How does it compare to Panzer Corps?

alex0809 · Post by **alex0809** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:50 pm

No, I don't mean "which game is better". This is subjective anyway. (Well, feel free to tell me what YOU find better) I mean: is Battlefield Academy equally complex compared to Panzer Corps? Not only regarding rules, but also size of maps, units, combat in general etc? Or is it a lot simpler? Because if I understand well, the gameplay is very similar, both are turn-based, both are on a map with hexes/squares, both are World War 2.

MesaDon · Post by **MesaDon** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:50 pm

I really don't feel you can compare them. Panzer Corp isn't a one shot and your unit is gone. I guess I would say that Panzer Corp is kin to the old fashioned Avalon Hill and other of it's type but with the advantage of the computer eliminating all the "paperwork" and figuring odds from the dice rolls. I think BA (and I know this is going to be disagreed with but only way I can discribe it) is more like a RTS game that stops and has turns. You have individual tanks (PC has units of ten tanks) to start. The area covered in the maps really are not similar with BA in my view equal to a few to a dozen hex in PC. It is hard to discribe really. I do not have a favorite both games are terrific and both effectively use the fantastice Slitherine mult-player system. You can't lose with either one but best is to have both.

dickesKind · Post by **dickesKind** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:51 pm

BA is like chess. Will make pepople thinking and have fun for the next 1000 years.
PC is more like...like...more complex than chess but not that much more fun ... for my taste.
I think it depends on the scale you prefer and for me it's BA - at least for now.

Greetings...

MrsWargamer · Post by **MrsWargamer** » Thu Jul 28, 2011 9:42 pm

BBC BA scale is squad level individual vehicles and the maps well one hex of Panzer Korps may be the whole map for BBC BA.

Interface, well BBC BA is simpler, but there's more to do in PC so you need more commands etc.

Complexity, hmm against a human I am inclined to say about the same.

poop17 · Post by **poop17** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:25 am

In battlefield Academy,when one side move,fire and so on,other side will do reaction.
And in BA,we don't worry the fuel of plains,we call,they come.

the men in BA will not run out ammo,In pC,you will supply them.

MikeAP · Post by **MikeAP** » Wed Aug 03, 2011 12:31 am

BC = Tactical Turn Based = Company scale = managing Squads and single units

PC = Operational Turn Based = Corps scale = managing Brigade/Regiment sized-units

MarsRobert · Post by **MarsRobert** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 11:15 pm

Although I'm far from tired of Panzercorps, I'm very close to buying Battlefield Academy. Love the bright pastel graphics and the light-hearted comic book presentation. To me it looks like a wargame that doesn't take itself too, too seriously. At the same time though it seems more than a beer and pretzel game. It is definitely burning a hole in my wallet

, and will probably decide to buy it sometime this evening.

MikeAP · Post by **MikeAP** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 1:32 am

MarsRobert wrote:Although I'm far from tired of Panzercorps, I'm very close to buying Battlefield Academy. Love the bright pastel graphics and the light-hearted comic book presentation. To me it looks like a wargame that doesn't take itself too, too seriously. At the same time though it seems more than a beer and pretzel game. It is definitely burning a hole in my wallet , and will probably decide to buy it sometime this evening.

BA is the first turn-based tactical game that I've ever enjoyed.

The graphics are certainly light-hearted and the game is not system heavy. I really enjoy it.

MarsRobert · Post by **MarsRobert** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 1:44 am

Thanks MikeAP, I'm about 90% there. Quick question.......I like to have the boxed version, but does Slitherine offer free download if you order the boxed version? Also, I'm sort of assuming that although there's no German campaign in the original, you do get to play the Germans in the expansion, right?

MarsRobert · Post by **MarsRobert** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 2:56 am

After having spent some time playing both Battlefield Academy and Panzer Corps (though by no means finished with them), I have to say that deciding between the two would be a tough call. They are both great games in their own right. Battlefield Academy has very well-designed missions that are challenging without being frustrating, the beautiful pastel graphics are practically unheard of in war games, and the comic book milieu was a stroke of genius. Concerning Panzer Corps, I love the role playing game elements that make the game incredibly engaging and compelling; making the individual battles much more meaningful when played within the context of the campaigns. The game also achieves a surprisingly high degree of historical accuracy despite the obvious abstractions. One thing interesting I've noticed in comparing the two is that the game clock has not been much of a problem in Battlefield Academy, whereas it can be a serious issue in Panzer Corps, especially when trying to win those all important decisive victories.

At this point (and again I'm far from finished with either game), I would give the mild nod to Battlefield Academy simply because I'm having a lot of fun with it, and with Panzer Corps it can be demoralizing seeing your buffed army that you've so painstakingly built up in 1939-43 get trashed by greatly superior Allied forces in 1944-45. Historically accurate? Certainly. Fun, no. Anyway, I just started the second (Normandy) campaign in Battlefield Academy and am enjoying it very much. I definitely look forward to playing the 'Fall Gelb' expansion as the Germans. Say what you will about the Third Reich, but they created the greatest military machine the world had ever seen.

IronFist00 · Post by **IronFist00** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 3:15 am

I just bought BA and BA: BF this US Labor Day weekend. I had purchased Panzerkorps (sorry have to spell it consistently in full Deutsche). Both are great games so far and I'm enjoying playing through both campaigns. I agree with everything MarsRobert has said and what others have said regarding the scales, the biggest difference really.

The other differences that standout to me is that BA has true flanking as you'd expect in a tactical game, with positioning being paramount to maximize your units' performance. In Panzerkorps, you have weather, supply, naval, heroes, medals, and most importantly, core forces you carry through the campaign. In multiplayer, they both seem similar experiences using the same great PBEM++ system.

