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[LoSboccacc]

very interesting. I always loved the depth of wargames and always hated how they presented you a strategic setup you had no hands in making and just forces you to deal with it.

is there a whole genre of these or is this more of a unique thing?

[Trolldefender99]

Here are two Youtube channels that I watched before buying the game.

This one is more like a let's play than a tutorial, but he does show how some things are in the grand scheme of gameplay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrtwDgj_Px8&list=PL8cNlze3fGQgYVDLiqxvpMnlWo3-lEkR7

and two playlists from Dastactic

A let's play as well, though some of it goes in-depth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aN3NcybwiY&list=PLGB6RkFB7ZmMFY1EnIhYPDW3nv0oBvgzg

and dastactic again, with actual indepth tutorial videos without the let's play stuff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BivVweJ5-iA&list=PLGB6RkFB7ZmPoXDAaR8FbM3xujwMsDgEv

[Vivalas]

Liking it so far, my only real qualm so far has been, well, that I did the "crackdown on crime" strategem and lost an entire regiment.

3600 troops to kill 19 syndicate cells? What the hell kinda criminals are these guys? At least the syndicate is dead, but, holy crap that was 3600 recruits gone in a blink. 

[EuchreJack]

For those who recall the game "People's Tactics", this game is like it's Sci-Fi older brother.  Its the same guy.
It's an awesome strategic command system, but don't expect the AI to just roll over.  Frankly, the AI is better able to handle the complexity than you are, at least initially.

...now if I can just get a ruler with a monocle, all will be right with the world.

[Karlito]

Haven't gotten far enough to see if diplomacy among major powers is fleshed out, but allied victory is an option. Diplomacy with minor powers is relatively sparse, unfortunately. Thankfully, that's offset by internal dynamics.

Pretty sparse, or at least, it requires you to be lucky enough to have a major willing to engage in diplomacy. For a lot of the cards like trade agreement or non-aggression pact I had 900+ difficulties. And once you get into a war with a Major, it seems pretty impossible to make peace, since you need 35+ relations to play Propose Peace, but you're at war- which lowers relations to zero...

Though I've had a lot of fun granting minors my protection which instantly annexes them once they're invaded. The AI seems not that great at actually following up their war declarations with troops on the ground as well.

I've been having a blast with the game in general.

[E. Albright]

The long Dastactics Tips & Tricks series took about 5.5 videos to break me and get me to pick this up. I'm still installing, but it appears to scratch a lot of the sorts of itches I've had regarding the kind of micromanaging I want in an emperor game instead of the kind that micro-heavy games tend to go for.

[acidia]

This is the 2nd game that I've ever bought of release day, really looking forward to sinking some hours in.

[Shooer]

very interesting. I always loved the depth of wargames and always hated how they presented you a strategic setup you had no hands in making and just forces you to deal with it.

is there a whole genre of these or is this more of a unique thing?

Anything from the same dev has been really open for scenarios/setting.

People's tactics is free and the earliest of his tactics series I've played.  Has a large amount of fairly unique scenarios.  Cops Vs. Robbers, zombie out break, two fighting banana republics are some that I remember.

Advance Tactics is built to represent WW1 to near modern (roughly ie. you upgrade unit types with research so you start with Rifle I which is outclassed by Rifle VI and so on) but with random maps and the ability to use real world cultures to flavor nations and locations.  You can then set different cultures to "like" each other more or less by setting a production modifier if they are occupied by enemy/friendly cultured nations.

Edit: Also grabbed this earlier.  $30 after the discount and steam key in future, I'm in.

Edit Edit: The game miss-spelled Carp.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I've now spent probably an hour generating worlds.  Do I go Siwa with carbon-oxygen giant squid or go Medusa with it's fluoride/hydrogen-peroxide/other !!FUN!! biologies.

[Trolldefender99]

very interesting. I always loved the depth of wargames and always hated how they presented you a strategic setup you had no hands in making and just forces you to deal with it.

is there a whole genre of these or is this more of a unique thing?

Anything from the same dev has been really open for scenarios/setting.

People's tactics is free and the earliest of his tactics series I've played.  Has a large amount of fairly unique scenarios.  Cops Vs. Robbers, zombie out break, two fighting banana republics are some that I remember.

