Battlefront compared to PzC

[Boston33]

Does anyone play SSG's "Battlefront"? It looks much more complicated than PzC, and very interesting... Any opinions?

[Adam Parker]

I own SSG's Korsun Pocket, Battles in Normandy and Battles in Italy.

With only 4 scenarios provided in Battlefront I just won't buy it. One of SSG's key supporters, reports that Battlefront's AI is doing some very stupid things.

I've written to SSG asking for their rationale in supplying only 4 scenarios and they haven't replied. It seems they expected the market to buy the game as a constructor set but its DYO engine is proving to be unfathomable.

You can build a PzC scenario in 15 minutes - with AI.

SSG's previous "regimental" titles shined due their abstraction of having no HQ's or arty control and basing these games on keeping tight front lines without gaps. I loved it and could live with it.

But at the "battalion" level, a front line will never be as solid. I knew SSG's system wouldn't be able to cope with that level of fluidity and I've been proven right.

[Boston33]

Are the "Decisive Battle" games significantly more complex than PzC? I was quite surprised how simple the PzC game really is the more I played it.

[Adam Parker]

[Liebchen]

The revised engine in Normandy brings it all together and you get a free Bulge game too.

I was under the impression that this line of games was a direct descendant of the Ardennes Offensive. Couldn't that explain the "free Bulge" game?

[Adam Parker]

Yes - version 3 of the "Ardennes Offensive" (offering the main scenario only) is the Bulge game included. This is the last official Bulge version to date.

The unfortunate thing is that for some reason, with the new Bulge map being so colorful, SSG chose to use light green for US strongpoints and some other icons, making play pretty frustrating.

[Boston33]

Are the "Decisive Battle" games significantly more complex than PzC?

No Boston they're very straight forward, though getting your head around supply is a little tricky due to a less than clear explanation in the rules book. But the map uses a supply radius indicator and that makes keeping your forces in supply easy.

Give "Korsun Pocket" a miss as its AI isn't up to scratch. The revised engine in Normandy brings it all together and you get a free Bulge game too.

Given the abstractions I mentioned in my earlier post IMO, "Battles In Normandy" is the best PC Normandy game on the market. You'll wonder where the HQ's are and whether the Germans could really have been as fluid as the AI plays but the historical results that he AI gives and the overall campaign feel, are amazing.

SSG with Battlefront, could have given Panzer Campaigns a run for its money but in development I feel that knew they just couldn't compete. They ended up releasing a third of a game and relinquishing the Battalion level PC combat crown well and truly to HPS. With the work that goes into each PzC title, HPS/Tiller Software deserve it.

Is there any kind of online community like there is for PzC for Battles in Normandy etc.

[Hank]

http://ssg.com.au/forums/

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/

The first is the Run5 forum
The second is obviously matrix

These are the two best discussion forums for the Decisive Battles of WWII games. ... KP, BiN, BiI, BF