War Thunder Air Battles Review (PC Games for Wargamers)

War Thunder is a WW2-focussed PC game where players can pilot tanks or aircraft (sometimes on the same map) and when I heard they would have a naval aspect focussing on coastal forces - E-boats, MTBs, MGBs and destroyers (possibly my favourite genre of historical warfare, period!) I downloaded it, afire with dreams of piloting a "Dog Boat" against E-boats in the Med.

Well, the naval side of things has not come out of beta yet, but I've had a lot of fun flying air battles.  As a kid I had "Encyclopedia of World War II Aircraft" on near-permanent loan and without exaggeration I could probably name (and give key stats) on pretty much every combat aircraft  of the era (though trainers and transports were a bit more dull to my 12-year-old self).

This review will focus only on air battles - I haven't explored ground forces (tanks) beyond the tutorials.

Aircobras and Kingcobras are some of my favourite planes; good at the low altitude of Arcade mode; solid all-round and packing a 37mm with decent .50 cal backup. Also they look sexy!

 
War Thunder allows me to live out my dream of flying Kittyhawks with shark nose art against Zeroes; Spitfires against 109Es, taking down B-17s with a cannon-festooned 190, flying a Molins armed Mossie against German shipping...

It has a range of difficulty settings: arcade (very much Crimson Skies with simple damage and physics; you usually fly with a mouse) realistic (more realistic physics and damage, logistics) and sim (cockpit only, joystick only, "full real" settings).  I must admit I only play arcade; with small kids I don't have the luxury to spend 30 minutes climbing to altitude like in sim mode and with limited time I like air-spawning straight into the action.

There is a huge range of game modes; you can play 12v12 arena, fighting to capture airfields, bomb targets, fly historical missions or campaigns or even make your own.  You can fly historical lineups or just mix up teams with random planes in multinational lineups; my mate might fly a Hurricane while I back him up in a 109.  There's something for everyone; for the die hard historical buff to the casual dad who wants to jump in and pew-pew in a Spitfire for 5 minutes using merely a keyboard+mouse and the most basic flight controls.

I have focussed primarily on Arcade quick matches; they go for 5-10 minutes, perfect for a busy dad; and you can get away with a minimum of controls (i.e. non-gamers can easily jump in fly about and pew-pew using only a keyboard and mouse).  If you die you can respawn and return to the fight if you desire. Arcade mode is divided into tiers 1 to 5; basically by historical era and performance; tier 1 may include Gladiators, I-16s, 109Bs, A5Ms, CR.42s etc - mostly nimble biplanes with low firepower - I did not enjoy this tier as much due to the frustration of peppering a biplane with dozens of non-vital MG hits.  Also, it's very dogfight-y with aircraft tailchasing in circles a lot.  I really enjoyed tier 2 play, early war craft like 109Es, Spits, P40s, Wildcats, Yaks, Zeroes and Hurricanes. I prefer energy fighting in the vertical and I did well at this tier against opponents who still only wanted to "turn and burn" low.  I'm at tier 3 now (Corsairs, Hellcats, later 109s, Spits and Zeroes, Mustangs, La5/7s, P47s, P38s etc).  Tier 4 is late war super-props like La11s, Bearcats, Do335s and Ta152s and Tier 5 is jets up to the Korean War (including my favourite quirky jet, the DH Vampire).

The Korean War jets reminded me to visit Caloundra's  Air Museum for a day trip. They have a great selection of 1950s jets, including some quirky planes like Fairey Gannets.

Gameplay wise; it's hard to review as War Thunder varies wildly between game modes - in Arcade mode I've noticed that as ground targets are often the objective, bombers tend to determine the win unless the fighters actively hunt them and don't get tempted into the nearest furball.   I've had a lot of fun brushing up on air combat maneuvers; whilst I already "got" simpler stuff like Immelmans, Split-S, scissors and yo-yos, I'm learning to spiral climb and perform hammerhead turns.  I found this WarThunder-specific  Youtube channel handy (he's also an Aussie).  Playing with friends is fun; having a wingman to clear your tail is pretty handy and I like dragging enemies out with climbing turns to bleed them of energy, leaving them hanging as easy targets for allies to kill.  If dogfighting isn't your thing, bombers have a big influence on the battle.

The planes seemed reasonably balanced (unlike games like World of Tanks where a tank can find itself unable to damage a "better" tank) and it can be fun to frustrate faster "superior" planes in a slow but agile lower-tier plane like an I-15 biplane which can pretty much spin on its own axis.  A good pilot or an altitude advantage is more important than the plane model.  If you have a rough grasp of energy tactics and fight in the vertical where possible, you'll be above-average at lower tiers where things tend to often dissolve into low level turning fights.

The P-38 is my other favourite ride; surprisingly agile, a good climber, with firepower concentrated in the nose. Also, it has quirky good looks.

It's not perfect: there's a lot of target fixation and a fair bit of accidental ramming; "allies" often "shoot through" you to try to secure a kill; I hate getting sniped out the cockpit by .303s at 500m (always seems to happen to me, but the MGs seem dammed ineffective when I use them). Also, arcade mode is rather  "Air Quake" at times but that's not really a negative (after all, there's realistic and sim modes for those who want to spend 30 minutes stalking a single plane or performing complex engine start routines).

Also, all planes are not automatically available; you have to "earn" your way to higher tiers by gathering XP - through winning, kills and mission objectives.  If all you want to play is 1950s jets (tier 5) I recommend you get IL:1946 where 400+ planes are available instantly; getting to jets in War Thunder is the "end game" achieved after months of gameplay.   If you just want to try all the planes, it's not an issue: I'm lingering at lower tiers learning to fly properly and unlocking all the interesting looking planes (rather than racing to the "endgame" tier; too often players assume because they've got a good plane it means they are good players).

I found I had to switch around some controls (elevator for throttle) and make the "look around" key and combat flaps buttons easier to access; but I didn't have to spend an hour setting up my controls like some games.  In Arcade, a mouse > joystick due to more precise aim (heresay, I know!) but after all there are joystick-only modes so it's a bit of a non-issue. Flying can be as simple (i.e. WASD + mouse) or complex as you want it.

I like 109s (my favourite to fly in IL-2:1946) but have struggled with the elevator/high speed control issues in War Thunder, compared to the better high speed controls of many American planes.

In summary: War Thunder (air battles) is a free-to-play game which does not force you to spend, which has a game mode for everyone; be it historical campaigns, homebrew missions with friends, or arcade mode "air quake" with multinational fantasy lineups.  It can be as simple or complex as you wish; from mouse aim to joystick full-real settings; from instant dogfight air-starts to complex engine management and takeoffs - from 5 minute "quick matches" to long campaigns.  Whilst it is not as "hardcore" as the DCS series, it caters for a wider range of modes and styles; for the first time I feel like I might finally uninstall IL-1946 (the greatest combat flight sim, ever!) as War Thunder gives me similar options, but is more user friendly and exponentially easier to play multiplayer or with friends.  Probably the major downside is that all planes are not automatically unlocked but you have to "earn" them (though you can test-fly them solo.)  Oh there's also tanks and (upcoming) naval forces included in the game you download.

Recommended:  Yep. If you like WW2 props or Korean jets, there's something here for you, whatever your interests or level of ability.  It's free - so there's no reason not to try it; you don't even need a joystick.

Dreadnought vs Fractured Space (PC spaceship game faceoff)

Space games have seen a bit of a revival lately. With the perhaps-never-to-be-completed sims Star Citizen and Elite: Dangerous (more on Elite in later post) leading the charge, there are also a few more casual space games for those who want to spend more time pew-pewing in their spaceship rather than travelling about.  I dismissed Star Conflict as a typical Russian "freemium" and so tested two arena-style space shooters: Fractured Space and Dreadnought.

Fractured Space has potential on a tactical level, but it's ultimately boring steering your blimp spaceship around and pew-pewing; it's a reskinned ARPG.

