I would say 'Their Finest Hour'. Right from the moment I read the review I wanted it bad! The inputting attack values from 1-6 was a bit hit and miss but for atmosphere and gameplay, this one kept me busy. I wonder if it was released in Germany?
I never played Vulcan. How would you compare them?
Vulcan is very obviously based upon Desert Rats, but has different scenarios set later in the war and a more advanced game engine with features like weather, air support and hidden movement. Since the weather is random it has a major effect on all the scenarios making them play quite differently from game to game which gives it a lot more replay value.
Confrontation, Arnhem and Encyclopaedia Of War: Ancient Battles are all worth a mention too, as they all play in a similar fashion. The latter has arguably the most sophisticated engine of the lot, and allows you to edit your own scenarios. However, I don't think it plays quite as well as Desert Rats and Vulcan; it's just rooted in a very different era of warfare.
Vulcan is very obviously based upon Desert Rats, but has different scenarios set later in the war and a more advanced game engine with features like weather, air support and hidden movement. Since the weather is random it has a major effect on all the scenarios making them play quite differently from game to game which gives it a lot more replay value.
Confrontation, Arnhem and Encyclopaedia Of War: Ancient Battles are all worth a mention too, as they all play in a similar fashion. The latter has arguably the most sophisticated engine of the lot, and allows you to edit your own scenarios. However, I don't think it plays quite as well as Desert Rats and Vulcan; it's just rooted in a very different era of warfare.
I had forgotten about Arnhem. How's this compared to the other two RT Smith games? it was released after Vulcan IIRC.
Never heard about Confrontation. Please tell me more.
I had forgotten about Arnhem. How's this compared to the other two RT Smith games? it was released after Vulcan IIRC.
Arnhem came before Desert Rats, and was the first game that really kicked Stonkers into touch as far as Spectrum war games went. It's fairly similar to the later games, but obviously has a different map and scenarios. You can only play on the allied side, however, and orders need to be given move by move; unlike the later games you cannot set objectives that a unit will follow for more than a single turn, except for travelling along a road.
Anyway, give it a go. The first scenario Advance To Eindhoven doesn't take long to play but is a tough little nut to crack.
Never heard about Confrontation. Please tell me more.
Confrontation was R. T. Smith's very first war game for the Spectrum. It's extremely primitive, written mostly in BASIC, and only supports two player games. The saving grace is that it allows you to edit the map and the forces each side have to play with allowing you to create your own scenarios. It was vaguely competitive alongside the likes of Apocalypse and Stonkers, but is probably best passed over if you missed it first time around.
I played a lot of Samurai (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0004323) after YS featured it on their covertape. I played tabletop wargaming at the time, so didn't actively seek out computer-based wargames as I found playing other humans to be more fun, but I'd tried everything else on the tape and thought I'd give it a go. It was pretty good, though I'm uncertain of the historical accuracy of a unit of ninjas decimating samurai from afar with shuriken.
I played a lot of Samurai (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0004323) after YS featured it on their covertape. I played tabletop wargaming at the time, so didn't actively seek out computer-based wargames as I found playing other humans to be more fun, but I'd tried everything else on the tape and thought I'd give it a go. It was pretty good, though I'm uncertain of the historical accuracy of a unit of ninjas decimating samurai from afar with shuriken.
Heh. I remember getting addicted to Samurai for some reason - probably the first time I'd played this sort of game - but it soon wore off.
I still play Chaos a fair bit and any of the Gollop games would appear on my list, as would Lords of Midnight which blew me away with its bigosity when it was released.
I loved Arnhem. The only strategy game I every played at for some length. It's a great game and it kicks your teeth in initially but once you've sussed out the computer it's fairly easy to knock it over every time. Still, it does require you to spend some time with the game and learn from your mistakes.
It has a two player mode as well, so you can play the axis side if your mate plays the allies.
EDIT: Was I the only one who selected "Y" when asked if the game was being played on a Black and White? Not b'cos I had one, but b'cos the colours for the allies was a yucky yellow if you said you were playing on a colour tv! I preferred the blue colour for the allies myself.
There are a couple of fine strategy games on the speccy, but definitely not the one that crashes randomly. I think my money's on Chaos here, it can truly claim the traits which Codemasters falsely claimed their own games on their inlays.
