Do You Like Wargames?

[MattyBoy]

Case,
Pleased to hear you are enjoying the game.
I haven't played any computer games at all for (at least 2) months now.

Even if I had played one, TOAW would still be gathering dust.

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by Haupt. Dietrich
Brother Leonidas:


Well I started another Korean War scenario. I thought I'd try out a little experiment though this time.

After launching a couple of superficial assaults across the border I decided to run for the border (the Manchurian border that is). I was hoping to draw in the Chinese and possibly the Soviets into the war early to give me some extra strength. It didn't work the way I had hoped though.

I ran full speed north and let the UN forces take Pyongang. My forces gathered at the Chosin reservoir and we received reports that the Chinese were threatening to intervene. My generals thought cool, now we'll launch a surprise attack and encircle these foolish UN forces! Well after 27 turns nobody showed up to my party and I was left with an overwhelming defeat! I guess my little trick (or perhaps you could say cheat) doesn't work. I'll have to experiment again.

Hi Haupt. Dietrich!

Those Chinese can be tricky

Many times I have invited them to a party and they never showed up. It seems that the game requires certain conditions (and random dice roll) for them to make their appearance.

It can be frustrating to have all the pieces in place for a brilliant strategic move only to have it all collapse.

Best of luck in your future tries

[Leonidas]

Just to let you know: SUPERPOWER HAS GONE GOLD

"SuperPower has gone Gold. That means it is ready to be printed and we will be shipping by March 27, 2002."

So whoever gets the game give us the lowdown if it's any good or not.

[Cookie Monster]

I'll definately will be keeping my open for Superpower!

[Leonidas]

Here's hoping that Superpower plays as well as it looks

Also:

You can download the original DOS version of Panzer General (6 MB) here:

http://www.kdynenet.cz/tanciky/downloads/panzer.zip

[stratguy4321]

Supreme Ruler 2010

Originally posted by Leonidas
Here is another game I have been keeping tabs on for some time.

It's called Supreme Ruler 2010.

Huge and detailed in conception, it is similar in scope to Superpower. You can take charge of any country in the world and lead it to glory through politics, economics, diplomacy, and war. . .

It's definitely worth a look:

http://www.supremeruler2010.com/index.html

I think Supreme Ruler 2010 is definitely worth keeping a look out for! This looks like the next big real strategy concept, especially now that BigHugeGames has defected to the RTS 'Age of Empires' world instead.

The concepts and gameplay they talk about for Supreme Ruler 2010 look quite detailed and seem to be very well thought out.

[[stratguy]]

[Leonidas]

Re: Supreme Ruler 2010

Originally posted by stratguy4321


I think Supreme Ruler 2010 is definitely worth keeping a look out for! This looks like the next big real strategy concept, especially now that BigHugeGames has defected to the RTS 'Age of Empires' world instead.

The concepts and gameplay they talk about for Supreme Ruler 2010 look quite detailed and seem to be very well thought out.

[[stratguy]]

stratguy4321: I'm keeping tabs on the game. It looks promising.

I'm looking for a little "brain massage"; I hope that's not too much to ask for in a computer game

[Case]

a quick question

How are nukes implemented in TOAW? Do you get to target them, and what are their effects?

[Leonidas]

Re: a quick question

Originally posted by Case
How are nukes implemented in TOAW? Do you get to target them, and what are their effects?

Case:

1) How are nukes implemented in TOAW?

Check the scenario briefing to see if they can become available.
They are rare in TOAW I, but are more common in TOAW II. There can be political consequences to using nukes in battle. . .

2) Do you get to target them?

Yes.

3) What are their effects?

It depends on the size of the warhead: from o.1kt to 40kt, and the scale of the scenario. Its effects will radiate outside the target hex, contaminating the target hex and several surrounding hexes (you'll see a radiation shield appear in the hexes).

Finally, armoured units are more resistent to nukes than non-armoured.

Hope this helps, Case

[Leonidas]

Using Wargames to Study History?

Here is only a small portion of a person's Master's thesis arguing that wargames can be used to study military history:

"The great battles throughout history were often won and lost as the result of a few key decisions. Those who study history often question these key decisions through documentation and logical thought estimating the cause and effect of those decisions as well the multitude of rippling effects. Historians continue to revisit the command-level decisions to determine if there were better alternatives based on the information available. Were the Allies prepared for the German Army to release the reserve panzer divisions on 6 June 1944 for an attempted decisive counterstroke at Normandy? Would British General Montgomery make a stronger effort to take the vital port at Cherbourg if he anticipated the logistical frustration caused by the destruction of the Mulberries in the summer of 1944? What were the options available to the French when the Viet Minh introduced artillery at Dien Bien Phu? Did General Franks realize his cautious rate of advance would allow Iraqi Republican Guards units to escape? These are but a few of the infinite number of questions historians explore after the battle. Historians continue to address these questions and the decisions the commanders made through historical research, but technology today allows another avenue to scrutinize history, particularly in analyzing command-level decisions on the battlefield.

