Post
by Galahad » 31 May 2002 15:40
Are you only interested in computer games? If you also like board games, there's a HUGE number of truly detailed ones out there, on just about every topic you can name, and at many different levels of detail, accuracy and complexity.
An example is the old SPI War in Europe simulation, that recreated WW2 in Europe and North Africa on the strategic/operational level, with weekly turns, 50+ square feet of map area (PLUS charts, tables and graphs), thousands of unit counters, and HUGE rules books. It does, however, take a LONG time to play, even using 5 or 6 person teams for each side.
One that's both accurate and fun (especially for the German player) was originally produced by SPI and then brought out by Avalon Hill: Panzer Gruppe Guderian. It's an operational level sim. And it's playable in a reasonable amount of time.
Many will be out of print, but you can find copies in places like E Bay, or through wargames specialty stores. And there are lots of games that ARE in print. Do a google.com search under topics such as wargames or conflict simulations.
If you don't mind something ahistoric so far as computer games go, get a copy of Axis & Allies, and/or the additions to it. It's not history, but it can be a lot of fun, without being overly complicated.
If you want historicity and detail in the computer game line, then Gary Grigsby's War In Russia, War in the West, and War in the Pacific are what you're looking for. They are old, but so far there's nothing else like them. Fair warning, to play a complete campaign game of any of them will take you about as long as the original campaigns. <g>