Wargame companies really need to learn from Eurogame companies and send out preview copies to channels regularly. I know that a few companies do it, but it just doesn't happen often enough. In the case of this game, I was interested in it, but I wanted to see more of it before I decided on it. There was hardly anything on up to date on BGG, and just the standard stuff on Compass' website (with low-res photos). A video like this is perfect to show the potential player what they could be getting if they drop the money (with wargames being more expensive than the average Eurogame, it's especially useful). Only after release do we typically see any of this, and then of course the pre-order prices are gone. I guess part of this has to do with logistics (perhaps the final proof games don't arrive from the printer in time) but I just think that this is an avenue to boost sales and engage with the wargaming community on RU-vid that isn't utilized enough....whereas the Eurogame companies do it routinely. And that's honestly how I decide to buy games most of the time....after seeing them.
I am in 100% agreement with you on this. Having done many reviews over the years on 'hobby games' (euros/ameritrash etc) as I call them, those publishers fully understand the importance of grabbing the attention of the potential customer by getting information and coverage out ahead of time for games. Granted, the hobby gaming side is totally FLOODED with games, and the competition is not as high in the wargame genre but it has increased substantially over the last few years and I see it growing more each year. This growth leads to increased competition for our time and gaming dollars. A couple of publishers do this but they are very few, and I think all publishers would be better served by being more aggressive in this regard, especially since these games aren't inexpensive for customers to purchase. As a niche within a niche, I think wargame content creators are an untapped resource that many publishers don't engage with enough, and some not much at all, that could definitely be utilized much better. Sure, content gets noticed and in most cases shared after release by publishers, but why not do this ahead of a games release? In the case of getting game coverage out ahead of a games release, the ways that this would have to be done would be through either prototypes or PPC copies. With prototypes, an early (and not full tricked out components wise) copy of a game could be sent out to the relatively few wargaming channels we have, and we could provide a glimpse at what to expect. A preview with some initial thoughts and most importantly, a first impression shared, would create further discussion and hopefully even greater interest in these games. The other option would be to send out a pre-production copy, once cleared to print, so that you can see what exactly you will be getting in the coming weeks once production is complete. That would be of even greater benefit for people wanting to order a game, since you'll be seeing exactly what it is that you're pre-ordering. It could be a little tight timing and logistics wise but it's not impossible or even that terribly difficult. I always put in my video notes when a game I cover is provided to me by a publisher/designer. With a very few exceptions, all of the games that I cover on the channel are purchased by me personally. So I'm at the same mercy we all are; sparing the cash to buy the game, and then when will the publisher send it and the mailman actually deliver it to me. Then I try to find the time to shoot a video, edit and upload it. For newer games I do try to be timely to help people curious about a new game. Older games I'll post when I can to keep videos coming out to you all. Thanks for the comments, I appreciate you taking the time to comment and really enjoy chatting with everyone!
Hey Moe, thanks for the video! As a previous poster commented, I wish I could have seen this video closer to when the game was released. At present, it's the only game on my list that I let pass on preorder, because I just didn't feel there was enough detailed info out there at the time. Looks nice; maybe a game to grab while it's on the holiday sale.
Thanks for the kind words Michael, I'm glad you liked the video! I agree about there not being enough information out about the game, this is something that a lot of wargames suffer from IMO. I too was in the same boat (pun intended) with this one but made the buy just because of the subject matter. When possible, I do try to get my videos shot and published to coincide with, or be close to, the release of a game but that's not always possible. With a very few exceptions, all of the games that I do videos on are purchased by me. I shoot them as soon as I'm able to, then edit and upload to share with you all. This is the type of inside look and information about a game that I would want myself for a game I'm interested in, so I decided to do my unboxings in a kind of preview format instead of simply opening up the box and stumbling through saying, "hey, we've got a map, and counters. Oh and some dice"! :) I received Blue Water Navy just a couple of weeks ago, shot the video and it was about a week and a half before I had the time to finish editing and uploading it to share. If I'd have gotten it when it was initially released, I definitely would have had a video out when the game first came out. That's when people are obviously seeking out the most information about a game and want to see what they're getting for their money. I do these videos with just that in mind, Glad you found it useful and yes, you can order the game through the Holiday Sale now. I believe it's $76, IIRC. So you may have missed out on the pre-order but you can at least catch the holiday sale!
This is a tough one. I'm currently playing DNL, which covers air/land/sea in the Baltic and Norwegian Sea. Not strategic, but operational game, smaller scale. But Blue Water looks intriguing because it covers the GIUK and Atlantic, as well. Haha, maybe I can get them both on the tables!
@@roryross3878 Deadly Northern Lights. It is highly unlikely that you'll be able to buy this one. Made by a small game company with a limited run. They find a few here and there under the couch or in the freezer.... www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/294594/1985-deadly-northern-lights Blue Water Navy is a nice game, but the rules are a bit scattered, so it is highly advisable to play the game in order of the scenarios.
