The Universal Military Simulator

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The Universal Military Simulator (UMS) is a computer wargame from Rainbird Software, first released in 1987 for the Macintosh, Tandy 4000, and IBM PC compatibles. In 1988, Atari ST and Amiga versions followed. It was created by Ezra Sidran, with PC and Amiga ports by Ed Isenberg. The game spawned two sequels: UMS II: Nations at War and The War College: Universal Military Simulator 3.

In UMS, players build armies and battlefields and use three-dimensional terrain to place features like towns and hills. You can reenact famous battles such as Hastings, Gettysburg, Waterloo, Arbela, and Marston Moor. You can zoom in on units to plan tactics and you can play against another human opponent.

The Universal Military Simulator sold about 128,000 copies. It received a mix of reviews. Some praised its breadth and tools for creating battles, while others noted flaws. Critics highlighted issues such as an awkward user interface, the absence of naval combat, and a Waterloo scenario that left out the Prussians. The game was seen as impressive in scope but not always reliable as a teaching tool for military history.

In 1993 a bundle called The Complete Universal Military Simulator was released, including the original game, the Nations at War sequel, and a Planet Editor. The Planet Editor let players design planets, weather, nations, AIs, events, and unit types and armies. The bundle was reviewed with mixed but generally favorable notes. Amiga Format gave the bundle about 74%, saying it’s not for casual players but is a must for serious war gamers.