110 lines
6.2 KiB
Plaintext
110 lines
6.2 KiB
Plaintext
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TYPHOON OF STEEL
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TYPHOON OF STEEL is an advanced level tactical simulation of World War II unit
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actions, and it comes from Gary Grigsby and Strategic Simulations, Inc. Mr.
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Grigsby wrote WARSHIP, KAMPFGRUPPE, and MECH BRIGADE (and many other SSI war
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simulations); TYPHOON is considered a sequel to PANZER STRIKE! The Commodore
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64/128 version is the basis of this review; Apple II version notes follow.
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With seven historical scenarios and a campaign game, the incredibly detailed
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TYPHOON encompasses three theaters of battle: Asia, Europe, and the Pacific.
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What's more, it qualifies as a construction set as well: New scenarios can be
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constructed, either by the computer or from the specific terrain features of a
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personally-designed map.
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The scenarios in the Pacific are Iwo Jima and Okinawa's Kakazu Ridge; the
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scenarios in Asia are Kamper in Central Malaya and Kohima in Burma; and those in
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Europe are D-Day's Omaha Beach, Brittany's Bocage Waltz, and Peiper On Point in
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Belgium. For a Campaign game, the computer generates several scenarios, and
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creates missions and objectives. A Campaign game spans years of the World War II
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conflict, and can cover more than one theater of battle.
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The C64 screen display consists of a scrolling map that can be as large as
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60x60; each block represents 50 square yards. During play, the on-screen
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Tactical map is 20x10; at the Strategic level, the map is 40x20: These maps can
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be toggled, by way of the "Z" key, at any time during a game.
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TYPHOON is controlled entirely with keystrokes. Number keys (1-8) move the
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block cursor around the screen. Single-letter keystrokes allow you to perform
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the following functions: access units; clear away units to reveal the terrain;
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change facings; inspect enemy units; display objectives; set target squares;
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turn control of selected units over to the computer; toggle map displays;
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commence combat; cancel orders; and an awful lot more.
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There are two phases to a game: Orders and Combat. During the Orders Phase,
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you'll give all movement and combat orders to the units under your control. The
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Combat Phase will attempt to carry them out. Each Combat turn is made up of
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three pulses. Pressing the "O" key at any time during a turn will abort combat
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at the end of the third pulse, allowing the introduction of new orders. If you
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don't give new orders, the game will pulse away until all turns have been
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exhausted and the scenario comes to a halt.
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In addition to interrupting the combat flow to give new orders, during the
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Combat Phase you can toggle the following: sound effects; unit symbols and
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terrain features; tactical and strategic maps; and game pause.
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After each Combat turn (assuming you've pressed the "O" key to halt the
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pulsing), you'll have the option of saving the game. You'll need a blank disk
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for this, and it can be initialized from within the game.
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Building a Scenario (from the Main Menu) allows you to create a completely new
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battle. The computer will generate a map and select the forces, or you can build
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a map using the available terrain features, such as woods, buildings, open
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fields, hills, roads, swamps, sand, and cities.
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The size of a battle and the time period must be selected. A newly-created map
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can be re-sized; you or the computer can select the necessary forces, and
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computer-controlled enemy units can be edited; forces can be deployed by the
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computer, or you can do it yourself. When all units have been deployed, you can
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save the newly-created scenario, after which you will enter the first Orders
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Phase.
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The TYPHOON OF STEEL game package comes with two double-sided disks, an
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Instruction Manual, and a Briefing Manual. The Instruction Manual is organized
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with typical SSI clarity. TYPHOON operates more or less identically to PANZER
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STRIKE!; any changes are highlighted. The Briefing Manual lists all kinds of
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unit and formation data, weapons and terrain effects charts, and short notes
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concerning the scenarios. Although the disks are not copy-protected, the game
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checks occasionally to see if you have the Briefing Manual.
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Like its predecessor, TYPHOON's incredible detail flirts with unruliness. There
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are a zillion weapons, including mines, large guns, flamethrowers, and bazookas;
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there are all kinds of tanks and artillery. The Manuals, especially the Briefing
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Manual, help immensely with the task of understanding all the factors involved.
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Scenarios -- even the long Campaign game -- are enjoyable, thanks to the
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precision and ease with which the SSI play system works. Should you decide that
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any function you might be executing from a given menu is less than desirable,
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you can abort it. The computer will build a new scenario quickly -- the
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equivalent of an endless supply of scenario disks. Designing a scenario yourself
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is a major project that requires lots of time.
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The advanced level TYPHOON OF STEEL is as detailed and excellent as PANZER
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STRIKE!, in whose battle trenches it follows. It is not for novice wargamers,
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but it will definitely give veterans plenty to do.
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APPLE II VERSION NOTES
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As far as gameplay is concerned, the Apple II version of TYPHOON OF STEEL is
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identical to the Commodore 64 version. The difference lies in the quality of
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quality of the screen displays which, on the Apple, are not very good; in fact,
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it would be better if play were possible from the pictures on the back of the
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package. On an Apple-compatible Laser 128, the graphics quality is marginal.
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Like the C64 version, TYPHOON is controlled with keystrokes. The Apple version
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supports a second disk drive. The two double-sided disks are not copy-protected,
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but you'll have to use a commercial program to make backups, because SSI uses a
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non-standard DOS.
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Most Apple II programs I've seen look crummy; in some cases, "crummy" is
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putting it mildly. TYPHOON OF STEEL looks okay when compared to most Apple
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programs. Because it is a top-notch simulation that plays easily (due to the SSI
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game system and not anything that has to do with Apple hardware), I recommend
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it. But it'll help if you can play with your eyes closed.
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TYPHOON OF STEEL is published by Strategic Simulations, Inc. and distributed by
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Electronic Arts.
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*****DOWNLOADED FROM P-80 SYSTEMS (304) 744-2253
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