Here it is:
Theatre of War
Author: Jim Cobb
Article Type: PC Game Preview
Publication Date: 3/3/2007
Developer: 1C
Publisher: Battlefront
Related Categories: World War II,
Real-time,
Strategic,
Tactical,
Europe
From Normandy to the Urals
Theatre of War covers World War II in Europe through five campaigns containing 43 battles. Players cannot play both sides of all campaigns but each side has its own campaign. The German campaign covers the entire war while the Russian one depicts the Eastern Front from 1941 to 1945. Polish and French forces defend their countries in 1939 and 1940 respectively while the Western Allies' campaign starts with the Normandy landings. Six stand-alone battles covering the different fronts are included. Battles can be gripping as players use terrain and the right unit mix to start their moves. The fact that the AI can pop up anywhere adds an element of suspense to even the smallest movement.
Russian forces advance on German positions.
The maps on which the fighting occurs are 3D with zooming and rotating functions. The usual mini-map shows not only the area viewed but also primary and secondary objectives. A first person view can be had from a selected soldier or vehicle. Players can literally feel the grass as the follow along with a crawling sniper. Mechanics are the usual left/right click to select and give orders and lassoing units into groups, although squads can be selected by double clicking on the squad leader's icon. The pause function, combined with the various ways to select units, makes play easier than most examples of the genre.
The view from a Pzkw Mk I scouting ahead.
The graphics of the units are key to the game. Each unit has the usual animation but also a small symbol above it. Clicking either brings up the unit's stats and condition. The symbol becomes important when viewing the field from afar. The unit itself might disappear but the symbol remains with its color reflecting the unit's status. Units have a myriad of traits, characteristics and conditions shown in an info bar. Vehicles have vivid depictions, both on the field and in the info bar, showing primary and secondary weapons with accompanying ammunition type, amount and penetration over range. Armor values are divided between turret and hull with six aspects each. Vehicles have crews that have ability levels per their position, e.g. driver or gunner. Characteristics of individual soldiers have similar weapons data but have six traits for leadership, driving, gunnery, marksmanship, scouting and intelligence as well as the ubiquitous health and morale bars. Matching these traits with equipment is important; a man with a high marksmanship rating should get a fancy rifle to become a sniper. Profile and top-down views are provided for vehicles and head portraits for the men. Three different movement stances and six formations can be chosen via the info bar. The information provided through these sources seems more detailed and accurate than in other games. Animation for friendly units is lively as it is for enemy units when a friendly has a line of sight to them.
A French soldier's rating is shown in the info bar. Command icons are to the bottom right.
A Russian tank cleans out a trench.
Orders are given several ways. Movement and attack can be done simply by right clicking on a target but an icon panels contains twelve different commands, each having its unique cursor. These commands range from movement to assault to bailing out of a vehicle. The attack icon is divided into three portions, allowing players to aim for the top, middle and bottom of a target. Commands can also be given by hotkeys. The abilities provided by all these options take
Theatre of War out of the "bum's rush" school of gaming.
However, the excellent context-sensitive mouse tool tip gives another dimension to orders. Depending on the unit selected, the tip will change when moves on to different spots on the map. A large downward arrow indicates a trench a soldier can jump in. An open door tells players that a man can crew a friendly or captured weapon or vehicle. Soldiers can search the dead and wounded for equipment and ammunition, a truly innovative concept and vital to a hard-fought engagement. When available, off-board artillery can be called by clicking on an icon. Batteries may be good for more than one attack. Similarly aircraft can be called to bomb targets, provide air patrols, or carry out reconnaissance. The pausable element of play allows players enough time to use all the options available for a true combined arms experience.
Artillery falls on a trench system
Winterscape with barrage
Another aspect separating
Theatre of War from RTS games is the relatively small number of units to be controlled. Players will usually have a mixed-arms force equal to a small battalion - a few squads and maybe ten vehicles. Beginners will also appreciate the three difficulty levels and the ability to turn off morale effects in the lower two. Play encourages authentic tactics: first recon, followed by pinning the enemy, and finished by fire and maneuver. The relative small number of units allows players manageable control.
Initial orders seem easy - at least for HQ.
Forces can be rotated back and forth from the reserve and the line.
Here, German soldiers wait to be dragged to their jump-off points.
The branching campaigns begin with broad objective such as "Hold this line". Achieving these objectives depends on force deployment. Players have two kinds of forces, reserves and deployed, whose costs add up to a total point allotment. Vehicles and squads can be switched between the two to accomplish the goals. At this point, players may also choose to take experienced units out of the line for a rest. Once the assets are just right, the screen switches to set up mode where players can drag troops to better initial positions. Play starts with approaches to the first objective on the mini-map. Red symbols representing the enemy appear as well as further tasks from headquarters ordering specific actions to be taken. A few clicks send the troops on their way. The reactions of vehicle crews and infantry upon contact with the enemy depend on the level of their traits, i.e. soldiers with low intelligence will probably do something stupid and die. Most units act rationally, cutting down on the need for micromanagement. Combat results affect the health and morale of individuals with some men routing quickly. Damage to vehicles, well illustrated, depends on where they were hit; an immobilized tank can still fire. Players are kept informed of events by a message log, damage colors on the info bar and changing colors of unit symbols. When a unit is not selected, a scorecard showing friendly units and visible enemy units comes up on the map.
Once a battle is lost or won, players can check what experience their troops have gained, take on new equipment and reassign men. After that, a choice of battles is given as the campaign progresses. Success in forthcoming assignments is dependent on current situations. Thus, the onus of conserving precious veterans and good equipment adds a sense of almost personal responsibility to players' actions.
Everything about the T-34.
has an extensive and well-illustrated encyclopedia of armaments used by each major nation throughout the war. If the final product lives up to this documentation, this game may well be a significant improvement in the genre. Even if it has undiscovered faults, internet play should make it enjoyable to most gamers. As always, the proof of the pudding lies in the retail version but this early taste will make the taste buds of the most discerning gamer quiver.
System Requirements
Minimum SpecsReviewer's Specs2.6 GHz Pentium
512MB RAM
Video card similar to nVidia GF 4600 or ATI Radeon 9600
DirectX 9.0c
Microsoft Windows 98/2000/XP 2.3 GHz AMD Athlon XP
1 GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce FX 7800 GS
DirectX 9.0c
80 GB hard drive
Windows XP Home
About the Author
Jim Cobb has been playing board wargames since 1961 and computer wargames since 1982. He has been writing incessantly since 1993 to keep his mind off the drivel he deals with as a bureaucrat. He has published in
Wargamers Monthly,
Computer Gaming World,
Computer Games Magazine,
Computer Games Online,
CombatSim,
Armchair General,
Subsim,
Strategyzone Online and
Gaming Chronicle. If you're looking for a PBEM patsy, contact Jim; he never wins.
Here's the link:
http://www.wargamer.com/reviews/thea...view/page2.asp