Strategic Command (video game series)
Encyclopedia
Strategic Command is a series of computer video games developed by Fury Software and published by Battlefront.com
. Since the premiere of Strategic Command: European Theater
in 2002, five titles and two expansion packs were released, with the fifth game, The Great War, debuting in 2011.
Strategic Command games are turn-based strategies
set in World War II
(except of the Patton Drives East expansion pack and "Strategic Command WWI"). The first two games took place in the European Theatre of World War II
, while the third one focused on the Pacific Theatre
. The fourth game takes place on a map of the whole world.
Except of the first title (which featured a hex map
), the games are played on maps divided into squares ("tiles"), with the player assuming control over either Axis
or Allied
states of World War II.
, set in World War II
(except of the Patton Drives East expansion pack of Strategic Command 2
, which also features post-war campaigns and scenarios). In campaigns, the player controls all of either Axis
or Allied
states. The most important fraction of the game is commanding the military units, but the player also controls the research of technologies and diplomatic relations. Neutral states may join the war in certain circumstances (for example, in European Theater, Spain may become an Axis state, if other Axis powers first manage defeat the United Kingdom), or when one side directly declares a war against them.
Apart from campaigns – in which the game takes place on a whole theatre of war
– Strategic Command series also feature scenarios taking place on smaller maps, and portraying only single events, such as Operation Market Garden
or the 1974 war on Cyprus
.
Since Strategic Command 2, weather and diplomatic pressure are modeled in the games. Using diplomatic pressure, the player may eventually persuade a neutral country to either join the war on his side, or to prevent it from becoming his enemy.
, with one hexagon representing 50 miles of terrain. The game featured six campaigns, all taking place on the same map, but with different starting dates. Creating fan-made campaigns was also possible.
The player could choose the neutral states to act "random", "historical" or "neutral". With the "random" option, neutral states may decide to join the war depending on current situation, while "historical" means joining the war on an exact, historical date, regardless of the circumstances (for example, the USA will always become an Allied country on December 8, 1941). With the "neutral" option, those states won't join the war, unless it will be directly declared against them.
Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg, released in 2006, was the first game in the series using maps divided into squares (or "tiles"), once again focusing on the European Theater of World War II (although a free "Global War" campaign was later added with a patch). Unlike the previous installment, Blitzkrieg features not only campaigns taking place on the map of whole Europe and Atlantic Ocean, spreading from 1939 until the end of the war, but also scenarios played on smaller maps, such as Battle of Kursk
or Battle of the Bulge
. Diplomacy and weather conditions were also added to the game. This time, creating not only fan-made campaigns, but also custom maps was possible.
Two expansion pack
s were released: Weapons and Warfare and Patton Drives East. The first one added new terrain types, roads and rail lines to the game, while the second one included new campaigns and scenarios, some of them post-World War II or fictional, including the titular "Patton Drives East", which portrays a hypothetical conflict between the US and USSR following the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater
, which premiered in 2008, was the first game in the series not taking place in Europe, instead focusing on Asia and the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II. The game also introduced more advanced options for controlling aircraft carrier
s and submarine
s.
The newest game, Strategic Command WWII Global Conflict
, was released in 2010. It takes place on a map of the whole world.
!Game
!Game Rankings
!Metacritic
|-
|Strategic Command: European Theater
|style="text-align:center"|67%
|style="text-align:center"|70%
|-
|Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg
|style="text-align:center"|62%
|style="text-align:center"|64%
|-
|Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater
|style="text-align:center"| -
|style="text-align:center"| -
|-
|}
Battlefront.com
Battlefront.com is a video game developer and publisher. Battlefront specialises in war-related games, including turn-based and real-time strategies, as well as simulations of air, land and naval military vehicles....
. Since the premiere of Strategic Command: European Theater
Strategic Command: European Theater
Strategic Command: European Theater is a turn based strategy game set in World War II. it allows you to play the Allies or the Axis. The smaller European nations can go either way depending on how the Axis or Allies act towards them...
in 2002, five titles and two expansion packs were released, with the fifth game, The Great War, debuting in 2011.
Strategic Command games are turn-based strategies
Turn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
set in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(except of the Patton Drives East expansion pack and "Strategic Command WWI"). The first two games took place in the European Theatre of World War II
European Theatre of World War II
The European Theatre of World War II was a huge area of heavy fighting across Europe from Germany's invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 until the end of the war with the German unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945...
, while the third one focused on the Pacific Theatre
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
. The fourth game takes place on a map of the whole world.
Except of the first title (which featured a hex map
Hex map
A hex map, hex board or hex grid is a gameboard design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into small regular hexagons of identical size.-Advantages and disadvantages:...
), the games are played on maps divided into squares ("tiles"), with the player assuming control over either Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
or Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
states of World War II.
Common elements
Strategic Command games are all turn-based strategiesTurn-based strategy
A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...
, set in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
(except of the Patton Drives East expansion pack of Strategic Command 2
Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg
Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg is a grand strategy computer game developed by Fury Software, and published by Battlefront.com in 2006. The second game in the Strategic Command series, Blitzkrieg is a turn-based strategy set in World War II, focusing on the European Theater...
, which also features post-war campaigns and scenarios). In campaigns, the player controls all of either Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
or Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
states. The most important fraction of the game is commanding the military units, but the player also controls the research of technologies and diplomatic relations. Neutral states may join the war in certain circumstances (for example, in European Theater, Spain may become an Axis state, if other Axis powers first manage defeat the United Kingdom), or when one side directly declares a war against them.
Apart from campaigns – in which the game takes place on a whole theatre of war
Theater (warfare)
In warfare, a theater, is defined as an area or place within which important military events occur or are progressing. The entirety of the air, land, and sea area that is or that may potentially become involved in war operations....
