For quite some time we were pretty much in limbo over M1 Tank Platoon 2. Microprose seemed to be circumspect whenever someone would ask about the game. Did it exist? Was it merely a concept on paper or was there an actual program?

Just in time for E3 Microprose lifted the veil of secrecy on their sequel to M1TP. It was indeed a work in progress, and what a work it looks to be! (Screen shots are from 3dfx version unless noted). 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 Longbow 2 FEEL to it.

There is an obvious parallel in the development of this sim to the development of Falcon 4. Falcon 4 rides on the heritage of Falcon 3, and as a result expectations are high. In the same way, Microprose is aware of how highly regarded their original tank simulation was and they are determined to maintain the standard and the reputation they originally secured with M1 Tank Platoon. M1 Tank Platoon II is a demonstration of what happens when a company makes a "no-holds barred" attempt to conquer the tank sim genre once again. (Click shot left for larger image).

When I first fired up the beta I admit that I was immediately impressed. There was something familiar about the style of the interface, the presentation, and even the music. M1TP2 feels like Falcon 4 but with armor! Believe me, thats a GOOD feeling! This sim is set to rock armor fans and will likely become the same classic as the original.

The feel of M1TP2 is due in no small part to Tim Goodlett. Be glad he's working on your behalf because his attention to detail in designing the game rivals that of fine scale modelers. As senior game designer, his work is in determining how the game will play and what kind of details will be present. Neil Mouneinme questioned him at length at E3 and found that he not only knows his tanks, but also seeks the kind of perfection gamers dream about. He wants the game to be as accurate as possible otherwise HE won't be satisfied!

M1TP2 has been in development for over a year and is due sometime in March. Microprose has insisted that the game actually be programmed and designed on Pentium 90's, though the minimum spec machine will be a P133. The result is that the demo at E3 was running smoothly even without 3d hardware.

On my AMD 233 under DirectX the frame rate was good. Here is a non 3dfx screen shot. The terrain is much smoother and objects sharper under 3dfx. On my 233 under 3dfx frame rate was probably around 35, high enough that if I moved my mouse sharply the world would spin out of control.

Under 3dfx the improved graphics and feel are great. Haze and smoke effects are already in place. The virtual cockpit in the M1A2 is top notch and you can move seamlessly using your mouse from the Tank Commanders station to the Gunners station and to the unbuttoned position also (the driver position is not modelled although you can take control if you need to). The virtual cockpit reminded me of Silent Hunter and is composed of interactive photos from a real Abrams. Most buttons and knobs are clickable.

The scenario? You control a platoon of M1 tanks directly as well as controlling various support assets indirectly. The typical items are M60's, M113's, M2, M3, HMMWVs, T80s, BMPs, BTRs, etc., but you can also call in air strikes and artillery. (Air assets are modelled in the game while artillery effects are modelled but the artillery placements are off the map. Around eighty vehicles and aircraft are modelled in the sim. Expect to see Ah-64s, Cobras, Hinds and Havocs, Su24s, A-10s, Av-8Bs, SAMs and so on).

M1TP II takes place on a realtime tactical map and in the 3d world environment. In the tactical map you can see the terrain and obstruction layout while giving orders to the various units. In addition to the regular orders you can set waypoints and designate specific actions at each one so that you can plan ahead considerably.

If you want to play M1TP2 as strictly a tactical game you can do so, setting waypoints and actions in advance and then observing the action from either the tactical map or an outside "Flying Carpet" view. You can still still issue commands with keyboard, while leaving other decisions in the hands of a virtual Tank Commander. And if you want to jump into more direct involvement in a tank under your command you are free to do so.

At this level it feels more like Novalogics' Armored Fist II, but with even sharper graphics and more tactical control. You can instruct them to merely assault the enemy, get hull-down and engage the enemy, perform a hit-and-run manuever, bypass the enemy completely, or retreat. The "Flying Carpet" view is represented in most of the screens on this page.

Watching the M1A2 from the outside is quite involving. The shading and modelling is perfect. Each wheel rotates within the treads. Once you pick up some speed a brown haze appears toward the back as you kick up the dirt. Fire a round when stationary and watch the tank rock on its haunches. (Click the shot at right for a larger image).

Tim has suggested that they might also allow tying certain orders to the master clock. The upshot is that you could theoretically order a unit to travel to waypoint 1, firing on any enemy while on the move, then find cover and engage any enemy from cover until "H-hour", by which time the other units with similar orders have all assembled and everyone performs a coordinated assault. Lets hope they get "down and dirty" with this AI programming!

Speaking of AI, the intelligence in this new version is far beyond the original. Both sides will have helicopters and all air platforms are smarter than they used to be. Behaviors now include running for cover, hiding, and altering approaches in an effort to throw you off guard. Apaches won't swoop down on you with cannon blazing; they are more likely to use pop up techniques at a distance.

If you are like me, getting something this hot in hand means that you bypass the docs to take a look around prior to a study session. When I first selected a single mission and closed on some enemies I was surprised to hear machine gun fire from beside my tank. I went to the Commanders vision block to find out what was up, and to my surprise there were infantry nearby! Either crouching or prone, they were already taking shots at the enemy infantry. Even more surprising, they looked real, not blocky and strange. When I ordered them back to the M113s they didn't just group and enter the vehicle, they covered one another and re-embarked using proper caution. (Click left for a larger image: 90K).

M1TP II includes infantry for the sake of realism, and gives the player some control over them also. You can order individual squads to advance, for example, but fatigue is also modelled so if you push them too far performance will suffer. Best of all, these guys carry the most recent weapons so they are quite capable! The first time you see these guys hop out of a Bradley your jaw will drop. It may not be NHL98 but its damn close!

