Napoleon Era PC War Games

Started by Grim.Reaper, January 11, 2014, 07:55:42 AM

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Grim.Reaper

After hearing the news that the Scourge of War team is moving to Waterloo, peaked my interest as to what Napoleon era games existed out there.  This is an era I don't have much gaming experience, although I do own some of these games on the list.  Maybe its time for me to give this period more of a chance.  Just curious, what games do people think were the best?  I was also surprised to see the number of games I could find, seems be well represented in volume, no idea in quality.  If I am missing any, feel free to add to the list.

Campaigns of La Grande Armee: 1805/1809 (Adanac Command Studies)
Campaigns of La Grande Armee: 1806 (Adanac Command Studies)
Napoleon's Russian Campaign (HPS Simulations/Tillersoft)
Campaign Eckmuhl (HPS Simulations/Tillersoft)
Wargram (HPS Simulations/Tillersoft)
Waterloo (HPS Simulations/Tillersoft)
Jena-Auerstaedt (HPS Simulations/Tillersoft)
Austerlitz (HPS Simulations/Tillersoft)
Campaign Bautzen (Tillersoft)
Campaign 1814 (Tillersoft)
Campaign Leipzig (Tillersoft)
Campaigns on the Danube 1805 - 1809 (Matrix)
Commander - Napoleon at War (Matrix)
Crown of Glory (Matrix)
Crown of Glory: Emperor's Edition (Matrix)
Empire in Arms the Napoleonic Wars of 1805 - 1815 (Matrix)
Napoleon in Italy (Matrix)
Napoleon's Campaigns (Matrix)
John Tiller's Battleground Napoleonic Wars (Matrix)
HistWar : Napoléon (HistWar)
HistWar : Les Grognards (HistWar)
Total War Napoleon (Sega)
Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars (GSC Game World)
Cossacks II: Battle for Europe (GSC Game World)
Cossacks: Art of War (GSC Game World)
Cossacks: European Wars (GSC Game World)
Cossacks: Back to War (GSC Game World)
Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Battle (Breakaway Games)
Waterloo (Talonsoft)
Napoleon In Russia (Talonsoft)
Prelude To Waterloo (Talonsoft)
Wargamer: Napoleon 1813  (Empire)
Wooden Ships, Iron Men  (Avalon Hill)
Austerlitz: Napoleon's Greatest Victory (Breakaway Games)
March of the Eagles (Paradox)
Napoleon's Campaigns (Ageod)
Imperial Glory (Eidos)
Mount and Blade: Napoleonic Wars (Taleworlds)
Fields of Glory (Micropose)
Battles of Napoleon (SSI)
Napoleon's Campaigns: 1813 & 1815 (SSI)
Austerlitz (Tarcan Systems)
Borodino (Tarcan Systems)
Waterloo (Tarcan Systems)
Napoleon I: The Campaigns 1805-1814 (Storm Computers)

Dolan50

Outside of HistWar I'm not very familiar with PC games about the Napoleonic era.

Most of my learning and gaming on this subject era came from board games.
http://talk.consimworld.com/WebX/?14@@.ee6dede

Mainly the Operational Studies Group titles.
http://napoleongames.com/drupal2/about.html
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bbmike

I don't have much experience with Napoleon Era games but I do have and love Crown of Glory: Emperor's Edition. I haven't played it in a while though. I wonder if it will run under Windows 8.1?
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Jarhead0331

#3
My all time favorite was from microprose in 1994. Fields of Glory...what a spectacular game.
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Grim.Reaper

Quote from: Jarhead0331 on January 11, 2014, 08:48:21 AM
My all time favorite was from microprose in 1994. Fields of Glory...what a spectacular game.

