If planning and loadout interest you, the Modern(daylight) version of the game is ALL about that. I spend an hour or more agonizing over what/who to take on each mission...its a game in itself! I backed this(Shadow War) on KS and after playing it I was reminded of the old PC game Operation Flashpoint. I recall getting SOO frustrated with that game when I would emerge from the trees, look around, see no one, run across the field toward the village...then immediately get shot and killed. This is in the first 10 seconds of the game mind you. It wasn't until I played the game in the same way you would in real life that I had success. This meant a belly crawl over 200yds, through tall grass, to reach the village. Grabbed the car and sped away, no sweat.
Thanks for this review. I have the original Warfighter. I found out about it because it was in a local game store that has few wargames. Went home did some research on the game, went back and bought it. Played it , Loved it and got all the expansions including the Foot locker (which came with a board instead of paper. Worth it). The Original I have noway exhausted the replay-ability, Middle East Rebels & Reg Army, British, Russian and Eastern Europe. I will play the Original more but it will be nice to add more Night Operations. It looks to be a really good expansion for me. You Sold me. I see that there are a lot of expansions for Shadows including a Bin-Laden pack and even a Israel Army pack. I didn;t go for the WWII set as I have UP FRONT (AH) and the scratch has been itched. But I highly recommend the Original as well, anybody who likes Shadows will be pleased.
This was my first DVG Warfighter game and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Great tension and if you plan well, you are usually successful. If not, as you noted, things go downhill very quickly. Great fun!
Hey guys! I don't think I have to mention, that Warfighter is my "desert island game", and t hat I own (or will own) every expansion pack Saint Dan can come out with. Can't wait for Warfighter: Fantasy (hopefully) that will come out soon. I like the thought that needs to go into these missions. I KS'ed this game and just got it "unpackaged", banded and organized. YES... you should get the Modern Warfighter! It is a game with great legs!!! It plays well solo, and can be played cooperatively (each player take a squad member). What I especially like about this is that one can mix-and-match the squads, drafting Russians, Americans, Germans, and whoever else you can think of. Hey Grant... keep the beard, looks great! Looking forward to the play through... keep up the great work.
Great vid - I have this, and to me this is the board game equivalent of the original Rainbow Six PC game. You'd spend an hour + in the planning stage, and when it was go time, if enough of the plan went awry, you weren't winning. So much tension when you were waiting to call the breach command. And this has that kind of tension.
You could easily use your WWII skill cards in Shadow War. Some of them don't fit, but for example the Marksman skill is the identical text and cost in WWII and Modern.
Great review, just wondering if you have any plans to make a playthrough video? I've been looking for examples but unfortunately the only ones I've found are the prototype games used to show off the kickstarter campaign.
Of the 3 Warfighter games that I own (Shadow, Modern, and WW2) I think this one is my favorite. Modern(Day) and WW2 are fairly similar as far as strategy with obvious differences in equipment and weaponry, but Shadow War plays completely different and just has that spec ops feel. It's slower, no doubt about it, and there's a lot less shooting going on but still remains fun. One thing that wasn't covered was the fact that unaware hostiles will randomly move during the hostile phase rather than attacking, or at least they have that potential. So they might stay in your location, but they might move on and thus at times it can be prudent to wait rather than attack. This can create some awesome moments of tension when the "hostiles" are really passing civilians and you're praying they just keep walking and don't notice you so you don't have to have that moral dilemma as to whether you should take them out or not. Hostiles also have a "search" value so there's that balancing act because while you don't want to attack too often and make noise, leaving hostiles in your location increases your odds of being discovered. Excellent game overall.
I've never played a war game with only card components. I'm just so used to the map with figures and chits or whatever that I don't know if this will work for my (let's say stubborn) brain. Great review though. I love the theme and tension you guys detailed.
I sold Warfighter modern a few years back. Now, I`m back. The game is much better than original but I still have some issues with it. On another hand, the rulebook is really messy. The universal book is a stupid idea! DVG, do the bloody index, please! Most of your rulebooks are hard to read and it`s a shame that I had to print a better book from BGG done by some great guy.
I own and regularly play modern (now daylight) and ww2 ETO/PTO/Korea both solo and cooperatively and I really enjoy them. So far I've played SW 3 times solo - lost my first game badly but won the next 2 comfortably. I really don't think I like shadow war. I don't like the components, the mission structure, the rulebook or how aggressively green everything is. All my plays have been very boring. I'll try it co-op when I can but I have a strong sense it won't be in my collection by Christmas.
"Aggressively green" - ain't that right. That was something I didn't like. especially coming from WWII, where the colours (albeit washed out) are much more varied.
I'm also guessing that the game is unwinnable with more than 4 people. You'd produce more noise than a Tiger tank in a rock tumbler the moment the first hostles appeared! 1 or 2 players and you're utilising the best soldiers on the planet, but add 1 more and you've sent those troops on leave and recruited Frank Spencer/Mr Bean/Laurel/Hardy/[insert your pop culture reference here]. I'm sure I'm wrong. I'm only going off what I've heard, read and experienced but what use is any of that in life!
. . . well not quite as disturbing as some of his other fashion choices , but at least the Robin hood look doesn't seem like it came from his wife's closet. You can take a man out of Briton . . . ;)
If planning and loadout interest you, the Modern(daylight) version of the game is ALL about that. I spend an hour or more agonizing over what/who to take on each mission...its a game in itself! I backed this(Shadow War) on KS and after playing it I was reminded of the old PC game Operation Flashpoint. I recall getting SOO frustrated with that game when I would emerge from the trees, look around, see no one, run across the field toward the village...then immediately get shot and killed. This is in the first 10 seconds of the game mind you. It wasn't until I played the game in the same way you would in real life that I had success. This meant a belly crawl over 200yds, through tall grass, to reach the village. Grabbed the car and sped away, no sweat.
