Spartan (game)
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Spartan is a strategic computer game developed by Slitherine Software in 2004. The stategic part of the game is turn based but when armies encounter each other the battles are fought out realtime. This strategy tactical split is reminisant of the Total War series. It shares with that series an aspiration to be faithful to the history of the period.
Most reviewers have been positive about the extent that it has simulated real history though there has been some criticism of how timid the AI is. [1].
[edit] The Tactical Game
The player deploys their forces behind a start line, usually with the benefit of some information about the enemy deployment. They are also able to give some limited orders such as hold or advance. When the battle is started the player has very limited control over events - something which was very much the case for generals of the period it depicts, The player may sound an attack signal which will cause all troops with a hold order to move to the attack and also the retreat for when all hope is lost. Winning battles is then a question of aticipating how the troops are going to behave and so ensuring that when the troops clash it is in a way favorable to you.
[edit] The Strategic Game
The player controls his faction, which will either be a greek one like Athens or Thessaly, tribal like the Thracian Asti, or some eastern faction like the Lydians or Mysians, all factions have a different amount of cities (and faction specific victory conditions). The player will have to take care of economic matters, there are number of resources, and they are not available to all cities, although through trade rare resources can be imported (and what one have in abundance sold). Silver is used as a currency and all cities will produce some silver (taxes and such), but only a few have the ability to have silver mines constructed. Silver is used to pay the soldiers and in trade. Food is needed to feed the population (including the part with the pointy sticks) but only a few areas can boast good enough farmlands to be able to feed a larger faction (small factions can get by by simply importing the necessary food, larger factions may find the costs to do that too large unless they have atleast some cities that can produce food). Bricks are used for construction of most buildings, as well as their upkeep. Other resources are used for training warriors or the construction of advanced buildings.
Diplomacy is carried out by sending the limited number of diplomats to whatever factions one deem they would be most useful to influence where the can be given various orders, ranging from those beneficial to the players relations with that faction like seeking asylia for merchants or gifting horses, or actions that hurt them, or just recalling them to send them somewhere else. If the enemy dislike the players actions they may decide to expel or kill the players diplomat (and the player may do likewise to any diplomats the other factions might have in the players lands). If a diplomat is lost a new one will be gained, but that diplomat will not have whatever experience the old diplomat might have gained.
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