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Modem Wars

Game Mechanics

Modem Wars is one wargame which simulates, at the tactical level, clashes between two armies of robots. The game takes place in real time and includes many features of real-time strategy games. As such, it is considered one of the precursors of the genre. It can oppose the player to the computer or to another player, via a modem. As a general of a robot army, the player controls, from his command centre, the actions of his units. The game takes place on a battlefield, consisting of different types of land including plains, rivers, forests, slopes and plateaus. These lands change from battle to battle, but the battlefield configuration remains the same. The two armies are initially positioned on both sides of a horizontal line, which cuts the battlefield into two zones corresponding to the two camps. In these areas are further traced two "rear lines". To win, players must destroy the opposing command centre, or accumulate more points in a given time. Players score points through the central line or the back lines of their opponent and damage the enemy command centre. Player armies are made up of different types of robots. In addition to their respective mobile command centres, they have infantry units (the Grunts), cavalry (the Raiders), artillery (the Boomers) and reconnaissance (the spies). They also have aerial units including drones, which allow to bomb the command centre or an enemy unit group, and missiles, which can intercept drones.

The game offers seven different scenarios. The first acts as tutorial and is intended for learning the game. The second opposes a small, mobile army attacking a defensive force in digital superiority but slower. The following three focus on air combat, cavalry and artillery respectively. On the contrary, the latter two involve all the units available in the game, one simulating a balanced confrontation and the other opposing an attacker, who has more drones and a mobile command centre, and a defender who has more missiles but whose command centre is static. These two scenarios also give players access to more advanced features, such as camouflage, burial, flash attacks, training changes and the definition of individual targets for artillery. At the end of each scenario, the player can view and save a film from the course of the battle that allows him to analyze the game.