Where to start?

[Grabenkrieg]

I apologize in advance if this sort of thread is frowned upon. I tried looking for similar ones, maybe not hard enough though.

I'm rather new to Panzer Campaigns, and operational wargaming in general for that matter. I learned of JTS through Squad Battles, SB:First World War being the only full game I currently own so far.

After browsing the website more than a few times and playing the Mius '43 demo i'm interested in getting into the TOC series, but i'm not sure which game I want to start with. Coming from Squad Battles, France '14 seems like it might be a good choice, although i'm more interested in late war Western Front - and I fear that the lower technology represented in that game might throw me off were I to play PzC or MC later. A shortage of funds means I don't have much room for experimentation!

A game with a sizable number of smaller scenarios is ideal. The giant 250 turn campaigns look impressive but imposing, and I want to spend time learning the system in more manageable scenarios. I would greatly appreciate your advice - just by browsing I can tell the dedication and knowledge in this community is outstanding.

Any of the series' is fine by me - FWWC, PzC, MC.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Figure out what interests you the most and go for that to start. You can't miss with any of them.

[Lowlander]

Based on what you wrote I would recommend Market Garden'44.

[Liebchen]

It really depends upon what type of action you're looking for. All of the titles have several (and sometimes many) small- and medium-sized scenarios, in addition to their campaigns.

Do you want large sweeping movements of armored formations? Do you want a slug-fest? Do you want attack/counter-attack? Do you want beach landings? Air drops? Mountain fighting?

There are titles for each of these, and more, but it helps if you are a little familiar with the campaigns, or be able to describe on this thread what type of battles you are seeking.

[Grabenkrieg]

It really depends upon what type of action you're looking for. All of the titles have several (and sometimes many) small- and medium-sized scenarios, in addition to their campaigns.

Do you want large sweeping movements of armored formations? Do you want a slug-fest? Do you want attack/counter-attack? Do you want beach landings? Air drops? Mountain fighting?

There are titles for each of these, and more, but it helps if you are a little familiar with the campaigns, or be able to describe on this thread what type of battles you are seeking.

Well, something with room for a bit more maneuver than Mius '43 might be nice (might seem strange given my user name, but I didn't much care for slamming into a continuous minefield for the first few turns).

I'll enjoy playing Germans the most, so them having a large number of offensive scenarios would be a plus.

I'm thinking that North Africa (Maybe Tunisia '43?) or early-war Western Front might be best, but again - smaller scenarios are most preferable.

[Mr Grumpy]

Welcome to the community, no request for help will ever be frowned upon and we will do all that we can to get to going in the right direction.

This question is asked many times so we have become quite good at answering it! LOL

First thing to state is that all the titles have a mixture of small, medium and large scenarios, so that requirement has no effect on your choice.

As OJW said in post #2 it does help if you pick a title that covers a campaign that you have an interest in and that you might have some background knowledge of, coming from SqB WW1 i might have suggested F14, but based on your requirements for maneuver that would actually not be a great choice, you might find the desert titles like T41 or Ea42 have too much room for maneuver for a newbie player?

You stated that you wanted to play the Germans on the offensive in most scenarios which points towards maybe F40 or S41? In fact any of the early east front titles with the Germans on the offensive would meet your criteria, while T43 would not be as open as a pure desert title and see the Germans on the defensive in a number of scenarios, but you may well find this just as enjoyable.

So we cannot pick for you, but good luck in whatever choice you make and we hope to see you playing some PBEM games sometime in the future.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

I know this, if you pick one and like it, others won't be far behind.

[Ricky B]

And Smolensk or Kharkov 42 both have numerous German attack scenarios, and lots of open spaces.

Rick

[Grabenkrieg]

Thanks for the suggestions guys; you're probably right in that I shouldn't worry too much about it.

I think i've narrowed it down to either France '40 or El Alamein '42. Skimming through the designer's notes for both was very informative; I think the more open desert setting of EA42 (not to mention some smaller things like the Malta scenario) is looking more attractive. I'm not terribly well-schooled in the Desert War but it's not a bad time to learn.

Assaulting Eben-Emael and running over little runty Renault FTs does sound fun all the same. Is either game popular for PBEM?

[Xaver]

Maybe the best titles in med scenarios are Tunisia43, Budapest45 and a little less Moscow42, in the 2 first you have "big" scens but with not a great number of units and good terrain to move and try diferent tactics, the big campaigns on this titles are medium-long scens in other titles, Moscow has more monster scens but you have a good selection of scens set in winter and summer, you can test how diferent is fight in these seasons.

Other good titles are Sicily43 (if you can deal with the terrain), Stalingrad42 and Minsk44.

If you search late west front Bulge for me is the best choice.

Market Garden... i dont say is a bad title but you have small chances to move and in the end i have the feeling that a lower scale on title is better, 500m over 1km... but is only my personal opinion.

If you want see a pair of AARs... one is from Budapest and other from Sicily, saddly both are in spanish but the work in edit images made it relative easy follow the action.

http://puntadelanza.net/Foro/phpBB3/view...41&t=14386
http://puntadelanza.net/Foro/phpBB3/view...6&start=30

If you dont need the game now wait a little, maybe we can have luck and see new titles hehehe.

EDIT: if i need select a north Africa title i select first Tunisia, second Tobruk and as last option El Alamein even when there is the superb mod of Volcanoman that add to the title 1940 campaigns.

I need add another title more you have Salerno43 a patch title, you have 3 battles in one title and are not specially big battles.