The Troop - Tactical Turn Based Platoon Level WW2 game

[RatTower]

The only thing that bothers me about this is the aesthetic.
I think it was "Saving Private Ryan" and "Band of Brothers" that started this whole low-saturation WW2 look. Problem is, that the color grading of these movies was done with some carefully picked camera angles in mind. Private Ryan had a lot of relatively long shots with strongly contrasting values in the fore and background:

Spoiler

This doesn't necessarily translate well into interactive media, where every "scene" is "shot" from the player's perspective. It's especially problematic with top-down games, where low saturation adds another problem: It makes your units blend with the environment. I know that nowadays the look is almost expected from WW2-related media, but I feel a game like this could easily get away with ditching the style and taking more inspiration from tabletop artwork:

Spoiler

The worst that could happen is that it ends up looking like "A bridge too far" - which I wouldn't mind at all.

Edit:
I saw the demo has a "War Movie Filter" option, which can be turned off.
Makes it slightly better but the game could still benefit from higher contrast between unit textures and the environment. If I remember correctly, the Blitzkrieg series did a pretty decent job at this.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3242049605271947709

25th August update
- New scenario: 16 "Fallen idols"
- New scenario: 23 "Foot in the door"
- Skirmish mode prototype (8 scenarios playable with player force and weather selection)
- Mortar mechanic updates with HQ unit spotters
- Alternate infantry movement option
- Various small improvements and bug fixes

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3386169865364849781

22nd October update
- New scenario: 25 "Irresistible Force"
- New scenario: 27 "Immovable Objects"
- (Preview) 8 scenarios now available in preview skirmish mode with prototype randomised AI forces
- AI mortar smoke use
- King Tigers and Churchill Crocodiles!
- Various small improvements and bug fixes

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3487503395172078867

19th November Update
- New scenario: 28 "Crude Instruments"
- All Skirmish missions now feature different enemy forces every play!
- AI HE shell override and accurate aim use
- "Tabletop" bocage LOS rules settings option
- Various small improvements and bug fixes

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

Little developer interview.
https://tallyhocorner.com/2022/12/a2z-22/

M is for Miniature interview…​

…with Tom Page of Giant Flame.

THC: When and how did you catch the wargaming bug?

Tom: I’ve been wargaming for as long as I can remember. Initially plastic toy soldiers became accompanied by models of tanks I had glued together, then dice were introduced…. My best friend from early childhood was similarly inclined, his (Canadian) father had been in the British army and the family had history of fighting and command going back to Vimy Ridge in WW1 (and probably further). I think love of the format was cemented when we acquired a copy of Blue Byte’s Historyline: 1914-1918 which we used to play on his father’s office PC.

THC: For those who haven’t been paying attention, how has The Troop changed during the past twelve months?

Tom: We went into Early Access very quietly a year ago with 13 scenarios available in Story mode only (10 of them playable both ways, 7 of them on large maps). As of right now there are 28 scenarios with all the added content on large maps and playable both ways. We have also added Skirmish mode which allows players to choose their own force for a given mission, and play against a different randomly generated (within parameters) AI enemy force every time. It gives real long term replayability to the game and is the technical basis for another upcoming mode.

We have been doing an update every month so there have of course been a huge number of other additions in terms of units, tactical mechanics, AI improvements and features – my personal favourite being night fighting with flares.

The members of the community hub on Steam have been a constant and incredible source of ideas for changes and additions. Credit must go to those folks for many of the improvements and additions over the past year.

THC: How is the game likely to alter during 2023?

Tom: We have 1 or 2 more scenarios still to come and another play mode is in the works (for those who enjoy a more persistent campaign-type experience). A couple of major overall gameplay features have also been in development for a while now and are approaching completion, then we are looking to go into full release probably Q1 2023. Beyond that there is still plenty of content we have in mind, both additional free for the base game and potential DLC – I particularly want to get the Americans in.

THC: What are you hoping to get for Christmas?

Tom: 48 hours solid rest.

THC: Thank you for your time.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3677787456248103565

6th February update
- New scenario: 30 "Winged Hussars"
- Infantry unit stats revisions
- Experimental off-map mortar units (Skirmish only)
- Various small improvements and bug fixes

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3702561138606266893

23rd March Update
- New scenario: 15 "Annihilation"
- 5x skirmish missions available in reversed format
- Tank Ace units: Churchill VII, Sherman Vc, Tiger I
- Improved AI retreat, repair, bail out and movement behaviour
- Infantry only skirmish AI force option
- AT rocket range scale fix
- Rally UI fix and ability extended to gun team units
- Vehicle unit spotting revision re buildings and woodland
- Various small improvements and bug fixes

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3682296760365460938

7th April update
- All skirmish missions available in reversed format
- 2x new small skirmish scenarios
- New armoured unit audio
- Revised weapon ranges: medium mortar, vehicle flamethrower
- Deployment UI resized and added mount/dismount options
- Settings option to keep unit tags visible on AI turn
- Bug fix for carried infantry casualties on KO
- Various small improvements and bug fixes

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3692442542240308606'

8th Armoured Brigade
Our first campaign is now live!
Our first campaign is now live alongside Story and Skirmish modes, themed around the 8th Armoured Brigade and their exploits against the Panzer Lehr and SS.

