For total immersion, you need background sounds of pounding artillery and a little dust dispenser on the ceiling to drop bits of crumble now and then. Seriously, if I thought I could get five more players, I'd jump on the next KS. Really, this looks right up my alley. Thanks for the vid--excellent as always.
I saw a comment that if you're going to buy this game, do yourself a favor and build yourself a lazy susan. I can't second this idea enough. I went to Home Depot and bought the wood and hardware to build two 42" lazy susans (one for my best friend, one for myself), and with this game and the space needed to play it, it makes a HUGE difference. The hardware kit and wood is not too terribly expensive. A little time and effort spent on this will be richly rewarded, trust me! The "Nano Expansion" looks really good (probably going to be a standard thing from now on), and I'm curious to see how the quick battle resolution optional rules work out.
We have played this game and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. We moved from Axis & Allies to other games from GMT, MMP, and others some time ago. I wasn't sure this game will be as good and was afraid of long waiting times before the player gets to do something in his turn (meaning others have to wait now). The game is awesome, plays quickly, there is little downtime between turns, and the combat system is working. But the game is huge and you really need a big table (and room to fit the table in) to play it. Some smaller version - someone in the comments mentioned a new KS campaign for it soon - would be awesome.
@@ThePlayersAid I'm pleased you answered me! Reading your blog and watching your videos for ages! I'm a long time fan and i bought a lot of wargames from your recommadations!
The *JUMBO Map Pack* expansion _(not the core game)_ comes with an even larger game/globe map for extra play space...as well as wooden "Command Staves", extra dice, O&P Chart wipe-boards..... 💸
Super interesting that you guys weren’t blown away by it. You are of course super polite and nice with your statements always but here I was able to hear that you appreciate it as an event game and for what it is but it’s nothing groundbreaking. I think smaller games have accomplished bigger things than this behemoth. However the question is what other game can be played by 6-7p and is similarly easy to teach?
Yeah, this game does exactly what it says on the tin (although I would literally never, ever play with 7 players). It's big, it's bombastic, it's got some excellent parts, it's got some average parts, but it's very fun to play as an overall experience.
Great review. Your gripes about the battleships vs combined arms seems strange though? If I understand the rules correct the combined fleet would have the advantage so black and white results working in their favour ... that'd be a 3/12 results vs a pure battlefleet force ... plus if you have carriers you should have accompanying fighter wings adding dice? Carriers with their fighter wings add 5 dice vs the 4 of the Battleships ... shouldnt that be enough to tip the scales of a 3/12 chance vs a 4/12 chance (with advantage or 2/12 without advantage)? I honestly dont think that those odds should make it that unfair?
that was my thought plus most of the time, when I play the US in axis n allies at least, I don't trust dice so I tend to have an air fleet hanging around in the pacific to weigh in on any combats
If you were going to tweak the existing rules about Battleship if red is the only color that harms them what additional color can be rolled that might result in damage, like Blue and Red? I feel if you add one additional color, that'd take care of the issue and still keep them powerful.
I'm sure there's some.nuanced way of doing that, or simply utilizing our assets differently. It was just SO hard to shift them with the single die face and escorts.
@@SH3Bstanko6 There's btw. a long list of similar grand strategic games about WWII (although not all equally large). "Absolute Victory", "ETO/PTO WWII" by SPI/TSR. "The War" by Compass games, ...
Grant, Alexander... Hi! I just bought the game (WRII) A friend of mine is really into board game so IU played a few with him. Some games were just too complicated but they were fun, I just had to go back to the rule book or made mistakes. WRII I hope the game will be complex but hopefully the rules will not be too complicated. Am I delusional about that? Question: In your video you mentioned that the game is not always historically accurate. Do we care? Cheers, a.
Usually when people go ”I don’t agree with that” they are looking for the game to unfold exactly like ww2 did, a simulation really. Which is kind of boring and limiting on the players. I prefer some leeway.
No, we played two games and they were both Axis victories when they were called. Maybe one of those could have turned, but it would have taken another 10 hours.
Apparently a cheaper version is coming out soon - have you heard about it? Its The Discriminating Gamer’s (Cody) fav game - would be great if you do a joint “opinions” vid for this game!
I always thought of carriers as battleships with extended gun range. Instead of shooting the ordinance from the ship itself the pilot delivers it from the aircraft. If this isn't reflected in the rules it would be a big red flag for me.
