Gaming Military gaming on PC : wargames and simulations.

AAR Galileo

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The military gaming on Pc is not today what is was in the 80 to the end of the last cenctury. Microprose, SSI, ... are no more but with the evolution of the PC ecosystem power (CPU/GPU/memory) the gaming experience is on some 'games' almost real.

Today I will start a series of post about some of the title I own . The wargames (strategic, tactical) and the simulations (land, air and sea). I will not cover too much Real Time Strategy (RTS) miltary games since it's not my cup of tea.

Let start with a list of links to the producers, distributors of military wargames I currently own.

RTS:

Eugen, is a French video games developer producing some nice looking RTS games like:
  • Steel division 1944
  • Act of Agression
  • The Wargame series (European Escalation, Red dragon and Air land Battle)
https://www.eugensystems.com/

Wargames:

Battlefront: They produce the combat Mission series. Those are 3D wargames WW2 and modern era.

I own CM Strike force (invasion of Syria by US) with all the DLC" Marines, UK and NATO and also
CM Black Sea (invasion of Crimea by Russia defended by US and Ukrainian).
The fun stuff is they are for the modern era seem to know the future, CM black sea was release in 2014 and shock force in 2008. CM Shock force 2 will be release this year.

Some videos:

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Website:
http://www.battlefront.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Matrixgames : Producer and distributor of multiple wargames.

I am beta tester for Command Modern Air/Naval Operations since the start of the project by MG.

Some video of CMANO :
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Website :
http://www.matrixgames.com/


Simulations:

In the world of Simulation there is not a lot of contenders:

Digital Combat Simulator a Russian developer that produce some of the best hard core military air simulations available to the public.

I own some of their titles ( A-10C, UH-1 Iroquois, AV-8B Night Attack, Black Shark 2 - Ka-50 ...).
They develop maps area curently Caucase, Nevada Test and Training Range, Normandy and for the near future Strait of hormuz.
They also create assets (plane and helicopters) and allow 3 party developers to create their own.
These assets range from WW2 to presents planes and helicopters. some are "hardcore" style other much more accessible to the public.


With a good rig PC and a VR set you can almost feel being in a real aircraft.
https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/

Some videos:
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eSim
is a US / German an armor simulation creator, developing only one title Steel Beats Pro . One verison if for the military and one for the public Steel Beats Pro PE (personal Edition).
SB Pro allow you to take control MBT. APC, trucks, .... in a 3D model (each station - driver, gunner, commander are 3 modeled). you can "play' solo or in a network (max 8) with friends (each in his own vehicle or sharing the stations one one)

The simulator come with a lot of maps and the community can create our own if you ask politely and give them all the info needed.

The price 125$ can seem to be high for some (it's just the price of 2 AAA games) but the patch between major release are free.

Some videos:

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Website :

https://www.esimgames.com/

The forum : http://www.steelbeasts.com/
 
It is, and with a Virtual Reality set like the Oculus Rift is amazing. The only downside is the learning curve, lot to learn about the avionics from the ramp-start of a cold plane on the taxiway to the landing, the weapons controls, .... but it worth the time. Lot of fun.
 
Next DCS F-18C plane, will be available this week as the new terrain Strait of Hormuz now the Persian gulf (because a lot of American didn't knew where it is, so they had to rename it!).
I'll stay with the AV-8B NA , so much fun!

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A map covering the Falklands is in development with the corresponding assets e.g. the Sheffield



A new plane is also on the way, the A29- Super Tucano
 
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full

anyone know where this is from?
 
A nice video of the possibility of CMNAO Professional.

The major difference with the "basic" version is the ability to run in multiplayer, edit the database and export the data to TacView (when it's in the 3D in the video it's tacview)

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I'll start off with some oldies.