Fractured Space
It's also a "free-to-play" game, but this is not my main objection. It's that it's boring.  For some reason most space games treat spaceships with the flight model of blimps, ignoring vector movement and Fractured Space is no different. There technically IS 3 dimensions of maneuver; but as all objectives are on the same plane it's not terribly relevant. It has an interesting tactical level; where 5v5 you can contest 3 "objectives" to collect resources, levelling up your ship before attacking the enemy base.  Sadly it's slow moving and about as engaging as an ARRPG; park alongside, click on targets and spam the occasional special attack.  Whilst the tactical level was interesting (which cap to attack, when to warp out, etc) the actual ship combat was dull and the ships felt generic and similar. You could replace the ship with a fantasy hero and it would be similar to games like Diablo. It seems well balanced and fair, but it's basically a slow, generic RPG-esque game with a space "skin." I can see there is room for tactical skill, but ultimately it's slow and dull, and does not feel very "space-y".   
Not recommended. 

 

 Here's someone else's opinion of Dreadnought, with gameplay. Ultimately just a very slow paced shooter, lacking depth.

Dreadnought
Another "free-to-play" game, Dreadnought was a tad less boring to play, but tactically shallow.  The massive scale of motherships-duelling-in-atmosphere in the trailer was lost due to poorly scaled terrain.  The "star destroyer" size ships reminded me more of flying submarines rather than gigantic motherships; like Mechwarrior Online the buildings and terrain are too large; making the ships feel small.  You need tiny trees, cars and aircraft buzzing around, skyscrapers SMALLER than the spaceships. If you make terrain gigantic to match your gigantic unit...  ... the unit doesn't seem so gigantic anymore. The gameplay is more engaging. There's more to do; ships move faster, you can channel power to shields, lasers or thrusters with a wider range of weapons and modules; the ship classes are more distinct; lumbering dreadnoughts, support (healer) or sniper cruisers, all-rounder destroyers or speedy ambusher stealth frigates.  The classes again seem inspired more from traditional ground shooters/RPGs but they do give a distinct feel.  Seems less balanced and it's progression system is not optimal. Also 5v5, in contrast to Fractured Space, the tactical side of things is boring; pretty much straight deathmatches which get old fast; leaving Dreadnought as slow, dull shooter where concentrating fire and blobbing targets seemed the order of the day.   
Not recommended either.

So the search for a casual multiplayer space game continues. There are RTS style games (Homeworld has been upgraded graphically, and Sins of a Solar Empire is a competent 4X-meets-RTS) but there's not much about where you can fly a spaceship with or against your mates.  Singleplayer, I can recommend Space Pirates and Zombies for top down vector maneuver, and Rebel Galaxy (channeling Firefly) for 2D Freelancer-esque play; the X-3 series (aka EvE Offline) seems so promising but isn't worth the learning curve; I keep trying to play it and tend to quickly lose interest. 

Hard West (PC) - Weird West Strategy, and the "Luck" Mechanic

Weird West X-Com? Sounds like a winner.  This wasn't originally intended as a review of the game - although I perhaps should explain it is not a X-Com clone; whilst being squad-turn based strategy, it's different at the strategic level.

 

I bet I wasn't the only one to think "not-Deadlands on PC!"  As usual, stupid Blogger won't allow me to link to any decent Youtube trailers - bet it has something to do with ad revenue....

The gritty graphic novel style visuals of Hard West are superior and it has a  tighter story to it; whilst you can unlock weapons and cards to boost your characters stats and confer special abilities, and your characters can suffer injuries/gain buffs from battle scars, it has neither the depth of levelling, resource management nor randomness of X-Com - i.e. Hard West is prettier, more focussed and has better story at the price of being less customizable and replayable.  It's not about building bases and super soldiers but more about nursing your party through a series of linked scenarios, with text choose-your-own adventure random events to add flavour.   Despite surface similarities, it's not an X-Com clone; Hard West definitely feels like it own game.

Anyway, what interested me (besides the Wild West-with-demons-and-undead) and what prompted this post, was the luck mechanic. 

Basically, besides the normal health bar, you are protected by luck as well.  Luck is a resource which acts as your pool for evading attacks as well as triggering special abilities. Your luck usually starts at 100%, but is reduced each time you avoid a shot.

I'm not totally sure, but this is how I think it works....

1. If an attack misses you, it reduces your luck. (The amount lost depends on the initial hit chance - a shot with 60% chance to hit reduces your Luck 60%)

2. Luck is used to help evade. If your "Luck" is higher than their to-hit chance, you automatically evade (i.e. enemy shoots at you with 50% chance to hit, and you have 70% luck - the shot will miss and you only have 20% luck next turn)

3. Luck is also used to trigger special abilities.  Triggering a special ability or attack reduces it by a fixed amount (typically -50). 

4. If you are hit and take damage, your Luck is replenished (not sure how much)

I.e. Cowboy Bob shoots at Frank the Ruster; with a 40% chance to hit.  Frank has 70% luck.  As the hit chance is lower than the luck,  Bob misses and Frank loses 40% of his luck score.  His Luck is -40% and is now 30%.   Another shot at 40% to hit would likely hit (as it exceeds the 30% luck score).  As he has taken damage, his luck will replenish (I'm not sure how much).  

I find this interesting from a wargame perspective; in-game after I dodge a few hits I tend to pull back to cover as I know my "luck" is running out.  It can also be used for special actions (like "fanning" a pistol to spray multiple shots) and abilities.  It adds a lot of decision points.  I feel a similar mechanic could almost be used to replace a health bar.  (In fact, I guess this is a little like a more sophisticated version of Fate in LOTR - in LOTR, heroes could spend Fate points to roll saves against damage, but each roll reduces  their Fate score... eventually the hero will run out of Fate aka saving throws..)

Anyway, it got me thinking about the use of "luck" as a resource, "pushing" your luck, and similar mechanics in wargames...

The second interesting thing in Hard West is the cards.  They are playing cards that confer passive stat boosts and/or special abilities.  A "10" might add +5 aim, and a Ace might add +10 luck.  If your character can arrange your cards in a poker hand, you can get additional boosts, say two pairs gives +10 defence.  Some give special abilities that trigger when you spend "Luck" - i.e. a 9 of diamonds allows you to exchange health with an ally at a cost of -50 luck to activate.

I think the key "take away" thought for this is the idea of a "hand" of special abilities or stats.  I think a limited "hand" makes sense for campaign games; you perhaps have a total of 5 special abilities or stat boosts which you can mix-and-match.  This cap on total power prevents mismatches between characters and wabands - an experienced character cannot be ridiculously more powerful than a mid-rank character in-game, (they both only get a combination of any 5 new skills or stat increases) but a more experienced does have access to a much wider range of abilities when assembling his "hand", and can create more powerful combinations of cards as well as being able to min-max more effectively and more easily get bonuses for specific combinations.

Anyway, I do recommend Hard West - both as a fun, turn based tactical game and as an interesting source of wargaming inspiration for both game design mechanics and as a reason to dig out those Malifaux and wild west minis....

PC Games - STALKER, Mount & Blade Review

I dislike pen-and-paper RPGs but play online/PC ones quite extensively.   The problem with MMOs is that most attempt to copy Warcraft and offer a bland experience, but occasionally RPGS (often, but not always, single player affairs aimed at PC only) offer something new.

The stupid blogger link system won't let me open any trailers via the Youtube link, so here's a music video which may give you an idea. 

STALKER: PRIPYAT

This is great wargaming inspiration - the setting is the devastated Cheronbyl radiation zone. Exploring the ruins, avoiding wild animals, mutants, bandits and fellow explorers (stalkers).  There's a story with lots of quests and secrets to unlock, but besides the moody atmospheric world (which is divided into 3 "open world" stages), there are two main points that make it stand out:

(+) You feel like you are part of a living, breathing world.  Many games you know the NPCs are standing around like dummies, waiting for you "the chosen one" to walk up and initiate a dialogue option.  In STALKER, NPCs move around the map; you may come across random battles between bandits and stalkers - they act independently of you.  

