The Atari Axis and Allies is entertaining for a bit, but then you see how unoriginal and uncreative it is.

For WW2 RTS, I like:

Sudden Strike - pretty fun, no base building, just attack and destroy with a variety of units.  You can probably find this in a bargain bin or budget software rack for $10 or less.

Company of Heroes - This is probably one of the best RTS and best WW2 RTS I’ve ever played, but it will take a decent system to run.  It’s very fun, well done, and they just released another scenario that is stand alone or a continuation of the original.

Commandos -  This is probably best described as an RTS, but you only control a handful of guys that are specialists in certain things.  I played the first and it was quite polished and fun.

Close Combat - A series I hold dear to my heart and has never really let me down.  Probably the best one is A Bridge Too Far, but the russian front one is good as well, and D-Day is decent.

For all RTS:

Age of Empires - The second one is great, especially with the add ons.  I loved playing multiplayer and the campaign.  One of my favorite things to do was play 2 vs. 2 (with three friends) but have only 1 civilization for each side, so you and your partner control all the same things.  I played the third as well, but for some reason it feels pretty different.

Age of Mythology - More recent than Empires, it includes a fantasy angle like monsters, heroes, and gods/titans.  Pretty fun with a little spice.

Command & Conquer - Can’t really go wrong with this series.

Starcraft - Pretty good, but very generic.  I honestly don’t see why it is so popular, except that it appeals to the lowest common denominator.

Majesty -  An interesting take on RTS, where don’t directly control your heroes.  You’d have to play it to understand.

MechCommander -  Older, but was fun.  Kinda hard too.

Myth/Myth2 - Well done, and a blast.  Avoid the third though.

Rise of Nations - Pretty standard, but good.

Total War - This series is very good, and gets better and better.  Shogun is the one I have, and it’s loosely based on the board game (now called Samurai Swords).  It’s got a balance of RTS battles and empire upkeep.

That’s about all I can think of right now.

Can I list a few?

Aircraft carriers would probably be my first choice due to the rise of air power.  They essentially made dreadnought-centered navy strategy obsolete.  Probably the biggest impact on naval combat than any other ship, I imagine.

U Boats get my vote for ingenuity and stealth.  Germany worked around it’s inferior surface ships and kept the Allies on their toes in the Atlantic without conventional engagements.  I’d pick type XXI as top choice due to it’s ability and that I think it looks pretty damn nice.

Last I’d got with Higgins boats for their production and utility.  I don’t think there was a better boat for beach landings, and they were produced very quickly in a large quantity.

And the DUKW for honorable mention in the weird category.  :mrgreen:

It’s because the BJs didn’t win, the Rangers gave up the game.  Stupid Andrus.

j/k  Rangers had no right to be where they were considering last season and spring training.  I’m looking forward to next year when they make Bautista eat his bat.

Apparently the NA version won game of the year in 2006 (maybe 2005).
It’s fun as hell.

I decided to do some research in Call of Duty: World At War and conclude that Mosin-Nagant is now my favorite.  K98 is not far behind, and Arisaka easily takes the bronze.

But there are only 5 bolt action rifles on there, so in no way is this research conclusive.  :mrgreen:

@ABWorsham4

It’s because the BJs didn’t win, the Rangers gave up the game.  Stupid Andrus.

j/k  Rangers had no right to be where they were considering last season and spring training.  I’m looking forward to next year when they make Bautista eat his bat.

@frimmel:

Pepe backfisted him. That wasn’t just “one of those things that happen sometimes” like what happened to Dempsey. I call good on Mueller for taking the “dive.”

The headbutt was totally worthy of ejection especially on back of the punch.

That’s as much of a hit to the face as Mueller as Pepe in an armbar.  To me it was incidental but perhaps bad taste to have arms up like that.  I don’t know a precedence, but if that warrants a card then that’s weaksauce.  Spot Germany the ball if you feel it was a foul.

This is a hit, IMO:

@alexgreat:

Maybe you are really not an expert? Apparently, many Americans still need to emphasize how tough they are, even if only by proxy? So whats the proper English expression for Pepes deed? Light touch with the forehead? Not ok in soccer, like it or not.

Yes, I’m the problem here.  No, what I see is a sport that wants to be taken seriously in the US but is completely flush with bullshit, and that’s the status quo.  It’s pathetic when a poor tackle is recognized by the player and the victim and they play on is the exception, not the rule.  I’m not asking to be the NFL or rugby, I’m saying the sport needs to clean up and police itself and not let these antics play out.  To me, it’s less sportsmanlike than getting heated during a match.

