Solar Fire & Nato Assault

SteveSmith

I've just noticed these games after flicking through some old mags. I like TBS games, and they look pretty good (and what few reviews they got weren't bad), but for some reason, they seem to have been pretty much ignored by most mags: SU was the only one to review Solar Fire, and YS was the only one review NATO Assault. Has anyone played them, and are they any good?

Solar Fire: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0004628
NATO Assault: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0003367

vanpeebles

I had it on the Action Double budget pack which called NATO Assault Tank Assault. I remember reading the good write up in YS http://www.ysrnry.co.uk/articles/actiondouble.htm and I was lucky enough to find it in a budget shop in Durham. NATO Assault plays very well and is very similar to Gollop games with action points etc, I never played Solar Fire much though.

Jumping Stack

Solar Fire, think I played it just once, maybe twice.

http://www.spectrum20.org/reviews/334

Ralf

They are both form the same publisher - Astros Productions.

http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekpub.cgi?regexp=^Astros+Productions$&loadpics=1

They had some really nice strategy games+ one really impressive RPG game - Dragonia.

But due to some reason thet must have really sucked at public relations and press contacts and didn't get the attention deserved. For example Dragonia got just one review: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0001496

Quite strange.

Rebelstar without a cause

I never liked them for some reason. They just didn't hold my attention like Rebelstar and Laser Squad did.

SteveSmith

Ralf wrote: »

For example Dragonia got just one review: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0001496

Quite strange.

I notice at the end of the only review for Dragonia (SU: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/showmag.cgi?mag=SinclairUser/Issue071/Pages/SinclairUser07100092.jpg ) he says "Let's hope Dragonia gets wider distribution in the future.". Sounds like no-one could easily get hold of the games. Shame really as it looks pretty good.

snigfarp

SteveSmith wrote: »

Has anyone played them, and are they any good?

I played NATO Assault once or twice and enjoyed it, but for me it was overshadowed by the Julian Gollop games which I was just getting into at the time. I haven't tried Solar Fire at all. Maybe I should give them both a go.

judasEZT

That NATO Assault looks pretty sexy :D
Im gonna take a look right now.. ( I love to discover a good title from 87 that I didnt know about. )

Maroc's Astral Projection

Astros Productions titles seem to be of consistently good quality if you're into TBS.

Dragonia is a bit of a departure. I'm pretty sure I had a go at it at one point but wasn't really sure what to do. It looks like a more colourful Valhalla.

Matt_B

I quite enjoyed them too but, as others have already said, they don't really hold a candle to the similar games by Julian Gollop.

The Astros game I played the most was Zulu Wars, which was a decent stab at asymmetric colonial-era warfare. It has its flaws - notably an awkward control scheme - but there's nothing else quite like it.