(+) There are no stats to "level up."  You can improve your gear, and your personal knowledge and aiming skill, but you'll never have a level 50 character effortlessly 1-shotting a level 2 mutant boar.  You need to actually be able to aim, FPS-style, instead of just tabbing or reaching for function keys.  If you can't aim down iron sights, you're screwed, no matter what uber weapons you own.  Gear makes a difference - getting my first night vision goggles and starlight scopes made me feel able to explore at night, rather than fleeing indoors the moment dusk began to fall.  When I traded my rusty AK-47 and PPH pistol for a silenced SVD and a SPAS shotgun, I felt more comfortable initiating fights.

Conclusion:  With its moody, creepily atmospheric maps, STALKER:Pripyat has a real survival feel.  Having player skill and knowledge instead of relying on your "level" gives a real feeling of achievement.  As "gearing up" is the only other way to improve, discovering a cache of ammo for that rare sniper rifle is an exciting find.   If you like it, the  original, STALKER:Shadow of Chernoybl is less polished but much more hardcore - you'll find yourself dying far more, and establishing food and ammo caches all over the map in a vain attempt to stay alive.  The main downside to this series - it's single player, and the graphics are not exactly cutting edge.

M&B has a bazillion mods - from LOTR to ACW, Napoleonic.  There are two official mods - for the viking era and the "Fire & Sword" Polish/Lithuanian era.   Again, the example video is horrible but ****ing Blogger must only allow you to link to paid Youtube sites.

MOUNT & BLADE: WARBAND

This RPG is an acquired taste, but offers a unique gaming experience.  Most RPGs offer "freedom of choice" but you really end up with only 3 endings - the good, the bad, and the neutral ones.  So you are "free" but only really have 3 options.   Other open ended sandbox games (like Grand Theft Auto) which have no real objective, tends to results in players mindlessly blowing stuff up or grinding for weapons, without purpose.  In short, most game offer either the illusion of choice (whilst funnelling you into only 3 actual results) or meaningless choice (you have total freedom, but no meaningful impact on the game world). 

(+)  Mount & Blade is I think is unique in that it is a "meaningful sandbox."  Every decision you make alters the game.  You decide what your own "ending" will be - and you can change your mind as you go. There is a huge world map to explore, which you move in real-time as a "party" icon.  You can visit (and raid) castles and villages, encounter raiding war parties and bandits as well as peaceful (but lucrative) caravans.  Once you enter a location, you switch to over-the-shoulder cam and can organise your troops (up to 200) in a freewheeling fight - a bit like the way the Total War series works.  There half a dozen factions, each with more than a dozen noblemen - each with their own armies and agendas.  Some are cunning and treacherous, some are noble and honest.  Befriending some may along you against others.  Factions periodically declare war on each other, further muddying the waters.

Social skills actually matter. In most RPGs I eschew these - why stat up a boring "conversation" skill which is only rarely useful, when you can sneak in and steal what you want or simply kill them and loot it off their corpse?   In M&B, I carefully cultivate relationships, and care about how persuasive I am.  Have only a 20-man war band, but covet that castle?  Fine, if you're persuasive and popular you might talk three other barons each with 100 men to help you out in the fight.  And then you might come out on top when you divide up the spoils.  You might marry into the king's family - or get elected field marshall of a faction.  I once won a war for my faction by incarcerating every noble on the other side in my dungeons - leaving them leaderless.  

Found the pretender to the throne? Why not instigate a civil war? The new king should be grateful. Want to become king yourself? It'll take many battles and much manoeuvrings to get there - but then you'll need to stay there and keep everyone happy (or at least, the people who matter.)

(+) The combat is very good.  Mount and Blade's ability to direct sword thrusts and slashes with a flick of the mouse has ruined me for all other RPG combat.  The ability to feint, and direct your blows is originally awkward (i.e. you miss a lot, as you are used to being able to simply spam buttons rather than think about where you are hitting and timing your swings) but soon feels fluid and natural.  Mounted combat is also a staple (rather than being added as an afterthought); although feels a bit overpowered at times - horse archers are impossible to pin down and knight tend to flatten anything in their path. 

A word of warning:

Mount & Blade: Warband is very much a "diamond in the rough."  The graphics are....   ..."old school" is to put it kindly.  The game seems very empty.  Cut scenes are non-existent.  If you are used to the game leading you by the hand (Mass Effect-style) and you want to be told a story, you will hate it. In Mount & Blade, you have freedom to create your own story.  You have to decide what you want to be, and work towards it.  NPCs do not run up to you hailing you as the Chosen One and offering you quests.  There is no helpful arrow towards the next quest or waypoint.  There is no epic overarching story.  You start as a random warrior with a rusty sword (prey for every bandit group) and you work your way up to be whatever you want.  You can leave a mark on the open world, through your battles and relationships and land holdings - and your ending will actually be what you decide it will be.  

If you are tired of "vanilla" RPGs and MMOs, I think STALKER and M&B are well worth a look.

Battlefleet Gothic Returns - as a RTS? (plus PC gaming related ranting included as free DLC)

I normally don't do "retweet" style posts but this looks pretty cool.

You can customise crew, captain, weaponry, sub-systems - surviving ships gain experience, promotions and upgrades.  SOLD!

 Giant flying cathederals in space are back, baby! 

Even at $40 the entire game will still be cheaper than a single battleship miniature...

 More details here. It seems they're retained the core BFG gameplay.

Space battles - with a campaign system? Shut up and take my money!*

(*Well, after they get it out of Early Access - bloody hell why doesn't anyone release actual complete, tested games anymore?  Silly question I guess - why would you when the world is full of idiots who will pay full price for an incomplete game AND pay for the privilege of being an alpha-test guinea pig. It's as stupid as the "pre-order" thing - give someone your money 6 months in advance for a game which may or may not be good.  Why?  Perhaps they will give you some "exclusive" digital gee-gaw in return for your $70 interest free loan? Perhaps you get to access the official servers 6 hours early? Wowza! Sometimes not even that - people obviously feel compelled to loan money to multi-million dollar companies)

I really like space RTS, but apart from Homeworld most tend to be 4X, which means (a) complex tech tree to memorize and (b) only brief fun sandwiched between the boring "build up" phase where it takes 2 hours to research a rudimentary frigate and the tedious "manage an empire so large it feels more like filing tax returns."  A campaign focussed on the pew-pew gets my vote!

*If you know about how DLC works you may find the comic below amusing.  DLC = downloadable content for a PC or videogame i.e. you pay $$$ for extra maps, missions, characters and weapons in a game.  Often it is stuff that is developed with the main game but actually removed from the game before release so they can sell it to you later.   Lately gaming devs have been selling a "season pass" a $50 collection of DLC that has yet to be released - yet another "interest free loan" for suckers enthusiasts.  Heck, with $80 for a base game and a $50 season pass it makes the old subscription-based pricing look attractive. At least then they had an incentive to make the game work and keep it updated as you could simply unsubscribe....  Now they get your money upfront, and screw you if you don't like the game, content or patches - they have your money and are going to repeat the process on a new game (or rather concept - they sell a trailer/concept rather than a game) in 12 months time.....


Sadly, this isn't really a joke.  This (slightly paraphrased) is appears on gaming forums all the time whenever someone complains about "exclusive" DLC....

The Secret World PC MMO: Pulp Gaming Inspiration

As I have been "back to work" shed time has decreased but it's still possible to snatch a bit of gaming time indoors after the munchkins are asleep.

The Secret World
My latest game is The Secret World - a MMO about modern pulp.  Templars, Illuminati, and the Order of the Dragon investigating paranormal disturbances, wielding conventional weapons like swords, handguns and assault rifles alongside magic powers to fight Lovecraftian horrors.  Harry Potter joins the CIA, as you will.

 It starts out Walking Dead style....