Operation Flashpoint was an amazing game!
So many memories... Even today I find myself humming the soundtrack from time to time
I was waiting for the hook to make me get warfighter, I believe this does it. Thank you
Thanks for this review. I have the original Warfighter. I found out about it because it was in a local game store that has few wargames. Went home did some research on the game, went back and bought it. Played it , Loved it and got all the expansions including the Foot locker (which came with a board instead of paper. Worth it). The Original I have noway exhausted the replay-ability, Middle East Rebels & Reg Army, British, Russian and Eastern Europe. I will play the Original more but it will be nice to add more Night Operations. It looks to be a really good expansion for me. You Sold me. I see that there are a lot of expansions for Shadows including a Bin-Laden pack and even a Israel Army pack. I didn;t go for the WWII set as I have UP FRONT (AH) and the scratch has been itched. But I highly recommend the Original as well, anybody who likes Shadows will be pleased.
This was my first DVG Warfighter game and I am thoroughly enjoying it. Great tension and if you plan well, you are usually successful. If not, as you noted, things go downhill very quickly. Great fun!
Hey guys! I don't think I have to mention, that Warfighter is my "desert island game", and t hat I own (or will own) every expansion pack Saint Dan can come out with. Can't wait for Warfighter: Fantasy (hopefully) that will come out soon. I like the thought that needs to go into these missions. I KS'ed this game and just got it "unpackaged", banded and organized. YES... you should get the Modern Warfighter! It is a game with great legs!!! It plays well solo, and can be played cooperatively (each player take a squad member). What I especially like about this is that one can mix-and-match the squads, drafting Russians, Americans, Germans, and whoever else you can think of. Hey Grant... keep the beard, looks great! Looking forward to the play through... keep up the great work.
Great vid - I have this, and to me this is the board game equivalent of the original Rainbow Six PC game. You'd spend an hour + in the planning stage, and when it was go time, if enough of the plan went awry, you weren't winning. So much tension when you were waiting to call the breach command. And this has that kind of tension.
Absolutely agree.
It seems you never recorded a playthrough it would have been so nice see you playing this
You could easily use your WWII skill cards in Shadow War. Some of them don't fit, but for example the Marksman skill is the identical text and cost in WWII and Modern.
Great review, just wondering if you have any plans to make a playthrough video? I've been looking for examples but unfortunately the only ones I've found are the prototype games used to show off the kickstarter campaign.
Of the 3 Warfighter games that I own (Shadow, Modern, and WW2) I think this one is my favorite. Modern(Day) and WW2 are fairly similar as far as strategy with obvious differences in equipment and weaponry, but Shadow War plays completely different and just has that spec ops feel. It's slower, no doubt about it, and there's a lot less shooting going on but still remains fun. One thing that wasn't covered was the fact that unaware hostiles will randomly move during the hostile phase rather than attacking, or at least they have that potential. So they might stay in your location, but they might move on and thus at times it can be prudent to wait rather than attack. This can create some awesome moments of tension when the "hostiles" are really passing civilians and you're praying they just keep walking and don't notice you so you don't have to have that moral dilemma as to whether you should take them out or not. Hostiles also have a "search" value so there's that balancing act because while you don't want to attack too often and make noise, leaving hostiles in your location increases your odds of being discovered. Excellent game overall.
More sound effects from Alexander are encouraged.
I've never played a war game with only card components. I'm just so used to the map with figures and chits or whatever that I don't know if this will work for my (let's say stubborn) brain. Great review though. I love the theme and tension you guys detailed.
I sold Warfighter modern a few years back. Now, I`m back. The game is much better than original but I still have some issues with it. On another hand, the rulebook is really messy. The universal book is a stupid idea! DVG, do the bloody index, please! Most of your rulebooks are hard to read and it`s a shame that I had to print a better book from BGG done by some great guy.
I own and regularly play modern (now daylight) and ww2 ETO/PTO/Korea both solo and cooperatively and I really enjoy them. So far I've played SW 3 times solo - lost my first game badly but won the next 2 comfortably.
I really don't think I like shadow war. I don't like the components, the mission structure, the rulebook or how aggressively green everything is. All my plays have been very boring. I'll try it co-op when I can but I have a strong sense it won't be in my collection by Christmas.
I also own but haven't played PMC yet but that version seems much better. Guns and money. Feel like there should be a cartel manager spin off!
"Aggressively green" - ain't that right. That was something I didn't like. especially coming from WWII, where the colours (albeit washed out) are much more varied.
I'm also guessing that the game is unwinnable with more than 4 people. You'd produce more noise than a Tiger tank in a rock tumbler the moment the first hostles appeared! 1 or 2 players and you're utilising the best soldiers on the planet, but add 1 more and you've sent those troops on leave and recruited Frank Spencer/Mr Bean/Laurel/Hardy/[insert your pop culture reference here].
I'm sure I'm wrong. I'm only going off what I've heard, read and experienced but what use is any of that in life!
I wish this was an expansion instead of a completely new game. Kinda like they did with beach landings or airborne.
The reason for so much green is because of how everything looks using night vision equipment.
I had Warfighter, and a few expansions.
But I got rid of all of it.
The game just didn't "do it" for me.
Very understandable. Not everyone's cup of tea.
. . . well not quite as disturbing as some of his other fashion choices , but at least the Robin hood look doesn't seem like it came from his wife's closet. You can take a man out of Briton . . . ;)