"War gaming can give us insights into understanding command-level decisions. War gaming, a method of rehearsing a battle before and after it is fought, is hundreds of years old. Successful commanders used through history forms of war gaming before a battle to synchronize the many moving parts of a unit, anticipate enemy reactions, or just assist in visualizing the upcoming battle. For example, when war with the United States approached, the Japanese military conducted extensive war games for a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Their military created an exact replica of the island of Oahu (about 1 to 32nd scale) and war-gamed every contingency they could think of.1 Most war gaming in today’s Army is used to train forces or staffs on hypothetical future conflict. The future of Army training increasingly focuses on simulations and their ability to train troops and staffs to battle tasks. These training simulations are invaluable to the Army in husbanding resources and training for contingencies without the risk of life. These training simulations often focus on anticipating events, evaluating cause and effect of actions, and raising questions for future consideration. Unfortunately, these training simulations have specific objectives that do not necessarily include educating the commander on how to think. This tutoring on how to think is balanced at the Army’s Command and General Staff College by the extensive curriculum and through the study of military history. This paper will examine the method on how to think through the study of military history through war games. . .

"Can we obtain historical insights on command-level decisions using commercial war games? This paper will take a famous battle, Operation Crusader in North Africa November 1941, from the perspective commercial war game The Operational Art of War (TOAW), Volume 1. This paper will address the question: How well do state-of-the-art commercial simulations replicate the key elements of command-level decision making in this game? This paper will address some key elements of TOAW and its fidelity for replicating the environment for command-level decision making. We also examined our critical analysis for credibility of the key decisions made.

"This author's interest in using computer war games as decision making training tools started as an assistant professor of military science at Brigham Young University. Simulations were incorporated into the military science curriculum. Through a series of eight periods of instruction, cadets produced a platoon operations order, then execute their course of action on the computer simulation. Most students commented that during the exercise they could finally visualize the battlefield and understand the purpose of the operations order. Many students commented they could not really understand some subjects they studied for months until put in perspective by the simulation. This produced a positive experience that commercial war games could be used for more than entertainment. This student realization of the battlefield was not unlike studying the Battle of Gettysburg. At first, the battle can be overwhelming to understand with confusing movements and formations, only to be understood when you see a map of the battle with the units arrayed. In this sense, historical computer war gaming can give a three-dimensional interactive map.6

"This study will take one of the most detailed and highly praised computer war games on the commercial market, The Operational Art of War, Volume 1 (Talonsoft), and compare the Operation Crusader scenario to the historical campaign of November 1941. This study will begin by examining the campaign and describing the battlefield information and view of the battlefield that the commanders had. The study will include what the commanders historically understood as their strategic role, which drove their operational decisions. This paper will look at the units and equipment available and their technological differences and will briefly address operational differences (how they deployed and fought their units) and how they worked together with their historical allies. This paper will look at logistics, how each side viewed this important lifeline and how close they were willing to operate on the edge of their supply capability. A final look at terrain, weapon effects, rates of movement, weather, morale, leadership, fatigue, training, and time available will help to understand this battle in relation to the war game. From these key elements of tactical and operational command-level decision making variables, an evaluation of The Operational Art of War for purposes of studying history will be made. . . "


So, the next time your girlfriend/wife/mother catches you playing a wargame, you can honestly say that you're doing in-depth research into military history.

[Cookie Monster]

No that's the kind of paper I wish I could've written when I was in school!!!

To bad that I can't conduct my research at the jobplace!

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by Haupt. Dietrich
No that's the kind of paper I wish I could've written when I was in school!!!

To bad that I can't conduct my research at the jobplace!

Haupt. Dietrich: LOL

You must convince your employer that your research could lead to higher productivity yields that could help benefit the war effort. . . I mean, his bottom line. . .

[Leonidas]

Here is a game worth keeping an eye on.

It's called "Pax Romana", a game about the Roman Empire. It's a big historical strategy game in the tradition of EU2.

Some screenshots:











A newly updated website dedicated to Pax Romana should be up and running by Monday, March 25. And the game is slated for release by the end of this year. . .

[Leonidas]

Well, the review about Superpower has been posted at Gamespot:

http://gamespot.com/gamespot/stories/reviews/0,10867,2859372,00.html

They gave it a 4.2. Ouch!

According to the developer, even though the game is set in 1997, ALL nations are independent entities, with no alliances, ideologies, etc. This seems idiotic considering that the game IS set in 1997 in the real world. . .

You would expect some sort of realistic global dealings. . .

Apparently not. . .

Well, another one bites the dust. . .

[Case]

That's certainly a damning review!

Here's another thing to add to the 'what the hell were they thinking file':

Strategic movement is automatic, without any regard for whether the country in question can even get its units to that particular region. This allows even small Third World nations with no significant navy or air force to conduct massive transoceanic invasions.