Ok, I have logged some massive hours in this since March 2. Steam claims 400. Well, the game has run that long, often without me. So does not count. Just recently spotted a bit that somewhat tracks time in game. And that gives a better idea than steam for me. Its still a lot of hours. I have played 3 of the 4 campaigns at this point. Although one 2x as the initial release had the you always win bug. So replayed that one without that feature. The point I am getting at, there is quite a bit of game here. Your mileage will vary. I have 2 hour battles set so might make it longer. Might not too, as 1 hour battle that is default is often to low to actually get much done at times. Meaning you may have to re-attack or defend the same bit 2 turns in a row from no decisive winner.

Now I am pretty experienced in these games. And this is forming some opinions that might and probably are not going to be the same as others. Mius Front is by far the most forgiving campaigns that Gravi has ever done. Now this I think is good for new folks and more casual GT players. For die hard fanatics, like myself, its actually too easy and forgiving. Now there have been some close calls, wiped out platoons, and nasty surprises along the way. But I nearly always at all times had whatever I needed to do something at the right time and place. Meaning it was rare I actually ever in any campaign, had to loose grids, fall back, regroup or any of that sort of thing that in many campaigns in GTOS was pretty much 100 percent necessary at times.

I am also pretty happy that the game itself since release has gotten a lot of patches. Some stuff was borked. Some new features and performance of game seems to have gotten even better, at least it has for me. But right now, I am really wanting a harder game play experience. Off the top of my head...

-Removing of visual enemy ammo boxes for guns and units. These things show up at end of set phase threw start of game. Gives away locations of enemy positions (at least at start). But you can start dumping artillery from your spotters right off the bat to kill guns and the like. I try and NOT look for these. But sometimes its hard to miss and well, once spotted not going to just loose units to a gun I know about.

- Trenches.... Trenches are great. They are. Morph-able land done great. But, also combined with above ammo boxes, you can spot all strong points dug in from 2nd part of set up phase. I do not think there is any way to NOT render these things here.
Would be nice if 1:
1. somehow get locked out of moving camera close to ground on ENEMY squares in set up phase. Less ideal and actually not good is get locked to map view. Would do same thing but sort of suck.
2. Dummy trenches dug by AI to confuse the artillery happy human when low number of trenches are present. If no ammo boxes visible, now you do not know where exactly is the legit hard point. The pre-dug trenches are actually the biggest surprise of MIUS. You never know if they have enemy or not without scouting out or bumping into. Would be nice is regular old pits and trenches where not give me's too.

I think something like these two things as an OPTIONAL hard setting would be nice. It would force a player to actually do some scouting and poking about. Not look for ammo boxes and trenches and plow that way. In fact, some of the most memorable fights so far is when running into the unexpected. Guns and infantry using the trenches that are part of map or simply some place not expected.

Thanks for the summary as I do not own this one yet.
From what you say it sounds good for people like me who never really got into operation star. I think in the past some war games were too hard to get into for non veteran players limiting sales.

But I suppose they need to cater for the hard core players as well, but in reality probably a small percentage of players, but a valuable set of players because if the game gets too easy then nobody wants it. Just ends uo like another CoH.

I think they could take a page from the combat mission series that is still hard but the learning curve is a lot less and the manuals far better (at least for the games I own) I find with Graviteam games most of my time is spent trying to work out how to play the game instead of tactics.

How to get the balance right I have no idea, but it sounds like a step in the right direction this time for beginners, which should help to increase sales. Now they have to do a bit for the veterans who give us beginners advice.

Cheers Markl

Another thought. The large German campaign is IMO better than the Red Army one. Am just finishing up the big Red Army one now. While it sure had its moments, it had for me fewer than the German one. As a fan more of the Red's than the Grey's I am a little bummed at that one. As I look towards my first Mius mod projects I am shockingly drawn to modding a harder big German campaign. THis assumes that file structure is the same as GTOS in the campaign files. I am guessing that yes, it is. In fact for simple modded campaigns, I have no idea how to make a "better" harder one for Red Army. For that I would rather just make something totally new and depart from historical battle. And that needs a campaign editor. Which may or may not ever happen.

So on that note.... I will probably finally start digging in the guts of Mius to see what has changed since GTOS/SABOW and start working towards a harder German campaign. It will simply be changing things like light tank platoons to heavy tanks, adding in more "replacement" tanks to tank unit pools, beefing up scout units with something or another. Perhaps editing skill levels of Red Army units. Small things really. But hopefully turn the Red Army into a steam roller for the first 4 or 5 turns. To actually shove back a skilled player on the OP map. If it can prevent me from closing out the 16 turn campaign in 8 turns then success. On guy on steam, a new GT player at that, closed out the campaign in 5 turns. I believe it. Had I gone balls to the wall aggressive could have done that one as well.

Oh, and hopefully make a little more lethal infantry minimod for both sides. And whatever else simple fast things I can dream up. Before I move on other stuff that is in the stalled pipe line of mine.

Like this thing. Which does not fit 1943 in this area. Damnit. Need something 1942ish.






Or this dumb thing.






Bug this bugger still has a ways to go. May never get done.

Crap.... forgot something. Going to need some testers for modded campaign in about a weeks time. Let me know if interested.

Just did final count of surviving t34's I had left in Red campaign. 71 made it threw to the end. Granted, many missing a crew member or 2. Or in the case of 22 guards, not a lot of ammo. I am guessing I lost about 35 percent. The t70 platoons lost half there number. But they did the brunt of the fighting once most enemy armor was destroyed.





Hmmmm I think I won that campaign. And 71 t34's at the same place does not work.... Traffic jam and runs not so good. But surprisingly, not that bad either.

Interesting and helpful analysis Flashburn, thanks!