Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So no new threads for awhile and not wanting to bring any back from the dead....

I am looking into starting SOTR or Secrets of the Third Reich (for those that have sent me PMs about it) and wondering what your thoughts are of the game.

Is there a big difference between the factions or all they all pretty much the same and it just depends on who you like more?

This is something I am also very interested in. I keep hearing good reviews of the game but I can't find very much solid information about the game, even on their site. I think it has the oppurtunity to be a good game and I hope its popularity continues to increase.

Any information about the game would also be very helpful to me.

Well, okay.

The factions play VERY differently. An American force will play quite differently than a German force or a Russian force, while slightly similar to a British force.

It also depends on how much you reach into the mundane aspects, such as the real world vehicles like Shermans/Tigers, which are present. The force I've had fun playing is an American force with Chameleon Sniper units, Mechanized Infantry, and lots of Shermans. It's a blast, literally, and while not the most effective against a WAAC Mechapanzer army...it does a buttload of damage to the mechs when fire is properly allocated.

Plus: Vampire Hitler and Nazi Zombies.
'Nuff fething said.

But if you really want to hop into the SOTR universe...I'd suggest getting Incursion first. They've got two different ways of selling it(the "plain" set, which is just the barebones rulebook, tiles, cardboard representations of the models you'd use and markers....or the "premium hardcore awesome mode set", which is all the stuff you'd get from the plain set, along with both of the starter model sets they sell, in a fine handmade tin case and at a roughly $50 discount.)

Kanluwen wrote:Well, okay.

The factions play VERY differently. An American force will play quite differently than a German force or a Russian force, while slightly similar to a British force.

It also depends on how much you reach into the mundane aspects, such as the real world vehicles like Shermans/Tigers, which are present. The force I've had fun playing is an American force with Chameleon Sniper units, Mechanized Infantry, and lots of Shermans. It's a blast, literally, and while not the most effective against a WAAC Mechapanzer army...it does a buttload of damage to the mechs when fire is properly allocated.

Plus: Vampire Hitler and Nazi Zombies.
'Nuff fething said.

But if you really want to hop into the SOTR universe...I'd suggest getting Incursion first. They've got two different ways of selling it(the "plain" set, which is just the barebones rulebook, tiles, cardboard representations of the models you'd use and markers....or the "premium hardcore awesome mode set", which is all the stuff you'd get from the plain set, along with both of the starter model sets they sell, in a fine handmade tin case and at a roughly $50 discount.)

Ok thanks for the info. A question though isnt Incursion basically Space Hulk for SOTR? Meaning will it help learn the game or just get us cheap models? My girlfriend and I are both interested in this game and I and I am ready to get going asap. Wayland seems to offer a hell of a discount on SOTR stuff so I am think get the Brits if the are about the same as the Americans and the Germans to start us off. Here is the link to the bundles incase any one else is intrested http://www.waylandgames.co.uk/secrets-of-the-third-reich/wayland-sotr-bundles/cat_471.html

Yeah, Incursion is basically Space Hulk for SOTR. However, I was meaning it as the fact that most of the German stuff you'll get from the set is available in the normal German lists. Bombies, etc.

Now, the American stuff from it...it's supposedly in Doomsday(the forthcoming expansion), but I haven't kept up.

I have recently ordered the SOTR book and I hope this will help me to understand.

Could anyone explain how you order armies, like what you can and can't include, how you choose units ect..

I was also wandering how big tanks and mechas are in the game as from the website I can only see a few for the British (the army I am probably going with) and none for Soviets.

A quick idea of the playstyles of each army would also be a very big help.

Sorry for all the questions but so far I have only played GW games and getting used to a new system will take me a while.

Thanks
4M2A

Well, the tanks and mecha are the same general scale as GW's in comparison to infantry. Most of the stuff you see, however, is just scratching the surface--or a lot of the kits are modular. There's also the fact that a lot of the tanks draw upon the actual WWII kits, which West Wind also makes.

Ordering armies is kind of difficult for me to explain, especially since I mostly do scenarios like Sniper! or Brainwurst, where the "army" layouts are static.

Thanks for explaining that Kanluwen.

Does it explain how you build armies in the rulebook or is there another book I need?

It does explain how to build armies in the main rulebook. I think Doomsday will also have the same content, but cannot say for sure as it is not out yet.

Kanluwen you have been awesome with the answers so far! How does this rules system compare to say 40K? Still clear as mud or a little better?

Well...clear as mud, but it might be the fact that I'm rereading the rules while on painkillers from getting my wisdom teeth out

It is a rather interesting rules system, in we get models that have flatout immunities(Vampires in mist form, lycanthropes)--but those immunities can be negated by something as simple as the Monster Hunters rule(which a lot of MI:13 characters or OSS loons grant to any units they join), which represents a hardened squad/platoon that has encountered the supernatural before.

There are also rules for random demonic incursions, portals to the Netherworld opening randomly, etc.

I'll eventually get around to writing a full, in-depth summary for both Shadows of the Third Reich and Infinity...but it'll be awhile, I think

Kanluwen wrote:Yeah, Incursion is basically Space Hulk for SOTR. However, I was meaning it as the fact that most of the German stuff you'll get from the set is available in the normal German lists. Bombies, etc.

Now, the American stuff from it...it's supposedly in Doomsday(the forthcoming expansion), but I haven't kept up.

Yup, the American stuff (The A.P.E. suits!) are in the new expansion, DOOMSDAY.

Weird War II is LOTS of fun, plus you'll be supporting a really cool set of small companies as well...

Check out their official forum at:

http://secretsofthethirdreich.com/forums/index.php

Good times!

My SoTR book still hasn't arrived ( they had run out of stock so sent it a bit late) so I have 2 more questions:

1) Are there "army list" like things or how do you structure the army?

2) What sort of thing will Doomsday contain (obviously no one knows exactly what it will contain but are their any rumours / basic ideas)?

Thanks a lot 4M2A

P.s. I am quite happy that this game is from a smaller company I think that there are a lot of good games out there but its hard for them to get started and, maybe having some competiton may make GW realise that we don't have to buy their stuff so some salesmanship would be nice (note NOT stuffing it down my throat with "What do you want?" "How much money do you have?" "Buy this" "This is cool" "Buy this as well" "Oh and this").

Answers for ya:

1) Yes. There are army lists, and there is a fair amount of structure to armies. Oddly enough, like "real" World War II armies
2) Alpharius pointed out the link to the company's official forum, and they usually show everything off in advance. I haven't kept up real well with the forums since I had my first real post like...a year ago, and seem to have forgotten my details...

But yeah. It's not so much that it's hard for them to get started...it's harder to justify a new game when all you have to go on is word of mouth/the company promoting their products, which they don't even support with a 100% "pure" store. It's easier to hop into miniature wargaming with GW(in my opinion at least) due to the fact that you've got the GW "community" of players, the GW stores, etc.

You can download the APE rules from the Grindhouse website as well... there's even an APE Company formation if you want to use nothing but these Detroit Steel troopers 'The Lucky 7's'.

You get a full set of vehicle rules in the basic rulebook too, but bear in mind that you'll have to resist the temptation to build the Super-Walker!

Achilles wrote:You can download the APE rules from the Grindhouse website as well... there's even an APE Company formation if you want to use nothing but these Detroit Steel troopers 'The Lucky 7's'.

You get a full set of vehicle rules in the basic rulebook too, but bear in mind that you'll have to resist the temptation to build the Super-Walker!

Achilles is spot on - the vehicle design rules are nice, but you can go a little hog wild too.

Of course, it would be pricey (points-wise) and you wouldn't have much else in your army, so there is that!