FWWC France 14 Musing and Wonderings

Steel God · 08-13-2020, 04:07 AM,

Thanks for the responses. In summary what you are all saying is "Yes! The miracle on the Marne truly was a miracle." Wink

I've moved onto something a little larger size wise and length wise (Lord that sounds slutty) and it has France on the Defensive. I will say they handle fairly well that way (despite their Doctrine of Offense Wins). The long and the short of things for me are that FWWC is NOT PzC, and I'v had to unlearn things. With the exception of factoring in the MGs, I am beginning to get the feel that these Armies handle much more like a Civil War Army in the way you use Artillery directly, but much shorter command leashes than in ACW (in terms of hexes not real distances). When I look at them that way I can get in their heads a little better.

I have not even opened EP14 because I keep hearing about 1 hex command radius and I just don't need that kind of negativity in my life LMAO

As for S14, I don't have it yet, but will but it eventually because I had a Great Grandfather who fought for the Austrians. He was captured by the Russians (don't know any details, even what year) and given up for dead by the family. He showed back up at my Great Grandmothers door step in Italy in 1922 having walked back a large part of the way.

LordDeadwood · 08-13-2020, 05:01 AM,

Interesting thread. Interesting enough to make me pull the trigger on France '14 myself! I have never owned/played a WWI game in my life. Should be enlightening!

**Mr Grumpy** · 08-13-2020, 05:17 AM,

(08-13-2020, 04:07 AM)Steel God Wrote: The long and the short of things for me are that FWWC is NOT PzC, and I'v had to unlearn things.

Exactly why I wrote my article detailing the differences between PzC and FWWC, to a PzC veteran they look the same but oh boy they are so different, amazing that basically the same game engine can produce such a different feel to a game with just a few tweaks under the hood.

You haven't even mentioned cavalry yet? Learning how to best utilize their capabilities is a game within a game, once again they are oh so different to the cavalry unit types you see in PzC...... Wink

**Mr Grumpy** · 08-13-2020, 05:21 AM,

(08-13-2020, 04:07 AM)Steel God Wrote: I have not even opened EP14 because I keep hearing about 1 hex command radius and I just don't need that kind of negativity in my life

Sounds daunting I know but you can use the Russian infantry effectively if you use the correct tactics, the C quality boys are a tough nut to crack and there are just so many of them......... Whistle

Landser34 · 08-13-2020, 09:37 AM,

Its good to hear from Steel God he has been away for awhile.

CheerfullyInsane · 08-13-2020, 05:29 PM,

(08-13-2020, 05:01 AM)LordDeadwood Wrote: Interesting thread. Interesting enough to make me pull the trigger on France '14 myself! I have never owned/played a WWI game in my life. Should be enlightening!

You won't regret it.
Even if PzC is still my first love, the FWWC games have become a very close second.
Just don' try to play them like you would PzC. Trying to blitz anything in FWWC will just get you killed.

Like SteelGod said, it's a bit like Civil War, with automatic weapons. So you have to be much more methodical in how you move your troops.

Steel God · 08-13-2020, 08:29 PM,

(08-13-2020, 05:17 AM)Mr Grumpy Wrote:
(08-13-2020, 04:07 AM)Steel God Wrote: The long and the short of things for me are that FWWC is NOT PzC, and I'v had to unlearn things.

Exactly why I wrote my article detailing the differences between PzC and FWWC, to a PzC veteran they look the same but oh boy they are so different, amazing that basically the same game engine can produce such a different feel to a game with just a few tweaks under the hood.

You haven't even mentioned cavalry yet? Learning how to best utilize their capabilities is a game within a game, once again they are oh so different to the cavalry unit types you see in PzC......

Nice. That article could have saved me some early frustrations. lol

The Cavalry I have not truly experienced yet. The first small scenario I played PBEM had me defending as Beligians against a German Cavalry heavy force, and in my opinion the Cavalry had serious drawbacks, but again those were visual I did not "feel the pain" first person. In the larger PBEM I'm currently playing I have been using the available French Cavalry (no Cav Divisions, just Divisional and Corps Level Cav units) as Division and Corps Commanders I believe would have, to spot and to screen. I think to see and experience a full blown offensive Cavalry charge you'd need more space than the map I'm currently on. Maybe some opportunities in the CG scenarios, or based on what I know of history, out Tannenberg way.

Steel God · 08-13-2020, 08:32 PM,

(08-13-2020, 05:21 AM)Mr Grumpy Wrote:
(08-13-2020, 04:07 AM)Steel God Wrote: I have not even opened EP14 because I keep hearing about 1 hex command radius and I just don't need that kind of negativity in my life

Sounds daunting I know but you can use the Russian infantry effectively if you use the correct tactics, the C quality boys are a tough nut to crack and there are just so many of them.........

I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but what that says to me is to the Russian every tool is a hammer and every target a nail. I mean seriously, command radius 1......form up, hit hard, rotate battlations, do it again. Divisional frontage MIGHT be 4 hexes, more likely 2 LMAO

Steel God · 08-13-2020, 08:34 PM,

(08-13-2020, 09:37 AM)Landser34 Wrote: Its good to hear from Steel God he has been away for awhile.

Too long old friend. A couple months shy of a decade I believe, but back now and now is all that matters.

Steel God · 08-13-2020, 08:37 PM,

(08-13-2020, 05:29 PM)CheerfullyInsane Wrote: Just don' try to play them like you would PzC. Trying to blitz anything in FWWC will just get you killed.

No matter how many times I hear that, putting it into action is still oh so difficult. I still look at maps with a PzC eye towards terrain, which is like building a house on a bad foundation.