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Combat Mission
by “Admiral” Nelson HernandezScenario Builder
The scenario builder is very easy to use and will no doubt be the source of many user-made battles and operations. In just a few hours I managed to make a reasonably accurate reproduction of my (small) college campus. There is a random map generator as well.
Maps can be as large as 3000m by 6000m. The game does slow down noticeably with the largest scenarios, so the people who want to recreate the whole of the Normandy landings at the squad level are going to be out of luck.
Building a battlefield
I haven’t heard how the designers intend to exploit the CM engine, but the way the game is put together seems to encourage user modifications. A profusion has already been made, and I do not think it will be too long before CM expands to include the Eastern Front and other theaters. This is one game that has enormous growth potential.
Conclusion
I gave away my conclusion at the outset when I said that CM is one of the best wargames of all time. It is an observation often made that most games are evolutionary, but that the best are revolutionary. Combat Mission is revolutionary.
It is not without its small annoyances and limitations. But it shows that they do not have to be made by a major developer to be good, and that they do not have to skimp on realism to be fun. To paraphrase Microprose, CM is “the new benchmark in wargame technology.”
I hope it draws the interest of people who wouldn’t otherwise be interested in wargames. Go to Battlefront.com and check this one out (it is not available in stores). It is worth it.
Tommies run through the rain
For this reason and many more, I am awarding Combat Mission, COMBATSIM.COM's Top Pick Award!
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