Game Design and Concepts: Joseph Hummel, Jim Rose and John Tiller
Programming: John Tiller
Game Graphics: Stephen Langmead, John Bottinger-Lang, Charles Kibler, Joe Amoral, and Tim Kipp
Number of Players: Solitaire (against the computer) or 2-player (either by e-mail, null modem, modem, or the Internet).
Playing Time: Varies dep-ending on the scenario, from several hours to half a day!
Complexity Level: Moderate
Packaging: Bookshelf storage box with full color sleeve
Scale: Grand tactical to tactical. The player can command all of the battalions, regiments, and batteries in his army, or assign the computer to control them. Each hex on the map is 100 meters across. Each turn is 15 minutes of real time.
Map and Playing Pieces: All components exist within the computer and appear in one of several different screens, menus, boxes or icons. The tactical units represent infantry battalions, or groups of 25 or more skirmishers, cavalry regiments or squadrons, artillery batteries, individual leaders and supply wagons.
Rule Book: 88-page softbound book with illustrations, historical notes, playing instructions, and technical support listings.
Scenarios: 23 total, including "what-ifs"
System Requirements: Windows 3.1 or Windows 95, 100% IBM PC Compatibles, CPU 486DX PC or Pentium PC, 5MB minimum free space on hard drive, double speed (2x) CD-ROM required, 8 MB minimum RAM, Microsoft-compatible mouse, 256 Color SVGA supporting 640/480,800/600 or 1024/768 screen resolutions, all Windows-compatible sound cards
Publisher: TalonSoft, Inc.
Publication Date: 1997
Product Code: 5056071603
List Price: $49.95 (see ad on back cover for mailing address and information on ordering by phone).
Summary: TalonSoft continues to produce very impressive computer simulations of Napoleonic battles. As in their earlier games, Waterloo and Napoleon in Russia, the superb computer graphics are the strongest points of the game. The game mechanics are consistent with all of the preceding TalonSoft "Battleground" series games and are very easy to learn, even for a first-time player. Anyone who has played any of the other TalonSoft games (not just the Napoleonic games) can start playing Prelude to Waterloo almost immediately.

As usual, TalonSoft has provided an excellent variety of scenarios to encourage repeat play of this, their third Napoleonic title since 1996. These scenarios range from the opening phases of the 1815 campaign in Belgium to the complete historical battles of Quatre Bras and Ligny on 16 June (two days before Waterloo). Several historical what if scenarios also give the gamer the chance test engagements that historically did not occur but perhaps could have.

One of the most innovative additions that TalonSoft has made to Prelude to Waterloo compared to their previous Napoleonic games is that the unit losses from the battles at Ligny and Quatre Bras can be uploaded and reflected in the Waterloo game. A additional feature allows for both battles of Ligny and Quarter Bras to be played simultaneously [the battles were fought on the same day within 5 miles of each other]. This scenario uses a map larger than any other maps in any of the previous TalonSoft games. I found that the process of juggling troops from one battle to another adds a new dimension to the tactical decisions.

Incredibly smooth installation

For this review, the Prelude to Waterloo game was first installed on a Dell Pentium 133 with 32 MB of RAM and an 8 speed CD-ROM drive running the Windows 95 operating system. The game installed seamlessly on the Windows 95 operating system, and the installation took less than 8 minutes to complete exactly as the loading instructions specified. This is first rate, and TalonSoft is to be congratulated on one of the best game installation utilities and set of procedures seen to date. Selecting the "typical installation" loads most of the game executables and map files on the hard drive. This type of installation was used for the test installation.

On the Pentium 133 the game performed flawlessly and moving the pointer around the map was accomplished at almost real-time speeds. The system zoomed in and out of the different viewing resolutions from two Dimension (2D) graphics all the way out to the 3D extreme graphics level, with almost no delay in processing.

It is recommended that for the best enjoyment of the game most of the game files should be installed directly to your system's hard drive, using at least the typical installation option. The only drawback to this method is that the game requires about 170 MB of hard disk space. For even faster game play, install all of the game files to the hard drive but this takes about 500-plus MBs of disk space! The TalonSoft installation documentation states clearly how much disk space is required by each type of installation. (Note: The system requirements listed by TalonSoft for this game are the minimum requirements, but these are far from the optimum. Game play will suffer if anything less than a 486/66 with at least a 4 Speed CD ROM Drive is used.)

