Questions before buying

[canuck97]

Hello, I'm interested in the game and am currently leaning toward buying the complete package. Two aspects are currently holding me back. I would be grateful if someone could tell me something about them. First, there's the issue of core troops and heroes. Is it true that they can't die permanently and are revived for each scenario? That would be a deal breaker for me. Second, there's the general question of difficulty. Is the game really too easy, as everyone says?

[pupski]

Good questions.. I played the game now for 193 hours, I'll try to share a bit of my experience.

You have a small core, I think 8 units and when they are hurt they come back full strength at the next scenario in a campaign with all earlier received experience and perks intact. If they are 'killed' you can buy another unit, normally you have enough 'money'. If you replace a core unit for another type of unit, even another category, you keep the experience but have to divert it again with the options that apply to the new type of unit. So a four star rifleman can be replaced with a four star Tiger tank as an example.

About the game being easy, I am not sure. I won most scenarios on normal difficulty in one try. But I think the fun is also a bit in the puzzle, how and where to hit or slow the enemy. You will always kill many more units than you loose. I'll add two screenshots that show the large difference in losses between them and you/us. So I would day it's not very realistic regarding the numbers. On the other hand making the kills, manoeuvring, scouting, hiding all feel pretty realistic and clever.

I clocked 4000+ hours on Order of Battle so maybe it is a game that you could like of you are in that category. In my Case I do like HQWW2 enough to spent time on it but I don't love it like some other games. It will challenge you but in a mix of strategy and puzzling. I don't think you get really attached to your core units. Also you get a lot of added temp units each scenario so it's hard to remember which units are your core. Is it this rifleman of that one? They are easy to find if you want and the extra perks and experience can make a significant difference if used cleverly.

It's not the ultimate tactical wargame but a nice variation and with some clever mechanics. Although some could be better worked out. If you fire on a enemy unit once (with or without effect) it cancels it's response fire while you move in range with any other units. So in some cases you can just shoot at a tank with arty or infantry and than drive one of your own tanks around it and turn in position to exactly hit it in the weakest spot. That is kinda weird.

Also playing online changes the game a lot because suddenly the forces are balanced in numbers. But the winning team gets more and more money so if you get to the victory hexes fast the chance of winning becomes quickly higher because you can buy more stuff. That could be tuned a bit better as well. But so far I spend 4 work weeks on the gameplay so there is fun to be found.

Hope this helps a bit.

[canuck97]

Thank you for this detailed explanation. Then it's probably not for me at the moment—at least not as a full-price title. I generally find the game's approach interesting, but it's the details that bother me too much. The fact that you can't permanently lose core units takes away a lot of the excitement, in my opinion. I'll keep it on my list, though, in case it becomes a bit cheaper.
I also have the Order of Battle game you mentioned, and yes, that title isn't strictly realistic either. Panzer Corps isn't realistic either. But both titles are significantly more appealing simply because of the core units you can lose.
Thanks again for the detailed review, which was very helpful.

[pupski]

At the moment, just yet, the game is in a bundle at Fanatical which I use and trust. It's funny because I own most Slitherine games but they have a Military Operations bundle right now, with great Slitherine games and also HQ WW2 for a very low price (5 euro), if you want to try it. Just a tip..

[canuck97]

Thank you. I've already noticed this offer yesterday and bought the game. Haven't tried it yet, though. It's a great offer especially for people who don't already own the combat mission games (I've paid a lot more for those in total).

[terminator]

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