Free Wargame...

[Godzilla Blitz]

This might be old news to many wargamers out there, but I just bumped into it and thought others might like to know.

You can download "The Ardennes Offensive" for free from SSG games. Looks like an updated oldie but goodie.

Link:

The Ardennes Offensive (http://www.ssgus.com/ardennes-download.htm)

Oops. Before you get too excited, I don't think it runs on XP very well. 95, Me, 98 are all supposedly ok.

[Easy Mac]

If it doesn't have shock n awe, it isn't worth it.

[Bonegavel]

This is being repackaged into a new product called Korsun Pocket, available soon. The latest issue of CGW gives Korsun Pocket 5 out of 5 stars and the last 2 sentences of the review are quote, "It's the best hex-based computer wargame ever made. Period."

Hmmm. Just went to the link you provided and was troubled to read, "This version of the game uses improvements that were intended for the sequel to The Ardennes Offensive, Korsun Pocket. Unfortunately the sequel looks unlikely to appear, but we at SSG don't want to see the work we did on revamping the game engine go to waste."

Very strange. Very strange indeed.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally posted by BoneGavel
This is being repackaged into a new product called Korsun Pocket, available soon. The latest issue of CGW gives Korsun Pocket 5 out of 5 stars and the last 2 sentences of the review are quote, "It's the best hex-based computer wargame ever made. Period."

Yeah, that's actually how I ended up finding this freebie. I just spent some time reading the Korsun Pocket forum, but there wasn't much there on the AI yet. It's $40 at GoGamer, which is a bit pricey for me, so I'm going to wait for more information. I've been looking for a good, traditional wargame for a while now, but they are all pretty pricey.

Hmmm. Just went to the link you provided and was troubled to read, "This version of the game uses improvements that were intended for the sequel to The Ardennes Offensive, Korsun Pocket. Unfortunately the sequel looks unlikely to appear, but we at SSG don't want to see the work we did on revamping the game engine go to waste."

Very strange. Very strange indeed. [/B]

To further confuse the situation, I read something that said the version of the The Ardennes Offensive (TAO) that is included with Korsun Pocket will work under XP, but the free download doesn't.

[Bonegavel]

I will have to investigate this, as I am a big fan of the hex game.

I downloaded the freebie and will play with it at first chance.

thanks for the heads-up.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally posted by BoneGavel
I will have to investigate this, as I am a big fan of the hex game.

Have you ever played The Operational Art of Warfare: The Century of Warfare?

I recently installed the game, tried a simple scenario (Iwo Jima) and couldn't for the life of me figure out how to do anything at all. I looked at the manual and got even more confused. I think I finally managed to land some artillery as the first wave of assault on the island (not the recommended way to invade a Japanese island), but they couldn't fire at anything, and my ships couldn't move or fire, and I had no planes, at which point I said to myself that I would go read the beefy manual before trying to play again. That was two weeks ago, and the manual is now under my bed serving as a breeding board for dust bunnies.

[33sherman]

Those Talonsoft games--Operational Art Of War, etc.--usually come with a quick tutorial .txt file in the game's folder that'll get you up and running without having to read the whole manual.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by BoneGavel
This is being repackaged into a new product called Korsun Pocket, available soon. The latest issue of CGW gives Korsun Pocket 5 out of 5 stars and the last 2 sentences of the review are quote, "It's the best hex-based computer wargame ever made. Period."

Hmmm. Just went to the link you provided and was troubled to read, "This version of the game uses improvements that were intended for the sequel to The Ardennes Offensive, Korsun Pocket. Unfortunately the sequel looks unlikely to appear, but we at SSG don't want to see the work we did on revamping the game engine go to waste."

Very strange. Very strange indeed.

SSG are some of the finest wargame developers ever. period

[sachmo71]

I love free games!

[Godzilla Blitz]

33sherman: Thanks! I'll take a look for that over the weekend!

sachmo: I thought you might like this one!

Has anyone done a lot of play by mail with wargames? Does it work pretty well?

[Tekneek]

Originally posted by sachmo71
I love free games!

Definitely. The price is right.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by Godzilla Blitz
Has anyone done a lot of play by mail with wargames? Does it work pretty well?

depends on the game's PBEM setup. some are very good. others, not so good.

[Bonegavel]

Korsun Pocket (didn't know he even had a shirt) claims to have a wonderful pbem system.

If anyone is up to a PBEM game when this game hits the shelves, let me know. I will pick this title up as soon as it arrives.

[wbatl1]

How is the free game. Good, Bad, Medium. Thanks.