The game is very much a "MMO" (easy to play - mash an array of buttons to auto-attack, without much hand-eye co ordination required) but pleasingly, can be enjoyed solo without the fruit loops other players that tend to frequent this game genre.  The storytelling is the greatest strength.  For example, the first "mission zone" sees you investigate Innsmouth Kingsmouth, where a lost trawler returns, followed by a strange fog which animates the living dead, and strange Davy Jones-esque fish monsters roam the bay.   Strange Illuminati symbols and runes are inscribed around the town by the founding fathers.  Exploring the uncanny environs of the town has been great fun, and further missions promise adventures in Egypt, Tokyo and Transylvania.   Whilst this MMO genre is not my usual cup of tea, it's genre, style and storytelling have me hooked.   There isn't a huge player base, which is a bonus, as outside the main "mission hubs" you rarely encounter other weirdos players, so it feels more "horror" as you battle your lone way through strange monsters and undead.  In addition, it does not lock you into the usual "classes" - you can unlock and wield every skill and power though you can only equip 2 weapon/magic types at a time.  If you like pulp horror with a Lovecraft vibe, you'll probably enjoy the stories and exploration in the game even if you aren't a gamer (and since it's a MMO catering to the lowest common denominator aiming for mass appeal, gaming "skill" isn't strictly needed). At $10 on Steam, it was a bargain.

..and takes a turn for the Lovecraft as we enter Innsmouth "Kingsmouth"

The game has inspired me to fiddle around with my modern pulp homebrew rules (best described as a mashup of the best traits of Infinity and SoBH) as well as looking through my Savage Worlds rulebooks.  The idea of secret societies fighting a secretive arcane "Cold War" whilst hunting down monsters with assault rifles and fireballs inspires my inner geek. 

Job well done...   ...my Templar wields gun, blade and blood sorcery....

Homebrew Pulp Magic
My current pulp "magic" system is based on a d10; mages must roll under a d10 to cast the spell.  Failing means they must miss an action next turn to recover and "recharge" their magic (or instantly regain it at the cost of losing their stamina - which acts as a LOTR might point).

The binary nature means balancing should be straightforward - without casting times, or a magic points pool etc - simply increase/decrease the difficulty in 10% increments until "balanced" in popularity/effect against other spells.

At the moment I'm trying to make up a list of generic spells, in the Savage Worlds style - i.e. describe the effect rather than the trappings (i.e. a "disguise" or "charm" spell might work the same as "invisibility" and share the same rules - i.e. enemy must pass a Will test in order to attack) thus minimizing the actual new rules to learn.  My current short list includes:

Defensive
Dispel/nullify magic (AoE/single target)
Force field (AoE)
Arcane defence/deflect (self)
Heal (self/single target)

Combat
Fireball/lighting etc (AoE/spray/beam)
Pull/push (spray)
Magic/telekinetic strike (melee)
Super speed

Utility
Mind control
Disguise/invisibility

Mobility
Teleport
Super speed
Super jump/levitate

The rules are nice and generic and can be used to describe a range of effects.  In fact, I want innate abilities to share the same rules as magic i.e. a vampire's ability to leap or fall great distances can be mimicked by a mage's levitate spell; the only difference is the mage must pass a magic test  dice roll, and the vampire automatically can accomplish it (or perhaps tests against his Agility).  Furthermore, technology can also share the rules (i.e. rocket boosters/jet pack or steampunk spring boots can also have the same in-game effect).   I'm gunning for the maximum range of abilities and magic, with the minimum amount of actual special (extra) rules on top of the core mechanics.

 

My main issue with massively multiplayer games is they are full of other people.  Spot the human player in the street ahead of me - yeah, the one dancing Gangnam style.... I swear this genre attracts the biggest tossers in online gaming...

Speaking of special rules....
I often harp on about how special rules are over-used under the incorrect assumption they are simpler than stats (i.e. the poster child, SoBH, has only two stats but ~100 special rules; compared to the more conventional LoTR's 5 stats and ~30 special rules, that's actually 3x more things to remember/look up. That's not simpler!)

Anyway, I recently have noticed a few recent rules (such as Deadzone 2.0, and another which I forgot) now switching back to stats - i.e. adding in a movement stat, etc - in order to "...simplify and add differentiation, and remove confusing special rules."   Is the pendulum finally swinging back the other way into the common sense zone?

Below is a quick reminder of why I don't usually play MMOs.  Thankfully the oddballs primarily hangout in the non-mission social hubs where they can show off their dubious taste in monster hunting garb - the missions themselves are pleasantly deserted....

World of Warships: Tier 3 Ships and Beginner Tips

Well, I've racked up a few more hours in this game, and I must say I enjoy it far, far more than the often-frustrating World of Tanks.   Apart from torpedoes and leading shells, the main challenge has been to "think ahead" as the majestic momentum of a warship is quite different to the start-stop gameplay of tanks who lurch from cover to cover. 

I've tried all the Tier 1, 2 and 3 warships from each faction and class, and here's my 10c on all of them.

Tier 1: 

Gunboats
All the rookie ships are gunboats and are pretty evenly balanced.  Pick what looks cool, though remember only USN and UJN have the full range of warship classes, so I'd focus on upgrading those first.

Tier 2:  

Destroyers
Not even a contest. The Umikaze and its 7km torpedoes is better than most Tier 3 ships and is the best ship in this tier, period.  The Sampson's torpedoes only ranges to 4.5km and the Storozhevoi packs a whopping 9 torpedo broadside but suffers from a crippling 3km range. 

Cruisers
They're all quite solid.  The Dresden has masses of machine-gun-like light guns, and the Chikuma is speedy and elegant.  I also did well in the Chester, but it is less interesting and unique in feel, so it got sold.

Tier 3:

Destroyers:
Again, rated nationally in the same order as Tier 2 - Wakakaze has the best 7km torpedoes, with the Wickes having acceptable ones and the Derzki very powerful albeit at suicidally short 3km ranges which make it very 'situational.' I.e. there's only rare situations where they can actually threaten the enemy team.

Cruisers:
The St. Louis is slow but packs bucketloads of guns, able to slug it out with the awful Tier 3 battleships.  The Tenryu is the first cruiser with torpedoes and acts like a big destroyer.  Both are fun and offer very different playstyles. I disliked the Kolberg which seemed identical to the Dresden - only fighting tougher higher-tier opponents - I couldn't wait to ditch it.

Battleships:
I'd say South Carolina over Kawachi but it's like choosing chocolate or strawberry-scented turd pancakes.  The slow firing battleship guns track slowly, are short ranged and inaccurate, and their lumbering bulk makes them easy prey to destroyers. They require even more forward planning than other ships, but sadly I notice they tend to attract the most brain-dead players who either yolo into the enemy solo and die or alternately sit sniping ineffectually at extreme range, or head down narrow straits where there is no room to dodge a torpedo spread. "Imma be a big battleship hurr durrr." 

Crew Skills. You can "customise" your commander with special skills. Which skill is best? Depends on the ship class. There are five tiers of skills but I am only familiar with the first two.

Tier 1: 
Battleship = Basic Survivability +15% better repair time
Cruiser = Basic Firing Training  +10 % rate of fire
Destroyer = Situational Awareness - indicates if ship is detected by enemies

Tier 2:
Battleship = Aiming Expert + 2.5d/sec better turret rotation
Cruiser = Aiming Expert or Torpedo Expertise
Destroyer = Torpedo Expertise +10% faster torpedo reload

Beginner tips I learned from hard-won experience

View range matters.  Destroyers are spotted around ~6.5km, cruisers at ~10km, and battleships at 14km+ (individual ships vary). Firing your guns increases this a lot (i.e. by 3+ km on a destroyer). Corollary: if you're a destroyer, you have a view range advantage - so don't fire you guns except as a last resort.  Not being seen at all is the best way to (a) sink other ships (b) avoid being sunk yourself.   In later levels destroyers have automatic AA - turn it off with "P" to avoid gunners giving away your location.

Firing Torpedoes.  This is what makes destroyers feared.  Press X to get a grey "predicted path" which shows where to fire to get a hit if enemies continue on their speed/heading.  I tend to fire one salvo along this path, then a second salvo behind this path.  If the enemy ship detects the first salvo it tends to swerve into the second.  Delaying 1-2 seconds between salvoes creates a crossover "X" pattern which is harder to dodge.   It's always best to fire at a target's broadside.  If you're confident of your aim against an easy target, press '3' again to fire a narrower spread to land more hits on him.

