Actual Game
Hannibal
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The Game
Hannibal is a grand strategy level game set in the 2nd Punic War. You control up to 10 Carthagian armies that travel the Mediteranean basin in search of recruits, plunder and allies. The overall goal is to conquer Rome (with or without elephants) as Hannibal was never able to do.
The game can provide some moments of dread as you see a massive Roman Legion set sail from Ostia towards your undefended Hibernian territories and realize that even with it taking weeks of travel you will not be able to reposition your armies quick enough. Hannibal accurately reenacts the era's combat - weeks of travel, long sieges, desertion fairly accurately.
The combat generator asks a few questions about the formation and posture of your forces and then you watch two counters (one for you and one for your opponent's army) count down forces. You can escape and retreat but the computer never does. Combat is sheer attrition of forces. Sieges are similar but much slower and the besieged city will eventually run out of food if the attacking army is not killed first. A clearly outclassed city will capitulate.
The travel maps are quite interesting. There are hundreds of places to visit and recruit the problem is you have to visit each one. You have an overall map showing places and routes, a zoom option to enlarge a section of the overall map, and a political overview map showing the entire world's political leanings toward you or Rome. The maps can be scrolled and there is a city finder (if you can remember the correct Latin spelling)
There is an economy section where you can set various levels of taxes, move funds between the general treasury, army and economy and support local cities.
One very nice feature of the game is that it saves the data as it goes so if quit the game when you restart Hannibal you choose "previous game" and come back right where you left off.