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The Wargamer's 2003 Readers' Choice Awards

	Author: The Wargamer Staff Article Type: Buying Guide Publication Date: 2/23/2004 Related Categories: Best of the Year Awards

Readers' Choice: Expansion

This is another first-year category. There were so many excellent expansion packs released this year that we felt it justified; whether the category reappears in 2004 remains to be seen. To qualify, the expansion must be released as a separate item, requiring the original to play.

The award winners were all very close in voting, but well-separated from the rest of the pack. That a Total War, Decisive Battles, and Civilization title took the top spots should not be a surprise: our staff and readers alike think very highly of these franchises. All three of these titles turned their base product (Medieval Total War, Korsun Pocket, and Civilization III) into a refreshing, new experience which places them a cut above the rest, which typically add a few new units and maps to the mix.

Readers' Choice: Simulations

Eeek! A sports title! What has the sim world come to?

As this once-proud category limps along on the edge of relevancy, Oleg Maddox proved he still controls the attention of most of our readers, as IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles gained more votes than the rest of the field combined. While Championship Manager 4 is an excellent game, it is somewhat surprising that our readers preferred it and the science-fiction game Freelancer to other military titles. However after further reflection it's worth acknowledging that our readership plays eclectically and their choices here demonstrate that.