History VideoGame / ConquestFrontierWars

A brave attempt to do something different with the RealTimeStrategy formula, ''VideoGame/ConquestFrontierWars'' features three sentient species and a different take on resource management. Probably the only game to proclaim 'Fleet-based Real-Time Strategy' on the cover ([[VideoGame/{{Homeworld}} Yes, we know what you're thinking!]]), CFW places you in command of Terrans (Humans), Mantis ([[HordeOfAlienLocusts Bug-like aliens]]) and Celareons (EnergyBeings in robot armour) fleet.

A brave attempt to do something different with the RealTimeStrategy formula, VideoGame/ConquestFrontierWars features three sentient species and a different take on resource management. Probably the only game to proclaim 'Fleet-based Real-Time Strategy' on the cover ([[VideoGame/{{Homeworld}} Yes, we know what you're thinking!]]), CFW places you in command of Terrans (Humans), Mantis ([[HordeOfAlienLocusts Bug-like aliens]]) and Celareons (EnergyBeings in robot armour) fleet.

* ChewingTheScenery: Whilst by no means a [[LargeHam large ham]], Admiral Halsey has a scene chewing moment during one of the briefings where he declares that he wants, "every ''weapon'', every ''outpost'', every stinking ''insect carrier'', from here to Hell reduced to molten ''SPACEBORNE SLAG''!" [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] since he did just witnessed, [[spoiler: the Mantis attack on Solar System and their attempt to destroy the Earth with the help of Smirnof, [[LesCollaborateurs Terran turncoat]] and formerly one of his own commanders]].

* SpaceIsAnOcean: Battleships (complete with cannon turrets intended for broadside-based attacks) and even aircraft carriers (complete with runways) ''InSpace!''

* SpaceDoesNotWorkThatWay: Used.
** SpaceIsNoisy: There is no shortage of rockets wooshes, laser zapping sounds and big booms when ships go up.
** SpaceIsAnOcean: Battleships (complete with cannon turrets intended for broadside-based attacks) and even aircraft carriers (complete with runways) ''InSpace!''

A brave attempt to do something different with the RealTimeStrategy formula, VideoGame/ConquestFrontierWars features three sentient species and a different take on resource management. Probably the only game to proclaim 'Fleet-based Real-Time Strategy' on the cover ([[VideoGame/{{Homeworld}} Yes, we know what you're thinking!]]), CFW places you in command of Terrans (Humans), Mantis ([[HordeOfAlienLocusts Bug-like aliens]]) and Celereons (EnergyBeings in robot armour) fleet.

* TheCavalry: At the end of Mission 8 you are suddenly attacked by large Mantis force and Ker'Tak suggests immediate withdrawal with what admiral Benson agrees. [[spoiler: Then, capitan Blackwell (who should be dead after being om-nomed by black hole) comes literally out of nowhere with Celereon reinforcements and turning the tide of battle. It turns out that he was saved by Celereons]].
* CoolShip: The Celereon ''Monolith''-class ships look like giant stingrays which rake enemies with two bright-blue beams.

** The first mission where you fight alongside the Celereons is also the mission where you fight ''against'' them.

* CrystalSpiresAndTogas: Celereons ships and platforms designs.

* EnergyBeings: Celereons, artificially evolved by an even more powerful species.

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: The enemy Mantis in single player will never use the EnemyExchangeProgram against you, though you are expected to do so against them. While you presumably convert Mantis to your side by "convincing" them that Ker'Tak would be [[IFightForTheStrongestSide a better leader]], the Terrans and Celereons know where their own loyalties lie, [[spoiler: Smirnoff and Natus notwithstanding]]. There are also differences between the campaign and skirmish/multiplayer in terms of how Admirals/Warlords/Magistrates work. In the campaign, they have AceCustom ships that look different from base models, have much more supplies and health points and even additional/better weapons . In skirmish/multiplayer, they fly around in small, unarmed ships that can dock with any of the player's ships and name it as their flagship.
* HigherTechSpecies: The Celereons. This is even represented in gameplay with the Celereons being able to research more levels of upgrades than the other factions.

* HumansAreSpecial: Turning the tide of the mantis civil war and works to bringing peace to the galaxy. Mantis and Celereons alike learn to both respect and fear them.

