textfiles/games/REVIEWS/batnap.rev

 BATTLES OF NAPOLEON 

 BATTLES OF NAPOLEON is a tactical wargame simulation based on the
conflicts of the Napoleonic Wars. Written by David Landrey and Chuck
Kroegel (GETTYSBURG: THE TURNING POINT, BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, SONS OF
LIBERTY) and published by Strategic Simulations, the advanced-level
NAPOLEON offers four ready-made historical scenarios, a
comprehensive construction editor, strategic and tactical map
views, menu control, and no copy protection. This review is based on
the Apple II version; Commodore 64/128 and IBM-PC version notes
follow. 

 In addition to the incredible detail of the battles, NAPOLEON's
construction set allows you to customize the information contained
in the tables the program uses to run the game; even the objectives
a computer opponent would use during a game can be altered. To be
able to create a map, build and deploy armies, set victory squares, 
and edit the game tables amounts to a development system. No copy
protection is an added bonus, although there is the familiar
documentation check. Best of all, NAPOLEON looks good on the Apple
II (a Laser 128, in this case). Then again, it'd be awfully hard to
make one of these games look bad, even on an Apple. 

 The scenarios in NAPOLEON are Quatre Bras, Auerstadt, Borodino, and
Waterloo. From the Game Menu, various alterations to them can be
set: who moves first; computer or human opponents for both French
and Allied sides; any of five levels of difficulty, and any of five
levels of strength; reinforcement arrival; and ammunition supplies. 

 The Computer Directive table, which appears after the Game Menu, 
allows you to set the strategy the computer will use as your
opponent. The basic strategy you can select (Option A) actually lets
the computer choose what it will do, and the remaining options are
variants of this. Retreats, Holding of Positions, and Counterattacks
can be automatic or random. Most interesting of all is the Analyze
Situation, in which the computer opponent bases its strategy on
whatever is happening at any given time (as opposed to, say, 
automatically retreating, or counterattacking). 

 Each turn in a scenario covers a half-hour of real time, and
consists of 25 phases: During the Objective Phase, orders are passed
down from higher to lower command levels; four separate combat
phases are further subdivided into Cavalry, Artillery, Melee, and
Retreat/Advance phases; the Victory Phase determines "victory
points" based on casualties inflicted, and the taking of terrain
objectives. Victory points are calculated, and a new turn begins. 

 The Apple II screen display consists of a scrolling map. Each map
square represents 100 yards, and icons represent five levels of
elevation, towns, woods, swamps, open fields, and fortifications, as
well as battle units, such as cavalry, artillery, and infantry
battalions. 

 NAPOLEON is controlled through menus whose functions are invoked
with keystrokes. The number keys control cursor movement in eight
directions. Keystrokes in the Command Menu (far too many to
mention) allow you to access units, toggle between strategic and
tactical map views, center the map, plot melee fire, set units to
advance, change directions, access the Fire menu, and give orders to
cavalry and skirmishers. Orders can be aborted; units can be removed
from the map in order to study the terrain; unit formations can be
altered; victory squares can be highlighted. Keystrokes that access
a unit will also reveal all the information about that unit and its
current status. 

 The Construction Set editor allows you to edit any of the
historical scenarios, create an entirely new scenario, build and
edit screen maps and armies, set objective squares, and edit the
tables the program consults during a game. Maps as large as 1600 can
be constructed from the Void. Terrain can either be added by you, or
generated by the computer. Armies can be created (also from the
Void), then edited and deployed on the map. All facets can be saved
and reloaded later for further editing or play. 

 The NAPOLEON game package comes with a game disk, a scenario disk, 
a manual of Game rules, and a manual of Editor rules. Both manuals
are jammed with details and information, and there is also a card
with guidelines for building armies. 

 BATTLES OF NAPOLEON is a monumental program. The scenarios brim
with vitality, and play with an ease and clarity typical of all SSI
wargames. Although NAPOLEON plays easily, the scenarios function at
an advanced level. Unless you've had experience with SSI
simulations, you'll find NAPOLEON unruly, even if only due to the
large volume of information you'll have to digest in order to play
it well. Since SSI probably has a few tricks up its sleeve, it's
safe to say that the Construction Set editor is probably not
complete; it might as well be, though, because you can invent a new
game scenario upwards from its most basic map and table parts. 

 If you're new to wargames, BATTLES OF NAPOLEON is not the place to
start: It's simply overwhelming, in both detail and possibility. 
Veterans, of course, will enjoy it, and to them it is recommended. 

 COMMODORE 64/128 VERSION NOTES 

 The C64/128 version of BATTLES OF NAPOLEON is virtually identical
to the Apple II version. The disks are not copy-protected, and
backups can be made. It's best to point out to Commodore users that
in order to make playable copies of the NAPOLEON disks, you should
use a commercial copy program, or the copy utility in the Epyx
FASTLOAD cartridge. The entire contents of the disks must be
copied; the copy program on the C64 Demo disk isn't up to this
task. 

 All the detail and complexity of NAPOLEON is contained in the C64
version, and it, too, is recommended for veteran and serious
wargamers. 

 IBM-PC VERSION NOTES 

 The IBM version of BATTLES OF NAPOLEON is essentially the same as
the Apple and Commodore versions. Some changes have been made to the
interface, including different key commands and mouse support. 

 The IBM version comes on two 5-1/4" disks (3-1/2" are available) 
with no on-disk copy protection. A documentation check is used at
the beginning of play to confirm ownership. BATTLES OF NAPOLEON
supports CGA and EGA modes (EGA in 320x200x16), and requires 512K to
run. Unfortunately, little effort has been made to exploit the full
potential of the EGA graphics mode. Backgrounds are black, and units
are simple military symbols with no graphic embellishments. SSI did
make one nice change in allowing units to be displayed in different
shapes depending on their formation. For example, infantries in line
formation are shown as longer, thin rectangles, rather than
squares. Players familiar with the state of the art graphics in
SSG's newer games or in Panther Games' FIRE BRIGADE will be
disappointed with NAPOLEON's graphics. 

 SSI has added mouse support, but it's not implemented as well as it
could be. A sword pointer allows players to click on commands
instead of typing their letter. However, units may not be moved with
this pointer, nor selected with a double-click. In my opinion, the
mouse support reflects a half-hearted attempt to modernize the
standard SSI interface. 

 Having criticized NAPOLEON's graphic presentation and interface on
the PC, it's only fair to point out that all of the features praised
in the Apple review above are present in the IBM-PC version. The
simulation is detailed and complex. The included scenarios cover a
wide range of situations, and the editor opens up nearly endless
possibilities for exploring other battles. For grognards and
Napoleonic era aficionados, this is definitely worth checking out. 
For less experienced gamers, and those who care little for pre-20th
century warfare, BATTLES OF NAPOLEON should probably be left on the
shelf. 

 BATTLES OF NAPOLEON is published by Strategic Simulations, Inc., 
and distributed by Electronic Arts. 

*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253