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Knights of the Desert

Game Mechanics

Knights of the Desert is one wargame which simulates, at the operational level, a period of the Second World War desert war. The game opposes the Allies to the Axis forces, who are trying to progress towards the East in order to take the cities controlled by their enemies, including Tobruk. It can oppose two players or a player and the computer, which can control any of the two camps. In the second case, the player can choose between four difficulty levels: novice, intermediate, historical or expert. It can also choose the scenario, decide whether the departure positions are consistent with the historical reality, or generated randomly, and decide to include or not two additional unit deposits to the Axis forces. It can also regulate the level of each camp in different areas, including combat, air support or reinforcements.

The game takes place in turn, each round being divided into several phases where players can perform different actions. Each action, such as displacement or combat, requires to spend points of supply or operation. In the first phase, mobilization, player bases are provided and receive new units. They can then allocate supply or replacement points to units, spend supply points for maintenance, eliminate units that do not have enough provision and determine which player will have the initiative for the next round. Whoever gets it can then choose to move its units first, or instead to give themselves the opportunity to react to the opponent's actions by playing second. The following two phases allow each player to move their units respectively. Players receive operational points for their units, which they can then spend to perform actions. The player whose phase it is can then move his units. If, during this phase, he moves a unit next to an enemy unit, his opponent then has the opportunity to react to it by also spending points of operation. When the player whose phase is moved all his units, and the opposing player reacted to his, he can move the units having been restocked and the units of his deposit. The same phase is then repeated by reversing the possibilities offered to both players. In the last phase, finalization, the program determines the points of victory obtained by each player and, if this is the last round, which player wins the game. Victory points are obtained by inflicting losses to enemy units, occupying cities and sending units away from their base. If a player's base is in the hands of the enemy at the end of a tower, the player immediately loses the game. At the end of this phase, players also have the opportunity to save the game.

In order to initiate a fight, a unit must spend points of supply of operations according to its type and nationality. Fighting also takes into account a large number of other factors, including its level of supply, land, air support and support from other units. Thus, the lack of supply reduces the defensive force of a unit. Conversely, a favorable terrain, like a fortification, can increase the defensive force of a unit until it is multiplied by three. Air support also has a direct influence on the strength of a unit, either in attack or in defence. Finally, the units also benefit from the presence of allied units in the combat zone. An attacking unit thus earns a bonus for each allied unit adjacent to the unit it attacks and for allied units located on the same box as it. Conversely, it loses attack points for each enemy unit located on the same box, or an adjacent box, as the unit it attacks.