Hard at work delivering the next level in their ground warfare series, the folks at Microprose are getting Gunship III ready to spin up. Strange as it may sound, Gunship III is kind of a sequel to M1 Tank Platoon 2. Yet this perhaps is understandable considering that the role of the helicopter really is that of a ground warfare asset - even if it is a flying one.

The graphics engine is a revamped version of that in M1TP2, supporting larger battlefields, more terrain variety, large clusters of trees (as in European Air War), as well as large numbers of individual trees to flesh out the countryside. Finally, no more "blocks" of trees!

This larger battlefield is now capable of supporting artillery, supply, and HQ units routinely instead of forcing them to always be ghostly off-map assets. In some cases you will be assigned to go behind the lines to strike at these targets to alter the momentum of battle. The campaign itself is a pseudo-dynamic campaign, again similar to M1TP2, but is more sophisticated all around, offering an expanded variety of missions.

The most interesting thing about Gunship III is that this is definitely not "just another Apache simulation." Players will be treated to some interesting innovations. For starters, the available helicopter lineup is interesting. Depending on what service you elect to join, you will be flying one of a variety of helos - the Apache Longbow for the Army, its UK Westland variant, the AH-1Z SuperCobra, the Mi-28 Havoc, and finally the Eurocopter Tiger.

Havoc

Next is the atypical implementation of the pilot and gunner stations. For the first time, you can hop in the gunner seat with some confidence and let the computer handle the flying. A flexible menu of commands lets you give orders to the computer pilot to pop-up, take cover, or to fly in some direction or other as you perform your task. Meanwhile, you actually can designate and aim at targets with the joystick yourself, rather than the traditional method of having it always abstracted by an AI gunner.

Even automated FLIR tracking of designated targets is an option (although the computer controlled tracking easily loses its lock if a target passes behind an obstruction). With regards to the possibility of pilot/gunner multiplayer play, designer Tim Goodlett simply commented that this may indeed happen, but no promises are being made.

Finally, something that we've seen occasionally before but was never really well represented, is that enemy tanks will readily engage you with their main guns. Simply hovering and lobbing missiles into enemy platoons is asking for trouble once spotted. Instead, players will need to change positions frequently and use cover more aggressively to avoid being fragged by angry tankers.

M1 Tank Platoon III

Tim Goodlett informed us that Gunship III will be connectable with M1 Tank Platoon III, which will ship a couple of months after Gunship. M1TP3 will use the same graphics engine as Gunship III, and other enhancements include advanced A.I. upgrade (especially infantry), new controllable vehicles, new campaigns and mission types, new OPFOR vehicles, and a new, easier to use interface.

Last year we were told that infantry may be placed more under user control, and that infantry will be able to hide in deep grass, as will other vehicles. Tim noted that the improvements list for M1TP3 was not yet complete since specs were not final.

Look for Gunship III in the first quarter of 2000.