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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Gary Grigsby's World at War: A World Divided >> The War Room >> Help for new player

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Help for new player - 8/6/2007 2:29:01 PM

bennyb

Posts: 13
Joined: 8/6/2007
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So what's the secret to becoming proficient at WaW? I've played 5-6 games so far as Germany with auto-production but keep getting bogged down in 1942 when I invade Russia.
Is it the sort of game which rewards lots of play and study? I seem to be getting badly hosed on Normal difficulty level.

Any suggestions would be welcome. Love the game though!

Ben

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RE: Help for new player - 8/6/2007 5:34:49 PM

LarryP

Posts: 3783
Joined: 5/15/2005
From: Carson City, NV
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: bennyb

So what's the secret to becoming proficient at WaW? I've played 5-6 games so far as Germany with auto-production but keep getting bogged down in 1942 when I invade Russia.
Is it the sort of game which rewards lots of play and study? I seem to be getting badly hosed on Normal difficulty level.

Ben;

Funny that I am answering your request as I have been the one in this forum to complain. I had some good inspiration from people in here and what they told me I can tell you, cause it helped a lot. Here is what I was told and I added some of my own:

1) Keep trying because the game is rewarding.
2) Just play and try anything and everything, you can always start over.
3) Read the manual!
4) Play as the Russians first, they are not under as much pressure.
5) Use Strategic Movement as much as you can, it saves much needed resource.
6) Manage your own production! You will get pretty good at knowing what to build and for where to put it. Go back and forth from the production menu (where you build stuff) and the map. Then you can see what you need and where it should go.
7) During the movement phase, watch who does what and it will help you to understand the game better. There are some strange moves that seem like mistakes, but maybe the AI is mimicing humans.

7) Playing as Russia, don't be afraid to move most of your troops from the east to the western front. The eastern front at least for me, never got attacked by Japan. Japan was too busy with China. I left minimal troops in the east, but I could have even taken them I suppose.
8) If you play as Russians, build plenty of Flak. The Germans have lots of planes.
9) Watch the Research of other countries. The country you are opposing, make sure to at least match that research and if possible exceed it. As Russia, I made sure to research good fighter planes in air combat as the Germans had great Fighter Planes and Tanks. In other words, Research according to what you see your enemy doing.

That's some of the advice I got. Not perfect but close, and some are mine. As you know by now, I played as the Russians first and it helped immensely. I was able to learn without so much pressure. You have only one border to worry about and that is not hard to defend. The first game I played on Normal too and as the Russians I whooped the Germans back into a corner. At first you are Politically Frozen. During that time take advantage and build the heck out of your resources and buy Spy and Security. I tried to match the USA with both of those options and it kept me way ahead of Germany and seemed to be a good amount. Then when you become unfrozen, shortly after that the Allied forces hit Germany too so it takes some pressure off of Russia.

When I first started trying to understand the menus, I got frustrated. I quit several times. However, after being told not to give up a few times, I am glad I listened because it really is a good strategy game.

I hope that helps some.

< Message edited by LarryP -- 8/6/2007 5:42:33 PM >

(in reply to bennyb)

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RE: Help for new player - 8/6/2007 7:24:06 PM

bennyb

Posts: 13
Joined: 8/6/2007
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Thanks Larry.

Strangely, after posting that message I kicked off a game and managed a decisive victory as Germany! Good fun. It seems timing your retreats in Russia is important when playing the Axis, especially in '45.

The naval system is the most confusing for me at the moment, especially when Italy joins the war. I'm finding it hard to get a foothold for my transports in the Mediterranean Sea. This may depend heavily on Germany keeping Allied fleets busy up North, I'm not sure yet.

(in reply to LarryP)

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RE: Help for new player - 8/9/2007 3:34:58 PM

rjh1971

Posts: 4919
Joined: 12/13/2005
From: Madrid, Spain
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: bennyb

Thanks Larry.

Strangely, after posting that message I kicked off a game and managed a decisive victory as Germany!� Good fun.� It seems timing your retreats in Russia is important when playing the Axis, especially in '45.

