These are great videos. I have been learning something new in each episode. I would like to add that Polizei means police in German. I believe the SS Polizei was a SS Police Regiment.
I owned this game for a couple of years and found it overwhelming. Your videos have allowed me to understand the system and really enjoy it. Thanks so much, great job on your part.
Great tutorials. The manual is daunting ( and I have little patience for wading through it), so this is my primary way of learning the game mechanics. Really looking forward to the support unit video. Thank you!!!
In Germany, the rail was Standard Gauge, just like in Poland and France for example, which is 4 feet 8 1/2" wide. In Russia the gauge for the rails was and is 5 feet. This is why they had to rip out the rails and change it to standard gauge. Or else they could not use their train system.
Initially they'd hoped to capture a load of Soviet rolling stock (i.e. locomotives and various carriage types) so they didn't have to alter the rails, at least not for the intended duration of the campaign (remember Germany planned to defeat the Soviet Union in 4 months). The Soviets DID manage to keep their rolling stock out of the hands of the Germans, in part because they organised the remarkable movement of factories to the Urals or beyond plus were busy mobilising loads of raw or partly trained recruits from all over the place. You could argue that was probably the ONLY thing the Soviets managed to do well for the first 5 months, and it proved ENORMOUSLY important for the long term strategic and logistical points of view. Had the Germans managed to have even slightly better logistics, for example, they might just have got more forces to the gates of Moscow, or at least had their forces in better shape come winter, and either or both of those things may have proven highly significant. Cheers
Bought this game a few weeks ago and this channel has helped me so much. It was really overwhelming jumping into this game and just having no clue where to even start.
enjoying the videos. i was an old player from war in the east from DOS days, so it was mostly refresher. Very helpful. Only complaint - they are a bit too 'bloated' - I estimated, for example, in tutorial 2, there was perhaps 15 minutes of really good stuff (needed), 15 minutes of anecdotes and things you like to do while you play (also useful), and then the other half of the vid is sort of just slog that could be trimmed. nevertheless, an excellent series!
I always considered Darkrob316's Scourge of War video series the best wargame instructional videos I ever watched. Your WITE series ties his for the best.
Man, these videos are fantastic! WitE has been on my shelf of shame for years. Now if I could just get you to the tabletop and Mark Herman’s Empire of the Sun!
Around 34:00 you select a soft factor. What I don't understand is: if you select "Experience" and then look in unity details. You see alway the soft factor "Moral" and not "Experience"!? I don't understand this. I thank you for your excellent Tutorials. I have this game since years, and I was not able to play it. Thank you!
Thanks for this series (from belgium). A great idea and a very "pedagogic" feeling...I know the game and It begin with basics but I lean somethings again...
Hey great videos, I learn a lot from them. Just a small nitpick about the Luftflotte, it's not Luft-lotte, there is an F in the middle. So it's Luft-flotte which means Air (Luft) Fleet (Flotte).
You refer to the polish SS division. Could this not be the SS police division? Additionally, an Army HQ may directly command a division or two because these divisions may be held back in reserve then allocated to a corp HQ to support an offensive attack or plug in gaps in defence. It always a good idea to have some reserves that not committed.
if a unit is cut off from direct communication with its HQ eg by enemy forces, does it still get the benefit from the HQ ( assuming it is within the 5,15,45 or whatever hex calculation)?
If you could take a moment to compare and contrast this game to a John Tiller title. I can see that the scope is much larger but I was wondering about gameplay differences?
Hi Chris - To compare and contrast, I would say Grigsby games are much more complex and intricate, while Tiller games are more like the hex and counter games you played at a friend's house. Tiller has a basic system of movement and combat that stretches across all of his games. Grigsby games are similar to each other, but really get down into the deep details of each conflict. I guess it just depends what level of depth you want - I love them both in their own way. Tiller is the only way you can really play every major conflict since 1500
@@strategygamingdojo5278 Thank you. I love WITPAE...I have 2 years invested in my current campaign...and have yet to play a Tiller game. I purchased some titles during their December sale.
