The Campaign Series – Middle East 1948-1985 : screenshots

Matrix vient d’annoncer un nouveau wargame tactique basé sur le moteur de John Tiller’s Campaign Series mais réalisé par une nouvelle équipe souhaitant le moderniser afin de mieux en profiter sur les PC d’aujourd’hui. Au menu 65 scénarios et trois campagnes (On to the Jordan – Syrian tank battalion, Golan Heights 1973 ; Suez – Israeli tank battalion, Suez Canal, 1973 ; Radfan – UK 45 Commando in the Radfan, 1963) et de nombreuses fonctionnalités (voir le résumé ci-après), parmi lesquelles on retiendra aussi un mode PBEM.

La sortie de The Campaign Series – Middle East 1948-1985 pourrait en théorie avoir lieu le 24 septembre prochain, si tout va bien. Pour plus d’informations voyez cette fiche chez Matrix ainsi que du coté du forum officiel où vous trouverez différentes discussions et captures d’écrans supplémentaires. En complément voyez aussi éventuellement notre test de John Tiller’s Campaign Series.

Principales caractéristiques

A brief summary list of the key new features in Middle East:

• Seven BattleView map modes: three 3D and four 2D (three and four levels of zoom-in & zoom-out respectively).
• A massive graphics face-lift, with: new and improved map terrains, hex highlights, night graphics, transparent map labels; and redone 2D counters and graphical unit icons, an expanded set of NATO icons, alternative counter types, multiple 3D unit base types, markers-as-terrain, 2D unit thermometers, and more.
• Air Levels for helicopter flight. Four unique zones that helicopters operate in; Ground, Nap of the Earth (NOE), Low, and High. Each having their own benefits and limitations.
• Adaptive A/I, with dozens of game parameters and behaviors varied and set based on nation, year, and scenario. And a much more fully fleshed out Audacious/Cautious A/I.
• Another, still larger toolbar option (joining the earlier, revised Standard, Small & None options). Expanded dialog boxes and Jump Map. New Infobox features and options.
• Map editor, with up to 49 levels of elevation and no limitations on size (dependent on the graphics limitation of the customer’s hardware).
• Scenario editor, with the editors above, allows the customer to create any scenario the customer wishes. With dynamically reassigned nation sides.
• A new file/folder scheme, with support for folders: data, graphics, logs, misc, OOBs, pictures, saves, scenarios, sounds, special, texts.

Liste des conflits jouables

• War of Independence in 1948
• Suez Crisis of 1956
• Six Day War of 1967
• War of Attrition
• October War of 1973
• Invasion of Lebanon in 1982
• Algerian War of Independence
• Egypt in Yemen
• United Kingdom in Aden
• Libyan – Egyptian Border War 1977

Development Thread #01- Why?

Why Middle East?

Middle East is a natural progression for the series. Due to the time span (1948-1985) it provides an excellent opportunity to portray the various battles from the end of the Second World War to near the end of the Cold War. There are many weapon systems portrayed and experiencing the tactical differences in combat between a 1948 battle and a 1973 or 1982 battle makes one eager to experience more.

A lot of thought has gone into the scenarios chosen to be included with the first release. In most cases, they are battles that provided both sides an equal opportunity of victory, regardless of whom actually won the battle. In addition, each of the scenarios attempts to teach the player (or players) a tactical lesson. Of course, these lessons changes as the decades progress.

Why are you using the Campaign Series engine instead of something new and flashy?

Good question that has a few answers.

1. I have been a fan of the series since its inception. I have seen the improvements over the years but most importantly, saw the potential in the series with a competent programmer to take the series further than it has ever been before. That programmer has been found and, quite frankly, he’s a magician.

2. I have looked and have not found an engine that can do what I wanted it to do without dumbing down the Campaign Series experience. The Campaign Series, in my humble opinion, is similar to chess in the sense that it is very easy to learn but rather difficult to master. That being said, our programmer has taken the experience to a new level, added some additional complexity to ensure that the playing experience will be refreshing and capable of replayability.

3. The team is intimate with the Campaign Series engine, file structure and design. We were well aware of the limitations and did many things to either remove those limitations and/or and design Middle East for expansion.

Communiqué

The cradle of civilization is on fire!

For decades the Middle East countries suffered from the direct or indirect interference of major powers. The end of the Second World War was seen as the chance to shape their own destiny. But peace is still hard to achieve.

The Campaign Series: Middle East 1948-1985 is a new turn-based, tactical wargame that focuses on conflicts in the Middle East.

There are over 65 scenarios covering several conflicts, from the most famous such as the Israeli War of Independence (1948) to the less well known like the Libyan – Egyptian Border War (1977).

A wide variety of battle situations are represented in the game, from meeting engagements to trench defences, armoured breakthroughs, battles of attrition, mobile defences, and more!