Help me find a game please... (Full Version)

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RedBones -> Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 3:08:36 PM)

I’ve played a number of different styles of PC strategy war games over the years, but have yet to find the style I prefer in more recent times.

Some have been similar to the more hardcore Matrix hex style historical campaigns, while others are more scripted action/strategy games.

In one case the historical angle means you’re limited to certain locations and tactics (I presume. I played Korsun Pocket some years ago but am downloading the Battles from the Bulge demo now to see what it’s like), while other games have too narrow a set of tasks which don’t allow you to use your brain e.g. take this bridge, then hold the village there, then attack that town. Any divergence away from the script means failure. Alternatively others are set in the future with aliens etc, which I can’t get into either.

What I’m looking for is more of an open sandbox style strategy game using 20th century technology (so no aliens or futuristic weapons!), where the end objective might be to capture the enemy city / base / territory some way away, but how you go about achieving it is your decision, and there are no scripted mini objectives etc.

Can any of you suggest such a game please, as I’ve struggled to come across one that does this for a long time.

Thanks






hermanhum -> Question (8/20/2010 3:10:43 PM)

I think that you are going to be very satisfied with Battles from the Bulge, then.  [:)]



Bison36 -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 3:12:30 PM)

Battle for the Bulge might very well just be the ticket.



shunwick -> RE: Question (8/20/2010 3:13:21 PM)

TOAW III?

Best wishes,
Steve



RedBones -> RE: Question (8/20/2010 3:21:41 PM)

Thanks, looking forward to trying the Bulge demo then (82% complete).

What is TOAW III though??



Lützow -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 3:24:59 PM)

Although BftB is a quite decent title, one has to achieve specified targets within a given time frame, lasting from a few days to a few weeks. For a sandbox style wargame I'd rather suggest WitP AE. There you got almost infinite ressources to your disposal and it's completely on you how to succeed.

/edit TOAW is a scaleable operational engine with a plethora of scenarios.



Adam Parker -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 3:40:25 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RedBones

What I’m looking for is more of an open sandbox style strategy game using 20th century technology (so no aliens or futuristic weapons!), where the end objective might be to capture the enemy city / base / territory some way away, but how you go about achieving it is your decision, and there are no scripted mini objectives etc.


Try the new Battlefield Academy (WW2 Africa and Europe).

I feared it would be too scripted but once the scenario gives you your objectives, how you do it and what you decide to aim for is totally up to you.

There are multiple ways to reach your goals (are all goals worth pursuing?) - and many scenarios let you choose a good part of your starting forces providing a command decision right from the start.

Units are very fluid in movement ability, meaning you get to decide - are you a Clausewitz who fears splitting his forces or a Stonewall Jackson who has no qualms in dividing and conquering. Reinforcements abound for both sides allowing for the reforming of plans that doubtless die once the battle is joined!

Very much a thinking person's, squad-level, combined arms, tactical game. Had it for a week and loving it.



Jeffrey H. -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 4:38:24 PM)

I'd take a look at Advanced Tactics WWII if I were you.



Lützow -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 4:43:18 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Adam Parker

Try the new Battlefield Academy (WW2 Africa and Europe).


Regarding the promo video it doesn't look like a serious wargame. A tank accelerating like a car is unrealistic and disturbing. On top of that Battlefield Academy forgot the axis single player campaign.




SlickWilhelm -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 5:59:37 PM)

I'd recommend Guns of August or Time of Wrath if you're looking for 20th century warfare. Forge of Freedom is an excellent game if you're at all interested in the American Civil War. 



Adam Parker -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/20/2010 11:10:10 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lützow

quote:

ORIGINAL: Adam Parker

Try the new Battlefield Academy (WW2 Africa and Europe).


Regarding the promo video it doesn't look like a serious wargame. A tank accelerating like a car is unrealistic and disturbing. On top of that Battlefield Academy forgot the axis single player campaign.


TOTALLY agree - the marketing for this game is a shambles and it took me a lot of thought to decide whether it was worth the risk of wasting my $42 AUD.

I shrugged nonetheless and thought "oh well, if it turns out to be kid's game I'll let everyone know".

