Finally a kriegsspiel on the PC? Gettysburg: Scourge of War review

Yes, I have TeamSpeak 3 and have used it sparingly for games such as TacOps and Steel Beasts.

http://www.teamspeak.com/?page=teamspeak3

Obviously, one would need speaks and a microphone to use, perhaps a headphone not to upset the family.

Thanks for the link Pete. I'll check it out. Have you used the whisper hotkeys function?

I need to make sure I know how to use Teamspeak. Have also asked on the game forum whether it would be best to play using a WAN emulator as previously, or over the internet using the 'lobby' function that Norbsoft bprovides. No-one has yet answered that one.

Having resolved those two technical issues, I think the next step will be to try a small game as a test.

It may be that I have been over-optimistic in expecting to run our main game in mid December. We'll just have to see how things go in the next couple of weeks.

I will post periodic progress reports in any event.

Martin

Martin,

Yes, we used the whisper function. Should you download and install Team Sepak 3, let me know and we can set up some comm-checks prior to any games so that we have the process down.

Pete

I'am really on the edge of buying this game, would I be able to get in on this game I have TS and live in the United Kingdom

Pete Maidhof wrote:Martin,

Yes, we used the whisper function. Should you download and install Team Sepak 3, let me know and we can set up some comm-checks prior to any games so that we have the process down.

Pete

Excellent. I'll do that sometime in the next week or so, and we'll try it out.

Martin

Callum wrote:I'am really on the edge of buying this game, would I be able to get in on this game I have TS and live in the United Kingdom

That's great Callum. You will be very welcome to join us. The larger the pool of plasyers we have the better, as for any game there will no doubt be some who cannot make it that day. Can you send me your email address at martin_a_james@tiscali.co.uk please, because I will sometimes just circulate pure admin stuff by email.

If you haven't already done so, suggest you download the demo, and work your way through the tutorials. It's actually the complete game, but you need to buy it to gain access to the full functionality with a code.

Martin

ok will do thanks


Edit: ok sent the email hope you got it

Callum wrote:ok will do thanks


Edit: ok sent the email hope you got it

Yup. Just got it. Thanks.

god just tryed to do the corps command tutorial its hard as hell think ill stick to a brigade for now

Callum wrote:god just tryed to do the corps command tutorial its hard as hell think ill stick to a brigade for now

I just started over with the Brigade tutorial this morning. Got past the initial contact ok, then was ordered by courier to advance west up a road and link up with some Union artillery, tying in to their south, then an enormous Confederate infantry attack came up from the south west surging across the road that we had just taken toward the arty...A swirling battle took place, with at least one union regiment cut off behind the rebels. Tried to run my commander from one threatened regiment to another. Regiments began to fail, and fall back. Was able to slowly get each back into the battle, but came back very fragile. In the end, the all failed about the same time and I conveniently ended the tutorial.

first time i tried the brigade tutorial i left it too long to move towards the main body of the corps and was cut off by an rebel brigade from the woods it was a tense 10 minutes face off across the wheat field near the peach orchard all the time trying to get couriors past their line to inform my suprior officer (cant remember his name) i had contacted the enemy and needed help as i had already lost a few men but thankfuly when i attacked their left flank folded and i managed to force them into a retreat then my message got through and our corps cannons turned to help and that was my first battle went on to chase them a while capture a leader and then attack their main body of the corps fighting mine

Callum wrote:god just tryed to do the corps command tutorial its hard as hell think ill stick to a brigade for now

I got a severe beating from the AI when I played the corps tutorial. The division one is a bit less challenging as I recall.

In general, the message is that everyone can play in our forthcoming game at whatever level of command floats their boat. I know that some of the group want to command brigades, and others would prefer division or above. One of the good things about the game is that you can just slot folks anywhere in the command chain, and the AI will play everyone else, according to their pre-set personalities. All we have to do is select an OOB with sufficient corps, divisions & brigades when setting-up the game.

This also works well in single player. I have been playing some games recently where I command a division with an AI boss, and some AI subordinate brigade commanders. I receive orders during the game – not many – of the ‘take this area’, ‘defend this area’, ‘go into reserve’ variety, and then attempt to follow them as best I can. Not as good as multi-player of course, but interesting for all that, as you get some sense of narrative.

Martin

Callum wrote:first time i tried the brigade tutorial i left it too long to move towards the main body of the corps and was cut off by an rebel brigade from the woods it was a tense 10 minutes face off across the wheat field near the peach orchard all the time trying to get couriors past their line to inform my suprior officer (cant remember his name) i had contacted the enemy and needed help as i had already lost a few men but thankfuly when i attacked their left flank folded and i managed to force them into a retreat then my message got through and our corps cannons turned to help and that was my first battle went on to chase them a while capture a leader and then attack their main body of the corps fighting mine

I may be wrong, but I think that the tutorials are only scripted in the initial stages, so the AI may try a different approach if you play them again. That's certainly the case for the historical scenarios in the main game, and of course using the sandbox battle generator.

Martin

I am following this with some interest as I got the demo and did not really give it a full run through before being drawn into Combat Mission 2 and Dragon Age 2. Please keep us lurkers updated as to how it goes. I think there is a possibility of getting involved if I can get to grips with the game....