The naval system is the most confusing for me at the moment, especially when Italy joins the war.� I'm finding it hard to get a foothold for my transports in the Mediterranean Sea.� This may depend heavily on Germany keeping Allied fleets busy up North, I'm not sure yet.

If the WA, specially when playing against a human opponent, want to have a strong presence in Central Mediterranean they will, you could probably find up to 4-6 BB and 2 LF and fighter cover, in order to cast them out will need the luftwaffe to assist the italian navy, or either press the UK otherwhere: bomb England conduct a uboat campaign so you sink transports and leave the RN isolated in C. Med.

Oh as LarryP said manage your own production spiral, I've never let the game do it so I don't know if it does well or bad. Reading the manual helps a lot, did that myself several times with WAW, and don't hesitate to ask any question you come upon, I'm sure somebody will answer them. As to strategy there are many possibilities you will be finding them as you play, specially vs human opponent.

(in reply to bennyb)

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RE: Help for new player - 8/9/2007 7:48:37 PM

LarryP

Posts: 3783
Joined: 5/15/2005
From: Carson City, NV
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: rjh1971
Oh as LarryP said manage your own production spiral, I've never let the game do it so I don't know if it does well or bad. Reading the manual helps a lot, did that myself several times with WAW, and don't hesitate to ask any question you come upon, I'm sure somebody will answer them. As to strategy there are many possibilities you will be finding them as you play, specially vs human opponent.

At first I let the game manage Production all the time. Someone advised me to manage it myself and so I did and I learned the game much better by doing so. The game did an OK job, nothing bad.

(in reply to rjh1971)

Post #: 5

RE: Help for new player - 3/6/2008 1:34:46 AM

wolf4

Posts: 44
Joined: 12/3/2007
From: Born Canada, now in Italy.
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LarryP, just want to say thanks for writing your post in response to bennyb. I was glad to read your response to him.

I think I know how bennyb is feeling. When Gary Grigsby's World At War first came out I bought the game because I liked the fact that it was a strategy map that covered the whole world - meaning there would be a lot more strategic play involved. However as I tried to play the game I finally gave up on it for good. I was disillusioned with it. I got tired and depressed seeing Germany being invaded and defeated so easily time and time again. I was playing Germany. I came to the conclusion that there was no sense in playing the game if it was so "damn" easy for Germany to be defeated.

However, I've just joined the forum because of Advanced Tactics, but noticed that there was now this second version of GGWAW named A World Divided. I have been reading up on some of the posts on this game and have actually purchased it. I am hoping that it has been improved and that my earlier decision to give up on the game was unfounded. Some of the members were kind enough to tell me that it is still a good game and that Germany does indeed win.

I gave up on the game not because of the menus but because I could'nt understand how easy it was for Germany to be defeated and that killed the pleasure for me. So I'm hoping that somehow the game is worth playing and I will not end up doing a lot of "howling" in the moonlight.

(in reply to LarryP)

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RE: Help for new player - 3/6/2008 10:01:45 PM

LarryP

Posts: 3783
Joined: 5/15/2005
From: Carson City, NV
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Since the last post, I have been playing World Divided a lot. This game in the beginning was a huge block to me. I took some good advice that told me to just play the game as much as I could and don't try to win or be afraid of trying anything you can think of. Well I did just those things, and one day this game just opened up in my mind. I have no troubles with it now and know it quite well. I played as Russia last and creamed all opposition. The menus are easy to read now and everything makes sense.

This is truly a game worth working at to play. This at present time is my favorite Matrix title. That's saying a lot out of the over thirty games I have from Matrix!

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RE: Help for new player - 3/6/2008 11:28:04 PM

wolf4

Posts: 44
Joined: 12/3/2007
From: Born Canada, now in Italy.
Status: offline

LarryP I thank you very much indeed for contributing. Thank you for your feedback!

You mentioned you played Russia last and "creamed" all opposition. But that is exactly what I had trouble with. My issue with the game was that. The issue for me was that Russia or the Allies did "cream" the Axis practically every time. The issue for me was not how difficult it was for me to learn to play and understand the game, the issue was whether the game was imballanced in that it was too difficult for the Axis to have "fun" winning!

