"The General" is an excellent game based on the popular historical boardgame "Stratego". "Stratego" and "The General" plunge the player into the warfare of the 18th-19th centuries, and the objective is to capture the enemy's flag. This may sound simple, but believe me when I say It's a whole lot more complicated than that.
The flag is guarded by an army of the same composition as your own. Mines, sappers, corporals, Generals, Brigadiers, Hussars, Scouts, etc are the units in question, and they are numbered from 1 to 9.
1) When units clash, the unit with the LOWER number wins
2) Any unit who hits a mine will die except the sapper (number 8)
3) The spy is killed by all who attack him, but kills whoever he attacks
4) Most units can only move 1 square forwards, backwards left or right, but a scout (number 9) can move as many squares as he pleases. However, he is always defeated if he attacks another unit
5) all units start off hidden, but after a confrontation the unit is revealed.
As you may expect, unit positioning is key. The relative positions of units, sappers, mines, scouts and of course the flag are absolutely key to your success. But don't worry, if you just want to plunge in then there are several preset formations, such as "The Bunker", "The chimney", and many more, all of which try and either trick the AI or protect the flag.
There is really only one map in the game ( a lightly wooded forest with 2 lakes in the middle), but there are four different graphical styles of the map for variation. (Grassy, Grassy alternate, Desert and Lunar).
The actual game itself is unashamedly a board game gone electronic, and so there are several customisable graphics options allowing for units to be realistic, minimalised, like playing cards or made of marble or wood.
There are several AI opponents to play against, all of which have different styles of play than each other. A win/loss record is maintained, so remember not to start a game if turning off the PC is imminent, as a retirement counts as a full-blown loss.
Sounds are nothing special, but they are functional and get the job done, and the opening fanfare will stick in your head for years.
I hope you enjoy the game because it is worth your time!
Written by:
~Alhallahbinus
