Favorite Command HQ scenarios

[Sir Garnet]

This is a great tense operational/strategic global wargame with a strong operational flavor for 2 human players in online play. Play time is 30 minutes if someone is careless or rash to a couple hours if the war rages back and forth with relative balance in many theaters.

For a single player challenge, I suggest what I call the World War Z scenario for the way it feels. This is the post-apocalypse ???? scenario against Mars God of War with Mars given a huge amount of starting cash. The Mars AI does not need to wait for city cooldowns to deploy new units the way the player does - so a city or base lost is probably lost for a long time since the AI can fill up all 9 tiles in a city with a horde of armies fast. Meanwhile the player should be busy expanding where it will matter and trapping and wiping out AI forces in the field and at sea through superior command skills. Strangling enemy oil supply is always a useful strategy.

Scenarios
WW1:The World at War with just infantry armies, subs and cruisers(no oil) and is a good intro to the game but since a win depends on the capitals a direct approach is ultimately needed.

WW2: 1942: This starts with the Allies and Axis actively engaged in Europe, Russia, and the Pacifc. It adds Carriers, multi-purpose Air Forces, and Oil to the gameplay. Good scenario. Some tough choices on where to spend funds to deploy forces and the balance of land/sea/air units.

WW3 (1986) and WW4 (2023): These add Satellites, Sat Killers, using Nukes (cities desert you), Foreign Aid (cities join you) and Intel Scans. After a lead-up period best used for preparation and positioning, either side can declare war. With more workload on the player, ticking up the speed can help the AI be a more credible opponent. Read the player manual/guide before attempting so you don't miss the many nice nuances! .

???? is my favorite and generally the most played, with two rival city states using WW2 level technology to expand and conquer the world. Player capital locations are hidden in for of war at the start. Recommend starting funds of 60 to 100 billion (can use cash to handicap players). This is all about strategy, maneuver warfare, balancing risks, and knowing where to concentrate your forces and your personal attention using your Maus to spur your forces on.

Manual/Strategy Guide at http://www.safeharborgames.net/aboutgames/CommandHQ/chqrule5.phpmanual
I have played through their the free DosBox//browser lobby based version at Safe Harbor Games for the past few years off and on.

[kokopeli]

I believe the best scenario is the ??? game because sometimes the player starts in a terrible position and the computer begins in an OK position. What is an OK position? Anything with 4 easily attainable oil wells and 10 solidly attainable cities without having to cross Asia or either ocean. The really bad starting positions are central Asia (bonus if in the mountains or desert) or the Rainforest of Brazil. If you start in one of these will difficult prospects for oil, you will have a challenging game against the computer.

The 2023 scenario is too easy because as a player you can manipulate the computer as you negotiate territory with diplomacy before combat begins. But once in a while the computer really screws me after hostilities begin be buying off an important "rear area city".

I find the WWI and WWII scenarios very fun when I put a time limit on myself. For either WWI or WWII as blue, trying to win before turn 100 is a real challenge. As Red, you have too far to go so you need more time. To win as red, I will begin my attack on England as early as possible crossing the North Sea, landing around York and flooding London & Birmingham. Once you capture England, it's routine to mop up from there. I often begin my attack on London before I've even secured all the mainland in Europe.