@@MoesWargames If I was Kev Sharp, maybe I could play two complex games at once, but I'm just a normal human. My brain does a data dump when I go from one complex game to another.
@@MoesWargames Yeah, don't get me wrong, there are great games that are card driven. In a warfare simulation, for me, it really detracts from the strategy and tactics; I want to simulate the prototype not a game of cards (which certainly could represent a military encounter in a much more abstracted way). I feel dice already account for a lot of abstracted blunders and unforseen obstacles. If the forces I carefully positioned fail in their attacks and get wiped out by a weaker enemy force, the dice gods have spoken. But if high readiness military units never even get activated due to lack of appropriate cards, I feel a snake-eye die roll can already represent such an unexpected disaster/blunder. This is not directed at the specific cards in this game, I know neither what they all do nor how much overall impact they have. Take a backfire regiment, it really has been painstakingly designed and trained for one purpose; if it can't get off the ground I would prefer that took a cunning gambit by my opponent, not simply passive luck. NATO would have to prioritize low-probability strikes on a well-protected airfield deep within Soviet airspace over higher-probability attacks on front-line/more vulnerable Soviet units. Similarly a NATO player could choose to weaken his CVG defence by using some of his air-to-air wings to escort strike missions. But without such choices I would be frustrated (as either side) if a Soviet airstrike on the CVG either went completely unmolested or was totally wrecked by CAP depending soley on the on the respective lack or possession of an interception card. A generic and crude example would be: all CAP card(s) had been played so the Carrier group has no air cover. Conversely if a Carrier group will always have air cover and strike forces despite the outcome of air battles and previous choices of what to do with the air groups. I realize cards can force trade-off decisions but in a warfare simulation that goes to the extent of representing types of units, I prefer such decisions to be based on the calculus of how to directly utilize said units. I don't like area movement maps either but with sea & air zones like this game it is mostly a non-issue. Again this game(s) is nonetheless very compelling, modern(ish) Naval warfare is a very niche market and it is exciting to see folks devoting so much effort to bringing simulations into being. Thank you!
@@roryross3878 those are fair points and I do share some of those sentiments for CDGs to varying degrees myself. Two games that are very loved have fallen fairly flat for more because of that, Combat Commander and Sekigahara. They're both excellent designs and play very well but the hand management/card play aspect of the game just took me right out of it. Sounds like you have similar reservations about CDGs as well. But we never know until we try them right? Hope you get a chance to check it out sometime, it is great to see modern naval games on the market!
@@MoesWargames Do you know if CDGs have ever been used by the military? For me it usually feels like a departure from simulation and into "fun", and sometimes that's not actually fun.
@@MoesWargames Thanks Moe. The bummer is that shipping (+customs) will be on par with it´s original price here in EU. So far no copies left here in Spain :-(
@@MoesWargames Sold out or on demand, which wont be with a sale price. That´s the thing with wargames here in EU, they run out fast as they only get a few copies on each store. UK seem to have better stock.
@@hex2redonealpha102 yea, that's really rough to have to deal with. It's a shame that stores don't order more. If they sell out that quick, you'd think some of them would.
Great job as always Moe and thank you for the hard work...!!! However I am going to say again and never get an answer from Compass. I love Compass games and I do appreciate the hard work and love they pour into their games. However they consistently fall way short on their game counters and components. This is $100.00 game and the counters quality is for the 1990s. I do not understand this and why they fall way short of other game company's in this field? Lock & Load, Flying pigs just to name a few.. These counters are a mess and take forever to pull apart and a must to clip. Did they use a Commodore 64 to print these?
Thanks for the kind words Henry, I really appreciate them! :) I too had some issues with these counters but since I was going to clip them, it didn't matter to me too much if they came out super clean or not. The counter clipper eliminated that issue, so I could overlook that personally. My bigger gripe with the counters revolves around the color scheme choices, the light blue background and the white unit counters. It makes it difficult to tell which airframe is on the counters, so you have to either get down close to the table, use a magnifying glass (in fairness, part of that is due to my eyes sucking lol), or pull the counter off the table to read it. There wasn't enough contrast between light blue background and white unit silhouette colors on the counters and that makes it harder to determine units at a glance. That is something that I hope they improve upon for the Pacific theater release of the next in the BWN series. Compass has been addressing the counter issues, and have greatly improved by changing counter manufacturers. Those issues should be pretty much eliminated now, which is a great thing. The counters are thicker and even come with rounded corners, so that means no more need to clip and we can throw the game down on the table and get to playing! Huzzah! lol
@@MoesWargames Here that. Difficult to play more than one game at a time. Space and rules' memorization makes it a one-game-at-a-time for me. Not sure how people like Kev Sharp does it....
