Red2112

Game only gets better...

I haven´t played SF, and I did say It "aims" to be ASL on PC. Whether the dev achieves that or not Is another thing. Maybe not all the rules are there yet, IDK. Tigers on The Hunt Is another game that focused on the ASLSK rules, but has a tedious UI and I think It really never took off as expected. The mod was just the map and counters BTW. I agree that there´s better Infantry rules now days, but I have the three ASLSK box sets and Avalon Hill´s Squad Leader 1 & 2 (Iron Cross), because of there legacy and fame, and as a fan of TT wargames one has to try them out.

In the house...😉

Demo available on the 6th...

Personally I don´t like playing tabletop wargames on PC, so It´s not a game that I will buy. Or any hex and counter wargame for PC. ASL came out In 1985, and still being played and loved by many today, and there still making and adding scenarios/content for It. But the rules haven´t changed, they have added a lot more chrome, and rules to go with It (as seen In the 2nd edition rules book) since It´s release but that´s about It. The thing Is that with SF, It takes care of all those rules under the hood which streamlines hundreds of pages from the second edition rule book making It look simple. It´s like trying to play Harpoon 5, or Command Modern Operations. While CMO Is not a easy game to learn, Harpoon 5 will leave you´re head spinning while you learn how to play It. Harpoon 5 Is a tabletop minis wargame, and CMO Is It´s digital version. BTW, some folks thought that Combat Mission (earlier versions) was the ASL on PC back In the days. It goes to show that how a game Is presented can make the difference sometimes.

Were do you see people getting banned? Most of the people don´t know how ASL plays or how the phases In ASL work, aside from them expecting It to be "another" hex and counter game on Steam. Needless to say, the Steam community Is well, just that, THE STEAM COMMUNITY! A bunch of kids, trolls and what have you. For every 10 post. there 2 who may be reasonable If lucky!

In case you missed last months update, there has also been yet another update today... https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1109680/view/3674409756510130021?l=english Last month...

For TTS...

Second Front developer. As in he Is a solo dev, and he has a artist for the graphics, just to make It clear. The developer did NOT want to make a new game, or Invent new game mechanics etc. What he has done Is adapt a existing board game (ASL), and I say again, a board game, which Is not a computer game, and make It playable on PC. It has nothing to do with what you are comparing It to, or expect It to be for that matter that´s why It doesn't exist! You´re argument Is valid Apoc, but not In this case because that´s not what the dev was going for. Second Front wants to be ASL on PC, that´s It.

The second edition ASL rule book (binder) video above Is just to show how much chrome you can have In a table top wargame with RNG mechanics, or you can play Second Front and forget the need of such rules to remember and/or look up for. Second Front, ease of use without the fuss.

There has to be some element of randomness, or even luck (If you believe In that) as there Is In real life. We don´t have perfect shooters In our army´s, or perfect conditions, or stone cold pulse, or even nerves of steel, do we? Not everything Is under control IRL, even If some think so. More so with the gear In WW II, so these rules sets "try" to simulate some of those aspects with combat tables, modifiers, terrain charts etc. These wargames test you´re strategies and tactics more then asking from you to have perfect aim because the game design Is made that way, they also try to add some historical accuracy, there not games that simulate ballistic computers. But all these games count on variables, charts and tables for randomness, and possible events not counted for, that´s were the numbers come In when certain conditions are meet, although not perfect because then, each turn would be way to long, or to short, and not fun. Second Front since It´s early stages was meant to be a ASL like game but for PC, some may like that and others may not. There´s nothing wrong with that, what´s wrong Is expecting It to be something other then what the dev Intended It to be. What I don´t understand now day´s Is that every time a new game comes out, some people expect It to be a better clone of another game they have already played. It´s difficult to find something new (fresh), Innovating and good at the same time, but It´s always been like that. And while they might be using RNG elements, there´s new tabletop wargames coming out every month, and some sell out very fast, which means there´s a public for them, conventions, magazines and growing YT channels. Might be easier for a PC wargame to get some things right, but a tabletop wargame Is a whole different ball game as nobody (or almost) wants to spend hours to play three turns of the game because they need to look up a ton of charts and cross check them to see If they meet certain criteria. But surprisingly for some, ASL also tries to make a effort on covering those aspects of gaming/realism within the realms of RNG mechanics... Just, talk and my opinion here, but the truth Is that Second Front Is based on a table top wargame.

That´s because It´s basically ASL (Avance Squad Leader), but In a digital form. Just like most board game wargames, which this game draws from too. Even the video I posted above talks about It, and that´s what the devs Intention has always been.

A bit of a overview...

