Eigenvector

Honestly, I didn't expect to like learning Harpoon as much as I am -- let us not mince words, I am learning and loving it -- but, any 1st grader with Naval service in his blood could easily take me down in a MP match. That being said, I am sure I'll be a long time fan. TonyE -- Thanks for the invite; I will definitely be on as soon as I get a handle on the game and improve my knowledge of systems as not to embarrass myself. Right now, IRC means I am not playing, and y'all lose to the game at the moment -- I am sure you understand. pmaidhof -- My first computer game was a SR-71 simulator (Tandy 1000). After S-71, despite spending a large majority of my life on computers (programming, web development, or BBS/Internet), I never enjoyed "games." The only reason my computer runs Windows is to run Microsoft's Flight Simulator X. My game history includes: TOAW, Talonsoft's Eastern &Western Fronts, TacOps, and recently I have been pulled to real time gaming by CMSF:Marines. Honestly, I have seen Harpoon around, but didn't bother to pick it up. I admit it, I had a prejudice against naval sims without ever trying one, and I didn't think any game would do air warfare any justice. I don't mind being proved wrong. Harpoon came along by accident, and I have to admit that I wasted a lot of good gaming years by not checking out Harpoon earlier. Herman -- I definitely understand, and I appreciate the link. I am moving along in my orientation, and very impressed.

Thank you for your thoughtful answers and prompt responses. I think I read the manual prematurely, and after giving HCE more time, I am looking back through the manual to find the small details that were either originally missed, or now have a tangible meaning to my past actions in game play. During the second look, I noticed a few lines in between screen shots, that reveal some mechanics I had originally missed. Unfortunately, I was a week or so late for the bundle pack Matrix was offering for both games, but I just purchased ANW to have on hand, and check the manual, and it would seem that the increased "freedom" in ANW would yield an enhanced understanding of the mechanics, although from what I understand they based on different rule systems. We would definitely be up for MP play -- our personal philosophy is that winning or losing is not the ultimate goal, but playing the sim and discussing tactics and benefits of different weapon system combos, game mechanics, etc. after the game are the most important parts. Losing and learning are just part of the process. I'm going to explore ANW some, and stick to one or the other for now. I hear that they are different games, not just a beginners version of ANW. Regarding HCE: I have read on other sites various opinions versus the GIUK scenario set versus WestPac for beginners. I noticed some ancillary mission goals in WestPac -- although interesting -- were distracting from focusing on individual naval weapons and platforms, as noxious pointed out would be the best place to focus. I'll check through the links (and the branches from them) again; thanks again, everyone provided some valuable ideas to work with. I'll keep you posted, and advise when we are ready for Multiplayer with ANW.

Back in 1998 I started war-gaming by playing Avalon Hill's Advanced Squad Leader, and I still have my original rule book, game boards with 5 expansions, and 2,000 plus game counters carefully stored in two large fishing tackle boxes that I protect with my life. I currently play TacOps4, and I like to have as many details as possible for weapon systems and tactics as I can. I was extremely excited when TacOps4 came bundled with 167 different US Military Field, Technical, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Manuals in pdf format (with searchable text). I have only played land warfare up until now. I discovered Harpoon just a month ago when I was reading an analogy that TacOps was *as close as you could get* to a ground tac sim to what Harpoon was for the sea and air. My war-gaming buddy is a naval junkie, so I sent him the link and he picked up HCCE and Harpoon ANW. The next night I receive the phone call from a friend who obviously didn't sleep that night, "You have to see this." He is already experienced in basic naval tactics, having played old sub and naval sims, and was showing me HCCE. I am not one for fancy graphics, and the game engine and system's database mean everything -- so, like a kid in a candy store, I spent hours just looking through the database, and then purchased HCCE. I started the tutorial, and with no knowledge of naval warships, weapons, or countermeasures except for my experience with "simulated off-board naval gun support", I felt hopeless. I searched for a good web site on practical tactics for modern naval warfare, and came up pretty empty-handed. I downloaded the "Principals of Naval Weapon Systems" and the "Radar Game" pdf files as suggested in an earlier post to a newbie, and luckily science is my strong suit, and I found a lot of the physics and practical applications explain a lot about the details, but I am staring at the formation editor and the different rings and sectors asking, "How far should my ASW ring be from my AAW ring in this situation, or any situation? What if I have a carrier in the group, what are smart ranges for putting ASW frigates, do I put out planes in patrol with the formation editor ever, or only use the patrol feature with a launch air command, and then the worst of all: subs and torpedoes. How do I play defense?" A tank can't outrun an incoming Hellfire, so I feel pretty lost at making a choice when it comes to any smart defensive maneuvers, formations, and without my basic ground tactical safety net of getting defensive benefits from being inside a stone building, heavy woods, employing smoke, or in a light forest out of LOS from a T-90... what are the ways to not get eaten alive by enemy subs? So, basically what I am saying is that I can research a system with the in game database or books from the library, and have a grasp that there are differences between an SPY-1 and a SPS-49 system, and I do not have trouble making choices with aircraft and munitions, and ASW weapons are basically understood in the same way I would make tactical choices about considering the speed/penetration/warhead as if I were making choices about facing a Bradley with a TOW-2 at 3000 meters against a potential contact with BMPs with Spandrel missiles. But, where can I find "Practical Naval Warefare Tactics for Dummies: How and when to steer your ship in this or that direction", because right now my best tutor is learning how to use ASM helicopters from auto air-patrols, weapon recommendations from the staff messages, and having my groups destroyed over and over again by subs. Thanks for any advice or direction to a web site, sorry for the long story. Best, David