Henchmen?

Can you do the PVE part of the game just using Henchmen?

90% of it can be done with henchmen team easier than with a poorly AI'ed human player team.

Yes, i did iron mines yesterday with henchies because no-one would take my level 15 in their party, and none of them died. Also a friend of mine did the last mission with henchies too.

if were talking bonus missions as well,i think its bloodstone fen bonus cant be done with henchies

Most all the quests are easily done with henchies(found the "reversing the skales" quest rather hard with them though). I prefer to do Human groups for Missions. But thats just me.

Henchies are smarter than most human players, but sadly they are under-leveled. They are very good for questing/exploring but I managed to pass only two missions with them.

I did every mission except Thunderhead Keep and Aurora Glade (or whatever one you have to take the 4 pedestals) with henchies with my Mo/Me. Bonuses are a bit tougher though for some missions.

Now with my warrior, I've had a bit more trouble. I had to get a group for AG, THK (same two as above), plus Dragon's Lair and one of the Ring of Fire missions. The mursaat really mess up the henchies sometimes.

Yes, all missions, all bonuses and all quests (not UW and FoW tough) - no exceptions!

I tried Iron Mines with henchies just to get an elite. Tried like 3x. Didn't happen.

i use henchies as a last resort... i never have much trouble completing missions with them but i much prefer the conversations you can have with real people.
my thinking is that if your just going to use henchies then why bother with the online-ness of the game?
of course everyone has a right to play the game in the way they best enjoy (as long as its not in breach of the EULA )

Because there's no choice

Thinking about GW as a completely solo experience, I'd say it would actually be quite good.

The entire game (minus FOW and UW) can be played with the henchies, and you have the interesting addition of all the towns and outposts being populated by real people -- something no other single-player game I'm aware of can offer. Pretty cool, actually

I've completed the PvE campaign with henchies, so it's perfectly possible, BUT:
1) They're lower level than most humans in the same area, and so not as powerful,
2) They're single-classed, and so have only skills from one profession, and
3) They can't be ordered to do things.

Taken together that means that any mission is possible, but much easier with just halfway competent human players.

Another thing to remember is that it's not an either/or situation. I've got three friends I play with, and we round out the team with henches. Works beautifully.