Why should there be a difference between the "quintessential wargamer's list" and the "quintessential wargamer's list for military professionals"? The answer has to be with the end state for the user. The wargamer wants a historically valid game, but also an enjoyable and entertaining experience; the military gamer wants a historically valid game, but both enjoyment and entertainment are secondary criteria. The advantage that the commercial wargame has is its entertainment value; there are few games that have been used by the military which are played in off-duty times. Generally, military games may be characterized by an extended learning period and an extended playing period -- both of which combine to often prohibit the lessons learned because of the time constraints. Thus, certain commercial wargames can offer lessons to the military professional. Such games offer playability, realistic lessons learned, and/or game aspects which the military professional could adapt for his own games. All of the games herein are for the PC machine; also note that the list has been revised to emphasize those games which may be utilized in a Windows 95 environment.
#1: COMBAT MISSION: BEYOND OVERLORD {Big Time; 2000} was published by a smaller company and sold only through direct internet sales. However, it offered the best squad-level game ever done at a multitude of levels. Points of view could be accessed from grunt level to God's-eye. More important, ground-level reconnaissance became essential to combat success. Each turn (one minute of "real" time) could be replayed with the camera angle zooming in on particular areas of the battlefield and determining what happened and why. Proper tactics, proper military command and superb playability offer a virtual TFX (tactical field exercise).
#2: CIVILIZATION II {MicroProse; 1996} needs no justification. Eminently playable, this panoramic sweep of human civilization offers an insight into the development of technology and its impact upon history. While not historical, its sheer joie de vivre overcomes any deficiencies. While an enhancement to the original (1991), the game value and learning parameters have maintained its status. CIVILIZATION: CALLTO POWER (Activision; 1999) and CIVILIZATION: CALL TO POWER II (Activision; 2000) added much detail, but at the expense of accessibility and ease of play. CIVILIZATION III may be released in 2001.
#3: OPERATIONAL ART OF WAR I-II {TalonSoft; 1998-1999} is a detailed simulation of operational land conflict in the twentieth century. Although the interface has been vastly improved from the designer's prior efforts, it could still use additional tuning. However, this simulation is an open-ended design tool, with a scenario editor which can be used to model political decision points as addenda to military resolutions. There has been some criticism that the model yields anomalous results, but this can often be attributed to errors of aggregation. This is an operational modelling simulation, and despite the publisher's claims, is best optimized for regimental to corps levels.
#4: HARPOON CLASSIC ‘97 {Interactive Magic; 1997}/SSI DEFINITIVE WARGAME COLLECTION #2 (PANZER GENERAL, STEEL PANTHERS, ROMANCE OF THE 3 KINGDOMS, GENGHIS KHAN II, HARPOON II, OPERATION EUROPE, TANKS, CLASH OF STEEL, COMMAND HQ, V FOR VICTORY, HIGH COMMAND) {Strategic Simulations, Inc., 1991-1996}. HARPOON is the simulation of modern naval tactics. HARPOON '97 was modified to run in a Windows 95 environment, but was based on the original design and user interface, and contains every battleset in an easily accessible package -- a grab-bag of massive proportions. The DEFINITIVE WARGAME COLLECTION #2 is recommended for its inclusion of HARPOON II, which is much more realistic, but the user interface requires a steeper learning curve and it runs in a DOS environment; the other games may be considered as a bonus. HARPOON 4 (Strategic Simulations, Inc.) is due for release in 2001 (a delay of two years).
#5: BUZZ ALDRIN RACE INTO SPACE (Interplay; 1993} This program shines as an excellent playable simulation of R&D and budget acquisitions. With little additional modifications, this could be used by the military as a teaching tool for analysis. There are few games that have emphasized logistics and in addition made it an enjoyable experience; this is the best ever developed. It was designed for a DOS environment, but will run in a Windows 95 mode.
#6: HIDDEN AGENDA {Springboard; 1989} portrays Latin American politics in a mechanically simple but subtly deep portrait of competing goals. Attempting to form a new government can be difficult, especially with the American ambassador demanding trade concessions and reparations. Overall, success was generally to those left-of-center, but the pol-mil aspects of this design should have mandated it for inclusion in military curricula. It may be difficult to find, but it is a small program with a low learning curve. Despite its age, it is still a valuable learning tool, and one which is technologically adaptable to other situations.