When it comes to historical RTT / R-TBS military sims here are some of my all time favourites:

Steel Panthers series - WW2
- (Windows) Steel Panthers: Main Battle Tank (WinSPMBT) - Cold War, 21st century
Sudden Strike series ( I-II ) - WW2
- Sudden Strike clones ( Cold War Conflicts, Confrontation etc )
Blitzkrieg series ( I-II, haven't played III yet ) - WW2
Graviteam Tactics - WW2
- 'Shield of the Prophet' dlc - Cold War
Wargame series ( European Escalation, Airland Battle & Red Dragon ) - Cold War

WinSPMBT is probably in concept one the oldest and also arguably the most complex out of all these types of games. It came out in 2005 and features and factions are still being added.
There are some 93 playable nations and factions from 1946 to a theoretical 2025. It's a hexagon ( similar to 'The Great Battles' (of Caesar, Alexander etc) series ) turn based game with immense strategic and tactical debth. I feel a lot of games such as the Wargame series and Armored Brigade are inspired by it.
Everything is taken into account, like angles ( yes eventhough it's in 2D with top view ), ammunition type, number, armor thickness, elevation, morale, visibility, troop quality, cover, natural obstacles etc. The devs try to keep the army rosters for every playable nation as accurate as possible ever since. There are all types of infantry with their weapons, vehicles, artillery and air support from 1946-2000s, and players can create their own maps and battles. One can technicaly even arrange a game against human players, though it's a pretty old school way of doing it.

If any of that was properly translated into a 3d game - Wargame comes pretty close, still is a far cry in terms of strategic debth, then that would make one helluva game.
 
If you like WinSPMBT, Armored Brigade will do (the AI is much better than SPMBT). Few Orbat and maps at the moment but the devs will add them after the release.

The Combat Mission series from Battlefront are not to bad and when played online (via email) with a human opponent, it ca be really challenging.
 
If you like WinSPMBT, Armored Brigade will do (the AI is much better than SPMBT). Few Orbat and maps at the moment but the devs will add them after the release.

Yeah it definitly made me very curious. I will take a shot at Armored Brigade. :)

The Combat Mission series

Oh right ! how could I forget to mention that one. Is also def among my favs. But haven't played it in a long time. Definitly recommend those. Such games have high replayability.
 
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A little of topic but a first book of a series, book based on Command Modern Air/Naval Operation will be available next week (Kindle book only).

Northern Inferno: H Hour is the story on both side of engagement between NATO and Soviet force in 1994:

On the 19th of August 1991, hard-liners in the Soviet leadership, calling themselves the 'State Emergency Committee', launched the 'August Coup' in order to remove Gorbachev from power and prevent the signing of the new union treaty. Although experiencing some initial setbacks and resounding world condemnation - the coup was a success. The concepts of Perestroika and Glasnost, and the economic and political restructuring they implied, were abolished overnight. Independence movements in 14 states were ruthlessly quashed, including those in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Georgia where self-rule had already been declared. Internal strife reminiscent of the 1920's lasted for just over a month but the iron rule of the reinvigorated Communist Party prevailed in all areas.

NATO watched nervously as their efforts to encourage Eastern European countries away from Dictatorship were methodically dashed. Only Poland and the re-unified Germany managed to avoid the restoration of the Warsaw Pact. Poland has declared itself Neutral and Non-aligned; however significant pro Eastern Bloc movements exist and are in a constant struggle with its emerging Capitalist economy. Germany is in a difficult position as many of its Left Wing political elements have been proposing the abandonment of collective defense as a viable strategy for the future.

Meanwhile, NATO was decisively engaged as its (original 16) various governments were attempting to realize the 'peace dividend' by reducing military forces, and employing what is left in non-traditional roles in order to justify costs. With significantly reduced Land, Sea and Air forces embroiled in the Balkans, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Rwanda and The Sudan. Resources are spread thinner than they have been since the 1940's. Tensions with Iraq are high and the threat to stability in the Middle East is extreme.

On the 9th of February 1994, a Soviet supported Coup toppled the Polish government and sent the emergent democratic state into anarchy. The UN Security council response was futile and an emergency sitting of NATO's North Atlantic Council (NAC) was called for the 12th of February.

In Norway - The International Olympic Committee (IOC), in consultation with the UN decided to carry on with the Winter Games which were opened in Lillehammer, on February 12th. Soviet and Eastern Bloc countries were represented at the opening ceremonies but many of their athletes were not present at the start of the actual events on the 13th, the Russian Olympic village was empty and initial investigation found that many of the athletes had simply disappeared, while only a few had flown home. Norway has called up its reserves and ordered the IOC to cancel the games and evacuate the Olympic Village. The world is in an uproar over the loss of the Olympic spectacle and TV commentators all over the Globe are criticizing Norway's decision.





A first review :


The website of the authors:

 

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