von Curow
Posts: 89
Joined: 6/20/2000 From: Plymouth (Massachusetts) Status: offline
|
Okay, I've played a number of scenarios multiple times from both sides now (Coral Sea, Wake, Pearl Harbor) and Midway as the Americans. Overall, I want to say that I am loving playing this game. This is really what I was hoping for. I played the original on my C64 and liked it but was repeatedly frustrated as a 14 yr old playing it. Looking back, I was too aggressive. Playing now, when I get to aggressive, I often get creamed for it. 1) Is it too easy? (Or am I a genius?) Well, I think I have only actually lost 1 scenario after playing about a dozen. And it isn't foreknowledge (except in the Pearl Harbor, playing as Americans, when I sortied my BB fleet in the middle of the night and the Japanese air strikes still hit Pearl Harbor the next day). I am not complaining too much because many of my victories were close ones or based on stopping the other side's mission (invade, resupply, whatever). For example, as the Americans in Midway, I crippled a CV, sank 2 CVs and damaged the fourth, but I lost 2 CVs and 4 CAs, so it wasn't a completely happy tradeoff, even if I did stop the invasion of Midway. I also don't know if it is the AI that is the problem, either. It seems competent in its actions, I just seem to get my airstrikes in at the right time. 2) Surface combat Perhaps this is as it should be but the first thing I note is that the weaker force simply withdraws and that is the end of the battle, with nothing happening. When forces are close (or I think they are... it's tough to lose 2 CAs and 5 DDs because you thought you had a chance ), then the battle does occur. I have had two. One thing that surprised me was this: with all surface forces in the nearest boxes, my capital ships had the option to fire guns at adjacent capital ships, as well as the destroyers to either "side" (van and flank?). My destroyers had the option to fire guns at both capital ships and destroyers to either "side". But my destroyers could only fire torpedoes at enemy destroyers. Why is that? Believe me, it was a horrible idea when I advanced my 2 CAs and 5 DDs against 4 Japanese CAs and 2 DDs, thinking my DD superiority would allow some good torpedo strikes. I got close but couldn't fire my torps at the enemy CAs. Result? America loses 2 CAs, 5 DDs, while Japan lost 1 DD. Wish list? ) Obviously, more scenarios. It would be nice, down the road, to have some what-if stuff and some European theater stuff. The thing with carrier ops is that there really isn't that much material beyond what is already here. 2) Given that there isn't a lot of historical material, a robust editor is a must. I have glanced at the editor and find it less than intuitive (in other words, I will need to read the manual to figure it out). Hopefully, the truly talented in the community will find ways to mod CaW and produce some truly amazing alternative scenarios and campaigns.
|