ICBM - The Global Conflict (in development)

Started by ufnv, September 15, 2019, 02:28:29 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Tripoli

#75
I never played DEFCON, so I can't comment. A potential buyer of ICBM should understand that this is not a simulation.  Rather, it is a game.  As I said in my earlier post, it is a fun and engaging game, as it provides multiple paths to victory.   In ICBM, you play one of eight geographically based regional powers: North America, South America, Europe, Russia, Africa, Central Asia, East Asia and Pacific.  Each power can negotiate and make alliances (or break them) with each other.
The sides have equivalent military assets and production capabilities.  Each side can then invest in developing a nuclear-capable force structure.  Broadly speaking, the tech tree consists three levels in the following areas: Nuclear Weapons Technology, Naval Forces, Air Forces, Missile Technology, Radar/Sensor Technology, Satellite Technology.  THere are also some sub-branches that positively affect other capabilities.  For instance, you can research quieting technology to give your naval SSNs and SLBMs an advantage.  Each branch has 3 levels.  Production consists of balancing between research and production of hardware units, and your production points are provided  by your cities and population. 

The game is fun because it is strategically complex, giving multiple paths to victory.  Victory is determined by how many cities/population your side destroys, offset to a degree by the number of your cities/population survive.    Because of this, the game always ends with a nuclear war.  Either the AI or another player will start one because the game provides an advantage to the side that makes the first effective strike.  This helps make the game interesting, because you never know when the strike can occur: A player may opt for building an air force using earlier technology and do a strike early in the game.  Alternatively, you can opt to build a city-busting heavy ICBM force using MIRVs and backed up by satellites.  However, it takes considerable time to build up such a force, and you may be struck while you are creating it.  A player can try for a defensive strategy, building a belt of radars, space sensors and advanced SAMs.  But this strategy takes time, and requires you foregoing developing the offensive capabilities you need to score victory points.  IMHO, no single strategy has a decisive edge over the others.  Rather, the effectiveness of the strategy you pick depends on how you time and execute your strategy, and how superior it is to the other player's strategy(ies).  This makes the game fun.  And it is fun.  Multi-player is the best way to play, and the multiplayer system is easy  and lends itself well to friendly matches. The game is also quick, typically taking about 1 hour for a MP match.  Play is on a continuous clock, but players have limited capability to pause or slow the clock during the game.   It is not a heavy intellectual lift.  This is not CMO, where you have to ponder how you are going to execute your SIOP.  This is a "Beer and Pretzel" (with a bit of alcohol) type game.   I actually think it would be a great game for Groghead forum members, as it lends itself very well to friendly matches.

To summarize:

1. It is a fun game
2. high replayability and strategically complex, with multiple valid strategies to victory
3. It is quick to play
4. Good multi-player
5. It is relatively cheap ($20 USD)



"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

Jarhead0331

That's actually a great synopsis, Tripoli.

I will say that I'm playing my first full game and so far, not a whole lot is happening other than research and construction. We're all getting pretty advanced and developing stockpiles, but nobody has struck the first blow.

One question I have is the stockpiling mechanic. So you build bombs, nukes and missiles and they are added to your stockpile. Are these drawn and used by your silos, aircraft, subs, mobile launchers automatically, or do you need to somehow transport and norm load them? I also have a stockpile of aircraft. Are these used to replace losses from airbases and  carriers automatically?

Thanks.
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Blond_Knight

While looking at videos of this yesterday and trying to remember the name of the DOS game "Whiskey Golf something" of the same genre, I found this for $10 http://nuclearwarsimulator.com
Its not so much as game as a sandbox simulator.  Shows blast radius, fallout levels based on wind, and probable fires.
Still in Alpha but includes an editor and can use google maps for that pin-point "Well crap Im dead" feeling.

Jarhead0331

Quote from: Blond_Knight on November 18, 2020, 10:37:40 AM
While looking at videos of this yesterday and trying to remember the name of the DOS game "Whiskey Golf something" of the same genre, I found this for $10 http://nuclearwarsimulator.com
Its not so much as game as a sandbox simulator.  Shows blast radius, fallout levels based on wind, and probable fires.
Still in Alpha but includes an editor and can use google maps for that pin-point "Well crap Im dead" feeling.

You are thinking of Bravo Romeo Delta. I've posted about it a lot here. i have also discussed it with the developer of the game you linked in the hopes he would incorporate some of its detail and concepts.

FYI - See here if interested: http://www.grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=24519.msg670441#msg670441
Grogheads Uber Alles
Semper Grog
"No beast is more alpha than JH." Gusington, 10/23/18


Tripoli

#79
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on November 18, 2020, 07:43:45 AM
That's actually a great synopsis, Tripoli.

...

