New player, plz help!!!

[casluerj]

Hey guys,

I've just bought the game and I am somewhat lost.

Could any of you guys here post a link to a good noob walkthrough?

Thx in advance.

[Legend]

One way to get started is to play the Paris Attacks mission and to use the PDF walkthrough provided with the game. It can be found in the start menu/programs group alongside the icons to play the game.

Run through a couple of tutorials. Pick the ones that interest you and start there.

You can use the search above to find posts - usually containing the words, "new" and "help". There aren't many of them but everyone is helpful here with posts to follow up on requests for help.

Some quick tips:
- give your cabinet ministers priorities so they can run your government for you. Start in a smaller map such as US Pennsylvania. It only has two regions so you only have to worry about one other opponent.
- don't overspend. This isn't a build quick sort of game. Make small adjustments to get you started.

Does this help a bit?

Does anyone wish to add anything?

[Lightbringer]

some of my learning curve involved doing really crazy stupid stuff... click-dragging the mouse and highlighting every available ground unit....then sending them all to my enemy's capitol for instance. I sorted out what worked by identifying what didn't.
But yeah, play small maps and on slow speed....lots of pausing if you need it. Europe and North America are good starters, most areas in them have decent economies and resources. If something keeps puzzling you over and over again, just ask here or do a search. Pick one aspect and have that be your focus for that scenario. ("this time I'm going to really check out research!")

[Il Duce]

Although the game has a long learning curve, it rewrds you with a very complex challenge. As lightbringer suggested - focus on an area at a time. Specialize in just one or two aspects, and then go back and replay the same scenario (using your familiarity with the terrain and the neighbors) and specialize in a couple of other things. Recommended priority for focuses would be (in my opinion)...

1. Logistics - supply and process
2. Economics - you have to deal with this, and you'll keep coming back to it.
3.Closely tied to econ is social policy and domestic approval.
4. Diplomacy, and the WM. You'll spend a ot of time on this, or maybe not.
5. Military ops. the reason this is fifth on the list is that without the preceding stuff covered, you probably won't survive a war.

[Lightbringer]

another reason military can be pushed back in the list... Even with only a fundamental idea of what to do (a few artillary and infantry units at cities and bases), you can at least hold your own long enough to learn some stuff about whatever else you were trying to do when war started up. In fact how different aspects are affected by war is probably near the top of the list of what you need to learn. I played the U.S. southwest scenario at least a dozen times the first couple weeks I had the game. Familiarity with an area is a definate help when you are getting a handle on everything.

[Il Duce]

...And after a while you'l figure out what works for you.

I spent the first three months without ever doing any research. At this point I consider certain key research items a priority over other seemingly imminent needs. It just takes time. And although some would dispute it, it takes a while to figure out what your tactical style is, and how that affects things like diplo and the development of Causus Belli. For some players, war is an almost immediate event - for others (like myself) it may become quite difficult to create a truly hostile critical mass.

Try a few regions - I personally have a fondness for eastern europe, but you might find africa or north america to your liking. It just depends. While the manual provided with the media is only about 25% useful, the contents of the forums is priceless, and it could take months to catch up on the reading.

This is a really dense game.