Reviews

• gamedeal user

  Dec 19, 2021

  SGS Heia Safari is a quite interesting turn-based strategy game about one forgotten battle region of WW1 which has it's ups and downs. Each turn consists of -> 1. Selection of tactic cards and immediate impact 2. Supply/Reinforcement purchase (not in every turn) and placing on the map 3. Aircraft movement 4. Ship movement 5. Land unit movement 6. Battles 7. Reinforcing (if supplies were captured in the battle round) Pros: + The game mechanics are simple and easy to learn, but nevertheless enjoyable. As Entente you have the advantage of unit strength (max 10 vs. max 3 for the Germans) and vast supplies, in reverse as a German it's easier to retreat in a battle to limit losses and make hit & run ambush. + Easy drag & drop mechanics for movement and impact of terrain (railroad are crucial for easy movement and supplies, roads enable good movement, mountains and jungle make it hard and slow) + Simple battle mechanics with roll the dice/coincidence element and influence of terrain and entrenchment - AI is dumb as a brick. You can choose 3 levels of difficulty: beginner, advanced and pro. I took advanced and played with the Germans. Normally picking "advanced" with the underdog side as first game experience gives you the chances for a small win at best because of the learning curve. But in SGS Heia Safari I won and it wasn't even a close victory it was an almoust full annihilation of the numerical superior enemy. The victory objectives would have been to defend the German provinces but I could even capture lots of Entente provinces including lots of important strongholds like Mombasa by the end of the game. The AI seems to have some limited attacking targets but doesn't act strategic at all. The most important thing for the Germans is to defend their railroad central line, since it grants supply/reinforcement and easy/quick movement. But the AI Entente didn't even make a noticable effort to capture it. This might be somewhat historic realistic, since the Entente leaders in East Africa were of limited capability, not able to hunt German lader Lettow-Vorbeck down with vast superiority in 4 years. But for gameplay that's nothing you can call "advanced diffculty" - Unecessary extra turns for Aircrafts and ships (why not include them in the land movement turn?) - Not much gameplay variety, or better no gameplay variety at all beside the intial play of tactical cards Overall: It's a nice and interesting game I can basically recommend, but IMHO not worth the full price, since the game length (played the full campaign in 8h) and variety is too small and AI not capable enough (but I didn't try it on Pro difficulty yet)
• gamedeal user

  Dec 27, 2021

  A pretty good strategy game on an unusual topic that deserves to be better known. Definitely worth it
• gamedeal user

  Nov 4, 2022

  The game engine is excellent, as is the design and detail. The fact that one of my niche interests (Battle for the Bundu) is seriously addressed in this game is amazing to me. Excellent game on all counts!
• laramieela

  Jan 24, 2023

  Who knew that Germany in Africa was even better than Germany in Europe during the Great War. Now I know why. History books are fine, but this game, it is a lesson in how to fight in an bearable climate with limited resources. Really fun.
• gamedeal user

