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This game is addictive fun …
As a 31yo gamer I’ve played many different combat titles and the fun factor on this game gives nothing up to a high-dollar fps title.
I enjoy games like Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Battlefield etc, but this one is a little more tactical…
If all you want to do is pick up a rifle and squeeze off an unlimited amount of ammo while progressing through a linear map and storyline, than this is probably not the game for you.Wink
If you like to pick up a rifle and some anti-tank grenades and sneak up behind a squad of unsuspecting Jerry’s and take a bite out of their sandwich, than this game is right up your ally, ahem, alley.

There are about a half-dozen missions per ally nation you play: US, Russia etc.
Each mission has objectives you must complete to advance to the next mission. Sometimes the troops you have remaining after one mission relates to the number you are supplied on a subsequent mission, so take care of your comrades;)
Some missions may require you to keep ‘X’ number of guys alive while rallying at a rendevous point on the map … another objective of a certain mission might be to annihilate the enemy completely, but whatever the objectives are, you will have fun getting there and using the necessary tactics to ensure victory.

As far as gameplay is concerned, you assign temperaments/tactics to your troops and then equip them as you see fit. For example, you can set guys up to hold-a-position or move-at-free-will, or hold-their-fire, or fire-at-will, or return-fire only if fired upon, etc.
Set your troops up and then order them to move out and do as you command.
I usually prefer to take individual control of my troops and vehicles, rather than ordering commands and having the computer AI carry out the order, because lets face it, the computer can’t read you mind.
The ability to override and move the troops around makes gameplay more precise and enjoyable. For example, you can order a group of guys to man a tank and then drive the tank all over the map and fire at anything you please … but watch out for enemy landmines, can’t see them without a detector Smile

The best part about the game though (besides throwing deadly grenades at an enemy machine gun nest and watching the bodies flip through the air) is the tactics and strategy. Sometimes you can’t just run into a stronghold with guns-a-blazin’ … and sometimes you have to. The game requires regular assesment as to the next plan of action as you progress through a mission. Sometimes the immediate goal might be just to take out a small group of enemy soldiers to advance to a bigger objective or to take a better tactical piece of real estate on the map. Sometimes an enemy tank might appear on the mission map driving in from the north road, out of nowhere, and that throws a wrench in your assault plan, doesn’t it.

The best advice I can give you on gameplay is: SAVE, AND SAVE OFTEN … read that last line again …
There is nothing worse than taking out a couple of small groups of enemy soldiers and then running into a mission failing ambush battle and then having to start out all the way from square one again. So my advice is to save as soon as you achieve any small objective or obtain a nice weapon for one of your guys. Don’t throw away your hard work by not saving your baby-steps along the way Wink

The map for each mission will display your troop locations and the location of enemy troops as well. You have a somewhat birdseye view of the battlefield during gameplay and you’re allowed to survey the extents of the mission map so you can somewhat lay out a strategy to complete the mission. For example, you might start on the southern border of the mission map and have to go all the way to the north. Well, the gameplay allows you to free-scroll around the battlefield to assess enemy troop-strength in different areas. So based on your assessment you can decide to attack to the west first since the troop concentration is more sparce there and the vehicles there are not as deadly as what lay directly ahead or to the east of you. Whatever you decide shall be your fate, and the freedom to assault areas at will is what is nice about this game … like they say, there is more than one way to skin a cat.

I also like the fact you can run over trees, level buildings with some high explosive rounds, or hide in a building to avoid detection from an enemy tank heading your way with bad intentions. The environment plays a big role in the tactics, as you can hide behind bushes and hide behind walls to stay out of view in wait to toss that pineapple at the approaching vehicle or men. As a side note, the AP (armor piercing) rounds work better against armored vehicles and the HE (high explosive)rounds against walls, buildings, artillery pieces, troops, etc.

Salvaging is another fun part of this game as you can rummage downed soldiers and vehicles for equipment and weapons, or fuel, or ammo, or first aid kits, etc. I also like the fact they made the ammo use vehicle specific. For example: a light, small caliber tank will not be able to use rounds salvaged from a heavy, large caliber tank and visa versa. It ads a little more realism to the war environment, although the smg ammo is smg ammo regardless of what smg you or the dead-dude has. Meaning, smg ammo that was being used by an assassin with an MP40 (9mm round) works in a Thompson (.45″ round), but what the heck, we don’t want it too real, after all, it is just a game and for entertainment. Smile

Pros: Everything

Cons: I feel bad after I shoot unarmed cows and chickens with a tank.

Did I mention to SAVE your progress regularly in a mission?
Regardless of how insignificant you think the last objective was, save … the adversity of your foes can change quickly at the drop-of-a-hat and few things are worse than going back to the beginning of your last save or starting from the beginning of the mission.

Even though this title is a couple of years old (2004) I give it a 9 out of 10 … or 5 out of 5 since 4.5 rounds up to 5 , but anyhow, I give it a 9 only because I have played other games that I consider more fun to play … but not many Wink

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