Time Commanders is a series of programmes made by Lion TV for BBC Two. The programmes, originally hosted by Eddie Mair and more recently by Richard Hammond, feature a RTS game Rome: Total War to recreate famous battles of the ancient world. The battles are replayed by 4-player teams from diverse backgrounds. The teams are unfamiliar with computer games, to make sure their gaming skills do not influence their success. After a brief introduction of the battle, including an overview of military units, terrain and available forces, the players have to develop a strategy and then deploy their forces. Two of the players are selected as generals, who will direct the battle and have access to a strategic map. The other two players are designated lieutenants in the first series, and captains in the second. The units are indirectly controlled by the lieutenants, who issue commands to program assistants, who in turn use the game interface to control the units. Troop deployment and battle follows, although in the second series, there is a small skirmish conducted as a separate event, to acquaint the players with the game mechanics and their units.

During each game, a pair of military specialists analyse the performance of the players and explain how the real historical battle unfolded. One of these observers is often Dr. Aryeh Nusbacher, senior lecturer in War Studies from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and others have included Mike Loades (in the earliest episodes), Saul David, Mark Urban or Adrian Goldsworthy, the series' historical advisor.

Battles of the First Series, in order

1. Battle of the Trebia
2. Battle of Watling Street
3. Battle of Bibracte
4. Battle of Mons Graupius
5. Battle of Tigranocerta
6. Battle of Pharsalus
7. Battle of Cannae
8. Battle of Raphia
9. Battle of Qadesh
10. Battle of Leuctra
11. Battle of Adrianople
12. Battle of Telamon
13. Battle of Gaugamela
14. Battle of Chalons
15. Battle of Marathon
16. Battle of the Silarus

Battles of the Second Series

1. Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
2. Battle of Stamford Bridge
3. Battle of Hydaspes
4. Battle of Cynoscephalae
5. Battle of Dara
6. Battle of Troy
7. Battle of Hastings

Another TV programme that used Rome: Total War engine was Decisive Battles by The History Channel.

External links

• UK Gameshows Page: Time Commanders (http://www.ukgameshows.com/index.php/Time_Commanders)
• Total War - Time Commanders Series 1 (http://www.totalwar.com/time.htm)
• Total War - Time Commanders Series 2 (http://www.totalwar.com/time2.htm)