Note: Sometimes players blind-fire torpedoes randomly down narrow straits as "area denial."  Unless I am capping a flag, I don't want to "deny" them. I want them to enter the strait, then fire into it and sink them. 

Corollary: Know your torpedo range, and know your opponents' torpedo range.  Tip: The wide end of the green wedge shows how far yours will go.  

Corollary:  There's no such thing as a friendly torpedo.  It's always on you. "But he swerved in front!" No excuses. You pull the trigger, it's your fault.  Check your surroundings, check the minimap. Never fire if there is even a 1% change of an ally crossing your torpedoes path.

Dodging Torpedoes. Always try to run parallel "through" the torpedo spread; turning away from the firer gives you more reaction time (recommended - also sometimes you can outrun the torpedo), though turning into the firer means you can better hunt down the little bastard who fired them (if you're ticked off).  Whatever you do, don't present your broadside to the torpedoes.

Sharp Turns. Cutting to half speed allows you to turn tighter; handy for dodging torpedoes or avoiding 'digging from clams' - hey, who put that island there?!    Furthermore, agile ships can dodge incoming shells by making zig zag turns.

Smoke. Destroyers have two useful abilities - speed boost (10% more power) and smoke. Smoke allows you to lay down cover. A few tips: as you lay smoke, either turn away from enemies or cut power slightly in order to hide in it as you lay it; otherwise you can get 'ahead' of the smoke and remain visible.  Smoke is handy but does advertise "destroyer over here" to everyone.

Leading Targets. Never stop moving.  Clicking your mouse button once fires a single turret (ranging); clicking twice fires a broadside, and holding it "ripple" fires the gun (machine-gun hilarious on a Dresden). You always tend to need to lead targets more than you think - a 35 knot destroyer moves quite fast relative to your shots.  Don't forget to aim slightly "above" the target if they are moving away and "below" if they are closing.    You can fire over islands - lock a target with X, press SHIFT and often you can see over it.  Your shell trajectory will usually arc over them as well.

Keep Moving. Stopping does not increase your accuracy at all. But it does increase your enemies accuracy. Corollary: Try not to present a broadside to the target, but sail towards/away from at 45d or whatever is the tightest angle that still allows you to bring your guns to bear.

Tunnel Vision = Doom.  Players tend to press SHIFT and zoom in, pounding enemies without any awareness of their surroundings.  They run aground, ram friendlies, are easily torpedoed and usually don't pay attention to their own ships' damage.  Look at the mini map. Zoom out every few seconds.

AP or HE?  You get two sorts of shells.  AP can punch into the target's citadel (an armoured box approximately amidships) doing grievous internal damage while the HE starts annoying fires. Some ships are better firing one or the other.  Destroyers have no citadel so you may as well fire HE at the little buggers.  It's kinda situational in other circumstances so I'll leave this one for more experienced players.

Repair Wisely. You have a "repair" (R key) on a cooldown that puts out any fires/stops flooding/restarts engines.   It does not recover HP, but simply stops more HP from draining.  Sometimes it pays to wait a moment before repairing if you are under enemy fire; due to the cooldown it can be a pain to fix a fire, only to have your engines knocked out a second later with no way to repair them until your repair "refreshes".

Random useful information: 
You need to be on the Port screen to leave a division you are in.
Alt key shows lots of detailed information on friends and foes.

What about aircraft carriers?
Bugger off.  This is World of Warships, not Command and Conquer. I bet you like artillery in World of Tanks.  Luckily there are no carriers, only 'proper' ships at Tiers 1-3.


Anyway, hope this helps any newbie sailors like myself - I had to learn this all the hard way.  (by googling it? ;-)  As usual, I play on the NA server, so if you are playing say hi in chat. 

World of Warships First Impressions (PC Game)

Regular readers will know I often dabble in World of Tanks (info for raw beginners here and beginners-wanting-to-be-decent here).  Whilst designed by Russian gangsters who utilize a painful grind and not-so-cheap "freemium" free-to-play model it is a great "dad" game - old age and cunning beat youthful reflexes and the 5-10 minute rounds means the wife will actually believe you saying "just 5 more minutes."  You don't need to chug a case of Red Bull to be twitchy enough to compete - you can relax while chatting and playing with your friends on programs like Teamspeak using a mic.

With the start of the holidays I've embarked on one of their newer games - the not-so-inventively named World of Warships. Same theory - a deathmatch (or capture-the-base that inevitably becomes a deathmatch) with a dozen or so on each side, last ship standing wins.  As usual as an Aussie I've favoured the NA server over the Asian one (I distrust the Singapore-Australia undersea line as I prefer slightly higher ping over packet loss).  Also, I dislike being abused in Filipino.

Bear in mind these are "first impressions" - from low tier play.  That said, given the commitment in game time the game imposes to get beyond the "low tiers" this is a valid review as it is as far as most people will get before either giving up or deciding they love it.

Everyone loves tanks with big guns. Warships have more. Size does matter...

The Good

It's got WW2 ships.  How many games allow you to command a Kongo battlecruiser?
It's shiny. There's a thrill as the funnels belch smoke as you order the ship to full power and bow waves push away.  A bubbling torpedo wake (friendly or not!) always inspires a momentary jolt of terror. 
It's somewhat realistic.  Ships have a satisfying momentum, and turrets take a while to track onto targets.  For a ships to have a pool of hitpoints does not seem so silly as it does for a tank.  It feels more like a genuine battle than an arena deathmatch like its tank cousin. 
It's easy to play.  WASD to steer. Mouse to turn your turrets and shoot. SHIFT to zoom in. Voila, you can now play Warships.
It's fast to play.  Rounds are longer than WoT (usually 10-15min) but should not aggravate the wife.
It rewards planning.  Due to ships innate momentum and the ranges involved, you need to think 20-30 seconds ahead.
Different ships, Different flavours.  Destroyers are agile, sneaky and can launch deadly torpedo attacks and cover allies with smoke screens. Cruisers are flexible all-rounders.  Battleships are lumbering but powerful behemoths.  Carriers are for people who don't actually like ships and prefer to play air traffic controller on a minimap.
Low Tier = Useful.  In WoT, being a Tier 3 in a Tier 5 game meant you were just cannon fodder for higher ranked vehicles. In WoWS, lower tier ships still seem viable.
Mostly Historical. 90% of warships were actual warships.  Unlike WoT, where 90% of tanks are BS wishful thinking paper designs that never even made it to the prototype stage. But wait, they haven't done the Soviet Navy yet? In that case, brace yourself for 1980s Kirovs vs Bismark duels. 
It's free. Yeah right. Unless, of course, you want more than 8 ships. Which you will. Or you want to play at beyond Tier 7, which is fine with me because if you've played and progressed that far it's fair you pay something. Or you don't want to have to play a ship you dislike for five hours to get to the next one which you DO want.

WW1 era ships clash with WW2 designs - but at least they don't fight  mostly 1970s vessels or paper-only designs.... yet *cough* WoT *cough*

The Bad

The grind.  To unlock new and better ships you are stuck with having to play dozens (later on, sometimes hundreds) of games with the preceding ship - even if you don't like it.  I estimate the grind is 2-4x worse than World of Tanks.  No, I'm not joking.
It needs more ships.  Only IJN and USN are represented well, though there are some Soviet destroyers and German cruisers. I'm pretty sure the Royal Navy and Italian Navy were both comfortably bigger than the Kriegsmarine and Soviet Navy and I'm confident that the former was at least as large as the IJN.
Less Opportunity for Skill than WoT.  Yes, I'm new to WoWS but while it seems to favour tactical planning, there seems to be less ways for player skill to impact the game. In WoT, a good player could sidescrape, hulldown, angle armour, and aim at weakspots as well as use terrain and cover.  In WoWs, dodging and launching torpedoes was the nain new skill, and the shots seem more "random" (i.e. dependent on computer Random Number Generation - aka RNG) - than skill, without even an indicator to show how your actions impact accuracy etc.
It's very slow....  I know slow is good for us old guys, but it sometimes takes frustratingly long to get anywhere in a 20-knot boat. The battle sometimes takes a while to warm up.  A 10 minute game is good, but not if 8 minutes is jockeying to get into combat range. WoWS almost crosses the boundary into "too slow" - thank goodness for destroyers.

