Detailed military strategy sim
It's looking a little dated now, but Fleet Command was once used by the US Navy to introduce students to fleet decision making, so if you fancy checking out what should be an authentic and detailed look at the military process, then fire this up. It's not a perfect sim by any means but provides a fairly compelling experience that provides plenty of tough decisions and tense moments alike, but anyone expecting flashy visuals and the like had better steer clear. As you'd expect, gameplay takes a highly serious perspective and is presented as a series of encounters between the navies of various countries including India, the former Soviet Union and China, with players in control of the US fleet. Things are pretty realistic, with a focus on resource management as players determine which units to send in, while marshalling fuel and weapon reserves. Orders are issued in real-time and with each mission featuring a set of objectives which must be achieved in order to progress. Everything from cruise missiles to helicopters and B-52 bombers are on display so the game does provide a detailed look at a complex world and which should be of interest to the serious military enthusiast. In Fleet Command's favour, the missions and scenarios are entertaining and challenging and will really test your management skills while also providing the necessary tension and drama. Enemy AI is generally pretty decent, adding to the difficulty but the game is let down somewhat by its dodgy interface and controls which introduce some frustration to proceedings. However, this isn't enough to make the game completely unplayable so it's definitely worth a look if you're into serious military sims, but also consider Harpoon, which while also slightly dated, remains highly enjoyable.