* MagikarpPower: The Celereons. Their ships start out as less cost-effective that the others, but they can research more levels of upgrades - in every area - than the other factions.

* NoCampaignForTheWicked: The game makes it looks like there are campaigns for all three races. However, the campaigns for the Mantis and the Celereons consist of a single tutorial level each, pointing out the differences with playing as these two races. Some Terran campaign levels involve an EnemyExchangeProgram, so you can play sometimes as Mantis or Celereons.

* OurWormholesAreDifferent: Wormholes are how the ships of Conquest get around, using the numerous wormholes present in the galaxy to jump between hundreds of different star-systems and then maneuvering through those systems on what appear to be sublight-only drives. The strangest thing about these wormholes (aside from the very large number of them) is that it is possible to build a device called a "jump gate" around the wormhole's event horizons, which locks down the wormhole and prevents hostile vessels from jumping through untill they have destroyed the gate (the gates also provide supply lines into the systems they are connected to, allowing some platforms to operate in sectors that don't have [=HQs=] as long as they are connected to systems that DO have them). Celereons are also able to create temporary artificial wormholes. In the storyline, this is why queen Ver'Lak of the Mantis is attacking them. [[spoiler:Magistrate Natus makes a deal with the Mantis, who promise him peace in exchange for the technology. Everyone else thinks he's an idiot for falling for this]].

** More or less: The Mantis and Humans need it to talk to each other, it's buggy at best. The Celereons just learn your language in two seconds.

** There's no mention of what became of Ver'Lak (who, as aforementioned, is never seen at all during the story); after Malkor dies and the Celereons disappear the ending cutscene cuts back to the celebration on Earth, giving the impression the humans just ''left'' without bothering to deal with her (after all, the Celereons certainly did that).

* StandardSciFiFleet

* SequelHook: with a side of GainaxEnding as the ending cutscene doesn't quite line up with what was depicted in gameplay. References are made to "triggering the artifact", the Mantis capital of Voraak is devastated by a wave of fire that kills Ver'Lak and then the Celereons completely vanish, with not even electronic records remaining.

* EasyLogistics: Averted ''hard''. This was the game's main shtick, with combat ships also having a "supply" bar in addition to the standard [[HitPoints health bar]]. This bar would tick down whenever the ship fired its weapons or activated (with a few exceptions) its special abilities and it would be left unable to fire or use said specials when ran out of supplies. To get more supplies, the ship would have to be stationed near a headquarters, supply platforms, repair platforms or supply ships (a vulnerable and unarmed but highly neccessary type of ship that itself only carries a limited amount of supplies, though a far larger that any combat ship can have). The player also must have "supply lines" open into a new star systems in order to operate some platforms, either by building a headquarters in new system or by connecting it with an HQ form the other side of the wormhole via jump gate that leads back to the system with the already existing HQ (note that a string of jumpgated wormholes can connect an HQ to a system any number of wormholes away).

* UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents: Admiral Steele, Texan.
* [[spoiler: ApocalypseHow: Class 6 for Earth if you will not be able to defend the Solar System.]]

* BugWar

* HordeOfAlienLocusts / InsectoidAliens: The Mantis.

* ZergRush: The Mantis, big shock. Even their ''scouts'' carry fighter swarms.

* TogasAndSpires: Celereons ships and platforms designs.

--> Let them come. Wave after wave, let them come. We'll fight with every ship we can muster. We'll fight if we have to crawl from our ships and ''chew through their hulls''. This is Earth. Our home. We'll fight 'til ''from our bones our flesh be hacked''.

* OurWormholesAreDifferent: Wormholes are how the ships of Conquest get around, using the numerous wormholes present in the galaxy to jump between hundreds of different star-systems and then maneuvering through those systems on what appear to be sublight-only drives. The strangest thing about these wormholes (aside from the very large number of them) is that it is possible to build a device called a "jump gate" around the wormhole's event horizons, which locks down the wormhole and prevents hostile vessels from jumping through untill they have destroyed the gate (the gates also provide supply lines into the systems they are connected to, allowing some platforms to operate in sectors that don't have HQs as long as they are connected to systems that DO have them). Celereons are also able to create temporary artificial wormholes. In the storyline, this is why queen Ver'Lak of the Mantis is attacking them. [[spoiler:Magistrate Natus makes a deal with the Mantis, who promise him peace in exchange for the technology. Everyone else thinks he's an idiot for falling for this]].

