Wing Commander: Armada

Moby ID: 494
DOS Specs

Description official descriptions

A strategy game base upon the popular Wing Commander Universe. This game sees you in command of either the Terran or Kilrathi empires in a bid to conquer a sector of space. This game provided 2 distinct modes of play with Armada being entirely tactically based and a far easier quick play method much like the mission creation facilities of Chuck Yeager's Air Combat of 5 years previous.

This game also featured multi-player support both in Quick play and Armada modes. The game could be played either in split-screen, network, serial or modem modes and was one of the first multi-player 3D space sims.

Spellings

  • ウイングコマンダー アルマダ - Japanese spelling

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Reviews

Critics

Average score: 72% (based on 14 ratings)

Players

Average score: 2.9 out of 5 (based on 22 ratings with 5 reviews)

Its good. Not the Worst, but not the best either.

The Good
The actual Idea of Flying around an uncharted quadrant, in charge of a whole carrier group.

The Graphics, good for their time (Scratch that, FANTASTIC FOR THEIR TIME)

The Ships, great ideas there

The Bad
The campaign mode is linear, meaning each campaign will be in the same setting

The AI in Fleet-movement mode is predictable

Its a pain to get running, even more so than usual.

The Manual is full of mistakes (for instance, No Banchee that I ever built had a Leech missle, only Wraiths.

The Bottom Line
How would you like to fly around a wing commander universe, in the role of Admiral Tolywn?

Yep? well, this is the game for you, in theory, anyway.

Starting with 30 resources, a carrier, and 2 Light fighers, your job is to, well, eliminate the Enemy Carrier. You can take on the role of either the confed, or the Cats themselves. You scout out new planets, build mines, shipyards, protect them with fortresses, or ships, and build up a huge force.

Thats Armada Mode, and its very good, if not a little predictable, because, at around turn 5-or-so, a large swarm of enemy ships will appear just outside you sphere of control, the Difficulty rating will vary this as to whether its comprised mostly of Light (Easy) Medium (Moderate) or Heavy (Hard) fighters.

You will find it almost impossible to loose in easy, as the AI will only very rarely build a ship that can destroy your carrier. Other than destroying the Carrier, the only way to win is to eliminate all of your enemy's holdings.

Dual mode is where you, in a ship, take on another. Wanna fight Dralthi-To-Dralthi, this is where you do it.

A Gauntlet mode, like in WCA is present, and presents itself much nicer than in WCA, using 3d Polygons.

Campaign Mode Sucks. Each campaign you play will use the same set of maps, one after the other. your performance in the last doesnt affect your starting in the new map, ie- you always start with a Carrier, and 2 fighters.

WC fans only.

Multiplayer is good. Either Network, or modem it, or SPLIT-SCREEN, something you see rarely on PCs, and it works okay.

In Short, Good, but needed a bit of work.

DOS · by Chad Henshaw (27) · 2002

This game is ok but not worth seeking out

The Good
The graphics were a lot better than what we were getting with the original games. The 3d models were much better than those bitmaps. The strategy section was ok as well, but fairly easy and repetitive.

The Bad
The dogfights were made a little too hard to win (for some people) due to the shields of the enemies recharging so quickly. Then again, the shields on your ship did the same. At the time, though, I found it a little to easy. The tactics the AI used were very repetitive and I knew what patterns they were going to follow.

The Bottom Line
If it's in the bargain bin, go and get it, but it's not worth searching out. Cheap, repetitive gameplay I'd only suggest to 4000 A.D. fans.

DOS · by wossname (203) · 2000

New Look on WC

The Good
The game is a unique twist on Wing Commander, putting you in command of a carrier. The ability to fly multiple fighters for either side, the strategy, the resource management, the ability to record taunts, and the unique fiction to come with the game makes it a definite buy. Plus, this game has the right sort of feel to it. You may get bored, but for some reason, you find yourself playing it again and again.

The Bad
The AI was only so-so, and the taunt maker was inadequate at certain points. The flight sometimes got a bit boring, and the strategy screen is difficult to work about due to the fact that, if you selelct a joystick as your primary input device, it only allows a joystick to maneuver the cursor around. I think a mouse would have been much easier.

The Bottom Line
I say get it. If you're a hardcore WC fan, seek this game out, since it contains a few ships seen in later games.

DOS · by Patrick McCarron (6) · 2000

[ View all 5 player reviews ]

Trivia

Milestone

Armada is the first Wing Commander> in a real 3D environment. Up to now you were fighting sprites, now you can fight 3D models.

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Edward Laverick.

FM Towns, PC-98 added by Terok Nor. Windows added by me3D31337.

Additional contributors: Henry Aloni, Alaka, Kayburt.

Game added November 29, 1999. Last modified August 23, 2023.