An easy scenario to learn from...

[unmerged(1833)]

Other than the training scenario, is there one where things happen slowly and you don't immediately have enemies attacking you from different locations...?

preferably with a smaller empire rather than a larger one, to try and get the feel for the game

 

[grumbold]

I like Russia in the Grand Campaign. Troops are cheap, Kazan is begging to be invaded and you don't have to worry about ships, colonists or exploration until much later in the game, if ever.

 

[unmerged(930)]

There is a division between those who believe the best way for a novice to learn the game is to dive right in to the grand campaign, preferably with Russia, which seems to be a little easier in the early going, and those who recommend Fantasia as a way to continue to learn the game before playing the grand campaign. Fantasia allows you to start with a one-province empire and no neighbors. Basically it is the tutorial without the instructions and with a choice of countries. You gradually come into contact with other nations and have to deal with them. Playing the grand campaign, you are immediately exposed to all the complications of the game. It is a matter of preference. But if you want to take another intermediate step before trying the grand campaign, I recommend Fantasia. When I started my first campaign game after playing Fantasia, I had a better understanding of the mechanics. However, there are others who adamantly recommend starting a grand campaign, usually with Russia. These people consider Fantasia as 'unworthy' of EU.

 

[unmerged(1390)]

I consider Fantasia a good learning tool. It got me familiar with the various interfaces, choices, and taught me how strong pirates are (gripe, gripe).

THEN I went and started playing Russia and Turkey (2 games, depending on which computer my wife is using ).

 

[unmerged(1833)]

Thanks for the help.

The Fantasia sounds more like what I am looking for.

 

[unmerged(930)]

By the way, welcome fellow FOF fan. I go by JW over there.

 

[unmerged(940)]

Let me add my welcome too! Glad to see guys over here. Perhaps if we can put our heads together, we can understand this confounding game.

 

[unmerged(2041)]

Gindin Lives !

Yes, I really got hooked reading Gozilla Blitz's AAR on the FOF Dynasty Board. Now I ordered the game and hope it arrives TONIGHT !

 

[unmerged(2003)]

I have found Fantasia to be useful, for the reasons identified earlier. The most difficult part of the engine to grasp fully is the complex economics; and I found that when playing the GC that I spent more time on military and diplomatic relations, and had difficulty understanding how to sustain a good economy and strong trade competitiveness. With Fantasia, you can deal with all of your internal mechanics for centuries, while also getting a feel for the dynamics of different nations and geographical settings: Eire for an excellent introduction to naval development; Inca for resource / inflation management; Iroquois in North America for land-based expansion.

I once played Iroquois as the dominant power in North America, owning / controlling and slowly populating the entire continent. Only when I chose to move south into Mexico did I encounter Incas (and their other allies), and began to get a sense of how to compete in a trade war. Eventually, I got sick of the Incas and declared war on them . . . or better prompted them to declare war with a trade embargo . . . in any case, Fantasia is a good, if somewhat formless, way to get a hold of your own development before interacting with other nations.

 

[unmerged(1251)]

Funny how this game draws the same type of player who gravitates toward Front Office Football. Both require a lot of thought, planning and make the most of a mental challenge rather than a physical one like the various'twitch' games out on the market.

Vive EU!
Vive FOF!

 

[Dark Knight]

I think it's much better to learn by playing in an actual scenario rather than the Fantasia. This allows to get a grasp of managing a real country and having to be concerned with diplomacy, economics, and war instead of only colonization.

 

[unmerged(410)]

Fantasia is an excellent introduction to the game. No other scenario can give you that same opportunity to learn the game interface and the first mechanics - without interference. And later on, there is some real fun when discovering and confronting the few other nations.
It is a giant tutorial and perfect for the first one or two games.
After that : the magnificent Grand Campaign.
Easily the best strategic game ever, in my opinion. But what a time eater.

 

[unmerged(1562)]

Not my question but ...

I sure liked to read about it. As the questioner said: Fantasia sounds like its for me too -- if I ever get through the tutorial! Have a friend that just started the game -- he is more of the 'dive right in type' but I see he made the right decision too with doing the GC as Russia.