Purple Haze Impressions & Light Review | Solo Vietnam War Tactical Combat | Board Game | Phalanx

[@srdjanjovanovski4548]

Great review :) You're 100% right about why combat looks like it does - at some point during the development process, we (James, me and the designer) decided that combat needs to be supplementary to the narrative, not the other way around, and, hence, can't be too complex and can't take too long. Another reason why it's quick is because that was the nature of most small-scale skirmishers in the Vietnam War, some fights were over after just half a minute - the VC and the NVA knew perfectly well they had to hurry, otherwise, they'd be saturated with overwhelming fire support assets like artillery and/or air power. Anyhow, I'm particularly happy that you love the narrative aspect of the game, and that you proved how replayable those missions are :D That was our aim from the very beginning, that and immersion :)

[@SoloBattles]

As I was watching the review I had similar thoughts. I could imagine the exact same thought process. I worked on another military game that had the same issue. Wonderful narrative (mine is army command) and quick play, which everyone enjoyed, but couldn't combat be more detailed? Yes it could, but now it is no longer quick play, and you can't be in two places at once. You can't be in the command tent and on the front line. You can't show the whole forest and each tree!

[@jaroandrus]

I remember we also talked about how little control you would have in the actual combat - something often mentioned in the great documentary by Ken Burns. So we decided that what's important is how you setup your squad for the unexpected. And once the bullets start flying, well... there is probably not much time to do anything but fire. Simplification of course but that's how we saw it.

[@SoloBattles]

@jaroandrus that's often forgotten in many tactical games! How do you accurately reflect 2 minutes of combat when it takes 20 minutes to resolve? The biggest component is the decision time. I think it works great that in PH, it just happens, and it's over! That's what makes it super realistic.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for sharing this. Much appreciated, and the input on the quick nature of skirmishes in the Vietnam was something I hadn't consider to that level. That's helpful to know and reflect on. And thanks for all your work in making this game. It's such a fresh entry into the field, and based on what I've seen of the campaign so far, really sets a new standard for narrative gameplay. And yes, I absolutely love how replayable this is. Brilliant stuff. :)

[@srdjanjovanovski4548]

@@ZillaBlitz Thanks, I appreciate that :)

[@uriell295]

Thanks for your words.

[@ZillaBlitz]

My pleasure

[@dizpatcher01]

Your reviews are always great. This was exceptional. Your nailed the reasons for limited tactical combat. Vietnam was hit and run, hit and run. Everything about this game is so real to the moment. BTW - that wall of games behind you is really impressive.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you liked the video! Regarding the wall, when I got back into wargaming a couple of years ago, I set aside some funds to build up a library and that photo is the result. :)

[@Pluto2363]

Ordered this retail on the Phalanx website. Should get it in January. Can't wait!!!!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Very nice! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. :)

[@Usually_Insane]

12:11 I’m tempted to suggest glueing small 1/72scale soldiers onto those, just to get a visual for the guy

[@ZillaBlitz]

This is a great idea! For whatever reason, though, I'm not a huge fan of minis in games. I know, based on everything I just said in the video it makes no sense, but for whatever reason I tend to prefer nicely crafted cardboard. :)

[@jamesbuckley2748]

Thanks for the excellent review! On the point about streamliming the Marine combat roll, another design consideration was that if you are playing it multiplayer then combat is a bigger deal for you; it's one of the places you get to act individually. If you are playing 3 player, and controlling just two Marines, you want your Marine's 'go' to be meaningful, with the spotlight on you. So what for the purely solo player may feel like it could be streamlined a bit, might not be like that when playing higher player counts.

[@ZillaBlitz]

My pleasure, James! And that makes a lot of sense on the multiplayer turn element, thanks! :)

[@jonlatino9964]

as usual ... awesome honest job. I will be ordering this as soon as its available.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! In case it helps, it's available now via the company's website. Link is in the video description. :)

[@jonlatino9964]

@@ZillaBlitz on my way there brother !

[@DieterDietz1]

Totally agree with you.

