Falklands War simulation coming
by VGLN Staff

Thursday, January 22, 2004

Shrapnel Games will attempt to simulate the oft forgetten 1982 conflict.

Shrapnel Games has announced the beginning of development on a simulation game that utilizes the Falklands War as it's backdrop.

The Falklands War took place in 1982 and began when Argentina invaded the islands on April 2nd. The conflict lasted until June 13th, which saw the British forces victorious and the Falklands recaptured. The war itself was a curious mixture of modern, high-tech warfare (the sinking of the H.M.S. Sheffield due to an Exocet attack) and low-tech, in your face battles that could have taken place in any conflict over the past fifty years. The British were outnumbered on the ground, and were for the most part without true air cover, having only the aircraft that came with the task force. The amphibious operations were a potential disaster, as the landing fleet had been rapidly assembled for the upcoming conflict, with many of its members originally destined for the scrap yard. Yet training and valor carried the day, and in the end the British took the islands back and captured over 11,000 prisoners.

ProSIM's War in the Falklands will allow players to examine all facets of the conflict, from amphibious operations (made manageable by their relatively small scope) to naval warfare and special forces. Due to the nature of the war the game is well suited for portraying small unit combat and tactics, something which will be familiar to veterans of ProSIM's other products. Some of the game's highlights include:

* Wage an entire war but at a small scale. Units vary in size from brigade to company level, with battalion sized amphibious operations possible.

* Full featured naval integration: naval gunfire support, amphibious vehicles, landing craft, aircraft carriers, and more.

* Extensive unit list of fixed wing and rotary aircraft, including the famous carrier-based Harrier jumpjet.

* Highly precise maps have always been a hallmark of ProSIM games, and War in the Falklands is no different. Period correct and digitally accurate British maps of East and West Falklands will be used to game on.

* The chance to explore hypothetical situations such as the use of heavy armor on both sides.

The Falklands War is an oft-neglected area of conflict in the wargaming world, in both boardgames and computer games, yet is a perfect conflict for gaming. Forces are manageable, and there is plenty of excitement to be had with the various facets of the conflict: special force and airborne operations, amphibious landings, air combat, the naval dimension, etc.

Currently slated for a spring 2005 release, more details will be available at Shrapnel Games as the release date approaches.

--- Kit