Easy player interface

The player can interface with the game using the mouse or numerous "hot" keys that require a sequence of commands directly from the keyboard, such as Ctrl-N (which advances the player to the next game phase). Both methods of input are easy to use and work well together. The player can use whatever method or combination of methods that are the most comfortable. The hot keys are listed in section 8.3 appendix of the system player's guide. The game uses several standard Windows Graphic User Interfaces (GUI) designs, such as title bars with pull-down menus.

The most innovative design feature is the tool box, which contains some of the most frequently used actions of the pull-down menus. Selecting a tool-box button initiates the command associated with it. It is much easier to use the tool box, as the commands are associated with an icon, such as an arrow, to change the facing of a selected unit. This reviewer found the icons (pictures) better than using the pull down menus.

Gorgeous Graphics

Prelude to Waterloo's graphics are truly spectacular, and the player gets the real look and feel of the masses of troops that were on a Napoleonic battlefield. The map terrain is painstakingly reproduced and is as well done as any of the best miniatures terrain seen to date, resembling an aerial view of the actual 1815 battle area.

The designers have provided video clips from the Russian film version of the battle of Waterloo. These video clips are played during the introductory credits of the game and also after every artillery and infantry unit's firing sequence. While initially entertaining to watch, they quickly grow old after repeated viewing, and they also tend to slow down the game play. For faster game play, or if you tire of watching the same troops and cannon fire, the video clips can be turned off by simply using the options pull down menu and clicking the check mark next to "video effects". (Any of the varied system options can be turned off or on using this simple interface.)

The game map is set up using a hexagon grid, which the player has the option of turning on (keeping visible) or off (still there, but not shown). Since the units move from hex side to hex side, it was easier to see and understand the movement of the units by leaving the hex grid turned on, even though it detracted from the overall realistic look of the battlefield. You can use the mouse to select a particular game hex to get a detailed description and game value of the terrain contained in that hex.

The game units are contained and displayed in unit list boxes at the bottom of the screen. Use the mouse to select a hex, all of the units contained within that hex will be displayed in the unit list boxes at the bottom of the screen. This unit list box contains a representative drawing of each unit and information about the current state of the unit. This informational data lists unit strength, type of weapon, movement allowance, quality rating, current formation, and current fatigue level. It also lists the name of the unit and its organization, such as it's battalion number and parent regiment.

TalonSoft has also included a very impressive musical and sound effects score. The system plays both French and Allied music and is really interesting to listen to. As with the video clips, the music and other sound effects can be switched on and off by using the pull down menu.

Competent Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Playing against the computer is only truly challenging if the artificial intelligence (AI) is designed well. TalonSoft has done a better job at this than almost any other games this reviewer has played. This is not to say that they have developed a perfect computer opponent, one that can beat a good or even average human player (no computer software designer to date has been able to do this), but the computer can give a good account of itself.

The AI in Prelude to Waterloo is about the same as the computer opponent in the previous Napoleon in Russia game, in that its best abilities seem to be when it is on the defensive. The computer AI seems to know how to set up a defense line, deploy its artillery and use its cavalry in local counter attacks. It does not know when to withdraw and allows entire units to be destroyed by attempting to hold a position that a real player might judiciously abandon.

When the computer attempts to attack, it often fails. It does not attack with any mass and seems easily confused by enemy cavalry. The AI also does not seem to have a clue about how to use a combined infantry-cavalry attack. If you play the French, the computer gives a credible account of itself as a Prussian or Anglo-Allied player when defending but runs into trouble when it has to counter attack. A way to limit the human player's advantage is to give control of some or all of your forces to the computer, and simply issue orders to these units. But for the most challenging game, play against another human opponent with either the head to head, modem, or Internet features.

A Few Flaws?

The game is played in daylight turns each representing 15 minutes of real time and night turns each representing one hour of real time. Each game turn consists of two player turns (Allied and French). Each player turn consists of five phases: movement, defensive and offensive fire, cavalry charges and melee. The two player turns are divided into a phasing player and a non-phasing player. During the phasing player's turn the non-phasing player is able to fire defensively.