Couple more thoughts on this I find interesting. Is this carrier thing an actual game flaw or just a misunderstanding of something on Grant's part? If its a game flaw it would remind me somewhat of Marco finding that thing in Martin Wallace's Lincoln that was able to be corrected. Is it possibly something of using modern perspective on warfare to skew what happened historically? War v Japan had been planned for since the 20s with the battleship as the main actor. Billy Mitchell changed that. If carriers with modern thinking prevented historical results maybe limiting them to must-build battleships like 3-1? WW2 grand strategy is my main thing so...just curious Grant is the only one to point this out so far.
I don't know if this fits your thoughts but in a BB vs CV fight the BB roles 4 dice to the CV and its 1 fighter 5 dice. If you added a house rule to have CV have 2 planes like in A&A. The CV would upgrade to 8 dice. Not sure if that would make CVs to OP. Probabaly need to also make it where the 2nd fighter can only be used during battles and not for convoy raiding as with 2 fighters, you could do 3 raids on convoys per turn.
@@ryanlaune5599 Thanks for the reply. Guess I am just trying to get a feel for the game based on reviews understanding it is abstracted in some regards. Based on what Grant said with Alexander's agreement BB v CV use is not historical. Wondering if this us a game flaw or by design to compensate for modern thinking preventing BBs being produced at all.
@@thomaswallace7337 you're welcome. I am in the same boat. I have not played this yet but have read the rule book a couple times in prep for playing. I feel it is a gameplay feature to make BB more valid than IRL. I have played a lot of Hearts of Iron on my PC and they have the same thought. They make the BBs more powerful so they are a viable option and it is not a obvious decision to go straight CV from the start.
@@thomaswallace7337 also, you have to take black and white rolls into account too. Its not just the 1 red side vs 2 green. So for a BB you have a 2 in 12 chance to hit for the first 2 hits and a 3 in 12 for the last. For a CV you add an additional hit so 4 and 5 in 12 respectively. This is assuming no force advantage that strips away black and white hits.
A bit concerning the idea that you really need 6 players. I have zero chance of playing this w/ 6. I could perhaps play mostly 2p or perhaps 3p. Would this work, despite not being "ideal"?
It would work 2 player, it's a bit more effort writing everyone's orders, but you could do it. I just love having people around a table getting the inter allied rivalries going and stuff.
The map comes in sections. You can play just the European, Pacific, or North African campaigns which don't involve every nation. These different campaigns play at different player counts with at least one is designed for just 2 players. If you want to play the global game, it requires managing all the nations. One person per nation is best, but people can control multiple nations. The kickstarter has more information on this.
@@bamaretiredgruntscottb.6533 I've seen 2 or 3 now, I'd be interested in but don't have the physical space to set them up, but bigger seems to be a trend.
True we don't all live in large palaces however this is what the designers wanted to create. The look and feel of a big war room to fight out a "World War." Saying that you can break up this board map into theaters and play those scenarios. But this is a world war its going to have a big foot print.
@@arakuss1 I accept your point of view, but it mwans people who would have been interested, simply can't buy if because of the size. Probably not so much of a problem in America where you tend to have larger properties but in Europe they can be fairly small.
For total immersion, you need background sounds of pounding artillery and a little dust dispenser on the ceiling to drop bits of crumble now and then. Seriously, if I thought I could get five more players, I'd jump on the next KS. Really, this looks right up my alley. Thanks for the vid--excellent as always.
I saw a comment that if you're going to buy this game, do yourself a favor and build yourself a lazy susan. I can't second this idea enough. I went to Home Depot and bought the wood and hardware to build two 42" lazy susans (one for my best friend, one for myself), and with this game and the space needed to play it, it makes a HUGE difference. The hardware kit and wood is not too terribly expensive. A little time and effort spent on this will be richly rewarded, trust me! The "Nano Expansion" looks really good (probably going to be a standard thing from now on), and I'm curious to see how the quick battle resolution optional rules work out.
Gotta have a bunker to play in 🤣
I saw this one set up on a table at GMT's Warehouse Weekend in October 2019... it looks a-mazing!
You can't fight in there. That's the warroom!
Love the Soviet bunker cement walls behind you. Nice touch for the war room!
Great stuff lads.
Great video introduction to the game.
