Battle Replays

[Stejones82]

Greetings fellow Squad Battles enthusiasts!

I am wondering about those who watch the Battle Replays for their PBEM matches. Please complete the poll ONLY for your Squad Battle experience.

Steve

[Rabbit]

I hate sitting through the artillery barrages, but otherwise I find it invaluable in figuring out my opponent's strategy. It might seem subtle, but there is a ton of information one can pick up by watching the replays. How much is your enemy firing; where is he concentrating his efforts; etc.

From a gaming perspective, the replays help refresh me as to where I had left off. I often am playing multiple PBEMs and the replays help me remember what was happening from my previous turn. Another big thing is that enemy units can disappear from view if they aren't in your LOS to start your turn even though they had been in your LOS during the previous turn. Replaying the move helps remind me about those units. Similarly, some of your enemy's units might move into your LOS and then out of it again within a turn, and only through the replays do you become aware of them.

And perhaps most important - watching the replays helps me learn the game much better. I learn new tactics by watching the steps my opponent uses to execute a particular maneuver within a turn (just for example, the sequence of steps he uses to assault a particular position), as opposed to the overall strategy that he uses for the scenario. And even if I am not learning something new, watching my opponent's moves often reinforces concepts I have already learned.

I will say that how enjoyable it is to watch the replays generally goes hand in hand to how I am doing in a scenario. It can be fun to watch my opponent struggle against a particular strategy I've employed, but the replays can also be depressing when I am getting crushed. But I usually learn the most from games in which I do get crushed, but from watching the replays up until the point where I am getting crushed.

[Compass Rose]

Since I normally play small and medium sized scenarios, I will always watch the replay.

If I find myself in a rare occurrence of playing a large scenario I will try to watch all the replays as long as I still have a chance of getting at least a draw. If I am getting my butt handed to me, I don't "waste" my time watching the 5+ minute replay.

[Rabbit]

Touché. I have to confess I didn't watch the replays in the PW-Tarawa team game we played. Wow, that was a monster! I had to throw in the towel for that one.

[TheBigRedOne]

I wish there were a 'fast replay' feature, similar to the Fast AI Processing. As Chad said, small to medium sized scenarios are fine, but really big ones take a bit too long to watch. Maybe I'm just impatient....

[Landser34]

I hardly ever watch the replays maybe that why my win loss average is not better but I would rather play the game than watch it.

[Jeff Conner]

I have to concur with Chad and Bill. In small and medium scenarios, I almost always watch the replay until it gets too depressing. In larger scenarios, I still try and watch, but the level at which I stop is raised to some degree. I agree with Bill on the reasons for watching replays and almost all of the really good players I have crossed mice with will watch replays also. It's pretty hard to get a good idea of what your opponent is doing if you don't watch his move.

[z1812]

I always watch them. They add to my enjoyment of the game, but like others, I find the artillery barrages can sometimes be boring.

[burroughs]

I always do, either. Watching replay is an essential part of the battlefield reconnaissance.

[Mad_Dog]

I know I should, but I never have the patience to sit through them.