The Wargamer

Introduction

Thinking back to my 6th grade history class, I seem to remember very little about the French & Indian War.  However, I do remember two separate names from the history books; one was the Seven Years' War and the other the French & Indian War.  While this nine-year war wasn't named after its victors (the Brits), the war took on another name, the French & Indian war, perhaps to recognize the losers.  Ironically, it wasn't but twenty years later that those same French got their revenge on the British government by assisting the colonists in their revolt.  

Nearly 250 years later, one French company has found an odd way to remember the conflict: make a PC wargame.  Birth of America chronicles these two wars from an operational-level, presenting players with multiple opportunities to either crush the French, destroy the British, or eliminate the colonist threat.  The turn-based format and regional map will remind players of such games as Europa Universalis and World at War, but Birth of America is in many ways a highly original game.  To explain the game's premise and its features, we talked with AGEOD head Phillipe Thibaut on the eve of his game's release.

The Interview

The Wargamer (WG): Can you briefly introduce Birth of America? What are its main features? What games are most comparable to it?

Phillipe Thibaut (PT): Birth of America covers two of the most important conflicts of the 18th century: the Seven Years War (for its American part, known here as the French & Indian War) and the American War of Independence. The game uses a brand new simultaneous turn-based engine, and concentrates mostly on the military aspects of those wars.  It offers the largest and nicest map of 18th century North America ever made, has dozens of units models from the era (with simple and intuitive handling) and over 150 historical characters.  There are eleven scenarios and three grand campaigns, playable from 10 minutes to hours on end, with a very reactive AI. We also have a Play-by-email option.  

There are no other strategic simulations of the era or theatre on the market to compare. Some have said they found a Europa Universalis feel, others mentioned Dominions II, Combat Mission or Medieval Total War for the gameplay and game mechanics. And obviously we have made deep historical research that fans of HPS Sims will love. 

WG: Birth of America isn’t your first game. What other historical strategy and wargame titles have you worked on? How do those games compare to Birth of America?

PT: Indeed, I am not “new” in that field; I am the original designer of Europa Universalis, and most recently I designed games like Pax Romana and Great Invasions. There are also some other unpublished titles, or purely board games. I would say this game is the first I could work on with a homogeneous design, excellent team and engine from the start, and without interference from outside. This alone goes a long way towards a good game in the end. Birth of America is of course a much simpler game, concentrating only on a short time period and restricted aspects of a simulation: no economy, diplomacy or politics here. And, most of all, it is turn-based whereas all other were RTS.

WG: The choice of the American Revolutionary War and the French & Indian War are interesting topics. Why choose these wars as opposed to something else in Europe from around the same time frame?

PT: I will probably turn the question the other way round: we will have something featuring Europe in those times in the near future, but we felt the North American subject was more original and popular, and a good one to begin with. As we started in 2005, we also wanted to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the French & Indian war in this way.  

If Birth of America sells well, the spin-off will be set on our side of the pond!

WG: What historical scenarios or parts of the wars are covered?

PT: We have 15 scenarios altogether, with four campaigns. There are three of them for the French & Indian War, including the full 1755-1763 campaign. The others are during the American Revolution era, from the 1775 invasion of Canada until 1781 Yorktown, plus a short 1778-1780 campaign and two very long scenarios covering the whole seven years of the war. So you can play from ten minutes to ten hours in a row, or more.

WG: How is combat resolved? How does force strength, unit morale, strategies, and logistics play into warfare?

PT: The game is simultaneous turn-based, so combat is solved during the collision phase, i.e. when both players’ orders are executed. The combat model is very detailed and refined and includes a wealth of different factors, all of them having their importance in those times and being rendered in our engine. Supply, fog of war, the hostile nature of the environment, petty war, Rebels and Tory conflicting loyalties, Indians…all these are in…and more.