1. Getting Started
Focus: This section explains how to install and set up the game.
Key Points:
- An overview of how this manual is laid out
- Technical Game specifications
- How to install the game
- How to access technical help
- How to access information provided by other players of the game
The aim of the Getting Started section is to provide basic background information and instructions to take you from starting the game on the desktop to preparing to make the first actions as a player. The section describes the game and its support, the Main Menu, available scenarios and an explanation of Victory Conditions.
1.1 Historical Background
On 22 June 1941 Germany launched Operation BARBAROSSA, the invasion of the Soviet Union. The subsequent conflict was the most savage, brutal and costly clash of arms in modern history. By the time that Berlin fell, and the Germans surrendered in May 1945 the struggle between the two regimes had caused the deaths of an estimated 20 million people.
1.2 The Game
Gary Grigsby’s War in the East 2 is a turn based simulation of the Eastern Front in World War Two from June 1941 to August 1945. As the Soviet or Axis player, you take the role of the military High Command to use the forces available to you to execute the conflict at the strategic and operational levels of war.
The game is an “Alternate History Creator” that focuses on simulating the logistic and command and control problems that the historical commanders on the Eastern Front had to deal with. It will allow players to explore many of the strategic and operational “What ifs” that have been discussed by historians and armchair strategists for many years.
Due to the game focus, there is little or no ability to alter factors such as economic production or research of the two sides.
The game scale is weekly turns, with a hexagonal map area representing ten miles per hex. Some regions are covered by abstracted Theatre Boxes.
Ground units range from Corps and Divisions down to battalion level support units andair units are represented at the squadron and group level.
Units are all controlled through a series of Headquarters units, each with individual leaders, which represent the chain of command up to the High Command (OKH and Stavka) level.
Combat is conducted through an automated tactical system that models the action down to the individual aircraft, Armoured Fighting Vehicle, and infantry squad.
1.3 The Manual
This manual provides a detailed description of the game’s rules, functions and user interface.
For ease of reference the Manual is broken down into nine main sections. Each section starts with an explanation of the aim of the section and an overview of the section’s layout. These are:.
1.3.1 Setting Up The Game (Chapters 2–4)
This section provides basic background information and instructions to get you ready to start playing the game.
In addition, the chapter on Basic Gameplay (see Chapter 4) provides instructions on how to get playing the game with the minimum of fuss and bother. This section is in three parts:
- A very brief overview of the main game concepts and how the game works (4.3);
- Sufficient information on these aspects to allow you to start playing the game;
- A walk through of the introductory Velikie Luki scenario (4.19-4.23)
Chapter 4 also includes, where relevant, full page guides which show in cartoon strip format step by step guides to support basic game play. A separate printable pack of these guides is located in Manuals folder if you wish to print separate copies.
If you have previously played War in the East 1, we strongly suggest you also read the first part of the Players Notes (especially 30.1.1) as this provides a quick overview of the major changes between the two games. Equally if you have previously played War in the West, then we suggest you read over section 30.1.2 as that indicates some changes between the two games.
In general, Appendix A should be helpful to both new and returning players as it places the detailed rules into the context of how they affect game play.
1.3.2 The Playing Environment (Chapters 5–7)
This section provides detailed information on both the game’s graphic user interface and the map on which combat is conducted.
1.3.3 Game Concepts (Chapters 8–15)
This section provides information on the weather system in WiTE2 and how weather influences ground and air combat and supply operations. It also gathers together information on either the specifically in-game conventions or the special rules for certain turns or unit types.
1.3.4 The Air War (Chapters 16–19)
This section provides detailed information on how to handle air forces and the associated rules.
1.3.5 The Ground War (Chapters 20–23)
This section provides detailed information on how to handle ground forces and the associated rules.
1.3.6 The Naval War (Chapter 24)
This section provides detailed information on how to handle naval forces and the associated rules.
1.3.7 Logistics and Production (Chapters 25–28)
This section covers both the detailed rules for logistics (supply and replacements), reinforcements and production of material essential to conducting the war.
1.3.8 Winning and Losing (Chapter 29)
This section covers the victory conditions for the various campaign games and for the shorter scenarios
1.3.9 Appendices (Chapters 30–41)
This section groups together reference material and information not included in the other sections to help readability.
1.3.10 Accuracy and Future Changes
Clearly the manual aims to be as accurate as possible but the game will develop through patches after release. For practical reasons the text and images in this version were prepared using a late version of the beta test releases. As such, some things may well be changed between this and the release version.
For that reason a variant of this manual (called the Living Manual) will be prepared and kept up to date with patch changes. That version will not contain any images and will clearly identify where the rules have been altered in subsequent patches.
1.3.11 Conventions Used In This Manual
Cross referencing of applicable sections has been included so, for example, (14.1.2) refers to section 14.1.2 in the manual.
The manual presents information at different levels of detail. In particular, Chapter 4 is designed to be read as a stand-alone guide for new players (including those with experience of other Gary Grigsby War in the … games).
The goal is to present all the information a player might need when playing the game. This includes explaining how to undertake actions (such as air missions or ground combat) and how to interpret the results of those decisions.
Where appropriate, the formulas underlying the game functions are provided. In some cases, knowledge of specific formulas was deemed to allow overly “gamey” behaviour, or is too complex to detail, so they are kept “under the hood”.