  Mar 4, 2023

  Groete uit Dodoma, Tanzanië. Ek skryf in Afrikaans, my moedertaal, want ek is eintlik van Ndabeni, 'n voorstad van Kaapstad. Ek het saam met my familie daar gewoon. Die Engelse koloniale meesters het my baie sleg behandel: Ek moes bedags in die tekstielfabriek werk of by die hawe help aflaai, in die aande het ek musiek gemaak vir die dronk soldate. Eenkeer het 'n varkgesig Engelse sersant my ure lank opstote laat doen. Elke jong man wil vry wees. Daarom het ek my ouers verlaat en saans uit die kamp gevlug, sonder om te weet waarheen om te gaan. Dit was 'n tyd van trane, want ek kon nie van hulle afskeid neem nie. Ook het ek sonder 'n woord my liefling en my vriende in Kaapstad gelos. Ek het al noordoos langs die kus gereis, soms vir plaaslike boere gewerk, soms kos uit winkels en kombuise gesteel, of op vullis geleef. Ek het my lewe gewaag deur verskeie landsgrense oor te steek, het Swaziland en Mosambiek gesien, en ná drie jaar se reis het ek Duits-Oos-Afrika bereik. Die Duitsers het met 'n ystervuis daar regeer. Moeg en honger het ek by hulle aangesluit. As jy vir die Duitsers geveg het, het jy slaapplek en kos gekry. Boonop kon ek nou veg teen die gehate Engelsmanne wat my gesin gepynig het. Natuurlik het die Duitsers my ook nooit soos ’n vol mens behandel nie, maar ek het uitgehou en oor die weg gekom, en ek onthou dat 'n Duitse onderoffisier my sy beskermengel genoem het toe ons groep die Pangani rivier gepatrolleer het, nie ver van Kilimanjaro af nie. Die soldate het selfs vir ons rum gegee toe hulle in 'n goeie bui was, maar die volgende oggend moes ons weer vroeg opstaan en uitgerus aantree. Kommunikasie met die ander Askari was baie moeilik want ek kon skaars Duits of Swahili praat. Ek was in die bestorming van Tanga. Ek sal dit nooit vergeet nie, hoewel ek later baie veldslae aanskou het. Dit is my vuurdoop gewees. Tot vandag toe kan ek die swael ruik terwyl ons deur die bos en in die skote gehardloop het. Ek en my kamerade het vir 'n vreemde mag geveg, maar een ding het ek toe geleer: Die Askari was die dapperste manne in die wêreld. Toe ons die stad herower het, het ek op my knieë geval en die goeie Here gedank. Dit was 'n Woensdag gewees en die lug was rooi. Later het generaal von Lettow-Vorbeck ons ​​gelukgewens en selfs my hand geskud. Nou is ek honderd sewe en twintig jaar oud, die gode was vriendelik met my, en daardie tyd is lankal verby. Die besetters is nou weg en ons kan ons eie geskiedenis skryf. Ek het nooit weer my ouers gesien nie, maar nou het ek 'n familie van my eie. Toe ek Kaapstad baie jare later besoek het, was my pa se huis weg. Hulle klein washuisie was ook nêrens te vinde nie. Soms dink ek terug en huil omdat ek nie weet wat met hulle gebeur het nie. Ek hoop dat hulle nog goed gelewe het en hulle nie oor my bekommer het nie. Hierdie gedagte pynig my baie. Vyf jaar gelede het my seun vir my 'n rekenaar vir my verjaardag gegee, so ek speel soms rekenaarspeletjies as my vrou slaap. Dis hoe ek op Heia Safari afgekom het, wat vertel van die gevegte in Duits-Oos-Afrika. Dit is 'n baie goeie en realistiese speletjie, maar bring hartseer herinneringe terug. Ek weet nie hoeveel tyd ek oor het nie, maar ek is dankbaar om asem te haal en te leef. Eendag sal ek my ouers in die hemel sien, tot dan sal ek uithou. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvkklVMaTOo
• wildape2005

  Apr 2, 2023

  I slogged through 50 hours of my first campaign as the Entente. Wow! This is a great game that will be on my computer screen quite a while. The Entente is considered the "easiest", but it was anything but. This game will have great appeal to wargame grognards. You know who you are and this is a must buy for you. The historical background was something I knew very little about, East Afrika was a remote side show of the First World War. You have few units, limited resources, and the most rugged terrain and weather on the planet to contend with. There are surprises in the game like you close in on your opponent and had to stop at an area where supply is difficult. The next turn the weather goes bad or there is a disease outbreak and your forces are devastated. This is a true simulation of jungle warfare. It isn't like the European land battle at all. The game designers have done a fantastic job of bringing up the history. It isn't a game of chance, you have to think ahead and outplay your opponent. I had a ball. The AI is good. I highly recommend this game.
• gamedeal user

  Aug 3, 2023

  If you like history and strategy games play this game! Besides some typos and the occasional crash, it is tons of fun. I'm hooked on these SGS games.