As was foretold, we've added advertisements to the forums! If you have questions, or if you encounter any bugs, please visit this thread: https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/240191/forum-advertisement-faq-and-reports-thread/

[BLITZ ON] MEN OF WAR - Assault Squad is Out (NSF56k or Shermans)

123457

Posts

  • MegaMekMegaMek Girls like girls. Registered User regular
    edited November 2010
    My friend captured a Puma, in this beta. The enemy AI apparently thought it was still theirs, because after something like 100 kills they still wouldn't shoot it.

    MegaMek on
    Is time a gift or punishment?
  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    All right, gents. Assault Squad comes out this afternoon. Who is planning on getting it, and wants to jump into some hilarious learning games/debacles?

    PolloDiablo on
  • GuildNavigatorGuildNavigator Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I love the mechanics of this game so much.

    Unfortunately it's the only game I've ever played where 90% of the time the AI is more interesting than the community.

    Playing co-op skirmish with a buddy or two is fun, challenging, and hilarious. Playing against humans (or at least the 3 games I played so far) has been boring and tedious camping affairs. Layered sandbags, machine gunners, AT guns, and snipers. My 3rd and last game I had a choice to either call in artillery to clear the area or help my wife clean the kitchen.

    I figured cleaning the kitchen would be more entertaining.

    GuildNavigator on
  • RoyceSraphimRoyceSraphim Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Wow, that is some really bad voice acting. But I already like it. Any mods I should look up and how do I tell which expansions I own?

    RoyceSraphim on
  • BastableBastable Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    The voice is acting is so silly it's charming; where else can you have a marine yelling out in murikin english: FOR THE MOTHER LAND!

    Bastable on
    Philippe about the tactical deployment of german Kradschützen during the battle of Kursk:
    "I think I can comment on this because I used to live above the Baby Doll Lounge, a topless bar that was once frequented by bikers in lower Manhattan."

  • TalonrazorTalonrazor Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Ok, I am going to get this. Never played any of these before but it sounds awesome.

    Talonrazor on
    sig4.jpg
  • BastableBastable Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Just learned how to control one man's/tank manually. . . You choose one individual and he turns into rambo.
    Multi player game one japanese soldier after the rest of the section dies, three russian tanks, we've lost most of the flags running out of troops. In the space of 15 mins WASD and thirdperson shooting I eliminate a sandbags full of dudes, grab a PPSH off dead russians, srounge ammo, kill 4 guys around a house and grenade another through a window. I then proceed to gundown two tanks after pick up a at rifle and waiting for side shots. I then die to one of my multiplayer partners short dropping on my position. Epic.

    Bastable on
    Philippe about the tactical deployment of german Kradschützen during the battle of Kursk:
    "I think I can comment on this because I used to live above the Baby Doll Lounge, a topless bar that was once frequented by bikers in lower Manhattan."

  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Who wants to play a few games this afternoon? Somewhere around 3 eastern. Gives us time to round up enough for a 2v2 or a big co-op game, I hope.

    PolloDiablo on
  • BastableBastable Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I'm on now! steam id is Bastables.
    Also I would like to report that turning men from hold stance to move at will turns them into cover seeking, retreating and counterattacking machines \0/

    Bastable on
    Philippe about the tactical deployment of german Kradschützen during the battle of Kursk:
    "I think I can comment on this because I used to live above the Baby Doll Lounge, a topless bar that was once frequented by bikers in lower Manhattan."

  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck lonely, but not unloved dreaming of faulty keys and latchesRegistered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I love this game but sadly the multiplayer never appealed to me

    surrealitycheck on
    obF2Wuw.png
  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Bastable wrote: »
    I'm on now! steam id is Bastables.
    Also I would like to report that turning men from hold stance to move at will turns them into cover seeking, retreating and counterattacking machines \0/

    Awesome. I'll hop on in a little while, if you're still around after I grab some lunch.