[@ZillaBlitz]

This is a statement I've never heard from my wife. ;)

[@CopperFieldsGaming]

Thanks Zilla, really gives me a good view of the game

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. :)

[@nathanielwos2141]

I've done all but the 9th mission and have thoroughly enjoyed the game so far. For the abstractness of the combat, I kind of thought it symbolized the confusion of combat. But I do also play games like Too Many Bones, where the combat board is just as abstract and the emphasis is more on your cool abilities and narrative you make out it. I feel like this might be a good way to introduce non-wargamers to some of the more crunchy combat, such as dice and tables combat. Also had an instance of that coaching moment where a marine failed a test and his poor trigger discipline cost me a side objective.

[@ZillaBlitz]

That's great to hear that you've made so much progress and are enjoying the game so much. And yes, I definitely like the abilities that you can use in combat. I know that I've forgotten to check them a couple of times, but I'm getting better at remembering to look at them more frequently. Thanks for sharing!

[@dansmith7617]

Really well done and honest review. Clearly a great game with lots of possibilities. Thanks for taking the time to post these! -Dan P.S. Love the duct-taped Tobruk box. One of my favorites! 😁

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! I enjoy making these and it's always fun to hear when people like them. :) And yeah, I've got a few Avalon Hill games with 15-year-old duct tape on them. Good memories. :)

[@PoultergeistBoardGames]

Thanks for giving your thoughts on this. I have this on my list of games to get.

[@ZillaBlitz]

My pleasure, and I hope you can enjoy the game if/when you get it to the table. :)

[@coyi51]

Enthralling review for a game with a lot going for it and good replay ability. Combat appears to be time consuming, but a lot of people seem to like the game from the reviews have seen. For the time being I have added to my wish list as the pile of new games has reached proportions. Many thanks.

[@ZillaBlitz]

I think the combat will get faster as one plays more. It's already really picked up for me, and I've done combat maybe 5-6 times so far. It's the most complex part of the game as well, so it takes a bit of learning time in there, and looking stuff up, etc. I suspect encounters will take 20 minutes once the player gets up to speed.

[@Harvestersz]

Thanks for the review. I've yet to play this, but really looking forward to getting it to the table. When this game was first announced, the developer said the first mission was based on an old Amiga(?) game. I am trying to remember its name, but I did track it down, and it was indeed the 1st mission's setup. Also, I remember that this game changed after the funding period ended. I was hoping the changes were for the better, and your review confirmed that they were indeed.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Oh, that's interesting about the Amiga game. I wonder what game it was.

[@srdjanjovanovski4548]

That game was called "Lost Patrol", we even mentioned that in the design notes, that's how much of an inspiration that game was, at least for the designer - not so much for me, or James, we haven't played it ;) Come to think of it, I have only played two Vietnam War-related games, Hearts & Minds and Fire in the Lake, both excellent games.

[@riplee406]

I will add this game to my wish list. Looks like a keeper for sure.

[@ZillaBlitz]

The replayability is the thing that surprised me the most, and takes the game to a keeper level, for sure. :)

[@TomCollipi]

Zilla, Thanks for another great video. I really appreciate how fairly you evaluate games. You could have very easily declared this a review, but you didn’t. I also like the fact that you share the good with the not so good. After watching the video, I too share your thoughts about the energy it takes to get a result for a US marine. I think it will get less and less fiddly as one gains experience with it. That having been said, I can’t wait to get my copy.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! And yes, I've played the combat a half dozen times now and it's getting much quicker. :)

[@Demy1970]

Great video Zilla and good time limit. Have a nice weekend gaming, I am playing glory days boxing.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! I'm trying to make shorter videos, but it's hard. :) How are you liking the boxing game?

[@colinmacmillan2944]

My copy arrived today (New Zealand) - skipped right to the end to miss the spoilers - will I manage to leave it under the Christmas tree until the 24th? The struggle is real ... 😀

[@ZillaBlitz]

Ha! Good luck holding off! In case it helps, the Spoilers part is labeled in the chapters, so there are only about 2 minutes in the middle that you want to avoid, and you can use the chapters to hop right over it. :)

[@jeffc4757]

Love the review! This game is solo, but can also be coop with multiple people. How do you think the multi player aspect would work since you have done some gameplay with it? I just got my copy in and haven't even opened it yet, so enjoying watching your videos on it.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Two of us played a learning mission with each of us controlling 3 soldiers and it was very good. Lots of shared decisions to make as a team, and then some good decisions to make for your soldiers in combat, and an occasional trait test to make in the story. I think with 2 or 3 players the math works out really well. I suppose you could play with up to six, but I think beyond 3 the decisions would probably get pretty light. And because each mission is connected yet largely a standalone adventure, you could easily swap in and out players as you work through a campaign. And thanks for the kind words!

