MACARTHUR'S WAR

 MACARTHUR'S WAR: BATTLES FOR KOREA is a wargame simulation written by Roger
Keating, Ian Trout, and Dan Antolec, published by Strategic Studies Group, and
distributed by Electronic Arts. Mr. Antolec's many contributions to SSG's RUN 5
magazine caught the attention of the Keating-Trout design team, and SSG gave Mr.
Antolec the opportunity to create the battle scenarios of MACARTHUR'S WAR. MW
offers eight scenarios, a revised (but still compatible) version of SSG's
BATTLEFRONT play system, decent graphics, the Warplan construction set, the
Warpaint icon editor, and partial copy protection. The Apple II version is the
basis of this review.

 The eight scenarios of MW take place during the first year of the Korean
conflict: Across The 38th (Parallel), Taejon, Naktong Bulge, Unsan, Chongchon,
Chosin Reservoir, Chipyong, and Imjin. You can play either side against a
computer or human opponent, or watch the computer play itself, an option useful
for testing new or altered scenarios. Either or both combatants can be given an
advantage, and a tutorial in the manual walks you through the first turn of the
Imjin scenario.

 The Apple II screen display consists of a scrolling, 39x28 hexagonal map; the
scale is different in each scenario, and an entire map can cover anywhere from
less than one mile to five miles. Icons indicate the terrain features: swamps,
rivers, rice paddies, foothills, mountains, lowlands, towns, villages,
airstrips, bridges, and prohibited zones.

 Play is controlled by way of a series of interconnected menus. The arrow keys
cycle through menu options; the Return key selects; and the Escape key will step
you back through all menus. Although this comprehensive and easy-to-use system
has undergone alterations and enhancements to accomodate subsequent simulations,
it is essentially identical to the system that first appeared in BATTLEFRONT.
Indeed, if you've already played BATTLEFRONT, BATTLES IN NORMANDY, HALLS OF
MONTEZUMA, or ROMMEL, you'll have no trouble playing MACARTHUR'S WAR.

 Through the menus, you'll be able to study various reports concerning the
objectives of a scenario, as well as the condition of your troops; you can walk
around the map, examine objectives, allocate support, move your headquarters,
and of course, give orders to your divisions. Orders can be aborted or changed,
games in progress can be saved, and you can back out of any menu except Run 5:
This option runs the simulation. Combat ensues, after which reports can be read.
When you're finished with the last report, the movement routines are activated;
when the movement routines are complete, the turn ends.

 Warplan is the construction set, a standard feature on all SSG simulations;
with it, you can alter any of the historical scenarios, create new scenarios, or
use the scenario information that appears in RUN 5, SSG's magazine for
wargamers. A new scenario can be created upwards from the size and terrain
features of the map. Regardless of the changes and enhancements SSG has made to
the original BATTLEFRONT system, everything remains compatible.

 Warpaint is a graphics editor, which can be used to borrow old, alter existing,
or create new unit and terrain icons. Then again, the concept of "Apple
graphics" is ridiculous, and not even Warpaint, which is a nifty feature, can do
much to change it.

 Partial copy protection means you can make one backup of the program disk
(after which the option is no longer available), and unlimited backups of the
scenario disk. The graphics are no more than decent because this is the Apple
version. The scenarios themselves are of the usual high SSG standards, and
MACARTHUR'S WAR is a fine simulation from designers who know what they're doing.

 Graphically, an icon or hexagon-based simulation map is difficult to screw up;
Apple map screens come close, but here they are understandable. Besides, Dan
Antolec's finely-detailed scenarios and SSG's easy-to-use play system, combined
with overall smooth operation, reduces the pain of having to look at the Apple's
graphic screens. MACARTHUR'S WAR is a solid effort.

 MACARTHUR'S WAR: BATTLES FOR KOREA is published by Strategic Studies Group and
distributed by Electronic Arts.

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