And for your info:

Headbutt

Touching heads

I’m not saying that’s what he was trying to do, but he certainly wasn’t trying to injure or strike with a blow from his head.  In a loud stadium, maybe he was apologizing.  Maybe he was checking if he was ok.  Hell if I know, and neither do you.  But it’s ridiculous if it’s an instant red card as soon as foreheads come together.  Why is that even verboten?  They were nearly in embrace seconds earlier. I just saw a Russian player knock down a Korean player, and he then tried to help him stretch his leg out.  Why not red card that? Logically, the rules don’t make sense.  Don’t even bother going into “he has a history”.  I don’t care, and it’s not at all relevant to the play.

Pull a Zidane, red card no question.

That was a weak-ass red card.  Soccer is the sport that could use a review system the most, I think, but no one would go for it because it would “kill” the flow of the game. Nevermind the fact that you probably lose 30 minutes to the constant roll-in-the-grass dramatics, celebrations after a score, fouls, etc.

I mean, I’m not a soccer rule expert (and many of which I wonder who the hell thought THAT was a good idea), but to call that a headbutt (which is insulting to Zidane) is to liken two cars kissing bumpers to an auto wreck.

I will continue to watch and enjoy the games, but that whiny baby BS needs to go, and a review system would be the best way to combat it.

Also: Mueller should be ashamed of himself.  Not only was it fake, it was terribly faked.  He looked like a complete weeny “selling” that foul.

@Imperious:

The supporting cast basically didn’t show up. I don’t like the substitutions. For example, why not play Greg Ogden? The whole point was to have a big man and he just sat on the bench. Also, they didn’t really play Haslem till the end and they broke the confidence of Chalmers. He never played this poorly ever.

Big men wouldn’t have helped outside shooting, which is what killed the Heat - best FG% in any finals in history, nearly 50% from 3 as a team.

They need to trade for a PG, get rid of Wade.

Not sure what happened with Chalmers, but he was terrible.  Cole would have been a better start.

Need a real center, not Anderson

Need a bench more than they need a center.  But that’s where they took cuts to sign the Big 3.

Run more plays for Bosh

Maybe in the 1st game - after that he caught the Wade flu.

@Imperious:

Well see told you.

Suspiciously absent from the NBA thread…

@General:

@Imperious:

Don’t worry they will win game 4, putting me 2-1.

I can’t blame you here since I don’t think anyone in America anticipated the Finals to end on three straight routs.

If only they knew it was the Cavs that suited up…

@John:

Wow, this has to be the best Spurs team, ever. They could close at home, which would be great! One more to go! :-D

Yeah, this should have been a sweep, but I’ll take a home close instead.  :mrgreen:

@Imperious:

Well as you remember, Miami did lose a home game but won the series anyway. The Spurs are in decline, their big three are on the downside of career while Labron is at his peak.

Besides missing the Game 3 prediction, I think you have it fairly wrong.  James is at his peak, true.  Duncan has played better the past 2 years than the few years before that (but was still a very solid/good player even then).  Parker is in the late of his prime and Ginobili is one of the best 6th men out there.

Wade is on the decline and Bosh never played to the level of the others outside Ginobili maybe.

The biggest difference here is the team.  The Spurs are solid and deep - they win playing as a team.  Take away a piece of Miami, and they fall apart (especially if that’s Lebron, although I don’t think he could have won Game 1, only lessened the blow).  The Heat don’t have anyone like Kawhi Leonard - young, strong, great shooter, great D.  They don’t have a capable big man to take on Tiago Splitter or Aron Baynes (if it comes down to it, although not particularly strong players themselves).  Danny Green and Ray Allen match up pretty well, but I’d give the edge to Green due to youth and better defense.  Boris Diaw can play D like Birdman, but also can shoot it - Birdman looks like he doesn’t want to touch the ball unless the other team has it.

Who else is there?  Chalmers has been nonexistent in this series - I’d take Patty Mills over him any day.  Matt Bonner & Belinelli can play ball especially the 3, but don’t get put in as often as they should (with such a deep team, it’s understandable).  What do the Heat have left?  Battier?  Haslem?  I guess I forgot about Rashard Lewis, but still…basically the Heat are 7 players unless fouls warrant it.  The Spurs Bench can field a solid team (and nearly beat the full strength Heat earlier this year).

Series isn’t done yet, and I think it’s a good matchup, but to say it so simply is really overlooking the details.

@Flashman:

But so many storylines to cram into 10 episodes; most characters will get about 3 scenes in the entire 5th season.

And nobody dies.

Apart from –-e—.

A sad loss I don’t think.

There simply isn’t a way to do the next season the way the books are, it’ll have to be combined.  I think it’ll be more exciting that way.

@Flashman:

Last book not even started on yet.

At his rate of scribing there’s no way it’ll be finished before the relevant TV season is made.

Martin will have to supply the producers with a skeleton version of the novel for the final TV shows - aired before the book is published:

https://uk.celebrity.yahoo.com/news/george-r-r-martin-rules-eighth-game-thrones-104152422.html

He knows how he wants it to end - I think the path to get there is the hard part.  He’ll finish.