impulse turn is actually really a good thing and it is simpler than the explanations. It really just needs time to experience it in play and it will come to you as just a good logical way of doing it.

And then you really can play without understanding all the ins and outs. Starting I just paid attention to supply by having every hex show supply values, then the "colored square" on the counters give you an overall estimate of status, like supplied, readiness, etc. Very convenient for quick play. Don't fight with red, move up and fight with green. Move red to higher supply, rest it. Combat planner (double click on unit being attacked) really makes attack plans simple.

You can play many scenarios this way just to get the feel and win!!! Then you can learn the internals as you go, trying to figure what best for each combat plan, like using only units from same organization (learning what those flags mean), etc. Learn at your own pace, and improve your play.

Then TOAW IV comes along and boy I wish I had it since TOAW III. I would of figured out impulse turn play a lot faster. And the status panel is a lot more convenient for quickly accessing health/status of your units.

So I would obviouslyl recommend as a buy now. You need to have patience with it, but it is lot easier to play then many other titles. And you can read the rule book to pull other "oh, I didn't realize that!" gems while you continue to play, but read at your own pace, you do not have memorize it at all. Not needed, but of course helps.

Oh yea!!! There is a quick combat move where instead of using the combat planner, you may have a strong unit and right click "move" it over a weak enemy unit. If it gets an arrow (planned attack), you can clear or user planner to add other units to attack. OR, and most times, if the unit is weak, it will retreat, taking casualties. Using a cavalry unit and doing this to foot, you end up chasing the one unit down until it "evaporates". Its fun to do. But of course, it eats up impulses for that one unit, so it won't participate in other combat, but it was chasing the enemy down! Makes sense. AI does this too!!! So you need to protect your HQ units!

< Message edited by gbaby -- 11/17/2017 3:58:14 AM >

(in reply to Nutrino)

Post #: 4

RE: Should I buy? - 11/18/2017 12:53:59 AM

Nutrino

Posts: 8
Joined: 6/23/2015
Status: offline

Thank you, Larry, Always, and gbaby. You're very kind to take the time to respond to a total noob. That's some great advice that you've given: take your time, have patience, watch the utube tutorials, come to the forums and pick the brains of the experienced and wise...

I'll give myself an early Christmas present and take the plunge.

Thanks, again!

Nutrino

(in reply to gbaby)

Post #: 5