ajarnlance

This the best AGEOD title to date. The First World War is beautifully recreated with AGEOD's usual attention to historical detail. The player begins by selecting from a range of different strategic war plans that were either actually chosen in real life (e.g. the Schlieffen Plan for the Central Powers) or were real life alternative plans. Of course once the war begins (on the first turn) the plans can be altered just as they were in real life to respond to ongoing developments. For me the true star of all AGEOD games is the WEGO simultaneous turn system. The WEGO system is by far the best and most realistic system for a wargame. You plan your moves at the same time as the AI or human opponent and then get to see how the move unfolds over each 15-day turn. Diplomacy and economic aspects are represented by an easy to use system that leaves the main focus on the military aspect. This is where To End All Wars really shines with every general's stats researched in detail and impacting significantly on the game. Each nation's units are also present from divisions to Corps and Armies. There are strategic objectives that must be captured and held and, along with winning battles, these contribute to the morale of each alliance: you can play as either the Central Powers/ The Western Entente/ or the Eastern Entente. Other nations can join your side according to the diplomatic and military choices that the player makes. There is careful balancing to make sure that the actual historical outcomes are likely while still giving the player room to manouver and change history in certain cases. Naval warfare is also represented although some aspects are abstracted. Submarine warfare will be important as the technology develops and the blockades that existed in the war are well represented without the need for too much micro management. In addition to covering the entire European and Middle-Eastern theatres the game also includes African/ Asian and even Central American/ South American off map boxes to reflect the all encompassing nature of this first truly global war. But it is in the land battles where TEAW really grabs you. Pressing that 'next move' button and seeing how your carefully laid plans play out over each turn as your forces interact with the enemy is one of the highlights of AGEOD games for me. As in real life it has been observed that "no plan survives contact with the enemy" so the player will learn what it felt like to be one of the real WW1 commanders who were often not fully informed about the enemy's positions/ force size and composition. The fog of war is well represented as are units such as cavalry, balloons, aircraft and zeppelins which can contribute to removing the fog of war. Technology also plays an important role as it did in the real war. The game takes the player down a fairly structured path here where it is possible to influence development but where very unrealistic outcomes are not possible. If you are looking for a real wargame where the other aspects are included but do not result in much micro management then I would highly recommend this game. There have been a few minor bugs in the initial release which the developer is usually very conscientious about responding too but the game is already in excellent shape and very solid and very playable. Warning: this game can be very addictive.., fighting the campaign that covers the whole war can take a lot of hours but it is time that will be richly rewarded with many entertaining moments. AGEOD just keeps getting better as one of the few quality wargame studios out there. Can't wait for Napoleon's Campaigns 2, hopefully next year!!

As an old war gamer I am really enjoying playing this game. The strategic thinking required to defeat the able AI keeps me engaged for hours of fun. AGEOD's attention to authentic detail from the unit names, to the portraits, to the beautiful map creates a truly immersive experience. One of the key features I love in AGEOD's games are the detailed leader attributes. Use your leaders for the right missions with the right troops and your chances of success increase. The level of research that goes into the authentic recreation of the characters and the armies of the times is inspiring. The addition to AGEOD's games of the decision cards with their historical flavor and strategic depth really turn this game into more than just a war game. There are enough scenarios to make for many replays and the developers have already released some intriguing DLCs such as the Spartacus revolt and the Parthian Wars with more in the pipeline. To sum up: one of the best war games around from one of the few classy computer game makers left.