How PG continues to grow on me.

[PaperTiger]

When I first picked up the Eastern Front box at my local game store, the "excellent" rating for solo play got my undivided attention. That was six months ago. Since then:

I find the whole concept of smaller activations comprising a turn to be just what I needed. My leisure time's VERY limited. I like the idea of being able to stop in the middle of a turn if I have to.

While there were some computer games that I really enjoyed, my limited time meant limited progress. Sometimes I'd go 3wks to a month without a lot happening. That really cuts down on the interest, no matter how much you like the game. But PG moves along at a brisk enough pace where there's a lot happening each turn. It's like a book that I'm really engrossed in. I get to the end of one chapter and can't wait to pick the book up again to see what happens next. The greatest tribute I can give PG is that the only day I've missed playing it since January was Easter Sunday.

[enrique]

I get hooked on this series. Occasionally I play other games, but soon I come back to PG. I play one or two scenarios each week. I know almost by heart the combat tables and occasionally I consult them.
My favorite scenarios are those of Fall of France, Cassino 44 and in general all the Perryman-MacNair's scenarios. Recently I have played a campaign game (Cassino 1): an unforgettable experience. It is a pity that I have no room to play more.

[broadsword]

If you lack room to play PG, consider making a computer module for yourself in Cyberboard. Then you can play huge maps, play PBEM, and do a lot of things you can't do in the physical game (like make your own markers, have unlimited amounts of markers, and attach little notes to counters to keep track of things, etc.). These game boxes are not hard to make compared to Vassal, and you don't need to be versed in XML coding as you would for Zun Tzu.

Visit this site and download "Creating The Strategy Game Box," a step-by-step PDF guide on how to make one:
http://privatewars.kyth.org/

(Avalanche doesn't support Cyberboard, Vassal, etc., so don't violate copyright or post your module online. But if you own the game and make a module for your own use, to play solo or against one human at a time -- just like the physical game -- I can't see how anyone would care or bother you.)

[upintheattic]

I get hooked on this series. Occasionally I play other games, but soon I come back to PG. I play one or two scenarios each week. I know almost by heart the combat tables and occasionally I consult them.
My favorite scenarios are those of Fall of France, Cassino 44 and in general all the Perryman-MacNair's scenarios. Recently I have played a campaign game (Cassino 1): an unforgettable experience. It is a pity that I have no room to play more.

Muchisimas gracias, Enrique.

Hey, did you ever play the rest of the scenarios in Infantry Attacks: To Hell With Spain? I saw your AAR for Scenario 2 on BGG but nothing else. That was the last thing I ever designed for AP, so I'm curious as to how it turned out. It was great fun designing it; I got to reread all the source material I used for GWAS: 1898 way back in 2000, and I also found some seriously cool websites with muster rolls and other info on units that fought on Cuba and Puerto Rico. This is the coolest one: http://www.spanamwar.com/ The level of detail in some of the files there is superb.

[leonard]

I had a love-hate relationship with PG.

I first tried the game when the first edition came out (in the 90s ?). We were fully entrenched in ASL at that time : the PG maps were not appealing, casualties seemed hard to get and we did not catch the rules. I bought BoB later mainly because of the theme. Surprise : the maps were far better.
Despite my involvment in ASL, I've always considered platoon-sized games more interesting historically, so I gave PG another try with BoB.
What really struck me while playing PG for the first times were the clever rules ! Wow : only 16 pages of rules to reach that ! In my ASL burn-out (how many pages is it exactly ?), it was a real blessing... The PG rules are quite dense really and I had to read them carefully and play a lot of scenarios to begin to feel confortable with the game. The rewards are splendid : command control (nice, simple and efficient), alternate activation, FOW, random events and combat movement. This latter rule is the most interesting to me : that kind of clever limitation is the heart of the game (since it forces the player to organize his forces) and leads to sound strategy. Excellent game.

[enrique]

De nada,upintheattic.

Infantry Attacks: To Hell with...
I've played only two scenarios. They are interesting, but a little slow and the units have little firepower. Perhaps this is historical, but I find PG more fun.

[enrique]

If you lack room to play PG, consider making a computer module for yourself in Cyberboard. Then you can play huge maps, play PBEM, and do a lot of things you can't do in the physical game (like make your own markers, have unlimited amounts of markers, and attach little notes to counters to keep track of things, etc.). These game boxes are not hard to make compared to Vassal, and you don't need to be versed in XML coding as you would for Zun Tzu.

Visit this site and download "Creating The Strategy Game Box," a step-by-step PDF guide on how to make one:
http://privatewars.kyth.org/

(Avalanche doesn't support Cyberboard, Vassal, etc., so don't violate copyright or post your module online. But if you own the game and make a module for your own use, to play solo or against one human at a time -- just like the physical game -- I can't see how anyone would care or bother you.)

Thanks, broadsword.
I will try a computer module.

[Greyfox]

While looking through old threads I found this one. I thought that this would be interesting for newer players to revisit.