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TS is a game where, if you've never played it before it's going to suck. So much of the game is knowing about the card deck. For example: want to put influence in Cuba pre-emptively? NOPE! Don't do that. Want to put influence in Israel? Okay, but remember that Pan-Arab War can reverse that in a heart beat. Egypt? Well, that one is actually a bit of a toss-up depending on whether Saddat has been played. I'm not even going to touch India/Pakistan or Iraq/Iran. I really like TS, but as a first time play the game is a total clusterfuck because if you don't know the card deck prepare to be surprised. And not in a good way. edit: I would say this, if your wife is first time player either give her the Soviets and play America, but play poorly once you get out of the Early War. Or, play America and let her get ahead in the Early War, play weak in the Mid-War, and then play 'meh' in the Late War. I don't mean this as an indictment against your wife, but I'm not kidding when I say that TS is absolutely punishing against first time players. This way at least she might actually get to see the card deck on her first time through. A good Soviet player will end the game by the Early to Mid war depending on their luck. Anything that goes to Late War is usually going to go USA unless a well-timed War Games hits the table. Ithle01 fucked around with this message at 07:02 on Jul 17, 2014 |
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Jul 17, 2014 06:53
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When I taught TS to a friend (who wanted to learn it and asked me about it, as opposed to trying to get a non-gamer into it) I basically tried to inform him in advance of things that were going to come up and how not to be screwed by them. So: - Blockade, US\Japan, De Gaulle, Cuba, Egypt, Truman, anything where he might put influence in where a card could easily wipe him. I think I also covered Destalinisation and Socialist Governments. - I explained the three regions that WILL score in the Early War, and to stay focussed on making the most of when he knows what's going to score this turn, and keeping an eye on where it looks like I may score this turn. - That in general Ops are better to play than Events. Those 3 influence in nowhere land aren't as good as 2 in a crucial area. But Events can be good too. I've also heard that the first game (probably here), you should be Soviet and they be US, which feels counter intuitive. But by showing them how to be aggressive early game, they get a better idea of how to play than playing a passive USSR who gets crushed late game. Start a new game and switch sides after the Early War if they want to get into it straight away.
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Jul 17, 2014 10:58
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Fat Turkey posted:When I taught TS to a friend (who wanted to learn it and asked me about it, as opposed to trying to get a non-gamer into it) I basically tried to inform him in advance of things that were going to come up and how not to be screwed by them. So:
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Jul 17, 2014 11:17
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We only got to play three turns before time and children got the better of us and we had to call it quits. Hard to say if she enjoyed it, although she seemed to be getting the hang of it by the end. She says she wants to read the rules and play again another time, but I dunno.
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Jul 17, 2014 13:16
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Fat Turkey posted:I've also heard that the first game (probably here), you should be Soviet and they be US, which feels counter intuitive. But by showing them how to be aggressive early game, they get a better idea of how to play than playing a passive USSR who gets crushed late game. Start a new game and switch sides after the Early War if they want to get into it straight away. Yeah, I also think it is a stupid notion, mostly because it's the US that really gets hit by trap cards like the Blockade. For a long time USSR has to worry about what, Japan? With soviets it's all stuff you can help with ad hoc, as in "nah, put your points elsewhere, you'll get Romania via event".
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Jul 17, 2014 13:38
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Does anyone know anything about Harpoon, a naval wargame from 1987? My friend found a copy in his basement and we're going to attempt to play it this weekend.
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Jul 18, 2014 01:22
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GMarshal posted:Does anyone know anything about Harpoon, a naval wargame from 1987? My friend found a copy in his basement and we're going to attempt to play it this weekend.
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Jul 18, 2014 10:49
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GMarshal posted:Does anyone know anything about Harpoon, a naval wargame from 1987? My friend found a copy in his basement and we're going to attempt to play it this weekend. You'll need a judge for sure as double-blind and detection is a key part of the rules. Expect the judge to tear their hair out in the process of playing this game. I've got the Harpoon 4 rules which have some basic scenarios - i'd start with a basic Anti Surface Warfare scenario, I don't know if its the same as the 1987 version but the one from Harpoon 4 is a US Frigate vs 2 Iranian missile boats. This rolls in air defence as well since ships carry helos and missiles can be shot down. Expect nothing to happen for a long time then to suddenly die without warning to a massive salvo of anti ship missiles. Don't play with subs, ASW is a whole bunch of ships moving at minimum speed with not very much happening.
