Can We Please Get a WW3 Game circa 1980's

[Rocko1]

Hubert,

Please Please fill in a gap of our strategy pc gaming collections with a WW3 version. There is a definite lapse in the strategy gaming business for this. If I seem one more WW2 game for sale or god help me on my computer(lol) I will blow a gasket. All who agree please chime in. Thanks

[Arinvald]

I could go for a WW3 but would rather see a Seven Years War game first.

[pazuzusmiles]

we all have our own individual grognardian obsessions but yeah you're on to something..I mean there was a lot of equipment, machines, ect designed for the big cold war that eventually thawed. Ive said this in here before but itd be interesting to put NATO forces against WARSAW PAct/ Red bear army to see how all that equipment holds out in the field! Yeah I would buy it, as long as its Battlefront approved...Perhaps even the CM series....

[xwormwood]

WW3?

A russian attack, Nato retreat, Nato Tac Nukes, Warsaw Pact Tac Nukes, End of Conflict or even more a-, b- and c- weapon attacks.

Let it spell me out for you:

B-O-R-I-N-G.

If at all such a game would need a massive upgrade on the decision events and the political influence system, and it would have to be world wide, very much like the board game "Twilight Struggle"

http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/12333/twilight-struggle

[Rocko1]

xworm, would really need no political influence. It would start with the idea of the conflict in europe (which was the most likely in the 80's) as the focus. It would be more regional battle focused versus world wide. Also the fact is that you can have a conventional war today (IRAQ) who had chemical and biological weapons that they did not use.

[xwormwood]

rocko, you're probably right.

[Brian the Dane]

Frankly, I don't think I'd be a customer of a WW3 game with the Strategic Command Engine. The whole movement module would have to be radically overhauled. Afterall, with basically a two week turn cycle, jets could move just about any where, ships would be incredibly slow...just thinking about it makes me start seeing potential fault lines....

World War One with the SC engine. I think it works. Once done, I also see how things could go futher back in time - Civil War, War of Independance, Franco Prussia war as a scenario, lots of opportunities.

Similarly, Korean War could probably be tackled as a scenario somewhere along the lines.

I just don't think the SC engine is made for a circa 1980's WW3 scenario. I admit it's a neglected area, don't get me wrong. But SC has a niche, that I think it would need to evolve slowly out of, if we're to keep receiving the quality that we have.

But that's just my nine cents worth...

[arado234]

I think xwormwood is right.Rocko your talking about A small war.WW3 would be a HUGE conventional war(I don't even know how long it could be sustained because of the MASSIVE cost)at first but once one side started to loose it would be(imho)if you don't stop I am taking the whole world with me.It would be kinda fun to just firing all your W.M.D.s just to see what happens.If you got the first strike in(now I sound like some of the idiots that were given the task to see if it is possible to win a nuclear war).

[Rocko1]

Arado, I agree up to a point. However the fact is that a small ww3 war can be fought, case in point Korea today. You could have proxy fight between China and US in that one. They could utilize equipment ect.. of US and China along with actual units, ie DMZ US Units. Just an idea

[SeaMonkey]

Another would be an escalation of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[Colin I]

I suspect a post WWII game needs a far more sophisticated air model and more air technologies. Given the extended ranges possible you need to do something to prevent rather simplistic battles over long distances that rapidly destroy the weaker force.

It would be useful to have ground radar installations (or at high technology AWACS) that allow you to spot the source of an attack (a specialized version of spotting range - if enemy air unit strikes within X tiles then can spot the source within Y tiles range).

AA guns would return as missile batteries with increasing range with technology.

You may need all weather flight technology - this decreases weather penalties - and delivery of WMD (nuclear but also air-fuel explosives and chemical) technology and ECW/Stealth.

Intercepts should not be automatic (if enemy has stealth/ECW or is much higher technology) - rather than a big air battle very sophisticated attackers probably simply evade and reach target rather than indulging in a lot of dog-fighting.

[Kuniworth]

and what about retreat rules? And hexes to simulate logistics correctly. Face it, this game engine is not made for modern wars.

[Rosseau]

My first thoughts were Cold War, too. I just hope WWI won't be a snore. It will certainly be better than HPS latest effort. Truly a labor of love by the designer, but the game play is unbearably slow.

[MadWoman]

This makes me remember the first wargame I ever played, which was the old SPI hex/counter game NATO. It had rules for tactical nuclear weapons use...and the last paragraph was the rules for strategic nuclear weapon usage, which were "Soak map and counters with lighter fluid. Throw match on them."

[Bill101]

My first thoughts were Cold War, too. I just hope WWI won't be a snore. It will certainly be better than HPS latest effort. Truly a labor of love by the designer, but the game play is unbearably slow.

That is certainly not the intention here!

The aim is to make a fun game that is enjoyable to play in the political and economic setting of WWI. Of course, it is also a labor of love, but the pleasure of playing the game is also one of its main goals.

[Rosseau]

And no doubt, I will be buying it when it comes out. The HPS thing is more related to their already cumbersome game mechanics along with WWI movement. But Strategic Command was always quick to play, thank goodness.

[Hubert Cater]

Of course my opinion is heavily biased but here is a verbatim quote from our Beta Forum regarding the game play and design of the up coming WWI release:

"Very fun action so far. I actually think it's more enjoyable than SC Global... because in some respects your choice of targets/strategy is wide open."

I'll just add that while WWI will be a new topic for some players I really do think Bill nailed this one with the map size, which will be the biggest SC map yet, and with his very well researched and flexible game play all rolled into one.

I really do doubt it will disappoint

Hubert

[arado234]

It would be REAL tough to make a WW111 game.All the options for tech.would(imho)be VERY hard to include.Where would you draw the line as far as Nukes,Chemical and Biological weapons are concerned?

WW1 does sound like a fun game but it might be a bit of a shocker to anyone who has only played WW11 games.The lack of quick moving units will take getting used to.

[Leandros]

TOAW has a Cold War scenario.....what I would like to see is an Operation Sea Lion scenario where the three elements were properly integrated......RTS!

[Rocko1]

Arado234, I think we could overthink the approach. However take the game Peoples General which was a ww3 war game and a blast to play. The fact is you take out nukes along with other WMD's. The fact is that WW3 will not be fought in the beginning with these nor end with them(more likely sticks and stones). The game could be Europe focused (germany). I think we would need to scale back how we approach in that it will not be a global war more of a regional focused game.

[Happycat]

I could definitely get behind something similar to "Reforger" using the SC engine. Far from being boring, it was very fluid and entertaining.

Probably the best way to deal with this time period would be to confine it to Europe/North Atlantic. In addition to the tactical challenges to be dealt with on land, in Europe, it would be a must to have the various aspects of war at sea, 1980's style, dealt with (such as active and passive sonar, SOSUS, Nimrods and Orions hunting for subs).

Some concepts such as anti-shipping missiles, AAMs and electronic warfare would be challenging to implement, but for Hubert, not impossible