Updated classic wargame freebies at Matrix Games site ! [Archive]

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Blacklight

12-13-07, 01:08 AM

I figured I'd share this for you nostalgic wargamers out there who remember the old computer versions of board wargames.
Matrix Games has updated and are allowing free download of some classic and really good older war games:

War In Russia: Matrix Edition
http://www.matrixgames.com/games/game.asp?gid=236

Pacific War: Matrix Edition
(I can't tell you how much I played this back in the day. It was the biggest scope computer wargame I think I've ever played)
http://www.matrixgames.com/games/game.asp?gid=235

They pumped up the graphics a little bit and kept the same gameplay. These games are great ! I've been playing these two games using Dosbox prior to downloading these versions. I don't know if they still require Dosbox to run, but I think they optimised them to run on Xp.

I love Matrix Games. I have yet to find a wargame of theirs that I don't like. They're coming out with a computer version of World in Flames too !! That will be nice considering that my wife got annoyed that the game was set up on the table for weeks while me and a friend played it. hehe.

I also play the PC version of Avalon Hill's Third Reich using Dosbox and that game is public domain now too and it's a fantastic game. Contact me if you want to know where to get it.

Torplexed

12-14-07, 08:56 PM

Gary Grigsby's Pacific War was one of the first games I ever played on a computer. War in Russia wasn't too far behind. They were quite the revelation to someone used to board wargaming. However, those blocky circa 1992 VGA graphics haven't aged well though. I don't think I could play them nowadays without wincing.

Blacklight

12-14-07, 10:11 PM

Matrix Games have updated the graphics on them.
They aren't modern by any streach, but they're a LOT sharper than they used to be back in the day.
And Third Reich for the PC isn't blocky looking at all. It still holds up well today.:yep:

Blacklight

12-15-07, 12:40 AM

Just found this one for free download on the Matrix site...
Steel Panthers: World At War-Generals Edition
Also updated graphicly and made to work on anything up to XP
http://www.matrixgames.com/games/game.asp?gid=297

Rotary Crewman

12-15-07, 09:58 AM

eddie

12-16-07, 07:20 PM

Look at the screenshots of this sim, reminds me of the Squad Leader Board Games!

http://www.matrixgames.com/games/screens.asp?gid=349

Rotary Crewman

12-16-07, 07:45 PM

The company that create those games have a 'downloadable games' section on their site.

http://www.locknloadgame.com/Section_Cat_Content.asp?SID=33&SCAT=64

Enjoy :yep:

edit: Upon further inspection you have to pay. Sorry chaps :oops:

ChristopherT

01-17-08, 08:20 AM

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/spww2.htm

WW2 windows version of Steel Panthers

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/wSPMBT/1.htm

1946-2020 version of Steel Panthers.

Both supposed to be the 'best' in strategy gaming. Not quite my style, more of a Close Combat sort of man.

That's Wierd! I have the DOS versions of both SPMBT and SPWW2, (spww2v7_complete_game.exe) (spmbtv3-complete-game.exe) and the links you provided look like upgrades to these versions as opposed to WinSPMBT. I'm downloading them now to take a look.

Christopher

Edit: I see! The link for SPWW2 is to the DOS version and the link for SPMBT is for WinSPMBT. WinSPMBT won't run on my
computer so I'm still running the DOS versions.

ChristopherT

01-17-08, 08:30 AM

Pacific War: Matrix Edition
(I can't tell you how much I played this back in the day. It was the biggest scope computer wargame I think I've ever played)

They pumped up the graphics a little bit and kept the same gameplay. These games are great !

Ouch! I don't recall the original Pacific War requiring 900 megs of HD space, but I suppose that's progress! I'll have to pass on that offer! :D

Christopher

Blacklight

01-17-08, 09:04 PM

Lock 'N Load is actually a series of board games that is similar to the old Advanced Squad Leader game (IE.. board wargame where you can keep buying new scenarios and missions for) but from what I understand, it's much easier to play. It's pretty much based on Advanced Squad Leader and the mechanics are similar but like I said, it's much simpler to play.

Looks like they have a computer version of it coming out. :D
These are the kinds of games that make me drool.
I love actual board wargames. There's just something cool about having the board spread out in front of you with the 100000 little cardboard counters all over it and you and your opponent staring at the board with the intensity of a pair of chess champions plotting 10 moves in advance.:D

ChristopherT

01-17-08, 10:40 PM

Lock 'N Load is actually a series of board games that is similar to the old Advanced Squad Leader game (IE.. board wargame where you can keep buying new scenarios and missions for) but from what I understand, it's much easier to play. It's pretty much based on Advanced Squad Leader and the mechanics are similar but like I said, it's much simpler to play.

spread out in front of you with the 100000 little cardboard counters all over it and you and your opponent staring at the board with the intensity of a pair of chess champions plotting 10 moves in advance.:D

Remember Avalon Hill's Panzer Leader, Panzer Blitz and Submarine? I used to make a pot of coffee and stay up all night playing those!

Christopher

SUBMAN1

01-18-08, 11:17 AM

One of my favorites (now I'm really dating myself!) is OGRE! I miss that game of nuclear warfare.

-S

http://hometown.aol.com/servitor/Ogreindex/MKVblitz.jpg

Blacklight

01-18-08, 03:24 PM

Remember Avalon Hill's Panzer Leader, Panzer Blitz and Submarine? I used to make a pot of coffee and stay up all night playing those!

Of course I remember them ! I own all of the above with the exception of Panzer Leader. If you ever want to get a game of Panzer Blitz going using Cyberboard, let me know.:D I havn't found a Cyberboard gamebox file for Submarine yet so I'm going to be eventually scanning the board and counters from my game to make one. Submarine was awesome ! The only catch is.. like the tabletop Harpoon miniatures games, you either have to be really truthful and have a truthful opponent, or better yet, have a third player as a referee.
I own a LOT of board wargames. I collect whaterver comes my way. My favorite of the new companies is Compas Games. I love their solitare submarine game Silent War. It RULES.. and they're coming out with a version of it for the "Battle of the Atlantic" too called "Steel Wolves" I believe. Their game "Bitter End" is really well done too. I think they're the next up-coming Avalon Hill. They also have downloads and add ons and corrections to game rules on their site as well. Avalon Hill never had that. ;)

One of my favorites (now I'm really dating myself!) is OGRE! I miss that game of nuclear warfare.

-S

http://hometown.aol.com/servitor/Ogreindex/MKVblitz.jpg

This is a game that my wife LOVES !!! She refers to her squads of battle troops as "The Human Shields":rotfl: For her birthday a few years ago, I gave her a miniature of a demonically posessed Ogre.
I still play this all the time. It's the best introductory wargame ever made. If you want to start learning wargameing, this is where you start. It's part of my several step program to learning wargames.

1. Start with Ogre.
2. Move from Ogre to Axies and Allies (Make sure you have a full day planned for this one)
3. Move from Axies and Allies to Panzer Blitz
4. Move from Panzer Blitz to Squad Leader
5. Congradulations... you're a wargamer... start playing other wargames as they come !:88)
6. If you feel like a good fight (literally).. start up a nice seven player game of Diplomacy.:rotfl:

(As an afterthought, thank god there are no Ogres in Steel Beasts or any of the other sim games we play !:D )

ChristopherT

01-20-08, 08:13 PM