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Jul 18, 2014 14:41
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I finally got charged for my Fire in the Lake preorder. I'm so happy I'll have another game to look at and imagine what playing it must be like.
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Jul 18, 2014 15:49
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Oldstench posted:I finally got charged for my Fire in the Lake preorder. I'm so happy I'll have another game to look at and imagine what playing it must be like.
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Jul 18, 2014 16:12
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Tekopo posted:Thinking about games and how great they could be if you just had enough players to play them is the best part of wargaming. At least FitL is a lot more playable with 2 than the other COIN games.
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Jul 18, 2014 16:58
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How soon after CL, AA, and ADP came out did GMT release the Vassal module?
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Jul 18, 2014 17:08
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Anyone see the pictures of the 3 different COIN games GMT has up on their instagram? Holy crap, does GMT need every single dime I make?
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Jul 18, 2014 20:41
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KomradeX posted:Anyone see the pictures of the 3 different COIN games GMT has up on their instagram? Holy crap, does GMT need every single dime I make?
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Jul 18, 2014 20:44
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The Philippines and one that just shows a bit of the St. Lawrence River, so I'm guessing an American Revolution COIN game
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Jul 18, 2014 20:45
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Tekopo posted:Thinking about games and how great they could be if you just had enough players to play them is the best part of wargaming. That and roleplaying game source books. So many campaigns, so few actually run 
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Jul 18, 2014 23:21
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Dre2Dee2 posted:That and roleplaying game source books. So many campaigns, so few actually run This is so true. I've got hundreds of RPG books and I have only played a very small percentage of them.
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Jul 18, 2014 23:43
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CNN Sports Ticker posted:This is so true. I've got hundreds of RPG books and I have only played a very small percentage of them. I have every book they printed for the Star Wars Saga Edition Roleplaying Game, I ran one game of it.
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Jul 18, 2014 23:59
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There's games that I haven't tried it because they are unclipped and they would bring shame to my family. Also the game of Reluctant Enemies I played was unclipped. I felt dirty.
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Jul 19, 2014 00:07
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KomradeX posted:American Revolution COIN game That will make my bank account cry..
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Jul 19, 2014 00:32
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Getting to sabotage railroad lines? Yeah, that would be amazing
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Jul 19, 2014 01:33
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Ropes4u posted:That will make my bank account cry.. The thought of these is already making my checking account weep. How long after the release of the last COIN games did it take for them to announce the next one?
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Jul 19, 2014 01:35
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So I caved in and got Unconditional Surrender. I think I might be a grognard now because first thought as I open the box is I want to clip those counters. Will a nail clipper work or do I need to get one of those special tools? PYF counterclipping lifehacks
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Jul 19, 2014 17:32
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A nail clipper will do, I have the corner cutter because I'm lazy. We played our first session of Vassal Unconditional Surrender. So far, Poland got invaded in a turn, then Germany attacked Hungary, got Yugoslavia on its side, while Italy joined the Allies and Turkey the axis (WWI redux, pretty much). Germany has just invaded France (the invasions of Norway/Denmark didn't happen) and fighting is happening in the Alps, within norther France (where the germans are in the gates of Paris) and within Syria as the combined French and UK colonial troops fight the Turks.
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Jul 19, 2014 18:25
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Here's the situation, June 1940:
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Jul 19, 2014 18:32
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Despite not doing anything for most of the game (playing soviets) it was very informative to sit and watch. It's really the best way for me to learn the rules. Looking forward to the East Front. Tekopo posted:We played our first session of Vassal Unconditional Surrender. So far, Poland got invaded in a turn, then Germany attacked Hungary, got Yugoslavia on its side, while Italy joined the Allies and Turkey the axis (WWI redux, pretty much). Germany has just invaded France (the invasions of Norway/Denmark didn't happen) and fighting is happening in the Alps, within norther France (where the germans are in the gates of Paris) and within Syria as the combined French and UK colonial troops fight the Turks. I think we have just been very bad at figuring out the right strategies to use in the diplomacy phase. Also I've been unlucky. WWI: PART 2: REVENGE OF THE KAISER  The end of today's play, anything not shaded is still neutral.
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Jul 19, 2014 18:35
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Tekopo posted:We played our first session of Vassal Unconditional Surrender. So far, Poland got invaded in a turn, then Germany attacked Hungary, got Yugoslavia on its side, while Italy joined the Allies and Turkey the axis (WWI redux, pretty much). Germany has just invaded France (the invasions of Norway/Denmark didn't happen) and fighting is happening in the Alps, within norther France (where the germans are in the gates of Paris) and within Syria as the combined French and UK colonial troops fight the Turks. I was really impressed by how the game actually let me do the sickle cut despite the low hex count in northern France.
