Military Madness!

monads · 09/20/2006, 12:23 PM

I love this old school game. So who here has beaten all 32 stages without any cheat codes? I'm only on mission 9 but I made one dumb move lastnight that cost me to lose the mission!

Odonadon · 09/20/2006, 03:17 PM

I've barely made it past level 3 myself, but I definetely love it. One of the best games for the system, that's for sure.

OD

CrackTiger · 09/20/2006, 03:42 PM

I finished both quests of Military Madness and Neo Nectaris before I'd even heard of any kind of cheat codes.

Back then, magazines were the only source for such things and they were like 6 months behind.

Jared4781 · 09/20/2006, 04:23 PM

this is for sure one of my favorite games for the turbo. I have never beaten the game, but I usually have a tough time beating any game, I do wish that Hudson will release these for the Wii with wi-fi play so that I can try my hand at kickin some booty online.

PC Gaijin · 09/20/2006, 04:44 PM

Cheat codes? Do you mean the passwords to access the missions, or are there other cheat codes? Anyway, I cleared all 32 missions before seeing the mission passwords for the first time (I think in TurboPlay magazine). Fantastic game and it was very satisfying to finally beat that last mission, which is quite unfair in the number of enemies you have to fight. However, the AI in MM is pretty limited, and once you get used to it the game becomes fairly easy. Keep your units together for Area of Effect bonuses, force the enemy into chokepoints, pound them with ranged units while they're approaching your front line, and destroy units in a single round so they can't retreat to a factory for repair. Also, by forcing the enemy into a chokepoint with say only 2 or 3 hexes to engage your front line, you can rotate fresh units into the line after each round of combat while withdrawing damaged units to factories. The computer AI isn't very good at using this strategy, so on the maps where you are heavily outnumbered you can use this defensive strategy to wear down their numbers before going on the offensive later.

Tatsujin · 09/20/2006, 09:04 PM

best round based strategy game ever made! and also the milestone and great-grandfather for all the following roundbased hexagon-strategy games.

CrackTiger · 09/20/2006, 09:12 PM

Quote from: "Tatsujin"best round based strategy game ever made! and also the milestone and great-grandfather for all the following roundbased hexagon-strategy games.

It's still my favorite and although Neo' wasn't exactly what I wanted in every way, there's nothing wrong with it and it's another masterpiece.

The only other war sims I've been able to get into since have been ones that are similar to MM.

monads · 09/21/2006, 12:06 AM

That's some good strategy Gaijin

Yea and I was referring to the mission passwords as "cheat" codes.

I have a copy of Vasteel but haven't played it yet. I want to get through MM 1st but how do you guys like Vasteel to MM?

Odonadon · 09/21/2006, 12:18 AM

QuoteThe only other war sims I've been able to get into since have been ones that are similar to MM.

I hear ya. Advance Wars did almost everything right gameplay-wise, being faithful to Nectaris, but the story was just way too kiddyish for me. Bla. But I've never been able to enjoy any other type of war sim.

OD

CrackTiger · 09/21/2006, 01:08 AM

Quote from: "monads"That's some good strategy Gaijin Yea and I was referring to the mission passwords as "cheat" codes.

I have a copy of Vasteel but haven't played it yet. I want to get through MM 1st but how do you guys like Vasteel to MM?

Vasteel is a totally different game, but familiar enough after playing through MM, that it feels easier to get into.

For me, the hexagonal grids make all the difference. There isn't any zone of control in Vasteel, but the fights are one-on-one and you get to control your mecha in battle.

This can give you a big advantage once you get good at the game. But it also makes it hard when you're up late at night and start to get sleepy.

Vasteel also has some of the best graphical effects on the Turbo/PCE.

monads · 09/21/2006, 02:14 AM

Quote from: "Odonadon"I hear ya. Advance Wars did almost everything right gameplay-wise, being faithful to Nectaris, but the story was just way too kiddyish for me. Bla. But I've never been able to enjoy any other type of war sim.OD

Advance Wars was cool but the story just couldn't keep me coming back for more, like you said kiddish. I just started to play Field Commander for PSP so let's see how that goes.