What is the shortest game time to play something worthwhile? An hour? Two?

MJ1 wrote:I am following this with some interest as I got the demo and did not really give it a full run through before being drawn into Combat Mission 2 and Dragon Age 2. Please keep us lurkers updated as to how it goes. I think there is a possibility of getting involved if I can get to grips with the game....

What is the shortest game time to play something worthwhile? An hour? Two?

30 minutes, if you pick the right scenario.

Martin

Callum wrote:
first time i tried the brigade tutorial i left it too long to move towards the main body of the corps and was cut off by an rebel brigade from the woods it was a tense 10 minutes face off across the wheat field near the peach orchard all the time trying to get couriors past their line to inform my suprior officer (cant remember his name) i had contacted the enemy and needed help as i had already lost a few men but thankfuly when i attacked their left flank folded and i managed to force them into a retreat then my message got through and our corps cannons turned to help and that was my first battle went on to chase them a while capture a leader and then attack their main body of the corps fighting mine

I may be wrong, but I think that the tutorials are only scripted in the initial stages, so the AI may try a different approach if you play them again. That's certainly the case for the historical scenarios in the main game, and of course using the sandbox battle generator.

Martin

yer it is scripted just the very first bit, I have played the brigade one twice now, and both times the AI have reacted diffrently

[quote="Martin"]

MJ1 wrote:I am following this with some interest as I got the demo and did not really give it a full run through before being drawn into Combat Mission 2 and Dragon Age 2. Please keep us lurkers updated as to how it goes. I think there is a possibility of getting involved if I can get to grips with the game....

What is the shortest game time to play something worthwhile? An hour? Two?

Mark's question has alerted me to one question re our first multiplayer game. How long a scenario should we aim for? The standard historical scenarios have a prescribed length, but if we do a hypothetical one, we can set the length as anything up to 4 hours. That's a maximum length btw. Depending on the other scenario-specific choices we make, it might end somewhat earlier, particularly if one side is well on top. Let's hope that's us not the AI.........

With players in the US and the UK, we need to ensure we go with a convenient length for all. No need to decide now, as several players are still getting into the game, but something we need to think about.

Martin

Because I am being lazy and also want to get the answer here on the forum for others, is multiplayer just a group of people vs AI or can you have 4 people per side?

I am guessing just vs AI? Otherwise we are close to the potential of running Sunday games without leaving home?

Is the AI a decent opponent?

MJ1 wrote:Because I am being lazy and also want to get the answer here on the forum for others, is multiplayer just a group of people vs AI or can you have 4 people per side?

I am guessing just vs AI? Otherwise we are close to the potential of running Sunday games without leaving home?

Is the AI a decent opponent?

Glad to note your increasing interest In order....

1. You can either all play as a team against the AI, or have two human teams of any size (within reason). To be more accurate, the AI will play any role of brigadier general & above, on either team, not taken by a human player.

2. We are indeed coming close to running Sunday games without leaving home. We may even be there.

3. Yes it's unusually strong for AI, although not unbeatable.

Martin

so when the battle does come about ive read it will be sandbox which is good what sides will we most likely play confederate or union?

Callum wrote:so when the battle does come about ive read it will be sandbox which is good what sides will we most likely play confederate or union?

Assuming we all play against the AI, perhaps we should take a vote on it?

Martin wrote:

Callum wrote:so when the battle does come about ive read it will be sandbox which is good what sides will we most likely play confederate or union?

Assuming we all play against the AI, perhaps we should take a vote on it?

No preference, my family had no dog in this fight.

Well another volunteer here. I have played the demo and it looks good.

Another game to be aware of - HistWar les Grognards. It is napoleonic and was released a couple of years ago. There have been a number of patches and this is now a challenging game. The "Grognard" level comes with Fog of War and limited information. This can do multiplayer over the net and the forum has reports from some games posted. I believe there have been 10+ player games.

There is a demo but be aware this is now behind the patched game in terms of functionality, interface etc.

Tim Carne wrote:Well another volunteer here. I have played the demo and it looks good.

Another game to be aware of - HistWar les Grognards. It is napoleonic and was released a couple of years ago. There have been a number of patches and this is now a challenging game. The "Grognard" level comes with Fog of War and limited information. This can do multiplayer over the net and the forum has reports from some games posted. I believe there have been 10+ player games.

There is a demo but be aware this is now behind the patched game in terms of functionality, interface etc.

Splendid Tim. That makes 11 of us now, I think. Can you send me your email address please, and I'll add you to the list?

I've been wondering about HistWar les Grognards myself. I tried the demo some months ago and thought it had potential but was lacking a little je-ne-sais-quoi. But have since heard from others that the patches have improved it, so you are not alone. I would certainly consider buying the full version, and suspect others would too. Can you direct us to some recent reviews please?

Martin

Have now received advice that there is no difference in game performance whether we use the Nobsoft game lobby to host the game, or one of our PCs, so that's one technical issue resolved.

Initial impressions from the game manual suggests it is less hassle to go the latter route, which is certainly the one we've used for our 3-player games previously, but if anyone sees things differently, let's hear from you.

Martin