Summer 2018 Campaign War Journal

Due to unfortunate setbacks regarding the megamek campaign (having to recreate dozens of documents), I am refocusing on a new campaign that we can start right now or any day we feel like it. Here's a little background on it:


http://store.steampowered.com/app/572410/Steel_Division_Normandy_44/

This video does a good job of explaining it:


SD:N44 is a real time strategy game with double emphasis in strategy. It can be a harsh mistress and you will likely utter more than a few curses sometimes, but the gameplay rewards players for sound strategic play and when you manage a victory it feels genuinely rewarding. The AI can be punishing, but it's fair. It doesn't win by cheating the economy, but rather by efficiently exploiting any weakness in your battleline. It pokes and prods, learning your positions and waits until it finds the right moment to attack. It is probably the best AI in a RTS I've ever seen. If you are new to the game, start on VERY EASY difficulty.

Also, the game allows you to customize your unit selection to suit your personal tastes. Want to focus on infantry and artillery? You can do that. Want to focus on elite tank destroyers, you can do that. If you played the previous Wargame titles than you have a rough idea on what to expect, but let me underline that Steel Division is a FAR superior product over previous titles in the franchise. Here is a list of improvements this game has over previous ones:

• no more ridiculously limited fuel supply; no more running out of fuel after 10 minutes of movement
• no more micromanaging specific ammunition; units are smart enough to know when to use it
• more manageable choice of units and overall less micromanaging
• dynamically moving "battle line" ui that indicates what areas are more likely hostile or friendly
• no more arbitrary "capture zones"; map control bonuses are percentage based now
• each game now has three phases of battle (A,B,C) that progress every 15 minutes.
• more powerful units are locked to the last phase (C @ 30 mins), which allows for weaker units to really shine in early game.
• NO HELICOPTERS! (which were always terrible)
• planes are better at avoiding being shot down and are actually really useful!
• no more arbitrary health bars; units have "stress bars" that indicate they are in danger of being killed
• more realistic compartmental damage management
• no more reliance on highly vulnerable FOBs; all supplies handled with improved capacity cargo trucks
• DANGEROUS AI that will make you think!
• Line of sight view that will greatly improve your experience (USE IT!)

In the next post, I will detail the persistent campaign we will be playing in this game.

 

Average time per mission is about 1.5 hours and players can drop in and out ass needed. Should be totally feasible.

Below I posted the Battle Logs & Tactics books. Should be some interesting reading.

 

Okay everyone. Pick a day and time.

This Friday or Saturday, 6 or 8pm EST?

 

Seeing as we have more than we can field at one time, I will likely start at 6pm EST friday and we can do multiple missions as people show up.

I might also take an OpFor position depending on how many people we have. Don't worry, I will be "kind".

 

No problem. we will be running for awhile.