Is Battlefield Commander WWII destined to be the latest in a long line of RTTs that tries and fails to combine Close Combat’s realism, accessibility, and gift for drama, with 3D graphics and a lithe camera? After two hours with the demo, I’m tempted to say ‘Yes, unless Sword of Steel rethink and bolster in key areas’.
To their credit, the devs have delivered a generous trial. The curious are invited to skirmish on three different rural maps with hand-picked German or Soviet forces. VL capture is the name of the game in ‘flags’ mode, hurting the enemy more than he hurts you, the object of ‘battle’ sessions.
The ability to task individual infantrymen is a nice touch, and I can’t think of any wargames that come with comelier Scots pines.
Alas, right now BC’s interface isn’t anywhere near as impressive as its polygonal Pinus sylvestris. Disappointingly, CC basics like order pins, unit icons, a team monitor, and a game speed selector are MIA, and camera control is awkward thanks to an under-utilized mouse.
When these mechanical shortcomings are combined with things like improbably myopic tanks and stoical infantry, and what looks like simplistic damage modelling and/or fishy ballistics, frowning grognards is the inevitable result.
Even Firefight fans will be surprised at how inconspicuous enemy units are in BC. The two images above shows a Jagdpanther stalking a stationary BA-10. My tank destroyer has to get within spitting distance of the armoured car in order to spot it.
If you plan to give the demo a whirl, anticipate losing a lot of AFVs – even heavyweights like the King Tiger – to single shots from unnoticed foes. Given the scale of the maps, and the fact the AI – when shepherding the Soviets – can purchase bruisers like the IS-2 and ISU-52, perhaps this deadliness is to be expected, but a few ricochets, mobility kills, and kiboshed turrets and main guns, would have helped me park my disbelief.
Because foes are so elusive and my initial playtest wasn’t long, I’m not in a position to provide a useful assessment of the AI just yet. Do outgunned tanks ever reverse or pop smoke? Do enemy infantry squads ever retreat, dash for cover, or attempt to close-assault when a massive metal monster bears down on them? If the answer to these questions turns out to be ‘yes’ or ‘not currently, but we’re working on it’ then perhaps one day, a Battlefield Commander WWII session won’t leave me hankering for Firefight, Close Combat, or…
Hmmm is that last screenshot what I think it is? ^^