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DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews

 
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DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 11/19/2021 3:36:17 PM   
nikdav


Posts: 895
Joined: 3/9/2008
From: Italy
Status: offline 		Conclusion:

Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive is a solid experience that might have some trouble finding an audience. I appreciate the battalion-level simulation, the care shown in presenting the battlefields, and the historical situation. The game does take time and solid energy investment to master. The mechanics themselves, from reaction fire to line of sight and command and control, work well but feel dry.
Previous entry Barbarossa managed to compensate for this by making inter-personal relations a major part of the gameplay. But in the winter of the Ardennes, there’s no place for favors or moral choices. The battle will be won by paying attention and implementing the best tactical approach, for which the new Decisive Campaigns offers plenty of maneuver room. Get ready for hours of solid tactical action that will allow players to both understand history and re-create it.

Rating: 8,5/10


https://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/decisive-campaigns-ardennes-offensive-review-534433.shtml

< Message edited by nikdav -- 11/20/2021 12:55:21 PM >
Post #: 1
RE: DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 11/20/2021 2:46:01 AM   
Erik Rutins

 

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
Status: offline 		Verdict- Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive is the best operational-level wargame I’ve ever played, period. The decision to stay away from the more abstract aspects of other operational level wargames and to bravely implement novel features should serve as a textbook example of how a genre, considered by many to be stale and long past its prime that, with the right knowledge, passion, and inspiration, you can always reach new heights. For going above and beyond the call of duty, Decisive Campaigns is hereby granted the first, Golden Strategy and Wargaming Seal of Approval.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

https://strategyandwargaming.com/2021/11/20/decisive-campaigns-ardennes-offensive-review-new-golden-standard/

_____________________________

Erik Rutins
CEO, Matrix Games LLC



For official support, please use our Help Desk: http://www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk/

Freedom is not Free.

(in reply to nikdav)
Post #: 2
RE: DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 11/25/2021 1:08:06 PM   
Erik Rutins

 

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
Status: offline 		4.5 / 5 Stars

"It’s rare that a hex and counter wargame truly surprises me. I, like many of you, have been playing these types of games for years, and know what to expect from our niche genre. There will be familiar mechanics around movement, unit composition, statistics, combat odds, and supply lines. There will be detailed rules, long campaigns, short scenarios, archaic multiplayer systems and decent game editors.

And then there’s Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive.

....

I was so pleasantly surprised by how tight a package Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Assault was, I had trouble articulating it for this review. "

https://letstalkaboutwargames.wordpress.com/2021/11/24/decisive-campaigns-ardennes-offensive-review/

_____________________________

Erik Rutins
CEO, Matrix Games LLC



For official support, please use our Help Desk: http://www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk/

Freedom is not Free.

(in reply to Erik Rutins)
Post #: 3
RE: DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 11/25/2021 4:43:05 PM   
eddieballgame

 

Posts: 676
Joined: 6/29/2011
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Erik Rutins

4.5 / 5 Stars

"It’s rare that a hex and counter wargame truly surprises me. I, like many of you, have been playing these types of games for years, and know what to expect from our niche genre. There will be familiar mechanics around movement, unit composition, statistics, combat odds, and supply lines. There will be detailed rules, long campaigns, short scenarios, archaic multiplayer systems and decent game editors.

And then there’s Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive.

....

I was so pleasantly surprised by how tight a package Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Assault was, I had trouble articulating it for this review. "

https://letstalkaboutwargames.wordpress.com/2021/11/24/decisive-campaigns-ardennes-offensive-review/


Excellent review & I have yet to have any crashes. (win 7 & win 10)

(in reply to Erik Rutins)
Post #: 4
RE: DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 11/27/2021 6:39:45 AM   
Rosseau

 

Posts: 2757
Joined: 9/13/2009
Status: offline 		Same here - no crashes and an excellent review by Joe F.

There's one infinitesimal thing I've found that hurts immersion for me just a little bit: When using a Card to order reinforcements to the battle as the Allied side, one gets the vanilla Axis reinforcement graphic. That's how little there is to respectfully criticize about this game so far.

(in reply to eddieballgame)
Post #: 5
RE: DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 11/27/2021 11:10:25 AM   
nikdav


Posts: 895
Joined: 3/9/2008
From: Italy
Status: offline 		Hi Mike !
I fix this graphic issue in the final version, if i remember you had still the 0.96 ?

Davide

(in reply to Rosseau)
Post #: 6
RE: DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 11/28/2021 2:14:22 AM   
Rosseau

 

Posts: 2757
Joined: 9/13/2009
Status: offline 		You are correct, Davide. And thanks to Paolo's kindness I now have a version that I can update going forward.

It was such a minor issue, not even a bug, and you changed it already!

And for those spending money on the current Matrix Holiday Sale, please know that this game needs no sale to be worth every dollar.


(in reply to nikdav)
Post #: 7
RE: DC:Ardennes Offensive Reviews - 1/19/2022 12:22:39 PM   
Erik Rutins

 

Posts: 37503
Joined: 3/28/2000
From: Vermont, USA
Status: offline 		A Wargamer's Needful Things:

https://www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk/2022/01/blog-post.html

"For computer wargamers looking for a medium-complexity, battalion-level simulation (1 km per hex) with a comprehensive suite of editors, this game is the literal "critic's choice," and the $40 U.S. asking price is a mere pittance for the content one will receive. And, most importantly, for board game players who have thus far resisted the urge to purchase a digital wargame? Well, this is the product you really want to consider."

"Even when modding the small West Wall scenario into a mammoth slug-fest, the computer opponent somehow refuses to be confused with all the tinkering. So one can imagine just how well the AI handles the stock scenarios. And PBEM as the Axis may well be the greatest and most enjoyable challenge board wargamers have yet to face in the digital game arena.

And that is by far the strongest "must buy" recommendation we can currently offer."

_____________________________

Erik Rutins
CEO, Matrix Games LLC



For official support, please use our Help Desk: http://www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk/

Freedom is not Free.

(in reply to Rosseau)
Post #: 8
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