ZX Computing
1st May 1986Falklands '82
The latest in the Wargamer series from PSS centres on the Falklands Campaign, and features a nicely-drawn but non-scrolling map of the north eastern area. There's no sign of the defenders until you have done a recce and decided which of four possible landing sites to use - San Carlos is not always the best, that would take all the fun out of it!
Once chosen, all your forces must land, and as you deplot them around the island, the dreaded 'Argies' show themselves, in a similar symbolic form to your own forces. The symbols are rather small, but identifiable; your real knowledge of strengths and weaknesses comes from the displayed code next to each unit's name, showing the balance of aggression and defence factors, which themselves depend on casualties taken and type of terrain occupied. Three differing types of terrain are shown on the map, and each consumes differing amounts of movement points according to difficulty.
At each turn you may select movement, attack or the status quo. If you choose to attack then, weather permitting, you may also call upon air and naval gun support. The weather is often stormy or foggy which reduces your strength in this respect. After each attack however, your position is betrayed, so expect an air strike in the shape of small flickery shapes zooming across the screen. If you're lucky, the Harriers will see them off!
To be fair, I don't suppose hardened wargamers are all that interested in graphical sophistication. This will keep fans of the genre happy for hours - it beat me on the simplest level - and might just be the scenario to attract new younger users to try a war game.