There will always be randomness with dice rolls, but there's so many ways to mitigate the impact of the rolls. The defense all depends on the unit, which tile they're on, and how far away they are - and the attack will vary as well. There's a lot of strategy that goes into putting yourself into the position to get a favorable dice roll, it's not just randomly rolling dice. So I guess I don't really understand the criticism that much, especially on a game that isn't trying to be Advanced Squad Leader, but just a light, strategic war game.
I absolutely agree with Tom, and many other reviewers, on the dice (I've played probably 8 scenarios, as well as many much heavier war games). Scenarios are shorter, you don't have a ton of variability, and not really a ton of mitigation either. In the end, an against the odds hit or two can have huge effects, and that always left me feeling like the amount of control I had wasn't enough. It's a great system which is hampered by a sub-par combat resolution system.
Played it today for the first time and I find it a bit sad that there aren't more different units available and also bigger scenarios, where you really get to work! It feels a bit "unripe" for lack of a better word! Definitely looking forward to be looking into Stalingrad though, hope the game will get more complex and certainly more versatility in terms of units and tactics! Right now it's just shooting back and forth and not really different sneaky methods, that you can win! Rating 7/10, it tries something, but isn't quite there yet!!
I think that the dice works a lot better in this game than in Memoir 44. Here your rolled results improve a lot when you move closer to the target. And that thematically works better. As in the real battle, the closer you get the easier to hit the target. In Memoir 44 you just get more dice when you get closer that does not improve your attacks so much.
@@AbeBSea Memoir 44 is a very highly regarded game among strategy gamers worldwide. It's no ASL in terms of complexity, but it has a ton of depth and replayability considering its weight.
@@AbeBSea I hang out in the wargame rooms a lot at cons, and lots of wargamers like C&C games just as much as heavier systems for what it offers. I would say that, at least as far as combat is concered, C&C is less luck dependent than Undaunted.
It's like people expect a game with zero randomization. As if rolling a die means there can be no strategy. It's such a frequent complaint that I generally don't agree with at all. 40K is a game where the randomness is too much, and you can easily lose a game to dice rolls. But this isn't like that at all.
nice review Tom! thank you! it happen with me, to find a buddy that when we played scenario 1, he loved the game, and now we are full engines for the whole campaign, with scoring. Yes 10sided die rolls, can ruin your day, but in the end, very well said, every decision from design perspective, and from players playing the game, is very hard to make, and every decision made by the players, comes with a cost of winning, of losing a good man, that is gonna cost you in future turns.
Shocked that it took you this long to play this game. My game buddy and I have started playing through the whole campaign, but I should have North Africa in my hot hands tomorrow too. W00t!
That's a very fair review and I think that I am also in the same boat as you. The dice part of it really feels heavy. The targets are hard and the result is immense. But maybe I like it more.
I've come to realize that Tom NEVER watches any of his videos before putting them on UA-cam. Whenever there's any kind of issue with his videos, they seem to happen over countless vids before he ever does anything to fix the issue.
He addressed this in his last Q&A. Often he will record many videos at once and send them for editing, which may happen days later. By the time the problem is identified, rerecording 10 or more videos due to a minor mic issue may not be feasible.
Maybe he should change that process, then? The sound of muffled farts or someone moving around on leather furniture definitely doesn't jive with the overall high production levels seen in these reviews.
The dice are just not a good mechanism for this game. Ive had games where we were so involved... Made lots of strategies with movements etc... Setup great defenses and bam a bad dice roll and all of that goes to waste. Tom is right on this one. Lots of games do have dice but for a game like this that has tactics and strategies and all sorts of preparations... At the end of the day the dice battle mechanism doesnt work well. I wish this game would somehow use the Unmatched battle system...where u play cards for battle gotta know when to play them... It would drastically improve the game.
I don't mind the dice rolls at all in this. I don't really think of this as a wargame. This is just a more advanced version of War Chest. The dice system allows you to attack across the board so that it is a little less predictable than War Chest. Also, the dice rolling is really mitigable. If you don't want to worry about low chances at making an attack, just limit your attack range. I just think of this differently that I would a game like Memoir 44. Memoir 44 is a light wargame. This is a war-themed deck builder. Because of the deck builder aspect I am glad this is not Unmatched. I like Unmatched too but it is a different beast.
I'm really impressed with the mechanism of this game. Especially the removal of cards when injured instead of removing of on-board token is mind-boggling to me. I think I am so used to add more units to the board (like risk etc), and removing of cards to limit your opinions is a refreshing idea.
Arrggh microphone rustle / noise! Nasty.
Good review. This is one of favourite games. So, so well balanced.
There will always be randomness with dice rolls, but there's so many ways to mitigate the impact of the rolls. The defense all depends on the unit, which tile they're on, and how far away they are - and the attack will vary as well.
There's a lot of strategy that goes into putting yourself into the position to get a favorable dice roll, it's not just randomly rolling dice. So I guess I don't really understand the criticism that much, especially on a game that isn't trying to be Advanced Squad Leader, but just a light, strategic war game.
Probably because of how much power one kill can have.
I absolutely agree with Tom, and many other reviewers, on the dice (I've played probably 8 scenarios, as well as many much heavier war games). Scenarios are shorter, you don't have a ton of variability, and not really a ton of mitigation either. In the end, an against the odds hit or two can have huge effects, and that always left me feeling like the amount of control I had wasn't enough. It's a great system which is hampered by a sub-par combat resolution system.
Good review. PLEASE just use a boom mic. The rustling against the mic is so annoying
This has been one of my favorite games of the last 2 or 3 years
any one in holland who bought this game and want to play it with me?
Found anyone? Im often in vacation there. Not far from belgian border.