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Jul 20, 2014 03:23
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I need another game I won't play enough and have put together a short list of games. I am open to suggestions, but I am specifically seeking feedback on any of these you have played. Navajo Wars Cruel Necessity Reluctant Enemies Storm over Dien Bien Phu D-day Omaha Beach
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Jul 20, 2014 17:57
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Ropes4u posted:I need another game I won't play enough and have put together a short list of games. I am open to suggestions, but I am specifically seeking feedback on any of these you have played. I wrote up a playthrough of Navajo Wars in this very thread, and didn't gently caress up the rules too much. It's a great game.
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Jul 20, 2014 19:31
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Oldstench posted:I wrote up a playthrough of Navajo Wars in this very thread, and didn't gently caress up the rules too much. It's a great game. My only concern is that I have Andean Abyss and am worried it is to similar. Maybe I will order two because your write up was what put NW on my list.
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Jul 20, 2014 21:21
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I'm a big OCS partisan so I'd definitely recommend RE. OCS does take a lot of getting used to (as I'm sure Tekopo can attest) but once you get over the hump it pays off in spades. Having to think in terms of logistics first, before anything else, adds a lot of interesting problems and helps contextualize a lot of historical decisions. The system also heavily favors attacking, so you are forced to keep reserves to counterattack with in order to hold a defensive position. I've never played another game system like it and I'm still actively playing well over a decade since I first started. If you have any questions, feel free to hit me up.
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Jul 21, 2014 15:23
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I've been playing the original Thunderbolt-Apache Leader on Vassal recently. I was a bit miffed by the seemingly inevitable resource shortages at first, but after getting the hang of things it was an absolute blast to play. My only complaint is that I didn't get into board games sooner. How much does the new version improve on the original? I'm new to board games in general and this could potentially be my first purchase, but I'm sort of taken aback by the price tag. I was fully expecting to pay a bit more what with materials and low volume and all, but wow. 
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Jul 24, 2014 10:59
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Let me tell you about Totaler Krieg, the 150 dollars retail price game...
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Jul 24, 2014 11:10
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Everyone has to judge the value of a game themselves, but TAL is a fantastic game and I have no doubt I will get my no wisps worth from my copy. I was looking through eBay and was a bit shocked at some of the prices. Are any of the older games worth getting or are they just being snapped up by sperglords?
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Jul 24, 2014 12:16
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Now to spend the evening stickering Command and Colors Napoleonics and the first expansion for Ancients
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Jul 24, 2014 13:46
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Ropes4u posted:Everyone has to judge the value of a game themselves, but TAL is a fantastic game and I have no doubt I will get my no wisps worth from my copy. As you say, it depends what price you feel is worth it. I bought a copy of Ambush! last year from the boardgamegeek marketplace. I have only finished half the scenarios but already feel my purchase was worth it. For a game first published in 1983, 2 years before I was born, it holds up well and I'm having a cracking time (although my troops aren't) Can't wait to finish it and start fishing around for some of the expansion packs.
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Jul 24, 2014 15:02
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Yeah, spent all day at work contemplating how I should go about resolving my current campaign. I might as well pull the trigger and get the box, seeing how I've probably gotten more than its worth of entertainment out of it. Is it possible to load less than the maximum munitions points for primary/secondary missions? The rules aren't too clear on this and only specifies that I have to round up any fractions when expending airbase points. I've got two battalions in my airbase that needs to be destroyed right now but I only have two A-10s and 2 airbase points at my disposal (14 munitions for each A-10, 24 munitions = 3 abp). Game over, or do I have to assign AH-1 on each mission (ugghhh) and hope for the best?
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Jul 24, 2014 22:27
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Tekopo posted:Let me tell you about Totaler Krieg, the 150 dollars retail price game... Bullshit. They're listed at $120  Let's...let's not talk about spending too much money on war games. It makes me remember the pain. Of my wallet.  EDIT: And besides, MSRP of A World at War is $195.
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Jul 25, 2014 00:09
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I did a thing with Fields of Fire. Tell me to stop. Please.
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Jul 25, 2014 12:50
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Yeeees! Man, the first LP made me want to buy that game so bad.
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Jul 25, 2014 12:54
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