Is HOI 2 Worth Buying?

[King Ragnar]

I have been thinking about buying this for a while now, and i just wanted to get some opinions of the Org-ers, is it good? should i buy it right now from play.com?

[AggonyDuck]

A great game IMO. Has a nice amount of replayability, but also takes a while to really learn how to play.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

YES! HOI2 is a great game, definately worth buying!

[lancelot]

Excellent game in general. Get the patches though!

My one gripe is its a bit too linear, ie- there is less scope (than in victoria for example) for proper crazy scenarios to emerge. The major differences per game will mostly be a difference in victor whereas in VIC, weird nations and a-historical events happened with much more regularity.

This doesnt detract from the fact that it is a great WW2 simulator. There is something inherently satisfying about building loads of panzer divisions!!

Plus there are a ton of great mods too!

[Dutch_guy]

good game with a steep learning curve, don't expect to learn everything in just a day.

If you like the WW2 era, and as real as possible simulations, then this is the best one out there.

DOn't knwo about any of the mods out there, but the game does get patched often, as a matter of fact patch 1.3a was released not to long ago.
So faults in the game are sorted out as quick as possible.

[Stefan the Berserker]

Yes it is worth to buy it, expecially if you want try out alternate history it is great.

[GoreBag]

I'd recommend it. I played my first campaign as Peru because I didn't want a European slugfest, and I had a blast all the same.

[Kraxis]

One word...

YES!!!!

Each national game is longer than most other games, then add the whole collection of nations at the time and you have an endless range of possibilities. This game will be outdated hugely before you can say you are finished with it, and given it's lack dependance of graphics that will be in ten years!

But one has to get the patches. The games from Paradox are usually bugridden and unstable when they get out, but they support their games to a degree that it overshadows that.

[Slyspy]

Amen to the patches! Paradox know that their games will need patches and happily provide long term support and will make changes due to popular demand, a lesson that could be learnt whoever currently flogs RTW. HOI2 is a good game but very complicated. It has a steep learning curve, though the manual is one of Paradox's better efforts. I remember trying to learn Europa Universalis using the original sketchy, badly translated manual lol. I actually prefer the more varied EU2 to HOI2, but the it of course doesn't have tanks. That said I still haven't quite got the hang of HOI2 (especially naval warfare). There are also still a few bugs that can break the game (for example allies whose military units you control will often not attack when you tell them too, ruining any chance of an ahistorical defence of France in my latest game). If you like the era and wargames then give it a go anyway.

[discovery1]

I have been thinking about buying this for a while now, and i just wanted to get some opinions of the Org-ers, is it good? should i buy it right now from play.com?

WHAT?! OF COURSE IT IS!
It's one of the greatest games I've ever played. ANd CORE2 will be released soon!

[Samurai Waki]

I bought it on the day of release and still play it regularly. It's a little overwhelming at first, Theres so much content and detail involved, that it looks minds boggling. After awhile though the interface is comprehensive and easy to use. My biggest suggestion to you, like all people who first try the game, want to play as a minor faction, or a faction that was really never involved in the war. BIG MISTAKE! Just jump into a major faction, and you'll get your ass handed to you a couple of times, but in the end it will make you a stronger player, especially when it comes to taking up the challenge of playing a minor faction.
I've played all of the major factions on hard difficulty, and ended up victorious to some degree (albeit only by the skin on my teeth).

As far as the easiest factions to play:

USA(Easiest...the two front war can get rather exhausting after awhile but you have an almost unlimited IC "Industrial Capacity" You'll learn soon enough)
USSR (Also relatively easy, as long as you plan ahead)
GERMANY (Medium...Start off strong, take your neighbors as quickly as possible to avoid a prolonged war. Old Blitzkrieg works well against most enemies. USSR can be a tough bastard if you're not paying close attention. Focus on taking Leningrad and Moscow first, down worry too much about Stalingrad. Once you take those two cities, Russia is basically screwed, you can wipe the floor with em. After USSR Falls, the world is your oyster. Germany is definantly my favorite faction.
UK (Medium...Several Different Fronts to fight on. But Focus your attention on North Africa First. After that, secure you're front in India and Burma against the Japanese. After that, just let history take it's course.
Italy (Relatively Hard. Italy has crap for Industry, so you won't be able to build very much. My Advice, as soon as the war starts, Push the Brits oughta North Africa alla' Blitzkrieg *which isn't too tough* and then move into the middle east. Then I always make a marine/Airborne assault against Gibraltar. If the Brits have no access to the Mediterranean sea, their large Naval Force will die off quickly. Before the War starts be sure to build a couple of Naval Bombers, and put em' in Sicily. Any British Ships that enter through that area *and many will* Will be obliterated. After that, proceed to your likings, I generally take Turkey, and then push the Soviets out of the Caucasus, if you can take Baku, The Soviets won't have any gas to fuel their machinery.
Japan (Relatively Hard. Japan is probably one of the harder major factions to play, simply because you don't have access to any resources. Smash the Chinese with Marines *build lots and lots of Marines* take all of China, that will give you the Industry and the resources needed for a prolonged war. Then Turn your attention to Burma, India, Indonesia, most of these will fall without too much resistance. After that, secure you're pacific Islands, build naval bombers, and let the American's Come at you. You'll have to fight hard to win this one. If you can exhaust their navy, via Naval Interdiction, and Navy Bombers, they won't stand much of a chance. Also, take Australia, and NZ, this will help you're allies on the other side of the world. Basically Japan needs to expand as quickly as possible, and then reinforce, and wait for the American's to exhaust themselves while trying to beat the living crap oughta you.
France (Hard... My Strategy as France was rather straight foreward, build infantry, and more infantry, and more infantry. And then build lots of Anti-Tank Brigades, and Arty Brigades. Secure You're border with Belgium/Germany/Italy, take Military Control over Canada, and bring in any Canadian Troops that float you're to way to reinforce. The Germans are better than you *obviously* they'll have better equipped units, and way better organisation. But when the Germans Come, they won't like the idea of attacking a force that has anywhere from five-ten more divisions than whatever they have, Panzers or No. You'll end up in a bloody stalemate for a few years, just keep building infantry and reinforcing, let the Brits take care of the Naval and Aerial aspect of the war. Either Germany will declare war on the Soviets, or vice versa. But when they do, Germany will naturally have recalled a bunch of troops from your border to fight the Soviets. When the Germans are at a weak point, take the initiative and you'll roll right over em'. All of that may be well and good. If you can hold the line, and trust me, it will be a quite daunting task to say the least.

