(7/24/2014 - 7/30/2014) Game of the Week: Military Madness

[SamIAm]

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July 24 - July 30: Military Madness
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(Chosen by DarkKobold)

A golden game last week, a golden game this week, and a golden game next week. It's high times here at GOTW.

Military Madness isn't the kind of game I usually play, but I suppose there's no time like now to see if I can't get into it. If you're like me, why not do the same?

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GOTW Schedule:

January 15-21: Battle Royale (TheClash603)
January 22-28: Drop Off/Drop Rock (esteban)
January 29-February 4: Bonk's Adventure (roflmao)
February 5-11: Silent Debuggers (vestcoat)
February 12-18: Somer Assault (BigusSchmuck)
February 19-25: Splatterhouse (FiftyQuid)
February 26-March 4: Bloody Wolf (Jibbajaba)
March 5-11: The Lost Sunheart (Gogan)
March 12-18: Sapphire (BlueBMW)
March 19-25: Energy (PunkicCyborg)
March 26-April 1: Air Zonk (_joshuaTurbo)
April 2-8: Veigues Tactical Gladiator (Punch)
April 9-15: 1943 Kai (lukester)
April 16-22: Lords of Thunder (munchiaz)
April 23-29: Ninja Spirit (csgx1)
April 30 - May 6: Bomberman (SamIAm)
May 7 - May 13: Pyramid Plunder (Black Tiger)
May 14 - May 20: Galaga 90' (nullity)
May 22 - May 28: JJ and Jeff (geise)
May 29 - June 4: The Legendary Axe (Damon Plus)
June 5 - June 11: The Legendary Axe 2 (galam)
June 12 - June 18: Aero Blasters (Phase)
June 19 - June 25: Star Parodier (Inframan)
June 26 - July 2: Alien Crush (synbiosfan)
July 3 - July 9: Shockman (toktogul)
July 10 - July 16: Cadash (Bardoly)
July 17 - July 23: Dungeon Explorer (Gentlegamer)
July 24 - July 30: Military Madness (DarkKobold)
July 31 - August 6: Blazing Lazers (tpivette)
August 7 - August 13: Fantasy Zone (jtucci31)
August 14 - August 20: OPEN!!

Rules:
-All members are allowed one submission. When there are no further submissions, we will have a reset and everyone will be able to submit another game.
-Each game may only be submitted once.
-If you wish to retract your submission, please do so at least two weeks before your game is due. Your next submission will go to the back of the cue.
-Please don't submit games that have a high language barrier or will take too long to complete (particularly RPGs).
-Please don't submit games that are too expensive. Below $50 is best. Above $100 won't work.

(If you have any questions or comments about the GOTW system, please either PM me or post in the old thread)

[johnnykonami]

I haven't played in a couple weeks, but I am on map ATTAYA.  I hear it's one of the hardest in the game, is that true?  In the spirit of GotW, I will attempt the map later tonight.  I'll try to post my results!

[Paddyfitz18]

Love this game.  Love. It.  Played the crap out of it over the course of my life.  Attaya is the board with loads and loads of aerial units, right?   If I'm thinking of the right one it is a challenge.  Good luck.

[johnnykonami]

Ok, had my first attempt today actually, tried to take over the southwest base but I made a garrison with my falcons to protect my transport and charlie instead of racing them down to block the panther unit from taking it first.  All these hunters the CPU gets in that level!  But my Falcons actually did hold their own against them, so if I just use them right next time  I'm sure I can slowly pick them off one by one.

[TheOldMan]

The air guns are good against the hunters, but you have to back them up with a tank or two, so ground forces don't pop them off.  Check out the bases when you start to see what is in them, and then rush cheap stuff around his hunter-laden base so he can't get any out

At least that's what I remember doing for that board.

[jtucci31]

I don't see it on the list and I'm not sure how far back this goes. I would like to submit Fantasy Zone for the GOTW

[Damon Plus]

One of the very best strategy games ever released, (amazing to think it came out in 1989), and a Top-10 Turbografx game overall. The game has it all, with a deep and challenging gameplay and tons of replay value (64 stages if you count both campaigns and its counterparts!), lots of different units, 2-player mode...

In fact, I love this game so much, I did a thread about it a bit ago (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=10200.msg185516#msg185516), and wrote a review at Gamefaqs. BTW, my English skills were a bit unpolished back then 

The universal praise  (of those who know it) is well deserved.

[esteban]

One of the very best strategy games ever released, (amazing to think it came out in 1989), and a Top-10 Turbografx game overall. The game has it all, with a deep and challenging gameplay and tons of replay value (64 stages if you count both campaigns and its counterparts!), lots of different units, 2-player mode...

