Product Details
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Editorial Reviews
From the Manufacturer
Empires in Arms is the computer version of Australian Design Group classic board game. Empires in Arms is a seven player game of grand strategy during the Napoleonic period of 1805-1815. Playable either solitaire, by email or over the Internet. Corps level with full diplomatic options to allow players complete freedom to fight it out for control of Europe any way they want to. The map is divided up into provinces providing an attractive look.
The game moves in monthly turns where diplomacy and builds are conducted. Within the monthly turns there area variable number of impulses where corps and fleets move about. All movement is simultaneous with battles occurring at the end of the impulse.
Battles are resolved by players both picking a strategy and fighting a series of rounds in an attempt to break the enemy. Make and break alliances, declare war, invade minor nations, propose peace terms, build armies of landwehr, regulars, guards, light cavalry, heavy cavalry and artillery. Many historical leaders from the period are included to command corps and fleets, from Admiral Nelson to Marshall Davout to the Pashas of the Ottoman Empires.
All of this is at your disposal as you attempt to bring as much "glory" to your Empires as possible. The winner of the game is the Empires that has maximized the amount of "glory" points it receives throughout the game.
Customer Reviews
A Response to Chessboa
First --since this game has yet to be released and I am not a beta-tester--I have not played this game (yet). This rating applies to the board game and the estimated potential of the to-be-released computer game under development by Matrix Games.
I feel compelled to respond to Chesboa "review" as to the relevance of the game's format and hopefully to counterbalance that viewpoint with a little bit of reality. It is clear in C's review that he/she has an agenda--to promote 3D gaming, whether or not that is the appropriate forum for a particular game.
I have played wargames for decades (long before there was such a thing as a "computer game"). Since the PC revolution of the mid-1980s, I have experienced firsthand the development of computer games from DOS to Windows XP. To say that this game shouldn't be bought simply because it doesn't incorporate 3D graphics is analogous to saying you shouldn't buy a particular lawn mower because it doesn't sport a Hemi engine. The real question to ask is: Is the presentation format and gaming engine appropriate to the purpose and scope of the game?
Empires in Arms (EiA) is, IMHO, the best strategic-level Napoleonic wargame ever developed. Though a bit complex, it is not terribly complicated, and that's a wonderful (and all-too-difficult) balance to strike...it is organized at the Corps level, and those Corps were the WMDs of their day...the right arm of France, England, Austria, Prussia, Turkey, Russia, and Spain (the seven major powers in the game) as they furthered their national ambitions beyond their own borders. While the focus is on strategic warfare (with a bit of tactics mixed in when the Corps meet on the battlefield), the real joy comes from the political machinations of the national leaders (the players). Politics is the singular most important aspect of the game, and the most fun...striking bargains (and sometimes breaking them) is the heart of EiA. Maneuvering Corps around a world map is merely a means to the end of political negotiation. All is supported by a manpower/monetary system that reins in ambition with reality, and the consequences of your actions are tracked on a Political Chart. At the end of the game, the player with the most political points (not the most armies, necessarily) is the winner.
Unlike a game like, say, Medal of Honor, 3D graphics in EiA would be totally superfluous-eye candy at best. The tactics in EiA are minimal, although very important. When armies meet, each commander chooses a "chit" such as "outflank" or "echelon," and a series of die rolls determines the victor-this is the limit of tactics in the game). EiA is a strategic (God's-eye-view) game of global conquest, not a first-person shooter. To say that you shouldn't buy the game simply because it doesn't support 3D graphics is a silly argument on its face. If you're looking for Medal of Honor, EiA isn't your game. If you're looking for an intelligent game about the Napoleonic Wars that works on the economic, strategic, and most especially the political level, then EiA (the board game) is for you. How well Matrix interprets the board game is yet to be seen, but the game has been several years in development, and the message boards are encouraging. I urge you to visit the forums at matrixgames.com or do a Google search on "Empires in Arms" to find out more about both the board game and its interpretation currently in development by Matrix.
A Long Awaited Game
This game is the computer version of the boardgame, "Empires in Arms," Published by ADG. This game is a multiplayer strategy game re-enacting the Napoleonic conflict of the early 19th century. Finding seven players to "move pieces around a board" is at times difficult... particularly if you live in South Dakota.
While we have yet to see the quality of the AI... early reports are optimistic. This game will allow you to play a fantastic boardgame without the difficulty of arranging a "meeting."
Send the Game Publishers a message... BUY this game, simply because it is a well thought out and designed game. Maybe it doesn't have three dimensional views of "aiming a cannon at the oncoming cavalry." But it will teach you about Napoleonic strategy. It will let you play a true multiplayer game without a plethora of warm bodies. It will update a classic boardgame.
Buy it, and enjoy.
Board Game was fun; looking for software to make it better
EIA is the best Napoleon era war game I've played. It's complicated, but the game play is rather simple. The diplomacy the biggest attribute of this game. The fighting is secondary to being a shrewd statesman with a sound strategic plan. Get wrapped up in an intractable war and you will suffer - even if you're France.
Empires in Arms is the computer version of Australian Design Group classic board game. Empires in Arms is a seven player game of grand strategy during the Napoleonic period of 1805-1815. Playable either solitaire, by email or over the Internet. It's a Corps level game with full diplomatic options that allows players complete freedom to fight it out for control of Europe any way they want to. The map is divided up into provinces with general terrain characteristics as well as economic and manpower values.
The game moves in monthly turns where diplomacy and builds are conducted. Within the monthly turns there are a variable number of impulses where corps and fleets move about. All movement is simultaneous with battles occurring at the end of the impulse.
Battles are resolved by players both picking a strategy and fighting a series of rounds in an attempt to break the enemy. Countries can make and break alliances, declare war, invade minor nations, propose peace terms, and build different type armies. Many historical leaders from the period are included to command corps and fleets, from Admiral Nelson to Marshall Davout to the Pashas of the Ottoman Empires.
The object is to accumulate as much "glory" or victory points as possible. Your glory points are derived from the political state of your empire at the end of every turn. Lose a bunch of battles or break alliances and you suffer political points and ultimately earn fewer glory points. Win battles and you gain political points improving your glory point earning power. You can even invest money back into your economy to bolster the political situation - something you may need to do if you hit rock bottom (aka political instability). The winner of the game is the Empire that has maximized the amount of "glory" points it receives throughout the game. Different empires have different victory point goals thereby allowing countries other than France and England an opportunity to win.
I have to admit, I have only played the board game. Apparently the computer version is non-existent. If it ever does come to fruition, it would be a triumph if it did nothing other than solve the administrative complexities of the board game.
Price: $170.98
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