Combat Mission

A little turn-based strategy for sir?

I was surprised to discover that, to those in the know, Combat Mission is something of a legend in the turn-based strategy genre. Coded by what amounts to one lone fella, the game has actually been available for purchase over the internet since mid-2000, via Battlefront.com. Indeed, Combat Mission is regarded by many as the genres finest-hour, an even more impressive feat given the titles humble-beginnings. CDV have now picked up the game, and as such Combat Mission will be on shelves around Europe even as we speak – it’s been a meteoric rise to fame, for a game that’s already critically acclaimed… but can it still cut the mustard, two years after completion, and with system specifications that are laughably low: Pentium200, 32mb RAM, DirectX 7! Those were the days…

Fortunately, the best bits of Combat Mission appear to have stood the test of time well. The turn-based gameplay being a far more tense and in-depth affair than any real-time game can offer, without sacrificing realism too greatly thanks to some lovely graphics, and immense battles – that encompass vast swathes of terrain, and include a plethora of units and tactical opportunities. Historians are sure to have a field day too, with the attention deluged upon the dates and settings; the 1944-45 Western Front.

The attention detail doesn’t end there, however. Weather effects also add a nice touch, whilst true line-of-site makes for a more believable feel to the game – not to mention the fact that the game’s six opposing armies all speak in their native tongue. A nice touch.

A great number of historically accurate scenarios are present to keep even the most hardened Wargamer amused, and the editor provided allows you to design your own, and maps, etc. Great for battling your friends in Combat Mission’s eclectic mix of multiplayer modes. Importantly, the interface is very clear and largely intuitive, the developers clearly having taken pains to perfect and polish the control system, which makes a pleasant change from the somewhat cumbersome efforts of other games in the genre.

So does the game have any detractors? Well, yes and no. The graphics, whilst being advanced for a turn-based (polygons galore!) game, and creating a unique vision and atmosphere during battle, are still not quite cutting-edge, several titles having created a more impressive vision of WWII that Combat Mission sadly can’t match. Having said that, it still runs on a very low-spec machine, which many of you will appreciate.

All in all then, one of the best turn-based strategic offerings available, and one of the most attractive, too. Not only does it succeed in presenting a historically intriguing ambience, it’ll keep you hooked with it’s vast array of maps, game options, etc. For those that can stomach the slow-pace of the genre as a whole, this will be ideal.

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By Luke Guttridge