In fact, I love this game so much, I did a thread about it a bit ago (http://www.pcenginefx.com/forums/index.php?topic=10200.msg185516#msg185516), and wrote a review at Gamefaqs. BTW, my English skills were a bit unpolished back then 

The universal praise  (of those who know it) is well deserved.

I remember that thread! 

STATUS: I have never played "Military Madness"...I'll have to try it one of these days.

[johnnykonami]

I wish I had known to get it when I was a kid, personally, I would have really liked to own the real thing (playing on virtual console now).  I did get Vasteel, but as cool as that game is, it's not exactly deep strategy.  Still, I'd like to play it again also.

[DarkKobold]

STATUS: I have never played "Military Madness"...I'll have to try it one of these days.

That is strange, because someone with exact same handle just so happens to have a really helpful website on this series.    I used your... errr... his site extensively when I was obsessed with this game. I like that, aside from Luna Strike, the games are all playable so long as you have played the first one in English. Also, Neo Nectaris is amazing, with the CD tracks of the same music, but with a more bombastic feeling.

I really enjoy the surround mechanic of this game. It often helps to just place a unit on the opposite side, but not have it attack. The only part that gets frustrating is the air-heavy levels.

[esteban]

STATUS: I have never played "Military Madness"...I'll have to try it one of these days.

That is strange, because someone with exact same handle just so happens to have a really helpful website on this series.    I used your... errr... his site extensively when I was obsessed with this game. I like that, aside from Luna Strike, the games are all playable so long as you have played the first one in English. Also, Neo Nectaris is amazing, with the CD tracks of the same music, but with a more bombastic feeling.

I really enjoy the surround mechanic of this game. It often helps to just place a unit on the opposite side, but not have it attack. The only part that gets frustrating is the air-heavy levels.

Yeah, when the enemy has a lot of the dreaded HUNTERS...forget about it. Your entire opening strategy is on how to minimize losses and neutralize HUNTERS as quickly as possible.

The surround tactic is great. What I love is that even if you don't figure it out via trial-and-error, you will (you SHOULD) learn about it when your opponent uses it decimate your troops. That's what makes it a great game—some strategies are modeled for you, whereas as others require your own creativity (like using infantry as bait for HUNTERS, who would otherwise avoid an obvious ambush).

[johnnykonami]

Just beat ATTAYA!  Honestly it's not as bad as it first seems, you really have the resources between Falcons and Hawkeyes to completely eliminate the enemy's air force on turns 1 & 2.  I really wanted the base with the two Hunters in it, so first I moved a single Falcon down in front of the base to block the Panther unit from taking it first.  Then I moved my Mule + Charlie down towards that base protecting them with my other Falcons and lining up my Hawkeyes for support.  After I destroyed all the enemy planes, I was able to take over the base with the Hunters.  This is pretty much where the tide was turned because I then concentrated on destroying any Hawkeyes or Seekers, then any Rabbits and Lynxes because they all can attack air units.  After they were gone, my Hunters were pretty much invincible because all that was left to shoot at them were Giants, which move too slow to really be a threat.  From then on out I slowly cleared out any remaining units by surrounding them with my full health, fully promoted Hunters, using my surviving falcons to block other units from advancing or attacking.  With no way for the enemy to attack air units, they were perfectly safe to stick in front of any tanks which was really all the enemy had left.  Still, the AI in this game is great at turning any level into a war of attrition, it really knows the best ways to slow you down or force you to take another turn or a different route.

The AI doesn't make the best use of it's Hunters, though, I'm curious how this stage will go once I play the levels over again as the computer's side.  Those Falcons will be a force to be reckoned with, but the computer just doesn't know how to hang back and play defensively so I'm sure I'll still be at an advantage.

[johnnykonami]

Wow, I just tried playing some of the Axis maps before I move onto DESHTA.  REVOLT was pretty simple, I managed to win on the first try.  ICARUS on the other hand I've tried 4 times and it seems pretty impossible.  AI gets to waste one of your three tanks before you even get to move, so you're only left with two (with some damage usually) and 3 charlies when you start.  I tried moving back onto my base for 35% and using the other surrounding terrain (30% and 40% for charlies) but it's just a matter of time since they have five tanks and you have two.  Seems like the best thing would be to get lucky on the RNG and maybe be able to surround as perfectly as possible to do the most damage but I'm not sure how yet.

[roflmao]

I have nothing useful to add as I've been remiss in my obey lately, but it warms the cockles of my heart to see activity around Military Madness.  I played it a bunch just a few months ago (along with Neo Nectaris and the PS1 version, Nectaris).