My thanks to Ben Wilkins [Editor of Battlefields] for the following comments on various computer games.

I have high hopes for this game by SSI. As far as I am aware it is being developed with GMT who produce the boardgame of the same name. In my opinion this is one of the most inspired pieces of game design in recent years and should be on the shelf of anyone remotely interested in ancient warfare (as should the companion games SPQR and Caesar).

In the boardgame, although elephants do close to melee (possibly not historical) they often don't achieve much against good, ordered troops (ending up as more of a hazard for their own side). Therefore I don't have a problem with this going on in the computer game - providing the end result is vaguely historical.

Remember, flashy animation, graphics, carnage etc. are required by wargames which want to break out into the mass market. Without this computer wargames will remain a specialist niche of no interest to the 'big boys' in the market which will ultimately mean little or no wargames for the wargamers. {Whilst I agree that games creators need lo aim at a large market, meaning some compromises are necessary for commercial reasons, I remain one of those customers who wants the best of all worlds, good graphics, good AI engine, historically accurate detail, flashy animation and all for the right price--GE}.

Other Computer Game Reviews:

• War CD-ROM Power Pack
• Battleground Ardennes
• Battleground Ardennes and Battleground Gettysburg
• Caesar II
• Operation Crusader
• The Last Blitzkrieg
• Blood and Iron
• Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat
• Command & Conquer: The Covert Operations
• Harpoon Classic

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