[@jeffc4757]

@@ZillaBlitz Awesome news, I was hoping it would be good with two player as well, and sounds like it is. Thanks!

[@ZillaBlitz]

Sure thing, enjoy!

[@jamesbuckley2748]

I actually think it's best at 2 player personally. There's enough decision making and you feel even more ownership over your three Marines.

[@Mariusz81]

@@jeffc4757 Fun fact: When Benny came to us with PH it was purely a solitaire experience. When I started to playtest it with him it turned out I love to play this with someone more than by myself. Whenever I play PH with someone, I feel like a squad standing somewhere in the Vietnamese jungle, holding a map in our hands and wondering what to do next. Those were the best sessions for me :D

[@scotwilliams803]

Great honest review. As minor as it is, I found the cover counters to be odd as well. Some sort of image would provide a better feel.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's also a fair point that the cover markers are largely covered by the units in combat, so you only see the edges of the hard cover. :)

[@srdjanjovanovski4548]

@@ZillaBlitz Yeah, we actually debated the issue internally, and decided that there's no point in creating an illustration for soft cover markers since they're never visible, and the hard cover, in turn, had to be either dark-brown, or red, to be visible at all on a green board - and that wouldn't match anything you'd find in a jungle, so, again, no illustration... A bit dissapointing, I know, but sometimes the clarity and visibility are more important than aesthetics, I'm afraid.

[@dayoltay]

I can't wait to grab this retail

[@ZillaBlitz]

In case it helps, it can be ordered from the company's website. Link is in the video. :)

[@dayoltay]

@ZillaBlitz thanks, it does help!

[@SoloBattles]

Excellent video again, Mike! I think you hit on the exact issue. You wish combat were more detailed, yet you found it putsy to stop and set up what little combat was shown! I believe you were right, the designers made the best co.promise they could.

[@ZillaBlitz]

The combat is definitely the most rules-heavy aspect of the game too, so it's natural that it's going to take a bit of time to get up to speed there. I have noticed it getting faster quickly. :)

[@cassiolimastudio3394]

As usual, this is an awesome review. Have you tried Radio Commander, the PC game? You will probably like it. It´s a similar idea implemented differently, and in the case of RC, there are quite a few issues in the campaign scripts, unfortunately.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! And I've not heard of Radio Commander, I'll check it out, thanks. :)

[@jefft786]

Is there any possibility that that you could "make" your own character like the old Ambush games?

[@ZillaBlitz]

Absolutely, you could just swap the name out on an existing card for a quick swap, or create your own card and attributes. I was thinking if I did a full playthrough on the channel I'd rename everyone in the squad to "volunteer" viewers.

[@jefft786]

@@ZillaBlitz Awesome! Want to say I really enjoy your show

[@ZillaBlitz]

Thanks! :)

[@Phalanx11]

You have the thousand yard stare...all combat marines get it. Youv'e been in the 'Nam.

[@ZillaBlitz]

Ha! Hopefully not from playing this game, but sometimes at work I get the thousand-yard stare. :)

[@taitchison1]

when this game out?

[@ZillaBlitz]

It can be ordered now from the publisher's website, the link is in the video description. :)

[@taitchison1]

@@ZillaBlitz so you can only buy this from the publisher dose that include the expation?

[@BrianMarcus-nz7cs]

🐾. Mmm m Shhh , sounds like this might b a Hidden klassic m8 ,,,, Zill / mike ,do the weapons malfunction, is it possible to call in mortar/artillery support ??? ,,,,, good review, Cathulu 😂

[@ZillaBlitz]

No weapons malfunction that I can see. Artillery support is a feature, yes. :)

[@jordigrau3582]

Visca Barça i Visca Catalunya