Empire
I'm not really sure is this freeware as Home of the Underdogs claims. Anyway student named Walter Bright started development of this game in 1970's with PDP-10 and thus is one of the first computer strategy games ever created. Game is relative simple where 2-3 armies fight against each others. Practically only resource are cities where armies are created. Available land and air units are exactly one each but naval vessels include three different warships, transport, aircraft carrier and submarine. Winner is army which destroys all opponents and conquer their cities. Multiplayer is limited to terminals (things with monitor and keyboard which are connected to computer's serial port) and PBM.
[edit]
Got confirmation about Empire from Walter Bright himself
Would you like to know more?You can download it free from www.classicempire.com, but you cannot
redistribute it.
Battle for Wesnoth
I found this game last week so I haven't found out everything about it. What I have found out though, is excellent example of open source game. There are number of single player campaigns but what really hits the eye is very long list of available languages. I was startled when my native language was on by default and all I could do was stare at the screen and think "WTF!!?" Finnish translation isn't too bad but there are enough errors and gaps for me to prefer english (UK version).
Game is fantasy strategy game. I haven't played Fantasy General but I guess it is good example for comparison. Available sides include humans, elves, orcs... standard fantasy stuff. Each has available relative small number of units. Variety comes to play in form of attributes. Each new unit gets two attributes which are assigned randomly. Attributes may increase unit's attack, speed, hit points etc. When unit fights, it gets experience. When unit has enough experience, it can be transformed to more effective unit.
Player(s) can spend gold to get new units. Gold is get from villages in form of taxation. In addition villages and base (castle/fortress) itself offers defense bonus and heal units which are located in them. Large number of units require gold for upkeep. "Army marches on its stomach" you know. In single player scenarios there are number of objectives to be completed. Multiplayer seems to be traditional 'kill all' (I don't know everything yet).
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MegaMek
This is the game which eats about half of my time with computer games. MegaMek is based to rules of BattleTech and follows them almost to letter. Large number of official BattleTech units are included to game including 'Mechs (counting BattleMechs, QuadMechs and OmniMechs), ProtoMechs, infantry (counting battle armor), vehicles (counting tanks, hovercrafts and Mobile Long Tom) and some units of recently added elements: VTOL and naval. In addition to units game includes number of maps and random map generator (RMG). Host player can define parameters for RMG including amount of water, woods, rough, roads and so on. Game is open source and is in constant development. New elements are added and bugs squished on regular basis. New versions come available without schedule but it seems to be almost weekly basis.
For those who don't know about BattleTech, it is tactical war game on unit level. Main focus is in 12 meter tall walking war machines of mass destruction, commonly known BattleMech or 'Mech for short (in MegaMek called Mek becouse copyrights). Game is played in phases. Game starts with deployment phase where units are place to the map. It is followed by movement phase where units are moved and firing phase where targets are declared for weapons. Hit and damage calculations are made after target declarations. Next is physical phase where BattleMechs can use their own mass to make damage: punchs, kicks and push (to water).
MegaMek isn't most exciting game but it is tolerable with sufficient amount of cola and cookies. When something happens, it usually happens BIG time. Shouts of joy and damaged keyboards are not uncommon when playing MegaMek.
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Classic BattleTech Introductory Rulebook
MekWars
Earlier known as MegaMekNET, MekWars is on-line campaign game built around MegaMek. Short and sweet: players join to factions and fight over Inner Sphere ( = known galaxy). Players launch attacks against planets of opposing factions. Focus is conquering enemy. If captured planet includes factory, it is possible to use that factory to produce units of enemy for own use. Other available task types include raids to steal units or components from enemy. Default server is based to year 3025 with level 1 technology only. Available units include most level 1 'Mechs and ground vehicles.
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