Chuck "Magnum" Ankenbauer reviews the mobile app Battle Academy.

http://SimHQ.com/_mobile/mobile_004a.html

Nice write-up, Chuck!

I've played that capture the crossing mission about six times now and I'm pretty sure the problem was with me rather than the sides, LOL!

I LOVE THIS GAME!!!!

I was surprised at how addictive this was on the oldfashioned, retro, 20th Century, large, heavy, expensive, accessorized, wife-head-shaking-inducer PC. As in the old Panzer General days, except on a highly tactical level. Demo is worth the download and the time spent playing the missions.

Grabbed this for my iPad when I saw the original preview. It is a great time waster, though the pricing model is just over the top, and the enemy AI is just plain dumb, so I have to respectfully disagree with this statement:

"...after some serious time with Battle Academy on iPad they deserve every dollar. Battle Academy is not some "dumbed-down" mobile version of the PC and Mac versions, it is a full version with all the add-ons and updates.


Pricing and add ons

Not sure what add ons and updates you are referring to here, as I don't own the PC version. All I can say is that your 19.99 gets you three campaigns, and there are three add-on campaigns which you have to pay for as in-app purchases, and their price is ridiculous.

I burned through the first couple of campaigns in one flight EU/US return. I don't think I would bother replaying them with different strategies because the maps are too small and non dynamic, so the enemy is always placed in the same place on the map - no surprises the second time around. These campaigns are strictly a one shot deal. So having exhausted the gameplay and not yet happy I'd got my money's worth, I discovered the last 3 campaigns in the game menu have to be purchased.

A professional ipad game like this, on apple store, is usually 2.5 - 8 Euros (9.99 USD). This one is 16 Euros/bucks (19.99 USD)!

But if you want the add-on campaigns, you have to pay extra. A lot extra[/b]. Half the original game cost, again, or 8 Euros (9.99 USD) ie nearly the same price as a full priced iPad optimised APP from a quality dev!

This is on top of what you already point out, is an expensive app to start with.

So I won't be buying any of the add on campaigns, for a game that was already at the expensive end for an app.

It is a matter of opinion of course, but I don't think the app as it stands justifies the high startup cost, when the add on campaigns you can purchase in-app are also incredible expensive.

You can get an EA Sports game for iPad at less than half the cost, which has infinite replayability. You can get great strategy games for 8 Euro/9.99 USD full price, nothing more to pay.

This game, at twice the price, holds about 15 hours of gameplay (maybe 5 hours per campaign), and to extend that, the devs want you to shell out half the price again for another 5 hours?

That dog don't hunt, sorry.

Dumb AI

I don't play online against other people, because I usually fire up games like this on long haul flights, so my second gripe is the AI, and this is the deal buster for me, and why I definitely would not recommend it.

You capture a victory point from the enemy after a hard won battle. There is an enemy unit however still near by. If it was a human opponent, or even a half competent AI opponent, you would have to leave one of your units behind to guard your newly won victory point.

Not in this game. The enemy will sit two squares away from an unoccupied, undefended victory point, and not try to take it back. The enemy AI does not maneouvre or flank, and the only challenges you really face are with enemy tanks or AT guns which have been strategically placed out of line of sight and sit there trying to kill anything that goes past, until you take them out.

If an enemy tank column does rush you, it will usually just advance until contact and then just sit there firing, letting you flank it, kill it with air support, or take it out with troops with AT charges.

In that sense it is more like a slightly more advanced tower defence game, than a true war game or strategy game.

This criticism wouldn't apply to a player to player game though, I grant that.

My own rating for this game would be:

Gfx: 4/5
Gameplay (offline): 2/5
Value for money: 2/5
Overall: 3/5

Recommend to buy? Meh...

H

ahh, yes... you are correct on the in game purchase... think I messed that up with the final cut and review of the review. And again I agree that the price is steep, too steep, and the AI has issues... and can see your point if you only play single player... but after the initial couple of campaigns I played, I guess I spend all my time on MP with friends... usually 3 to 5 games a week with different people at the same time, so for me... and many who I play with it is well worth it. IMO (which is what a review is, but I should of been a little clearer on all that...lesson learned.)

Thx for the feedback.

Totally get that. My comments apply mostly to the offline experience...

H

Heinkill, thanks for the feedback. AI balance is something we have worked hard on. Obviously you find it a little too easy, but we have a lot of feedback from people saying exactly the opposite, that it is too hard . So we have toned its aggressiveness down. Having said that, we are looking at a 'hardcore' mode for our next expansion which would turn the AI lose entirely. We might be able to enable this for all missions I guess - it would make them pretty tough though!

One thing I would check is, have you grabbed all the free single player content you can download? You can download it onto your iPad directly from ingame using the folder icon top left on the Campaign Screen. There are many great mods, some with newly created units and tilesets (e.g. the WW1 campaigns or LRDG one). Once downloaded you don't need to be online to play them, so all good for those longhaul flights.

Cheers

Pip

Thx Pip

Ah, the wonder of dialogue on the world wide web! I would never have found that little user content download button there! Thanks!! That will help me get my 20 bucks worth...miser that I am.

As to the AI, I think the map designs play to the dumbness of the AI, with well sited 88mm, MG nests and armour lurking behind hedges or hills - so yes, that does make it tough to win, but it doesn't make it tough AI. Just tough map design which makes it akin to a Tower Defence game more than a squad level war game.

As I said, the AI just seems to advance to contact (if it moves at all), and sit and fire until it gets knocked out or retreats (1 square or 2 max). It is also very common to take out enough units at a victory point to capture the flag, but the other enemy units at or near the victory point which could or should try to take the flag back, just sit in position without moving, turn after turn, even if the flag is left undefended.

Good maneouvering makes for good AI in a land combat sim, so it is a shame if you have toned this element down. I appreciate you do have to listen to the feedback of the majority if that is the case though. Maybe you took the pendulum a little too far in the non-aggressive direction?

Anyone that picks it up...look for games with us. I'm addicted. Password is always SimHQ

I'm airdrop

There is also Kludger and Rends and magnum50 that I know of....

Anyone else?

has anyone won against Rends yet? He kicks my ass all the time, but have also learned alot from him.