Tactics Training: NTC Fort Irwin

The mission was "move to contact." I set two waypoints and then proceeded along a tree line in a line formation. The terrain was gradually inclining ahead of me and I could just see the roofs of some buildings cresting the rise ahead of me. As we neared the end of the trees I ordered the platoon to an echelon left formation and we proceeded toward the village.

I switched to the gunners eyepiece as we stopped to take a look around. Immediately a dozen troops deployed from the M113s and assumed protective positions around us. Some of them were armed with rocket launchers.

I went to 10x zoom to scan the horizon ahead. Over the gentle rise I could see the roofs of a dozen buildings or more, the makings of a small village. I ordered the infantry back to the M113s, and they carefully re-embarked, covering one another as they entered the vehicles.

Moving to the next tree line, the platoon returned to a column formation and continued to advance. As we came parallel the village I saw that there were about twenty houses and barns stretched out along the road. The platoon came to a halt again while I checked out the area more closely. Troops deployed, some hitting the dirt and some running to hide behind the nearest building. A moment later I heard the crack of small arms fire, and then the thump of a larger gun! One of my units took a hit, and then another and burst into flame! Hmm, this isn't the kind of training I expected!

The detail is expertly done on the actual models. While the polygon count is actually a little low to allow it to run well on a P90, the artists have produced some top notch artwork that makes it work very well. The tanks have beautifully animated rolling tread and turning road wheels that bounce over the terrain. SAM units have rotating radar screens with articulated launch rails and turning turrets. Bradley AFV's have tow launchers that swivel up and lock into firing position. Hind helicopters have spinning rotor heads. Even HMMMV's with TOW mounts have their ring turrets swivel to face the enemy.

As for the sounds of warfare, M1TP2 offers the state of the art here too. The crack of small arms fire, the thump of the bigger guns, the sounds of engines and treads whirring, the spooling up of the turbine. Voices are suitably strained, and you will hear voice responses to your commands. Naturally, the video intro and transitions are all artfully crafted.

To go into all the physics the game offers would take far too long, but if you drive the tank in a sloppy manner you can break the tread and immobilize yourself, like in a real tank. Penetration and overpenetration is well modeled. You can fire a sabot round straight through a treeline to hit the unit behind it, or shoot two enemies with one shot if they are lined up properly and the shot retains its energy.

The killing power of sabot tank rounds decreases over distance but missiles have the same killing power at all ranges. Reactive armor gradually loses effectiveness as it is used up in the course of a battle. If an M1's turret is hit and the ammo goes up, the blowout panels will blow off to the sides to vent the blast away from the crew. Small arms fire against the M1 will ricochet in a small shower of sparks.

But this isn't true just of the M1, the same physics and graphics detailing applies for heavily armored aircraft such as the Hind or A-10. And lest you think only the A2G and G2A engagements are modelled, let it be known that airborne units carry AA weapons and will engage EACH OTHER as well as ground units. TOW missiles have sighting flares in the tail and fly in a matter that simply *looks* like they're being steered optically.

The game is designed to be modular, and will allow future games to interface with it even if they are more advanced in some respects. What kind of vehicles will be modeled hasn't been determined yet, but our guess leans towards the A-10 first, with the possibility of a Bradley or Apache as well (Gunship 2010?).

Furthermore the game is designed to be modular, and will allow future games to interface with it even if they are more advanced in some respects. What kind of vehicles will be modeled hasn't been determined yet, but our guess leans towards the A-10 first, with the possibility of a Bradley or Apache as well (Gunship 2010?).

Campaign choices include the second Gulf War, Libya vs. Egypt, Moldavia, Vladivostok and Central Poland. You can also choose how to play: as a Marine, Armored, or Armored Cavalry unit, and these choices affect the kind of support you will have.

Each campaign is dynamic and progress is based on player performance. If you have a successful offensive mission, your next mission may involve fighting a retreating enemy position, or one where the enemy has fallen back to reinforcements. If you successfully defend a position, then your next mission may be offensive in nature so that you can take advantage of a weakened enemy. This is the key to making the campaign different every time you play.

Although you are the "small cog in the machine," an algorithm based on your performance is applied to the overall battle. If you do very, very well then your side will also do well and the campaign might only last for ten missions, but if your performance is weak you may be slugging it out for twenty five missions. As in Longbow 2, you will never see exactly the same scenario twice, though the start of a campaign may look very similar.

M1TP II also provides individual missions: one set is based on the Gulf War and the other is based on a future NATO-Warsaw pact conflict in Europe. Training missions are comprehensive, with both Fort Knox and the NTC at Fort Irwin included. There is also a multimedia tour of the Abrams and its systems. Microprose is also aiming to include a random mission generator so that the player can set up a unique scenario based on a few quick choices.

The terrain engine itself is very well done, possessing great depth-of-field and "fencepost" type treelines. It isn't the fanciest one around, but it does an excellent job of showing true distances at low altitude while retaining its framerate - which for followers of tank sims, is no easy matter. However, there is more to it than this. Get near an enemy encampment or even a small village and suddenly both trees and houses are modelled individually. Finally, between the terrain engine design and the strategy options you can go "hull down" a whole lot easier than in the original M1TP (and most other tank games for that matter... click below for larger shots).

As for multiplayer options, Microprose, like Zombie Interactive, is following the SIMNET model. In this system four players can control individual tanks on one side of the conflict and the fifth acts as the theatre commander on the opposing side.

M1TP2 will come with a 288 page spiral bound manual. Look for M1 Tank Platoon II in the spring of 1998.