V for Victory game

Producer:

Atomic Games Inc.

Publisher:

Three-Sixty Pacific, Inc.

Year:

1993

Keywords:

Abandonware Strategy History

Size:

1852 kb

Compability:

V for Victory is a wargame from early 1991 that has four scenario packs. However, when it was initially released to public, it was sold like one game and three expansions. Now you can get this game with his four scenarios in a single download.
V for Victory take place at the end of the Second World War. This first scenario features Utah Beach beginning with the west side of Normandy and the D day. In 1991, the company launched the first of the other three scenarios in the following order: in 1991, Velikiye Luki (Russian front, 1942); in 1992, Market Garden (1944); and in 1993, Gold-Juno-Sword that takes the game again to Normandy but this time to the east. Each, of them got many scenarios and a campaign mode that is a scenario of the whole battle.
The game is really well done and its weaker spot is that it only has these four scenarios. Nobody followed the path that V for victory has opened for strategic games. V for victory is very innovative in some keys points thanks to which the game achieved a high realism level. The interface isn’t easy but with some playtime it becomes clear. Each day is divided in six parts (turns), some at day and some at night (they failed to make dusk and morning turns). For each turn you have a planning phase, an execution phase and a post action reviews. The weather is very important for air and naval support, and for the troops in land. As day turns, air support missions can be executed.
V for victory features one of the best supply systems I encountered in games. At beginning of each day you may set the supply level of each HQ, going from none to attacking, so the troops will build their power (attack, defense, armor and antitank) according to the supplies sent by the HQ. The supplies that you don’t use can be stockpiled, and in return, stockpiled supplies can be used later and are safe from the enemy’s air interdictions.
The game also has parameters that determine a unit strength such as fatigue, moral and disruption. All of them come from fighting, but the effect and recovery rates are different foe each unit. For example, units can recover moral by getting replacements, by get all the supplies needed, wining or resting; units lose moral by being encircled, having a bad supply’s line, losing, high fatigue or disruption. Units with low morale left alone against the enemy will surrender.
The naval support is easy. There are cost stations where you can place the ships. They will be there like an artillery unit until they run out of ammunition and which they can replenish in any friendly port.
The game is fully mouse controlled so you will miss your keyboard. V for victory provides you with computerized staff that can handle some operations for you. This also adds to overall realism as you wouldn’t expect a single commander to handle all the moves, attacks and fire support. You can let your staff handle night moves, suggest convoy routes or plan air support requests. You will found many interesting options for tweaking your troop’s actions when attacking, defending and moving. A weak point is the lack of information about the unit’s soldiers - you only will know that the unit “A” has x % of causalities, but you don’t know how many soldiers are left, even in your own troops. Another downside is the lack of tutorial or aid in the game. If you played any of the “Panzer Campaigns” series, you will find that you are fighting without a real idea of your troops status.
V for victory has nice graphics in general. They are simple and give you a quick idea of how the interface works. V for victory is certainly game that no real wargamer should miss. I give V for victory a 4 simply because it doesn’t feature a tutorial or in-game help for beginners in the strategy genre.