But a battle in space/on the moon where an empire wants to detroy Earth? That sounds cool

Vasteel sounds interesting, I'll get to it soon.

Jared4781 · 09/21/2006, 11:40 PM

man! PC Gaijin has all the tips for MM! If only I could work my units to do what he says, I guess im just not a very good gamer.

Odonadon · 09/22/2006, 02:03 PM

Quote from: "Jared4781"man! PC Gaijin has all the tips for MM! If only I could work my units to do what he says, I guess im just not a very good gamer.

Practice makes perfect

I, too, am a horrible gamer but don't let that discourage you

OD

esteban · 09/22/2006, 06:33 PM

Quote from: "monads"I love this old school game. So who here has beaten all 32 stages without any cheat codes? I'm only on mission 9 but I made one dumb move lastnight that cost me to lose the mission!

Over the years, I've completed the following games on the real hardware:
Military Madness (HuCard)
Nectaris (HuCard)
Neo Nectaris (SCD) Best UI of the lot.
Nectaris GB (GB) Hey does anyone have a cart with a working battery?
Nectaris: Military Madness (PS1) Not a big fan of the battle scenes (neither 3D nor 2D looked as good as they should have), and it was a shame they ignored all the UI improvements that Neo Nectaris implemented.

And I've played around with the following:
Nectaris (PC Germany -- hard as nails, but great... I only beat a dozen stages)
Nectaris (mobile) -- I finally got a cell phone and the first thing I did was download the game, just to see what it looked like).

CrackTiger · 09/22/2006, 07:39 PM

Quote from: "stevek666"
Quote from: "monads"I love this old school game. So who here has beaten all 32 stages without any cheat codes? I'm only on mission 9 but I made one dumb move lastnight that cost me to lose the mission!

Over the years, I've completed the following games on the real hardware:
Military Madness (HuCard)
Nectaris (HuCard)
Neo Nectaris (SCD) Best UI of the lot.
Nectaris GB (GB) Hey does anyone have a cart with a working battery?
Nectaris: Military Madness (PS1) Not a big fan of the battle scenes (neither 3D nor 2D looked as good as they should have), and it was a shame they ignored all the UI improvements that Neo Nectaris implemented.

And I've played around with the following:
Nectaris (PC Germany -- hard as nails, but great... I only beat a dozen stages)
Nectaris (mobile) -- I finally got a cell phone and the first thing I did was download the game, just to see what it looked like).

I didn't realize that you were also a Military Madness fan Steve.

Speaking of MM tricks/strategy, what's the best place to find info on the Nectaris series?

SignOfZeta · 09/22/2006, 09:21 PM

Quote from: "Odonadon"
QuoteThe only other war sims I've been able to get into since have been ones that are similar to MM.

I hear ya. Advance Wars did almost everything right gameplay-wise, being faithful to Nectaris, but the story was just way too kiddyish for me. Bla. But I've never been able to enjoy any other type of war sim.

OD

Yes, whereas the War and Peace level depth to the story in Military Madness is so riviting and detailed...

PC Gaijin · 09/23/2006, 12:34 AM

Well, the story in MM is largely throwaway. You can ignore it if you wish and just concentrate on the maps, whereas in AW the story is a lot more obtrusive.

I always preferred MM over AW due to the hex-based design and Zone of Control. Those two things alone make a big difference in gameplay.

Has anyone here ever played the game OGRE? It's an hex-based wargame that was converted into a computer game. I loved playing that on my Atari 800, and when MM came out it reminded me a lot of OGRE. In OGRE, the forces were lopsided (one player controlled a huge battletank, the other side had a bunch of much weaker units), but the futuristic setting and hex-based design were kind of like MM.

Odonadon · 09/23/2006, 01:01 AM

QuoteYes, whereas the War and Peace level depth to the story in Military Madness is so riviting and detailed...

