Slitherine

Hello gents,

As we're nearing the release of the 2.1 patch for GS, we came to realize that there are a lot of features and improvements from the original base game itself. Can some of you guys chime in and tell me what are some of the best features and improvements between GS 2.1 and vanilla C:EAW?

Omfg, where to start?

1) Game balance is vastly improved. The original permitted all kinds of shenanigans that could throw game balance way off. [My personal favorite was invading Persia and having a whole force sitting just south of the border near Baku. Then declare Barbarossa and voila! Baku falls instantly.]

2) Realism is vastly improved. One of the earliest changes in the old mod was to fix the u-boat rules so that the Battle of the Atlantic plays more historically. I think this has been achieved, as well as a whole host of similar changes. Consider, for example, that there used to be *no limit* to bombings on a particular hex. Holy smokes!

3) Special units. One of the most egregious omissions in the vanilla game was that there were no airborne units. We now have those, plus SS, guards, and those interesting national units (e.g. Spanish 'Blue' division).

4) Victory conditions. As the manual correctly points out, there was simply no reason to finish the game in many cases, as the Axis were left with nothing to fight for. The new victory conditions are a huge improvement.

I could go on and on and on. I simply cannot imagine going back to playing vanilla; it would feel like going back to kindergarten.

ScottP wrote:Hello gents,

As we're nearing the release of the 2.1 patch for GS, we came to realize that there are a lot of features and improvements from the original base game itself. Can some of you guys chime in and tell me what are some of the best features and improvements between GS 2.1 and vanilla C:EAW?

Scott,

It is not a list of the best changes - but if you go to the GS Manual website you can see the GS 2.1 features. If you download the GS 2.1 manual -- it contains a list of all the features for the three major GS versions to CEaW.

I hope this also helps! Please let me know!

alec

My own feelings mirror Diplomaticus's. If I had to pick one, it would be the game balance/victory conditions. Most games provide players with something to play for until the very end, and players must be skilled at both offense and defense to win consistently.

it is the best strategy war game i have ever experienced !

The best point of the this game is the wonderful game balance & great game engine .

So many changes from the original CEAW ! Each of them is a great opus !

I love this game !

amcdonel wrote:

ScottP wrote:Hello gents,

As we're nearing the release of the 2.1 patch for GS, we came to realize that there are a lot of features and improvements from the original base game itself. Can some of you guys chime in and tell me what are some of the best features and improvements between GS 2.1 and vanilla C:EAW?

Scott,

It is not a list of the best changes - but if you go to the GS Manual website you can see the GS 2.1 features. If you download the GS 2.1 manual -- it contains a list of all the features for the three major GS versions to CEaW.

I hope this also helps! Please let me know!

alec

Oh I am well-aware of the changes, but since there is a lot, I wanted to see what the beta player's inputs are on the changes and what they feel are the top-notch.

ScottP wrote: Oh I am well-aware of the changes, but since there is a lot, I wanted to see what the beta player's inputs are on the changes and what they feel are the top-notch.

if I have to choose the most important change to the strategy ,they are : Para , Elite troops , Omsk & No allies troops in Russia & rail hub

1) More realistic, varied and random weather
2) Improved play-balance and nuanced victory conditions
3) Better rules to simulate the cat-and-mouse aspects of submarine warfare
4) Rules to simulate railroad and supply problems in the USSR
5) Elite units including paras
6) Wider range of commanders from which to choose

Overall the balance of the game is so improved and makes it fun to play either side. Also i use to hate the Russian campaign with Axis, just so boring....now it is full of adventures and many different strategies to implement.

I think the introduction of Elite units and Paras was a fun edition to this game.
Cost changes seems to be for the better also

Love this game, really nice

I believe one of the best aspects is the GS community. th wealth of information, AARs, discussion and debate. It keeps the game progressing and improving. People feel like they can contribute to the shaping of the GS expansion.

alec

What I like best is that the "truisms" that were (are) historical are also "truisms" that hold in the game. For example;

1. Large scale offensives require air superiority to be successful. They usually tend to bog down if you only have air parity and usually turn into a disaster if you don't even have that. Conversely, and as in history, air power is a force multiplier. I have been in situations where my ground troops have been outnumber 2:1 or even 3:1 and was able to stop cold a 1941 attack by the Brits into Libya.

2. To win the game, the allied player much win the war at sea.

I also like how the real world constraints (or resources) of economy, oil and manpower are handled. I feel that their impacts are accurately reflected at the level of the game and, best of all, managing these resources in the game is very straightforward and doesn't slow down game play.

There are so many great improvements in GS that it is difficult to just pick a couple. But here are my top 2:

1. Contested beach landings. In the vanilla game you couldn't land troops if the beach was occupied by any unit, and a few garrisons could often stop a landing cold. In GS, you can force units to retreat from shore hexes and land troops, and the game is much more fun to play as a result.

2. Can no longer land allied air force units in partisan cleared hexes. This prevents the extremely gamely maneuver of forcing the axis to retreat in France by overwhelming them with American and British fighters that suddenly appear everywhere.

Thank you gents for your input!