Missed that one...I'll add it.

tgb

What kind of game are you looking for, other than Napoleanic? Strategic or tactical?  Turn based or rts?  Crown of Glory, for example, plays very differently than Napolean:TotalEWar, yet they cover the same time span.

agathosdaimon

All so good, also there is Austerlitz, Napoleon's Greatest Victory by breakaway games and la grande army at austerlitz

I think Adanacs Campaigns on the Danube and La Grande Armee are the best for the elegant mechanics and comprehensive use of fog of war, so that you only know whats happening depending on the messages received from staff and even the competence of staff, stragglers, and the importance of setting up a field hospital are all factored in - best operational game

Also for those who are happy to use dosbox SSIs Battles of Napoleon is the best game , with the best AI i have seen, it will set objectives, can be quite aggressive but knows how to support its attacks well

Laslty imwould also like to mention the forgtten and perhaps too little known game War and Peace by Microids. Again a well done game - pausable real time but covering most of the world - you can play as various nations, and the AI is again lively. The unit sprites on the 3d map were not pretty but i found it alot of fun and there were good customisable options for the goals and the period at which to play out the free form game

agathosdaimon

Sorry i missed that you have listed,austerlitz ngv

I am very fond of wargamer 1813 too but it is as many know sadly a broken game that was released without being properly finished. You can though play its campaign game without too many crashes, the tactical battles are though very buggy

Grim.Reaper

#8
Quote from: tgb on January 11, 2014, 08:57:29 AM
What kind of game are you looking for, other than Napoleanic? Strategic or tactical?  Turn based or rts?  Crown of Glory, for example, plays very differently than Napolean:TotalEWar, yet they cover the same time span.

At this point, not sure.  I do have COG, Waterloo: Last Battle, Tiller's Napoleon Pack, Total War, March of the Eagles, Imperial Glory, HistWar Napoleon, Cossacks.  I guess the utopia would be something that has both strategic and tactical layers and is realistic.  After looking at my own list, maybe I need to spend more time with what I actually have:)

Grim.Reaper

Quote from: agathosdaimon on January 11, 2014, 09:00:15 AM

I think Adanacs Campaigns on the Danube and La Grande Armee are the best for the elegant mechanics and comprehensive use of fog of war, so that you only know whats happening depending on the messages received from staff and even the competence of staff, stragglers, and the importance of setting up a field hospital are all factored in - best operational game

Can these games be purchased from somewhere nowadays?  Do they run on modern PCs/operating systems?  Sounds interesting.

agathosdaimon

Matrix games sells campaigns on the danube and it runs in win 7 i can confirm and its in the sale there which finishes soon - definitely get it, and check out some of the AARs floating round the web. Its pdf manual is quite detailled to how its rules and such work .

Frank hunter the developer says he plans to do Campaigns on the Elbe next, which would mean also the 1813 campaigns

Grim.Reaper

Quote from: agathosdaimon on January 11, 2014, 09:51:05 AM
Matrix games sells campaigns on the danube and it runs in win 7 i can confirm and its in the sale there which finishes soon - definitely get it, and check out some of the AARs floating round the web. Its pdf manual is quite detailled to how its rules and such work .

Frank hunter the developer says he plans to do Campaigns on the Elbe next, which would mean also the 1813 campaigns

Thanks, didn't realize it was that game....I tried looking for reviews and such but couldn't find any...do you have links to the AARs?  It looks like it is on sale for $12 still, so might be worth a shot.  Just would like to understand the actual gameplay mechanics a little more before I do.

Sir Slash

Napoleon TW with the Darthmod is my favorite era game, the closest to a successful strategic and tactical mix. But I agree with Agathos, Battles of Napoleon from SSI had killer AI. R.I.P. SSI. :'(
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agathosdaimon

http://www.gamesquad.com/review/campaigns-danube

Heremis a detailed review, i cant recall where i read the full aar though

Grim.Reaper

Quote from: agathosdaimon on January 11, 2014, 10:11:53 AM
http://www.gamesquad.com/review/campaigns-danube

Heremis a detailed review, i cant recall where i read the full aar though

Thank you and a very nice review....seems like a game I might enjoy, especially without a ton of micromanagement.