I just purchased a great World War 2 era turn-based strategy game off of steam. It's called Making History: The Calm and the Storm.
To quote the website (with little *comments):
A couple more things:
Seasons and land types DO have an impact on farming, troop movement, and combat. I hope I never have to assault through a mountainous area during winter. That would take awhile.
There's a demo, although it is rather short. You can find the link to download it here. If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability, but I'm no expert on the game. I just purchased it Friday
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To quote the website (with little *comments):
Key Features:
Rich WWII World:
Includes over 80 nations and 800+ regions. Each nation is given detailed characteristics built on extensive research, including economic and military strengths, diplomatic relations, ideology, and technical advancement. Each region features terrain, infrastructure, resource production and more.
*Only eight are playable (China, USSR, Germany, Italy, USA, Britain, France, Japan) but all CAN be made playable through modding.
You are your Nation:
Devise strategies based on your nation’s historic strengths and weaknesses– and those of the world’s other nations. Play as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the USSR, the United States, or China.
Effortless Game Navigation:
Player’s console provides one-click access to all critical information and actions. Play on the 3D world map with beautifully detailed city, military, and other models.
Multi-Turn Combat:
Take many approaches to engagements from massive assaults to holding actions. Supplies, reinforcements and geography all affect your battle plan.
*I really love this aspect of the game. If the battle is at a stalemate, reinforce your side and hope the enemy doesn't do the same.
More Military Options:
Use unique unit abilities to blitzkrieg with armor, fight attrition battles with hordes of infantry, decimate enemy industry with strategic bombers, and bomb fleets from a distance with a carrier task force. Use Research to unlock more advanced military units, and every unit features a detailed 3D model.
*I haven't found a huge use for infantry yet, but I've read of others using them defensively paired with artillery. I produce tanks as fast as possible, then blitz my enemies with support of a large, powerful air force. However, don't expect to be able to hold land with planes alone. You need land units to do that.
*Naval forces are very handy, especially if you're playing as the British and trying to prevent Germany from landing troops on England. However, other times the navy isn't that important. Right now I'm playing in a game as France (a very aggressive France
Sophisticated World Economy:
Economic system models the connections between world power and economic strength. Players control trade, aid, industrial development, infrastructure investments, and a deep field of research.
*Advanced tanks, advanced radar, Escort Destroyers, ICBMs, and Jet Fighters are only a few of the many things that can be researched.
*Trade and aid are very useful (I think they generally improve relations with nations as trading goes on), and it is quite easy to manage the various industries of cities.
*Just a little note: being in debt isn't that much of a problem. As far as I know, the only thing that occurs when a nation is in debt is a very slight decrease in power score.
Powerful Alliance System:
As you make and break alliances, declare war and propose peace, each action affects your relations with other nations, and their willingness to ally with you. If you lack strong allies, you may find other nations are more are more likely to attack.
*The main nations can be a ***** to deal with when you're allied with them, and trying to agree to peace with an enemy. Usually there's one nation in the player's alliance that just plain refuses peace with an enemy. When you occupy lands, the industrial output of them can be as little as 25%. Though if you declare peace with an enemy whose land's you've occupied, industrial output can bounce back to 75% (25% culture difference penalty). Furthermore, if you let a country become independent, then it will ally you (very likely staying with you throughout the rest of the game) and have full 100% industrial efficiency. On the other hand, you will no longer get the nation's resources, but you could always request aid from the nation.
Single and Multiplayer Turn-Based Gameplay:
Innovative simultaneous-turn-based play keeps you in control with no waiting. Play with up to eight others in multiplayer mode, using in-game chat to devise joint strategies and secret pacts.
*From what I've read, multiplayer is buggy. It's currently difficult to set up, and if that is done, the game could crash (whereas it doesn't crash at all during gameplay).
Historic Scenarios:
Start at a crucial historic moment, focus on a specific event, or play the whole war. Scenarios cover the fall of France, Pearl Harbor, the D-Day invasion of Europe, the Sudeten crisis and more, and each is based on detailed research.
*I'm not exactly sure how these historic scenarios work. You can't pick to play the "Pearl Harbor" scenario for example, but it may happen. My understanding is that there are certain actions that trigger these "Historic Scenarios" though I'm not sure if they're obvious when they happen (like a notification saying that Pearl Harbor has been attacked- it very well may be that it just happens without a notification, but I don't know for certain.)
Superb replayability:
Each scenario drops you into a different firestorm. Each nation you play presents unique challenges. Everything evolves from your economic and military choices, the alliances you make, and the actions and reactions of the world’s other nations.
*This is very true, though I've noticed a few odd trends (though I've really only played the 1936- scenario). When Japan declares war on China, Germany often declares war on Japan, but doesn't ally China. Also, USSR seems to enjoy allying with Axis powers. Furthermore, I've not yet seen true Allies and Axis alliances form. Usually Japan stays out of the German-Italy alliance and the US and USSR stay out of the Britain-France alliance. I have seen the US join Britain and France once, though.
Three Ways to Win:
Pursue victory for your Nation, your Alliance, or your Ideology (Democracy, Communism, Fascism, or Authoritarianism.)
*The most important thing to note here is that you can play past the "end" of the the game.
Built for Modding:
Use included Scenario Editor to modify scenarios or create your own.
Share Game Reports:
Save complete reports of a game session to share on the web, analyze strategies and results.
A couple more things:
Seasons and land types DO have an impact on farming, troop movement, and combat. I hope I never have to assault through a mountainous area during winter. That would take awhile.
There's a demo, although it is rather short. You can find the link to download it here. If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them to the best of my ability, but I'm no expert on the game. I just purchased it Friday
.
