Articles by Brian King
Posted on May 9, 2014 in Stuff We Like
Enter to win this prize package valued at $200! — Armchair General magazine is proud to offer a gift card enabling the recipient to exchange the card for a working piece of military history! The gift card can be used for a Mosin Nagant M91/30 bolt action rifle. This is a true piece of history with various models of the Mosin Nagant serving in militaries and recreational shooting since 1891! This particular model is listed as used surplus, so its actual combat service (if any) is unknown. To supplement this piece of history, Armchair General will also include protective eyewear and ear protection so you can hit the field well prepared. Ammo must be purchased separately. US Residents only. See full list of terms and conditions for details. Photo showing the rifle in action from Enemy at the Gates. Your experience may vary. a Rafflecopter...
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Posted on Apr 22, 2014 in Stuff We Like
World of Tanks 9.0 update is here. What do you think of it?
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Posted on Mar 14, 2014 in Stuff We Like
Promotional video explaining wargames, made in the 1970’s by SPI.
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Posted on Jan 30, 2014 in Front Page Features, Stuff We Like
Battlefront is going back to the Eastern Front.
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Posted on Jan 28, 2014 in Stuff We Like
[custom_field limit=”0″ between=”, ” /] In this second video we take out an M18 Hellcat for a drive and discuss some key decision points within the match. Click my name under the title to find all the videos I’ve made. Thanks for riding...
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Posted on Jan 23, 2014 in Stuff We Like
August Landmesser is a name and a story worth knowing.
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Posted on Jan 16, 2014 in Stuff We Like
In this new series of videos, we ride along in World of Tanks to get some tips on gameplay and examine some skills that apply to similar games in the genre. This includes simple things like cover vs. concealment, working as a team, and how to have fun even in the agony of defeats. I – “Siberian_HEAT” – will be leading the charge in this new series. Check back weekly for new videos and feel free to comment on the videos or in this post if you want me to cover anything in particular within the game. Why World of Tanks? Most importantly it is free to play, so anyone can attempt to replicate the skills discussed here. Visit worldoftanks.com to download the game – but be advised it is a massive download! The second reason is that it is currently my go-to game when I have free time. It is fast paced and you can play a dozen matches in an evening. In video A I take out...
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Posted on Aug 19, 2013 in Electronic Games
Armchair General sits down with the World of Warplanes crew in Belarus, Minsk.
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Posted on Aug 15, 2013 in Electronic Games
Wargaming.net pulled out all the stops at its 15th anniversary bash in Minsk, Belarus. Armchair General was there and brought back news about World of Tanks, World of Warplanes, Wargaming.net’s new US offices, and LOTS of photos and screenshots!
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Posted on Jun 28, 2011 in Electronic Games
Wargaming.net invited players to Moscow to compete for the title of Ural Steel World Champion. Armchair General followed the Americans on their quest to win it all!
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Posted on May 9, 2011 in Electronic Games
With the dawn of World of Tanks, World War II armor gear-heads can drive dozens of models of their favorite tanks in mixed battles against thousands of other players.
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Posted on Feb 23, 2011 in Electronic Games
Tips on how to play with tank destroyers in World of Tanks successfully, even against heavier vehicles.
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Posted on Jan 21, 2011 in Stuff We Like
A new wallpaper for your desktop, featuring the MV-22 Osprey.
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Posted on Nov 29, 2010 in Stuff We Like
Real-world military tactics, a pandemic in the midst of the War on Terror, and Zombies – ‘Tooth and Nail’ is a book with everything!
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Posted on Nov 11, 2010 in Stuff We Like
Honoring those who have served, including one veteran I looked up to as a kid.
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Posted on Nov 11, 2010 in Stuff We Like
A nuclear blast above the United States sends our technologically advanced society back to a Middle Ages–level existence in the book ‘One Second After.’
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Posted on Sep 24, 2010 in Electronic Games
First impresssions of Sid Meier’s Civilization V PC game include beautiful graphics and more dynamic movement and combat, and it’s fun to play, but at times the AI is still dumber than a box of rocks.
