One thing I like about (most) board wargames is that the rules can be (at least in theory...) fully understood and all the numbers you need are usually printed on the counters, the CRT and other tables readily available. It is all very abstracted, but often results in a playable game were you can predict the results of actions and easily see what is going on.

It seems to me all the time since the 70's when the first computer wargames emerged everyone doing those have made maximum use of the ability of computers to crunch numbers and keep track of the ammo/fuel etc down to single units, but I have seen no examples of anyone abstracting things down to a level where the human player can easily manage it.

Even the less realistic games (like Panzer General; very good, but... no supply lines etc), insists on having loads of parameters; often you need to bring up dialog windows full of numbers. Supply are no easy trace you can follow manually to see what hexes are good and not, but some (often unknown) mathematic formula resulting in a % for each hex/unit. "CRT" is unknown, etc. Of course all that makes for a much better SIMULATION than any boardgame, but most often I feel that it makes it a worse GAME. I would prefer something more boardgameish, abstracting combat to a simple known CRT (preferably shown on screen during game), displaying simple supply-lines whose rules are fully described in the manual, having all numbers on the counter (attack-defend-move is enough really, I don't need a screenfull of low-level stats and 7 different fatigue/supply/readiness values) etc. Are there any such games? Older games are interesting as well.

I would also find it interesting to hear what thoughts others have about this. Am I the only one not happy about the 1991 windows 3.11 style multi-windows user iterfaces still in use for computer wargames, when most other games and applications have evolved much more useful interfaces showing you the information you need without requiring multiple dialog windows?

I do like TOAW3, and several other games, but sometimes (as in "often") I would rather play something where I can spend more time moving units, less time clicking through dialog windows, preferably with the feel of a board wargame (standard IGOUGO etc).