Global Triumph is a free, multiplayer, purely Web-based war game with a focus on military strategy. Players join a wide variety of worlds and compete for control of territory via land, sea, and air.

Unlike most online games, though, Global Triumph is not real-time. You log in, build up, and set your attacks. Everything's processed in cycles, which means you can play on your schedule.

Each world is made up of a grid of squares known as sectors. The objective is to battle your opponents and capture as many sectors as possible, either individually or in a team (known as an alliance).

Over the years, I’ve heard people compare playing Global Triumph to playing Risk, Storm Across Europe, chess, even a grand-scale Command and Conquer!

Playing Global Triumph

When you join a world, you're given a capital, a few dozen sectors, and a bit of starting cash. You'll earn additional income based on how many sectors you own, so it's best to start expanding as quickly as possible!

Your expansion and attacks take place via land, sea, and air.

A land base will let you build construction trucks, infantry, jeeps, and tanks. Trucks can then build more land bases (important for reinforcements as you expand), as well as air bases, sea bases, defense turrets, and bridges (which allow land units to cross water).

Air bases can build jets, missiles, and bombs, which let you attack your targets from a distance.

Sea bases can build transports (used to move land units across water), aircraft carriers (which carry jets), missile frigates (which carry missiles), and warships. Warships are powerful naval units that provide cover, attack other sea units, attack land units on the shore, and can fire at units several sectors away.

Global Triumph’s beginning

Global Triumph was first launched in Alpha mode in early 2009 and has been continuously developed ever since. Initially, I set out with a very specific vision:

• Massively Multiplayer. I wanted hundreds of people fighting to take over a massive world over a long period of time.
• Strategy. I wanted a game that focused on strategy rather than reaction time. (Think general staring at a battle map rather than soldier aiming a rifle.) That means developing the right units and setting the right attacks, of course. When playing a game with dozens of human opponents, though, it also means a good deal of diplomacy!
• Convenience. I wanted people to be able to play anywhere and without having to become a devout gamer. It would operate in any modern Web browser without any additional plugins. Attacks would process once a day (in the middle of the night), so people could play when it was convenient for them. You didn’t have to quit school or your job to stay in the game.

Global Triumph actually started as a single world with very specific rules, but has evolved into a game supporting multiple worlds (from thousands to millions of sectors) and a large variety of game modes. (For example, the game now also includes mini user-created worlds for a much shorter gaming experience.)

Global Triumph’s players

Thousands of players have played Global Triumph since its launch. Some just dabbled, some played for a stretch, and some have been playing since the beginning — well over five years!

More than anything, Global Triumph’s players love strategy. I’ve had several players tell me they’ve spent lunch hours staring at a world’s map just thinking through their strategy. Family, friends, and coworkers have played, allied, and competed throughout various worlds for years, huddling around a screen discussing battle options.

Of course, the game isn’t just about attacks. There’s a time for war and a time for peace! Diplomatic strategy also plays a very important role in Global Triumph, more so than I think many players realize. Global Triumph has both alliances (i.e. teams) and treaties, which block players from attacking one another while the treaty is in effect.

Via notes and the message board, players can communicate to work together, determine boundaries, exert pressure, and, for those opting to play less virtuously, perhaps even try to manipulate their opponents! You have to choose your allies and enemies carefully, choose when to fight and when to make peace, and decide whom to trust.

The dynamics of playing against other people is why I think multiplayer gaming is far more enjoyable than playing single player games.

Learning more

Information about Global Triumph and how to play has primarily been located in three areas: the Video Tutorials, the Help section, and the Message Board.

• The Video Tutorials step you through the basics of playing the game and are a quick and easy way to get started.
• The Help section has quick reference details on the game’s components. It’s especially handy when you need to check stats on different land, sea, and air units.
• The Message Board is much more geared towards discussions. However, it's chock-full of posts containing detailed information about all aspects of the game, as well as questions other players have asked and I (or others) have answered.

This blog will serve as a more clear, organized, and detailed resource on all aspects of the game. In time, the Help and Video Tutorials may be replaced entirely with resources shared on this blog.