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Posted on Dec 24, 2009 in TIAOW
A Christmas mouse jogs the memory of an old soldier, as he recalls an incident involving an ICBM while in the service of his old boss – a certain one-eyed, one-armed, World-Emporer-in-waiting.
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Posted on Oct 13, 2009 in Stuff We Like
Can robots fill the gap in Afghanistan, taking the load off our thinly stretched troops?
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Posted on Dec 12, 2008 in Books and Movies
Tom Cruise stars as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in this new film about the July 20, 1944 plot to kill Adolph Hitler. Armchair General reviews Valkyrie.
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Posted on Nov 11, 2008 in Stuff We Like
We explore the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial and the National World War II Memorial on a fast walking tour through the National Mall in Washington D.C.
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Posted on Oct 8, 2008 in Stuff We Like
The Russian invasion of Georgia has been heralded as the start of a second Cold War. However, Russia of 2008 has a long way to go before it becomes a superpower worthy of the term.
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Posted on Sep 25, 2008 in Stuff We Like
You never know when history is going to come up and bite you. Recently I changed my forum avatar to a cute and cuddly thing called a "mine dog" (a Russian dog which carried explosives underneath enemy tanks in World War II) to celebrate my friend Dana Lombardy’s game called Streets of Stalingrad. This picture is on the left and it is one of the cardboard counters used in the game… Then, to my surprise another friend of mine was working on the same theme with some of his LEGO creations, making a LEGO "mine dog" which he proudly has displayed on Flickr. You MUST check it out! And, in marginally related news dealing with "history" in a different sense, does anyone remember the game Dog Daze? It is ancient history but I spent many an hour of my youth playing...
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Posted on Sep 19, 2008 in Stuff We Like
A book recommendation for a story of a German soldier fighting on the Eastern Front. A devastating conflict that is conveyed as graphically and honestly as I’ve ever read.
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Posted on Sep 17, 2008 in Stuff We Like
It has been more than a month since the brief but bitter war between Georgia and Russia over the disputed Caucasian territory of South Ossetia. Now, after all the fighting, all the diplomacy, and all the name recognition (and name calling), both sides are in a continuing struggle to prove definitively who fired the first shot.
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Posted on Sep 11, 2008 in Stuff We Like
The Lee and Grant exhibit is currently running at the Missouri History Museum. Created by the Virginia Historical Society, it provides an interesting compare and contrast of these two great leaders in American History.
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Posted on Jun 13, 2008 in Stuff We Like
An interest in military history is something I’m passing along to my son. Join us as we explore World War II, Vietnam, and places in between as a love of history sprouts at a young age. Share your experiences raising a history-friendly son or daughter.
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Posted on Mar 14, 2008 in Stuff We Like
It’s hard to know where to begin with a piece dedicated to the history of the Armchair General website. I’ve been personally involved with every aspect of creation, updating, maintenance, design, troubleshooting, marketing, advertising, and community building since the day I stepped into the Armchair General headquarters in the spring of 2003. I’ve put considerable sweat and tears into the growth and evolution of the site, and I can say without hyperbole that I’ve enjoyed and thrived on the challenges every day I’ve been here. Now it is time to share the load… At the four year mark I have the pleasure of handing off the editing and author management portion of my duties to our new full time Senior Online Editor, Gerald D. Swick. As you can see, he now has a nice fresh new website to carry us into the next four years. I would also like to thank Andrew Summersgill for his contributions over the past several years as the de facto Senior Editor, helping me in more ways...
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Posted on May 21, 2007 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
We take an advanced look at the next generation of Combat Mission. Shock Force is nearly here – but will it have as much impact as its forefathers?
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Posted on May 1, 2007 in Books and Movies, Front Page Features
This book is important for understanding the mindset and background of the typical Iranian “revolutionary” – who were almost without exception shown to be as ignorant as they were idealistic.
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Posted on Mar 6, 2007 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
Theatre of War is nearing release, and Armchair General has an early look at the preview code to see what’s in store.
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Posted on Dec 6, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
Officers arrives on the field of battle, smartly dressed and ready for action. After much anticipation the past few years, this title will have much to live up to.
