Hi Monsta!

If I were you... I'd get the Aow 1 first. I think it's the best game of the three. It's slightly simpler, Aow2 and AowSM have more complex game mechanics. So it would probably be easier to learn the game concepts via Aow 1 and then progress onto the others. But this is just my view and not everyone on here will share it.

Hope this helps!

Dave

Thanks for the advice Dave, I'll follow it and get the 1st one 1st.

Cheers!

Dave's advice is a good one. I only have AoW 1 so I can't judge the others.

I have all 3 games and I agree that Aow1 is by far the easiest to learn. It is personally my favorite one to play as well.

Thanks for all the advice :)

I ended up getting all three AoW games that GOG has (as well as a bunch of other games), so will play AoW1 first. Sadly I've almost reached my ISP's data allowance for this month, and I'm saving what little I have left to download Trine and Trine 2, so probably won't get to play AoE until next month :( (Paying to download at an internet shop would cost several times what it cost to buy the games in the first place at $20 per gb).

Edit: Actually, i take that back. AoW1 is only 150mb so I'll probably play that this month and get started on the others next month instead :D

Age of Wonders is a fairly difficult game to play. Well nothing complex, just involves a good strategy. Save often. Especially the campaign. If you need some help or pointers you can always come ask.

Thanks, I almost certainly will!

Just so readers don't get intimidated -- I got AOW2: Shadow Magic and don't own the previous titles.

I find this a game that can be tough to play, but no tougher to learn than HOMM3. In HOMM3, there are key strategies that make a huge difference in your results, and learning them can be a pretty long and random process. In Shadow Magic, you can pick most things up fairly quickly, either by playing a race or playing against one.

You can also find some stuff on the net that will help you learn a bit more. Not a huge wealth of stuff compared to other games I've played, but enough, because the games, as I said, are tougher to play than figure out.

Example: If you go outside a small area around your starting castle, it will trigger computer opponents to attack from that direction, if any are nearby. (This doesn't happen, by contrast, in the HOMM games.) That makes for a tough early game sometimes. BUT ... the basic mechanism of what happens to you every time you go out into the world a little ways from that starting castle will be very obvious to you after the first time or two it happens.

Example: The early game can be tough if you don't start out with a good single-unit damage spell. But what you have to do is obvious: You will have to lose research turns getting one if you don't want your spellcasting to be very weak for wizard and caster-heroes alike. That will put off your getting spells that help you balance your economy, like Survivalist or Merchant. So you might want to be more aggressive about conquering mines, forges, windmills, and fresh castles very early in the game. You'll know if you have to, by the texture of the game thus far.

Dealing with problems in Shadow Magic, at least, is tough. Figuring them out is not.

So I'd say, just get whichever one looks like the most fun.

Nice one mate. Do read what Blarg has posted above though, some fair points in there too. Once you have had a good crack at the campaign I'd suggest to join in with a few play by email multiplayer games... this is where the game really comes into its own; i.e. when you play against human opponents.

That sounds like fun - I have no idea how it would work, but perhaps I'll understand better once I've gotten into it. I got distracted over the last couple of days with other games that I got in the sale here (and Gratuitous Space Battles that I picked up as part of a humblebundle, which I've found strangely addictive). I bought all of the AoW already as it looks like something I want to get into, and AoW 1 is downloading now, so my journey will begin shortly.... :D

PM me if you want to ask any questions.

also, Monsta:

don't be seduced by the auto combat -- it's far quicker and easier than guiding your combatants one by one, but you'll pay a price. this is something i'm sure veteran players have known for a long time, but i finally got a good illustration today with a batlle i first did in auto, then commanded myself. both times i won the battle, but in auto i walked away with five troops left, and when i "ordered" individual troops, i had nine left, including a hero and some key fighters.

for one thing, auto combat will unnecessarily throw your secondary (non-Merlin) heroes directly into the heart of battle, and they immediately become the focus of your opponent, often getting surrounded -- if they don't get killed outright, they often walk away with severe damage. also, in a siege (and this is obviously a glitch), when a flyer or climber scales the wall, in auto combat ground troops will follow him as if they "think" an opening lies that way, instead of attacking the gates where they belong.

i'm sure more experienced players could cite more examples, but basically auto combat should be used for only the most clear-cut battles, if at all (actually, in that situation, you wouldn't choose to command at all, just go straight to the outcome).

[amusingly, i didn't start individually commanding until AoW 2, and completed the entire campaign and all the scenarios in AoW 1 using nothing but auto -- go figure.]

I always choose tactical* combat. It's so funny to see the enemy standing idlely in front of their gates waiting for you while you lead your troops to the back of their camp.

ah.