Survey - Matrix Games War in the Pacific

[Jobu88]

Has anyone played War in the Pacific? Can I get your views on how it plays, good, bad, awful, whatever? I am considering buying the new version WitP Admiral's Edition. But I have never played or even seen the game so I need some feedback from people who have played it.

How long does it take to complete a game?

[KG_RangerBooBoo]

I've got the older version and though there are a few things that were fixed in the new version they basically play the same. You've got to be prepared for micromanagement on a large scale if you plan on playing for you've got to manage your transports plus all the combat units plus your production if you play as the Japanese. The Grand Campaign is mostly played as a daily turn from 12/7/41 until the end of the war so it could take several years to complete a PBEM game.

[Mike Abberton]

Hello,

I currently play the original version, and I have the Admiral's Edition, but haven't done more with AE than play a couple turns. I hope to start an AE in the next month or so (playing time is very limited right now though). The others responding are correct that the AE version plays very similar to the original with both a lot more detail and a lot more flavor. My thoughts on WitP overall are:

Good things:
The game is incredibly detailed and accurate (esp. AE). There are multiple versions of many planes with distinct stats. Ships can upgrade over time or be converted (e.g. destroyers can be converted to fast transports as was done in real life). In AE, there are distinct differences between amphibious assault transports (APA/AKA), militarized civilian cargo vessels (AP/AK), and purely civilian transports (xAP/xAK), and you better know where to send each.

Bad Things:
See above (just kidding). Seriously though, it is a very detailed game, and you have to do just about everything. A few things can be automated (supply runs), but not much without consequences. For example, if you want to bomb an enemy base, you can set various bomber units to bomb the base and fighter units to escort them. They will continue these attacks each turn. Sounds good, right? Nope. Bombing every day, especially against opposition, will eventually grind those units down. You need to manage their fatigue and morale and there is no automated way to do that. Also be prepared because the interface is a clickfest with lots of layered menus (the gui is really the game's weakest point and something they couldn't upgrade in the switch to AE).

So, overall. It's a great game, but not a "light" one. My full campaign turns take about 1 hour minimum, with the occasional turn lasting 2-3 hours (once a month or so). If you like getting shoulder deep in planning and action, buy it. If you're looking for a "beer and pretzels" type Pacific Game, run screaming now and don't look back. :)

For some examples of typical gameplay, I'd suggest taking a look at some of the AARs on the Matrix site. My two favorites right now (linked AE AARs, one from each player) are:

Japanese Side AAR

Allied Side AAR

[Jobu88]

Thanks Mike, your comments and others' comments have dissuaded me, I'm interested in a strategic level game but don't want to micromanage that much.


Let me ask - are there any games covering the Pacific on a similar scale that you would recommend & that lean more towards beer and pretzels? I don't mind doing some work but WitP looks like too much.

[Mike Abberton]

Jobu88,

I have not played the game, but there is a game called War Plan Pacific by Shrapnel Games that is supposed to be closer to what you're talking about. Based on the reviews, there is some subtlety (i.e. it's not Axis and Allies), but it is still geared towards playing through the whole war in a day, not years like WitP.

Mike

P.S. I haven't played Hearts of Iron II, either, but I think there are some Pacific War scenarios for that game, too. From what I understand, HoI2 is sort of a love-it-or-hate-it type of game, though, so check it out thoroughly before going in that direction.

[Jobu88]

And Shrapnel even has a free Demo for download. I played a couple turns of War Plan Pacific, it is much more what I was looking for. Thanks agains Mike.

[Mike Abberton]

No problem, glad I could help.

Mike

[Jobu88]

I went ahead and purchased War Plan Pacific. Only $40, downloads pretty quick, installs in no time. Very similar to the old Avalon Hill classic Victory in the Pacific. Rules are very simple....strategy is very complex.... I suffered defeat as the Japanese by August 1942 because I failed to take the oil resources AND have a functional port to ship oil back home.

Combat is simplified but logical and reaistic.

Best of all, Shrapnel apparently produced a patch in May that allows PBEM (the puchase version comes with it).

All in all, first impression is that this game is endless fun and has multiple differeent strategic options for each player to achive victory. You can master the basic mechanics in 30 minutes. Turns are one month and can be completed in as little as 5 minutes ( 10-12 minutes max).

If anyone else has this game and wants to play please let me know.