Thumbs up from me...with some comments.
I have its predecessor as well. It it is definitly a game to spoil one. You don't need to keep clicking 150 markers to make them move fight etc. It is a unique playing experience.
Some things about this however is while it is easy to use, you do an awful lot of watching after you issue orders and at times it does not feel very hands on. However I really did get the idea I was watching a real battle unfold, and that I was truly interacting with history. So it is kind of a mixed bag. The editors were not that great to work with, while the map editor was ok (alot of work) I did not care for the force editor. I think the original game would have been better if it included some extra oob's already in editor.
Some things I like about the game...an awesome attention to detail. VERY good OOB for the troops involved at Arnhem. Any place else however and you need to do ALOT of editing with the aformentioned editor. Red Devils came with a fantastic historic overview and manuel. However in true Matrix fashion it sounds like they are skimping on the paper manuel. I hope they include the detailed info in a pdf or something on the disk for HTTR.
The Battles were stimulating , the AI made for a strong opponent. There was a 9 day historic battle and several full scale what if's including the 82nd All American. Good small scale stuff too! No Capture the flag this time through though
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Units are Company level that tracks the # of men, guns, ammo, rations (although this never seemd to matter) and vehicles and as you take hits you lose the corresponding guns and equipment and that lowers your over all firepower. Command and Control is very well modeled. The way it models chain of command is great.
Over all I liked the game alot. However I wish that for their follow up they would have chosen another battle for their Matrix release. Just for the sake of variety. While they added quite a few new battles it still is not the same as "Brand New" its like buying the single dvd of Black Hawk Down, and next month they release the 3 disk expanded edition...
I do think it is a quality game. If you like an indepth study of a single battle similar to Panzer Campaigns, and you don't have Airborne Assault: Red Devils.. it would be a good game to pick up. If there is no PBEM on the new game though I would say finding an opponent would depend on you free time and may be a draw back. A you better have all day to play the Historic 9 day campaign.
Michael
