Impressions of winter assault.

Azza

Got it Friday only played it breifly. Unsurpringly nothing radical new.

Thankfully as a modem user, winter assault patchs the older game to 1.4.

Bascially from what I can tell the Imperial Guard are cannon fodder. Like having an army of cultists. Of course this is compinsated by there large numbers.

Only really used the standard guardsman not really tried any other infantry type.
The command squad and special units are not that impressive.

There tanks are quite good. There mobile artillery seemed poor until I started mopping up and enemy base. Made short work of it. There super tanks is ridiculous. I was loosing a battle and the enemy had just captured both relics and majority or strategic points and where about to attack my base on mass. I just got out the super tank...annihilated the attacking enemy with nothing else....destroyed all there caputure points another wave of attacking enemy there defensive line and 2 thirds of there base before they finally destroyed it. By which time I had a massive army rebuilt....which i did not need.


2 campaings now a disorder (orks and choas ) and order one (elder and imperial guard) nothing overally impressive here either. But then again I got the game from the multiplayer side.

Lots of new maps. 1 new unit for all the older races. Not played that yet.

Jury is still out.

Gileadi

from what ive played online so far i found that the new eldar unit (Fire Dragons) seem quite lethal at taking out tanks but got a fairly pathetic range and i would still rate a marine squad with 5 missile launchers well above them

the new chaos unit seems to be the best add-on for the original races being extremely good in close combat,the new marines character the chaplin isnt worth bothering with imo and i havnt had any experience of the new ork stuff


one intresting feature of the guard is that they can garrison 3 squads inside most buildings but im not sure how effective this is and it seems a little too defensive to be of major use online

de5p0i1er

Started playing the disorder campagin, it's pretty good I like the way the story involves both armys instead of just one and a few guest apperances by the other.

The new units are pretty good for each race and I like the Imperial Guard as a cannon fodder army, they'll be though to master.

nesf

I must admit that I think that the expansion is excellent.

Then again, I played the tabletop game for nearly 10 years and a lot of my enjoyment of the game comes from the excellent job that they've done importing armies and feels from tabletop to game.


The Imperial Guard are as they should be, cannon fodder troops screening excellent tanks. The Fire Dragons are as they are on the tabletop. Very limited on foot but fantastic if put into a falcon and dropped beside the enemies toughest armour. They are a highly specialised unit though, they have a job that they do well, other than that they are limited. It's how the Eldar have always been. If you want units that can handle multiple roles then play Space Marines, if you want highly specialised units then play Eldar. Comparing Fire Dragons to Space Marine Tactical Squads is pointless. They are totally different unit types. One is a solid infantry squad with good anti-armour capabilities, the other is a dedicated anti-armour squad that isn't suited to any other role but is fantastic if used correctly.

uberpixie

Have played DOW:WA a wee bit. Only a few skirmishes as the IG.

What I have noticed playing against the AI on hard is that the IG seem to get steam rolled by tire 2 tech level. The only way I can win against the AI is an early rush: 3 squads with nade launchers and commisars.

If I try to turtle I get creamed.

IG lack the heavy weapons teams from the table top game and it hurts. The only anti tank they get are the sentinels, which are great for their points cost but go down like biatches to infantry. You really have to commit them late in a fight behind a very big meat shield to win.

Every other race gets anti tank troops, why not the IG?

Over all I like the changes to chaos: they now play differently to marines and no longer feel like a clone army.

5 weapons per marine squad is a bit nuts, they are leathal enough with 4!
Chaplin is ok. An extra healing unit is always handy and his curse ability is very effective.

Fire dragons were much needed for the eldar, they were by far the weakest race against vehicals in DOW. Prolly should have had fire dragons for the get go in DOW.

Orks I have not really played so I cannot comment on their changes.

Overall very happy with DOW:WA