Verdict:  If you love WW2 warships, and the IJN and USN in particular, absolutely try it. It's atmospheric, free to try, and simple to play.  That said, don't get your heart set on a Tier X, like, say, the Yamato - it will take you literally thousands of games of playing nothing but a certain ship type. 

Hey, this wasn't on your list of articles for Christmas period!  What is this PC gaming crap?!
Suck it up - it was already written before my to do list.  Also, the wargame-pc gamer crossover bracket is relatively popular.  
 Btw, is anyone interested in a beta review of the new PC Game Mordhiem? It seems to be very X-COM-meets oldschool Mordhiem in nature, and has now got is campaign system in place. 

Warframe: 2015 Review (PC)

A ninja-Jedi in a mech suit who fights space marines, robots and twisted alien infested?
Warframe has the sort of flashy, fun gameplay you'd expect from such a premise.  The "rule of cool" is very much the guiding design philosophy.

Slide and shoot.... 

(note a polearm, sniper rifle and a wrist laser are perfectly viable loadouts....)

What is it?
It's a 4-player co-op 3rd-person shooter/RPG where you team up with other "Tenno" (ninjas); slicing down hordes of foes in a combination of swordplay, parkour, and 'force' powers to complete a range of mission objectives.   Left for Dead in space, and with waaaay more customisation and cool toys. And you can fly around in space (and underwater) with winged jetpacks.  This is one of the most polished of the "free" games I've come across - it looks and plays like a AAA title.  It's faster paced than my usual style of game, but the over-the-shoulder camera, fluid and familiar controls and the co-op nature of gameplay make it easy to adapt to for us older gamers.

Deflect bullets like a Jedi....

....then slash apart your foes....

Is it really "free?"
It is one of the more benign of the "freemium" models.Whilst games like World of Tanks basically necessitates a monthly subscription to progress, and Mechwarrior blatantly appeals to rich "whales" with its "pay to win" vibe, Warframe can be played completely for free, by collecting and selling rare mods and weapon parts.  So yes, it is free.  That said, I recommend putting in a one-off $10, about a month in, which will set you up with enough warframe and weapons slots for a year.  A fair business model.

Will my computer run it?
A dual core, 2gig of RAM and a videocard of any sort. Basically, any computer less than 6-7 years old.  A very pretty game, well optimised with good 60fps framerate on my 5-year-old computer.

The view from the cockpit of your spaceship/home base is impressive...

Gameplay
Controls are the usual simple, familiar mouse+WASD shooter controls, with spacebar and Ctrl allowing a variety of parkour moves such as wall running, double jumps, and slides. You can shoot, slash and slide your way fluidly through levels, while casting space magic on your foes. The NPC AI is as dumb as dog poop, and "tougher foes" simply means more hitpoints to chew through - but no one cares. It's not that sort of game.  Casual. Accessible. Stylish. Not tactically complex. The depth comes in other areas.

Force Powers
Each frame has its own shield and hitpoint ratings, but most importantly each has four unique powers.  This could be things like casting lightning bolts, force shields, creating AoE whirlwinds, teleportation or flight. The warfame's array of powers give them all a distinct flavour.  I guess you could put them into RPG terms like "crowd control"  "healer"  "tank"  "dps"  "AoE"  "glass cannon" etc but given all share a common weapon pool, and you have to manually aim, slash and run like a FPS means the distinctions are a bit blurry.

...blast enemies with force powers....

Ranking Up & Mods
Weapons and warframes can "rank up" to level 30 and this happens pleasantly easily and quickly.  "Levelling" your frame/weapon is important as the level determines the sum of the "mods" you can place on it.

Weapon mods include damage boosts, elemental damage, faster attack speed - frame mods include shield and HP boosts as well as more efficient/improved use of force powers.  The mods can radically improve your frame as well as changing the focus of its playstyle, espescially with regard to your 'space magic' powers.

Min-maxing your frame is a fun quest, as you collect or trade mods, and decide how much to level them, in order to fit under the "cap" of your waframe level. I.e. a level 20 warframe can fit 20 "points" of mods, and a level 30 warframe can fit 30.  Capacity of your favourite frames can be doubled if you craft expensive "reactors" essentially expanding the maximum "cap" to 60.   If you end up with a surplus of rare mods, you can trade them for in-game currency to truly "play for free."  

In short - levelling weapons is easy and fun, and leads to deep customisation. The RPG-esque 'grind' lies elsewhere....

...Sometimes you stalk enemies....

Crafting - Weapons & Frames
There is a huge range of primary, secondary and melee weapons available all of which you can build from loot dropped by foes or by smashing open the ubiquitous crate.  Collecting the ingredients may be easy or hard, depending on the weapon and the rarity of materials it needs.  This is where the "grind" comes in.   If you have your heart set on a particular weapon, it can take ages of running particular types of mission to collect enough materials.  My 10c - don't "force" it - play casually, have fun with mates, and make stuff when you get the parts.  "Grinding" relentlessly to collect stuff - that way lies madness (or burnout). 

There is about 25 warframes, each with its own stats and its own unique four 'force' powers. Some warframes are easy to attain, some are exasperatingly difficult.  Most require repeating boss fights multiple times to collect all the parts. Some require you to complete quests.  Others require rare materials.

This is also where you need to spend really money to unlock "weapon slots" and "warframe slots" - though if you sell rare mods and gear on the player market you can play completely for free.  In addition, most items require real-world time to craft - 12-24 hours usually, with up to 72(!) for warframes.  This is another area where DE makes money as you can pay to "rush" the item and have instant gratification.

In short, making weapons and frames is where the exasperating grind comes in.  If you're a completionist who's "gotta collect them all" be prepared to spend a lot of game time grinding....

...other times, you just gotta flee!

Pets - Sentinels and Kubrows
Sentinels (drones that hover behind your shoulder) and Kubrow (alien attack dogs that roam around) are the "pets" which can assist you by doing things like collecting loot, cloaking you, performing AoE attacks, chasing down enemy targets, and simply providing extra firepower.  Kubrow are rather expensive to make and maintain and I don't really recommend them for newer players - Sentinels are cheaper and more user-friendly.

Archwing - by space and sea!
There are Gundam-style Archwing winged backpacks which allow you to fly in space or travel under water while wielding anime-esque swords and guns bigger than you are. This is a completely different game mode and while it adds welcome variety I found it to be less engaging than the usual game mode.

There's few problems in life that a well-aimed wrist laser can't fix...

PvP
To be honest this isn't great, though I admit I've only dabbled in it.  Whilst weapons are balanced separately for PvP there are constant complaints about unbalanced gear and the advantages of hosting the game.  Like Archwing mode, it adds a bit of variety if you are bored (it has unique mission types), but if you are looking for a dedicated PvP game look elsewhere, as Warframe shines best in its Left-for-Dead casual co-op with RPG elements niche.

The Bad
It's the two 'R's -  RNG and Repetition; and unsurprisingly one is linked to the other.
It's a great casual game, but easy to burn out on. I started a few years back, played it heavily, then quit for a year, in about this sequence:
"Heh, space ninjas - looks fun."
"Nice graphics - this is really good for a free game!"
"Wow - the mods is quite complicated - there's a lot of depth!"
"So many weapons and frames to try out and level up!"
<100 hours later>
"Must... grind... that... glowy rare ubersword"
"...damn RNG!  this is grindframe not Warframe!"
 <quits>

The Random Number Generator (RNG) means your chance of getting loot is totally random.  For example, a boss might drop one of three Warframe parts you need - the helmet, systems and chassis.  However there is no guarantee you will get them consecutively in three missions.  You might play a dozen missions and end up with 9 helmets, 3 systems and no chassis - and still be unable to craft the Warframe you want.  Each enemy loot drop is a random dice roll.  Which makes dedicated collecting or "farming" an item really exasperating as it is complete luck if/when you get the item you seek.  Hence the "repetition."