#7: RAINBOW 6 (Red Storm; 1998} is a surprisingly well-executed simulation of special operations missions. Aside from the excellent graphics, gameplay and scenarios, the mission editor is superb. Before embarking on the actual mission, one should (or must if success is to be achieved) develop a mission plan of execution through the use of the editor. At the very least, this editor is accessible and emphasizes a basic military planning tool.
#8: PACIFIC WAR {Strategic Simulations, Inc.; 1992} is a detailed simulation of the war against Japan (1941-1945). As such, it justly emphasizes logistics but does much more. Especially noteworthy is the ability of the user to choose his own command level -- whether supreme commander, area commander, or even a task force commander. Any command elements not run by the player will be automatically handled by the computer. It is currently available as a free download in a Windows format (http://www.matrixgames.com).
#9: BATTLE OF BRITAIN/12 O'CLOCK HIGH {TalonSoft; 1999} is a detailed simulation of the 1940 (and hypothetical 1941) strategic air war between Germany and Great Britain and the strategic bombing offensive of 1943-1945 (both daylight and night). These are the strategic air planning simulations, although they are tedious.
#10: TAC OPS {Arsenal; 1996} is a game of modern operational maneuver. Resembling a CPX from the mid-1980s, it will seem familiar to Army and Marine officers. Its biggest flaws are a lack of morale/unit cohesion and victory conditions which seem more akin to a Hatfield-McCoy blood feud than a modern military battle. But it is more playable, accessible and quicker to teach valid lessons than anything the Department of Defense has produced.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
A. AIDE-DE-CAMP II {HPS; 1997} is not a game, but rather a designer's tool. It allows the user to convert any traditional board game (hexagon-based or other) into a computer version (albeit without an artificial intelligence).
B. DECISIVE ACTION {CGSC; 1998} was a military-designed simulation of division/corps level combat. Although lacking an AI, it reflected contemporary land combat in a correct fashion.
C. PATRIOT {360; 1992} was a game of disastrous proportions, but one that offered many innovative concepts to the military user. Instead of hex-based movement, units were allowed to choose their frontages. As the FEBA (Forward Edge of the Battle Area) condensed, the unit's firepower increased; similarly, corps and division boundary lines and phase lines could be used to implement game mechanics. The strongest game mechanic was the use of task force tailoring; unit orders of battle could be adjusted with simple mouse clicks, and allowed the user to transfer subordinate units within the chain of command. Sadly, the game itself was obtuse, bug-ridden and justly excoriated by users, but there were enough "might-have-beens" in terms of game design to mandate a serious look by the military professionals. This has dropped from a #1 to a mere honorable mention because it is so difficult to run in the Windows 95 environment.
D. POINT OF ATTACK {HPS; 1992} is a simulation of minimal graphics, a user interface that even a mother may not love, but for sheer data based on land combat in the contemporary era, it is difficult to beat. An updated and more user friendly sequel should be released shortly.
E. SEAL TEAM {Electronic Arts; 1993} portrays Navy Special Operations in Vietnam. While the graphics may be underwhelming (the jungle canopy could definitely stand a little added density), the coordination of a team and the hand commands used for tactical operations bear observation.
F. SENSOR COMBAT {AFWIC; 1997} was the first military simulation based on commercial gaming design aspects. The first two installments on information warfare (Balkan Cauldron and Korean Nightmare) were free to DoD employees and active military personnel. Although the simulation emphasized information warfare, a force-on-force model was the underlying basis.
G. SIM CITY/SIM CITY 2000/SIM CITY 3000 {Maxis; 1989/1994/1998} is the classic "software toy." While the competition may seem absent, the program offers a fascinating perspective of urban planning and modeling problems. The company has spun off a separate commercial company which designs simulations for both industry and government.
H. TOTAL AIR WAR {Infogrammes; 1998} was a combat air simulation with an overlay of theater air planning in a contemporary environment, thereby emphasizing both tacticl and operational aspects of air warfare.
I. X-COM I-II-III-IV {MicroProse; 1994/1995/1997/1998} constitute a tactical patrol model encapsulated in an operational and strategic design. While the plot is pure science fiction, the tactical patrol model is the best ever designed for a computer game, and it definitely teaches the techniques involving in bounding overwatch.
Revised: January 01, 2001.
Copyright © 2001 M. Evan Brooks. All rights reserved.
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