Advance Tactics is built to represent WW1 to near modern (roughly ie. you upgrade unit types with research so you start with Rifle I which is outclassed by Rifle VI and so on) but with random maps and the ability to use real world cultures to flavor nations and locations.  You can then set different cultures to "like" each other more or less by setting a production modifier if they are occupied by enemy/friendly cultured nations.

Edit: Also grabbed this earlier.  $30 after the discount and steam key in future, I'm in.

Edit Edit: The game miss-spelled Carp.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I've now spent probably an hour generating worlds.  Do I go Siwa with carbon-oxygen giant squid or go Medusa with it's fluoride/hydrogen-peroxide/other !!FUN!! biologies.

Personally been doing the desert planet, cause...wellllll...Dune

[Dostoevsky]

I think I went unclassified (i.e. fully random) planet, tinkering with the generation until I got something fairly Siwa-like but with more water. Only after starting up did I realize the low natural vegetation levels meant open-air farming was off-limits. And the predators are certainly something... the smaller ones aren't too much trouble, but there are packs of 7-meter megacrustaceans that need either lots of bodies or serious armored firepower to take down. On the positive side, a 212 million pre-apocalypse population means plenty of ruins to sift through (and artifacts to find).

Can take a bit of time to get used to the fact that despite having exploration like a 4x, using the logistics of a wargame means you can't just send an explorer across the world.

[Journier]

At a glance reminds me of Emperor of the Fading suns... which if well implemented is a GOOD thing.

no space, just a planet, but also got that feel. Matrix doesnt give refunds even if game doesnt function on your system. so id wait for steam release though.

[ivanovic]

I usually suck at this kind of game, but for some reason this one really excites me. I like the sound of the setting a lot more than the usual historical (where I feel like I ought to be doing whatever really happened back then) or galaxy-spanning kinds (I just don't find watching/running an empire on that scale engaging).   

That's exactly my case... I can't fully enjoy games like Civilization because the real world empire and city names randomly placed on the map break the immersion for me (that's why I prefer mods that provide a fantasy setting like Fall from Heaven 2 for Civ IV or Faerun for Civ 5). And I don't fully enjoy games like Stellaris because for some reason I can't fully savor the sense of power in a galaxy-spanning empire.

[ChairmanPoo]

I usually suck at this kind of game, but for some reason this one really excites me. I like the sound of the setting a lot more than the usual historical (where I feel like I ought to be doing whatever really happened back then) or galaxy-spanning kinds (I just don't find watching/running an empire on that scale engaging).   

That's exactly my case... I can't fully enjoy games like Civilization because the real world empire and city names randomly placed on the map break the immersion for me (that's why I prefer mods that provide a fantasy setting like Fall from Heaven 2 for Civ IV or Faerun for Civ 5).

Same here. Glad to hear I'm not a freak about this. 

And I don't fully enjoy games like Stellaris because for some reason I can't fully savor the sense of power in a galaxy-spanning empire.

I do get a kick out of Stellaris. But TBH I liked CK2 better. Even more so if modded, and even more so in random maps.

[Knave]

For anyone interested The dev has been releasing beta patches (save game compatible) here: https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=4824133

fixing CTDs and updating balance already. Expect an official patch to probably land within a week through the actual installer.

Changelogs

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Changelist to v1.01a-beta4
-Improved history-view representation of friendly rebels attacking somewhere
-Improved history map by putting a selection graphic around the Hex where a history step is actually happening.
-Fixed a crash related to disappeared Trader Houses
-Fixed a crash related to the resolving of a faulty Demand on taking a Hex that did not exist. Also fixed such a demand being given in the first place.
-Some minor spelling and typo repairs
-Fixed overflow of att-def total list in combat setup popup
-Reduced the extremity of the costs for Rail through difficult landscapes (except high mountains). Stays high, but at least it is possible to construct now if you save up.

