Help me be better at Tactics games

[Ryan]

2 minutes ago, MarkN said:

Whilst I enjoyed it massively, there was a horrible pattern of reaching level 100 in a weapon or piece of kit, and getting given an ever-so-slightly-better one as a reward that now needed levelling up. Which would then get you an ever-so-slightly-better one again... So hard to escape that.

 

I basically spent about 10 hrs doing that and got nowhere in the actual game. Then gave up 🤣

[bradigor]

That was intense. Had my first boss fight in Gears Tactics. 

 

I wanted to go in with only the knowledge I had picked up from here and by playing, avoiding any walkthroughs or guides. 

 

I made a lot of mistakes, but managed to work my way through them and best the boss first time (easy mode). 

[wev]

On 10/10/2022 at 20:53, Ryan said:

 

I basically spent about 10 hrs doing that and got nowhere in the actual game. Then gave up 🤣

Yeah there's so much to do in any of the Disgaeas.

 

I've never finished any of the stories, I just get to a stage where I've had enough. 

 

Has there ever been another game/series that encourages you to try and break it as much as Disgaea does?

[Fieldini]

A tactics style game I've enjoyed playing recently on the steamdeck that I haven't seen mentioned on the forum is 'Symphony of War'. The story is a bit naff and on standard difficulty it's possibly a bit easy but it brings some new ideas to the genre. I really enjoyed experimenting with different squad build ups.

[bradigor]

What are people's thoughts on Battletech? I have a code for it from an old bundled e but can't tell if it looks complicated or not.

[Count Buffalos]

It’s very good. The Roguetech mod is amazing, I’ve got north of 400 hours on it. It’s a fairly complicated game but the campaign introduces the mechanics to the player in a fairly clear way iirc. However, the fundamental mechanics aren’t any more complex than X-Com.

[bradigor]

Cool, might give it a go after

[ChewMagma]

How is Battletech on Steam Deck?

[thesnwmn]

14 minutes ago, ChewMagma said:

How is Battletech on Steam Deck?

 

As always...

https://www.protondb.com/app/637090

 

[bradigor]

Those who play and enjoy these games. How feasible is it to play two at the same time? 

 

I get very much an ADHD temptation to overly push it. 

 

I sort of want to see if the knowledge I have from Gears translates to something else. But at the same time don't want to over confuse myself. 

 

My only issue is that I HAVE to play a campaign as there is no skirmish mode it seems and I want to just play non mission critical rounds at times too mess around.

[ox1973]

5 hours ago, bradigor said:

What are people's thoughts on Battletech? I have a code for it from an old bundled e but can't tell if it looks complicated or not.

 

I love Battletech - have put 1000+ of hours into it, partly because I loved the old Mechwarrior and Mechcommander games but mostly because it's the very definition of a top tier open ended sandbox tactics game. Plenty of amazing mods as well once you get to grips with the basics (BEX, BTA, Roguetech).

 

Play through the campaign first to learn the game then move on to career if it grabs you.

 

[ox1973]

1 hour ago, ChewMagma said:

How is Battletech on Steam Deck?

 

It will run but performance and battery life will be big issues, and controls/screen real estate willbe even bigger issues. It needs a big screen and mouse/keyboard really.

[Alan Stock]

1 hour ago, bradigor said:

Those who play and enjoy these games. How feasible is it to play two at the same time? 

 

Personally I get burned out playing too many turn based games at the same time, but if you like them then go for it. Try a different kind of sub-genre maybe? 

[bradigor]

New question. 

 

Is just hunkering down and staying in Overwatch until you grind through oncoming enemy units to clear the battlefield to then stroll to the objective a legitimate tactic, or was that just a fortunate event? 

 

I ask as I just didn't feel safe pushing on myself as I had good coverage from my location and moving from it would have seen my advantage disappear.

 

 

 

 

 

[ChewMagma]

If it let you win the battle, it is a legitimate tactic.

[Padaxes]

Into the breach is indeed great as is Faster Than Light 

 

But xcom is a masterpiece , not the new shite, the originals I mean. 

 

All of these games are bastard hard though. 

[ChewMagma]

Nonsense, the new xcom games are excellent.

[thesnwmn]

10 hours ago, bradigor said:

New question. 

 

Is just hunkering down and staying in Overwatch until you grind through oncoming enemy units to clear the battlefield to then stroll to the objective a legitimate tactic, or was that just a fortunate event? 

 

I ask as I just didn't feel safe pushing on myself as I had good coverage from my location and moving from it would have seen my advantage disappear.

 

As @ChewMagma says or course it is if you win. This is strategy. There is no right other than winning.

 

The same may not work in other games. For example the new XCOM games often have a turn limit so you're forced to push onwards.

 

It may not even work on every level. But that's the fun right, seeing what works in different scenarios.

[bradigor]

Oh yeah, I know it won't work for other games and levels. I just want to try not to fluke too many levels.

[ChewMagma]

I would say if it is Gears Tactics, then yeah you do need to be comfortable being more aggressive because iirc it has the mechanic where you get bonus action points for chaining together melee kills and that is the key to success later in the game.

 

Xcom 1 very much rewards overwatch though, to the extent that Xcom 2 introduced turn limits and stuff to try and get the player to take more risks.

[Riven]

Seeing a lot of high tier tactical games mentioned, if you want a great series to start with then look at Shining Force series on the Mega Drive which largely is just move and attack and they are included in most SEGA collections. Shining Force III on Saturn is a juggernaut of the genre, but there aren't modern options to play it outside of emulation.

 

First Front Mission on SNES is another great game a step up in terms of scale, but very good. As was the original Vandal Hearts on PS1.

 

Final Fantasy Tactics on PS1 and Tactics Ogre are somewhat more complex and and most Yasumi Matsuno titles are very tough would not recommend for first time players. Again same with XCOM I love the new series, but it is very unforgiving to new players, but I hugely enjoyed both and have finished them.

 

Fire Emblem is good and the newer games (3DS) are better for beginners, but have a breaking weapons and you get punished if you don't follow the Sword > Axe > Lance > Sword damage system. Advance Wars gets a vote from me, but gain that is a unit heavy game.

 

Can't say I've played Gears Tactics much the the game crashed on twice during the tutorial and I gave up with it. Haven't played it yet, but I've heard lots of good things about the Banner Saga series.

 

I'll stay away from mention Japanese titles like Black Matrix, but they are very good. As I saw someone mention all the NIS games are very grindy and are aimed at genre experts.

 

Dark Quest II is quite a good starting modern game as it only has six characters and you go through various stages. I reviewed it awhile back, but does get a little skill heavy at some point.

 

 

[bradigor]

Thank you for that. Been plodding along with Gears Tactics and having a great time. Going to pop the Shining Force on too and see how I get on. 

[fat flatulent git]

Have you tried any of the following?

 

Jeanne d'Arc PSP

Age of Empires DS (two of them)

Military History Commander DS

 

All great.

[b00dles]

That front mission remaster is still on the way too and I loved playing those on zsnes many moons ago and are probably a simpler version of the battletech style big robos. 

 

I did enjoy the battletech game on the amiga although more the concept as I was a bit young to really get it at the time.

 

Original xcom was my intro to the genre but I really don't know how practical it would be to go back to those as a newcomer.

 

Using TP to crouch/ turn and every bit of movement (as well as the inventory juggling being much more of a thing in those early ones in regards to looting your own squad's corpses for ammo and guns etc) is a little fiddly these days I'd imagine. 

 

Bloody great games and terror from the deep was amazing at the time but I think a harder sell when there's so many others these days.