@@chrisb.1116 - Excellent. Once you get the Tiller system down you can play so many different conflicts. I like the Civil War battles, but if you like Napoleonic, WWI or WWII there are a ton of options
@Claus Bohm - Fair point. I guess I was referring more to what I feel is the simpler nature of the Tiller system compared to Grigsby. Take a game like WitP - the systems are incredibly complex. But you are correct that the historical accuracy and granular nature of Tiller games is amazing
The russians railroad (and in other former USSR countries but without Baltic states) are wider then railroad at the others in Europe (west of the Polish east borders) - it was ever consider by russians ( either tzar's and soviet's) as a strategic adavntage - which will make it difficut to conquer Russian interior.
How many comments will correct the Polizei comment? So far 3 in the previous video and several more here. I think SGD gets it, and that correction isnt all that helpful. It's a great game tutorial, finding minor faults shouldnt be the goal.
SS-POLIZEI division wasn't formed in Poland, Polizei means in german POLICE, so it was formed from GERMAN POLICEMEN - actualy the german POLICE were attached to SS, SS-Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler was actualy the head of GERMAN POLICE, so he wanted to have his own participation in war in the east - that's the reason SS troops (and policemen) were in Soviet Union!!!!!!!!
The tutorial is great, but it is amazing for me that author with such a big knowledge about WW2 mistakenly uses "POLISH SS UNIT" although it is clearly written "Polizei". The author should know that it is very offending for polish people to make such a mistake. Poland contrary to many western and central European countries (like France, Romania and many other) NEVER collaborated with Germany during WW2 and there was NO POLISH SS UNITS. It sad the the same mistake is in previous tutorial.
These are great videos. I have been learning something new in each episode. I would like to add that Polizei means police in German. I believe the SS Polizei was a SS Police Regiment.
Excellent stuff.
I'm addicted to your channel I've stopped watching most of my other things for now
Thanks for the support
I owned this game for a couple of years and found it overwhelming. Your videos have allowed me to understand the system and really enjoy it. Thanks so much, great job on your part.
Great tutorials. The manual is daunting ( and I have little patience for wading through it), so this is my primary way of learning the game mechanics. Really looking forward to the support unit video. Thank you!!!
It should be posted soon. Thanks for the kind words
In Germany, the rail was Standard Gauge, just like in Poland and France for example, which is 4 feet 8 1/2" wide. In Russia the gauge for the rails was and is 5 feet. This is why they had to rip out the rails and change it to standard gauge. Or else they could not use their train system.
Initially they'd hoped to capture a load of Soviet rolling stock (i.e. locomotives and various carriage types) so they didn't have to alter the rails, at least not for the intended duration of the campaign (remember Germany planned to defeat the Soviet Union in 4 months).
The Soviets DID manage to keep their rolling stock out of the hands of the Germans, in part because they organised the remarkable movement of factories to the Urals or beyond plus were busy mobilising loads of raw or partly trained recruits from all over the place.
You could argue that was probably the ONLY thing the Soviets managed to do well for the first 5 months, and it proved ENORMOUSLY important for the long term strategic and logistical points of view. Had the Germans managed to have even slightly better logistics, for example, they might just have got more forces to the gates of Moscow, or at least had their forces in better shape come winter, and either or both of those things may have proven highly significant.
Cheers
Bought this game a few weeks ago and this channel has helped me so much. It was really overwhelming jumping into this game and just having no clue where to even start.
enjoying the videos. i was an old player from war in the east from DOS days, so it was mostly refresher.
Very helpful. Only complaint - they are a bit too 'bloated' - I estimated, for example, in tutorial 2, there was perhaps 15 minutes of really good stuff (needed), 15 minutes of anecdotes and things you like to do while you play (also useful), and then the other half of the vid is sort of just slog that could be trimmed.
nevertheless, an excellent series!
I always considered Darkrob316's Scourge of War video series the best wargame instructional videos I ever watched. Your WITE series ties his for the best.
