"Armchair General Reviews Field of Glory: Digital" Topic

Thanks for the review. Good and complete, enough to convince me to buy. Thanks again!

I don't have the supplement yet (Rise of Rome) but it adds some significant functionality, mainly the digital army generator. The basic game is really fun in itself.

I posted to their forum some time ago recommending that they post reviews and information about their game here. It's not like there wouldn't be a lot of potential customers to be gained, at a relatively small investment of effort.

Glad you did it!

JJ

I posted to their forum some time ago recommending that they post reviews and information about their game here.

Slitherine does post announcements on TMP.

FOG is a great fast playing game that does not burden the player with having to complete what feels like a math homework assignment for each turn. What you need to know about a combat, your chance of winning/losing and expected outcome, are available for your view which makes it easy to decide where to attack and where to hold or retreat. The machine takes care of routing units, rallies, cavalry break offs, and the like, leaving you free to work out the timing and maneuvers of attacks. A straight up game will be decided not only on the outcome of combats, which can provide surprises, but also on the cunning of players in setting traps for their opponent's over zealous troops as well. A battle line can be broken not only by hitting it with hard troops, but also attacking it with soft troops and luring the enemy into pursuit. Commanders have a subtle effect on play compared to some games, not so much herohammer here. Playing against the AI is a good way to start, but the meat is in playing against other FOG Fanatics. There are patches that add game functionality, maps and troops, plus the recently released Rise of Rome add-on that adds more armies, maps, and the Digital Army Generator that helps you build an army to a predtermined points level for competing against similarly minded opponents. You and a friend can both decide on a the points size of your armies, how cluttered the terrain will be, then start the battle. Or you can accept or post a challenge to anyone and see how your troops fare against a similar sized army or a specific battle from someone you may not know. All in all its the best money I have spent on a game in the last four or five years. Highly recommended. For details visit slitherine.com and check out the FOG Digital forums.

Cheers!

I have a couple of problems with this game.

1) I only play solo and the AI is rubbish
2) More importantly i think, the results of a unit V unit combat seem totally unpredictable and random, I have played ancients including FOG for over 30 years but the computer game is either a) just randomly deciding who wins each fight by a massive margin, or (more likely) b) completely failing to involve you in the process so it feels random.

Best computer wargame i have ever played is on the xbox live believe it or not called panzer general allied assault, the only game i have ever played on a computer where i feel involved in the combat process, check it out, we need more games like it

Andy

The AI in DFOG I would score a 4 on a 1-10 scale. I know of few games where that is much better except with an AI that cheats. That being said incremental improvements are being made to it in subsequent add-ons I hear. Playing against the AI is fine to practice a battle before playing a human opponent, but if that is the only way you are playing DFOG you are missing out on the strength of the game.

The degree that 'luck' plays in digital FOG has been raised many times and compared to the table top game feels a bit 'looser'. Some good folks don't care for that, some give it props as it makes the games a bit less predictable. Personally I thik it could be tweaked slightly and maybe tightened up a bit in that regard, but its not so bad that it prevents me from enjoying the game, even if i have a bad run of 'luck'.

If I owned an X-box I might give that a try, but I never developed a liking for game consoles so thats not likely at this point, but I will keep it mind. Thanks.

X

2) More importantly i think, the results of a unit V unit combat seem totally unpredictable and random, I have played ancients including FOG for over 30 years but the computer game is either a) just randomly deciding who wins each fight by a massive margin, or (more likely) b) completely failing to involve you in the process so it feels random.

Strange. Soldiers in real combat report the same thing.

AI is not great and you can "game" the AI. It is great for learning the game. After that, if you play it too much, you have to "unlearn" tactics or you will get mashed against a real opponent.