The Great War: Western Front is a real-time strategy game developed by Petroglyph Games. Players choose their side of history and lead forces into battle as a theater commander. It is authentic in its historic and military detail, and serves as an excellent educational experience for those who play. At the time of this game’s release, there are still individuals who were alive during The Great War. While it is fun and educational to learn about the strategies, there should always be a reminder of the cost of war and those who gave their lives.
Events from history have always been a source of inspiration for game developers, particularly wars. From 1914 to 1918, the war to end all wars ravaged the world. The major powers of the Earth battled it out in what would later be known as World War One. The Great War: Western Front is the latest of many games based on these events. It offers an authentic tactical experience that requires some getting used to. As such, here are some tips to get players up and running.
6 Complete Reconnaissance First
In any game, a bit of knowledge is always going to get players further than none, and that is doubly true for complex strategy games such as The Great War. Like our great-grandparents before us, though with much smaller consequences at stake, reconnaissance is going to be crucial in these battles.
Intel gathering should be the first port of call for any player. Whether utilizing the forces of the Allies or the Central Powers, having information on the land and enemy will be key. Knowing the structure and sizes of opposing troupes will inform players on how to proceed into battles. So, researching technology and army intelligence early on is going to be key, as knowledge is power.
5 Keep An Eye On the Opposition
There are a few pieces of specific knowledge that players are going to want to know both before and during battles. Where are the enemies? Are home forces being attacked? If so, where is the attack coming from? Are home forces attacking? Where is the enemy?
To discover where the opposition forces are and whether they are active, spending some money on a number of observation balloons is advised. To take full advantage of the wider radius that the balloons allow players to view, they’ll need to be placed at a decent distance away from camp, but close enough to defend if needed. Once the battle commences, it will be impossible to place more balloons.
4 Force Concentration
As a tile-based game, it is only natural that the player will see different parts of both the Ally and Central Powers frontlines spread across different hex-tiles. To weaken an area of the enemy’s line, it’s advised to pinpoint a specific region to attack and concentrate all nearby hexes there.
In battle, preserving resources and ammo is going to be key; as such, knowing where to shoot is going to be vital. Concentrating firepower on a particular enemy area, spotted via the use of observation balloons, is going to minimize wasted resources.
3 Strategize Storage
In the name of resources and preserving them, storage is going to be a tactical ally for anybody looking to win a battle. The ability to supply troupes aptly is going to depend on how many resources a player has. And the ability to hold enough resources is going to depend on storage.
Players eager to take down the enemy should prioritize the research of storage tents to hold their force’s wares. Additionally, researching depots building and all the unlockable items within will add contribute to storage abilities.
2 Maintain National Will
During times of war, whether they be fought on home or foreign shores, the mood of each side’s residing nation will heavily influence the outcome. If spirits are high among the people, not only does it keep the production lines flowing, but it also increases the morale of those fighting, knowing they have support at home.
In The Great War: Western Front, maintaining and boosting National Will can be achieved by completing objectives. The depletion of the enemies also lends itself to this goal. The complete loss of a side’s National Will will ultimately result in losing, so don't neglect this aspect of the game.
1 Supplement Experience
While not necessarily a tip that will put players in good stead for The Great War: Western Front’s gameplay, this is certainly one to improve all-round experience. Learn more about World War I. Read books, online articles, or watch documentaries and take note of the experience of a generation of young men who lost their lives for the world we have today.
With the recent release of Netflix’s adaptation of All Quiet On The Western Front, fans of this strategy game have a good opportunity to supplement their experience. Still, searching out the voices of the people who experienced The Great War first-hand is advised. And, while wars are mostly horrific affairs to hear about, learning about the innovative technology and practices such as Occupational Therapy that came from WW1 is truly inspiring.
The Great War: Western Front is available on Steam.