Repetition - well, quite often you will be replaying particular missions seeking a particular component/resource (thanks for nothing, RNG!) and whilst there is about 17 mission types having only 3 enemy races and a tendency to reuse ingame resources means things can start to get samey.
The game tries to mitigate repetition with random tilesets.  This means the maps are "jumbled up" every mission - you'll recognize the rooms but they'll be connected in different sequence. Like modular wargame terrain.   Whilst this is a good idea, it still won't take you long to see every room/location/graphic resource in the game a hundred times.  

Sliding into to dice up some twisted alien Infested

Planets & Missions & "Endgame"  Rant

Planets (of which there are about a dozen) are unlocked by defeating the boss at the previous planet.  Void missions (one-off missions that drop better/unique loot) can be tried if you find a Void Key on a normal mission. Each planet has 12-25 missions on it, of a range of mission types from assassinate, to sabotage, defence, to hacking and defending terminals and hostage rescue. The spy and rescue missions require sneaking and hacking security terminals to break in undetected for a change of pace compared to the usual frenetic slash-and-shoot combat.

MMO players always seem to seek a mythical "Endgame" where the game becomes somehow better and deeper and it a "payoff" for all your hard work once you're levelled up.  It's ridiculous.  The game itself should be fun.  If you are not enjoying yourself but keep playing in expectation it will somehow change and become "funner" and "pay off" all your "work" after 100 hours when you're all "levelled up"... that's just stupid.  

In Warframe it's very easy to level up your weapons and frames, though your mods take much longer to fully optimize.  The Void missions are tough (especially Tier 3/4) without friends, and the later planets (i.e. the tier 30+ ones) are tricky solo without levelled gear.  Better gear simply allows you to do more solo or contribute more to a team, and to progress further into harder missions.  So there is no mythical "endgame" (nor should there be) - you play the game cos you like it, not because you have to work for some mythical endgame where all the best content is kept.  If your game doesn't get good until the end, why bother with anything else?  If the endgame is cool, and the rest is an annoying, inferior, irrelevant timesink - why?

In short, there isn't really an "endgame" - nor should there be. 

 Stealth mode? After only rarely getting bugs, I got stuck in a wall twice the day before I wrote this review... 

It's still a Beta?
And it has been in beta since 2012! But honestly if you charge for a game, it's a product, not a test.  Beta is basically a cop out - an excuse for bugs. "But it's still in beta!" They say this with a straight face. If "beta" means "still in active development" then every MMO (or indeed every game receiving patches and updates) is in beta. But no one would claim World of Warcraft is in beta.  So no, Warframe has been out and charging money for 3 years - it is not a beta. 

So does it have bugs? Well, I've been stuck in a wall four times and under the floor three times - in a few hundred hours of play over two years - but they're the only "gamebreaking" issues I've had. I'd rate that as quite acceptable.   Also, the multiplayer has no dedicated servers and "host migration" - when the game swaps the hosting player mid-game - is quite annoying.  

TL:DR
+ Everything follows the "Rule of cool" - ninjas, robots, parkour, Jedi powers!
+ Fun, casual, accessible co-op - easy to pick up and play
+ Surprisingly deep customization/crafting
+ Very polished, great graphics - works on any computer
+ Good game for dad + sons/mums/daughters
+ Actually can be played for free unlike most "freemium" games

- Repetitious enemies and maps after a while
- Random loot drops = annoying when trying to get a particular weapon/frame/mod

Recommended:  Yes!  A casual but shiny co-op game of space ninjas that you can easily con the wife into playing, it is stylish slash-em-up fun that has unexpected depth in the crafting/modding aspect of the game.  Keep it casual, though, to avoid burnout.

 

World of Tanks: Improving from the Basics

I'm a distinctly average player.  However my efficiency, win ratio, kills:deaths and damage ratios have all been climbing distinctly and steadily upwards.

This is not for "pro" players but rather average players like myself who are looking to improve. 

I already know the basics - camo, armour, positioning.  The improvement is coming through being more aware and responsive to the battle around me.  In other words....  It's all about the Minimap, Baby!

#1. Start of the Game - Where should I be?

At the start of the game I have a good look at the minimap as the lemmings my team mates rush off to deploy.

Is there a weaker flank I can reinforce?
Is that flank even worth reinforcing?  (defending a flank solo or in a pair is usually suicidal)
Where are our top tier tanks going?
Is there somewhere I am "expected" to be (i.e. heavies in city fighting, mediums sweeping open flanks, TD camping spots, areas I need to scout as a light)

TL:DR Wait a minute, see where everyone is going, and pick a flank

Cautious Early Involvement
Now we deploy. I like to get into position to do early damage, but not at the expense of losing HP (or worse, the tank).  Basically, get your gun somewhere (safe-ish) it can be shooting early.

I'd add: don't go far from friends unless you have the raw speed to get out of trouble.   I'd also add a corollary: and you can fight off any tanks of equal speed. I.e. if I'm in a Tier 5 Chaffee and I see two fast Tier 6 Cromwell mediums and a Leopard on the other team, I'm not going yoloing off solo into enemy territory.

However, ask yourself: can I flee?  If things go pear shaped and you find yourself heavily outnumbered and outgunned, do you have an escape route?  That bush in the middle of the open fields might seem like a good spot - but it'll be hard to escape unscathed when spotted.  Likewise canyons can trap you.

No yolo! Charging in (aka "suicide scouting") seldom works. Maybe 1 in 10 it comes off, you throw the enemy into disarray, kill their arty, etc; the other 90% of the time you condemn your team to being 0-1 down.   Most times, you will charge into a bunch of otherwise useless enemy campers who will quickly vaporise you.  The current maps are too narrow and crowded for meaningful manuevers at this stage.

Throwing Good Money After the Bad
If you see a single tank charge way off in front to fight enemies by himself, let him go. And die.    Don't "help."   By following him and trying to support, you have likely doomed yourself too, and hurt your team. Now your team is 0-2 down, instead of 0-1.  Worse still, allies may follow you and then your flank will crumble as you go in to attack and die piecemeal.  Sometimes you have to sacrifice the intellectually weakest for the greater good.

Example: In this "defence" game, five team mates ignored the game mode and decided to attack (despite the fact there was no flag); attacking piecemeal in a conga-line on the flank.  After three died, instead of trying to save the last two (who were already being swarmed by six foes); I took up an ambush position overlooking the flag which I could control with vision.  After five tanks died trying to cross open ground to my position, the last two foes were too scared to approach the flag and we won.  If I had rushed to try and save my team mates, I would have got off maybe 2-3 shots before being wiped out by the focussed fire of 6 enemy tanks...

#2.  Early Game - Where are they?

As contacts start "bleep" and contacts pop up on the minimap, I reassess the minimap.
 How many enemies have we spotted? Where are they?  Where are the still-hidden tanks likely to be?
I.e. 7 enemy tanks have been spotted on the left flank, and 2 are destroyed.    Setting aside the two artilleries, that means 4 unaccounted for; of which probably one is camping near their base.  So we are only facing 3, maybe 4 tanks on this flank.
If you have XVM installed (which you should) you'll also know which tank has been spotted where.

TL:DR  Find them, get your gun where it can shoot ASAP, but stay safe - preserve a line of retreat.
Don't lose too many HP.

#3. Mid Game - Finding the Gaps

Once about half the tanks are gone, gaps will start appearing in the enemy line.   By now, after looking regularly at the mini-map, you will also have a fair idea of where most of enemy team is located.

Yolo time! This is where an aggressive push often works.  There are often opportunities to flank enemies - you now (hopefully) know where the weak points are.  This is a great chance to get in "free damage" 

If you're in a light or fast medium, you might consider a run through to their artillery.  Or maybe you can get behind their main force and harass them, distracting them and relieving pressure on your team mates.  If you have a more powerful tank, you may even completely break the enemy flank.

TL:DR  Now is the time to seek out and find gaps, push or flank your foes.  Check the minimap, think, then act decisively.  

 Know When to Hold Em, Know When to Fold Em
...know when to walk away, know when to run.  

The  mid game is also when you really notice things going pear-shaped.

