1942: Pacific Air War was for many gamers the seminal work for a WWII simulator, just as Falcon 3 was for modern jets or M1 Tank Platoon was for tanks. As good as the game was it's a little long in the tooth, so it was a real disappointment at last year's E3 to see that European Air War was shaping up to look and play exactly like the original PAW except set in Europe. Many folks weren't very excited about that prospect, and Microprose has taken notice.

The Bad News is that European Air War isn't going to be out according to the original projections: an October release looks likely. The Good News is that the delay is due to the fact that the game has been completely redone. Once again, the game was developed and programmed on P90s to help improve the speed on typical gamer's systems, and Microprose claims it will even run with lower detail on a 486/100! EAW will also support 3dfx cards and the advantages they bring, and now is designed for Windows 95/98 instead of DOS.

For the most part the game will play a lot like the original, but with improved flight models, damage modeling, campaign play, and graphics. In other words, everything you loved about PAW is still present in EAW, but all the things that could benefit from recent advances will be improved.

More Good News follows. While the game has been completely overhauled, the designers haven't lost the vision of the original game. For the most part the game will play a lot like the original, but with improved flight models, damage modeling, campaign play, and graphics. In other words, everything you loved about PAW is still present in EAW, but all the things that could benefit from recent advances will be improved.

Campaign play is fully dynamic. You will fly with a particular historical squadron from either the British, American, or German side and watch your career progress throughout the war with them.

Gamplay revolves around quick start play (jump in and start shooting), single missions (plenty of adjustable parameters), and career modes. The 1943 title has been dropped because the Battle of Britain has been added to the main career campaign.

Where Pacific Air War was largely "you against the world," European Air War takes the much more realistic team approach. Early in your career you might just have a wingman (or be a wingman), but eventually you’ll get promoted to higher and higher levels of command, ultimately attaining group commander status and controlling several squadrons. Your career will include a variety of missions including V-1 hunting, fighter sweeps, escorts, or even ground attacks against moving targets.

The game takes on a bit of the role-playing feel. The men in your squadron have seven different statistics that determine their abilities in the game. Over time, they will gain experience and improve in their skills and thus become more and more effective assets to you. This also gives you a very strong incentive to protect your men. If your men are constantly getting shot down and replaced by FNG's, you'll find that your effectiveness as a squadron will be greatly diminished.

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There are other elements to the game that represent the men. You need to allow your men time to rest, so if you're always taking that ace out to fly cover for you, you'll find that his skills degrade as he becomes more and more exhausted, and the lack of experience won't help your new guys manage to become effective replacements to cover his position when he's staying at the base.

A whole new concept to military combat sims was put in to make the results of battles more realistic when compared to real events. In EAW, for the first time, morale will become a factor. Each time someone is shot down during a battle, there is a chance that that side's resolve may falter and they may attempt to break off and run home. This prevents unrealistically high kill counts for the player, and gives the chance for the player to escape a losing battle without requiring the silk elevator or worse.

In EAW, for the first time, morale will become a factor. Each time someone is shot down during a battle, there is a chance that that side's resolve may falter and they may attempt to break off and run home.

The theatre covers much of Western Europe: France, Germany, the Lowlands, and portions of England. The world model is close to the actual terrain but some relief has been added for variety and better tactical play.

As the war goes on (and your career progresses) you will have the chance to upgrade to newer and better planes. European Air War will offer some twenty flyable fighter variants: P-38H & J, P-47C & D, and P-51B & D for the Americans; Hurricane, Spitfire Ia, IX, & XIV, Typhoon Ib, and Tempest V for the British; and Me109E3, G6, & K4, Me110C & G, FW190A8 & D9, and Me262a for the Germans. Other non-flyable craft you will encounter in the game include the B-17, B-24, and B-26 for the Americans; the Mosquito for the British, and the Ju 87, Ju 88A & C, He111, Me410a, and V-1 "Buzz Bomb" for the Germans.

Another nice touch is that as you rise in rank you will be able to customize the markings on your plane, and eventually that of the entire squadron. While this may only be a point of vanity within the game normally, it will very much come into play during multiplayer events.

There are other nice graphical details. Pieces of the aircraft can shower back when shot or break off when the airplane is destroyed. If you need to bail out, you actually have to slide the canopy back before attempting to bail. Finally, if you are hit, blood splatters against the windscreen, making a gruesome sight to watch as your favorite pilot descends for the last time.

On the machinery side, the plane's flight models will be very authentic, taking the levels from PAW several steps further. Damage and physics modeling will be quite intense. Each plane will feature 16 distinct locations that can be hit. Wingtips, wings, tailplanes, rudder, engine, even yourself in the cockpit can all be hit individually and damaged according to the exact position the bullets land.

Also as before, cardinal views and a virtual cockpit with live working instruments will be supported, giving players the situational options to fit their tastes. (The virtual cockpit has been updated for high res). The game is likely to support force feedback in the final version which is a welcome addition when you're flying twitchy propeller aircraft.

EAW has gone from a questionable situation of being the typical "more of the same" sequel to being an exciting new simulation that retains the flavor of it's predecessor. Now all WWII fans have another reason to be excited over the coming sims! Go to Microprose