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This is a game for one player against a computer opponent (with a smattering of passive opponents thrown in). The basis of the game is that old board game favourite, Risk.

The game is played on a map of the World - divided into thirty-nine provinces. At the start of the game thirteen of the provinces are neutral. You and the computer then alternately take provinces until all 39 are allocated.

Play proceeds in a series of turns, each turn following the same pattern. First computer (playing the Dragon Empire) places extra armies in its provinces. Then it attacks neighbouring provinces until it runs out of armies, runs out of provinces to attack, or is defeated in one of its attacks. Then it's your turn to place extra armies and carry out your attacks. The Neutrals never make attacks, although they do gain extra armies.

An attack is carried out by giving province from which the attack is to be made and the province to be attacked. The battle will then proceed, each side losing forces until one side has been elimintaed. The winning side can then move armies into the captures province. You can 'domino attack', that is attack a province, move in, attack again from the captures province, move in, until you run out of armies.

The computer wins by eliminating you from the game, you win by eliminating the computer. It is possible for either player to win without conquering the whole world as neutral do not affect victory.

The game plays very well, and can be completed in under one hour. The graphics are excellent: there is a map of the World and six area maps of each of the continents. A generous overlap on each of the area maps that you never suffer General Slim's problem of fighting battles on the edge of maps. There is sufficient noise to add to the excitement of play without making it sound like Pacman meets World War II.

There are nine levels of play, which dictate the attack strength of the Dragon Empire. They vary from 1, a doddle, through 9, a slaughter. Level 6 or 7 offers a very reasonable game with a strong opponent.

I can recommend this game as a good introduction to computer wargaming. It isn't so complex that it will put off the casual player, nor so simple that it will quickly pall. I have only one complaint: this game would work well on several computers, so why has it only been published for the Dragon?