Take command of a persistent battlegroup of units that improve in ability as they gain experience, but be mindful of casualties as reinforcements are limited.

 

[Infinitron]

Coming October 10th:

 

[Infinitron]

Delayed to October 18th.

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1363740/view/3735230544084616551

Full Release - 18th October 2023
We are finally here! on the 18th October we will be transitioning to full release.

A huge amount of player feedback and input has gone into the game's evolution over the course of Early Access, it has come a long way and we are very happy with the results. So, on the 18th October we will be transitioning to full release.

The full release version will include 4 campaigns: 8th Armoured Brigade (currently available as a prototype), 21st Panzer Division, 31st Tank Brigade, and SS Panzer Division.

IMPORTANT! - The current prototype 8th Armoured Brigade campaign will be replaced by the updated full release version of the 8th Armoured Brigade campaign, existing saves for the prototype campaign will NO LONGER BE VALID after full release.

 

[Infinitron]

 

[Parsimonious cook]

This is massive incline, possibly the best tactical release of the year.

 

[Luka-boy]

Oh shit, this has a campaign mode with persistent units? I thought it was only going to be individual scenarios. Count me in, yes sir!

 

[Turn_BASED]

Game's awesome. It delivers on the tactics big time without any autistic micromanaging.

 

[Strange Fellow]

Cool, this is out. It has looked good for years. Time to pull the trigger.

 

[Gromoer]

No mac os version.

Spoiler

 

[Taka-Haradin puolipeikko]

This is massive incline, possibly the best tactical release of the year.

Is there any serious competition besides Second Front?

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

how is the campaign?

 

[AdamReith]

Any reviews for this? I bought it anyway because I've been watching it for a while but would like to know if it's worth installing.

 

[Parsimonious cook]

Check the first page ITT for me original review of the initial release - most of the big stuff still applies, the game only got bigger and better with time. Also, the only reason not to install The Troop is that you absolutely hate turn based tactics. It is the bomb.

how is the campaign?

There are four campaigns (2 allied, 2 axis). The way it works, you have a roster of units that cost points to deploy, gain experience and have perma death. You do a series of interlinked missions, thats about it. I only played the 8th Armored campaign so far, and the quality of missions is very good.

 

[darkpatriot]

Check the first page ITT for me original review of the initial release - most of the big stuff still applies, the game only got bigger and better with time. Also, the only reason not to install The Troop is that you absolutely hate turn based tactics. It is the bomb.

I actually don't like Turn Based for WW2 tactical games, or other modern warfare (WW1 and beyond) tactical games that much, as it doesn't really effectively express modern warfare very well, imo.

I posted in this thread previously, but it just doesn't handle fire and maneuver particularly well as actions aren't simultaneous.

Generally turn based tactical games tend to be solved by focusing on two problems.

1.) Minimizing how much damage the enemy is able to do to you on their turn.

2.) Maximizing how much damage you are able to do to the enemy on your turn.

1 is usually more important than 2 (although not always) with 2 often being a means to accomplish 1 (destroying enemy units in range before they can put effective fire on you) and a good turn based game provides a multitude of tools for accomplishing them. And working out the best tools to use and how to use them is certainly fun.

But I have never played a modern warfare Turn Based tactical game that really satisfyingly replicated more realistic fire and maneuver type tactics. They more often tend towards encouraging the tactic of creeping forward slowly while obliterating enemy units in range as quickly as possible.


I re-read your comments in this thread to make sure you haven't already mentioned it, but what kinds of tactics does this game emphasize?

Does it encourage creep forward and blast tactics or do the overall tactics you have to adopt require a more synchronized use of your forces with well conducted maneuver done at the correct time being decisive? Or is it neither of these.

 

[Iluvcheezcake]

Bought it, will post impressions

 

[holla_cabezas_de_mierda]

Check the first page ITT for me original review of the initial release - most of the big stuff still applies, the game only got bigger and better with time. Also, the only reason not to install The Troop is that you absolutely hate turn based tactics. It is the bomb.

how is the campaign?

There are four campaigns (2 allied, 2 axis). The way it works, you have a roster of units that cost points to deploy, gain experience and have perma death. You do a series of interlinked missions, thats about it. I only played the 8th Armored campaign so far, and the quality of missions is very good.

awesome, I played the Demo but stopped playing because I did not want to spoil anymore of the game as I realized I would like it right away..that was before there was even a campaign announced. I bought the game but have not played it yet, hope to this weekend..or maybe sooner..