A brave attempt to do something different with the RealTimeStrategy formula, VideoGame/ConquestFrontierWars featured three sentient species and a different take on resource management. Probably the only game to proclaim 'Fleet-based Real-Time Strategy' on the cover ([[VideoGame/{{Homeworld}} Yes, we know what you're thinking!]]), CFW had you commanding Terrans (Humans), the Mantis ([[HordeOfAlienLocusts Bug-like aliens]]) and the Celareons (Energy beings in robot armour).

Battle could be waged across multiple solar system connected by wormholes, with variety of navy inspired warships.

Featuring a voice cast of British, American, Japanese, Russian and others, CFW also had good quality cut scenes to aid plot progression.

%%* TheAsteroidThicket
* TheBrigadier: The Terran admirals [[spoiler: except Smirnoff, who betrays the Terran Federation to the Mantis.]].
%%* BugWar
* CoolShip: The Celareon ''Monolith''-class ships look like giant stingrays which rake enemies with bright-blue beams.
* ChewingTheScenery: Whilst by no means a [[LargeHam large ham]], Admiral Halsey has a scene chewing moment during one of the briefings where he declares that he wants, "every ''weapon'', every ''outpost'', every stinking ''insect carrier'', from here to Hell reduced to molten ''SPACEBORNE SLAG''!" [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that he did just witness, [[spoiler: The Mantis attack and try to destroy the Earth, lead by Smirnoff, [[LesCollaborateurs recent Terran turncoat]] and formerly one of his own commanders]].

** Early on in the campaign the Mantis queen's sister Ker'Tak is leading a rebellion. The rebels side with the Terrans.
** The first mission where you fight alongside the Celareons is also the mission where you fight ''against'' them.
* ClusterFBomb: Blackwell to Smirnoff when he [[spoiler: shows up leading the Mantis invasion of Earth]]. The fact that all the swear words are [[SoundEffectBleep bleeped out]] makes Blackwell's rant arguably all the more amusing.
* ContrivedCoincidence: The intro shows a Terran survey ship arriving through a newly-discovered wormhole moments before they are caught between an escaping Mantis rebel ship and a large Mantis Imperial fleet.
* CripplingOverspecialization: None of the carrier ships (Terran or Mantis) have any other weapons. So if their fighters are destroyed, and the enemy gets close, the carrier is a sitting duck. This even includes their most powerful ship, the Tiamat, which is also a carrier. This requires bringing in escort ships. The Mantis don't have many ships with direct-fire capabilities.

** Ironically, the Terran Dreadnought is the unit that can temporarily activate nigh-impenetrable shields as its special ability.
* DefiantToTheEnd: Malkor first attempts to flee when he sees the Ion Cannon preparing to fire; when that fails, he throws one last spiteful insult before his death.
-->Malkor:"Yield will not I to kiss the ground before Ker'Tak's feet! Lay on-"
* EasyLogistics: Averting this was the game's main shtick, with combat ships also having a "supply" bar in addition to the standard [[HitPoints health bar]]. This bar would tick down whenever the ship fired its weapons or activated (with a few exceptions) its special abilities and the ship would be left unable to fire or use its specials when it ran out of supplies. To get more supplies, the ship would have to be stationed near a headquarters, supply building, repair building or supply ship (a vulnerable and unarmed but highly neccessary type of ship that itself only carries a limited amount of supplies, though a far larger amount that what any combat ship carries). The player also had to have "supply lines" open into a star system in order to build operational platforms in the system, either by building a headquarters in that system or by connecting the system to a sytem with an HQ via building a jump gate over the wormhole that leads back to the system with the HQ (note that a string of jumpgated wormholes can connect an HQ to a system any number of wormholes away).
* EnergyBeings: Celareons, artificially evolved by an even more powerful species.
* EverythingFades: Even though ships leave behind wreckage that can be salvaged for ore resource, this is still played straight as the wreckage itself is just a generic construct that looks nothing like the chunks of starship or space station that are seen flying away from the epicentre of the ship or station's explosion right before those chunks fade into nothingness...