1.4 System Requirements
1.4.1 Minimum Specs:
OS: Windows 7/8/10
CPU: 1.5 GHz+
RAM: 4GB
Video Card: 256MB DirectX 9+ Compatible
Sound Card: 16 bit DirectX 9+ Compatible
Hard Drive Space: 4 GB Free
DirectX 9.0c or higher
1.4.2 Recommended Specs:
OS: Windows 10
CPU: 2.0GHz+ (or multi-core equivalent)
RAM: 8GB
Video Card: 1GB DirectX 9+ Compatible
Sound Card: 16 bit DirectX 9+ Compatible
Hard Drive Space: 4 GB Free
DirectX 9.0c or higher
1.5 Installation
Please ensure your system meets the minimum requirements listed above. To install the game, either double click on the installation file you downloaded or insert the DVD into your DVD-ROM drive. If you have disabled the autorun function on your DVD-ROM or if you are installing from a digital download, double-click on the installation archive file, then double click on the file that is shown inside the archive. Follow all on-screen prompts to complete installation.
1.6 Uninstalling the Game
Please use the Add/Remove Programs option from the Windows Control Panel or the Uninstall shortcut in the games Windows START menu folder to uninstall the game. Uninstalling through any other method will not properly uninstall the game.
1.7 Product Updates
In order to maintain our product excellence, Matrix Games releases updates containing new features, enhancements, and corrections to any known issues. All our updates are available free on our website and can also be downloaded quickly and easily by clicking on the Check for Update link in your Game Menu or by using the Update Game shortcut in your Windows START menu folder for the game.
We also periodically make beta (preview) updates and other content available to registered owners. Keeping up with these special updates is made easy and is free by signing up for a Matrix Games Members Club account. When you are signed up, you can then register your Matrix Games products in order to receive access to these gamerelated materials. Doing so is a simple two-step process:
Sign Up for a Matrix Games Members Club account – THIS IS A ONE TIME PROCEDURE; once you have signed up for a Matrix account, you are in the system and will not need to sign up again. Go to www.matrixgames.com and click the Members hyperlink at the top. In the new window, select Register NOW and follow the on-screen instructions. When you’re finished, click the Please Create My New Account button, and a confirmation e-mail will be sent to your specified e-mail account.
Register a New Game Purchase – Once you have signed up for a Matrix Games Member account, you can then register any Matrix Games title you own in your new account. To do so, log in to your account on the Matrix Games website (www.matrixgames.com). Click Register Game near the top to register your new Matrix Games purchase. If you purchased your game while already logged in, it will be automatically registered for you.
We strongly recommend registering your game as it will give you a backup location for your serial number should you lose it in the future. Once you’ve registered your game, when you log in to the Members section you can view your list of registered titles by clicking My Games. Each game title is a hyperlink that will take you to an information page on the game (including all the latest news on that title). Also on this list is a Downloads hyperlink that takes you to a page that has all the latest public and registered downloads, including patches, for that particular title.
You can also access patches and updates via our Games Section (http://www.matrixgames.com/games/). Once there select the game you wish to check updates for, then click the Downloads link at the top of the game page. Certain value content and additional downloads is restricted to Members Club members but it is easy to sign up there.
Remember, once you have signed up for a Matrix Games Members Club account, you do not have to sign up again and at that point you are free to register for any Matrix Games product you purchase.
Thank you and enjoy your game!
1.8 Game Forums
Our forums are one of the best things about Matrix Games. Every game has its own forum with our designers, developers and the gamers playing the game sharing information and their experiences. If you are experiencing a problem, have a question, want to share your game experiences or just an idea on how to make the game better, post a message there. Go to http://www.matrixgames.com and click on the Forums hyperlink.
1.9 Need Help?
The best way to contact us if you are having a problem with one of our games is through our Help Desk. Our Help Desk has FAQs as well as a dedicated support staff that answer questions within 24 hours, Monday through Friday. Support questions sent in on Saturday and Sunday may wait 48 hours for a reply. You can get to our Help Desk by going to http://www.matrixgames.com/helpdesk.
1.10 Tutorials
Included with the game are some video tutorials to help get you started. These can be accessed from the game launcher menu or can be found in the Manuals Folder.
We recommend players start by watching the video tutorials, followed by playing the introductory Velikie Luki scenario (from the Soviet side). After this it is suggested to play the Road to Minsk scenario (as the Axis player) and then some of the smaller scenarios.
Players should focus at first on just moving and attacking with their on-map units before exploring other parts of the game. There’s so much to learn in terms of both the interface and rules that it can be overwhelming, although much of the detail is not needed to play the game “out of the box”.
Instead much of that detail can be absorbed in stages as the player becomes more experienced. The bottom line is that players shouldn’t feel they need to learn everything in order to start playing the game.
At its most basic, if you have read the ‘Getting Started’ portion of the game manual and the Players Notes (Appendix A) and review the various ‘one page guides’, you should be able to play the game and enjoy yourself.
1.11 Editor
The Game has a comprehensive editor (Section 41) which was used to create all the scenarios. This can also be used to change various game parameters such as movement costs, weather effects and the OOBs for the various scenarios and campaigns.