Grognard.com: Computer Wargames

Computer Wargames: Apple II Software

Recommended sites

• Apple Emulator's Wargame site

Computer wargames: Macintosh software

Note - if you have problems unpacking any of the following files try using Fetch (version 2.1.1 or later) to get them using anonymous FTP from grognard.com/pub/comp/mac/. Unpack them with Stuffit Expander version 3.0.7 or later. Sit files are in MacBinary format.

• 1863 - 1863.sit (28160 bytes) A game about the civil war. You play against the computer, or against someone else connected by a cable in the modem ports of both computers, or connected via modem. Will you rewrite history or repeat it?

• Achtung Spitfire! (Big Time Software) - ASP_Demo_Mac.hqx Demo.

• After the Holocaust (SPI) - Ath12stack.sit (358K, Stuffit compressed Hypercard stack) This is a HyperCard stack for Macintosh OS 9. Should run fine on Mac OS X. Requires HyperCard Player or HyperCard 2.0. Ath12.sit (2206K, Stuffit compressed) This is a standalone version for Macintosh OS 9 and Mac OS X. Does not require HyperCard. The stack fairly closely follows the SPI game. It is single player, for solitaire use. For multiple play on the same computer make a copy of the stack or application and rename it. As a challenge, try playing it solitaire with just the original 6 or 7 areas and see how many turns you can get through before your economy collapses. For this I highly recommend selecting the options on the opening screen and adding in Research & Development, Fertiliser and No trade. Questions can be sent to Allan Bell at battlesoft@yahoo.com.

• American Civil War - Acw-v16.sit(104576 bytes) A HyperCard stack that simulates a fictional battle in the War Between the States. Requires HyperCard 2.0 or greater.

• Assault - Assault2.sit (185728 bytes) A wargame of the WWII variety. Your mission as a unit commander is to assault the German defensive position and destroy the vital HQ. You get to command and attack with Sherman and Stuart tanks, and the 82nd Airborne, all backed up by air support!

• Broadside - Brdsde20.sit (37504 bytes). This challenging game is adapted from an original board game from the Milton Bradley Company. Each player choses a navy then procedes to blast the other navy's ships from the water. Includes instructions and sampled sounds. Requires HyperCard 2.0.

• Joy of Hex - Joyofhex.zip Demo of a strategy board game based on hexes representing regions about one kilometer square. The game uses a planning-execution engine, where the basic unit size is of a battalion, but where company sized units can also be used. There are three possible opponents: a local human, a human via email, and the computer. Included is detailed documentation, a scenario editor and 50 complete scenarios.

• Medieval Empires - Medemp31.sit (533492 bytes) is a simulation of the rise and fall of empires in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in the years from 770 to 1470. The game contains one of 6 scenarios and is shareware.

• Midway - Midway.sit (66816 bytes). Refight World War II's Battle of Midway in this strategy simulation. Midway is a single player simulation of the famous naval battle. It runs on any mac with System 6.0 or greater, in color where available. It is a port from UNIX and looks like it, but it is still fun!

• Onslaught (Frontal Assaultware) - OnslaughtDemo.hqx Demo.

• Operation Crusader (AH/Atomic Games) - Crusader.sit (472960 bytes) This demo contains one fully playable scenario. The sound and some of the pictures have been removed (to save space) and the save/restore & PBEM features have been disabled. The scenario included is "To the Rescue" it simulates the early battles to relieve Tobruk (British 7th AD & 22nd Guards Brigade vs. Italian Ariete & Bologna Divs. & the German 15th Panzer). Requires a color Mac & 5mb of RAM.

• Over the Reich! (Big Time Software) - OTR_Demo_Mac.hqx Demo.

• Panzer Battles (SSG) - Pnzrbttl.sit (235136 bytes) includes an 8 turn version of the Moscow scenario, with the resources for either color or B&W Macs.

• Strike Jets - Strkjets.sit (285184 bytes) is a simulation of modern jet air and air-to-ground combat. Players control squadrons of fighters and fighter-bombers. It is a strategic/tactical game, NOT an arcade shoot-em-up. The two scenarios that are provided with this demo include the U.S. F-16A Fighting Falcon and the Soviet-built MiG 23G Flogger interceptor (flown by Iraq in the provided scenarios), plus the AIM-9L Sidewinder, AA-7 Apex, and AA-8 Aphid air-to-air missiles.

• TacOps (Battlefront) - demo

• V4V Utah Beach battle set (360/Atomic) - V4v_demo.sit (394240 bytes).

• Xconq - website

Computer Wargames: MSDOS Software

• American Civil War (Interactive Magic/Adanac) - free version.

• Crimea (Schwerpunkt) - demo
• East Front 1914 (Forgotten Front Simulations) - East1914.zip (425781 bytes) Operational game of combat in the first three months of 1914 on the Eastern Front. Shareware

• Harpoon - demo.