Instead, I've found a gem of a squad-level battle emulator where every decision is mine and not a scenario designer's script. Vehicles have turret and body covered arcs. Vehicles bog and break down. Vehicle's conserve ammo and have multiple rof's, vehicles have main gun and MG ranges, morale as much armor determines whether vehicles fight or die, vehicles have armor facing ratings. The variety of vehicles on offer is just amazing.

Then there's the various types of intantry - with ranged fire, close combat, multiple rof's and anti-tank capabilities.

There's HE and AP ammo on offer in which a 57mm AT will not be able to fire at an advancing SS PzG squad but a 25pdr can. Squads themselves are based around varied small arms with associated effectiveness.

Cover and terrain play a part and the cover-fire realities of tactical battle are presented as essential aspects of maneuver. Mortars, arty, air, flame throwers, AA are all a joy to employ.

What sold me on this game was not the promo video or the single AAR offered to view - these in fact were turn off's for me.

What did it was this screen pic. It spoke of a tactical dilemma that equated in scale to the plethora of tactical wargames I've played and own (PC and board). It showed me room to deploy and maneuver, set the period feel and had clarity of purpose. This is what prompted me to buy - I wanted answer that type of tactical challenge.

And the game's level and detail of abstraction have rewarded me with joy to date. You know I am a serious wargamer and to not have to read a page of rules to play but rather simply immediately apply my armchair general abilities to a tactical conundrum has proven to be a breath of fresh air. I've come across nothing like on a PC it since 1995 (Steel Panthers) or 2001 (Squad Battles Vietnam). I've come across it many times in board war gaming and I'm simply satisfied [:)]

There will need to be a huge expansion of scenarios (official and DYO) to keep this title fresh - but the 30 offered so far across the game's three campaigns have roughly another month of original gameplay ahead of me yet.

Hope that helps.

Happy gaming,
Adam.

[image]local://upfiles/6105/3DC2192C30494DAFB68019D36F4FA3FA.jpg[/image]



Bamilus -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 12:36:25 AM)

TOAW III is a great game but it has a really counter-intuitive and IMO outdated turn system. TOAW III is one of those games where if you have it or have played it since the beginning then it is still a great game, but it is definitely aged (in system and interface) and therefore I wouldn't recommend it. Especially because War in the East is coming out and while TOAW III can be used to play any operation it is mainly used for East Front scenarios.



RedBones -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 8:29:55 AM)

Thanks for all the replies… keep ‘em coming.

I’ll try a few demo’s and go from there.

Where this thread came from is that in the late 80’s (yes, a while ago!) I played a game called Empire. It was a turn based XXX type of game, with a fictional world of land and sea, covered by a fog of war. All you had were basic land, sea and air units, and as you can imagine for a game made in the 80’s, the graphics an AI left a little to be desired!

The gameplay however, when playing a friend rather than the poor AI, was awesome. The first part of the game was exloring and expanding your territory by capturing neutral cities (that made units) and then building up both defensive and offensive naval fleets (which contained troop/tank transports), as well as to have tank units defending cities, and fighter jets (based out of cities or from aircraft carriers) searching for the enemy. Enemy units could only be ‘seen’ if they were in the next grid, while subs were useful because they could only be seen by the enemy if they were on top of you, so they were good for finding out the geography behind enemy lines later on.

Once most of the ‘world’ was found (well, your half of it) and a front line with the opposition formed, you had to use your resources wisely, both to defend your territory as well as to build up and organise the tactics for an invasion of enemy land and cities.

It was simple, yet superb, and I’ve always wanted to find a more modern version of it.

Do any of you recall Empire, or know of a more modern but similar game??




Adam Parker -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 8:46:03 AM)

Hard to find a 4X game where the world is unknown in the 20th century.

But if it's conquest you want with research, development and army building, try Matrix's Gary Grigsby's A World at War: A World Divided



Plodder -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 10:09:03 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: RedBones

Thanks for all the replies… keep ‘em coming.

I’ll try a few demo’s and go from there.

Where this thread came from is that in the late 80’s (yes, a while ago!) I played a game called Empire. It was a turn based XXX type of game, with a fictional world of land and sea, covered by a fog of war. All you had were basic land, sea and air units, and as you can imagine for a game made in the 80’s, the graphics an AI left a little to be desired!

