Steel Beasts Links: Computer Wargame

It is simply ages since I have looked as a Computer Wargame, but I am interested in Steel Beasts: 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1vHH3M2I6M
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIfy6nTy7cA
• https://youtu.be/lIfy6nTy7cA?si=3lBMm0EwFar06yCY
• https://www.youtube.com/@eSimGamesDtl

iPhone "Pacific War2 Game - Nice Little Time Waster

This is not a simulation or accurate representation of Pacific Warfare, but it is a lovely timewasting piece of fun that is a little bit like a battlefield problem solver, with nice graphics that give good representations of the ships I am currently basing and painting in 1/3000 scale (based on the Microsoft Unity 3D game engine). It is an old game running on an old iPhone but gives me screen time fun (see below, sadly the IJN saw to it that this USN Essex class carrier did not make it through the war): 

I have already done the journey from Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, across the Pacific to Japan as the USN, so I am return tripping back from Japan back to Pearl Harbour as the IJN, hence the screenshots of sinking USN ships (see below,  a USN Baltimore class cruiser is now no more): 

What can I say, I like moving the ships around the seas shooting them at each other, the "variable range" estimation means that even when a ship has radar you can miss, though as you "go pro" it becomes a shooting gallery. The thing I have hardest trouble with is that the carriers start the game under the guns of enemy battleships and cruisers. Yes that is really silly (and not Pacific War), but it is the same for both sides. However, seeing as the Human Player goes first, you at least go down fighting, and if you can get another ship closer to the enemy it takes the pressure off. The AI is poor which is why it is nice to play it. The US gets a Gato sub which is lethal (and an atom bomb as a shock weapon), but the IJN player gets long lance torpedoes, Kamikaze and the Yamato. The hardest task the IJN player has to do is sink the US sub with a destroyer (depth charges), thankfully after the "beginner's series of scenarios" the US just show up with big surface things (cruisers, battleships and aircraft carriers) things which you can easily see and hit!

Verdict: I can recommend it for its "therapeutic" value because nine times out of ten you will win.

"Ghosts of the Jungle" Playtest - Charlie fights, er Charlie!

I hit the critical mass (or Minimal Viable Product [MVP]) for the cast of characters, fully painted and ready for "The Ghosts of the Jungle", so it was time for a play-test  (see below, [the "specials" from a previous post are still 'in progress' - what you see here are 15 VC [Platoon 2- and Britannia Miniatures] and 8 US Special Force LRRP [Platoon 20]):

The game board is set up (see below, I chose to use 'explore mode' by giving the US insertion force a grid map, but only exposing "stuff" in LOS and not hidden from view): 

The US player (confusingly called Charlie) has been given an information extraction mission/ Get to a designation spot and retrieve some "information" and then get out. Body count was of no consequence to him, the mission's success rested on getting the "information" off the board and having all members of the LRRP intact (as in, at least with one hit point left). I added a layer of pre-game rumour "acquisition" - some helpful, some wrong and some just pla-in contradictory (in classic D&D fashion). What was ascertained was that there was little air support because teh Americans were busy elsewhere and you could and could not trust the villagers (who were VC, maybe or just "sometimes").  Although not a regular wargamer, Charlie took to the game like a duck taking to water.

Foot Note: In his own words, Charlie's success, came from his days of playing an old 1980/90's problem-solving computer games, in particular one called X-COM. This seems to fit into the "tower style" puzzle solver game, where you break through the enemy's defences by seeing weaknesses in their patterns. X-COM recently gained a second lease of life, with a 2015-20's revamp and series of follow on releases.

Back to the mission, which was played with an impressive amount of stealth and patience (waiting for the correct moment to 'move on' or to 'strike hard' ..good enough being far better than waiting "too long" for complete safe option). Reaching "X marks the spot", the "information package" turned out to be a downed (and wounded)  USAF airman, "Oh!" said Charlie (a bit of an understatement). The flyboy was promptly patched (and drugged) up by the SAS lads to get him as a "walking wounded" - the LRRP back-tracked out the way they had came in (while pushing, pulling, carrying and cajoling the Yank). The [exciting] "helicopter evacuation" option was not activated .. which would probably mean "hold a designated Alamo position" until the helicopter gunships and rescue helicopter came in. In the end the LRRP had a few scratches to show from a bit of fighting, but had successfully extricated themselves in a very professional manner! Beer on the USAF at the Australian NAAFI bar!

Flashpoint Campaign - Southern Front Play Through (Armchair Dragoons Video)

Courtesy of the Armchair Dragoons: 

https://www.armchairdragoons.com/articles/aars/flashpoint-campaigns-southern-storm-developer-interview-playthrough/

I was a big fan of the Flashpoint Campaign Red Storm so I think I will be getting into this too!

