Barren Realms Elite

Barren Realms Elite or BRE is a multi-player bulletin board system strategy game.

Barren Realms Elite is a 25-player strategic war game originally by Mehul Patel. The setting is in the future -- nuclear destruction has spread throughout the planet, and now only a vast barren void exists. As a baron under a great king, you must expand your barony throughout the planet and become the ultimate baron.

One feature of the game was the ability for a bulletin board system to compete against other BBSs. Each BBS would function as its own distinct planet in a universe of planets, where the universe comprised all of the BBSs that agreed to host the game together. Messages and attacks would travel from planet to planet on a regular basis as the BBS systems called each other to transmit and receive data. The game was based on Solar Realms Elite (SRE), and is considered by many to be SRE's successor. The focus on inter-BBS play completely changed the game dynamics, and both BRE and SRE continued to be developed for several years.

Storyline
Players rule a kingdom on a post-apocalyptic planet, and compete to become the strongest kingdom on the planet. There are two main ways in which players expand their kingdoms, either by purchasing more territory or attacking other players and taking their territory. Territory is broken down into several types, including mountain, coastal, river, factories and urban. Each offers a variable amount of income in the form of food and money, dependent on other factors such as population or total amount of territory. Military units consist of units purchased or produced in factories. Some of the unit types are infantry, tanks, jets and missile bases (MB's). Players are also able to select from a preset list of espionage missions which can destroy land or population of opponents. Finally, there is also a list of diplomatic treaties which players can use to create alliances or trade routes.

Region Selection

 * Coastal Regions - Coastal regions are money-producing regions that can be affected during war.


 * River Regions - River regions are producing money thru hydro-power. Workers in this area will become fishermen once in a while.


 * Agricultural Regions - Agricultural regions have only one porpose: to produce food.


 * Desert Regions - Desert regions money-producing regions taht cannot be affected by war.


 * Urban Regions - Urban regions increase immigration to your barony. The more urban regions you have, the more people will immigrate.


 * Technology Regions - Tech regions slowly reduce the cost of maintenance by researching and creating new stuff. You need a large ammount of them to make a difference.


 * Industrial Regions - Industrial regions create military unites.


 * Mountain Regions - Mountain regions are money-producing regions, but not as much as other regions.

Military Units Selection

 * Troopers - They are the bulk of your army, they are cheap but they consume alot of the food you will produce. (Cannot kill jets)


 * Jets - They have a very strong offensive value but will have a huge maintenance cost. In order to hace jets you will also need carriers to take your jets into battle. (no defensive value)


 * Turrets - Are very strong, but will cost alot in maintenance. (no offensive value)


 * Tanks - Have a stong offensive, defensive value and are not expencive in maintenance. (Cannot kill jets)


 * Carriers - Units needed to bring jets to the battlefield.


 * Bombers - Units that can ONLY destroy jets. (no defensive value)


 * Special Agents - They can do many action that will disrupt or destroy units or can have a wide range of effects.