    PolloDiablo on
  • BastableBastable Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I love this game but sadly the multiplayer never appealed to me

    one word, Co-Op

    Bastable on
    Philippe about the tactical deployment of german Kradschützen during the battle of Kursk:
    "I think I can comment on this because I used to live above the Baby Doll Lounge, a topless bar that was once frequented by bikers in lower Manhattan."

  • BastableBastable Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    Bastable wrote: »
    I'm on now! steam id is Bastables.
    Also I would like to report that turning men from hold stance to move at will turns them into cover seeking, retreating and counterattacking machines \0/

    Awesome. I'll hop on in a little while, if you're still around after I grab some lunch.

    We got so rolled :). That 88 swung the balance killing our infantry and our momentum. The few tanks we had were all killed and the survivors settled into a long defensive battle across the river. 6pdr turned the bridge into a killing ground just like the movie a bridge too far, but the gun got taken out when a resupply truck was hit by a 7,5cm HE shell from a PIV :( which then exploded killing JG mortar and my 6pdr and the infantry sandbagged in the center. they pushed us right back but JG deft handling of a Matilda saved my knocked out crusader long enough that I repped it, we pushed up your infantry attack on the left and retook ground. unfortunately a PIII and PIV killed the Matilda and my crusader with my Matilda only killing the PIV. We got rolled horribly and the Germans executed everyone :(

    Bloody good game, we need to kill the 88 next timewith HE, your sniper was murdering all the crew but they just remaned and put a panzer on your sniper :(

    Bastable on
    Philippe about the tactical deployment of german Kradschützen during the battle of Kursk:
    "I think I can comment on this because I used to live above the Baby Doll Lounge, a topless bar that was once frequented by bikers in lower Manhattan."

  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited March 2011
    I should probably buy this but on the other hand I'm Mr. Cheapass. It's kind of irritating to have them split the community across MoW and MoW:AS, but on the other hand AS is a huuuuuge improvement.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    On sale on Steam for 11 bucks!

    BUY IT

    NOW

    Because I definitely bought it.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • WaldoWaldo Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Me too! If someone who's better at...doing easy things...than me wants to make a steam group or something that would neat. Or I can try my hand, though I've never made a group before.

    Basically I want to learn with people who won't crush me so bad. Or who will crush me, but will be nice/informative as they do it!

    Waldo on
    Senjutsu wrote: »
    when I was younger I had a drinking problem

    now I just have drinking solutions
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/weeman3
  • lazegamerlazegamer The magnanimous cyberspaceRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    How strong is the community for Assault Squad? The youtube videos have me salivating, but I'm worried that this game might not have a large enough population to sustain multiplayer?

    lazegamer on
    I would download a car.
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    lazegamer wrote: »
    How strong is the community for Assault Squad? The youtube videos have me salivating, but I'm worried that this game might not have a large enough population to sustain multiplayer?

    I played Men of War (the original) literally the day AS went on sale and there were still people playing. AS has many more players than that. It's not Starcraft 2 or anything but it has a dedicated fanbase and I never have trouble finding a game.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • WaldoWaldo Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I think I'm gonna play some singleplayer tonight but if anyone wants to do co-op or something just friend/contact me on steam.

    EDIT: Link to steam ID in sig.

    Waldo on
    Senjutsu wrote: »
    when I was younger I had a drinking problem

    now I just have drinking solutions
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/weeman3
  • BastableBastable Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'm away from my desktop, right now so can't join in on the assault squad goodness. The AS squad community is large enough to always get a game going during my playing times which is 12hr plus from gmt AKA there should be hardly enough people on to populate the AS chat rooms.

    The community tends to have a lot of russian's USA and various eastern and western european. I'm pretty sure one dude was smacktalking me in rumanian, I presume it was smack talking as he was on the opposite side and I blew up his vet tiger with a AT grenade. It's intresting as this is the first multiplayer game outside of EVE online that I've interacted with people that don't speak english at all. Even my old IL2 Slovakian sqn I used to be a part of everyone spoke english ( I think mostly for my benefit, nice chaps really).