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Posted on Nov 10, 2006 in Books and Movies, Front Page Features
Some will see it as propaganda to be sure, but it is nowhere as inflammatory as M. Moore’s Fahrenheit 911, and draws on a wide variety of sources to attempt to show all sides of this complex issue.
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Posted on Jun 5, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
This is the third and final piece in our interview series for the new incarnation of The Operational Art of War 3 by Matrix Games. In this interview, we sit down with Daniel McBride (Scenario Research and Design Manager) to get a look at what went into this aspect of the game.
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Posted on May 30, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
Armchair General continues our coverage of the upcoming release of The Operational Art of War 3 by Matrix Games.
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Posted on May 25, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
As part of Armchair General’s continuing coverage of the upcoming release of The Operational Art of War 3 (Matrix Games) we sit down with the programmer behind the new version of this old favorite. He speaks candidly about the new release and where it may be headed in the future…
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Posted on May 18, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
Matrix Games recently acquired the rights to work on a plethora of old Talonsoft titles (The Operational Art of War series, Campaign Series, Battleground Series, etc.) which has led some to wonder if Matrix was looking backwards rather than toward the future of wargaming.
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Posted on Apr 18, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
Flashpoint Germany has definite flashes of brilliance, and on balance manages to overcome most of its flaws. It will appeal to gamers who want a taste of modern combat without the need to babysit each and every unit.
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Posted on Apr 5, 2006 in Books and Movies, Front Page Features
Ultimately, we learn that the challenge of a Marine officer is doing his job while keeping his men alive; “Don’t get your Marines killed in combat!”
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Posted on Mar 27, 2006 in Front Page Features, Stuff We Like
Does this game treat armor as a sophisticated combat arm or merely a mobile artillery piece? Do infantry and armor work together or treat each other with indifference? Much depends on whether your team is composed of Panzer Leaders or Panzer Losers. My goal is to help you be the former, while pointing out ways to minimize the effects of the latter.
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Posted on Mar 22, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
Recently, Armchair General caught up with the Slitherine game Legion Arena for a quick review. After playing it for a while, many questions cropped up which we felt needed answering. So, we sent off a communiqué to Iain McNeil —development director at Slitherine—for some answers. The dispatch rider returned with the following scribbled notes;
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Posted on Mar 13, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
The designer of Europa Universalis, Great Invasions, and Birth of America shares some thoughts on his latest title and his new company.
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Posted on Mar 13, 2006 in Books and Movies, Front Page Features
The Italians were unprepared, ill-equipped, and only half-heartedly interested in being in the fighting of World War II. This movie tells their story.
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Posted on Mar 9, 2006 in Electronic Games, Front Page Features
Combine role playing, Chess, and ancient history and you have the basics of Legion Arena. How well it meshes the three will be the subject of much debate. Follow along here!
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Posted on Jan 27, 2006 in Books and Movies, Front Page Features
This story should be made into a movie. Not because it is exciting, or gripping, or powerful, or realistic. It is certainly all of those things, and a real page-turner in book form. Instead, this story needs to find a mass media outlet so that the man on the street knows what allied armed forces are going through in the wastelands of the War on Terror.
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Posted on Nov 8, 2005 in Electronic Games
This game is beautifully crafted to place the player into larger battles throughout the World War II European Theatre, all the while making the journey very personal and often downright tense. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself with mouth agape as you look around at the beauty of the virtual world, forgetting you have a job to do!
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Posted on Oct 30, 2005 in Electronic Games
Much like the Strogg cyborgs, this game is technically brilliant in its construction, but lacks the creativity, variability, and soul needed to make this an enduring classic.
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Posted on Oct 6, 2005 in Electronic Games
Join us as we explore what may happen to this game now that Matrix Games has purchased the rights to it. This review looks at the original game version, and where changes are most needed.