We have played this game and I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. We moved from Axis & Allies to other games from GMT, MMP, and others some time ago. I wasn't sure this game will be as good and was afraid of long waiting times before the player gets to do something in his turn (meaning others have to wait now). The game is awesome, plays quickly, there is little downtime between turns, and the combat system is working. But the game is huge and you really need a big table (and room to fit the table in) to play it. Some smaller version - someone in the comments mentioned a new KS campaign for it soon - would be awesome.
Finally getting closer to the Earth's real shape 👍
Great review, thanks guys
Nice set, looks like you're down in the Fuhrer bunker
I would love to play this, i will get startet at the next kickstarter of the 2nd Edition! Greetings from Germany!
gruess!
@@ThePlayersAid I'm pleased you answered me! Reading your blog and watching your videos for ages! I'm a long time fan and i bought a lot of wargames from your recommadations!
@@HorukaMorishima Au welche Stadt sind Sie?
@@ThePlayersAid ich komme aus der nähe von Hannover! - i'm living in the near of hannover!
Thanks. Kickstarter time :)
As expected, great video and quick intro. Axis & Allies on steroids, now I get it! Thanks chaps :)
The *JUMBO Map Pack* expansion _(not the core game)_ comes with an even larger game/globe map for extra play space...as well as wooden "Command Staves", extra dice, O&P Chart wipe-boards..... 💸
Mr. US, you needed to support the carriers with land air, the BBs would have been no problem.
Un gran ejemplo de como hacer un buen juego de mesa 🤙
"The board is circular, so it's wide as well as being long" Huh!?
Super interesting that you guys weren’t blown away by it. You are of course super polite and nice with your statements always but here I was able to hear that you appreciate it as an event game and for what it is but it’s nothing groundbreaking. I think smaller games have accomplished bigger things than this behemoth. However the question is what other game can be played by 6-7p and is similarly easy to teach?
Yeah, this game does exactly what it says on the tin (although I would literally never, ever play with 7 players). It's big, it's bombastic, it's got some excellent parts, it's got some average parts, but it's very fun to play as an overall experience.
wow what a game
Do you think the second edition War Room addresses the Battleship/Air Craft Carrier point made in this video. Hopefully the answer is yes.
Great review. Your gripes about the battleships vs combined arms seems strange though? If I understand the rules correct the combined fleet would have the advantage so black and white results working in their favour ... that'd be a 3/12 results vs a pure battlefleet force ... plus if you have carriers you should have accompanying fighter wings adding dice? Carriers with their fighter wings add 5 dice vs the 4 of the Battleships ... shouldnt that be enough to tip the scales of a 3/12 chance vs a 4/12 chance (with advantage or 2/12 without advantage)? I honestly dont think that those odds should make it that unfair?
that was my thought plus most of the time, when I play the US in axis n allies at least, I don't trust dice so I tend to have an air fleet hanging around in the pacific to weigh in on any combats
I like how you guys talk about a ww2 game on site at Hitler’s bunker!
If you were going to tweak the existing rules about Battleship if red is the only color that harms them what additional color can be rolled that might result in damage, like Blue and Red? I feel if you add one additional color, that'd take care of the issue and still keep them powerful.
I'm sure there's some.nuanced way of doing that, or simply utilizing our assets differently. It was just SO hard to shift them with the single die face and escorts.
Fantastic :) ... now do "Axis Empires", "World in Flames" and "A World at War" ;-)
All very good games! I’m currently learning Axis Empires.
@@SH3Bstanko6
There's btw. a long list of similar grand strategic games about WWII (although not all equally large).
"Absolute Victory", "ETO/PTO WWII" by SPI/TSR. "The War" by Compass games, ...
Grant, Alexander... Hi!
I just bought the game (WRII) A friend of mine is really into board game so IU played a few with him.
Some games were just too complicated but they were fun, I just had to go back to the rule book or made mistakes.
WRII I hope the game will be complex but hopefully the rules will not be too complicated.
Am I delusional about that?
Question:
In your video you mentioned that the game is not always historically accurate. Do we care?
Cheers,
a.
very interested in the game!
Usually when people go ”I don’t agree with that” they are looking for the game to unfold exactly like ww2 did, a simulation really. Which is kind of boring and limiting on the players. I prefer some leeway.
Axis & Allies on steroids.
I can get into that.
I've heard 65% allied victory vs 35% axis...obviously first game everyone was learning but what is your opinion on the balance?
No, we played two games and they were both Axis victories when they were called. Maybe one of those could have turned, but it would have taken another 10 hours.