    To end my waffeling Men of war is cracker I have not enjoyed an RTS as much since multiplayer Total annihilation. This game is the business.

    Bastable on
    Philippe about the tactical deployment of german Kradschützen during the battle of Kursk:
    "I think I can comment on this because I used to live above the Baby Doll Lounge, a topless bar that was once frequented by bikers in lower Manhattan."

  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I made a little illustration for my feelings about Men of War.

    2i0ge4g.png

    Melkster on
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    All I'm doing at work right now is thinking about this game and how to be better at it.

    Melkster on
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    How to get better: make your dudes throw grenades at bad guys.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    So, I've been sitting here for the last few hours thinking of nothing but mans of war, and I have an idea for our Assault Squad games.

    We've tried to break up the team responsibilities more traditionally, diving our attention in lanes like Dawn of War. Out of four of us, two of us focus on the right and the other focus on the left. And that pretty much sums up the division of responsibility.

    However, I think that's suboptimal. Why?

    #1. Micro-ing certain units increases their value tremendously. A single sniper, for example, can demolish the enemy when you have him under direct control. But microing units takes time away from other important tasks, like queueing reinforcements, finding more ammo for your other troops, keeping an eye on the battle as a whole, etc. And if you do try and keep an eye on higher-level responsibilities, you stop microing your unit and it dies or doesn't do anything. But, in co-op AS, you can reassign units to other players -- so one player who is controlling just one sniper and nothing else could just give all his other units to his teammates.

    #2. Paying attention to ammo and where reinforcements are going and who they're assigned to is very important. In my last game, I had a very successful mortar team made useless by a lack of ammo, and I spent five minutes running around the map trying to find more of it. (And then it died when it got run over by an allied tank moving to the front lines.) But managing logistics while also managing a front line or an assault is problematic. You'll look away from your units for 30 seconds and then come back and they'll be dead.

    #3. The team needs to cover every bit of their line and remember everything in order to win. The AI on normal difficulty is brutal and will exploit a single point in your line that isn't covered with AT with a single puma that will go through that hole, then kill all your MGs and Mortars and supply trucks. Then the AI will run twenty infantry into that hole and you'll lose the game. All because one spot in your line didn't have proper AT coverage. But with four players focused on four different lanes, its hard to make sure the entire line is covered.

    So, I suggest a different approach to the division of responsibilities. With four players in co-op, it should be more like this.

    Player one: Logistics and battlefield management. He only controls a few infantry (who act as couriers) and supply trucks. He brings ammo, fuel, engineers, and new units to the front lines and makes sure that the other players have the resources they need to keep fighting. ALSO: he keeps an eye on the battlefield as a whole. He doesn't micro anything (other than couriers and supply trucks), but instead watches the entire battle to keep an eye on any weak spots that might form without the other players noticing. When a new unit is created and assigned to another player, they give it to the Logistics Manager who then carefully walks it to the lane that needs it, then reassigns it to the player whose lane it is.

    Player two and three: Right and left lane command. These two guys are responsible for pushing the lane forward at their respective lanes as well as securing the territory they grab. They have to be aggressive and completely focused on only strategically taking out enemy emplacements using whatever fancy tactics are necessary and don't worry about battle logistics at all (since the logistics manager should be taking care of it).

    Player four: Micro guy. This guy is only focused on carefully micro-ing just one or two units who are (1) nearly useless unless they are micro'd very carefully or (2) whose value vastly increases when you carefully manage it. While his teammates focus on the big picture, the micro guy focuses on taking just a single, high value unit and punishing the enemy with it. He is given free reign to rack up as many kills as he can while conserving manpower by not losing that one high value unit to worrying about anything else than killing motherfuckers. I imagine he probably controls the snipers and tanks.

