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Author Topic: Fields of Fire 2  (Read 5268 times)

judgedredd

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on: October 12, 2020, 11:27:24 AM
How is it possible to watch a video of a game and "get it" then read the manual and be lost  :2funny:

Seriously though - I've just realised the FoF2 manual does not have a "much, much, much needed" index! If there's a game I've ever come across that absolutely needs an index, it's this one.



BanzaiCat

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Reply #1 on: October 12, 2020, 12:45:44 PM
How is it possible to watch a video of a game and "get it" then read the manual and be lost  :2funny:

VERY easy. I've done that with Hitler's Reich and Hearts & Minds recently. I got D-Day at Tarawa back to the table too and it wasn't clicking with me either, even though I've played it several times and never had an issue with it.

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judgedredd

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Reply #2 on: October 12, 2020, 02:34:26 PM
Might have to buy card sleeves - that's the third video I've seen that recommends them for this game.



bbmike

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Reply #3 on: October 12, 2020, 04:22:36 PM
Weren't you just making fun of me for that?  :hehe:

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence."
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judgedredd

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Reply #4 on: October 12, 2020, 05:09:19 PM
Weren't you just making fun of me for that?  :hehe:
uhuh  :whistle:



judgedredd

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Reply #5 on: October 18, 2020, 06:49:47 AM
The more I go through these rules the more I see how so utterly useless they will be when I decide to play. With no index on a 63 page rulebook, it'll be nigh impossible to find anything.

Last night I wanted to double check what constituted a LAT...limited action team. No index meant I had to troll through all the pages until I stumbled across it

Really quite sad actually



Staggerwing

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Reply #6 on: October 18, 2020, 08:51:31 AM
Is there a PDF of the manual available?
If so you can load it up on your computer (or better yet, an iPad or other tablet to keep near the game table) and try to do a word search for some of the things you need to find out about.

Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa


judgedredd

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Reply #7 on: October 18, 2020, 09:46:37 AM
Yeah there is. I've got it. I was reading the paper manual in bed last night.

Just making a point. I've read much smaller rules,  easier to absorb and they had indices



bbmike

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Reply #8 on: October 18, 2020, 09:54:23 AM
It's a shame. I've heard it's a fantastic game but the rulebook is a hot mess.

"My life is spent in one long effort to escape from the commonplace of existence."
-Sherlock Holmes

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judgedredd

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Reply #9 on: October 20, 2020, 04:05:47 PM
So I did think (briefly) about card sleeves - but they come in packs of 50 or 100 - and FoF2 has thoughtfully made the deck of action cards count 51...so either one card would go without a sleeve or I have 49 spare.

Decided against it. I likely won't play the game enough to ever warrant sleeves.

I'm takin' ma chances - rollin' the die...living on the edge  :2funny:



judgedredd

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Reply #10 on: October 20, 2020, 04:17:24 PM
It's a shame. I've heard it's a fantastic game but the rulebook is a hot mess.
It's like the sequence of play isn't actually really a full sequence of play. Or it's just full of text without really being particularly helpful.

For example 3.3 is the Friendly Command Phase. It mentions the major elements of that section and takes up almost half an A4 page - but it doesn't really tell you much. It mentions the order of the activation segments and basically says (repeats) that you pull a card and assign orders...and it repeats that from Bn HQ through CO HQ to Plt HQ in the Activation Section and pretty much repeats that again in the Initiative Section.

In fact that's the whole manual really - it says alot without really saying much of anything/. There's alot of writing and reading it I can't help but think there are large sections of text that could be cut because it doesn't really add much. And fill those cut sections with more meaningful, helpful pointers.

And honest to god - I simply can't express enough how unhelpful not having an index is for a manual this full of text and this size. Did I say that already? Because if I didn't, I should've  ;D

I'm half way through and I'm not at all clear (when I think about it) about when to apply PDF and VoF markers...so I'll have to find and read those sections again - and I've watched videos too.

I do really like the look of the game and the mechanics - so I am really excited to dive into it. Though there's another issue. I watched a guy playing and having to keep track of units is going to be a mare. I think those multi coloured see through discs I bought will come in handy.

I'm not playing the first couple of missions of Peleliu - I'm steering clear of vehicles for the moment. I'll jump into a small infantry combat game first off (if there is a small one - I haven't checked!).



judgedredd

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Reply #11 on: October 21, 2020, 04:21:53 AM
I just watched a video that pointed out FoF2 says on the back it has a deck of Normandy terrain cards (it doesn't - it has Peleliu terrain cards).

I had no idea you could copy and paste when it came to creating boardgames. I thought that was specific to being a developer

 :2funny:



judgedredd

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Reply #12 on: October 22, 2020, 05:20:30 PM
I've just read on the manual on page 32
Quote
Example #1 from the Advanced Tutorial (page 11)

Where the hell isthe advanced tutorial?

Edit - apparently is in Vol1
« Last Edit: October 22, 2020, 05:27:24 PM by judgedredd »



GriffinTwoSix

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Reply #13 on: October 23, 2020, 07:00:47 AM
Oh man, I feel this on a personal level.. I've committed to trying to learn this game twice, I mean REALLY committed.  This game is an abolute enigma.  If you're committed to getting the rules 'right' it is just so difficult.. Currently split on wether I should sell the game or give it another try.  It's so close to being something good, but easily the most confusing rulebook I've ever engaged with. Every turn is just "wait.. what about this? oh and this edge case? Huh but what if this..."



judgedredd

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Reply #14 on: October 23, 2020, 03:26:17 PM
Well maybe I'm a sucker for punishment but I've just ordered FoF Vol 1 from BGG. I liked the look of the Normandy campaign and I see they use random terrain card draws. Also there's apparently more infantry only stuff which might help ease me in