Hi
I would like to mention here some true TBS games which are also 100% free.
Some of you might remember Steel Panthers from the '90s. They are turn based, tactical level, hex map, up to down view, 50yards (c 50m) per hex. You command a force of roughly a company composed from individual tanks, artillery pieces and infantry squads. You can also set paratrooper drops, glider landings, call off-board artillery, naval and air support. You can play single scenarios, randomly generated scenarios or campaigns. You can also create all these yourself.
Well good news is that there are 3 reworked versions of them which are modernized with improved graphics, sounds, units, map terrain, net-play and other features. All of them are 50y/hex.
Sorry for the bit lengthy post, but I try to convince people now how good games they are (for those who don't know them).
To user the playing is quite simple, but under the surface the game does some detailed calculations:
Tanks (and other vehicles) have an armour thickness for each side (separately for hull and turret) and top. The weapons have limited amount of 4 different types of ammo: HE, AP, APCR and HEAT. The different weapons have varying penetration values at different ranges for different ammos. HE is good only against personnel and other soft targets. AP is basic anti tank ammo which has decreasing penetration value by range (i.e kinetic ammo). APCR is basicly an improved AP ammo which has better short range penetration but the difference to AP gets smaller by the range. HEAT is AT ammo too, but it's penetration value is constant over the range. Not all guns and vehicles have every type. Also remembering that the hit angle has an effect wether the shot is going through the armor, makes it interesting. And of course different weapons and optics are more accurate than others and you have to hit the enemy first.
Steel Panther World at War (SPWAW)
This is a Matrix Games created improved version of Steel Panthers 3 (scale changed back to 50 y/hex). Full Windows version, Internet play (as well as the old PBEM). Free, but you can buy separately 'Mega campaigns' (normal campaigns are free). In this version tanks have also vertical armour slope. So for example T-34 has more frontal slope than Tiger. This is for battles between 1930-1949.
http://www.steelpanthersonline.com/ (http://www.steelpanthersonline.com/)
Steel Panthers World War 2 (SPWW2)
Actually I should call it WinSPWW2. This is an improved version of SP2 by The Camo Workshop/Shrapnel Games. Windows version. For WW2 battles. This has some features not in SPWAW, but also lacks some features in SPWAW. It is a matter of taste.
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/wSPWW2/1.htm (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/wSPWW2/1.htm)
Steel Panthers Main Battle Tank (SPMBT)
Actually I should call it WinSPMBT. This is an improved version of SP2 by The Camo Workshop/Shrapnel Games. For modern battles 1950-2020. Tanks have not just steel, but also ceramic and reactive armor. If you like AT missiles, jets and smell of napalm in the morning, try this.
http://www.shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/wSPMBT/1.htm (http://www.shrapnelgames.com/SPCamo/wSPMBT/1.htm)
These are good reworks of the classic SP series. Try yourself if you haven't already. Plus the net is full of user made scenarios and campaigns, so there is lot of content to play with. :dribble:
couldnt play steel panthers on xp cause it wouldnt run
thx for the links geezer
No worry about that man. These are all 100% Windows stuff now.
Maybe I should have pointed out also that these are not just some replicas of the original series, but SSI granted the code to these groups because they were so good add-on makers. So they have been working improving the original code for years.
SPWAW was also "Wargame of the Year" in 2000.
I remember playing some of those games. Cheers :D
hehe great fun i must say :D