Campaigns?

[Many Mariuses]

Hello all,

I recently started playing Panzer Campaigns. As a long time ASL player, I'm finding the Squad Battles series quite intriguing, and am thinking of picking up a title in the near future. Though I'm interested in virtually all of the titles, the two that are most appealing as an introduction to the system are Red Victory and Pacific War.

I slightly on the fence at this point. One factor that might prove deciding is the campaign feature. While I love PBEM, I tend to enjoy playing the AI in the evening as part of my "winding down" routine. However, I have two related questions.

1) Am I correct that Pacific War does not have a campaign option? I do not see one listed on the HPS website, but I thought I would check.

2) Are the campaigns worth it? My experience with the Panzer Campaigns system is that once I've played humans, the AI experience pales in comparison. My thought was that the "role-playing" aspect campaign option might add significant enjoyment to the single player experience.

-by the way, I am aware that in the past there has been some controversy regarding the campaign ending if the company commander is killed. This is not a deal breaker for me.

[Compass Rose]

PW offers a Campaign Game.



I have never heard a past ASL guy say that they did not like the SB series after trying it. Normally, they will say "Boy, I wish I would have known about the SB series years ago!".

These type of games really shine when playing them via PBEM.

Since I don't play against the AI, I have never tried to play any SB Campaign games, so I can't help you out with that.

[Many Mariuses]

Good to know. I'm definitely leaning to PW, since I've spent a lot less time in the PTO than the Eastern Front.

[Stejones82]

I recently got PW as my 5th SqB title (Vietnam, ES, AOTR, RV). Maybe my only caution about PW is that the scenarios, so far at least, play very different that the other titles. I like the game, and am having fun with it, but the scenario design seems very different from the other titles. And I am not sure whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. Anyway, just mentioning it

Steve

[Many Mariuses]

How so?

[TheBigRedOne]

I recently got PW as my 5th SqB title (Vietnam, ES, AOTR, RV). Maybe my only caution about PW is that the scenarios, so far at least, play very different that the other titles. I like the game, and am having fun with it, but the scenario design seems very different from the other titles. And I am not sure whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. Anyway, just mentioning it

Steve

The nature of the fighting seems to dictate how the game plays. FWW plays VERY differently than the other titles, same with Dien Bien Phu, Modern War, etc. It's what makes this series so fun. If you play a European style game against the IJA, you won't be successful.

[Richie61]

I like the game, and am having fun with it, but the scenario design seems very different from the other titles. And I am not sure whether that is a good thing or a bad thing. Anyway, just mentioning it

Steve

There isn't lots of PBEM games either for PW. The AI scenarios are ok in PW.
BR1 is right, but there is something else missing. PF seems to play better too me.

Red Victory would be a better choice IMHO.

[kolc]

Also, as with all the Sb games, there are a good number of custom scenarios available for PW that tend to be better than most of the stock scenarios. This is pretty much true for most of the older titles. With PW you can also play Africa at War, which is really good.

[Many Mariuses]

So many excellent choices among all of the Tiller/HPS series, it really induces decision paralysis!

Still, my guess is that I will probably go with Pacific War. Red Victory seems to have the best reputation in the series, but I've already got a ton of East Front games, not so many set in the PTO. The Africa at War mod is also a factor

[Buccaneer]

Decision paralysis? The only cure is to get them all ... but which first ... Nooooo!!!!! ;-)