Matrix Games and Strategy 3 Tactics are proud to announce that Close Combat – Wacht am Rhein is now available for purchase. Based on the classic Close Combat – Battle of the Bulge, Wacht a Rhein brings all the classic Close Combat game elements together with a massive new grand campaign, improved art, and a variety of new features to create an experience true to the original series but much improved.
David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “The Strategy 3 Tactics team has worked very hard on this release to make Wacht am Rhein all that it could be. Whether you are new to the Close Combat series or a veteran, even if you’ve played and enjoyed Battle of the Bulge; you will find that Wacht am Rhein has plenty of new features and gameplay to keep you riveted to your screen!”
Based on Atomic Games’ award-winning Close Combat series, Close Combat - Wacht am Rhein brings together the classic top-down tactical gameplay from the original series and plenty of new features, expansions, and improvements! This remake based on Close Combat - Battle of the Bulge gives newcomers and veterans to the series alike a vastly improved and expanded version of the original experience. The Wacht am Rhein remake comes with a brand new Grand Campaign including a new strategic map with 64 gorgeous hand-drawn tactical maps, over 70 scenarios, tons of new interface and unit graphics, countless engine improvements, and much more!
In Close Combat - Wacht am Rhein, you take command of US or German forces and either retrace the last steps of Hitler’s army in one desperate attempt to turn the tide of the impending allied victory or ride to the rescue with General Patton and push back the German offensive to reclaim Bastogne.
Also included is a bonus “classic” version of the original Close Combat – Battle of the Bulge.
An at-release update to version 4.50.2 is also now available and it is recommended that all customers download and install this update after purchase.
Features include:
- Vastly improved and expanded rebuild of the critically acclaimed Close Combat: Battle of Bulge title, originally developed by Atomic Games.
- New enhanced Grand Campaign with a new strategy level map as well as 64 gorgeous hand-drawn tactical level maps.
- 70+ scenarios based on real-world battles, operations and campaigns.
- New graphics for the user interface, aircraft, vehicles and other graphics.
- An easy-to-use but powerful Scenario Editor - Create your own "what if" Scenarios.
- Largely expanded moddability: all strategic layer features, all campaign details including weather, turns per day, scoring, support mission (artillery, airstrike) capabilities for both Germans and Americans, battlegroup recycling, battlegroup retreat/disband, supply and much more!
- Further improvements have been made to the AI to enhance most, if not all, performance issues: vehicle pathing, infantry tactics, team and unit morale, overall AI aggressiveness and decision-making in general.
- Accurately depicts World War II tactical warfare and its challenges
- Realistic soldier psychological profiles during combat.