Everytime I play this game I play with the Axis. I play with the Axis because I want to see if it is not too difficult for them to win. I do this because I know that in actual history the Allies won. But in a game scenario, I do not want it to be so predictable otherwise there is no point in playing. That is why I have been playing "Advanced Tactics". Several years ago I did try out GGWAW - the first version - and I was disillusioned with it. I had the impression it was imballanced, that it was far too easy for the Allies (this includes Russia) to win and "cream the life out of" the Axis side. That was my main concern.

I was not concern about how difficult or how long it would take me to learn the intricacies of the game or study the tables of information. It was the imbalance of the game that was worrying me. In "Advanced Tactics" I did not have this problem at all. But in GGWAW I did have this problem and concern.

I would in fact be very pleased and uplifted to learn from you if the Axis can "thrash the living daylights" out of the Allies for a change! That would at least give me an indication that the Axis powers can win and it is not lopsided.

Once again LarryP thank you very much for your post. I do appreciate it, very much! I hope I do not come across as if I did not respect your post because that is not what was intended! I was very glad to receive some feedback, very much indeed! But I just wanted to point out the issue I had with the game. If the issue of the game is shown that I am mistaken then I would be very glad indeed. I would be grateful if this was shown to me.

Thank you for replying and all the best!

(in reply to LarryP)

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RE: Help for new player - 3/7/2008 12:22:26 AM

LarryP

Posts: 3783
Joined: 5/15/2005
From: Carson City, NV
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Wolf4;

I should have addressed what you said originally better because you explained what your desires were very well. In no way did you come across as anything but perfectly polite and respectful. I just did not give you a very good reply and for that I am sorry.

I played Germany when I was playing World At War but not this new World Divided. I have never liked playing Germany in any game, and it is probably a personal thing with me. Hitler pissed me off and I prefer to kill him when I can.

I have nothing against the country of Germany or it's wonderful people, it's Hitler himself I can't stand. My wife is half German.

Back to your concern. I never won playing as Germany but I did not play long enough or know the game well enough when I played that way. So my advice is lacking. I would be interested in seeing somebody else post here that could enlighten us both on this matter.

You have a very good question. Lets see if someone else comes along and adds to this thread.

Thank you for such kind responses and feel free to contact me anytime.

< Message edited by LarryP -- 3/7/2008 12:23:34 AM >

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RE: Help for new player - 3/8/2008 3:43:34 AM

wolf4

Posts: 44
Joined: 12/3/2007
From: Born Canada, now in Italy.
Status: offline

LarryP, sorry for my late reply. I was trying to get to you earlier to write you a response but got "bogged down" with a lot of writing to finish off.

Once again thanks for replying. Sorry I didn't mean to make you say "sorry". Now you're making me say "sorry"! And if we keep saying "sorry" to each other we'll end up playing on the British side! I should know because my father was English. My mother however is Italian born in Rome but lived a lot in England and Canada. And my grandfather from Argentina of Italian parentage.

Yes I understand your feelings about Germany - this conversation is getting political and ungaming now! Hitler pissed me off too and left a lot of bad taste in everybody's mouths. Unfortunately some leaders give countries a bad name and impression. However, I have had girlfriends in the past who were German. "Ich bin in Osterreich fur ein Jahr gewesen und jetzt habe ich mein Deutsch vergessen"! I was in Austria for one year but now I have forgotten a lot of German.

Every country has a particular character or flair, a skill to offer. And every country has negative and positive traits to keep in balance. When you go from one country to another it's like changing gears in a car - Oops! You probably have automatic over there! - and you can feel it in the air how attitude changes and this percolates throughout the whole national system.

So...what does this have to do with gaming? Absolutely nothing!

I should be on some chat site instead. So forgive me, I got side tracked.

Well you started it first by talking about Germany, Hitler and politics and now you got me doing it!

Ok, back to gaming. Yes. let's see if there is anyone out there who has a response to my original question...if they can now find it.

Anyway, this thread was just to acknowledge your post and I appreciate your chat. Chiss� forse un giorno ti offro un bicchiere di vino rosso.

(in reply to LarryP)

Post #: 10