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brianlala -> Underrated gem (6/26/2008 12:52:11 PM)
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Random comments and ravings:
I'm normally just a forum lurker but I just wanted to say what an underrated gem that this game is. I was extremely hesitant to purchase CEAW after hearing about some of the AI issues but went ahead anyways for nostalgia panzer/pacific general reasons. I must definitely say that the AI on this game (for Europe anyways) is extremely well balanced. I've played 7-10 games now as the Axis with the second hardest (moderate?) allied advantage and oil rules on and it is pleasantly surprising to lose in so many different ways.
I've lost due to lack of oil (solved that by going to the caucasus), by bad force mix (not enough armor), by too heavy casualties (replacements were completing destroying my troop's quality and I was getting outmatched by Russians), by bad and/or unlucky research priorities (Russians must have emphasized tank destroyers while I focused on blitzkrieg and their tanks became impenetrable to me), and by unbalancing my forces and overly focusing on the East and having to quit due to Normandy.
While some of these conditions have happened in the same games or more than once (oil oil oil) I must applaud the AI balancing on the harder settings (only way I've played since my first game). I still have yet to win as the axis (never played Allies but am betting it will be easy) but can feel myself getting closer and closer every game...which is how I think an ideal AI should play out.
I just wanted to make this post because I have thoroughly enjoyed the outward simplicity of this game and deep behind the scenes complexity that is apparent underneath. I still don't quite know the importance of all the game's mechanics (like shock and some of the other unit modifiers) but they aren't necessary to know to have an enjoyable game. Learning these mechanics like the importance of the tank attack attribute or whatever it's called does improve gameplay but thankfully don't feel like a necessary condition to play the game.
This is far from a perfect game as weather feels poorly portrayed and some of the functions of the minors seem funky (make some hexes visibly muddy or snowy in the winter perhaps?). There are few glaring oversights like the oft-mentioned Allied AI in North Africa (although in one game I did receive a feeble two infantry, 1 fighter attack from the Brits down there) and fairly predictable Allied invasions of France (always in the same general spots if playing 1939 and more varied in later 1943 scenario) but the promise with the "commander" engine or whatever they are calling it is definitely there. (a few house rules like not invading france too early and garisoning a portion of the cities where you know the AI will never land is a fair way to compensate for some of the predictability of the AI landings although they are still very difficult to throw back into the sea as time goes on)
CEAW definitely feels like a complete game even with the above mentioned oddities and whether it is a steal at its current price is really a function of the consumer's income ($50 or so for more than 15 hours of gameplay is a steal to me but perhaps not to a college student for instance) but I just wanted to say that I really hope there is a pacific version of this game or perhaps full WWII version if they are being considered in the development pipeline.
In the pantheon of strategic WW2 strategy games (I'm ignoring tactical games like battlefront's combat missions series) that I've played I'd rank CEAW #2 (barely above #3) for overall package of enjoyment, AI, balance, etc on my top ten list (admittedly strategic command is one of the few battlefront games I have yet to play but the graphics are off-putting to me):
1. Hearts of iron 2
2. CEAW
3. Clash of Steel (even more underrated gem and if you handicap ww2 games for when they came out then this one gets #1 easily)
4. TOAW WW2 scenarios (some of the ones simulating Europe and the east front are quite excellent)
5. Panzer/pacific general series
I'm sure I'm forgetting tons of stuff to say but just wanted to makes all these comments because I've enjoyed this game but from the forum I sort of went into it with a sour taste and low expectations for the AI and this was completely opposite of what I experienced. That Bill Trotter wargamer review is spot on and this is one nice ww2 strategy game to add to the rotation.
This was a much better Matrix Game pickup for me than the two close combat series games and on par for overall cost/gameplay value ratio with TOAW or Frank Hunter's innovative WW1 game. (speaking of Frank Hunter, he is by far the most underrated designer and I'm still miffed there is no word on another civil war game in his development pipeline because he is creative like few others...but that's a rant/discussion for another day
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