Strategic Simulations Incorporated (SSI), long known for its war strategy games and simulations, created the Wargame Construction series. Each game of the series was cordoned off from the others based on the style of weapons available. The third game in the series is the Age of Rifles: 1846 – 1905. These games are actually game editors and allow the user to develop his own play. This particular installment of the game was released in the late nineties and was developed specifically for the DOS operating system on the personal computer.
Strategic Simulations Incorporated (SSI), long known for its war strategy games and simulations, created the Wargame Construction series. Each game of the series was cordoned off from the others based on the style of weapons available. The third game in the series is the Age of Rifles: 1846 – 1905. These games are actually game editors and allow the user to develop his own play. This particular installment of the game was released in the late nineties and was developed specifically for the DOS operating system on the personal computer.
Wargame Construction Set 3 includes a few preexisting games for the user to partake in, but the primary fun of the game is as an editing application to build custom games. Of course, the
user is then able to play those games. Premade games come from most of the major conflicts in the Age of Rifles, including the Franco Prussian War and the American Civil War. With preexisting campaigns, the user can either play against a reasonable competent computer AI, or against another person. The play for custom built scenarios and campaigns also supports two-player gaming, so it is perfectly possible to build a battle scene for you and a friend to play. Not only can a gamer build a game for play by himself and a friend, but he can also download a friend’s custom made scenario from one of many websites devoted to this game. The user can also publish his own games on such websites for others to play. It is easy to recreate historical battles with this program.
The game itself is basically the same as the play in the first two installments, but the graphics have been enhanced and there have been some changes to the user interface, making it more simplistic and user friendly. Of course, the units have changed to encompass gunpowder units, which is the concept the entire series is based on . The user is able to customize the units in many different ways when building a scenario. There are custom inputs for aggressive or passive behavior, strengths and weaknesses, firepower, movement ability over various terrains, and ammunition capabilities. Unit types range from standard infantry to cavalry and reflect most of the major powers of this era, including Great Britain, Russia, Japan and Zululand. The American troops are also available, but are divided into Union and Confederate soldiers. This is a nice simulation and a powerful editor that most gamers, especially fans of the first two installments in the series, will enjoy. The opportunities are only as limited as one’s imagination with Wargame Construction Kit 3.
