CAMPAIGN CHICKAMAUGA IS NEXT HPS TITLE

[Belisarius]

I just stumbled on it at the NWS site.

[Tide1]

170 scenarios 80 campaign scenarios and 4 different campaigns. It looks like a nice game

[matxer]

So, how is it ?

[D-Day_Dodger]

Another CW campaign game. Excellent. I was kind of hoping HPS would turn their attention to Virginia and give us the Chancellorsville/Fredericksburg campaign. There seems to be a bit of a love affair with the Western Theatre at HPS (mind you I'm not complaining) and they have pretty much covered that front pretty well with Murfressboro being the only big battle I think that has yet to be covered. Oh well, the Eastern Theatre will get it's turn again soon enough so I can wait.

[matxer]

Dodger,

I see you participate in the triple PzC / Napy / ACW ladders.
How do the 3 HPS games compare ?
Are they all massive ? (I play M44 and there are too many units, not enough mobility for my taste)
Are HPS ACW and HPS Napoleon similar ?
Which one would you recommend to start with ?

[D-Day_Dodger]

Hi Matxer,

Comparing HPS' Panzer Campaigns to their Civil War or Napoleonic counter-parts is kind of like comparing apples to oranges. The learning curve for PzC titles is necessarily higher due to the more sophisticated nature of warfare in WWII. However the plus is that you will learn a lot about these campaigns in terms of the terrain they were fought over, the strengths and weaknesses of each army and the proper tactics to employ to achieve victory.

As for their Napoleonic and Civil War games I would say that the Nappy games are probably a bit easier to get into than the ACW because the tactics are pretty basic once you learn the rock-paper-scissors relationship between infantry, artillery and cavalry. Civil War tactics are not that much different although the increased range of rifle and artillery are factors to be considered,and cavalry is used more for recon and dismounted infantry than the old style Napoleonic cavalry charge.

If you want a PzC game that has mobility and not as high a unit count as some of the East Front games, then try Tobruk '41 or El Alamein '42. As far as ACW campaigns of limited size try some of the Western Theatre campaigns like Campaign Ozark or Campaign Franklin. All the Napoleonic campaign games are fairly large but each has lots of smaller scenarios so it's easy to ease yourself into the system.

Actually, the best game to start with is a battle or campaign that you have an interest in. My best advice is to get a copy of Shelby Foote's The Civil War: A Narrative or David Chandler's Campaigns of Napoleon and get inspired. I hope this has been of some use. Cheers.

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

Dodger, if you check you'll see that Stones River is actually covered in the new Chickamauga game which means about the only Western action not covered is the Red River Campaign. Something from the East will almost have to be next.

[matxer]

Thank you Dodger, it surely helps.

One more question: why are there very few if any Centurions (100+ games played) at the ACW and Nappy ladders ? Is it because there are few players or because the games take longer than in other ladders ?

[D-Day_Dodger]

Hi Matxer,

I'm not sure why there are no Centurions for Nappy and ACW ladders but it's probably because in the world of wargaming Panzers rule. Check the number of posts on the ACW or Nappy message boards as compared to the OPS board and you'll see what I mean. It's definitely not because they take longer to play. I'm now into a Normandy '44 campaign game and I can tell you that, for me, a single move requires 2 or 3 sittings to complete. I played the Gettysburg campaign and the moves went a lot faster. Another thing to consider is that campaign games, in my experience, often do not go the distance. Either player fatigue sets in or one side will figure that his defeat is the probable outcome and will surrender. Cheers.

[matxer]

Thank you Dodger. I'm currently playing NGP85, because it is in my view the strategical part of SPMBT, my fav wargame. Each time I try a new wargame, I later come back to SPMBT, like an addict who can't quit :)

But I'll follow your recommendation and soon I will play HPS Wagram.

After all, I'm French ;)