Age of Rifles is a computer wargame construction set by SSI/Mindscape covering warfare in the period 1846-1905. It is available on CD-ROM only for IBM-compatible PC's and I bought my copy some time ago for £ 29.95. The current street price is £ 20.00- £ 25.00 and the software is supplied boxed with a brief but adequate glossy user manual. The program's minimum system requirements are a 486/66 processor with 8Mb RAM, MS-DOS 5.0 or higher, 45Mb of uncompressed hard disc space, double-speed or better CD Drive with MSCDEX 2.23 or higher, Colour SVGA, and Microsoft v.9 or Logitech v.6.24 mouse (phew!).

The game is DOS-based and not totally compatible with Windows 95. I ran it through DOSSHELL in DOS 6.2 on a 16Mb 586/133 with only a few problems. I experienced a couple of video crashes in 20-30 hours but was able to save the game on each occasion, and I put this down to having a notoriously tricky SVGA card in my machine.

I had previously acquired a playable demo of the game and had found it very easy to pick up even without a manual. The game is basically hex-based with alternating turns. The main screen presents an overhead view of a section of wargames table-style battlefield surrounded by icons describing the currently-selected unit and buttons triggering the various actions required in the game. The playing pieces may be shown as standard symbols or as single figures in realistic uniform with base shapes denoting formation. A very wide variety of scenarios are included on the disc in scales of one hex to 100, 200 or 400 yards, and play against human or computer opponents is supported. There is an option which offers related scenarios strung together to form campaigns as a further challenge.

I played scenarios in each of the scales, taking me from the bloody rush at Fort Wagner, via the woods of Spicheren to the disaster at Isandhlwana and the grand sweep of Gettysburg. Play times varied from an hour to three or four depending on the size of the forces involved. Most scenarios seemed to play well, although the ones at 400 yards per hex seemed to exaggerate the value of artillery and make it almost impossible to attack even over favourable ground. Still, if you are a fan of the period, there is almost certain to be something to grab you here, and unlike the wargames table, you can leave three or four games saved on your machine and pick up each just where you left it.

True to its description, the package is a wargames construction set, and when you are tired of the scenarios that come with the game, you may modify them or create your own using the comprehensive terrain editor, unit editor and deployment editor supplied. These represent a mammoth programming effort in their own right and are by no means an afterthought thrown in with the game to pad it out. About a hundred weapon types are supported, and the unit uniform designer would satisfy Messrs Gilbert & Sullivan let alone the average wargamer. Battlefields can be defined with any one of four tilesets covering climates from arid to frozen and offering a very wide range of terrain features. Even naval support can be included.

As one would expect from such a comprehensive package, designing a historical scenario from scratch is not a job for the faint-hearted. Even with all the bells and whistles the program offers, the sheer depth of knowledge you need to have about the battlefield and the forces involved makes an encounter between a couple of brigades per side the work of several hours to re-create. The end product, however, is indistinguishable from the professionally-authored scenarios accompanying the game; you simply get out what you are prepared to put in. Short of this degree of effort, though, the tools are still useful.

Anyone trying to create a roughly hex-based wargames terrain could use the designer to mock up layouts for the table, and there is a random terrain generator that has dozens of applications for the solo enthusiast beyond the game itself.

All this means that the product is a bit too intellectual for your kids. Like me, you may choose to turn off the rather risible sound effects. As a straight historical computer wargame, however, it is a pretty reasonable buy compared to, say, the more luxurious Talonsoft series, which concentrate on a single battle each. To a real enthusiast for the period or someone looking to dip into its whole range of conflicts at a modest cost the package is excellent value for money.

{I have a copy myself and can fully endorse Bob's comments. This is a construction set with extensive capabilities which relies on you to provide the knowledge base about the battles you want to create. What you get out of the program is really dependant upon your input. If you are into the more obscure battles of the period then this package is for you, Graham}.

More Computer Corner

Computer Corner #12
Battleground Antietam
Age of Rifles
Happy Birthday MagWeb
Flying Corps