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Strategic Level Gaming


Gavrok

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Since we are waxing nostalgic for board game conversions to pc, I'll throw into the ring SPI's RUSSIAN CIVIL WAR...great map and theme...from maneuvering the Reds and Whites around for control...to the Polish-Russian war..to the Czechs arriving via Siberia...to the British and American attacks, to nationalists like the Ukrainians entering the fray, there was so much going on that it made each game different and thoroughly engaging..

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If your looking for a good strategic level game to pbem try War in Europe, by Decision Games. It has no AI and could take a year or two to finish a pbem game, but it is time well spent. Decision games has a demo out that is worth a look see. Its one ugly looking game, but if you can get past its looks you will find a very deep simulation.

Charlie

[ June 26, 2003, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: FTW7 ]

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i think at this level, a game based on columbia's "pacific victory" block game would work rather well. of strategic level amer.civil war board games, i have played victory's "civil war", gdw's "a house divided", gmt's "for the people", task force games "grand army of the republic" and they are all outstanding games but i think "a house divided" would work better for a computer game because of its lower complexity.

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i think at this level, a game based on columbia's "pacific victory" block game would work rather well. of strategic level amer.civil war board games, i have played victory's "civil war", gdw's "a house divided", gmt's "for the people", task force games "grand army of the republic" and they are all outstanding games but i think "a house divided" would work better for a computer game because of its lower complexity.

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Getting back on the subject however I just found an old Avalon Hill game called Russian Campaign which similarly gets the balance spot on, a bit like 'The North and the South' american civil war board game.

Spot on. This is exactly how I felt with SC. I too picked up Russian Campaign and loved it. Since I could rarely find an opponent I gravitated towards computer gaming. In terms of balance and playability it is still as good as you will find - Fortress Europa is good too which is from the same designer.

As far as PC games are concerned I would struggle to point you at something of a similar standard of exellence. Part of the problem lies with the design process. Good game designers and guys who can write good code are not likely to be one and the same (certainly not with wargames). The really great board wargames were largely designed by a small number of people. None that I know of have moved on to produce electronic games. There are some guys who can design great strategic games and write code as well (Sid Meier for instance) but I don't think that they are in the majority.

You will find a ofof postings on this site referring to games that tackled WW2 at a srategic level. Please believe me - this is the best. You will struggle with Third Reich. Eastern Front is OK but is over complex like most Gary Grigsby games (don't even attempt War in the Pacific), the ACW games produced by Battleground are simplistic(especially against the AI)

For fun and playability I would suggest -

Sid Meiers Gettysburg

Panzer General and it's successors

ACW from Sumter to Appotomax

Age of Rifles

and maybe some of the SSI stuff (they were the first company to really push computer wargames and made some great stuff in the early days - Grigsby's War in Russia on the Apple/Atari was wonderful at the time. Their Ardennes offensive is worth a look and free to download I believe.

Anyway good luck and happy gaming.

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If you are still looking for a great game thats not do counter dense, to rules heavy and is fun try GMT's Barbarossa to Berlin.

I have fallen in love with this game. I have been board gaming since early 80's... (doesn't seem that long)... gosh im getting old.. :-(

I've played a lot of Panzer Blitz back in the day, some early Squad Ldr, Blitzkrieg, GDW's Europa series, GMT's operations stuff, even some of the Gamers WW2. and yes some of the Milton Bradley's AA and AH's A3R. Of all these I have grown very fond of GMT's From Barbaross to Berlin. Its a great game, plays different each time, is card driven and a load of fun. No counter density, easy rules and lots of enjoyment.

As I understand it, there is a lot of online gaming going on where you use a graphical version of the game and online dice rollers or something to that effect. The guy I am playing against on Wednesdays is in a few online ones also.

Anyways.....

http://www.gmtgames.com/nnbb/main.html

cover_thumb.jpg

Hope this helps

John

[ July 02, 2003, 12:12 PM: Message edited by: Madison ]

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Looks interesting..

3 questions on this

1) how long does a game take

2) does it ebb and flow...and feel like a realistic East Front

3)how good's the solitaire play.

Would be good to know since I may have to import this.

Thanks

G

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  • 9 months later...

Ok I personally can't find fault with most of the suggestions, but in light of the original poster's comments, specifically...

I wonder if there are any other games of this nature out there for the humble pc that fellow sc devotees would willingly recommend........at least until SC2 comes out. I'm thinking of the same ilk as those listed above.....with strategy, playability, and not at-all time-consuming as part of the recipe. I'm sure this is the game type that would appeal to myself......those old wargamers who no longer have the time or brain-power to deal with every last detail.

Look forward to any suggestions

I have to mention he was looking for light easy simple playable, but still definitely wargame looking.

To that end, I suggest the obove suggestions (while cool games) missed the mark.

If you wish to go with your recommendations fine, but I think he wants to check out getting some of the Panzer General series as I see. Panzer General II, People's General, Pacific General, Allied General. They give you a great deal of variety, they are nice games, will play on XP by the way, and in some cases, you can locate these games as free.

Now if you want a good purchase, one that gives a large swath of games, and will look like a whole shelf load of classic board gaming, then Operational Art of War, Century of Warfare is my idea of cool.

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