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Posted on Jul 8, 2005 in Front Page Features, Stuff We Like
Battlefield 2 works best, and is arguably the most fun, when you are playing in squads as part of a larger team. The overall commander of your team issues orders to the various squad leaders, and your squad leader will then issue orders to you. When this is a working relationship, the game illustrates some of the finest teamwork in a modern combat simulation you will see on a computer screen. Other times, this relationship is the stuff of nightmares!
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Posted on May 26, 2005 in Stuff We Like
This second part of the article reveals some of the details discovered in the “Understanding Your Local Grognard” wargaming survey, and explores some theories about why wargamers are they way they are.
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Posted on May 20, 2005 in Stuff We Like
We’re pleased to announce that StrategyZone Online and Armchair General will be attending the E3 Expo 2005 convention in Los Angeles, California. Brian King and Don Maddox will be there to represent the crew along with several other key members of the staff.
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Posted on May 9, 2005 in Front Page Features, Stuff We Like
Getting There: Obviously you are going to have to make a significant effort to reach this distant battlefield, but if you find yourself in Hawaii for other reasons (as I did), this is the ONE area every military historian must visit. Just make sure when you make your driving plans to the memorials you go to the USS Arizona memorial, and not just drive out to “Pearl Harbor.” You may just end up at the military base, and get some light razzing from the Marines on guard duty who constantly have to turn away tourists like us who went to the wrong place! Try to arrive as early as possible to the USS Arizona memorial so you can get on one of the first launches out to the actual site. Not only do you get to wait in the cool of the day as you watch bus after bus of tourists arrive after you, but you also have the best chance of running into a few of the old veterans...
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Posted on May 4, 2005 in Books and Movies, Front Page Features
Learn about the heroic yet tragic story of one soldier fighting in Iraq, and the grim battle to save his life after a terrible grenade blast. A powerful read.
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Posted on Mar 31, 2005 in Stuff We Like
Do you remember your first wargame? Do you remember why you got into wargaming? Can you explain why you still play these games? We explore these themes in this article, using a personality test and survey to help illuminate traits of the “typical” wargamer. Armchair General is asking for your participation in an effort to better understand “where Grognards come from.” Please read on!
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Posted on Dec 9, 2004 in Boardgames
Borodino, Battle of Moskova, 1812, allows the players to recreate this major clash between Napoleon and the Russians in front of Moscow in 1812. The scenario takes place over the course of one day (September 7), and is broken down into twelve 75-minute turns.
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Posted on Oct 14, 2004 in Books and Movies
Black takes us into the world of the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team as well as deep into the US intelligence war against global terrorists.
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Posted on Oct 8, 2004 in Books and Movies
This Russian-made film explores the world of partisans and civilians caught behind German lines during World War II. It is dark, grimy, and depressing, but contains a message about the human spirit that makes this movie a must-see.
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Posted on Sep 30, 2004 in Stuff We Like
Learn about this Interactive Combat Story and how YOUR decisions could affect the outcome of World War II! Episode I sees an expansionist Germany cross the Polish frontier, beginning a series of events that inevitably will lead to another World War.
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Posted on Sep 1, 2004 in Books and Movies
If you’d like to learn about the KdF-Wagen [Kraft durch Freude Wagen, or ‘Strength-through-joy car’], this book might be for you!
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Posted on May 10, 2004 in Stuff We Like
Armchair General introduces a new series of short articles describing some of the "Old School" wargames we used to play way back in time. We will revisit them, see how well they have aged, and play them once more to share the experience.
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Posted on Feb 19, 2004 in Electronic Games
Come take a sneak peak at the latest version of Unreal Tournament2004. This is a free demo, with the full version to be released in March, 2004.
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Posted on Dec 21, 2003 in History News
Learn about the website and our misson here at ArmchairGeneral.com!
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Posted on Oct 31, 2003 in Stuff We Like
Some of the most interesting reading can come from after-game summaries by players of all types of wargames. This particular match was between two Armchair General staff members as they recreate the Crusader battle between the Commonwealth and the Axis.
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Posted on Oct 31, 2003 in Stuff We Like
Wargaming lets you explore every nook and cranny of possibilities in a reconstructed virtual world, and gives you access to one of the most important questions in history; ?What if??
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