Video game suggestions?

[crackersncheese]

Anybody know any good AH video games? By that I don't mean things like FPS set in an alternate TL, but games that actually allow you to play with history.

[Leo euler]

It depends on what sort of AH game you are looking for, I guess, but I think Civilization IV is one of the best, if not the best, AH games.

[Electric Monk]

Strategy or tactics of war, mostly.

The Paradox stuff on a grand level (Hearts of Iron, Victoria, etc…), the AGEOD series (Birth of America, Napoleon's Campaigns, etc…) at something between tactics and strategy, Civil War Generals II for tactics (and a branching path, depending on how well/poorly you do), TOAW III for most wars and battles in the last century (that includes some strategic level contests like Europe Aflame WWII scenario).

President Forever 2008 if you want to play with elections.

Hmm, also: War Plan Pacific & Commander: Europe at War & Strategic Command 2 for some WWII action (the former, naturally, only in the Pacific).

[Beedok]

I must say that Diplomacy always ends up interesting... The Italians coquered most of France and Britain without Italy, and the Germans had relocated to Greece in one game I played.

[crackersncheese]

Originally Posted by Leo euler

It depends on what sort of AH game you are looking for, I guess, but I think Civilization IV is one of the best, if not the best, AH games.

I was thinking either a simulation or strategy game. Already have Civ IV, but its not what I had in mind

Originally Posted by Electric Monk

Strategy or tactics of war, mostly.

The Paradox stuff on a grand level (Hearts of Iron, Victoria, etc…), the AGEOD series (Birth of America, Napoleon's Campaigns, etc…) at something between tactics and strategy, Civil War Generals II for tactics (and a branching path, depending on how well/poorly you do), TOAW III for most wars and battles in the last century (that includes some strategic level contests like Europe Aflame WWII scenario).

President Forever 2008 if you want to play with elections.

Hmm, also: War Plan Pacific & Commander: Europe at War & Strategic Command 2 for some WWII action (the former, naturally, only in the Pacific).

Thanks, I will be checking some of those out.

Originally Posted by Beedok

I must say that Diplomacy always ends up interesting... The Italians coquered most of France and Britain without Italy, and the Germans had relocated to Greece in one game I played.

Played Diplomacy; it can be very strange at times.

[Hapsburg]

Originally Posted by crackersncheese

Anybody know any good AH video games? By that I don't mean things like FPS set in an alternate TL, but games that actually allow you to play with history.

Depends on what you like.
I've been looking to find Bladestorm, an action/tactics game for consoles that takes place during the Hundred Years War. It's basically Dynasty Warriors with Joan of Arc.

Originally Posted by Electric Monk

The Paradox stuff on a grand level (Hearts of Iron, Victoria, etc…)

I can't stand those games. I'm absolutely horrible with those real time, giant-scale games. It's a retarded premise, IMO. Something on that scale, like a whole word map, should be turn-based.
Like the Total War series. The campaign is turn based, and individual battles are real- time.

[wilcoxchar]

Originally Posted by Hapsburg

I can't stand those games. I'm absolutely horrible with those real time, giant-scale games. It's a retarded premise, IMO. Something on that scale, like a whole word map, should be turn-based.
Like the Total War series. The campaign is turn based, and individual battles are real- time.

Uhhh, you do know there's a pause button, don't you?

And anyway, a turn-based system can't reflect the real life challenges that leaders faced as well as a real-time game can. Real wars and other aspects of governance didn't happen in abstract 'turns', they happened with all players acting at once i.e. real-time.

[Zyzzyva]

Ooh, CWGII! I haven't played that in a while - but it was fun.

[crackersncheese]

Originally Posted by Zyzzyva

Ooh, CWGII! I haven't played that in a while - but it was fun.

Care to explain the abbreviation, please? And if you could, a little about the game. I'm really weighing the different AH games, and I want to have as many options as possible. Want to buy the best one, you know.

[Zyzzyva]

Originally Posted by crackersncheese

Care to explain the abbreviation, please? And if you could, a little about the game. I'm really weighing the different AH games, and I want to have as many options as possible. Want to buy the best one, you know.

Civil War Generals II, mentioned upthread.

I enjoyed it, at any rate; although I was never that good at it.

[Hapsburg]

Originally Posted by wilcoxchar

Uhhh, you do know there's a pause button, don't you?

Yeah, but I can't do anything while paused. Thus making it worthless.

And anyway, a turn-based system can't reflect the real life challenges that leaders faced as well as a real-time game can. Real wars and other aspects of governance didn't happen in abstract 'turns', they happened with all players acting at once i.e. real-time.

