PBEM play and Team Play

[Tbird3]

Hello all just wanted to add a few comments about Team Game play and HPS OpC play in general. This post is really meant for any folks that are new to the game system or just lurking on the board. While I have owned several HPS OpC titles for a few years, for some reason I just didn’t spend that much time with them. I don’t know if I thought they were not detailed enough or if they took too much time to play. Anyway, I finally figured it out for myself. Previously, I didn’t jump into PBEM early. This was a huge mistake for several reasons. The obvious reason is that the challenge of playing a human opponent is much greater than playing the AI, which whets the appetite to play again in order to do better. The second reason is that you learn the game system much quicker when you are getting beat up initially. I have also found that my more experienced opponents have been giving me great tactical tips and advice on game play. This has increased my skill in the game. Bottom line, new players jump in and request a PBEM as quick as possible. Mention that you’re a newbie and in all likelihood your opponent will go into a coach mode.

Team Game play: Wow, this is the cat’s meow for me. Unfortunately, I only have limited time to play. Team Play allows me to play the large campaigns in a manageable method. Additionally, the human interaction makes this an awesome gaming experience. I am currently playing a team game of Danube 85 and have found it to be one the most enjoyable gaming experience I have had in a long time.(As the proud commander of the 1st Guard’s Tank Army and the 8th Guard’s Army I am still in the steamroller mode. A few weeks from now I may be singing a different tune!)

I have become a HPS OpC series convert. This game probably offers more realism and detail than about any other operational level computer game outside of the military. I have found with additional play so many great features and neat nuances that I am continually amazed at the depth of the system. The balance between realism and playability clearly shows why this game system has survived over many years.

New players jump in with two feet. You will probably lose a few games but you will be amazed at how well your skill with improve. Special thanks to Sgt Fury, Panzer Kunst, and HirooOnada in their “schooling” of a newbie.

Tbird 3, out.
"Trust is good, Control is better!"

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I agree 100%. Team games rock! I also recently learned from Sgt. Fury that you don't need even teams because of the shadow opponant for reporting purposes. Some of the larger scenarios seem better equiped to have uneven teams. I may never win another game, but who really cares, fun is job 1. I wish there were more people wanting to play team games. Adds more to the game. Not like the russians wouldn't attacj until making sure the Germans had the same amount of commanders.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I guess I should mention I am on the same team. I am the lackey.

[Zemke]

All the above and a chocolate bar, this game is great. Thanks to TBird3, I bought Danube 85 and appreciated the game so much I then ordered Stalingrad 42 and Budapest 45, had them a week now and have already logged a loss to Sgt Fury, (he should be promoted to Sargent Major Fury, all I can say is WoW! I have a LONG way to go before mastering this game. I just started a Budapest game, cannot remember who it is with, (everyone on this ladder are pretty new to me), but I am really looking forward to that one. I have found this game really comes into it's own when you have two or three Divisions to maneuver. It really seems to have that operation flavor I have been looking for. Why did I over look this game system for so long? I think several things turned me off, looked at some screen shots and the maps were not very impressive, the interface looked too complicated and decided to find my Operational wargame "fix" else where. I wish I had been playing this system sooner.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I'd bet alot of people went down the same road as well. My first game was the Bulge, don't remember how or when I got it. It went overlooked because I was playing an online game called Air Warrior then moved to Aces High after AW shut down. I was always flying every spare minute I had. Financial circumstances did not allow me to continue flying so I had to do something else. I rediscovered Bulge on my shelf and after messing with it and finally obtaining more I realized how much of a fool I had been for not doing it sooner.

I'll say this, nobody is perfect, but for these kinds of games, the HPS guys got the right idea and throw in people like Volcano Man, Foul and everybody else I can't think of right off the top of my head, that have put a lot of work into the games and the Blitz, plus everybody that enjoys the games, I'd bet there is nobody closer. The big dogs don't mind playing the little dogs, I've been given tips by opps in just about every game and many people have posted the same. I may never win a many games, but I'm having fun and I hope most of my opps think they had to earn the wins they got.