Why I play Squad Battles

[Stejones82]

Hey, we all know that this game is not perfect, but it is a blast! It is entertaining! Now I don't play that many other series of Tiller games, but SqB is a great system for games. Here is another example of "why we play."

My esteemed opponent, Embis played the US in Pacific War, "In Tojo's Pocket." A nice small affair with a small map, limited number of troops, but with enough hardware and support issues to make it fun and interesting. Caves are a HUGE wildcard, if you have not yet played games with either caves or tunnels/sewers - they add a cool dimension.

Anyway, much to my chagrin. His yanks walked all over my forward sniper, which put me in a real bind as now his "shock and awe" troops were challenging for the objectives much faster than I had anticipated! Delaying tactics were the strategy du jour!

After a small see-saw for the center, my reinforcements arrived for committal. Added to my woes was the fire support came in towards the "max" delay. Still, I committed all and tried to hold, knowing it was a "lost cause." Oh well - C'est la guerre, as our French Friends say.

Mark kept pressing and we came down to his trying to take the middle objective. As it ended, one Japanese soldier held out against four assaults to secure a victory-point "minor defeat" for the US.

This game was 12 turns of nail-biting action with a photo finish. Okay - perhaps not the perfect simulation - but great FUN!!

Steve

[kolc]

I find that SB games have a higher "nail-biter" rate than most other games...just sayin....

[wiggum]

The SB games have the same advantage that the old Combat Mission games had...
Abstraction !

The player can always imagine around strange things like a lonely Japanese Soldier fighting off four assaults, thats my main problem with the new Combat Mission games...

But i have to say JTS missed great opportunity's with the SB series...
1. Give the games a overall better artwork
2. Sell the engine and the scenario packs separate
3. Add new features (no Borg spotting ect.)
4. Add a "realtime" multiplayer modus
5. Sell it on Steam

The game has:
1. Great Bordgame feeling
2. Great scale, which attracts many more players then the Panzer Campaigns scale

[TheBigRedOne]

From what I've heard, sales wise, PzC crushes SB. Not even close.

[wiggum]

What i tried to say is this:
If you would put up both games on a platform like Steam, SB would most likely sell better because its far easier to play and has more visual "action".

[Richie61]

I play Squad Battles because I grow up on Squad Leader and Tobruk: Tank Battles in North Africa 1942



Squad Battles is one of the closest PC titles to Squad Leader IMO and this title.



War games is a tough market to sell a lot of games and make money. There are lots of great war games
out there today, but people get bore quick and move to the next new and big game out there. It's just
a sad fact of PC war gaming. :(

Sadly most of the better selling war games on PC are "beer and pretzel" games like Panzer Corp and Panzer
General. Fun games, but not down in the dirt/ snow squad based games.

[Dog Soldier]

I think that lone Japanese soldier should have been the forward sniper in the first place. Better check the OOB and move that tough fellow there for the next playing of this scenario. LOL!

No, I am not serious...

Dog Soldier

[Kritterpaw]

Ah, squad leader....................................roll heavenly chorus from Saving Pte Ryan.
Recently just brought a bunch of ASL, (no opponents in sight) just so I have it in the cupboard. Is a comfort thing I guess. SL is my connection, and other AH titles. To paraphrase Robert Duvall, I love the smell of board games in the morning, that smell, that cardboard smell, smells like victory, some day this cardboard wars gonna end. Plus the early JT title, gone blank...................Rising Sun was the Pacific version, .......................that's it, East Front. Seeing the Pz IVe (nicely clipped as well) on Ritchie's post reminds me I also now have a un-punched copy of Tobruk, in the same Cupboard. Alongside the one I bought when it first came out.
Is that a pic of Heroes of Stalingrad? How does that play? Your recommendation makes me think to visit Matrix. Can you clip computer units, for I have two sizes of clippers ready to go.
Anyhow back to why SB. It is a great email computer rendition of SL, without any housekeeping.
Also best of all, a great way of meeting some really cool guys.

PS: Off topic, the WW1 SB, recommended?