The gameplay however, when playing a friend rather than the poor AI, was awesome. The first part of the game was exloring and expanding your territory by capturing neutral cities (that made units) and then building up both defensive and offensive naval fleets (which contained troop/tank transports), as well as to have tank units defending cities, and fighter jets (based out of cities or from aircraft carriers) searching for the enemy. Enemy units could only be ‘seen’ if they were in the next grid, while subs were useful because they could only be seen by the enemy if they were on top of you, so they were good for finding out the geography behind enemy lines later on.

Once most of the ‘world’ was found (well, your half of it) and a front line with the opposition formed, you had to use your resources wisely, both to defend your territory as well as to build up and organise the tactics for an invasion of enemy land and cities.

It was simple, yet superb, and I’ve always wanted to find a more modern version of it.

Do any of you recall Empire, or know of a more modern but similar game??




You want Empires of Steel. It's available over at battlefront.com.



Chris Bisson -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 11:51:35 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: RedBones

Thanks for all the replies… keep ‘em coming.

I’ll try a few demo’s and go from there.

Where this thread came from is that in the late 80’s (yes, a while ago!) I played a game called Empire. It was a turn based XXX type of game, with a fictional world of land and sea, covered by a fog of war. All you had were basic land, sea and air units, and as you can imagine for a game made in the 80’s, the graphics an AI left a little to be desired!

The gameplay however, when playing a friend rather than the poor AI, was awesome. The first part of the game was exloring and expanding your territory by capturing neutral cities (that made units) and then building up both defensive and offensive naval fleets (which contained troop/tank transports), as well as to have tank units defending cities, and fighter jets (based out of cities or from aircraft carriers) searching for the enemy. Enemy units could only be ‘seen’ if they were in the next grid, while subs were useful because they could only be seen by the enemy if they were on top of you, so they were good for finding out the geography behind enemy lines later on.

Once most of the ‘world’ was found (well, your half of it) and a front line with the opposition formed, you had to use your resources wisely, both to defend your territory as well as to build up and organise the tactics for an invasion of enemy land and cities.

It was simple, yet superb, and I’ve always wanted to find a more modern version of it.

Do any of you recall Empire, or know of a more modern but similar game??





I remember Empire fondly. In fact it was THE game that got me into computer wargames....period. Before that it was only tabletop miniatures and boardgames. As far as what you may be looking for comparable to Empire, I feel that The Plodder is correct and "Empires of Steel" may be for you. It plays similar to Empire. After all the time since Empire started me on PC games there is only one other title that compares to Empire as well called "Battles of Destiny" and it was released many years ago in dos os. These are the only titles I am aware of that are like Empire.

p.s. I think Empire was "re-done" a few years back and updated for windows called "Empire Deluxe" Internet Edition..... I think it is called that, with updated graphics (compared to the original version) and I think you can still get that too.



Wolfe1759 -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 3:17:23 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: RedBones

Thanks for all the replies… keep ‘em coming.

I’ll try a few demo’s and go from there.

Where this thread came from is that in the late 80’s (yes, a while ago!) I played a game called Empire. It was a turn based XXX type of game, with a fictional world of land and sea, covered by a fog of war. All you had were basic land, sea and air units, and as you can imagine for a game made in the 80’s, the graphics an AI left a little to be desired!

The gameplay however, when playing a friend rather than the poor AI, was awesome. The first part of the game was exloring and expanding your territory by capturing neutral cities (that made units) and then building up both defensive and offensive naval fleets (which contained troop/tank transports), as well as to have tank units defending cities, and fighter jets (based out of cities or from aircraft carriers) searching for the enemy. Enemy units could only be ‘seen’ if they were in the next grid, while subs were useful because they could only be seen by the enemy if they were on top of you, so they were good for finding out the geography behind enemy lines later on.

Once most of the ‘world’ was found (well, your half of it) and a front line with the opposition formed, you had to use your resources wisely, both to defend your territory as well as to build up and organise the tactics for an invasion of enemy land and cities.

It was simple, yet superb, and I’ve always wanted to find a more modern version of it.

Do any of you recall Empire, or know of a more modern but similar game??




Advanced Tactics playing with a Random Shrouded map should fit the bill.

