Pride of Nations

Pride of Nations is a flawed game, but also a good game that is deserving of a sequel. Most gamers' will draw comparisons to Victoria 2. Pride of Nations always does something amazing then it feels unfinished or not fully tested. For example, the level of military unit detail is incredible. You have land and naval commanders that have specific traits and command limits. The amount of units you can build in both Corps, Divisions, and Brigades is truly impressive. Your army feels real. However, moving it is brutal and punishing, far more than it needs to be. Attrition is a major factor every time you move somewhere. And while attrition is a real thing, you are taking on the role of a King, President, or Emperor. It can reasonably be assumed that you have Generals and staff that supply the army so you can actually use it without losing half your men moving in a turn. Economic development with provinces is some of the best I've ever seen in a game of this type. You can see the tremendous benefits that railroads bring a country. As an economic simulation of 19th century Europe, this is a lot more fun than say, Victoria 3. However, you don't exist within in a vacuum and this is where the game breaks down again. Politics are lackluster. There are supposed to be "hot spot" events, but you never seem to generate them and interactions with neighboring countries is generic. Worse, the scripted events don't work. I was playing as Russia and the Crimean War triggered without any build up or decisions to it, one turn France, England, and Turkey simply declared war on me. Alright, fine, I fight an exceedingly good campaign getting France to bow out early and turning the Black Sea into a Russian lake. I eliminate the entire British BEF, and am making slow but steady inroads into the Ottoman Empire when another scripted event takes place saying the war is over. I get no territorial concessions and had two armies destroyed because they were on Ottoman territory and couldn't be supplied once control of zones reverted back to the Ottomans. I had no chance to even negotiate a peace nor would I have agreed to one at that time without compensation because I was winning! After 30 hours of game play, I feel that's decent value for the game when you get it on sale. There are fun elements, but the lack of finish shows up and makes it difficult to imagine someone completing all the turns in a grand campaign. The AI moves between turns takes a while so 30 hours into the game I was in 1854 (start in 1850) and the game goes through 1918. I might try the game again at some point as the United States and see how it functions simulating up to the Civil War. However, I'm hesitant to put in the time because of the scripted nature of the Crimean War an unsatisfactory feeling I got without having any input into the peace conference terms. Maybe I'm just used to a Hearts of Iron type of peace. Worth playing? Yes. Not a hidden gem, but certainly a game that had some potential.