Computer Wargames most like Boardgames

[rowech]

Somehow I posted this in a completely different thread. I'm looking for wargames that look/feel/play most like boardgames in the traditional wargame sense. Era isn't a huge deal other than I don't want to go the fantasy world route.

[Warhammer]

VASL, of course that is a direct port of ASL to play people online.

Wesnoth - Sure its fantasy, but it is still a solid game.

Combat Mission, and of the WWII ones are good.

[Warhammer]

Also, forgot Colossus, it is a java version of the classic Titan.

[Calis]

Any of the AGEOD games are a good fit here, and they look beautiful to boot. I think they're the class act of the genre right now. If I remember correctly the lead Dev got his start in boardgames(the Europa Universalis boardgame if I remember right). I loved their Civil War game and Revolutionary War one. Their newest is a WW1 game and I've heard some pretty negative things, so I'd steer clear of it for now, although they will certainly get it patched up.

You can also go with any of the HPS Sim games or anything along those lines. Plenty of World War 2/Civil War/Napoelonic War/ and everything else in there to choose from.

Tons of options really, depends on what exactly you're looking for.

[rowech]

The game I've probably been looking at most is The Operational Art of War from Matrix Games. My other big fear in picking out a game is that it not be overwhelming at the start.

[TimGuru]

With a minimal amount of legwork you can find demos for a lot of the games Matrix has advertised on their site. I'm trying out Gary Grigsby's World at War and Commander Europe at War right now. Commander looks like the sort of thing that would fit your bill....hex based, very traditional looking.

As mentioned above, the AGEOD games are also good...buy from them directly for the best patch support.

Another title available on Matrix's site that has a very traditional board game-wth the computer handling the dice- feel to it is the John Tiller Campaign Series. I bought Rising Sun at retail when it came out years ago and got a LOT of play out of it, and I reinstalled it recently and it holds up well. Packaged with RS now are Eastern Front, Western Front and apparently a zillion scenarios. Good value. I don't recommend trying it on Vista tho, I put it on my XP machine after some issues cropped up right away with the Vista PC.

[Warhammer]

TOAW is a great game. I played that for years.

[HerRealName]

Armageddon Empire is my favorite of the last couple of years and I hate fantasy based games. Montjoie from AGEOD is also a very close representation of a card-based board game to pc and it is fun for a quick game. I would also recommend Advanced Tactics from Matrix for their random scenarios. The problem with AT is the terrible names given to the factions at scenario creation but that can be edited.

I'd like to pick up Wars in America from AGEOD at some point but time is hard to come by these days.

[rowech]

With a minimal amount of legwork you can find demos for a lot of the games Matrix has advertised on their site. I'm trying out Gary Grigsby's World at War and Commander Europe at War right now. Commander looks like the sort of thing that would fit your bill....hex based, very traditional looking.

As mentioned above, the AGEOD games are also good...buy from them directly for the best patch support.

Another title available on Matrix's site that has a very traditional board game-wth the computer handling the dice- feel to it is the John Tiller Campaign Series. I bought Rising Sun at retail when it came out years ago and got a LOT of play out of it, and I reinstalled it recently and it holds up well. Packaged with RS now are Eastern Front, Western Front and apparently a zillion scenarios. Good value. I don't recommend trying it on Vista tho, I put it on my XP machine after some issues cropped up right away with the Vista PC.

The TIller game is one of the others I've been considering. I have Vista though so that might be a reason to stay away.

[TimGuru]

Check their forums, the "box set" they sell may be patched to work. I have all the original individually sold games, from before there was even XP.

[BradS]

Yes, HPS is a good choice, check out Squad Battles (http://www.hpssims.com/Pages/products/SB/AOTR/aotr.html), had no glitches with Vista over the last year.

[Icy]

If you like tactical WWII games instead of big strategic ones, nothing beats Steel Panthers WW2 that was updated for windows a year ago or so. In this turn based game you control your units on the field not caring about your country finances or politics. The engine is ultra realistic, taking in account for example the angle of the shoots, type of projectiles, etc.

It's an old style hex based game like the tabletop ones. I have had one of my worst additions ever to this game before it was even windows compatible and you had to use some tricks to run it. One day i decided to delete it from my PC or i wouldn't ever be able to be productive again in my work and hav never looked back... or wait, just just made me to want to download it again.... nooooooooooooo!! :D

It's free, still totally supported and updated, with a huge community around it developing campaigns, mods, etc.

You can find more info and the free downloads here:

WinSPWW2 - Windows, Steel Panthers, World War 2 (http://www.fprado.com/armorsite/winspww2.htm)