Audible: Deep Thinking by Gary Kasparov - Chess

This has been on the wish list to read for a while and as my Audible listening habits have improved (nay become addictive) as of late I managed to sneak it in. It harkens back to the Gary Kasparov experience of Man v Computer in chess competitions that started in the 1980's. It eventually saw a specialist machine called Deep Blue defeat the then World Champion Gary Kasparov in a match of six chess games. A competition of grey matter versus silicon logic circuits (see below, the Audible listing a fascinating and revealing read): 

I certainly discovered some "new things" from it and I don't pretend to be any sort of real Chess aficionado, other than knowing the base rules. Fascinating motivational factors were at play for IBM then went from Chess Experiment (in a sort of partnership with Kasparov to understand teh Chess Problem) to an "out and out" campaign focus to "win at all costs" (as in secretly hiring Grand Masters on NDA agreement [allegedly] for prestige and correlated stock-price benefit. From my programming background I know my Min-Max and Alpha-Beta Pruning - but the constructed "Opening Book" strategy was new (and this is where the Grand Masters really helped Deep Blue) used at the start of the game to gain a strong "middle game" baseline (starting position) .. where the silicon computation attack of the ply (pushing the "horizon effect" as long away as possible) was computed in earnest .. the ne the computational threads of Deep Blue tries to reach out to the end game database. Fascinating that Deep Blue beat Kasparov and then was put out to rest, rather than lead an Artificial Intelligence revolution. Crazy to also think that now, Deep Blue [with all its dedicated Chess hardware] is no longer thought of as impressive Chess Machine, its capacity is now well passed and outplayed by algorithms running on general purpose computers and smart phones.

If anything I earned a greater sense of respect for Gary Kasparov and what he went through. I found it a revealing, frank and humbling read. 

Paddy Griffith: ACW Book: Empire Interactive - American Civil War Game

I recently (well fairly - this or last year[?]) read Paddy Griffiths ACW book (and it is very interesting to hear American commentators, perhaps shall we say not so praiseworthy reviews, of the book) but knew that upstairs in the loft was an old bag of computer games, one of which was Empire Interactive's Battles of the American Civil War in which was a paper book supplement, written by Paddy. Yes back in the days computer games came with physical instruction books, so with some spare time on my hands (don't tell the wife) off to the loft I went (see below, amongst the cobwebs my efforts were rewarded):  

It is a classic info book. A good guide to get the basics into perspective and introduce themes to a general audience rather than an in depth or comprehensive historical reference or treatise, but I would say it also goes slightly beyond that and hits the wargamers "sweet spot" and gets them salivating. In the words of an old football coach, "Nobody ever gets cut for spending time practising the basics" and this my friend is a good grounding text to return to so you know you "have it right" (see below, nicely illustrated, some 48 pages and a lovely thing to dip into): 

In combination with my recent purchases of Warlord Games Epic ACW and the Worthington Games (solitaire) Gettysburg wargame, it is a nice fit. 

Book Recommendation: Imaginable (Jane McGonigal)

It is a nice moment when you discover a favourite author has delivered another book (see below, Jane McGonigal of "Super Better" and "Reality is Broken" fame):

She hooked me on this one because she made reference to the USN Naval War College, Bought my copy on wife's Audible subscription so that I can listen to it when I am in the kitchen. Up to chapter two and its interesting, very much so, written in the spirit of Super Better with lots of thought exercises along the way. 

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/1446896/imaginable/9781787635623.html

Incredible Humble Bundle "Support Ukraine" - Incredible Does Not Do It Justice - over "Five Million Pounds" raised so far!

https://www.humblebundle.com/stand-with-ukraine-bundle

There must be something for everybody here!

Over 120 games, books and 3D model, plus a licensed Game Design studio for 12 months!

It looks legit: https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/18/22983137/humble-bundle-stand-with-ukraine-charity-bundle-price

The Blurb: 

100% donated to Ukraine humanitarian relief efforts

The violent and unlawful invasion in Ukraine is taking a tragic toll—displacing people, devastating families, and creating an urgent need for food, water, supplies, shelter, and safety. To help out how we can, we’ve joined forces with game creators, book publishers, and software makers around the globe for a bundle 100% dedicated to supporting the victims and refugees from Ukraine during this crisis.

The Stand With Ukraine bundle features over 120 pieces of content worth over $2,500, including:

• Back 4 Blood, Satisfactory, Metro Exodus, & Fable Anniversary
• Pathfinder, Starfinder, & Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay books
• GameMaker Studio 2 Creator (12 months), Music Maker EDM Edition, RPG Maker VX, & Polygon game dev assets

100% of the proceeds will go to Razom for Ukraine, International Rescue Committee, International Medical Corps, and Direct Relief. Support vital humanitarian crisis relief efforts for the people of Ukraine today.

https://www.humblebundle.com/stand-with-ukraine-bundle

And counting ...

And still counting ...

And still counting ..

Where will it stop (25th March cut-off)

It just goes to show that I knew it was up to "the nerds to save the world"!