Video Game Play - WitE and M&M2

I've been busy at work, but I've had a little time here and there to play two games - War in the East and Might & Magic II.

War in the East has been hard - I started a 1942-1945 campaign as the Soviets. Why 42 and not 41? Because there are just so many units, so many HQs to worry about, so many moving pieces in 1941. I just said, to heck with it, let's start just before the German Spring offensive in 1942 and see how it goes. It's going poorly for the Soviets, but I'm trying. Hopefully I can weather the storm and start to grind the fascists back to Berlin!

Still, it's tough to figure out what to do . . . and again, so, so, so many units. It's hard to know how to maximize their use. And I'm used to breaking down divisions into regiments, but not building divisions into corps and when/what support units to build.

Might & Magic II has been . . . interesting.

First off, magic weapons in the new town have been fairly plentiful, and better ones keep going on sale. Armor, not as much. Spells - also not as much. You don't get them all when you level up, you have to buy them. Even with the money I got from the other game - 1000 each - I rapidly ran dry.

Second, my 7th level guys from M&M I are able to sweep aside some opposition in the town pretty easily. But about half the time, they get waxed for a TPK or a near-TPK (with 4-5 dead) from other foes. Geez, 7th level and I can't safely explore and clear the first dungeon. I don't have the cash to recover from this.

I find I need to grind up a few levels, but it's hard to grind when a fight nearly kills you and delivers 1/96th of the experience you need to level up. I'll manage, but geez.

Traps are also a thing - they aren't one-time, they go off until you disarm them. My thief has a 51% of success, so given two tries, I usually fail two times. Yes, I know. Penalties on the traps, maybe?

It's been a little less fun for that reason. I feel like I imported characters but that I'm not really benefiting from doing so. I think I need to really sit down a put a couple hours into it and figure out how to effectively make my party more useuful and survivable. That time will not come at least until this weekend. Hopefully the game picks up, and isn't just fetch-it quests punctuating massacres.