Tag Archives: Screenshot
Tuesday Screenshot – Final Approach
The JTS Interview
By Boggit, 8 November 2014
John Tiller and Ed ‘Volcano Man’ Williams take us on a tour of their new releases
John and Ed, thank you for agreeing to talk to Grogheads about your recent work. Both East Prussia ‘14, and Panzer Battles: Kursk, the Southern Flank are recent releases and show some interesting developments in John Tiller Software games
Ed, I know that you’ve put many years of research into the First World War Campaigns. What attracted you to the period in the first place, and do you have any favourite campaigns you’d like to explore?
Ed Williams: I have always been interested in World War One for as long as I can remember. I am not sure what initially attracted me to the subject, perhaps it was the movie Lawrence of Arabia, but I recall my desire to read and watch movies and documentaries about the war all the way back in grade school. About ten years ago I was attending college and I took a history class taught by an excellent professor (Dr. Robert Bruce) and the class covered the war, but not all the boring economic and political stuff, it was purely about the battles and the conflict itself.
I suppose it was that class that piqued my interest, but it did so at a perfect moment since I had just finished the HPS Korea ’85 game some years before and I was basically twiddling my thumbs with nothing to do.
So, I had the experience to develop a new title, the free time to do it, and a renewed spark of interest in the subject matter. I took the interest and came up with an idea of a World War One game using the Panzer Campaigns engine at its core, but of course it would need to be modified. I set about creating a list of modifications that were necessary and I presented them to John, and he was receptive to the idea, made the appropriate adjustments, and so I intentionally charged forward before I had time to think about how difficult of a task it would be.
As for my personal favourite campaigns, I am interested in all campaigns of the war but my personal favourites would have to be anything in Palestine and Mesopotamia, the Galicia campaign, and the 1918 battles.
Tuesday Screenshot – Medieval II Total War
4 November 2014
The Spanish forces of Sir Nogel had marshaled in the opening days of April and now early on a rain-washed morning they marched out to meet the French invaders. They arrived on the edge of a blossoming field, across which the French had made their camp. As both sides drew up for battle, the Spanish soldiers fidgeted nervously at the site of the vaunted French mounted knights.
Robed in their polished armor and adorned with the French colors, the knights instantly drew the attention of the Spanish foot soldiers. The Spanish nobles tried in vain to reassure their vassals that this was a battle that could be won and that their men’s lives would not be forfeit. After a brief skirmish between the two sides, the main lines of foot soldiers marched towards each other.
Then, whether out of bloodlust or foolish pride, the French knights charged the center of the Spanish line. Expecting this type of rashness from their enemies, the Spanish had instructed their men to immediately stop their advance at the site of a French cavalry charge. Quickly coming to a halt and forming ranks, the Spanish spears prepared to meet the enemy horses. Like waves against a rocky shore, the French knights broke upon the Spanish spear.
In a manner of minutes the remaining knights were fleeing the field of battle leaving their fallen brethren lying amongst the spring flowers at the feet of the Spanish.