More than a game?

[Kool Kat]

Gents:

I wrote this post approximately 3 years ago... and was curious, with the recent influx of new players... if "newbies" or even vets today have similar feelings about CS and how they came to play this timeless classic?

Looking forward to the dialogue!

_____________________________________________

I've read a few posts that have dismissed CS as a "mere game" and expressing bewilderment at why a player would be passionate about it.

On the surface, it is hard to explain the attraction for a 12+ year old game engine with dated 2D graphics… non-stereo sound… and minimal system operating requirements… only 128MB RAM and 1.5GB free space on the hard disk drive!

There has to be more to it – right?

For me, who has always been interested in WWII military history… and combined arms… it was a “natural” progression from my early war game years of pushing cardboard counter stacks around in Avalon Hill’s Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader board games.

I “discovered” East Front 2 (under the Talonsoft brand) about 12 years ago while browsing the shelves of a local computer software store. I remember how bewildered I was on all the different units, capabilities, and intimidated by the 240 page game manual. In those early years, I played the AI exclusively. I got pretty good at tactics... or so I thought until I discovered the Blitz in 2006, joined and then tried my first H2H play! I got "killed" by my human opponent. Moves and tactics that worked wonderfully against the AI failed miserably against a "live" opponent. Playing against a human opponent, I had to "unlearn" nearly everything that worked well when playing against the AI. But, over time, I worked through it, It took a few more “painful” years of losing a bunch of PBeM matches… before the light bulb went off in my head… and I finally “got it.”

So, for me, I play CS for fun, and relaxation… being able to “explore” a historical era in a unique manner… through the mechanics of a game. But, it really is the fellowship and friends I have met and made over the years as a Blitz member that have made this game “special” for me. If it were not for the other players I have had the privilege to know and play against… I would have left this war game hobby years ago.

So… yes, CS is a “game” … but so much more then a “mere” game!

Play on!

[Crossroads]

I subscribe to everything you wrote there

Ahhh... Panzer Leader... Don't mention Panzer Leader... I get all misty eyed :)

I bought the series since West Front, and finally had the wits to join Blitz in 2009...

Never thought I'd create scenarios, but that has really brought another dimension into this. History books literally come alive when you work on the maps, oobs, ...

As for Panzer Leader, I am chipping in to an effort of creating an Avalon Hill's Third Reich inspired TOAW scenario. Looks to be marvellous!

[Nort]

I remember the early 1970's, sitting in my older brother's bedroom, watching him play Panzer Blitz and Panzer Leader against his High School buddies. I was not allowed to play, and could watch as long as I kept quiet.

I was instantly and completely hooked. When I got married and moved a few times, the 15 or so board games I had were no longer manageable. CS just seemed to be the perfect computer adaptation of PB and PL. Once I dove in, the depth of the game amazed me. That is why I never see myself walking away from the game.

[Warhorse]

This engine is just so great, I was a big Panzer Blitz/Panzer Leader fan, then discovered Squad Leader, and finally Advanced Squad Leader, went off the deep end with ASL, I have over 4-5 sets of most of them, and probably a hundred map boards! Anyhow, when I found out about CS after dabbling with the then new Steel Panthers, I thought about how much it was like ASL, and was instantly hooked! Being very curious however, I was soon wondering how the game worked, and how to add the missing countries and units. Before I knew it, I had found others like myself, and some early editing tools and was off to the deep end with modding! I'm getting into scenario design as well now, also playing PBEM finally, which is just the best thing in my book, thanks guys!!

[Kool Kat]

This engine is just so great, I was a big Panzer Blitz/Panzer Leader fan, then discovered Squad Leader, and finally Advanced Squad Leader, went off the deep end with ASL, I have over 4-5 sets of most of them, and probably a hundred map boards!

Hey Mike:

I dabbled with Squad Leader and "some" with Advanced Squad Leader. But, IMO ASL "doomed" itself because the rules were so complex... heck, the rule pages were kept in multiple three ring binders ... that players ended up consulting the rules... instead of actually playing the game! And that's no fun in my book!

I still wish Avalon Hill would have released more Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader map boards! It would have made those classic board games even better!

[Warhorse]

Ahhh, the rulebook!! I was pretty fluent in it, so always would be the GM, and play as well to speed things along! I actually liked ASL BECAUSE of it's complexity, and adopted the rules for play with 1/285th miniatures. We used to play them at a game shop on Wednesday nights. We even played a good sized custom one outside under a tree one fall afternoon!! 6 grown guys moving lead around in the dirt, doesn't get much better than that!! 40 meter hexes was a 5 inch area, I had a ping-pong table and made terrain, and played a ton of ASL scenario's with micro-armor, would still do it if I had the room!! I'll have to dig out my photos of them and post them!!

[Big Ivan]

I remember my years with Panzerblitz and PanzerLeader. In fact I think I had 10-12 sets of each. Me and some of my buddies from Cleveland would put together 15-18 boards in various configs and make brigade & division sized units, setup and fire for effect. We played every chance we got, weekdays, weekends and to the wee hours. We were hooked through all those years of the '70's.

As Mike said then came SL and ASL and I never looked back at PB/PL except for a short stint with AIW (Arab-Israeli Wars). But I quickly found AIW to be way to complex for the situation at hand. There was was a pattern developing here from AH-to much complexity!

I found SL to be OK but ASL with its vast rulebook to be unmangagable and complex to the point a bit of fun was taken away. It could only really be played F-to-F and opponenets were scarse. Then in 1998 I think, I found a copy in a local computer game store (Sound familiar?) of East Front. Loaded it on my first generation computer and whoa!! What a surprise! Goodby AH forever, sorry you had some good games but they were not any equal to East Front. With the further series of WF, RS and DG I was in heaven! I could have a Corps sized game and it was all contained on my computer. No more dust, cigarette ashes, spilled coffee or beer on the boards. No more desparately trying to keep the cats (no one can have just one) out of the room and no more resets of toppled counters.

Damn I do love CS and its mods and even for all its faults and there are a few as we all know it has marked the time!!
I am glad to see more folks trying it for the first time or coming back to it. It speaks volumes for the game!

Ivan the Big

[Warhorse]

Amen, brother!!! LOL, cat's, we are down to just 2 now, but at one time we had 8!!!

[Warhorse]

Well, I looked in my box of pictures, and found a bunch I had taken from 1995!! I scanned four of them, here is a couple views of a scenario, can't remember which one it was now, might have been Sowchos 79 or Hill 621?

[Scud]

Not sure what I like more, the game or the friends I've made playing it.



Dave