No, but it isn't childish. I'd rather play a game with no story than one with a bad one

OD

Odonadon · 09/23/2006, 01:03 AM

Quote from: "PC Gaijin"Well, the story in MM is largely throwaway. You can ignore it if you wish and just concentrate on the maps, whereas in AW the story is a lot more obtrusive.

I always preferred MM over AW due to the hex-based design and Zone of Control. Those two things alone make a big difference in gameplay.

Has anyone here ever played the game OGRE? It's an hex-based wargame that was converted into a computer game. I loved playing that on my Atari 800, and when MM came out it reminded me a lot of OGRE. In OGRE, the forces were lopsided (one player controlled a huge battletank, the other side had a bunch of much weaker units), but the futuristic setting and hex-based design were kind of like MM.

Sounds a lot like Ogre Battle for the SNES, I imagine they are related. Fun game that eventually evolved into Ogre Tactics - away from the hexagonal map. Interesting tactic (pun fully intended).

OD

PC Gaijin · 09/23/2006, 02:26 AM

Actually, OGRE isn't related to the Ogre Battles series in any way.

And I don't recall Ogre Battle taking place on a hexagonal map (been years since I played it)?

GUTS · 09/24/2006, 02:54 AM

Ogre Battle is real time and doesn't have hexes, the only thing it has remotely in common with MM is that when your units get into battles it shows a cut scene of them fighting.

handygrafx · 10/26/2006, 09:50 PM

I want new Military Madness / Nectaris games for the DS and the Wii.

the DS version should have decent 3D battle graphics, better than the poor PS1, and close to the unreleased N64/64DD game Gendai Dai-Senryaku: Ultimate War

video:

but traditional turn-based, hex-based gameplay. no realtime gameplay.

a Wii version should be different but also able to play with the DS through WiFi. lots of downloadable maps, weapons, and online worldwide gameplay.

my heart nearly stopped when i saw this
wayback://nfggames.com / Hudson Announces Nectaris DS

Hudson Announces Nectaris DS

Quote"Hudson Announces Nectaris DS", that's the headline I long to hear. Nectaris, released in North America as Military Madness, is fantastically popular in Japan, and it has a cult following overseas.

Unlike most hex grid strategy games Nectaris focuses on strategy and tactics rather than unit stats and realism. Realism is, in fact, eschewed in favour of a fanciful plot, with tanks and planes fighting for dominance on the surface of Earth's moon.

It's much easier to learn than Nintendo's popular Advance Wars, not being bogged down with frivolous features like commanders with different skills and special attacks. Nectaris is also very hard on the player, with the odds stacked against the player on every map. Unlike Advance Wars' endless battles of attrition, Nectaris demands that players use strategy and terrain to their advantage from the very first stage. Playing your units against the CPU head-on is the quickest way to end the game. Players must instead use field effects, called "Zone of Control", to surround and weaken enemies, and boost the offensive and defensive capabilities of allies. (See NFG Nectaris Guide)

Nectaris is a game that cries out for a DS release. It could make especially good use of the DS' dual screen architecture. I imagine being able to tap a unit on the bottom screen and seeing its details on the top, or scrolling around the zoomed-in map on the bottom and seeing the whole battlefield on top.

And the wireless capabilities! Nectaris has always had a two-player option, but hinking about wireless or (dare I say it) internet multiplayer makes me weak in the knees.

And then the extras. The virtually unlimited storage afforded by the DS carts could easily see all the maps from the PC Engine and Playstation versions as well as the extra units from the incredible Neo Nectaris bundled into one package. The DS is such an ideal platform for this game that it is nigh criminal for Hudson to not release this game. It's easy on the resources and there's a guaranteed audience of old fans, and the success of Advance Wars has created an awareness of the genre, with new fans looking to scratch an itch.

Come on, Hudson, how about it?

If not for them, do it for me.

Odonadon · 10/26/2006, 11:04 PM

Oh sweet lord my prayers have been answered! That's great news!

OD

Keranu · 10/27/2006, 01:15 AM

Supar sweet!

CrackTiger · 10/27/2006, 01:43 PM

Alright I don't get it? You guys are exited than NFG likes Nectaris and thinks Hudson should make a DS port?

