An Old Wargame That Still Plays Well Today

When you were a kid, did you play with army men? Did you set up green and grey troops in your backyard or sandbox? Did you blow your army men up with fire-crackers? For me the answer was YES. I have always had a love of WWII history and games based on the subject. My obsession with WWII games started with titles like War in Russia and Steel Panthers. Both games, designed by Gary Grigsby, and published by SSi had many thing going for it. War in Russia had the operational level where you had control at a division, corp, army level. Mainly you were moving boxes around on a map of Russia. This game was what table top wargames were like. Games could take weeks to play and there was no sound effects, unless you count the sounds I made when my boxes killed the computers boxes.

War in Russia

Steel Panthers on the other hand, was more of a actual game. Here you controlled individual tanks and platoons of men. Amazing sound effects, colorful maps and units, and a attention to detail this was the most fun I have ever had with my computer since I got it. In fact, I am pretty sure that game contributed to me losing my girlfriend at that time. I'm pretty sure it also contributed to my snow white tan. Both these games are still available at Matrix Games web site. War in Russia is free, while Steel Panthers is $70.00.

Steel Panthers

This is just a set up to what I really wanted to tell you about. Battlefront Software released a game awhile back called Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord. Now this is what brought wargaming into the modern age. It is still a turn based game. You select your troops, give them your orders then hit go. Your opponent, whether human or computer does his move and hits go. When that happens you get to watch 60 seconds of real-time combat. After that's done you have control of where you want to move next. In Combat Mission you play the role of general. You give the basic order, your troops respond to your orders but you don't have direct control. The action takes place on a fully rendered 3D battlefield. Cover, line of site, armor thickness all are taken into account. Also, the morale of troops are calculated to the point that this could be considered a simulation.

Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

This series has spawned two sequels set in WWII and really is flag bearer of what games like Steel Panthers started. These games are easily modifiable. You can go online and find many graphics, sounds, and total conversion mods. The Combat Mission games work well under Windows Vista and you really don't have to have a very modern computer to play them.

If your someone who likes Company of Heroes, but suck at the fast paced nature of RTS games, Combat Mission is for you. Check out the battlefront site and try the demo. I know you will not be disappointed. Here, just check this out.