War Gaming

[Herb]

I see we have a couple of members interested in wargaming, and I suspect there might be few others hidden around - I know I'm one. So let's hear from you!

[Allen Wiener]

I used to have a lot of board games years and years ago, including a couple of Alamo games. There was an early-era Alamo computer game that was fun, but after a while it became too easy to "beat" it by electing the option "Fannin arrives with help" and the Mexicans would frequently just decide to withdraw and you'd have won the game.

There were some decent Civil War games for beginners and a pretty good Revolutionary War board game, all long gone now. And then there were "Diplomacy" and "Risk," which I think are still stashed in my basement.

I enjoyed these games but most games seemed to be about WWII and other more modern wars, which were over my head.

AW

[Herb]

I really used to enjoy those WWII board games Avalon Hill, SPI, etc. Still got some of my old favorites, though I haven't opened a box since PCs came along.

I recently saw that Decision Games has an Alamo Board Game out, anybody know anything about it?

[Allen Wiener]

I don't see it on their website:

www.decisiongames.com/index.htm

AW

[Herb]

Hmmn, that's funny there was an ad for it in a magazine last month.

I was kind of under the impression that it had been around for a bit.

[Allen Wiener]

You're right! I need to look more carefully! Here's the link. By the way, I think I have this game somewhere in the basement with a bunch of Alamo stuff. I recall it being quite good and fun to play.

www.decisiongames.com/ame/alamo/alamo.htm

AW

[TRK]

Ten years ago I had a Battle of Waterloo wargame that jagjetta sent me. It was one of those early-generation computer sims, about one step above the keypunch days , and a challenge to play it, since it took *minutes* for each of your moves to register. I played it all the way through once, and it took all day.

Also used to have a computer wargame on U.S. submarine operations in the Pacific in WWII (a subject that is one of my other passions). It, too, was a creaky-playing beast, but it did seem to put into play a lot of the tactics that were used in submarine operations, from navigating to a patrol area to calculating up a solution for a torpedo attack.

Are there any recent Alamo computer games or simulations? I'd almost be tempted to try one.

[Herb]

Wade, posted some info on a new PC version of the Alamo that was coming out some time ago. I don't remember the details or even if it is out yet, perhaps Wade can provide us an update.

I think I'll order this Decision Game it was only $15, thats less than the cost of gas to get to the gas station!

[jagjetta]

TRK:
That early Waterloo game was interesting to play, I agree. It did give one a sense of the difficulties of grand maneuver.

I really really enjoy Sid Meier's Antietam. I have learned a lot about the difficulties of maneuver and allignment on the regimental level. Some downloads including a demo are located here:

www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/sidmeiersantietam/index.html

Age of Rifles, I believe, have some Texas Independence scenarios, but it is not a very realistic game...It is more like playing Statego then playing a simulation.

JAG