I would like to start off with saying I a form of dyslexia from a head back tramua I received in 2004 so excuse the grammer and spelling ,with this being said I want give this game a fair honest review . I am the person when reading reviews I look at how long the player played the game , amount of games as well as how many reviews .
I have been wanting this game for 6 months or more but could not afford the full price . I pay for my games do not get them in exchange for a 30 minute play and possitive review.
Okay first seen a lot of negitve game reviews about FREE Game and all you get is the "Boot Camp " on steam I did too . But since I play a lot of the games from Matrix I subscribe to the news letter ,They stated you get the first senerio of every DLC or base game . I deleted local content here went to Slitherine down loaded there version , Bam got all the first senerios .
and a Steam code as well as registerd copy from them . I forget the marine mission but was nice fast good learning mission . You get Pearl Harbor in the WWII pacific campiagn , You do not do to much but learn some movement activation of air fields then you get to dog fight , you get slaughterd But save a battle ship at least one .
It takes you into the next mission as you set up says need to buy this DLC .
Okay what they did was brak up the game give you a tatse of it lowered prices on the different campiagns now offered .
I bought one the WWII pacific it follows the major battles . I am about 4-5 mission into the game still learning and redoing the mission for 4th time on easy . This is much like a board game before computers you need think out your moves and replacments renforcements ,upgrade as well . you get only so many and depends on the mission also .
The game follows real time for new Items you can deploy .
Now I like turn based startery games ,graphics are 9/10 the game and developers try to balence game play with real life /game life .
example people have complianed about dive bombers being able to bomb drop several times until fuel runs out there is a counter saying how many turns you have left before you need get back to a friendly landing site ,if not you start losing planes until they all go down. They (Devs) explian this in the forum on the web site.
I am still learning all the little details this game has to offer, such as a button you slick on the chosen unit to rest/sleep . when not in front line this is handy to simulate a Hot meal and shower . My dad was in every major engagement as a marine . They were almost always short of supply ,medical, weapons Supply plays big part in the game make sure you have good supply for the ZOC in combat areas .
I seen some compliants about a poor AI , saying units attack for no reason under manned will lose . Hey this is the Japanese Marines fanatics . Play more then one senerio and find out the unit that just charged you . well you WON but you got no rest suffered a "shock" rating used vauable supply for your attack. now you resupply for a turn meanwhile the AI moved in fresh supplied troops into the gap you lost the advatage .
I found out the hard way keep your resource points up and units ready in reserve . You get beaten just by not being able to throw in 1-2 units of fresh troops for others to R&R .
another gripe I read you can add units any place Nope at the starting point and in cities areas that have enough Supply to support them . exception are Marine Raders and airborne . they do not suffer from supply penilties . they are not cheap but when you need keep a couple to get in behind the Japanese to mees there supply /

I could go on and on this game is not COH2 or the assult squad serise , RTS game it is not . not meant to be It is the old style board games you played with your dad when growing up before computers . The computer does the math , and has a tuff AI system that you may not under stand why you need do this !! because later in the war it will make life easier .
Example . I saved a few Battle ships at Pearl damaged but afloat . Surprise at Coral sea I got one where there was not one in History . It gave me the advantage I needed to win , not just a draw Needed take two ♥♥♥ carriers I took out 3 and some heacy capital crusuers damaged the Yamottoe (SP) from 10 yo a 2 so it will not come into the game for a long time if it does at all .
Okay sugestion down load from Slitherine to get all the free stuff regirster here . Play it sleep on it then pick out one DLC you like for 10 bucks on DLC cannot go wrong You will also get a few Mods free installed "Battle of Britian "by devs
Oh it looks really simple a senerio maker . you can even submit battles to the forum
sorry for ramble Just hate negitive reviews when the person plays it for less then a hour or does not even ? where are the rest of free dlc stuff
Bob C
Crazy bear Flutes