Apparently a cheaper version is coming out soon - have you heard about it? Its The Discriminating Gamer’s (Cody) fav game - would be great if you do a joint “opinions” vid for this game!
I believe the Kickstarter starts May 28 2021.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/nightingale-games/war-room-a-larry-harris-game-2nd-edition
How do I get in touch? Thanks
theplayersaidatgmaildotcom
I always thought of carriers as battleships with extended gun range. Instead of shooting the ordinance from the ship itself the pilot delivers it from the aircraft. If this isn't reflected in the rules it would be a big red flag for me.
Couple more thoughts on this I find interesting. Is this carrier thing an actual game flaw or just a misunderstanding of something on Grant's part? If its a game flaw it would remind me somewhat of Marco finding that thing in Martin Wallace's Lincoln that was able to be corrected. Is it possibly something of using modern perspective on warfare to skew what happened historically? War v Japan had been planned for since the 20s with the battleship as the main actor. Billy Mitchell changed that. If carriers with modern thinking prevented historical results maybe limiting them to must-build battleships like 3-1? WW2 grand strategy is my main thing so...just curious Grant is the only one to point this out so far.
I don't know if this fits your thoughts but in a BB vs CV fight the BB roles 4 dice to the CV and its 1 fighter 5 dice. If you added a house rule to have CV have 2 planes like in A&A. The CV would upgrade to 8 dice. Not sure if that would make CVs to OP. Probabaly need to also make it where the 2nd fighter can only be used during battles and not for convoy raiding as with 2 fighters, you could do 3 raids on convoys per turn.
@@ryanlaune5599 Thanks for the reply. Guess I am just trying to get a feel for the game based on reviews understanding it is abstracted in some regards. Based on what Grant said with Alexander's agreement BB v CV use is not historical. Wondering if this us a game flaw or by design to compensate for modern thinking preventing BBs being produced at all.
@@thomaswallace7337 you're welcome. I am in the same boat. I have not played this yet but have read the rule book a couple times in prep for playing. I feel it is a gameplay feature to make BB more valid than IRL. I have played a lot of Hearts of Iron on my PC and they have the same thought. They make the BBs more powerful so they are a viable option and it is not a obvious decision to go straight CV from the start.
@@thomaswallace7337 also, you have to take black and white rolls into account too. Its not just the 1 red side vs 2 green. So for a BB you have a 2 in 12 chance to hit for the first 2 hits and a 3 in 12 for the last. For a CV you add an additional hit so 4 and 5 in 12 respectively. This is assuming no force advantage that strips away black and white hits.
A bit concerning the idea that you really need 6 players. I have zero chance of playing this w/ 6. I could perhaps play mostly 2p or perhaps 3p. Would this work, despite not being "ideal"?
It would work 2 player, it's a bit more effort writing everyone's orders, but you could do it. I just love having people around a table getting the inter allied rivalries going and stuff.
The map comes in sections. You can play just the European, Pacific, or North African campaigns which don't involve every nation. These different campaigns play at different player counts with at least one is designed for just 2 players. If you want to play the global game, it requires managing all the nations. One person per nation is best, but people can control multiple nations. The kickstarter has more information on this.
How does this game handle player elimination?
it doesnt
The same way war handles it. Your eliminated.
@@arakuss1 Would an Italian player have any chance of making it halfway through the game?
Are you sitting in a bunker? Or it's just Grant's basement? ;)
It's a friend's basement which is 100% a wargame bunker!
Sounds rather easy to play. Not at all complicated. 😴
The Battleships need to be replaced by Destroyers .. it would make the game more historically accurate ..
I'm getting fed up with the big board games, we don't all live in palaces.
Welllll.....there are plenty of smaller footprint games all over the market. Your point is?
@@bamaretiredgruntscottb.6533 I've seen 2 or 3 now, I'd be interested in but don't have the physical space to set them up, but bigger seems to be a trend.
I'm going to need a bigger table!
True we don't all live in large palaces however this is what the designers wanted to create. The look and feel of a big war room to fight out a "World War." Saying that you can break up this board map into theaters and play those scenarios. But this is a world war its going to have a big foot print.
@@arakuss1 I accept your point of view, but it mwans people who would have been interested, simply can't buy if because of the size. Probably not so much of a problem in America where you tend to have larger properties but in Europe they can be fairly small.