Thursday, December 3, 2009

Good War Gaming Times Ahead: Schwerpunkt's "Middle East 1946-2006"

Last night, at the Wargamer.com forums, Ron Dockal posted a list of scenarios of his upcoming war game "Middle East 1946-2006".

1. Israeli War of Independence, to 1st Truce
2. Israeli War of Independence, to 2nd Truce
3. Israeli War of Independence, to Armistice
4. Sinai Campaign 1956
5. Six Day War 1967
6. Yom Kippur War 1973 - Sinai
7. Yom Kippur War 1973 - Golan
8. Yom Kippur War 1973
9. Israeli War with Lebanon 1982
10. Iran - Iraq War, Iraq Invades Sep 1980
11. Iran-Iraq War, Susangerd Jan 1981
12. Iran-Iraq War, Abadan Sep 1981
13. Iran-Iraq War, Operation Jerusalem Way, Nov 1981
14. Iran-Iraq War, Operation Undeniable Victory, Mar 1982
15. Iran-Iraq War, Operation Jerusalem, Apr 1982
16. Iran-Iraq War, Iran Invades Iraq, Jul 1982
17. Iran-Iraq War, Target Basra, Feb 1984
18. Iran-Iraq War, Iran Captures Faw Peninsula, Feb 1986
19. Iran-Iraq War, Last Attempt at Basra, Dec 1986
20. Iran-Iraq War, Iraq Recaptures Faw Peninsula, April 1988
21.  Desert Storm 1991
22.  Cobra II 2003
23.  What If Scenario Builds
24.  Middle East 2010 (will contain the most current OOB in the public domain)

Some screenshots of this game are available here.

I always liked and played Schwerpunkt games. Even when in general I tend to dismiss war games designed with a philosophy of "replicating the board game experience" (what the hell is that supposed to mean? Building motorcycles with saddles and bad shocks so they bump your rear like a horse?).

The games from Schwerpunkt have an AI that will retreat if the odds are bad or if they are to be turned/outflanked. They also have a scale that allows you to play an entire, army-group level operation in a couple of hours.

So, my hat goes off to you, Ron. I'd pay full price for just the "Desert Storm" and "Cobra II" scenarios alone.

And I am very happy that every once and then you can read something war-gamish at the Wargamer.com. Now they can go back to the usual dragons, elfs and science fiction chatter. :)

Cheers,

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