GUTS · 10/27/2006, 02:56 PM

Read the article you spastics, it's just a joke.

cheezio · 10/27/2006, 08:45 PM

MM was the first game of its type I ever played, and I totally loved it. Hex is much preferable to AWs square grid map.

MMs subtleties like unit veterancy (more stars/skill for each kill), and the support fire help make it a better tactical game than AW. But AW has more character and story, and its prettier of course.
Also AW has much more replay value, as there branching maps in the campaign (so you need to play through several times to get them all), and the troop types you get on the final mission relate to which maps you chose in the campaign.

Battle Isle was another good hex based game (pc and amiga i think)

Keranu · 10/27/2006, 09:25 PM

Quote from: "GUTS"Read the article you spastics, it's just a joke.

Understand the idea of sarcasm you flaming tard.

Odonadon · 10/27/2006, 11:14 PM

Quote from: "Keranu"
Quote from: "GUTS"Read the article you spastics, it's just a joke.
Understand the idea of sarcasm you flaming tard.

Actually, I didn't read the article at all - I thought the post was sincere

Took me all of 3 seconds to see what it was really about though.

OD

Keranu · 10/27/2006, 11:25 PM

I didn't bother reading it too, I just wanted to piss GUTS off. ;)

GUTS · 10/28/2006, 02:15 PM

Actuall you spelling super SUPAR is what pissed me off.

Keranu · 10/28/2006, 10:00 PM

Quote from: "GUTS"Actuall you spelling super SUPAR is what pissed me off.

I always spell super with an a; it makes it sound more exciting!

M1Savage · 10/29/2006, 12:20 PM

Alright, looks like this place is still kicking.

Good to come back to a post about one of my favorite games. For any new people who came to this thread actually looking for info about this game, be sure to check out stevek666 signature in his post. Didn't want anyone to miss it in the sacracsm and good natured ribbing going on here.

Anyway, if you own an Xbox and like Military Madness, be sure to pick up Dai Senryaku (Modern Military Tactics). Takes a while longer to get used to but well worth it due to it's almost infinate replay value.

Odonadon · 10/29/2006, 01:15 PM

Jeez, m1savage? I haven't seen you for probably literally years. Welcome back.

OD

SignOfZeta · 10/29/2006, 01:21 PM

Quote from: "m1savage"Anyway, if you own an Xbox and like Military Madness, be sure to pick up Dai Senryaku (Modern Military Tactics). Takes a while longer to get used to but well worth it due to it's almost infinate replay value.

Hm...well, I haven't played the Xbox version, but from my experience with past Daisenryaku games (the series goes all the way back to the Famicom) would indicate that is super amazingly complex, and lacks the sort of "pick up and play" charm of games like Nectaris, and Advanced Wars. Its a great series for sure, its just...something else.

In the realm of hyper complex strategy games I recommend Ghiren's Greed. Its a game based on Mobile Suit Gundam and its soooo friggn great. Its been on SS, PS, DC, PS2, and Wonderswan. It may be on something elese, I'm not sure. Totally unlike other Bandai STG titles, you spend loads of time bribing people, blowing money on R&D, etc. The only thing that sucks is than you can get all the way to the end and not have the resources to win the war. This happened to me in the Saturn version, so I recently bought the DC version so I can go through it again.

Keranu · 10/29/2006, 06:27 PM

Quote from: "Odonadon"Jeez, m1savage? I haven't seen you for probably literally years. Welcome back.

OD

For real! Where have you been!?

Military Madness!

monads

Odonadon

_CrackTiger

Jared4781

PC Gaijin

Tatsujin

_CrackTiger

monads

Odonadon

_CrackTiger

monads

Jared4781

Odonadon

esteban

_CrackTiger

_SignOfZeta

PC Gaijin

Odonadon

Odonadon

PC Gaijin

GUTS

handygrafx

Odonadon

Keranu

_CrackTiger

GUTS

cheezio

Keranu

Odonadon

Keranu

GUTS

Keranu

M1Savage

Odonadon

_SignOfZeta

Keranu