Time Commanders
Time Commanders | |
---|---|
Genre | Technological game show |
Created by | Adam MacDonald |
Presented by | Eddie Mair (2003–04) Richard Hammond (2005) Gregg Wallace (2016) |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 3 |
No. of episodes | 27 |
Production | |
Running time | 45–60 minutes |
Production company | Lion Television |
Original release | |
Network | BBC Two (2003–05) BBC Four (2016) |
Release | 4 September 2003 27 December 2016 | –
Related | |
Decisive Battles |
Time Commanders is a
Format
In the first two series, teams of four contestants directed opposite forces. The teams were unfamiliar with computer games, to make sure their gaming skills did not influence their success. In the 2016 revival, two teams of three controlled opposing factions (for example, one team would play as Carthage and the other as Rome).
After a brief introduction of the battle, including an overview of military units, terrain and available forces, the players had to develop a
During each game, a pair of military specialists analysed the performance of the players and explained how the real historical battle unfolded.
Background
The game engine used was based on Rome: Total War, the game being released a year later. Rome: Total War designer and writer Mike Brunton said, "Time Commanders did use Rome code pretty much 'as is', with tweaks for different troop types and camera controls". The televised programmes contained no reference to the origin of the software powering the 3D visuals, due to the BBC's rules against product placement; however Rome: Total War makers The Creative Assembly were named in the credits of the show with a specific mention of them providing the game engine.
Related media
A tie-in book was written by Peter Harrison and published by Virgin Books in 2004, called Time Commanders: Great Battles of the Ancient World. It covered the 16 battles of the first series, along with details of all the contestants in each of the teams, which battle and which army they each played and whether they won or lost the battle they had been given.
Airings
Series | Start date | End date | Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 September 2003[1] | 26 March 2004[2] | 16 |
2 | 16 January 2005[3] | 13 March 2005[4] | 8 |
3 | 12 December 2016[5] | 27 December 2016[6] | 3[6] |
Episodes
Series 1 (2003):
- Trebia (218 BC)
- Watling Street(AD 60 or 61)
- Bibracte (58 BC)
- Mons Graupius (AD 83)
- Tigranocerta (69 BC)
- Pharsalus (48 BC)
- Cannae (216 BC)
- Raphia (217 BC)
- Qadesh (1274 BC)
- Leuctra (371 BC)
- Adrianople (AD 378)
- Telamon (225 BC)
- Gaugamela (331 BC)
- Chalons (AD 451)
- Marathon (490 BC)
- Silarus River (71 BC)
Series 2 (2005):
- Teutoburg Forest (AD 9)
- Stamford Bridge (AD 1066)
- Hydaspes (326 BC)
- Cynoscephalae (197 BC)
- Dara (AD 530)
- Troy (circa 1200s BC)
- Hastings (AD 1066)
- Sarmizegethusa(AD 106)
Series 3 (2016):
- Battle of Zama 202 BC
- The Battle of Waterloo, June 1815
- Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, June 451 AD (same battle as series 1, episode 14, under a different name)
References
- ^ "Time Commanders – BBC Two England – 4 September 2003". BBC Genome Project. 4 September 2003. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ "Time Commanders – BBC Two England – 26 March 2004". BBC Genome Project. 26 March 2004. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ "Time Commanders – BBC Two England – 16 January 2005". BBC Genome Project. 16 January 2005. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ "Time Commanders – BBC Two England – 13 March 2005". BBC Genome Project. 13 March 2005. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ "Time Commanders – Series 3, Episode 1". BBC Online. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Time Commanders – Series 3, Episode 3". BBC Online. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
External links
- Time Commanders at BBC Online
- Time Commanders at IMDb
- Time Commanders at UKGameshows.com