War Games

[nsmedicman]

I am not sure if this post even belongs here, but I couldn't find anywhere else that seemed to be correct.

What are your favorite computer war games?

I have a few favorites.... The Rainbow Six series, The Ghost Recon Series, Medal of Honor, Blitzkrieg series.

I am playing "Far Cry" now. It isn't a war game, but you fight mercenaries on a tropical island.

 

[Zartan]

Computer War Games, golly, I liked to play those games based on Sid Meier's Gettysburg system. Those were challenging, cheap at times. Good times. Also, I have, like every C&C strategy game, most Blizzard stuff, etc.

However, I now focus more on tabletop wargames, with armies (or at least units or rules) from Legions of Steel (k, sci-fi, but made in Toronto), the Warhammers Fantasy and 40k, Flames of War, and I have a sizeable number of Napoleonics (fear my Prusso-Austro-Russians!) and American Civil War figs. I've also tried writting rules of my own, for the figures I have for the War of 1812 and Riel Rebellion, but neither is finished.

 

[tykotyko]

i really like the new medal of honor, european assault. and call of duty, and umm the new game battle feid 2 modern combat. that game is like rambo six because you can switch to a diffrent guy in your unit, but they turn ai once you change. but it still is like the first battle field game. but an awesome game would be the legendary starcraft. that game is the best

 

[redleafjumper]

I usually prefer board games (Advanced Squad Leader, Miniatures WW2 Micro Armour, Napoleonics, WW2 Naval, etc.) but recently I have found some fun with Combat Mission Beyond Overlord, (CMBO), Combat Mission Beyond Barbarossa (CMBB) and Combat Mission Afrika Corps  ( CMAK).  These are good, lively WW2 games in a playable format with reasonable computer artificial intelligence and satisfactory graphics.  The scenarios seem to play well and have a good smattering of historical basis for their design.

 

[George Wallace]

Wasn't this what this thread was supposed to be all about?

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/34638.0.html

 

[pbi]

I have played quite a range of  PC games (I have dabbled in console games--I like Medal of Honour--but I'm a PC guy). My favourites are:

The Blitzkrieg series by Nival Interactive: Very detailed tactical gaming, using the older "sprite" graphics rather than the newer 3D such as you find in the later C&C or in Rise of Nations. A bit complicated to play (lots of controls and "management") but I find them very satisfying and quite realistic. Most engagements simulate BG-Bde level, with a single tank (for example) representing a platoon. It plays air support, different types of artillery (including counter battery), engineers, resupply, medical, terrain effects on movement, etc. The series covers from Poland 1939 right through to 1945, in all theatres. I have Blitzkrieg, Blitzkrieg Burning Horizon, Blitzkrieg Rolling Thunder. I am very interested in buying the latest Blitzkrieg, which will be based on a 3D graphics system.

Rise of Nations and Empire Earth: IMHO very similar games, but both good in their own ways;

Civilization: Gets better all the time. Looking forward to getting the latest Civ version which looks very impressive;

Rome: Total War: A really excellent game, combining an interesting strategic/political campaign with the ability to switch down to tactical battlefields that let you go literally from "God view" of your entire legion down to following an individual troop of cavalry through the battle at eye level. I find it is is very demanding on my computer and has a tendency to freeze (maybe its just my computer, although my system runs other games of equal complexity quite well)

TalonSoft's Gettysburg: just got this in a "bargain bin". Very good, if a bit limited compared to what's out there now; and

TalonSoft's Operational Art of War: A very capable game system that isn't on the market any more. It has the capacity to play from bn to Army Group, and comes with a huge range of scenarios from 20th century history. Even better, it includes a very capable and easy to use Game Editor that lets you build your own scenarios. I used it to do a Poland 1939 game. The detailed info provided in the editor is very useful in designing forces from historical research. My only complaint was that the map graphics could be greatly modernized. If anybody still has a good copy of this game, I'll buy it: I lost mine a couple of years ago.

Cheers

 

[TN2IC]

Blitzkrieg is always a good game. I love it.

 

[Zartan]

I have a copy of The Operation Art of War. I love the scenario editor - I've made some truly stupid battles with that thing. I found it a pawn shop - I imagine that would be a good place to find a copy, but I've only seen it for sale once. Sorry, but I'm not willing to give it up quite yet. Besides, mine doesn't play many of the scenarios in the menu, so I hope that reconciles it a bit.

 

[pbi]

Blitzkrieg is always a good game. I love it.

