Slitherine

Ive seen this in Game recently, and as I have got bored with HOI2 and Empire Total War and am thinking of buying but am concerned with posts about the lousy AI. Is it really that bad? I played Panzer General and quite liked it. I find HOI2 too demanding on my time and brain power. Will I like this game???

Well, it's a good game. Easy to learn, good tactics (supply works well in this game).

Two downsides are relatively simple AI, and an Editor that's next to impossible to use.

If you can get over those two points, then you'll find a pretty well done, easy to learn, fun to play, WW2 Europe game.

Depends on how you define "lousy". Every AI I've ever played against is "lousy" for one simple reason. You can't program intuition so situations which any human can see is ripe for exploitation the AI doesn't. That's why every strategy game "balances" things either by allowing the AI more/better units/production/etc than the human player or by only allowing the human player the same choices which the AI has in that situation. Either way, once you figure out the AI you can beat it constantly unless you go with an extreme situation (1944 scenario as the Axis in CEAW).

That said, the AI is good enough that it can take a LOT of killing until you defeat it and it does pull off a surpirse or two every now & then which keep things fresh enough for me to keep playing it.

Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Jyri

Buy it. Best game in its genre.

nats wrote:Ive seen this in Game recently, and as I have got bored with HOI2 and Empire Total War and am thinking of buying but am concerned with posts about the lousy AI. Is it really that bad? I played Panzer General and quite liked it. I find HOI2 too demanding on my time and brain power. Will I like this game???

Buy it. After learning the game mechanics against the AI there's a thriving PBEM community to play against. Also, there's always hotseat.

Well I will try the demo and see. Quite difficult to get a demo for this game isnt it? You would think they didnt want to sell it. I have to admit on first look at the screenies it looks a bit simplistic for me as I do like the gritty realism of HOI2 and am waiting for HOI3 really but we will see with the demo.

It's fantastic. I own the PC version, have played just about every strategy game on the market, and the PBEM for this game rates w/ the best.

Well its strange. When I started playing the demo tutorial vs Poland I thought ok its not bad fun but a bit too simplistic. But then I started a campaign game playing Op Barbarossa and I can see the wider appeal. One of the main things that puts me off HOI2 is that its just so diffiuclt keeping tabs on everything thats going on. But in this game you can take your subs out, fight in the desert and play babarossa quite easily all at the same time. And it isnt a chore at all. The zoomed out map is a real benefit to see where all your troops are immediately.

I have seen this game for £15 in Amazon and £20 in Game so it could be worth a punt I think. I miss the massive range of units you have in HOI2 although they all do pretty much the same thing anyway. Its a great shame there isnt the Pacific war in this game as well that could have made it a classic.

Still considering....hmmm!?

Well I bought the Gold version in the end from Game. having a blast with my first game. After playing EmpireTotalWar I thought I would turn up the enemy Russians to a high level to have a challenge and promptly got slaughtered. Havent even reachs Smolensk yet and its March 42. Pretty terrible going. Think I will restart and try it on even difficulty! Glad to see its a challenge after reading about the AI weaknesses certainly seems aggressive to me. And its so nice to be able to play sseveral fronts and keep tabs on all of them - I really like the desert war dont know why.

Now whats all this about a BJR mod cant find anything about it anywhere what is it?

Are there any mods that alter the American tanks and planes?

Anyone done a Pacific War mod yet? Can you extend the map in that way?

nats wrote:After playing EmpireTotalWar I thought I would turn up the enemy Russians to a high level to have a challenge and promptly got slaughtered. Havent even reachs Smolensk yet and its March 42. Pretty terrible going. Think I will restart and try it on even difficulty! Glad to see its a challenge after reading about the AI weaknesses certainly seems aggressive to me.

Thanks, I made the AI
Most ppl that refer to weak AI in games are those that are the better players and eventually you will learn to beat the AI consistently in CEAW also. There are ways to make playing AI more fun, not only difficulty levels but one can have house rules vs AI i.e. like "I will try to beat AI on this scenario without even blablahblah" kind off.

firepowerjohan wrote:

nats wrote:After playing EmpireTotalWar I thought I would turn up the enemy Russians to a high level to have a challenge and promptly got slaughtered. Havent even reachs Smolensk yet and its March 42. Pretty terrible going. Think I will restart and try it on even difficulty! Glad to see its a challenge after reading about the AI weaknesses certainly seems aggressive to me.

Thanks, I made the AI
Most ppl that refer to weak AI in games are those that are the better players and eventually you will learn to beat the AI consistently in CEAW also. There are ways to make playing AI more fun, not only difficulty levels but one can have house rules vs AI i.e. like "I will try to beat AI on this scenario without even blablahblah" kind off.

Well I have to congratulate you its very good - beats the pants off Empire TWs AI.

nats wrote:Well I have to congratulate you its very good - beats the pants off Empire TWs AI.

Just as an example of the AI I have had my Itailian units attacking the English around Tobruk with my Italian fleet attacking the English fleet around Malta. Eventually my units and fleet have become quite weakened but I have at least eroded the English units quite a bit. But now the AI goes and lands another unit at Tobruk as well as using another new fleet to attack my weakened fleet whilst also attacking any troops I send over in transports. So my whole army in Libya has become threatened.