– Strategic Command series also feature scenarios taking place on smaller maps, and portraying only single events, such as Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
or the 1974 war on Cyprus
Turkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
.
Since Strategic Command 2, weather and diplomatic pressure are modeled in the games. Using diplomatic pressure, the player may eventually persuade a neutral country to either join the war on his side, or to prevent it from becoming his enemy.
Games
The first game in the series, Strategic Command: European Theater, was released in 2002. It was the only Strategic Command game taking place on a hex mapHex map
A hex map, hex board or hex grid is a gameboard design commonly used in wargames of all scales. The map is subdivided into small regular hexagons of identical size.-Advantages and disadvantages:...
, with one hexagon representing 50 miles of terrain. The game featured six campaigns, all taking place on the same map, but with different starting dates. Creating fan-made campaigns was also possible.
The player could choose the neutral states to act "random", "historical" or "neutral". With the "random" option, neutral states may decide to join the war depending on current situation, while "historical" means joining the war on an exact, historical date, regardless of the circumstances (for example, the USA will always become an Allied country on December 8, 1941). With the "neutral" option, those states won't join the war, unless it will be directly declared against them.
Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg, released in 2006, was the first game in the series using maps divided into squares (or "tiles"), once again focusing on the European Theater of World War II (although a free "Global War" campaign was later added with a patch). Unlike the previous installment, Blitzkrieg features not only campaigns taking place on the map of whole Europe and Atlantic Ocean, spreading from 1939 until the end of the war, but also scenarios played on smaller maps, such as Battle of Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
or Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. Diplomacy and weather conditions were also added to the game. This time, creating not only fan-made campaigns, but also custom maps was possible.
Two expansion pack
Expansion pack
An expansion pack, expansion set, or supplement is an addition to an existing role-playing game, tabletop game or video game. These add-ons usually add new game areas, weapons, objects, and/or an extended storyline to a complete and already released game...
s were released: Weapons and Warfare and Patton Drives East. The first one added new terrain types, roads and rail lines to the game, while the second one included new campaigns and scenarios, some of them post-World War II or fictional, including the titular "Patton Drives East", which portrays a hypothetical conflict between the US and USSR following the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater
Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater
Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater is a grand strategy computer game developed by Fury Software, and published by Battlefront.com in 2008. The third game in the Strategic Command series, Pacific Theater is a turn-based strategy set in World War II, focusing – for the first time in the series –...
, which premiered in 2008, was the first game in the series not taking place in Europe, instead focusing on Asia and the Pacific Ocean theatre of World War II. The game also introduced more advanced options for controlling aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s and submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s.
The newest game, Strategic Command WWII Global Conflict
Strategic Command WWII Global Conflict
Strategic Command WWII Global Conflict is a grand strategy computer game developed by Fury Software, and published by Battlefront.com. The game was released on 4 March 2010. It is the fourth title in the Strategic Command series. As the previous installments, it is a turn-based strategy set in...
, was released in 2010. It takes place on a map of the whole world.
Reception
As of December 12, 2009.!Game
!Game Rankings
Game Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
!Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
|-
|Strategic Command: European Theater
Strategic Command: European Theater
Strategic Command: European Theater is a turn based strategy game set in World War II. it allows you to play the Allies or the Axis. The smaller European nations can go either way depending on how the Axis or Allies act towards them...
|style="text-align:center"|67%
|style="text-align:center"|70%
|-
|Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg
Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg
Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg is a grand strategy computer game developed by Fury Software, and published by Battlefront.com in 2006. The second game in the Strategic Command series, Blitzkrieg is a turn-based strategy set in World War II, focusing on the European Theater...
|style="text-align:center"|62%
|style="text-align:center"|64%
|-
|Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater
Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater
Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater is a grand strategy computer game developed by Fury Software, and published by Battlefront.com in 2008. The third game in the Strategic Command series, Pacific Theater is a turn-based strategy set in World War II, focusing – for the first time in the series –...
|style="text-align:center"| -
|style="text-align:center"| -
|-
|}
Strategic Command games were given average to favorable reviews from game critics. GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
described the first game as being "a notch or two above Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
's Axis & Allies board game and nowhere near the daunting challenge of Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill
Avalon Hill was a game company that specialized in wargames and strategic board games. Its logo contained its initials "AH", and it was often referred to by this abbreviation. It also published the occasional miniature wargaming rules, role-playing game, and had a popular line of sports simulations...
's intimidating Third Reich
Rise and Decline of the Third Reich
Rise and Decline of the Third Reich or more commonly Third Reich is a grand strategy wargame covering the European theater of World War II designed by John Prados, and released in 1974 by Avalon Hill...
", concluding that "fans of SSI
Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Strategic Simulations, Inc. was a video game developer and publisher with over 100 titles to its credit since its founding in 1979. It was especially noted for its numerous wargames, its official computer game adaptations of Dungeons & Dragons, and for the groundbreaking Panzer General...
's Clash of Steel
Clash of Steel
Clash of Steel is a grand strategy computer game released in by Strategic Simulations Inc. for DOS. It covers the World War II in Europe on a grand strategic scale between 1939 and 1945. Three major powers are playable: Germany , the Allies and the Soviet Union. In the game each player in charge...
from 1993 will feel right at home". Reviewers noticed a contrast between the game's interesting gameplay and rather plain graphics and sound effects. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
commented: "loads of substance, but not much style," while Strategy Informer described the second game as being "for the hardcore of turn-based strategists, as otherwise you could soon be finding yourself turned away by the lack of visual and audio passion".
External links
- Developer's website
- Publisher's website
- Strategic Command series at Moby Games