You might be able to find a free/demo download of AT's first incarnation called I think Peoples Tactics to get a very general feel for the game (haven't tried it myself so can't really comment on how representative it is of AT)

I believe there is also a new version of AT in the pipeline, have a look at the Decisive Battles forum in the upcoming games forum for a bit more info.



Nebogipfel -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 4:22:35 PM)

The only game (which I know [;)] ) supporting all your claims, would be Supreme Ruler. Its modern warfare, a true sandbox mode, no alien weappons, you can capture enemy cities and (important) there are NO historical limits.
Its up to you, which way you choose to attack the enemy (ground, air, sea or nuking strategic/economy targets).

I was in the same situation. Most wargames force you to use a given tactic/strategy or punish you, if you try a different ( a-historic) approach. That put me off (and personally brought me to harpoon/supreme ruler).

Getting into SR isn´t easy. It has an important economy part and is realtime (but very slow). Many here wouldn´t consider it as a wargame, I do.

There´s a demo too.

Nebogipfel




Wolfe1759 -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/21/2010 7:05:23 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: The Plodder


quote:

ORIGINAL: RedBones

Thanks for all the replies… keep ‘em coming.

I’ll try a few demo’s and go from there.

Where this thread came from is that in the late 80’s (yes, a while ago!) I played a game called Empire. It was a turn based XXX type of game, with a fictional world of land and sea, covered by a fog of war. All you had were basic land, sea and air units, and as you can imagine for a game made in the 80’s, the graphics an AI left a little to be desired!

The gameplay however, when playing a friend rather than the poor AI, was awesome. The first part of the game was exloring and expanding your territory by capturing neutral cities (that made units) and then building up both defensive and offensive naval fleets (which contained troop/tank transports), as well as to have tank units defending cities, and fighter jets (based out of cities or from aircraft carriers) searching for the enemy. Enemy units could only be ‘seen’ if they were in the next grid, while subs were useful because they could only be seen by the enemy if they were on top of you, so they were good for finding out the geography behind enemy lines later on.

Once most of the ‘world’ was found (well, your half of it) and a front line with the opposition formed, you had to use your resources wisely, both to defend your territory as well as to build up and organise the tactics for an invasion of enemy land and cities.

It was simple, yet superb, and I’ve always wanted to find a more modern version of it.

Do any of you recall Empire, or know of a more modern but similar game??




You want Empires of Steel. It's available over at battlefront.com.


Thought Empires of Steel looked like a fun Civ style empire building wargame when it came out but thought it was rather overpriced - just gone across to the Battlefront site and found it on sale for $20 / c£13 - bought, downloaded and just finished the tutorial [:)]



LarryP -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/22/2010 12:52:41 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lützow

On top of that Battlefield Academy forgot the axis single player campaign.


If you say that in the games forum, you might get your head bit off. [:D][;)]



diablo1 -> RE: Help me find a game please... (8/22/2010 1:22:15 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: RedBones

Thanks for all the replies… keep ‘em coming.

I’ll try a few demo’s and go from there.

Where this thread came from is that in the late 80’s (yes, a while ago!) I played a game called Empire. It was a turn based XXX type of game, with a fictional world of land and sea, covered by a fog of war. All you had were basic land, sea and air units, and as you can imagine for a game made in the 80’s, the graphics an AI left a little to be desired!

The gameplay however, when playing a friend rather than the poor AI, was awesome. The first part of the game was exloring and expanding your territory by capturing neutral cities (that made units) and then building up both defensive and offensive naval fleets (which contained troop/tank transports), as well as to have tank units defending cities, and fighter jets (based out of cities or from aircraft carriers) searching for the enemy. Enemy units could only be ‘seen’ if they were in the next grid, while subs were useful because they could only be seen by the enemy if they were on top of you, so they were good for finding out the geography behind enemy lines later on.

Once most of the ‘world’ was found (well, your half of it) and a front line with the opposition formed, you had to use your resources wisely, both to defend your territory as well as to build up and organise the tactics for an invasion of enemy land and cities.

It was simple, yet superb, and I’ve always wanted to find a more modern version of it.

Do any of you recall Empire, or know of a more modern but similar game??


Yep, try Killerbeesoftware.com as they have the upgraded version of it and also now a Deluxe version. They also have another fun game called The Perfect General. A tactical sort of battle game in a chesslike manner of play.



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