Changelist to v1.01a-beta3
-Fixed another AI crash with a tortured AI regime
-Lifted the 2 player limit on the “Unclassified” Planet starts

Changelist to v1.01a-beta2
I-mproved the Mouse Overs with a tolerance mode of 20 pixels so you do not have to keep the mouse perfectly still
-Added the generation of a planet generation save in your savedgames directory. Which if you like you could rename and share with others. Or use to restart a Planet you found interesting.
-Fixed an AI “leader ageing” crash (BvG)
-Better garbage cleaning of some detailed log reports (data thing behind the hood)
-Fixed a crash with a start turn crash (Chris)
-Fixed crash with Artifact being generated in a Scav Asset that got upgraded to a higher level at the same time
-Fixed a crash with clicking ont the Strat button in the bottom interface
-Increased free Water storage points with the amount of free Water (rivers/rain/sea) the Zone receives.
-Fixed issue with Electric Engine not being selectable for new Models designing
-Non-aligned forces (alien critters/mauraders) do NOT take the first turn anymore.
-If no-saving during game + passwords enabled in a multi player game you’ll get “possible” cheat messages if a player replays his/her turn.
-Autocombat setting in prefs now saves properly

Changelist to v1.01a-beta1
-Adjusted the interest of AI for building Hydroponics
-Fixed a less informative label on the unit counters after upgrade/downgrade Formation Type (Saros)
-AI improvements related to allocation of OHQs to Fronts
-AI improvements related to consistency of Front areas
-Fixed Model Statistics glitch that caused anti-inf % and AT % to get switched around. (Saros)
-Zone now keeps less reserves if it is for an Asset that is on reduced production or construction percentage (Shards)
-Fixed glitch with partial construction % set and actual progress of that construction
-Fixed glitch with automatic worker recruitment and asset in partial production
-Fixes Sound Volume slider
-Severely tuned the Difficulty for Major Diplomatic Stratagems, though there remain some impossible rolls if the AI Major in question is just not willing at all to accept *
-Fixed a glitch in the application of the Skill Bonus by Leader Feats
-Fixed a glitch with failed rolls on raising or lowering taxes & tariffs *
-AI will no longer give you Credits while at war *
-When constructing roads to a Hex just one Hex away from the start it will always go as “the bird flies”. In some rare cases this is useful.
-Unit movement now also goes as the “bird flies” if the distance is just 1 Hex. In some rare cases this is useful or even crucial to avoid likely surprise combat.
-Fixed a crash during a Compare Leader in the Leaders Popup
-Reduced the chance for a Decision to be communicated through Metrics by a factor of 10.
-Fixed 2 different rare crashes in the Stratagem Tab
-Made a minor fix in the usage of Commerce Bonus inside the inter Trade House trades.
-Fixed the inability to use Expel Diplomats to break final level of diplomatic contact level*.
-Increased initial Energy generation for Tech-5 start *
-Fixed the Jetpack OOB/TOE *
-Increased speed for 200% DPI setting enormously
-You can now no longer nationalize a Private Asset that is just in the process of being upgraded
-Fixed an AI crash !! (Carson)
-Fixed a crash with transfer of troops from one battlegroup to another, fully emptying the first one (Saros)
-Fixed a glitch with the left side of the Staff Council task progress on operationalization of a new OOB was wrong
-Fixed a glitch with the renaming of Models (* in some cases)
-Fixed a bug with Minors building up to many Units and at the same time causing very long AI processing times (Che)
-Game now stops sound if you ALT-F4 / end-task
-Reduced the militia growth for some minors from killing freefolk and pop, especially if they have units with low subunit count.
-Fixed glitch where a “non-City” regime would surrender after losing a city they conquered (Slavers, nomads, etc..)
-Added a bit more Food for game starts with initial Armies present *
-Fixed a crash with Hex Perks on the 0,0 Hex
-“Recruit Talent” stratagem now actually ensure a younger Leader to be recruited *
-Fixed a crash during Combat setup with Ranged Fire
-Fixed a glitch with the Civilization Level dropping to zero
-Fixed faulty mouse-overs concerning maximum storage transfers to SHQ on round 1

*=requires a new game start to go into effect

EDIT: Getting reports that the 20% off wargamer coupon is no longer valid "Order creation failure due to problematic input.. Coupon has exceeded maximum use limit ."
Maybe it was getting more use than they thought it would!

[EuchreJack]

Pretty sure the planet generator is actively hostile.  I managed to generate a planet with alien life that was actually edible ("reduced nutritional value", which is pretty good considering), and then in the Descent stage a Solar Flare just irradiates the whole planet.