During the movement phase the phasing player can move any and all eligible units. After movement the defender (non-phasing player) can fire defensively with any or all eligible units. Morale checks are resolved automatically by the computer; losses are deducted immediately and units stay in good order or become disordered or routed. After the defensive fire phase, the phasing player can perform offensive fire with any or all eligible units. Morale checks are again resolved automatically by the computer; any losses are deducted and units are in good order, disorder, or routed. After all fire is resolved, the phasing player gets to execute any cavalry charges. After all cavalry charges are conducted, any melee combat is resolved and the phasing player's turn is finished. The non-phasing player now becomes the phasing player and the five phases are repeated. This sequence of play works well; it is easy to follow and can be quickly understood even by an inexperienced gamer.

Combat is resolved either by ranged fire or by melee. All causalities are inflicted in increments of 25 men. A direct line-of-sight must be achieved from the firing unit to its target. However, sometimes the direct line-of-sight can be achieved directly over the heads of friendly units! This is unrealistic but an apparent necessary compromise by TalonSoft that player's can ignore if they want true historical accuracy.

The sophisticated tools provided by the TalonSoft designers make the game mechanics very easy to learn and perform so that you can concentrate on the strategy and tactics of actual game play. This is important; many wargamers have been replacing their more cumbersome board games with computer games, especially when they are as well designed as TalonSoft's line.

Still falls short as a historical simulation The only area where traditional board and miniatures games still seem to have an edge over computer games is that some of them are superior in depicting historical information and the reality of a particular era's battlefield more accurately. However, TalonSoft appears to be closing the gap.

Prelude to Waterloo has improved over the Napoleon in Russia game by fixing some of the major "bugs" this reviewer thought were unrealistic [see Napoleon #10]. The number one improvement is that skirmishers are almost starting to have the effect in the game that the actual Napoleonic skirmishers had in reality. The major change is that the skirmishers no longer cause a formed unit of troops to become disordered after fighting them. Skirmishers can still hold ground and prevent formed troops from advancing without stopping; they can still force formed troops to engage them in a melee, but now the formed troops can push them aside without as much penalty. [TalonSoft said that they are working on having the skirmishers simply pushed back by the advancing formed troops, but that "fix" did not make it into the Prelude to Waterloo game.]

Prelude to Waterloo plays well and gives the look and feel of the Napoleonic era. The massed infantry battalions and cavalry regiments are impressive as they advance shoulder to shoulder across the game screen, and the graphics depicting the fire of the massed artillery batteries are quite realistic and fun to watch. The only thing that was left out are the screams of the wounded men and horses.

The only major complaint with the game is that there is a flaw in the turn sequence which also appears in Waterloo and Napoleon in Russia. This turn sequence, which places the cavalry charge phase after the defensive fire phase, gives the defender very little chance to stop a cavalry charge from closing, as there is no opportunity to place any defensive fire on the charging cavalry. The cavalry simply waits out of range during the defensive fire phase, then during the cavalry charge phase it charges home. The most vulnerable unit to these charges is the artillery.

TalonSoft covers the command and control factor of a Napoleonic battle by allowing the player to let the computer command some or all of the army. Unfortunately, this does not address the critical issue of how long it actually takes for orders to be written, received by courier, and finally executed by the units so directed (which they didn't always do!). In Prelude to Waterloo it seems that the commanders and their subordinate units all have radios so that the general can instantly order and move any activated unit to do anything that he wishes it to do. This may be the reason why the casualty totals generated in Prelude to Waterloo and the other TalonSoft Napoleonic games are much higher than they were historically. If units can move into combat much faster and stay longer than their historical counterparts, the butcher's bill will be greater. In TalonSoft's defense, few Napoleonic rule sets handle this aspect very well either.

Although Prelude to Waterloo still falls a bit short of a truly accurate re-creation of a historical Napoleonic battle, the game is definitely a step in the right direction. TalonSoft is to be commended for their willingness to make changes and respond to the comments of their customers. Regardless of this reviewer's opinions about Napoleonic warfare, Prelude to Waterloo is a very good game, extremely enjoyable to play, and is the best attempt to date of bringing a Napoleonic battle to the computer screen.

Outstanding Game Support

TalonSoft's technical support of its product line cannot be praised highly enough. As stated in the review of Napoleon in Russia, in all this reviewer's years of gaming and working in the computer industry, there has never been a company that supports their games and responds to user input as well as they do. Their games work as advertised, the company fixes the inevitable software bugs very quickly, and it responds politely and quickly to complaints and questions (this is rare in the computer industry!). TalonSoft receives five stars on their product and customer support.

Large Screen Shots (extremely slow: 357K)