By: Author Unknown
Date: 1998-03-18
Just in time for E3 last year Microprose lifted the veil of
secrecy on their sequel to M1TP. About six weeks ago we had
some hands on time with a beta, and it impressed the socks
off me! Finally Janes and DiD have a true rival for
quality. Everything I have seen of this sim to date calls
to mind that same attention to detail. Even the music,
which I rarely like, has a very military and cool FEEL to
it, not unlike the tracks we have heard from JANES.
There is an obvious parallel in the development of M1TP2 to the development of Falcon 4. Falcon 4 rides on the heritage of Falcon 3, and as a result expectations are high. Now that M1TP2 has mastered I wanted to pass on just a few more tidbits while I have a chance to dive back into the belly of this whale!
M1 Tank Platoon II appears to demonstrate what happens when a company makes a "no-holds barred" attempt to conquer the tank sim genre. The opening video sequence is the equal of any simulation production out there. You may find yourself replaying it the first time you load M1TP2! Not only that, but when you enter the Training section of the sim you can select from a variety of training missions or seven instructional videos covering everything from formations to five types of battle drill to fire support! The tactical scenarios you can choose from are these:
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- Movement to contact
- Hasty Attack
- Deliberate Attack
- Defend in Sector
- Defend a Battle Position
- Counter REconnaissance
Choosing a particular option doesn't mean you will get exactly the same mission, but rather the tactical parameters will be roughly the same. The actual encounter, type, number of enemy and the terrain, can be VERY different!
The boxed copy of M1TP2 I received today included the manual, 280 spiral bound pages of information. Frankly, I'm almost surprised they could pack the necessary info in a manual of this size, there is so much to do and to learn in this simulation. I can smell a LARGE strategy guide in the offing. Meanwhile, let me give you a quick rundown of the manual.
Technical issues are covered in the first section, just a few pages of info. The Interface occupies pages 7-26. Command information is on pages 27-68, covering command of a single M1 to command of a platoon. Section 5 (pages 69-98) is the National Training Center Tutorial. Battle Briefs occupy section six (pages 99-112) and describe the single mission selections that are available. The execution instructions lay out a general scheme of maneuver for the mission, including all phase lines. Since you can replay each battle and try out different strategies, its a great learning environment. Here is a sample from the first brief:
73 EASTING
26 February, 1991, day G plus 2 of the ground war. Eagle Troop, 2nd Cavalry Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment has orders to find the Iraqi armor and pin it in place, allowing the 1st and 3rd Armored Divisions to pass through and destroy it. So much for the plan.
Enemy Forces
The Iraqi units involved in the battle formed the advanced-security Task Force of the 18th Brigade of the Tawakalna Republican Guards divsion. This force comprised over 30 T72-M1 tanks and a dozen BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles.
Friendly Forces
Eagle Troop, 2/2 ACR, consists of a troop HQ section of M1 tanks, two M1 tank platoons, and two M3A3 Bradley CFV sections.
Support Units
The part of the battle depicted in this scenario occurred so quickly that no artillery units were able to deploy to support Eagle Troop.
Mission
Eagle Troop is to transit the given operational area and neutralize all enemy opposition encountered. Once Phase Line 70 Easting is reached, the team will halt and await further orders. Phase Lines are for orientation purposes only. Primary objective is the destruction of enemy advanced elements with minimum casualties.
Execution
Your team will operate in a zone defined by the following Phase Llines: Forward advance boundary is Phase Line 70 Easting; North and South sector boundaries are listed as 97 and 00 South. Overlays and mission data downloaded to all units' IVIS.
Historical Result
At 1524, Eagle Troop crossed Phase Line 65 Easting. Shortly thereafter, one of the scout sections engaged some Iraqi infantry and an anti-aircraft gun in a small village. Moments after the village was cleared,teh command M1 moved over a small rise and spotted the Iraqi tanks. The order was given to push through the enemy position and consolidate on the other side. Six minutes later, about 50 Iraqi vehicles were burning without a single American casualty.
Following Battle Briefs are the Campaign Briefs, pages 113-124, covering the Gulf War II, North Africa, Far East, Modavia and WWIII. Chapters 8-9 (pages 125-136) cover the main gun, missiles and armor. Chapter 11 (137-148) is a brief on Army tactical doctrine. Chapter 12 is OPFOR doctrine, and chapter 13 is "The future of armored conflict."