Right, but I don't care about that. I play a game to have fun and win. In a fully real-time grand-strategy game, neither happens.

[wilcoxchar]

Originally Posted by Hapsburg

Yeah, but I can't do anything while paused. Thus making it worthless.

You can give plenty of orders while the game is paused. It's just that nothing happens until you unpause because time is, ya know, stopped.

Right, but I don't care about that. I play a game to have fun and win. In a fully real-time grand-strategy game, neither happens.

You can make a real-time strategy game into a turn-based game if you want. Just pause every day (or month, or year, etc.) and give your orders, then let time run for that period before pausing again and giving your orders.

[Electric Monk]

Originally Posted by crackersncheese

Care to explain the abbreviation, please? And if you could, a little about the game. I'm really weighing the different AH games, and I want to have as many options as possible. Want to buy the best one, you know.

It's quite old and free on the interwebs, if your computer can hack it. The graphics are horrifically bad, but it remains one of the top 2 or 3 Civil War games ever made.

Essentially you can choose from the major (and a bunch of smaller) battles of the Civil War or you can play the various campaigns made up a couple battles or the whole Civil War. In the campaign how you do depends how the next battle goes, from one of five branches: major victory, minor victory, tie, minor defeat, major defeat. One of those five is the historical outcome, the other four are alternates.

If you do well you may have more troops (or the opponent may have less), your troops could be in a better position or better health or whatever.

There's also a small persistent game where you gain money from combat and use that to upgrade your troops with better weapons.

[crackersncheese]

Originally Posted by Zyzzyva

Civil War Generals II, mentioned upthread.

I enjoyed it, at any rate; although I was never that good at it.

oh... didn't noice that it had the same initials.

Originally Posted by Electric Monk

It's quite old and free on the interwebs, if your computer can hack it. The graphics are horrifically bad, but it remains one of the top 2 or 3 Civil War games ever made.

Essentially you can choose from the major (and a bunch of smaller) battles of the Civil War or you can play the various campaigns made up a couple battles or the whole Civil War. In the campaign how you do depends how the next battle goes, from one of five branches: major victory, minor victory, tie, minor defeat, major defeat. One of those five is the historical outcome, the other four are alternates.

If you do well you may have more troops (or the opponent may have less), your troops could be in a better position or better health or whatever.

There's also a small persistent game where you gain money from combat and use that to upgrade your troops with better weapons.

That sounds pretty neat. I think I will try getting it "under the table", so to speak.

[Slamet]

If you like (I mean, are obsessed with) micromanaging, I suggest you play Supreme Ruler 2020. You can micromanage nearly everything. Even troop placements.

Personally, I deleted it when it got too complex (which was pretty fast).

[aktarian]

TW series. Shogun is, IMO, best one because you really have to balance force mix because everybody uses same units, unlike RTW or MTW where you can have units of superior quality or mass of cheap ones.

Civ clones can be fun (Call to power).

Europa Universalis of course. Avoid Rome version, it's crap

If you are into tactics then Generals series (People's General is fun, using Comanche helicopters and Crusader SP arty)

[CCA]

Originally Posted by aktarian

TW series. Shogun is, IMO, best one because you really have to balance force mix because everybody uses same units, unlike RTW or MTW where you can have units of superior quality or mass of cheap ones.

Civ clones can be fun (Call to power).

Europa Universalis of course. Avoid Rome version, it's crap

If you are into tactics then Generals series (People's General is fun, using Comanche helicopters and Crusader SP arty)

Rome version is a lot better with Vae Victis.

[Hapsburg]

Originally Posted by aktarian

Civ clones can be fun (Call to power).

YES!
Call to Power was so much fun. The units were so cool and varied.
Especially with the different governments. I loved how you could have your civilization be Ecologists, and use Eco-Terrorists and miniature versions of Star Trek's Genesis Weapon.

[catboy637]

I remember a game that was a TL where Hitler dies early in the war, and someone good replaces him and takes Britan. Then Britan is liberated by America, but everyone, including the Soviets, has Star Wars type waepons. I hope that helps. Wikipedia actually has a page on AH video games.

[OAM47]

I have a linux laptop just because I somehow have the linux version of Civ, Call to Power. I like it for the space colonies and whatnot, most of the other don't go that detailed in the future region.

Paradox games are always good too, with the proper games and mods, you can play 1066 to 1964 (or longer with a No Time Limit Patch). Currently I'm about 1200 making a Flemish Empire.