Fantasy General

Fantasy General
Developer(s)	Strategic Simulations, Inc.
Publisher(s)	Strategic Simulations, Inc. Mindscape GOG Ltd
Engine	Panzer General
Platforms	DOS
Release date(s)	1996
Genre(s)	Turn-based strategy
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer

Fantasy General is a hex-based fantasy wargame published by Strategic Simulations in 1996. It was built on the successful Panzer General engine and was the third game released in the Five Star General series. It was predominantly a single player game, although it permitted multiplayer action against one other human player by email. It was re-released on GOG.com in May 2015, after GOG Ltd acquired the copyright to the title.

Overview

Fantasy General is a turn-based strategy wargame set in a high fantasy world called the World of Aer. The player can play either a single scenario against a computer or human opponent, or an extended campaign that consists of many battles across six continents. There are two sides, Good and Evil, each with unique units, though they share unit equivalents. In single-player mode, the player always commands the forces of Good, while the evil forces are commanded by the computer.

In campaign mode, the player selects one of four heroes and sets out to defeat the Shadowlord and his four generals, evil counterparts to the heroes. It concludes with the liberation of four continents and final defeat of the Shadowlord at the Fire Isle.

Gameplay is based on a traditional hex map, with a wide variety of units available. Fantasy General is an operational-level game. Unlike Panzer General, where units represent battalion-size groups, Fantasy General units approximate squads, with most units consisting of fifteen soldiers, though some units (e.g. heroes, mechanical forces) represent single entities.

The game has a single add-on scenario, called Island Challenge. It is included in the Fantasy General download sold by GOG.com.

Description

For over a century, the world of Aer was a place of peace, joy and prosperity. Through advances in technology and magic, its inhabitants created a harmonious society, rid of disease, destruction and evil. All was well within the land of Aer... Until the Shadowlord came. Once a mere man with a voracious thirst for knowledge and power, the Shadowlord explored where no other dared, forsaking his humanity for absolute control. Summoning forth creatures of evil and attracting the most despicable of men, he created a powerful army and conquered Aer, engulfing it in pain, suffering and death. With the populace kept weak and divided through brutality and fear, few dare to openly challenge his reign. But now, The Council of Five, a leadership of Aer’s wisest rulers and mages, has selected a powerful general to unite its people and challenge the Shadowlord’s rule. With magic, beasts, mortals and mechs at your disposal, you must construct and lead your army across the lands of Aer, defeating the Shadowlord’s forces and generals.. Join the battle and restore peace and happiness to this broken world.

Fantasy General is the third installment in Strategic Simulations’ Five Star General Series, and invites you to leave the trenches of World War II and enter a world of heroes, swords, magic and beasts. As a turn-based strategy game, you must lead your army into battle with the Shadowlord’s forces and defeat each of his lieutenants across varying terrain and battlefields. Build your army from the ground up, research upgrades to strengthen your forces, and augment your army with items and heroes who will aid you in your plight. With an atmospheric choral soundtrack, a user-friendly, point-and-click interface and engaging strategic gameplay, this contrasting addition to the Five Star General Series will have you hooked from the opening cinematic and will keep you plotting and battling to the very end.

• Battle the Shadowlord’s forces and lieutenants across 5 continents
• Choose your general from four champions, each with their unique traits and abilities
• Customise and upgrade your army, with over 10 unit classes and four races to recruit from
• Uncover hidden items and heroes to upgrade your troops and lead your army
• Choose from three game modes: Campaign, Scenarios and Local Multiplayer

Critical Reception

Fantasy General was well-received by most critics. Elliot Chin of Computer Gaming World gave it 5 stars in the June 1996 issue, writing, "A game that is a near-perfect foray into the magical realm of strategy wargaming. Panzer General fans will be in wargaming heaven, and fantasy buffs will find a tactical wargame more addictive than anything Tolkien's old ring could ever muster."

IGN also favorably reviewed it, saying "Although Fantasy General is often overlooked, it deserves a place at the right hand of lineups like SSG's Warlords and 3DO's Heroes of Might & Magic." The game's reputation has fared well over time, as it is rated 4.8 of 5 on GOG.com and 8.2 of 10 on Metacritic.

Only Gamespot reviewed it poorly, rating it 4.9 of 10 and calling it "a game without an audience" and "abhorrently unrealistic, even for a fantasy title."

Units

There are 284 distinct units divided into four unit categories: Mortal, Magical, Beast and Mechanical. Non-mortal units are usually stronger, but cannot be upgraded and will eventually become obsolete as the player researches new units.

In Campaign mode, the player allocates gold toward researching new grades of units. Units range in grade from 0 to 5, though not all categories of units have a unit available for every grade. Mechanical units, for example, are only available in grades 0, 1, 3, and 5. Gold is acquired through discovery in the course of the game and is also awarded for successful battles by the Council.

Unit categories are further divided into classes. The classes are Heavy Infantry, Light Infantry, Skirmishers, Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Archers, Bombardiers, Sky Hunters, Siege Engines, and Spell Casters. There are Mortal units available from grades 0 to 5 for every class. Other unit categories vary, though every category has Heavy Infantry, Cavalry, and Sky Hunter units available.

Heavy Infantry

CLASS	UNIT	RACE	SIDE
Heavy Infantry	Warband	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Swordsmen	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Pikemen	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Legionarii	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Samurai	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Heavy Spearmen	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Orcs	Mortal	Bad
Heavy Infantry	Ogres	Mortal	Bad
Heavy Infantry	Cobramen	Mortal	Bad
Heavy Infantry	Trolls	Mortal	Bad
Heavy Infantry	Ogre Knights	Mortal	Bad
Heavy Infantry	Shadow Warriors	Mortal	Bad
Heavy Infantry	Corporal	Mortal	Any
Heavy Infantry	Sergeant	Mortal	Any
Heavy Infantry	Lieutenant	Mortal	Any
Heavy Infantry	Captain	Mortal	Any
Heavy Infantry	General	Mortal	Any
Heavy Infantry	Borric	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Loric	Mortal	Good
Heavy Infantry	Lizardmen	Beast	Any
Heavy Infantry	Barbarians	Beast	Good
Heavy Infantry	Wearbears	Beast	Any
Heavy Infantry	Lionmen	Beast	Any
Heavy Infantry	Air Warriors	Magical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Treemen	Magical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Giant	Magical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Earth Elemental	Magical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Sandmen	Magical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Monks of Meo	Magical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Kraekvar	Magical	Bad
Heavy Infantry	Bronzeman	Mechanical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Iron Giant	Mechanical	Any
Heavy Infantry	Warlord Mechanicus	Mechanical	Any

Music

The soundtrack to Fantasy General was composed by Rick Rhodes and Danny Pelfrey and featured soprano Marisa Lenhardt. The game's music featured original settings of Strife is O'er, the Dies Irae, the Easter sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, Dona Nobis Pacem and two works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Komm, süßer Tod, komm selge Ruh and Wir essen und leben.

External links

• Fantasy General on GOG.com
• Fantasy General at MobyGames
• Fantasy General download
• Unofficial Fantasy General FAQ