Very happy to read that CS! Glad you got It working, feel free to keep us posted on you´re findings, playthroughs, or what have you while exploring MegaMek. I for one will most welcome you´re contributions. 👍

Now available!

A Bit of Tactics, a clear example of the use of a asset flip so the devs can concentrate on game mechanics. A rogue like that will have you scratching you´re head... Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2167870/A_Bit_of_Tactics/

Jaws of the Dragon... Home site/rules/counters/maps: https://evandalessandro.com/jaws-of-the-dragon/

I was Into trains when I was a kid, and built a diorama for my HO scale train set with my dad. I have good memories of those days, and still like trains today although I don´t build or have any trains, but here´s were the PC comes In 😉 Dovetail Is well, a joke as It was for flight sims and pretty much a money grab with broken DLC´s. It has the domain when It comes to train sims, but that´s just because there´s not much out there, and what´s there doesn´t have the eyecandy that TSW/TSC has. You still have the Trainz series but, they too have a weird business model. My goto train sims are... Zusi 3: https://www.zusi.de/zusi-3-hobby.html I have the USB dongle version, there Is a Aerosoft (version) on Steam. To me Zusi 3 Is the most realistic of them all (for now), the downside Is that It´s basically German based, although you do get English manuals and can switch to English for the game, BUT not everything Is In English In the game. It´s fan based (there Is a English forum) and they just keep adding things to It with no extra cost, but It´s pure simulation, not much eyecandy so It´s not for everyone. Very customizable with undocking MFD´s for use In a multi-monitor environment and Arduino support for home cockpits. Everything works as It should In this sim! Lotus Simulator, aims to be a multi-platform simulator. By that I mean It works via modules. At present we have a tram/rails module, and a bus/streets module, and there will be a aircraft module In the future. It´s founded by one of the devs that made Omsi 2 bus simulator. Lotus has been In development for quite some time now, and at present It´s transitioning to DX11 while It´s also developing It´s building/editing tools for everyone to use, which has caused a lot of bad reviews on Steam. Lack of content due to undeveloped tools has set It back, and also It was (Is still) using OpenGL. If you add that It´s expensive, and In EA, then you get all the bad press It has for now. As with Zusi 3, you don´t get fancy graphics, just good simulation. Also German based and In WIP. If you ever played Omsi 2, you feel right at home with Lotus. Lotus Simulator: https://store.steampowered.com/app/370350/LOTUSSimulator/ Last but not least... Run8, Is focused more on the US side and In transport/cargo routes. You also dispatch. It recently released It´s version 3. As with the above, a true sim but with US locos and dealing with transport of goods. Run8: http://www.run8studios.com/ I do like what SimRail Is doing, I just hope they don´t derail and keep the mind set they have now. It fills the gap we have In Train Sims, which I am very happy for and why I also bought It.

Use the Java unInstall tool... https://www.java.com/en/download/uninstalltool.jsp Then reboot! Once rebooted, check by going Into DOS. To prompt DOS type CMD In you´re start up search box bottom left task bar, then once DOS Is open type Java(space)--version and hit enter. If you uninstalled It correctly you should not see anything In regards to Java (text), you can then quit DOS (escape). Now download JDK17 from here... Download Windows x64 JDK (jdk-17.0.6+10). You don´t need JRE, just the JDK. https://adoptium.net/es/temurin/archive/ Once downloaded, install the JDK. Very Important, make sure the two last options from the pull down menu are selected. See below... You need to change the bottom 2 (Set JAVA_HOME variable, and JavaSoft (Oracle) registration keys) to be installed. Click the drop down and set to "Will be installed on local hard drive" https://github.com/MegaMek/megamek/wiki/Updating-to-Adoptium Once done, reboot again! Now download and unzip the latest MegMek version (v0.49.11). Once unzipped there Is NO Installer, you launch (.exe) the game from the folder you unzipped. Download MegaMek (MekHQ): https://megamek.org/downloads.html I know It´s a bit misleading how It´s explained in the "first" video I posted, but after reading my post, you might understand It better know... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enb0W0wPuDk&t=403s It took me awhile to figure It out too. Just don´t forget to reboot after each of the above steps (two).

Juno: New Origins, released and on sale... Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/870200/Juno_New_Origins/

New update for CMO...

Battle Brothers, Is a turn based tactical RPG with deep combat mechanics. Not for the faint hearted as you will lose a lot of men In all you´re playthroughs, but really worth the time Invested. I am sure a lot of you already know about BB, a bit like X-Com but historical and deeper. BTW, It´s still being updated although It came out In 2017, and has three available DLC´s. It´s on sale at GOG and Humble Bundle at 50% off. A very helpful series If you want to learn BB...