Matrix Games

Assess, Plan, Order and React – The Decisions are Yours!

Acclaimed developer Panther Games brings us to the bitter cold of Western Europe during the Winter of 1944 with Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge.  Although the Battle of the Bulge is ground that has been visited by wargamers before, it has never been done with this level of fidelity and historical accuracy.  The most advanced and realistic model of command decision-making implemented to date in a commercial wargame, combined with thorough historical research on the battlefields and forces involved in this campaign sets Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge apart from the competition.

Set during the hard fighting of the Battle of the Bulge, Command Ops lets gamers assess, plan, order and react at the operational level just like a real Corps, Division and Brigade commander. Hundreds of hours of gameplay await armchair generals who will be challenged to fight their way across 27 scenarios that stretch from the initial German surprise offensive to the powerful Allied counter-attack.

Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge also sports some of the most advanced and impressive AI ever devised in an operational-level wargame!  It is your choice whether to manage every detail of your army, or have the friendly AI manage the war on a lower level while you plan the larger scale maneuvers designed to make short work of your enemy.  Just as a historical commander, you can choose where you need to step in and when you need to stand back and let your subordinates do their jobs. 

The enemy AI will use its skill to launch well-timed and coordinated strikes as it probes your lines for weakness while realistically reacting to your movements!  In addition, for the enthusiastic mod community awaiting Command Ops, powerful tools like MapMaker and ScenMaker allow for the creation of maps and scenarios further adding to already near limitless replayability.

• Realistic command decision making at the operational level. Assess, plan, order and react just like a real Corps, Division and Brigade commander. One of the most advanced commercial AI opponents ever developed Hundreds of hours of playtime including 27 scenarios, covering initial German offensive and American counter-attack Full construction set includes editors to make units ( EstabEditor ), maps ( MapMaker ) and scenarios ( ScenMaker ) for any battle. Mod various aspects of the game, including map patterns and victory messages. An Estab Editor to modify or create Forces, Equipment, Ammo, Formations, etc. A contender for the best AI in any wargame The AI can manage subordinate commanders and handle micromanagement new automated bridge building Select attack, move and secure doctrine to custom tune AI-controlled units with your command style without actually commanding them directly Advanced force allocation algorithms to keep your army balanced and sharp New force group structures to enable cross attachments and different ways of displaying the order of battle New reaction and reassessment code for smarter responses from both the enemy and friendly AI New scheduling code to better manage the sequencing of tasks New route finding algorithms units can rush to battle but become exposed, take a safe but slow route, or many other options New formation movement code, including phase lines Enhanced sighting code Enhanced basing code Intuitive powerful interface Clear and concise tutorial movies to get you up to speed New order options give you more control including attacks, bypasses, ambushes, stragglers, basing, retaking of position, avoiding friendlies, rest at night etc. Automate units and let the cutting edge AI manage smaller units while you concentrate on the big picture New order timing controls to coordinate tasks New order supply level settings so you can set resupply priorities New order of battle display to help you organize your forces New Estab Data views to access weapon and vehicle performance data Map patterns now change with the weather Pathing tools provide estimate of duration Hundreds of hours of playtime 27 scenarios, covering initial German offensive and American counter-attack Tons of Replayability - many scenario options, including multiple random reinforcement schedules Extensive unit, vehicle and weapon estabs covering German, American and British forces 26 maps covering the Ardennes battlefield Full construction set includes editors to make units ( EstabEditor ), maps ( MapMaker ) and scenarios ( ScenMaker ) for any battle. Mod various aspects of the game, including map patterns and victory messages. Utilize a big range of force lists for rapid scenario creation The MapMaker now supports copy and paste between different terrain layers The ScenMaker now allows the setting of initial orders delay and stock levels

Review on Eurogamer.dk
9/10 - [Translated from Danish] ...a competent and flawless release that makes an already excellent war game even better.

Review at Dome.fi
4/5 stars & Editor's Choice:"One of the best"

Review at Historia Games
8.5 / 10 - "Through various concepts that aren't found in most wargames, Battles from the Bulge offers an original concept. This sets it apart from the concurrency. And that's very good. Especially as the AI ​​is excellent"