John Tiller's Campaign Series - Buy It Now

John Tiller's campaign series game for $9.99 at Matrix Games Ltd. is a steal. There are so many great scenarios. I have been playing a Fastov scenario this morning detailing the 25th Panzer Division probe into a Soviet armor formation in 1943. If my memory is correct, the division commander is killed and the reconnaissance battalion is wiped out. The Campaign Series game lays this meeting engagement out on a beautiful map with the full OOB (over 300 unit counters are present). I have considered setting up this battle before for Panzer Battles and Command Ops, so to find it in this title's scenario list this morning was very exciting!
This is a zoomed out view of the northern portion of the Fastov map in the map editor. Each hex is 250 meters.
In the image below, 25th Panzer is probing north towards Fastov along both sides of the Unava river. The scenario designer set a minor victory at 600 objective points and a major victory at 1200 points. You can technically achieve the major victory without ever crossing the Unava into Fastov or even entering into the top third of the map. I think I am going to edit the scenario so it has fewer objectives. I am also going increase the number of game turns.


The 2D map for me is almost perfect. If there was an additional level of zoom it would be perfect.  I find myself gravitating more and more these days to simple representations of a battle map. I like that very little elevation is represented (though if I look at an actual map there are plenty undulations in the land) and that it is less busy than say a Panzer Campaigns or Panzer Battles map in terms of detail.  I think it captures the Russian landscape well enough and more importantly the landscape around Fastov.

I am mounting an infantry attack on the village of Volitsas from the western and eastern sides of the Unava river.  Further west, in the direction of  Veprik, I am launching a holding attack against the Russian line there.
John Tiller's campaign series game has East Front, West Front and Pacific scenarios. It was made in 2007 and has been recently updated (2014). It happens to be on sale for 67% off at $9.99. You can get it on the Matrix Games Ltd. website here: 



Comments

Unknown said…
Also grabbed this game during the Sale. Great value but as you stated definitely needs another zoom level with 2D. Apparently coming in version 3. Not so keen with the 3D view.

Also I could not auto-update to the latest version 2.02 so had to install via downloading the actual patch.
December 12, 2016 at 2:44 PM
Chris said…
Hi Alan. I am glad you are enjoying JTCS. I think the Campaign Series Middle East game has a better 2D zoom. I have that title too and plan on cracking into it. I've played it before but set it aside for other games.

I am really enjoying this title right now, even with zoom issues. The Fastov scenario I am playing is quite good even though I think the objectives could have been laid out better.

December 12, 2016 at 4:45 PM
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