One question I have is the stockpiling mechanic. So you build bombs, nukes and missiles and they are added to your stockpile. Are these drawn and used by your silos, aircraft, subs, mobile launchers automatically, or do you need to somehow transport and norm load them? I also have a stockpile of aircraft. Are these used to replace losses from airbases and  carriers automatically?


Jarhead-Arming and restocking can be a bit confusing.  Here are some images to help you with the process. 


In Image 1, I've built a 10 megaton bomb, and it is in my national inventory.  See upper right of screen.  I also have 10 nuclear bombs.
Image 1


To get my airbase to equip the 10 Megaton bomb, I click on the bomber. (See Lower left of image 2 below).   Three weapon choices appear: the 10 Megaton bomb, Conventional bombs, and the 10 nuclear bombs.  Click on the one you want to arm your bombers with

Image 2


If I were to equip my bomber with the 10 Megaton bomb.  I would  have 5 bombers, but only one 10 Megaton bomb, so the remaining bombers will be equipped with something other than a 10 Megaton bomb (I think they default to the conventional bombs).

IRT your question on aircraft.  Bases can only have 5 bombers and 15 fighters.  They are automatically replenished from your stockpile.  CVs and SSBNs will restock when they are in your home waters (the light blue line around your coast) if 1) you have the stockpile and 2) You order them to restock by clicking on the unit at ordering it to restock.
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

solops

"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly. - Winston Churchill
Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. - Benjamin Franklin

solops

FYI - there is no manual in the installed game files. Sometimes you find one there.
"I could have conquered Europe, all of it, but I had women in my life." - King Henry II of England
I may be drunk, Miss, but in the morning I will be sober and you will still be ugly. - Winston Churchill
Wine is sure proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. - Benjamin Franklin

-budd-

I picked it up also. The tutorials do a good job of getting you started.
Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

Zulu1966

Thanks for the big write up Tripoli. Need to think now. trying to apply my "only buy games you really want and will actually play principal".

"you are the rule maker, the dictator, the mini- Stalin, Mao, Hitler, the emperor, generalissimo, the MAN. You may talk the talk and appear to be quite easy going to foster popularity, but to the MAN I say F*CK YOU." And Steve G is F******g rude ? Just another day on the BF forum ... one demented idiots reaction to BF disagreeing about the thickness of the armour on a Tiger II turret mantlet.

Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Gusington

Are you guys still enjoying it? I've become more interested the more I read about it.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

-budd-

Haven't put a bunch of time into it yet, but RTS just isn't my thing. I wonder how the time/pause thing works in MP. I can see the limiting rinse and repeat cycle in SP. MP is where the longevity is, if your not going to MP, my advice is give it a pass. The two games i finished after the tutorial i beat the AI pretty easy. I paused a lot, to pick tech and pick unit builds, pause to deploy and give orders, and any time something important happens. So a lot of pausing for me, which i don't think will go over well in MP. It's not a bad game, and to be fair it's really billed as an MP game, so i can't really complain. If your going to MP a bunch i can for sure see the appeal. There appears to be a bunch of different strategies to employ and try out and it plays pretty fast.
Enjoy when you can, and endure when you must.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Be Yourself; Everyone Else is Taken ~Oscar Wilde

*I'm in the Wargamer middle ground*
I don't buy all the wargames I want, I just buy more than I need.

Gusington

Thanks Budd. I don't MP - so SP would be my sole option.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

Tripoli

Quote from: -budd- on November 22, 2020, 06:34:32 PM
Haven't put a bunch of time into it yet, but RTS just isn't my thing. I wonder how the time/pause thing works in MP. I can see the limiting rinse and repeat cycle in SP. MP is where the longevity is, if your not going to MP, my advice is give it a pass. The two games i finished after the tutorial i beat the AI pretty easy. I paused a lot, to pick tech and pick unit builds, pause to deploy and give orders, and any time something important happens. So a lot of pausing for me, which i don't think will go over well in MP. It's not a bad game, and to be fair it's really billed as an MP game, so i can't really complain. If your going to MP a bunch i can for sure see the appeal. There appears to be a bunch of different strategies to employ and try out and it plays pretty fast.

I agree, the game really shines as an MP game
"Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?" -Abraham Lincoln

Toonces

I was actually thinking a few months ago of suggesting a Grogheads Friday night DEFCON.  This game looks pretty interesting; Defcon was really fun.

I'd be down with a Friday night nuke fest with ICBM.  Sounds like a perfect drinking game!
"If you had a chance, right now, to go back in time and stop Hitler, wouldn't you do it?  I mean, I personally wouldn't stop him because I think he's awesome." - Eric Cartman

"Does a watch list mean you are being watched or is it a come on to Toonces?" - Biggs