For me while I think both are excellent games, I'd give the slight not to Panzerkorps, 10.0 versus 9.5 if I was rating them. Why? I have a huge preference for playing the Germans in any situation, campaign, standalone scenario, or multiplayer. To get that experience in BA, I had to buy the first expansion. And the future expansions it looks like it'll be more Allied campaigns whereas Panzerkorps will be adding North Africa from the Afrika Korps perspective. My preference is to always play the Germans so that's why Panzerkorps gets my nod (playing the German pov in most games is still unique and rare).

MarsRobert · Post by **MarsRobert** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 5:24 am

I hear you IronFist. I love playing the Germans. Also, concerning Battlefield Academy I think I spoke too soon. I'm a little over halfway through the BA Normandy campaign and am now finding the missions much more difficult; frustrating even. I may be going back to PanzerCorps sooner than I thought.

BTW, I agree with most of what Gamesquad wrote in their review about PanzerCorps: http://www.gamesquad.com/review/panzer-corps-review Although a great game for many reasons, as Gamesquad points out (Scott Tortice?) there's something slightly amiss with the PanzerCorps victory system. Don't get me wrong though. I do understand that victory conditions and scenario balancing can be a very tricky tightrope at times. Lord knows I doubt if I could have done it any better than the game developers did.

stecal · Post by **stecal** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 5:09 pm

Excellent! I was looking for an excuse to go back to BA after burnout from PanzerCorps. PC has a few balance issues that need patching before I go back to it. I.E. after 1943 it is JUST NOT FUN to lose & lose & lose.

MarsRobert · Post by **MarsRobert** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:10 pm

stecal wrote:Excellent! I was looking for an excuse to go back to BA after burnout from PanzerCorps. PC has a few balance issues that need patching before I go back to it. I.E. after 1943 it is JUST NOT FUN to lose & lose & lose.

That's too funny Stephan........You're getting frustrated with PanzerCorps and are ready to go back to Battlefield Academy, and I'm getting frustrated with BA and am ready to give PanzerCorps another try.

Post by **pipfromslitherine** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:22 pm

Remember that if a battle is proving tough, you can always enable Easy Mode to give you some breathing space. You can switch it on and off whenever you like.

Cheers

Pip

collegeprof86 · Post by **collegeprof86** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:56 pm

I have found one of the keys to success in Panzer Corps is to use whatever slots you have to build fighters or fighter bombers - the reality of what was learned during most wars since WW 2, is that air superiority can rule the battlefield... so I use all my slots and just build air power, and although it might take a few turns of heavy ground losses while you gain air supremacy, onece you have this, its only a matter of good weather, and time, before I have won every campaign I have tried in Panzer Corps just since last week (Ok, so I ran through Italy, Normandy and Budapest and won not just within the time constraints for a decisive victory, but the Italians invaded Tunisia after wiping the Allies off Sicily. (Ok, i had it on the staples mode - lol haha). Still, air power cannot be denied how it is a game changer.

Love both games, and so looking forward to some mods and expansions for panzer corps too..... thanks to slitherine and matrix ...

IronFist00 · Post by **IronFist00** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:18 pm

Pip, any chance that with future BA expansions, i.e. those still being designed, there will be two campaigns, one from the Germans side and one from the Allied side? I'm debating on picking up Market Garden simply because it doesn't have a Deutsche campaign. Or even the exact campaign, playable from either side. I know you said it would be like developing a full second campaign in terms of effort but dang it, I'm loving the game but lamenting the lack of further German campaigns.

Market Garden would have been a perfect operation to play from both perspectives.

As for Panzer Korps, I believe a patch is imminent if not already released (I just got home from work).

stecal · Post by **stecal** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:17 pm

collegeprof86 wrote:I have found one of the keys to success in Panzer Corps is to use whatever slots you have to build fighters or fighter bombers - the reality of what was learned during most wars since WW 2, is that air superiority can rule the battlefield... so I use all my slots and just build air power, and although it might take a few turns of heavy ground losses while you gain air supremacy, onece you have this, its only a matter of good weather, and time, before I have won every campaign I have tried in Panzer Corps just since last week (Ok, so I ran through Italy, Normandy and Budapest and won not just within the time constraints for a decisive victory, but the Italians invaded Tunisia after wiping the Allies off Sicily. (Ok, i had it on the staples mode - lol haha). Still, air power cannot be denied how it is a game changer.

Love both games, and so looking forward to some mods and expansions for panzer corps too..... thanks to slitherine and matrix ...

and what do you do in the Russian battles where it is snow/rain 50% of the time?

collegeprof86 · Post by **collegeprof86** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 11:28 pm

Hi Stecal.... Thanks for asking

I still concentrate most on air power, backed up with tanks. As soon as good weather hits, every other turn or so, i gain air superiority, and then, once that is taken care of, its just a matter of going after the howitzers and tanks or defensive fire..... i have to like i said earlier count on my ground forces being able to survive a bit, but between good weather, when its bad, they need to survive... when weather is good, i use the air power, which seems very effective, and usually ue the good weather to reinforce of upgrade my ground units...

thanks for asking !

MarsRobert · Post by **MarsRobert** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:44 am

pipfromslitherine wrote:Remember that if a battle is proving tough, you can always enable Easy Mode to give you some breathing space. You can switch it on and off whenever you like.

Cheers

Pip

Yeah Pip, your suggestion has merit. The trouble is, as a veteran gamer with many years of experience I find it distasteful to play a game at anything less than normal difficulty.

Heck, I suppose I'll give Cobra another go this evening. The game is too good to give up on just yet. In any event you now have two cool expansions (Fall Gelb and Market Garden) that it would be nice to play.

BTW, speaking of Market Garden, can you say Monty's fiasco????

My apologies to our esteemed British hosts at Slitherine.