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warspite1 -> RE: OT: World in Flames. Worth it for $20 bucks? (1/17/2021 9:33:40 AM)
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ORIGINAL: PaxMondo
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ORIGINAL: warspite1
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ORIGINAL: rustysi
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I was thinking about picking this title up for the price. What say you?
warspite1
At this price this isn't even a question you should be asking. Just buy it.
This may seem like a strange thing to say from someone who has only recently publicly stated he's fallen out of love with MWIF (not WIF). But let me explain.
World In Flames is the best war game ever imo - it towers above all other strategic games like Third Reich and Strategic Command, and don't even think about Axis and Allies. This is not because its historically accurate to the nth degree - because its not and its not designed to be - it's a game designed to be won by either side, and that means some liberties must be taken with counter values (one can imagine the liberties taken with Japan!). But that is an acceptable trade-off.
But what you do get thanks to its clever basic framework, is a game that always has a WWII feel about it. You are playing with the advantages and disadvantages of the various major powers. So even if attacking Spain is your thing, or Sweden, the game rarely feels far away from real life WWII.
And remember, this is a strategic game and yet you have under your control almost all the ships (light cruiser and above) that fought in WWII plus some what ifs should you wish to build them. You get to 'play' all the aircraft types available during the war too. The counters are colourful and beautifully presented. The maps are a thing of beauty - simple, clear and elegant (the maps are the only thing that lets the board game down - but Steve has created much, much better versions).
One of the real winners for someone of a certain age with eyesight to match, are the levels of zoom available. No squinting needed, whack up to the highest level of zoom required for any particular part of the game and that is a real bonus compared to some games.
Its an incredibly challenging game, hardly anything is ever guaranteed to work thanks to the way weather, turn initiative, counter mix, counter choice, turn end, and of course the dreaded dice, work together. A player needs to think many, many turns ahead, reacting to opportunities and potential threats.
Just about every action you take as an Allied or Axis player affects US Entry timing and so you have to be careful what you do - its not just a free for all.
Downside of MWIF? Well its still a work in progress. My frustration at present is that the convoy/production system needs some love. But some have it working to their satisfaction (I am too much of a computer numpty to be able to get it to mine). But the game is constantly being worked on and so anyone that buys it should see it as a long term project. I will be back at the game as soon as there are any convoy/production updates to test out.
The regulars on the forum are very knowledgeable and very helpful and patient with questions from newbies and not so newbies too.
I paid full price (less a small discount for doing the naval write-ups) for the game and I don't regret it for a second. At the sale price, just buy it. Worst case, they never resolve the convoy/production issues and you don't play it (although you may be one of those that can get comfortable as is). Is it worth that gamble? Hell yes. Buy it and keep up with the updates and one day...... And if they still sell the glossy hardcover manuals then get them too. They are works of art that I still lovingly caress and sleep with every night.
Yeah, the manuals are lovely, worth the price. Best part: because of how the game is written, the manuals stay accurate (pretty much) as the code is being updated to the manuals; not vice versa as in most games.
The lack of AI is the killer for me, but Steve has promised some work on it this year. For me, without the AI and not being at all expert in the game itself, I just can't get it to work at all. I am hopeful for enough of an AI by the end of 2021 to be able to get through a few turns, enough to teach me how the game works and maybe enjoy it. we'll see.
warspite1
I hope so [:)]
I would agree though that its difficult to get into - and of course the early bugs just made things a whole lot more difficult - is it a bug or do I not understand the rules?
I wonder if I would have had the patience/ability to 'master' (and I use that in the broadest possible sense [:D]) it from scratch, as some have (rkr1958 I believe is the outstanding example), without knowing the board game previously?
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