Played it today for the first time and I find it a bit sad that there aren't more different units available and also bigger scenarios, where you really get to work! It feels a bit "unripe" for lack of a better word! Definitely looking forward to be looking into Stalingrad though, hope the game will get more complex and certainly more versatility in terms of units and tactics! Right now it's just shooting back and forth and not really different sneaky methods, that you can win! Rating 7/10, it tries something, but isn't quite there yet!!
I think that the dice works a lot better in this game than in Memoir 44. Here your rolled results improve a lot when you move closer to the target. And that thematically works better. As in the real battle, the closer you get the easier to hit the target. In Memoir 44 you just get more dice when you get closer that does not improve your attacks so much.
I don't think Memoir '44 is something to be favorably compared to..
@@AbeBSea Memoir 44 is a very highly regarded game among strategy gamers worldwide. It's no ASL in terms of complexity, but it has a ton of depth and replayability considering its weight.
@@AbeBSea I hang out in the wargame rooms a lot at cons, and lots of wargamers like C&C games just as much as heavier systems for what it offers. I would say that, at least as far as combat is concered, C&C is less luck dependent than Undaunted.
played this games a few times, love it. tom's review is very very fair. it highlights most of the high and low points in the game.
It's like people expect a game with zero randomization. As if rolling a die means there can be no strategy. It's such a frequent complaint that I generally don't agree with at all. 40K is a game where the randomness is too much, and you can easily lose a game to dice rolls. But this isn't like that at all.
nice review Tom! thank you!
it happen with me, to find a buddy that when we played scenario 1, he loved the game, and now we are full engines for the whole campaign, with scoring.
Yes 10sided die rolls, can ruin your day, but in the end, very well said, every decision from design perspective, and from players playing the game, is very hard to make,
and every decision made by the players, comes with a cost of winning, of losing a good man, that is gonna cost you in future turns.
Shocked that it took you this long to play this game. My game buddy and I have started playing through the whole campaign, but I should have North Africa in my hot hands tomorrow too. W00t!
Creduality? Nice word creation LOL. I think you mean credulity ;-)
Another Vaselism for the collection!
Such a great game. The new edition is already waiting to be played after my return from vacation. Love the mechanism and the tension.
“Phraseology” another new word or “Vasalism”!
*Phrasing : )
Has a ton of similarities to war chest to me, and this is better than war chest I think.
War Chest is basically the abstract version of this game, they reworked it to Undaunted afterwards.
That's a very fair review and I think that I am also in the same boat as you. The dice part of it really feels heavy. The targets are hard and the result is immense.
But maybe I like it more.
I've come to realize that Tom NEVER watches any of his videos before putting them on UA-cam. Whenever there's any kind of issue with his videos, they seem to happen over countless vids before he ever does anything to fix the issue.
He addressed this in his last Q&A. Often he will record many videos at once and send them for editing, which may happen days later. By the time the problem is identified, rerecording 10 or more videos due to a minor mic issue may not be feasible.
Maybe he should change that process, then? The sound of muffled farts or someone moving around on leather furniture definitely doesn't jive with the overall high production levels seen in these reviews.
@@AKAthatoneguy jibe
Really recommending the SUSD video for Undaunted for a different view on the game
They both recommend it so don't understand how it is so different?
@@johna6108 SUSD spoke much more about the theme
Easily my favorite game of 2020 and had I of played it last year I suspect it would’ve been in my Top3.
"Intricate Dance" of death...
Great game this one.
This is a great game.
remember folks to not use bubble wrap pants when on camera
Yeah, the dice feel weird in this to me as well.
Love the review. The sound quality is really bad though.
The dice are just not a good mechanism for this game. Ive had games where we were so involved... Made lots of strategies with movements etc... Setup great defenses and bam a bad dice roll and all of that goes to waste. Tom is right on this one. Lots of games do have dice but for a game like this that has tactics and strategies and all sorts of preparations... At the end of the day the dice battle mechanism doesnt work well. I wish this game would somehow use the Unmatched battle system...where u play cards for battle gotta know when to play them... It would drastically improve the game.
I don't mind the dice rolls at all in this. I don't really think of this as a wargame. This is just a more advanced version of War Chest. The dice system allows you to attack across the board so that it is a little less predictable than War Chest. Also, the dice rolling is really mitigable. If you don't want to worry about low chances at making an attack, just limit your attack range.
I just think of this differently that I would a game like Memoir 44. Memoir 44 is a light wargame. This is a war-themed deck builder.
Because of the deck builder aspect I am glad this is not Unmatched. I like Unmatched too but it is a different beast.
Toms opinion of this game and the dice rolling is similar to how I feel about tiny epic galaxies. A lot of thought just to be let down by dice rolls.
Are you going to try the sequel?
Strange how the game world seems to think that WWII was USA V Nazi Germany, when in reality the US played a fairly minor role.
I know it's fashionable to insult the US but this comment is absolutely absurd.
It's not absurd the US only really entered the war in 1944.
Dice rolling ruins the game. I liked the game at first, but eventually got tired of the dice having a huge factor sometimes, depending on luck.
I'm really impressed with the mechanism of this game. Especially the removal of cards when injured instead of removing of on-board token is mind-boggling to me. I think I am so used to add more units to the board (like risk etc), and removing of cards to limit your opinions is a refreshing idea.
I love this game! Even the dice! I feel like it adds to the feel of war.
I like that Tom dressed for this video.
This looks awesome, but 10D combat is very rarely functional in my opinion.
I'll stick to wildlands for my light skirmish game.
Wargames should have at least some level of actual simulation in them..
There should be all kinds of them for all kinds of gamers, not just one kind.