• Izyum (Schwerpunkt, computer game, DOS) - demo

• Kiev (Schwerpunkt, computer game, DOS) - demo

• Panzer General II (SSI) - demo.

• Rostov (Schwerpunkt, computer game, DOS) - demo

• Russian Front I - Rusnfrnt.zip (86377 bytes) is a strategic game of the whole Operation Barbarossa. (Hitlers invasion of Russia in WW II) The game covers the period from June 1941 to December 1944. Based freely on Avalon Hill's "Russian Front". The game runs in EGA-hi: 640*350*16. The game is only available in Danish.

• Russian Front II - Rsnfrnt2.zip (89943 bytes) is a tactical wargame for one or two players. The game is based freely on Avalon Hill & Co.'s boardgame: "Panzerblitz". If you know this game, or any similar game, you will immediately recognize the style of this game, and should have no trouble understanding the rules. This program is shareware.

• Sicily 1943 (Thomas Stevenson) - complete game

• Steel Panthers (SSI 1995 Strategy Game) - Download.

• Steel Panthers II: Modern Battles (SSI 1996 Strategy Game) - Download.

• Steel Panthers III: Brigade Command (SSI 1997 Strategy Game) - Download.

• Sudetenland (Forgotten Front Simulations) - Sudeten.zip (492174 bytes) Operational game of a hypothetical invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Shareware.

• Third Reich (AH) - 3rdemo.zip A conversion of the board game.
• WARS (Wargaming Analysis & Recommendation System) Version 4.1 - Warsshar.zip (1.2 Mb) This is a World War II set of rules and supporting program for paper, board, and miniature wargaming. WARS supports any scale from 1/1 (real life) to 1/10000. Shareware. The latest version incorporates many changes. Author is Terry Phillips.

Recommended Sites

• War-Game-Programming.com
  Site owner converts board games into computer programs for Windows OS for fun, profit and glory...

Computer Wargames: UNIX Software

• Civil - Website for Open Source Wargaming
  A cross-platform, turn-based, networked strategy game, developed using Python, Pygame and DL.

• Xconq - Website

Computer wargames: Windows 3.1 games

• Achtung Spitfire! (Big Time Software) - achspitd.zip Demo.

• Age of Sail (Talonsoft) - Demo

• Dragoon (Art of War) - dragoond.zip Demo.

• History of the World (AH/CCC) - Demo.

• Napoleon the Emperor - Nteev12n.zip (148222 bytes) simulates the battle of Waterloo. Units are brigade sized organized into divisions and corps. The map displays at both full screen strategic level and a zoomed in tactical level. Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, and Commander type units with strengths given in men are available for orders issued every 20 minutes in simulated game time. There are 9 different speeds of resolution that can be selected. In the registered version of the program the battles of Ligny and of Quatre Bras, which led up to the climatic clash at Waterloo are also simulated.

• Over the Reich! (Big Time Software) - ovreichd.zip Demo.

• Qwxyz (JW Associates) - demo.

Computer Wargames: Windows 95/98/ME/XP/7 Games

• 3D Retro Privateer (Mark Ainsworth) {Free Computer Game; Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8}
  Another freebie from game programmer Mark Ainsworth, 3D Retro Privateer (v41). It's a cross between a wargame/RPG/survival/space-trader/shooter. Really, really retro! It's completely turn-based with a nice 3D turn-based combat option.
• Age of Empires (Microsoft) - Demo.

• Age of Empires II (Microsoft) - Demo.

• Age of Sail (Talonsoft) - demo (6.1mb)

• AI Helper (Mark Ainsworth) {Free Computer Assistant; Windows} New!
  A free utility from programmer Mark Ainsworth, the AI Helper - Board Game Assistant, assists you in making strategy decisions in board games, or in any other type of decision making situation. In the author's words "When you have a decision in strategy to make you run the AI Helper program, and you get a strategy. For a single move or attack situation where the odds are overwhelming you can bias the slider with the + or - icons. This wont guarantee you will get a given program result, but it makes it more likely. Review the "README.txt" file (contained in the ZIP file) for a more complete description of the utility and its usage.
• The Ardennes Offensive 2 (SSG) - free complete game

• Battalia (Peter Turcan) - Website to download free game.
  Designed by Dr. Peter Turcan, a passionate historical wargamer who pioneered the use of realistic 3D terrain and real-time gameplay in computer wargames in the early 1990s.
• Battle Command - Now available only on the Web Archive.
  Battle Command is a hybrid between a commercial computer wargame and a professional training simulation. It offers the robust realism of a training simulation and the graphical appeal and playability of a commercial wargame. Update 9/24/2019: Now lives only on the Web Archive...
• Battle for Moscow- Free Game
  Battle for Moscow is a free game designed to introduce you to wargaming.
• Berthier Campaign Manager {Free Software} New!
  Berthier is free software that manages wargames campaigns for miniatures. Berthier is suitable for historical, naval or fantasy campaigns in most periods. Berthier allows two campaigners, without an umpire, to run simple strategic campaigns leading to tabletop battles. Alternatively umpires can use Berthier to run two sided campaigns. Berthier is a Windows program, created and shared by Tony De Lyall. Download Berthier Campaign Manager v9.16.3, released on 4-Jun-2020. See the "README" file in the download for details.
• Clash of Steel (SSI, computer game) - Windows version
• Computer EastFront (Columbia Games) - demo

• Critical Mass (Sean O'Connor) - demo.

