What's your favourite SB title?

[WargameGeneral]

What's your favourite, unmodded SB title and why?

[Compass Rose]

What's your favourite, unmodded SB title and why?

Since I was young, I always had a heavy interest in the the Western Theater of WWII and 99% of my interest came from me watching a TV series called Combat! which stared Vic Morrow.

So when I first found out about John Tiller games and I saw that they offered a WWII Western Theater title at the squad level, it was a "no-brainer" that my first SB title would have to be Eagles Strike.


Going into it, I had never played table-top war games like Squad Leader or Advanced Squad Leader, etc. before, and Eagles Strike and the SB scale of the series, really looked interesting to me.


The first time playing the game, I played against the AI and I wasn't that impressed with it when compared to the Combat Mission Series that I had been playing previously for the last 7-8 years, so I "shelved" the game.

A month or two later, I found myself firing up Eagles Strike and trying it again, as I still found myself being drawn to the subject of the game and the scale of the series.  This time I thought a little better about the game as I had a better understanding of what was going on.

A few weeks later, I re-read the game manuals and I tried ES a 3rd time and I fell in love with ES and the series and I have never looked back!  


I also quickly found that the SB series plays so much different and is even more enjoyable when you are playing via PBEM especially against friendly log-time opponent.


Even though I am not a big fan of the Eastern Front, I purchased Red Victory on the first day of it's release as my first Eastern Front SB game.

I have said it before and I will say it again that RV can possibly be the best SB game released to date.

It was so well put together and it was easy to see that it was play-tested very thoroughly.  If you play it, you will hopefully notice this as well, even though it had been released 10+ years ago.


As many of us already know, John Tiller games are very fun to play and are very addicting.

My all-time SB owned games based on personal interest and subject matter includes:

ES
RV
PW
PF
KW
TOD
NAM
SCW
AOTR
WW
FWW
DBP

Even though I really enjoy these games from the SB series, I would have to say that Eagles Strike would be my favorite due to personal interest.

Other "Honorable Mention" titles for me would include RV, PW, PF, KW, TOD, NAM. 

[Big Ivan]

For me I would have to say Red Victory and Eagles Strike.

When I am not busy with the Campaign Series titles or Matrix Tigers on the Hunt, both RV and ES give me the level of immersion I so much look for in a computer wargame. 

I cut my teeth long ago on Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader (hence my love for the Campaign Series). 

Then I graduated to Squad Leader  and Advanced Squad Leader. 

Had some wild times playing all of these with an opponent on the other side of a table circa 1970's!

I guess the tactical squad level is in my blood, and both those Tiller games, RV and ES, provide a huge release for me.

Regards, John

[Embis]

Its my interest in a particular theatre that drives my list of favourites, and it is a list because i couldn't pick out one in particular, so Tour of Duty and Vietnam are right up there and then the Eastern Front games, probably with Advance of the Reich at the top of those. 

I was always a little disappointed that the Brits didn't get a bit more of representation in the WW2 SB series.

My absolute favourite is actually a mod and its IronX's Red Star over Europe. Again it is my interest in the period that drives this. Having been brought up in the UK during the cold war it feels close to home and I have read a lot on the subject so I feel quite familiar with it all. 
But my list isn't static, ask me next week and there may have been some shift in placings...tho RSOE is always pretty close to the top.

[Xerxes77]

For me I would have to say Red Victory and Eagles Strike.

When I am not busy with the Campaign Series titles or Matrix Tigers on the Hunt, both RV and ES give me the level of immersion I so much look for in a computer wargame. 

I'm thinking of taking advantage of the current JTS sale so this thread is very useful!

This has probably been asked many times over the years, but what would you say is the main difference between the SB games and the Campaign Series, as a veteran of both? I noticed the interface shares many similarities, but I'm interested in the general "feel" beyond the variation in scale... i.e. do they play differently enough?

[Big Ivan]

Hi Xerxes77.

I'm a vet of the Campaign Series but still learning Squad Battles.

The Campaign Series (CS) is more platoon based be it infantry, guns or squads. the scale as compared to Squad Battles (SB) is much larger. Each hex in CS is the equivalent of 6+ hexes in SB.

In CS losses are determined in strength points where each strength point of infantry is about 7 men, each strength point of vehicles and guns is one vehicle or gun.  Whereas in SB it is individual men or individual vehicles/guns.

Both games play with the attitude of "if I can see a target can I kill it!?" Range dependent for sure.  CS has unit disruptions but unlike SB no pin or demoralized results. However in CS supply becomes very important where one has to keep his Battalion/Regiment/Brigade HQ's close enough in to the battle to keep supply going. Units out of supply fire at half strength.

CS also has unit morale and if it drops below 1 the unit dissolves. Leaders in CS become very important to maintain unit morale and cohesion.

From what I can see in SB, supply is not so important. Then again I haven't played SB enough to make that last comment solid. Still learning.

In SB a player has to worry about weapons and weapon loads. In CS everyone has weapons and they always work.

SB reminds me a lot of SL and ASL but it falls a little short of the old board game. Much simpler in it's execution and rules I think. 

CS reminds me a lot of Panzerblitz and Panzer Leader on steroids. Lot more to worry about in a bigger picture. Its not uncommon in CS to command a full Regiment or a Brigade of troops.

Hope this helps!

Regards,
John 

[Xerxes77]

Thank you John, really appreciate it. I played a bit of Panzerblitz several years ago and I liked the system. Never played SL/ASL but love what I've seen of SB so it's a tough choice. Wish I had more time to try them all...

It's true supply in SB is not a factor given the scale, but keeping leaders in very close proximity is still very important for automatic disruption recovery (and manual rallying).

Cheers,
Charles

[WargameGeneral]

Its my interest in a particular theatre that drives my list of favourites, and it is a list because i couldn't pick out one in particular, so Tour of Duty and Vietnam are right up there and then the Eastern Front games, probably with Advance of the Reich at the top of those. 

I was always a little disappointed that the Brits didn't get a bit more of representation in the WW2 SB series.

My absolute favourite is actually a mod and its IronX's Red Star over Europe. Again it is my interest in the period that drives this. Having been brought up in the UK during the cold war it feels close to home and I have read a lot on the subject so I feel quite familiar with it all. 
But my list isn't static, ask me next week and there may have been some shift in placings...tho RSOE is always pretty close to the top.

What is your take on armored combat in "Red Star over Europe"? 

The mod models a tank-intensive, hypothetical conflict during the cold war and the armored combat model in the SB series has frequently been criticized as a weak spot.

Would be interesting to know if this mod was able to address those issues...

[Embis]

What is your take on armored combat in "Red Star over Europe"? 

The mod models a tank-intensive, hypothetical conflict during the cold war and the armored combat model in the SB series has frequently been criticized as a weak spot.

Would be interesting to know if this mod was able to address those issues...

I have never had an issue with the armoured combat model in SB and I am not sure which specific criticisms you are referring to. This game mod was built from the ground up so naturally the PDT files reflect the authors views. I cant say how accurate they are. I don't tout myself as an expert in this area, but I can say  the gameplay is excellent it all "felt" right. If the "weak spot" in armoured combat relates to issues outside of the pdt files and inaccessible to modders, then no..it wont have been addressed.

[Warhorse]

Advance of the Reich, I like the "Minor" nations a lot, as well as early war. It lead me to make the SBWW2 Mod for the title, since it was missing so much, still my favorite, and I have all of them!