UMS II: Nations at War

The war strategy simulation game UMS II: Nations at War, was developed by Ezra Sidran of Intergalactic Development Inc. Released in the year 1990 on Amiga, Atari ST, DOS and Macintosh the game was published by Rainbird Software. It promised to be a more advanced version of its predecessor. The battlefields could be extended throughout the planet with the help of its Planet Editor an additional component. That enable a player to create one’s own continents from the scratch, complete with mountains, oceans and various landscapes.
The game offers three historical scenarios: Alexender the Great's reach for world domination from Spain to India, the Assault on Fortress Europe from 1st of June to 31st of July, 1944 and an event where Napoleon's forces wanted to cross the English Channel on 5th August, 1905. The number of players to wage the war simultaneously is to be decided. 50 players can start the war at once. The war can be divided into two phases. The first is where the player decides the nation where the battle will take place and mobilize the army towards it. The computer follows and mobilizes its own forces. The second phase begins at the command of the player for the war to begin. The computer takes over the developments of the war based on numerous algorithms until the war ends and a winner is decided. These can be influenced by the player who is in complete control over one’s forces. By setting and resetting the values of the right variables, directing the forces towards an advantageous terrain or increasing capacity building, the battle can be won. The game needs a lot of peeks into the manuals as the game is vast and is not simple and easy. The algorithm is advanced and the variables are numerous. The graphics are simple and the background score can be rated average, in case one can successfully configure it.
One of the most ambitious war simulation game UMS II: Nations at War, launched in the 90s, is definitely worth a try.

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