• Day of the Spears: The Battle of Isandhlwana (White Dog, Windows) - website

• Sid Meier's Gettysburg (Fireaxis) - Demo.

• Gladiator Academy (Mark Ainsworth) {Free computer game; Windows only} - 7-Oct-2015 - The latest Mark Ainsworth free program.
• God of Mini Wars (Mark Ainsworth) {Free computer game; Windows and Mac} - Another Mark Ainsworth creation, here's the latest version (v100799).
• HexWarrior (Mark Ainsworth) {Free Computer Game; Windows and Mac} - From game programmer Mark Ainsworth, a hex and chit 2D retro turn-based war game with versatile engine and scenarios. Comes in two versions (1) Solo Solitaire with Enforced Rules and (2) Computer Opponent. Download ZIP file and give it a try! (Latest version 608G uploaded on 18-Oct-2015).
• The Jacobites (Mark Ainsworth) {Windows} - From game programmer Mark Ainsworth, The Jacobites is a free computer game about the Scottish Jacobite rebellion against the British in the 1700s. It's a skirmish game of small tactical battles. It's a turn-based hex and chit wargame for PC/Windows. And, best of all, it's totally free! Download the ZIP file, read the instructional text files (README.txt, Important.txt, etc) and start playing.
• MASL (Mark Ainsworth) {Windows} - From game programmer Mark Ainsworth, MASL is a free computer game about WW2 tactical combat. It uses the same engine as "The Jacobites" (see Mark's other game), adding in machine guns, grenades, etc., updating the weapons to WWII infantry standards. Like The Jacobites, it is a skirmish game of small tactical battles. It's a turn-based hex and chit wargame for PC/Windows. And, like Mark's other games, it's totally free! Download the ZIP file, read the instructional text files (README.txt, Important.txt, etc) and start playing.
• Matchbox {Free Software} New!
  Matchbox is a lightweight campaign manager based on the Berthier Campaign Manager engine, free software that manages wargames campaigns for miniatures. MatchBox harks back to the early days of wargame campaigning where hidden movement was achieved by moving unit tokens through chest-of-drawers of matchboxes that had been glued together. When a player’s and their opponent’s tokens turned up in the same matchbox, contact had been made. The miniatures would come out and the contact gamed out on the table. Download MatchBox, released on 9/28/2017.
• Medieval 2 (ISI) - Demo.

• People's Tactics - Website (archived) for complete game. Link updated in Dec 2014. The last good capture, which includes the working installation file for PT version 1.0.26f. Thanks to Charles Curtis-Quick for the updated link.
• PGX3 European Theatre of Operations - Site for Jeff Crouch's FREE computer game: PGX3: European Theater of Operations! New!
• RoutNapoleon (Mark Ainsworth) {Free Computer Game: Windows - Updated 5-Apr-2015} - Updated version 70E of this free computer game created by Mark Ainsworth, Download this free game and give it a try! (4MB ZIP)
• Soldiers of Empires (IgorLab) - demo

• Space Transporter (Mark Ainsworth) {Free Computer Game: Windows - Updated 6-Apr-2015} - Free computer game created by Mark Ainsworth, Download this free game and give it a try! (ZIP)
• Starships Unlimited (Matrix) - demo.

• Steel Beasts (Esim Games) - demo.

• Steel Panthers: World at War - complete game

• Strange Adventures in Infinite Space (Cheapass) - demo

• Strategic Command (Battlefront) - demo

• Strike Force One (DG) - demo, first in a line of computerised board wargames from Decision Games.

• TacOps (Battlefront) - demo

• WarTactical (Mark Ainsworth) {Windows/Mac} - From game programmer Mark Ainsworth, a new improved version (#707) of this turn-based modern land tactical warfare simulationc computer game. (ZIP). (and here is the original version for anyone who is interested)
• Waterloo (Strategy First) - demo

• WinSPWW2 - complete game

• World of Tanks (Wargaming.net) - Free Download and Play.

• World of Warplanes (Wargaming.net) - Free Download and Play.

• Xconq - website

Tablet/iPad Wargames

• Davinci's Art of War (Matrix Games) - Publisher Website Promo - Haven't completed warmed up to tablet/iPad-based war games yet (although companies like Shenandoah Studio make pretty compelling iPad simulations), but Davinci's Art of War is really a clever concept. If the game plays as advertised, it should be tremendously entertaining. Looking for some unbiased reviews...

Recommended sites

• Matrix Games
• Shrapnel Games

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