    I really want to try this division of responsibility. Tonight.

    Melkster on
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    So, the latest Three Moves Ahead podcast* was all about Men of War.

    Obviously this is what I listened to on the way to work this morning, and I'll listen to it again on the way home.

    http://flashofsteel.com/index.php/2011/03/17/three-moves-ahead-episode-108-three-men-of-war/

    *Three Moves Ahead is a strategy game podcast. They talk about all kinds of strategy games in hour+ long, cerebral podcasts released around once a month.

    Melkster on
  • MistaCreepyMistaCreepy Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Oh man I love games like this. I used to be a beast at TOW (Theatre of War)...

    If the sale lasts long enough till my next paycheck im on this.

    MistaCreepy on
    PS3: MistaCreepy::Steam: MistaCreepy::360: Dead and I don't feel like paying to fix it.
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    We're playing right now!

    Get on G&T vent and play!

    Melkster on
  • PolloDiabloPolloDiablo Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Three moves ahead is great.

    And I'm hopping on now if anybody's still playing.

    PolloDiablo on
  • EvigilantEvigilant VARegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I picked this up, played a few of the single player maps, but I'm wondering:

    Is there a way to play against the AI on the giant multiplayer maps? Just so I can get used to what multi is like before diving in?

    Otherwise, really like this game. A bit curious if there is arty outside of mortars and the airstrike you see in the single player.

    Evigilant on
    XBL\PSN\Steam\Origin: Evigilant
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu PIGEON Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    There's tons of artillery. There's a whole space in the buy menu for artillery. I don't think there is skirmish against the AI in normal multiplayer by default though.

    TychoCelchuuu on
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    This game is amazing.

    Also, having a single guy dedicated to logistics and battlefield management was definitely the way to go. We were finally able to actually win some co-op missions for once. We did discover at the end that having the logistics guy *also* manage artillery was good, too.

    Melkster on
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    So, as I couldn't sleep I wanted to share a moment from one of our games earlier today.

    Comrade Shepard, our logistician and commander has ordered me to capture and secure a bridge and the row of urban housing beyond. My battle-weary Russian soldiers -- many of whom I had revived from near death on the field of battle just moments before -- don't hesitate when I order them to storm the bridge and run into the house on the other side. Some of them aren't even armed, having dropped their damaged, useless weapons after being incapacitated earlier.

    It doesn't matter, though. Half of them get mowed down as soon as they reach the house. The others put up a good fight, but soon only three men remain. They take up refuge behind the house, their rifles pointing at the only two entrances to the small courtyard they find themselves in. The attack failed.

    And the Germans are ruthless. Having crushed my advance, they send two tanks forward and a dozen infantry just before the bridge, waiting to attack. All I have is one AT gun on the other side and a dozen troops. They won't be able to withstand an attack.

    But wait! The three soldiers behind the house... There's an unmanned German AT gun there! And the Germans don't seem to notice me there! If only I could position the AT gun in just the right spot... I order two of my men to command the gun and they struggle to properly reposition it.

    Just then, a German soldier wanders into the courtyard. And the Russian soldier of mine who isn't on the AT gun is unarmed. He only has his fists. I order him to melee attack the German soldier -- who for some reason didn't start shooting -- and my soldier responds ruthlessly, punching the Nazi in the face and knocking him to the ground, leaving his panzershrek behind.

    The AT gun can't seem to get a good shot with the building partially obstructing the view. So I manifest my personal consciousness into the mind of the Russian soldier with the Panzershrek -- don't ask me how -- and I walk him up to the corner, aim the weapon -- which only has one round in it -- and fire it at the two tanks, which are side by side a few yards away on the other side of the wall.

    The first tank explodes. Then the other explodes. And it takes out about a dozen German soldiers surrounding them. The bridge is mine.

    MEN OF WAR.

