Just registered to the forum, but I played UoC for a while... Great game you made!... I have a generally positive experience playing it...
Here are some of my feedbacks, after finishing both German and Russian campaigns (with a little Modding help, as you'll read)...
The good:
- It has a 'Panzer General 2' simplicity that make it a breeze to understand how to play...
Of course, like Chess, a simple gameplay is one thing, but mastering it is another. But you don't have to check the manuals every now and then to check subtle rules... A definite plus...
- The units representation is good, original and simple enough... The map is pretty and clear... And the Interface is simple and to the point...
All together, they make the game enjoyable to look and play...
- The AI is smart... Not intimidating smart, but smart enough to see a mistake and exploit it, without being too smart (or cheat) to be unbeatable...
The AI is especially voracious about your badly protected supply line. An unexpected surprise, to be sure, when playing for the first few games... It's ironic than the AI seems to forget protecting it's own supply line. I can sometime sneak past a unit to capture a supply point, then the AI react and try to get it back. Not always works though, as if an enemy unit is close enough and no bigger threat is in the area, the AI will send it to intercept my sneaking troublemaker...
As for the AI in general, it knows when to attack (when it will do more damage than it will receive, most of the time) and usually when and where to move too. Protecting Objectives well. Creating a temporary front line to slow down your advance. Etc... Great job overall...
- Playing the Germans and the Russians are really 2 different experiences... You have to adapt to the side you choose or you'll probably fail...
- The ability to mod...
Of course, it's far from user friendly, but at least it's there... I have to admit that I had to Mod some scenarios to be able to progress...
Without being able to do it, I would have not enjoy UoC that much, that's for sure...
You can call it cheating, I don't care... The important thing is that it enhanced my experience of the game...
Now the Bad:
- The worst offender is by far the need to get a Brilliant Victory in a specific scenario to unlock a new one...
Try and try again, if you can't do it, you'll not get it, unless you choose it in the Scenario options and play it outside the campaign...
I would have appreciated a more 'flexible' approach, like win 2 Brilliant Victories within the next 4 battles to unlock the Scenario...
Also, a difficulty choice (easy, medium, hard) or being able to set the initial Prestige or the option to shorten or give you longer time to capture Objectives would be appreciated...
- The random weather in some scenarios...
Don't get me wrong, I really like it. But in a scenario when the time is short to capture Objectives, it usually means quit and try again...
- Some scenarios feel more like a puzzle to solve than a battlefield to win. If you don't do the right thing in the right order, and the weather is bad, you just can't succeed... Terek for example. It's not even about a BV or a DV, but a win/loss!...
The difficulty of some scenarios is just too great... It's hard to admit, but we're not all as good as Patton or von Menstein...
I was able to Mod my way of some difficulties, but I can easily imagine someone not able to Mod rage quit some scenarios...
- I would've like to play a few scenarios where you have to defend objectives from the enemy AI...
Those are my general thoughs about UoC... I'm surely forgetting something, but I can always add it later...
I hope it will help you improve this great game...
And hurry up with the next one, will ya?...