Watch replays, yes or no?

[Plain Ian]

If its a large campaign I record then watch the recording so I can fast forward or review bits of the replay.

How do you record the replays of larger games, please?

To record the replay you will need to install a third party software that does screen captures and video editing. 

I recommend Screenpresso because it is very easy to use and there is a free version available.

I record the files as .avi's as you can see from this screenshot of the Screenpresso menu. mp4 format is also available. 

Basically you select the Record Video button below and this will bring up a small video start button which will begin the video capture of your desktop when you start the replay in PzC.




If you need help just email me.

[Sgt Jasper]

It has always seemed logical to me to watch every replay in a PBEM game, it provides priceless intel on the movements of your opponents forces and seeing the fire results is a good indication of the strength of units you are facing, it can tell you if a XXX strength unit is a company or battalion for example, also you can sometimes see flanking units moving that are then out of LOS when you opponents turn ends.

However over the years I have played some players who don't watch the replays, one reason I was given was that the time spent watching replays was better invested playing more PBEM turns and they were happy to accept the fact they were playing at a disadvantage by missing out on the intel that replays provide.

So what's the view out there? Watching replays seems a no brainer to me, but playing these games for 20 years has taught me there are lots of differing opinions out there...........

I almost always watch the replays, even on very large team game scenarios. Only if extremely pushed for time due to outside factors will I skip the replay, and that very rarely happens. I want the intel one gets that way, and, really, I enjoy it. That's me, though. Your mileage may differ.

[Liebchen]

If its a large campaign I record then watch the recording so I can fast forward or review bits of the replay.

How do you record the replays of larger games, please?

To record the replay you will need to install a third party software that does screen captures and video editing. 

I recommend Screenpresso because it is very easy to use and there is a free version available.

I record the files as .avi's as you can see from this screenshot of the Screenpresso menu. mp4 format is also available. 

Basically you select the Record Video button below and this will bring up a small video start button which will begin the video capture of your desktop when you start the replay in PzC.




If you need help just email me.

This is brilliant. I actually have Screenpresso, didn't think to use it for this.

[Lowlander]

Just passing thro, what I did when PBEM was simple, in the drop down A/I menu tick fast AI processing. When the replay begins you can also increase the speed, sorry you will have to refer to the manual for more guidance.
EDIT. From memory when the replay begins and you wish to speed it up hit the F8 key.

[Lowlander]

What commander has ever had that much intel or replays to watch?  Especially, with all the time he wants to make a decision.  Answer - None.

Really, I just watched a documentary on El Alamein the other night.
Rommel the desert fox ain't as good as he was made out to be, why, because the Italians broke into the safe at the  American embassy in Rome and copied the code book, so five times each day the US military attaché in Egypt sent detailed reports of all the Allied forces disposition. which of course were then sent to Rommel each night.
LOL.

[LordDeadwood]

What commander has ever had that much intel or replays to watch?  Especially, with all the time he wants to make a decision.  Answer - None.

On the other hand, what commander would attack without even an inkling of his enemy's position or strength? Yet this is what playing many PzC scenarios completely blind (with FoW turned on) is like. IMO watching the replays is akin to getting reports from the field commanders. You get an overall impression of the activity, and even though you can see combat results, if you're like me by the time it's over you don't really remember all the details, just the summary.

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

We are playing the role of the Cdr and you're not getting all that info in two hours. APCs pass on this road going North at 8am. You're getting this message at 4pm. You've already lost 8 hrs and they were tanks because your guy didn't pay attention in Vehicle Recognition classes in training. All kinds of recognition and information can be and is faulty. I used to watch replays. I wanted more and this is what I did. I find it more challenging and way more fun. It doesn't make one a worse player. Just different.

[Ricky B]

I really fall in between but leaning toward the not watching. It really depends on the game, situation, etc. To me, the replay gives 2 key pieces of information:

• Losses to each side from the enemy firing. However, I review my units and can generally get a feel for how the firepower, etc stacks up from losses I see in my units and what I do to the enemy in my turn, etc. So this is normally not critical to me, but sometimes I want to see more.
  
• Enemy maneuvers. Open flanks are always a concern, and when the enemy has a lot of mobile troops/things are moving quickly on map, I like to watch to get a better feel, especially if vis is low. But for low movement situations, I don't feel it is as important (although I do miss some potentially useful tactical intel items when I skip the replay in these cases).
  

Additionally, I will go back to watch the replay if after reviewing things without watching, I see surprises of some kind, so I want to see what happened around it.

So as an example, I have been a team game of Serbia, 4th Invasion. I rarely watch the replay. Why? My forces are attacking, and have a solid line. The enemy forces don't have the ability to move in odd directions quickly - the fastest movement is limited to the road/trail network so it is hard to be surprised by a huge fast attack - but I do keep scouts around my open flanks.

In a new PzC test HTH game, with a fair amount of maneuver, I pay more attention to the replay - it did help me with some attacks on the retreating enemy, and spot enemy movements that would impact a part of my line on the defense. However, things are a bit more stable now and I am skipping the replay more.

Rick

[Mr Grumpy]

I think Rick makes some good points that perhaps being the defending player does make the intel from replays more important than when on the attack and of course if you have secure flanks and good LOS along your line that would also make replay intel less vital.

OJW also makes a good point that perhaps we do receive more detailed intel than we should having our "god like" view of the whole battlefield. 

My POV is that if you don't watch replays and your opponent does, you do so in the knowledge that you are giving him a advantage of varying degrees depending on the scenario being played, not saying that it is wrong as everyone is entitled to play these games as they see fit. 

I am in Rick's S14 campaign game and I timed watching a replay at 14 minutes, some people will say that is 14 mins of my life I will never get back!!  LOL

[Liebchen]

I think Rick makes some good points that perhaps being the defending player does make the intel from replays more important than when on the attack and of course if you have secure flanks and good LOS along your line that would also make replay intel less vital.

OJW also makes a good point that perhaps we do receive more detailed intel than we should having our "god like" view of the whole battlefield. 

My POV is that if you don't watch replays and your opponent does, you do so in the knowledge that you are giving him a advantage of varying degrees depending on the scenario being played, not saying that it is wrong as everyone is entitled to play these games as they see fit. 

I am in Rick's S14 campaign game and I timed watching a replay at 14 minutes, some people will say that is 14 mins of my life I will never get back!!  LOL

Watching replays is:

a. Sort of like watching the movie of your game. It can be anxiety-inducing, at times!

b. NOT "god-like intel" because you still only get reports of what your troops witness/experience.

Someone could attack your unit and disappear out of sight, and if you didn't watch the replay you might not even notice that they've been there. Your troops would most definitely have reported enemy contact, though.