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Talonsoft Operational Art Of War PC Strategy Game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: November 17, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Played all versions of this game, hard core gamer for many years, even now on win XP I still have e mail games going! SUre, you can argue about flaws in the game or debate the database, but go the web (wargammer.com) to find 100's of scenero's to play. I have not touch a board game in so long, Century of war has replace them - with no cat to knock counters over!Yes, this game works on XP pro without problem - go get it!

MGL

Bookcase Wargame for your PC

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: April 26, 2003
Author: Amazon User

If you played bookcase games by Avalon Hill, SPI, GDW, etc, you will immediately be at home with this computerized version of hex-based and turn-based strategy games. You are already familiar with the lengthy manual concept, and this game is no exception. In fact, most of the game is NOT in the manual, which makes it important for you to get in contact with the community of gamers who play this game (search for "toaw forum" on the net to find them!). There are so many websites dedicated to understanding this game, and it can be so involved that it doesn't surprise me some folks are turned off by the complexity.

However, most veteran players admit they too were turned off at first by the learning curve - and only those who fought through the manual were able to emerge on the other side to what is undeniably the best operational/strategic computer wargame in existence.

This game has a healthy design community, and there are over 500 scenarios available recreating such notable events as Normandy 44, Barbarossa Campaign at battalion level, Europe 39-46, Japan 41-45, as well as scores of tiny battles you never heard of. In short, you can put your whole collection of bookcase games on back on the shelf, because most campaigns depicted in those games are also available as a scenario in this game.

There are literally hundreds of players who play-by-email and this is where this game really shines. Playing the PO (programmed opponent) is one thing, but pales in comparison to playing against a live, unpredictable human opponent. If for nothing else, the PBEM element of this game makes it a must have for those of us who seldom found live opponents for the carboard games (or who lacked the table space required of them!).

If you can find this game, and if you like hex-based wargaming, you will not be disappointed with this purchase. Especially once you get online and see how many others are out there right now playing against each other. A fitting tribute for a game that is several years old!

Just recently (March 2003) a new patch for the game has been released by Norm Koger which includes full support for WindowsXP.

Unsatisfactory - A complete Failure of a game

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 21
Date: April 25, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This game is overrated by the few who play it. If you want a more fun game check out the panzer campaigns or the modern
campaigns by hps simluations.

The Operational Art of War has a terrible interface, terrible game play, even worse support.

If you have XP dont waste your time or money. Incompatible.

Real wargaming

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: April 17, 2003
Author: Amazon User

OK, so it's not TacOps. But this is operational, baby. Everyone thinks of "Steel Panthers" when someone says "I like old-style wargaming". Steel Panthers is great if you like to micromanage. But if you're into the history and the fluid movements of blitzkrieg and don't want to just fight Stalingrad but see if you can actually tell your generals "don't go to Stalingrad... go straight to Moscow first and foremost!", then you will love this game. Some of the scenarios developed are phenomenal. You can play the entire WWI and WWII on an operational level if you want. It's slow, but people do it. They literally spend years playing each other via Play-by-Email. If all you've ever played are RTS, then step up to the bigboys and see what REAL strategy is all about. It's in your head, not in your how quick you can twitch'n'jerk the joystick.

For all those dusty Avalon Hill games on your shelf...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: October 15, 2002
Author: Amazon User

That you bought and never got to play because none of your friends could understand why it would be fun to spend 20-30 hours refighting the breakout from St. Lo. TOAW brings back the strategy of turn-based games as opposed to whack-a-mole stuff like C&C.

Not for everyone; as Steven Wright said, "One mile equals one mile" when you play this game. Defend the Korean peninsula and you'll feel like you spent three years playing the scenario. But if you remember those Avalon Hill wargames, this is definitely for you.

There is really no strategy involved

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 7
Date: April 12, 2002
Author: Amazon User

This game offer a tremendous amount of options on how to play the game, but offers very little overall strategy. There is really no way off truely developing an effective strategy. Units that provide artilery are basically non-effective. Air units seem to get crushed by other air units of equal strenght. Lacks any pre-battle set-up options. Does offer some interesting battles, and plenty of information. A little hard to truely understand. Would be better if there was a tuitorial installed.

What a game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: October 29, 2001
Author: Amazon User

OK! This is for hardcore war gamer. This is not for the beginner or anyone attracted by the box-set. You can spend the rest of your life on this game. Or you will throw it away before you finish the first game you play. Buy it now if you are the former and forget it if you are the latter.

Art of War: Century of Warfare

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: October 05, 2001
Author: Amazon User

All I can say is WOW!!! If you want realism, here you go. Once you get past the learning curve and have become comfortable with the controls, you won't find a more realist wargame out there. I know there are a lot of games that are really good at simulating one or 2 aspects of warfare, but CoW hits all the marks. If you are thinking about getting it, stop thinking and buy it!! You won't regret it!!

A glorious victory on the electronic battlefield!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: October 01, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Operational Art of War: Century of Warfare is certainly not for those of short attention span, or for a light arcade/action gamer. If you are a strategist... a tactical thinker... a chess player of sorts, then this is your calling. I've always dreamed of having a simulation just like this... imagine yourself a 5 Star General in any one of the great major conflicts of the past 100 years. How would you command your forces? Do you strike hard, early, and direct? Use baiting tactics to delay, followed by a carefully scripted plan to pick apart the enemy force? How will you protect supply to a moving, and breathing war machine? These are just some of the many questions you will ask yourself as you are immersed in the war that is Century of Warfare.

Action is turn based, and has carefully modeled the realities of equipment and personnel by their strengths/weaknesses. You will need to absorb overwhelming amounts of information on the battlefield, just as a real commander would... You will react based on this information... push forward... hold your lines... or bring up your rear guard. How can you best use airpower and special forces to decimate opposing forces? Thousands of choices which could bring either victory or defeat.

Along with all this, you are given a scenario tool which allows you to create any scope of conflict you can imagine from the past century. All the equipment, all the possibilities. Even an event triggered generator that can simulate the effects of political assasinations, to nuclear warfare. Simply endless options! I can't give this simulation a high enough rating for any war gamer, or would be 5 Star General.

Good ROI for anyone.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 25, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This game really does have it all. If you are a hardcore strategy gamer, you simply cannot get anything better then this: it's what a lot of people have been dreaming about.
That said, they are plenty of rave reviews on this page, who can spell out the good stuff in exhaustive detail. Let me tell you about the downsides.
This game is NOT to difficult to come to grips with, anyone can pick up the basics pretty quickly. However, it is SLOW. The computer resolves moves in minutes, and you better have something else on hand to do while you wait and ponder. For those of use who don't plan on spending an entire night in front of the box (`specially after a day of it at the office), that is a serious (the most serious) downside. The scenarios are simply too big. The Grenada 1984 scenario, recommended previously as a good intro into the game (absolutely true), is sadly alone in smallish, tactical level engagements. Everything else seems to be about Division and Corps level action, with dozens (if not even hundreds!) of counters to control. For me personally, that's a little too much most of the time.
What this game needs is simple: MORE TACTICAL SCENARIOS. Basically anything you can play in an hour flat. Hopefully, some of the gognards that pump out new scenarios on the web will understand this and make some more tactical (instead theater) scenarios.
All this said, the game is definetly worth the price. Some of the larger scenarios (i.e. Korea 1999) are certainly playable on their own right, if you have the time. Also, it's simply a GREAT PRODUCT with incredible attention to detail. The only downside to this product is simply, that for some of us, it can simply be a little too much like work sometimes. But only sometimes. Buy this product.

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