Still wish we had had a proper speccy port of the Battle Isle/Nectaris/Military Madness games with all the elements of the game intact - graphics wouldn't matter so much, I just wonder how the AI would work ... even on the PC-Engine the computer-controlled enemy would sometimes take a very long time to plan his actions on large maps with many units.
I liked both of those as well. I also liked both Rebelstar games and also They stole a million.
My fave non speccy strategy game is probably Syndicate - brilliant!
I can't think of a Spectrum strategy game I like better than Laser Squad. I like Lords of Chaos too, but find it a bit more difficult to get into as if you don't get the spells right at the beginning, you soon descend into helplessness. I quite like some of the Rebelstar games, too.
My favourite non-Gollop strategy game is Legions of Death. I'm put off by the control systems of some of the heavier strategy games, though. This is an area where a mouse and icons on later platforms came in very useful!
I have a vague recollection of a game set in WW2, where you didn't control individual units but gave groups of units orders. The writer of the game (it wasn't RT Smith), wrote a series of games using this control method.
Comments
Mugsy!!
:grin:
What a surprise!!! :p
I think mine is Syndicate Wars, but since it's Speccy games you're after I did like Lazer Squad quite bit when I was younger.
Pretty game, and quite fun too, but not a whole lot of strategy involved.
I know I know, it's just that it's my answer to almost any "favourite game" thread!! :grin:
I never played Vulcan. How would you compare them?
Vulcan is very obviously based upon Desert Rats, but has different scenarios set later in the war and a more advanced game engine with features like weather, air support and hidden movement. Since the weather is random it has a major effect on all the scenarios making them play quite differently from game to game which gives it a lot more replay value.
Confrontation, Arnhem and Encyclopaedia Of War: Ancient Battles are all worth a mention too, as they all play in a similar fashion. The latter has arguably the most sophisticated engine of the lot, and allows you to edit your own scenarios. However, I don't think it plays quite as well as Desert Rats and Vulcan; it's just rooted in a very different era of warfare.
I had forgotten about Arnhem. How's this compared to the other two RT Smith games? it was released after Vulcan IIRC.
Never heard about Confrontation. Please tell me more.
Arnhem came before Desert Rats, and was the first game that really kicked Stonkers into touch as far as Spectrum war games went. It's fairly similar to the later games, but obviously has a different map and scenarios. You can only play on the allied side, however, and orders need to be given move by move; unlike the later games you cannot set objectives that a unit will follow for more than a single turn, except for travelling along a road.
Anyway, give it a go. The first scenario Advance To Eindhoven doesn't take long to play but is a tough little nut to crack.
Confrontation was R. T. Smith's very first war game for the Spectrum. It's extremely primitive, written mostly in BASIC, and only supports two player games. The saving grace is that it allows you to edit the map and the forces each side have to play with allowing you to create your own scenarios. It was vaguely competitive alongside the likes of Apocalypse and Stonkers, but is probably best passed over if you missed it first time around.
Does anyone know what happened to Robert T Smith?
Such a talented guy.
Some (old) info here.
Heh. I remember getting addicted to Samurai for some reason - probably the first time I'd played this sort of game - but it soon wore off.
Last I heard, he was working on the Total War series of games. There's an interview with him here:
http://home.nestor.minsk.by/game/news/2006/08/2301.html
Loved Theater Europe aswell... and Arnhem was my fav of the more conventional strategy types.
It has a two player mode as well, so you can play the axis side if your mate plays the allies.
EDIT: Was I the only one who selected "Y" when asked if the game was being played on a Black and White? Not b'cos I had one, but b'cos the colours for the allies was a yucky yellow if you said you were playing on a colour tv! I preferred the blue colour for the allies myself.
Bytes:Chuntey - Spectrum tech blog.
Still wish we had had a proper speccy port of the Battle Isle/Nectaris/Military Madness games with all the elements of the game intact - graphics wouldn't matter so much, I just wonder how the AI would work ... even on the PC-Engine the computer-controlled enemy would sometimes take a very long time to plan his actions on large maps with many units.
I liked both of those as well. I also liked both Rebelstar games and also They stole a million.
My fave non speccy strategy game is probably Syndicate - brilliant!
My favourite non-Gollop strategy game is Legions of Death. I'm put off by the control systems of some of the heavier strategy games, though. This is an area where a mouse and icons on later platforms came in very useful!
I have a vague recollection of a game set in WW2, where you didn't control individual units but gave groups of units orders. The writer of the game (it wasn't RT Smith), wrote a series of games using this control method.
Can't remember the games name though.