The Glossary extends from page 167-177, and then the extensive appendices begin. There are five of them which include complete listings of equipment, vehicles and weapons, and then Unit Organization. A well organized and quite comprehensive manual!
I know, you can't wait and I can't blame you! I've just played three NTC training missions. Using my infantry I gained a quick perspective on enemy placement and then called for artillery to surprise the enemy infantry before they could run for cover. Calling in artillery is impressive, especially at night. Use an accurate location and the enemy troops can be eliminated in a hurry, though I didn't fare very well in my first mission.
On the second run of the same selection the setting was quite different and early on I took out an attacking aircraft with my 50 cal. gun and then found my platoon almost overrun with BTRs and BRDMs. I took out three in less than a minute while my gunner continued to engage enemy tanks at 3000 yards. I can see that I have some learning to do with regard to using terrain to my advantage, and also the best formation calls. Its great when you have AH-64 Apaches available as support, I can tell you!
The physics model and effects are excellent. Physics modelling doesn't end once you have actually stopped a vehicle. Continue to pummel it with 50 cal shells and watch it jump!
All in all this game looks awesome and will be the one that finally gets me back into armor in a big way. BTW, the master is not 100% stable. I had a lock up after saving my second single mission =( On the other hand, the graphics in the final are even more impressive than the last beta I saw, including low shrubbery that adds to the scenery as well as increasing your sense of speed.
The readme file with the Gold Master included these tips that are especially helpful on the use and preservation of your infantry, a very key component of the game. Check it out!
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Sergeant Dubose's TIPS AND HINTS FOR GAMEPLAY
(from the M1TP2 manual)
* US gunners are always ready to fire the first salvo in tank combat. Of course when they fire, they usually use the STAFF rounds first. This is understandable in that these are the most devastating rounds available to your troops and they have the longest range. Often you will find this type of reaction to be counter productive. The easiest way to stop the rapid depletion of these shells is to tell the platoon to Hold Fire. The platoon can then be maneuvered in to a position where the platoon can use the weapons in a more deadly way. * Mobility is key to battlefield survival. You will often find that too much speed is not an asset. If you move at a high rate of speed and then come to an abrupt halt your platoon will likely pass your position and have to spin around to get back in to formation. Also, if a tank is hit, the drivers in your platoon will attempt to reform the formation. Both of these actions can be deadly. Remembering to slow down before you stop and keeping an escape vector in your way points so that you can reform while leaving your exposed position will greatly enhance your battlefield survival.
* Always use the terrain to your best advantage. Terrain features have many different uses. High ground is great for visibility. This allows you, as a player, to see the enemy. But, beware, the enemy can also see you. Never commit more than one vehicle to the high ground for this purpose. Infantry units are great for this. You can also use hills and crevices to shield your tanks from one armored column, while engaging another. Valleys are a good place to hide. You can move your platoon under cover to a place of your choosing, to ambush the enemy. Terrain usage is a very important aspect of game play. * Try not to get too close to the enemy. The main gun on an M1 Tank has a greater range than enemy Main Battle Tanks. This allows you to stand off and destroy enemy tanks with out being engaged by enemy fire. * Don't over look the Infantry. They may be slow, and cumbersome, but once in place, they can deliver a massive volley of missile fire that can take out the toughest tanks. Keep them all loaded on your Bradley's until you need them. This will keep them alive through an artillery strike. They are also very good at clearing and defending towns and villages. * The .50 cal Machine gun in the TC Out Hatch is a great light skinned vehicle killer. It can take out most vehicles on the battle field. Any BRDMs, BMPs, or BTRs that get to close are easily turned into fiery lumps of melted steel. When you are in the TC Out Hatch smoking light skinned vehicles with .50cal, your gunner is still engaging targets with the main gun. This doubles your killing ability at close range on the battle field.
* Beware the fixed wing air support. A-10s ( Warthogs ) and AV-8Bs ( Harrier Jump Jets ) are great assets on any battle field. They have the ability to rain missiles, bombs, and cannon fire down on enemy vehicles with deadly accuracy. When calling in fixed wing air support, never plot their strike point too close to your current position or you could end up with a nasty surprise. |