As far as the Minor Factions Go. You can consider most of them, either A. Boring, or B. Very Hard. I tried playing a Campaign as Argentina, got all beefed up, rolled over most of south America, USA was fighting hard against the Japanese, so I thought, they'll never attack me. As soon as I hit the annexation button, boom, I was at war against the allies, so I joined the Axis. The Italians threw a few troops my way, but nothing substantial, and within a year, I had all but three provinces high in the Argentinian Andes, that I could barely hold onto. I quit shortly thereafter, I knew my reign was going to be over very shortly.

But all I'm really trying to say is. THIS GAME ROCKS!

[The_Doctor]

Is there a demo?

[The_Doctor]

Is there a demo?

Yes, search for it on google, you fool.

[King Ragnar]

Ok thanks for the comments guys, i should be buying it soon, i am a lover of this time period and look forward to playing it, on more question what are the MP games like?

[Dutch_guy]

I havent really played MP so can't comment on that.

Some time ago however, some people here at the org. tried to get some games running, but ew experienced some server / hosting problems.
So that didn't work out well.

And I have played some lan games with my brother and found no chat funciton, which you do tend to need when coordinating attacks, maybe some other HOI2 player here knows if there is a chat funcion ?

If you get the game and wish to play some MP, please say so, I;m willing to give it a try.

[King Ragnar]

Dam i probably wont get the game until xmas now, i just spent all my money on a new flat screen monitor, but i am definately gona get it as soon as possible. Thanks for the offer Dutch guy i hope to invade your country sometime in the future :D

[Bob the Insane]

Here is a question. If I didn;t really get on with HOI because I found it hard to understand what was going on with the whole economy/resources and trade routes and manufacturing side of things (the fighting was pretty stright forward). Will I find a better experience in HOI2?

[Slyspy]

I confess that I have not tried HoI2 multiplayer. I have played EU2 multiplayer on a LAN and it was quite good fun (backstabbing friends and relations is great) but time consuming with patience required from all participants. HoI2 I imagine would be even slower, but I'm not sure how MP over the net works for either game.

@ Bob: I have not played HoI but I understand that the trade and convoy systems have been streamlined as much as these things ever are in Paradox games. The convoys can be automated for example. I find the resource and manufacturing side to be quite simple, though you are still required to be a slider jockey!

[ShadesPanther]

There is less micromanaging in HOI2. Although you will still be doing micromanaging, you will have more time looking at the bigger picture

[King Edward]

Can anyone tell me how to group aircraft? i cant ind my manuel

[Dutch_guy]

well click on the stack , in which all the seperate air units are located, then left-shift click on 1 air unit, then left-shift another different air unit ( which you want to merge ) then you'll see, or get the option on the left of the screen ( next to ''load on transport'') to merge the selected units.

Hope that was clear enough

[buckZor]

Just a thought... but could someone SPELL OUT THE DA!M!N ACRONYM?!?

HOI = ____ ____ ____ ??

[Snowhobbit]

Hearts Of Iron, chill man!

[buckZor]

Sorry, acronym psychotic and this forum is FULL of them... *pulls out hair*

Thank you for spelling it out.

[King Edward]

Cheers Dutch Guy!

[David]

For everyone who wants to buy it:

http://www.europa-universalis.com/fo...d.php?t=222663

Stand alone expansion including the original game!! Not out yet though, so you'll have to wait

[Dutch_guy]

No problem King Edward.



@David:

thanks for the link fellow Dutchman. Sounds like a nice add on, plus it's cheap - just 20 dollars.

on the other hand...this add on will probably suck up lot's and lot's of my free time... just like HOI2 did.

[Butcher]

The addon will be out in April, and I can't wait. :)

HOI2 does tend to take over your life if you are not careful, like MTW used too..