TripleA 1.5.2.1

CNET Editors' review

by: CNET staff on March 21, 2011

Strategic board games let players test their generalship in wars of conquest. TripleA is a free, open-source, Java-based pack containing several strategy games with single-player, multiplayer, and online modes, with more available online. Players manage vast armies of men and weapons, including ships, planes, tanks, and transports, supplies, and other resources. Rolling virtual dice simulates the random element in battle, but different values for various elements mean that strategy trumps chance, at least for skillful generals.

TripleA downloads and installs normally but requires the JRE (Java Runtime Environment) to open, but that's free, too, and easy to install. TripleA's plain start-up screen let us start a new game, but we could also choose another game, load a saved game, start local and online game sessions, download games and maps, and configure game options from this same central point. Clicking Choose a Game let us choose from Big World: 1942, the default game; the classic Capture the Flag; Great War, a WWI game; and Minimap, a quick two-player game. We opted to refight World War II and clicked Play and then Start Local Game. The setup let us choose which armies to play by selecting Human from a list that also offered two AI opponents, E.Z. Fodder and Moore N. Able, to manage the other allied and enemy armies. Selecting Human for all armies lets you play against yourself, while selecting an AI opponent lets the game initiate attacks. Big World: 1942 opened with an interactive global map board with tabs for History, Stats, and Territory. If you've played Risk, you know the basic premise of TripleA's games, which involve moving armies, engaging in battle (rolling the dice), and amassing more pieces to conquer more territory. Instead of dice and a cup, TripleA's pop-up dice-rolling screen contains information about your move, resources, and status. We could even calculate the odds of a battle succeeding, based on the amassed forces.

Why fight your own battles when you can fight someone else's, like, say, Napoleon's? Strategic board games like TripleA offer a level of complexity and detail that is reminiscent of the real thing, but they can also be as simple as a duel. TripleA is an excellent portal to a world of historical and fantasy scenarios ranging from the Roman Empire to WWII to zombie hordes and J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth.

Publisher's Description

From TripleA:

TripleA is a free turn based strategy game and board game. Has single player vs ai/hot-seat, multiplayer through play by email, network play, and a hosted online lobby. Comes with multiple games, and over 100 more games and maps that can be downloaded from the user community. It is open source, needing only Java to run (can run on Windows, Mac, or Linux). Supports features such as save games, encrypted dice gen, low luck, and many other options.

Recreate World War 2 with the Axis pushing through to Moscow and Japan devouring the Pacific, or recreate Napoleon's march across Europe, or Rome defeating the Carthaginian Empire, or even Sauron conquering Middle Earth, or Zombies taking over America. If you have ever played a game where you push little plastic or virtual pieces around, roll dice, conquer the lands of your enemy, and produce new pieces to conquer with, then you will be able to jump right into TripleA.

An example game that comes included with TripleA is Big World: 1942--a scenario loosely based on the year 1942 in World War 2. In Europe, Germany has Leningrad besieged, stands at the gates of Moscow, and is on the verge of defeat at Stalingrad. In the Pacific, Japan has expanded explosively but faces a possible turning point at Midway. Germany and Japan fight as the Axis pitted against the Allies of Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and the United States of America. Players will take control of these nations, using their armies, navies, and air forces to battle out who will control the world. Player have such units as Infantry, Artillery, Tanks, Fighters, Bombers, Transport ships, Submarines, Destroyers, Cruisers, Battleships, Aircraft Carriers, Anti-Aircraft Guns, and Factories. All of these units have special functions and features, and all attack and defend at differing values (represented by rolling a die for each unit and getting a certain number or less). Territories have different values, both strategically and production value, which can be used to produce more units to use the next turn. Players must work with their team mates, developing strategies and producing units to reach their ultimate goal: Victory.

What's new in this version: Version 1.5.2.1 includes the following improvements:

4 new maps included, now comes with 11 games total, with many more available for download.
Improved online live play support.
A full Political engine, allowing any map that uses it to allow dynamically changing of alliances and relations between different nations / players.
Allows scrambling of aircraft from designated territories or units.
Escorting of Bombers and Intercepting of Bomber runs.

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