MegaWars was a series of real-time online multiplayer space empire building games which were hosted on CompuServe in the 1980s and lasted well into the 1990s. The original MegaWars I was a port of Decwar, originally developed at the University of Texas at Austin. A port using a basic client/server protocol and a basic graphical interface on the TRS-80 Color Computer as MegaWars II was never released. MegaWars III followed, based on an entirely different engine originally developed by Kesmai.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MegaWars

I think I remember seeing the ad and really wanting to try this, but I don't think I had a computer at the time.

I do remember Tradewars, a turn-based game some BBSs ran. It's probably the same concept, right? You have some stats and a limited number of moves per day to manipulate markets and what not.

I miss when game covers completely fooled me into thinking a game would be awesome.

It's like someone looked at Star Wars and thought "This is some pansy shit. I need a Star Wars for a real man."

you mean Flash Gordon?

modern gaming is just like that and then some

Here's the game's full manual.

https://archive.org/details/megawars-manual

The megawars will be dangerous. Make sure you bring your helmet. Shouldn't need anything else though