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Neilster -> RE: Squad Leader (7/5/2007 12:21:15 PM)
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From Wikipedia...
Combat Mission is the name of two series of computer games simulating tactical battles. CMX1 refers to a set of games using the original game engine, set in the Second World War (WWII). CMX2, due to premiere in 2006, will feature a new game engine on the same scale as the first, with games depicting tactical combat from a greater variety of historical eras. All the Combat Mission games are a unique mixture of turn-based strategy and simultaneous real-time execution. The game environment is fully three-dimensional, with a "Wego" style of play wherein each player enters his orders into the computer simultaneously during pauses in the action, and then are powerless to intervene during the action replay phase. More familiar turn-based games use an "I-go/You-go" system of play.
History
Charles Moylan worked on several of Avalon Hill's computer projects, including Flight Commander 2, Achtung Spitfire, and Over the Reich. In 1997 he was unofficially working on a computer adaptation of the famous Advanced Squad Leader board game. Moylan came to realize, however, that the game would be difficult or impossible to adapt successfully to a computerized version. Atomic Games had also attempted to produce a "Computer Squad Leader" game, but abandoned the tie-in to ASL and eventually marketed the game (successfully) as Close Combat.
In the beginning of 1998 Avalon Hill was in turmoil and unstable to work for, and Moylan decided to go his own way, as Big Time Software, shortly before Avalon Hill was purchased by Hasbro. The move from Avalon Hill meant also severing ties to ASL; the unfinished project had no references to ASL or A-H. Moylan briefly shopped the early Alpha build around (tentatively called Squad Leader) but was not satisfied with the publisher contacts he made. He teamed up with Steve Grammont, forming what eventually became Battlefront.com and re-christened the new game "Combat Mission".
Battlefront produced the first game of the Combat Mission (CM) series, Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord, in 2000. The game was successful and spawned three additional titles, as well as a second generation game engine with plans for many new Titles and Modules bearing the Combat Mission name. Big Time Software eventually became known as Battlefront.com, with additional members being hired to the team including Martin "Moon" van Balkom, Dan "Kwazydog" Olding, and Fernando Julio Carrera Buil and Matt "Madmatt" Faller, who handle the company website, graphics and sound design, and organizing beta testing of new products. Combat Mission, as of 2007, remains the flagship series of the Battlefront.com line.
Game series
Three titles using the original game engine have been released by producer www.battlefront.com :
* Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord (CMBO) 2000
* Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin (CMBB) 2002
* Combat Mission: Afrika Korps (CMAK) 2004
These three games are commonly said to belong to the "CMX1 Engine". In 2006, the series will have expanded from the three titles in the original series, to include an operational WW II themed tie-in game for CMX1, as well as a new series of games using the new CMX2 engine. The new games will consist of Titles, outlining a particular era, with Modules providing extra nationalities, weapons, and equipment types for each Title.
The initial Title has been announced by producer www.battlefront.com :
* Combat Mission: Shock Force (CM:SF) 2007
This title will cover a fictional US invasion of Syria, focusing on US Stryker Brigades and Syrian regular and irregular forces. It is anticipated that additional modules will bring US Marines and other nationalities into the game. Additionally, it is believed that the second title in the series will have a Second World War setting. The initial release set in Syria will be released on July 27th, 2007.
Finally, an operational layer has been added to CMBB with the announcement of Combat Mission: Campaign, which will allow players to order maneuver elements from platoon to battalion size on an operational grid and generate realistic battles to be fought out in CMBB. It was expected to be released in 2006; www.battlefront.com (BFC) had announced this title would be released before CM:SF.
* Combat Mission: Campaign (CMC) 2007
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combat_mission
These are brilliant games. I still play the original CM: Beyond Overlord regularly and it was released in 2000. You can't go wrong with this series as they're fantastic and their excellent editor and random battle generators mean almost endless replayability.
Cheers, Neilster
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