Game Review:
The game had a lot of potential and reading over the rules, before playing, thought this concept was right up my alley. I've played many board games and enjoy computer games that simulate the feel and play style of a board game. Sadly I cannot recommend this game for the following reasons after playing for approx 66 min:
1. Installation Process:
Took me several tries to get the program to install and start on my computers even though both my computers had more than the minimum requirements. The trick for me was to install the game on C drive instead of D. I've never had an issue with Steam installs before, but since the Developer was new to Steam I accepted that there is a learning curve and he did support the game early.
2. Contact with Developer
Having the problem above I tried to send the developer an email, but it bounced back. So I was on my own for the installation issue. With that in mind, I have the impression that this program is probably not supported any longer when I started looking at the comments in the discussion forum.
3. Gameplay
Setup
Units start up locations are particular to an area. Since I had played Eastern Front games before, I had a sense of general setup for German Army North, Center, South. It took about 10 minutes to setup the units in their respective locations with appropriate HQs.
Game Interface
The interface while not intuitive, if you read the manual, it does work as mentioned. Very mechanical in nature and extremely simple design. No menus really just command buttons. Selecting units is easy(left click), right clicking provides information of hex and units there. Deselection, I had to use ESC all the time which I didn't enjoy. The game to me feels unfinished.
GamePlay
Player Turn. As mentioned above, I had read the manual extensively so I knew what to expect. A turn begins with a movement phase. Once you move your units next to an enemy unit, you are in their zone of control and must be involved in an attack on that unit. So the first impulse is you move all your units up and those that end up next to the enemy will attack. If you read the manual, they talk about overrun as if your odds are 10:1 or greater and how it impacts you on the next impulse. Furthermore, using HQs you can get Stuka's (only 3 of them) to increase your odds of success. The game doesn't have much air combat in it. In fact, air combat is simulated by the German's starting with 3 stuka units and as years pass, losing them one year at a time. Simulating a change in air superiority. Once again, this is all in the manual.
Once you completed your movement, the game will number each enemy unit that is in contact for battle resolution. You select which battle you wish to resolve and read that combat dialog carefully as you will need to use the combat dialog box to control/select units that are eliminated and/or retreat requirements. During the combat phase, all control of units is through the side bar. Retreating units are selected there and then placed on a yellow hex on the game board. Those units you wish to use for combat, are selected at the side also. Note: There is no advancement into the hex you just fought for. I thought that was strange for a combat game.
After all those battles are concluded. The second movement phase begins and once again, you move up your units making contact with enemy initiated combat. You go through each combat again and your turn has been completed.
AI
The AI will go through the same procedure as you but this is where I believe the game is incomplete. You can see all the units on the board. There is no fog of war. While the AI was moving, it gave no indication that it was thinking or really doing anything. After several seconds I clicked on the program and immediately I saw on the menu bar (program not responding). I though it has crashed but a second or two would pass and then a text box would appear stating that the computer had moved in its first phase and resolved all the battles. A dialog box simply listed the hexes that had fought, what happened in each battle, units eliminated or retreated and that's it. So as a player, you would need to review the board and see what happened through screen captures. The battles were explained in one simply dialog box. You didn't see any unit movement at all on the board, no indication at all of the location of the attacks on the board. None. Nothing. The same occurs in the second impulse, On one occasion I didn't click on the screen and waited about 10 seconds and still could not tell if the AI was doing something. Once I clicked on the screen, and I got the program not responding again, and then after a second or two later, the completed turn message box with the movement and combat report appears. Once again, no indication on the board during this process of what movement occured or locations where combat occured appeared. A simple dialog box. This tells me that the AI implementation, in my opinion while functional under the hood, was incomplete. The AI should show it's moves, then number the combat each phase as it did for the players. This to me was the biggest flaw in the game and the major reason I cannot recommend this game. The game appears incomplete. Great concept, even like the rules as a board game, possible a good game if further developed.
My two cents anyway.