    Melkster on
  • MistaCreepyMistaCreepy Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I NEED THIS FUCKING GAME SOMEONE GIFT IT TO ME I WILL PLEASURE YOU IN WAYS UNIMAGINEABLE


    Or ill just gift you something of equal value when I get paid... either way.

    EDIT: Oh bummer it doesnt seem to be on sale anymore. From the thread ill guess 35 is worth it?

    MistaCreepy on
    PS3: MistaCreepy::Steam: MistaCreepy::360: Dead and I don't feel like paying to fix it.
  • BastableBastable Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Men Of war is worth it, the complexity is the key. Having to manage units, time and space. Always having to make decisions like do I micro a section of men, a single tank one single tank crewman who is near a lost MG and at grenades dropped by casualties?

    This is the greatest RTS for CO-OP and versus play. I love how even in versus play the preferred default is 1 or two people on your side as well.

    35 is worth it by a country mile, as long as you like internet play, assault squad is a bit of a non starter for a single player.

    Bastable on
    Philippe about the tactical deployment of german Kradschützen during the battle of Kursk:
    "I think I can comment on this because I used to live above the Baby Doll Lounge, a topless bar that was once frequented by bikers in lower Manhattan."

  • WaldoWaldo Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I'm gonna hop on soon if anyone wants to do co-op.

    EDIT: Cmon cmon. I just played my first match, some guy did 1v1 on a 2v2 map for some reason and i got beat pretty hard.

    Waldo on
    Senjutsu wrote: »
    when I was younger I had a drinking problem

    now I just have drinking solutions
    http://steamcommunity.com/id/weeman3
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Last night was way fun. Igel and I did some games and ended up finding a group of guys who got us on Mumble and taught us a bunch of things about the game. At one point eight guys were watching me and Igel fight one on one.

    I learned lots of great things. Like I should be getting Regular Infantry, which come with a BAR and extra sandbags, instead of Assault Infantry which don't. And that getting a Hellcat or another tank destroy is a high priority.

    I love this game. The community for it is pretty fun too.

    Melkster on
  • lazegamerlazegamer The magnanimous cyberspaceRegistered User regular
    edited May 2011
    I just got rolled by the japs on the U.S. tutorial mission...

    I tried to stick mainly to infantry, with a smattering of AT-guns and mortars for entrenched positions, but my guns were inexplicably losing regularly to their tanks. I was also experimenting and screwing around a lot, so I will probably be fine next time I go in with the purpose of actually winning, but still.

    Also, for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to resupply my sniper with ammo from the truck I ordered up. He was convinced that it would be more fun to take it for a spin than to continue shooting mans.

    lazegamer on
    I would download a car.
  • MelksterMelkster Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Laze,

    Hit "x" when you have a dude selected, then click on what you want him to inspect. So in this case, you'd want to select your sniper, hit 'x', then click on the supply truck and move around his inventory.

    Also, you should watch the videos that Tycho made in the OP for what effective combat looks like in this game.

    Melkster on
  • MistaCreepyMistaCreepy Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    Quick question before I commit to buy this... Im a stickler for realism... doesnt have to be hex grid, NATO symbols realistic but I have always wanted a Company of Heroes game with a realism tilt.

    In other words do the tanks have health bars? :lol:

    MistaCreepy on
    PS3: MistaCreepy::Steam: MistaCreepy::360: Dead and I don't feel like paying to fix it.
  • MegaMekMegaMek Girls like girls. Registered User regular
    edited May 2011
    In Men of War? No. Angle of attack, armor thickness, round size, and range determine if a round penetrates. Where exactly the round hits determines what happens to the victim. You can disable the turret, break the main gun, break tracks, damage the engine, detonate ammo or fuel bins, wound or kill the crew, etc. all depending on those factors.

    EDIT: Basically, a single well-aimed shot can kill just about any tank. Likewise, many poorly aimed shots can be defeated by the enemy's armor.

    MegaMek on
    Is time a gift or punishment?
Sign In or Register to comment.