When you lose tanks, and the death message appear, check the mini-map and quickly consider the big picture:
Is your flank crumbling?  
Is the other flank crumbling?

If you are going to withdraw, be decisive.  A slow"fighting retreat" just sees you exposed as you withdraw.  Don't hang around for one last shot. Once you decide to pull out, go.  That low tier medium facing three full-HP enemy top tier heavies? He's about to die anyway.  Make sure his sacrifice isn't in vain.  Escape, and set up somewhere you can engage the heavies on more even terms.

If you think it's time to withdraw, the time is now.  Not in a minute or two when escape is impossible.

Amusingly, a team-mate gets stuck...

 ...and has to be pushed free.  Names hidden to protect the innocent :-P

#4. End Game

This is where preserving your hitpoints early is handy. It's why I have become more selfish when retreating/sitting behind allies. Would you rather it was you, or  that red WN 30 potato left fighting in the clutch stages?

I notice many blue-purple (good-great) players are rather cautious and they are usually always among those left alive at this stage.  They may be "campers" and "farm damage at the expense of team mates" but they are also winners.  There's a reason they do what they do.

If you have been paying attention to the minimap, you should have a fair idea where enemies are.  It's why fast tanks are so dangerous - they can swap flanks, or attack/defend unpredictably.  Whereas that 15kph TOG is probably is where you last saw him.  Vision range is also useful here, which is why you should never throw away your light tank in a suicide mission early in the game.  

If in doubt, defend cap rather than attacking.  If you have XVM, you can tell who will win a race to cap and how many are on cap. This is VERY useful.  Only 3 tanks count towards capping at a time, but extra tanks can be useful backup if one of the three is hit (and has its cap points reset.)  Often, if there's already 3 on cap, I usually move off cap a bit where I can intercept enemies and protect the capping tanks.

GENERAL TIPS

Get Comfortable in Your Tank
If you're always grinding "stock" tank to get better guns, engines and equipment - you're always driving a sub-standard tank.   Likewise if you're always training up new crews, you are gimping your performance. A 80% crew has 15% lower speed, accuracy and DPM than a maxed 110% crew.   If you're only playing for the "grind" and to unlock tanks, and not to have fun and blow stuff up, why are you playing the game?

A corollary to this is - get comfortable in your tier.  Players often "grind" quickly to high tiers without understanding or grasping the gameplay (or learning about enemy tanks) at the lower tiers.
For example, in tier 5 I am a good player (usually one of the best ones on my team); in tier 6 I am capable, in tier 7 I am so-so, and I am outmatched in tier 8.  So I confine the majority of my games to Tiers 5-6, while "learning" in Tiers 7-8.

 ....The Need For Speed
 ....Is the other flank crumbling?
This question highlights another point - the need for speed.  A slow tank cannot easily withdraw, or switch flanks to support a flank, or race back to stop an enemy cap.   Many game-winning strategies are simply not possible with a slow tank.   Speed > Armour.  Many slow tanks have great armour.  Great if facing their own tier or below. But how often are you top tier?  1 in 3?  When lower tier, your armour is likely to be outmatched, especially with the prevalence of gold ammo. So while armour is useful 33% of the time, speed is ALWAYS useful: 100% of the time.  And speed is arguably even more useful when you are a lower tier. 

Slow+ Tough: An armoured AT-2 tank destroyer, against foolish opponents, who don't know it's weak points, is almost impervious to frontal fire from equal or lower tier foes.  It can chew through swarms enemies who obligingly attack it frontally in chokepoints. However once it moves to a flank, it cannot redeploy elsewhere.  It's hard to "win" a game in an AT2 unless the opponents co operate. It's only tactic is a slow, frontal advance or a "back to the wall" last stand. Against higher tier foes (most of the time) it is largely neutered - the armour is negated by gold spam/better players/better guns, and its gun cannot always penetrate foes in a head-on duel. Furthermore, its lack of speed makes it an easy artillery target. It is a one-trick pony that relies on your opponents and team mates making certain choices.

Fast: A T-67 (also a tank destroyer) is a speed machine which can outrun some light tanks.  It has armour weaker than a coke can - but it doesn't care.  It can use its speed to flex all over the map, controlling engagements with superior vision range, fleeing unfavourable fights, and flanking with ease.  It can blast across the map to support allies or reset an enemy cap.  It's useful in higher tier games where its gun reliably pens when flanking and it can even be used as a pseudo-scout.  You can do well regardless of your opposition or team mates. 

Make Favourable Trades
If you're facing 3 enemy tanks with their guns trained on the rock you're hiding behind - why roll out and exchange 1 shot but get 3 in return?  But it's amazing how many players cannot resist doing this.
 They roll out, do 250 damage, get 3 x 250 damage shots in return; and are probably now tracked and mostly dead where opponents can easily finish them off. 

Usually they are loath to rush you and possibly lose their precious HP, so you have time to sit behind your cover and consider you situation.

Can you retreat toward backup?
Can I use my armour? (Sidescrape > Peek-a-boom); 70d+ = nearly automatic bounce
Can I ensure I get the first shot in/can I position myself so they can't flank me if they charge?
Is there a weak tank I can finish off? (gambling on one-shotting a tank and reducing the odds to 1:2)
Do I need to pop out and shoot to discourage them from rushing me?

I was quite proud of this game; after four team mates "lemminged" to their doom, I held off 5 enemies on my flank solo, through judicious retreating and sidescraping, killing their heavies (O-Is, KV) and holding them in place long enough for my artillery to take the others out. 

Remember - there's rarely a need to trade damage at a loss.  Ultimately, if you and your opponents remain in situ for the rest of the game, you've just tied up 3 enemy tanks with one of yours.  You can then pop out and hurt them when your team mates flank them in the end game.

"Free" Damage.  This is the holy grail.  Enemy tank turret facing away from you?  Maybe you're in a bush out of his view range. He can't shoot back! Awesome!  "Free" damage is damage you do without risk to yourself.  Something for nothing - it's the best trade of all. Constantly be thinking: how can I get in position to do unanswered damage?

A corollary to this is get the first shot in. This could be done by abusing camo/vision mechanics, or simply using cover wisely.  Having a first shot can damage crew/modules (making return fire less effective) and has a psychological impact on the enemy player as well.  It also gets you 'one-up' if it becomes a race to trade HP.

However, if you are a heavy, I would expect to lose some HP. If you are leading the line, you will take hits for your team.  You have the biggest HP pool and can lose chunks of HP with less risk, and negate hits with your armour.  For example, if you are a KV-1 with an allied Crusader, you should be the one to push around the corner to fight that 105mm-toting Pz IVH.  You might take 100-150 damage of your 640+; whereas the Crusader might get derped outright.   A heavy that has 100% HP at the end of the game is either very skilled at angling or (more likely) has been sitting back, hiding behind mediums and lights.... ...i.e. not doing his job. 

Focus Fire, Secure the Kill
I don't call it kill stealing, but kill securing. The faster an enemy gun can be put out of action, the better.  Work on one enemy tank and take it out of action ASAP.  This preserves your team mates precious HP.  Occasionally I leave a kill for someone else (i.e. I'm in my slow loading SU-152, with 700+ damage gun, vs a enemy with 50HP and two team mates are close by) but 90% of the time, focus your fire, remove the enemy tank, and take its gun out of the game.

It's not kill stealing, it's a public service.  You've made your team mates safer, sooner!

TL:DR
Use your minimap
Use your minimap all the time
Actually play your upgraded tanks and don't rush off to grind the next tier
Don't always rush in to help team mates in trouble
Withdrawing is a valid tactic: when you decide to do it, do it early and decisively
Don't use slow tanks; speed > armour
Don't trade damage at a loss (ie. play peek-a-boo with superior enemy forces)
Focus fire & kill steal - take out the enemy gun ASAP

These are not hard-and-fast rules (I can think of lots of exceptions) but are good general guidelines which have improved my play ~50%. I'm trying to widen my horizons from managing my tank (tunnel vision), to managing the entire battle (tactical awareness).  The key is the minimap. Did I mention that already?