News As History - July 9, 2008
News As History - July 9, 2008 |
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Wargame Reviews Return to Wargame Main Page Return to Wargame Reviews Index Computer Wargame Review - Strategic Command Title: Strategic CommandCompany: Fury Software distributed by BattleFront http://www.battlefront.com Price: $25 Designers: Hubert Cater Reviewed By: Harold C. Hutchison Overview/BackgroundThe European Theater was the one that got a lot of the material and men. This was the famous “Hitler first” policy that was one reason that things got very sticky in the South Pacific in 1942. In Strategic Command: European Theater, you are the supreme commander of either the Axis or Allied forces. You can make the war end early or drag it on and on interminably. ManualsOnline documentation is provided. The manual is 51 pages, and covers all of the materials in the computer simulation. It gives a brief overview, giving a rough idea as to the capabilities of each unit that is applied. SystemThis is remarkably transparent for a computer game. Numerous tables are provided in the online manual. This is a bonus. Conquering a country is simple for the most part: Just take their capital on the turn. However, for major powers (Germany, UK, and Russia), one has to take all the industrial centers. All forces outside the country surrender, which is not exactly how things work in real life. Game ModesThe game comes in a 1-player, a two-player hotseat, and a play-by-e-mail (PBEM) mode. Each of these modes has its own challenges. The 1-player puts you up against a computer opponent with a varying degree of skill. At any level, it will take you out if you are not careful. The 2-player hotseat is protected by a password function. I was unable to try out the PBEM function. Game FeaturesThe game is very-user friendly. The mouse functions very well, and depending on where one moves the mouse, various actions are automatically ordered. The hex system is reminiscent of the traditional board games, while the units selected are of an appropriate size (the corps is the smallest unit). The result is a game that is played fast. The irregular turns (one week per turn in summer, two weeks per turn in spring/fall, one month per turn in winter) caused unneeded confusion and detract from the game in the opinion of this reviewer. The realism options include “fog of war”, which lads to surprise engagements at times, the Free French, and partisans in the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. One can have allies enter historically, remain neutral, or enter randomly, based on how the game goes. There is also an option to tie down the Soviets (and thus improve Germany’s chances) by having a war go on in Siberia. The German problems are accurately represented. Their only shot was a quick war. The invasion of the Soviet Union was perhaps Hitler’s biggest mistake, and the crushing power the Russians bring to bear is shown quite accurately as well. The ability to replicate the historical events is one of the review’s key criteria for evaluating a simulation. This simulation does that decently, although it suffers from the usual limitations. The simulation also shows how the war might be won quite early. It also shows how the war could have dragged on and on. SummaryStrategic Command is a game that would make a great gift for a beginning wargamer. It can run on just about any computer currently on the market – and numerous older ones. In short, it is well worth the price paid, and I would recommend it for anyone who wishes to start computer wargaming, whether or not they have experience with board games. |
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