* FogOfWar: Made even more difficult as you have to keep an eye on multiple systems.
* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: The enemy Mantis in single player will never use the EnemyExchangeProgram against you, though you are expected to do so against them. While you presumably convert Mantis to your side by "convincing" them that Ker'Tak would be [[IFightForTheStrongestSide a better leader]], the Terrans and Celareons know where their own loyalties lie, [[spoiler: Smirnoff and Natus notwithstanding]]. There are also differences between the campaign and skirmish/multiplayer in terms of how Admirals/Warlords/Magistrates work. In the campaign, they have AceCustom ships that look different from base models. In skirmish/multiplayer, they fly around on small unarmed ships that can then dock with any of the player's ships and name it as their flagship.
* HordeOfAlienLocusts: The Mantis.
* HumansAreSpecial: Turning the tide of the mantis civil war and working towards bringing peace to the galaxy, Mantis and Celareon alike learn to both respect and fear them.

--> Ker'Tak: "Eager to kill- Good trait!"
%%* HyperspaceLanes
* InformedAbility: At the end of the first mission, Admiral Halsey says, "...so you survived both a hostile alien attack, and your first encounter with Captain Blackwell. I'm not sure which is worse." This, even though Blackwell has not up to that point and never will act like much of an ass to the player during the campaign. Blackwell's personality 'is' [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold a little rough around the edges]], but its actually relatively mild.
** He does have one or two sarcastic lines at the beginning. While teaching you the UI, the first time he has you click on something, he observes, "Well, good, the Commander can work a mouse."
%%* InsectoidAliens

* LaughTrack: When Admiral Halsey's flagship arrives on the scene during the campaign, Benson quipps, "I thought that thing was still in mothballs!", which accompanied by some ''very'' forced sounding canned laughter in the background (presumably intended to be from her bridge crew).
* NoCampaignForTheWicked: The game makes it looks like there are campaigns for all three races. However, the campaigns for the Mantis and the Celareons consist of a single tutorial level each, pointing out the differences with playing as these two races. Some Terran campaign levels involve an EnemyExchangeProgram, so you can play some levels as Mantis or Celareons.
* NoRecycling: Partially averted. Destroyed ships leave behind wreckage that resource gatherer ships can harvest for ore, but stations do not do this.
* OurWormholesAreDifferent: Wormholes are how the ships of Conquest get around, using the numerous wormholes present in the galaxy to jump between hundreds of different star-systems and then maneuvering through those systems on what appear to be sublight-only drives. The strangest thing about these wormholes (aside from the very large number of them) is that it is possible to build a device called a "jump gate" around the wormhole's event horizons, which locks down the wormhole and prevents hostile vessels from jumping through untill they have destroyed the gate (the gates also provide supply lines into the systems they are connected to, allowing platforms to operate in sectors that don't have [=HQs=] as long as they are connected to systems that DO have them via a jumpgate or series of jumpgates). Celareons are also able to create temporary artificial wormholes. In the storyline, this is why Queen Ver'Lak of the Mantis is attacking them. [[spoiler:Magistrate Natus makes a deal with the Mantis, who promise him peace in exchange for the technology. Everyone else thinks he's an idiot for falling for this]].
* PlutoIsExpendable: Subverted. Mission 13 takes place in the Milky Way galaxy, but it's not Pluto that's absent, it's ''Uranus'' for some reason.

* RousingSpeech: Admiral Hawkes [[spoiler: just before the Mantis begin their attack on Earth]].
%%* SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale

* SpaceDoesNotWorkThatWay: Used and Averted.

** SpaceIsAnOcean: Battleships (complete with cannon turrets intended for broadside-based attacks) and even aircraft carriers (complete with runways), ''In space!''
*** Strangely, according to the campaign, the Terrans got their plans for an aircraft carrier (the one with runways) from the rebel Mantis, even though the Mantis carriers look nothing like it.
%%* StandardSciFiFleet
%%* StealthInSpace

** More or less: The Mantis and Humans need it to talk to each other, it's buggy at best, the Celareons just learn your language in two seconds.
* UnexplainedRecovery: Captain Blackwell tests an unknown wormhole and disappears. The Mantis claim he was sucked into a black hole, but he was saved by the Celareons, who created a temporary wormhole in his path.

* WaveMotionGun: The Ion Cannon.
* YouNoTakeCandle: The Mantis speak Yoda-Style due to bad a translator.
%%** EloquentInMyNativeTongue

* BritishAccents: Admiral Hawkes.