Man, these videos are fantastic! WitE has been on my shelf of shame for years. Now if I could just get you to the tabletop and Mark Herman’s Empire of the Sun!
Love this
Thanks for letting him know it is a Police unit not Polish! Polizei is German for Police! Gut Gemacht!!
Around 34:00 you select a soft factor. What I don't understand is: if you select "Experience" and then look in unity details. You see alway the soft factor "Moral" and not "Experience"!? I don't understand this.
I thank you for your excellent Tutorials. I have this game since years, and I was not able to play it. Thank you!
Thanks for this series (from belgium). A great idea and a very "pedagogic" feeling...I know the game and It begin with basics but I lean somethings again...
I have been waiting for this :)
Hey great videos, I learn a lot from them. Just a small nitpick about the Luftflotte, it's not Luft-lotte, there is an F in the middle. So it's Luft-flotte which means Air (Luft) Fleet (Flotte).
Is there a basic tutorial part 13?
It's a "POLIZEI", never a "POLISH"division, you know..
Yes, I was corrected a few times for that one
You refer to the polish SS division. Could this not be the SS police division? Additionally, an Army HQ may directly command a division or two because these divisions may be held back in reserve then allocated to a corp HQ to support an offensive attack or plug in gaps in defence. It always a good idea to have some reserves that not committed.
if a unit is cut off from direct communication with its HQ eg by enemy forces, does it still get the benefit from the HQ ( assuming it is within the 5,15,45 or whatever hex calculation)?
It's not "Polish" SS Division, it's "Polizei" which was the 4th SS Division.
If you could take a moment to compare and contrast this game to a John Tiller title. I can see that the scope is much larger but I was wondering about gameplay differences?
Hi Chris - To compare and contrast, I would say Grigsby games are much more complex and intricate, while Tiller games are more like the hex and counter games you played at a friend's house. Tiller has a basic system of movement and combat that stretches across all of his games. Grigsby games are similar to each other, but really get down into the deep details of each conflict. I guess it just depends what level of depth you want - I love them both in their own way. Tiller is the only way you can really play every major conflict since 1500
@@strategygamingdojo5278 Thank you. I love WITPAE...I have 2 years invested in my current campaign...and have yet to play a Tiller game. I purchased some titles during their December sale.
@@chrisb.1116 - Excellent. Once you get the Tiller system down you can play so many different conflicts. I like the Civil War battles, but if you like Napoleonic, WWI or WWII there are a ton of options
@Claus Bohm - Fair point. I guess I was referring more to what I feel is the simpler nature of the Tiller system compared to Grigsby. Take a game like WitP - the systems are incredibly complex. But you are correct that the historical accuracy and granular nature of Tiller games is amazing
@Claus Bohm I purchased the Normandy and Bulge games.
GAAAHH! Where's the rest of the tutorial!
The russians railroad (and in other former USSR countries but without Baltic states) are wider then railroad at the others in Europe (west of the Polish east borders) - it was ever consider by russians ( either tzar's and soviet's) as a strategic adavntage - which will make it difficut to conquer Russian interior.
How many comments will correct the Polizei comment? So far 3 in the previous video and several more here. I think SGD gets it, and that correction isnt all that helpful. It's a great game tutorial, finding minor faults shouldnt be the goal.
SS-POLIZEI division wasn't formed in Poland, Polizei means in german POLICE, so it was formed from GERMAN POLICEMEN - actualy the german POLICE were attached to SS, SS-Reichsfuhrer Heinrich Himmler was actualy the head of GERMAN POLICE, so he wanted to have his own participation in war in the east - that's the reason SS troops (and policemen) were in Soviet Union!!!!!!!!
The tutorial is great, but it is amazing for me that author with such a big knowledge about WW2 mistakenly uses "POLISH SS UNIT" although it is clearly written "Polizei". The author should know that it is very offending for polish people to make such a mistake. Poland contrary to many western and central European countries (like France, Romania and many other) NEVER collaborated with Germany during WW2 and there was NO POLISH SS UNITS. It sad the the same mistake is in previous tutorial.