Zovs -> RE: FITE 2 (5/14/2021 12:00:23 PM)
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You have to remember that TOAW is primarily a war game construction set. Norm originally created it to be a WW2 operational level construction kit. He expanded in in II and III to cover a century of warfare from 1900 to 2000s. Ralph took over for IV and based on Bob's opinions tried to make it more than what is was originally intended to be and added and expanded it to almost be trying to everything and not achieving that at all. The TOAW system's sweet spot (and what it was originally designed for) is roughly 2 to 10 km per hex, 1 day to 1/2 week turns and battalion to regimental level operational combat with ranged artillery. Due to thousands of amateurs game designers pushing the system and with the expansions of IV there is now thousands of scenarios out there from platoon level to army level from 0.25 km to 50 km from 1 hour turns to seasonal turns. What that all means is that the TOAW system is primarily a war game construction set and not a specialized war game system so it will always lack specific things such as production, strategic political rules and specific time period items. To play games that have those missing or items one has to go to other game systems. For example any Civil War or Napoleonic game systems are much better covered for example by the John Tiller games for those two eras and not TOAW. Likewise for highly detailed, historical and fun recreation of both the ETO and MTO in 1943-45 and the Eastern Front 1941-1945 your better off with War in the West and War in the East II. Also for production, political and divisional level combat in Europe I still stand by Decisions Games Computer War in Europe II. For tactical games (squad and or platoon level) your best best is the Steel Panthers (Shrapnel) series and the Campaign Series (JTS) and for modern tactical MBT (shrapnel). And lastly for modern combat operational combat I think the best out there is Flashpoint Campaigns Red Storm Rising and Germany Reforged. TOAW can't (and should not) try to compete with the more specialized gaming systems, it was never intended for that. What it was designed for it does best WW2 battalion to regimental combat from 1 day to 1/2 week at 2.5 to 10 km per hex type of warfare.
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