So do I: especially the landscape graphics: I think the "feel" of the type of terrain and climate is caught very well. Russia looks swampy and dismal, or frozen solid (depending...) and the desert scenarios look hot. I personally enjoy all the details (assigning engineer tasks, repairing and resupplying vehicles, registering targets, etc) but I have read several reviews that really slammed the Blitzkrieg series because of this: "too much clicking" While I am an addict, I have a feeling that it is not all that popular. An "acquired taste", I guess.

I do find, though, that BK series games will from time to time suddenly freeze graphics (the sound keeps running or is replaced by a drumming feedback sound). I have a brand new computer with P4, good RAM and an aftermarket videocard, so I'm not sure what causes this. Do you ever have similar problems?

Cheers

 

[Danjanou]

For PC games I’ve become addicted to the new Atari Axis and Allies (the D9er bought if for me last Christmas and it’s the last game she’ll ever buy). I like the fact I can play tactical RTS and a\t a strategic level like the old game. Graphics are good and the AI still gives me a bit of a challenge in some scenarios/situations. I don't even drag out my old A&A PC or board version anymore.

My main interest though is still miniatures. Playing is only part of the enjoyment as building and painting figures, vehicles and scenery also eat up what little free time I have. Last summer I got into Flames of War and find it a good system. Great miniatures and a fun, easy to learn but still fairly realistic rules system. MY GW stuff is now gathering dust in the storage room, as after FOW I’m seriously thinking of getting back in 15mm Napoleonic’s or at least War of 1812.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

For shame, 10 posts and not a single mention of Combat Mission... http://www.battlefront.com

Also, http://www.vasl.org and http://www.vassalengine.org lets you play classic boardgames on the PC...

 

[Zartan]

What GW armies do you have anyway, Danjanou? I've got Wood Elves and Eldar. I've also some FOW Italians. You play FOW, too, Cpl. Dorosh?

 

[redleafjumper]

Hey Michael, I mentioned Combat Mission in my post above...  "...Combat Mission Beyond Overlord, (CMBO), Combat Mission Beyond Barbarossa (CMBB) and Combat Mission Afrika Corps  ( CMAK).  These are good, lively WW2 games in a playable format..."

There are certainly many good computer and board games out there but I still prefer the miniatures - the collection is still in grand shape, if some of the currasiers, voltageurs, and elephants are a bit dusty and the Achilles, Cromwell's, Shermans and Jagd Tigers a bit out of form.  There is nothing quite like the interaction with one's opponent across the table.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Hey Michael, I mentioned Combat Mission in my post above...  "...Combat Mission Beyond Overlord, (CMBO), Combat Mission Beyond Barbarossa (CMBB) and Combat Mission Afrika Corps  ( CMAK).  These are good, lively WW2 games in a playable format..."

There are certainly many good computer and board games out there but I still prefer the miniatures - the collection is still in grand shape, if some of the currasiers, voltageurs, and elephants are a bit dusty and the Achilles, Cromwell's, Shermans and Jagd Tigers a bit out of form.  There is nothing quite like the interaction with one's opponent across the table.

The shame is mine then!

Hmph, I miss my Verbal Warning. 

I am thinking of doing Sniper! (the 2nd Ed. from 1987 not Dunnigan's 1973 original) as a VASSAL module.

 

[Infanteer]

Combat Mission is good - apparently they are releasing a program that allows you to link campaigns and manage the experience of your unit as you battle through the East Front.

 

[Infanteer]

Here is the link:

http://www.wargamer.com/news/news.asp?nid=2699

 

[DG-41]

If you haven't seen this yet, you should - Steel Beasts Pro is coming out mid January 2006.

http://www.steelbeasts.com

It's $125 US, but it looks to be the best AFV sim outside of Knox. And now more vehicles are playable/gunnable - including LAV-25.

DG

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Combat Mission is good - apparently they are releasing a program that allows you to link campaigns and manage the experience of your unit as you battle through the East Front.

I've applied for the beta test team but we haven't started testing yet.  Madmatt said they would get back to us back in October but no one has heard a peep since then.  The official forum (which I provided the link for earlier) is pretty dead too.

 

[Danjanou]

What GW armies do you have anyway, Danjanou? I've got Wood Elves and Eldar. I've also some FOW Italians. You play FOW, too, Cpl. Dorosh?

For the Evil Empire Space marines and Dark Eldar, but they're gathering dust. For FOW I have a Canadian Infanty Coy with attached Tanks and a Soviet T-34 Bn.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

You play FOW, too, Cpl. Dorosh?

Nah, I just go to their forum to yell at people.