I'm about a third of the way through the scripted battle scenarios, and I have to say that thus far the game has been fantastic! It plays a little like JT's great WW2 Campaign series, but it's even more intense due to the increased micromanagement needed in managing your forces at the squad level. Also, the low-level scale vastly increases the realism and makes for one of the most engaging and intense gaming experiences I've ever had. You really need to put your war helmet on for this game!!
Also, for a wargame the graphics are great (see screen shot). I especially like the unit faces. The artist did a great job.
The game has a number of campaigns which I'm assuming are similar to the WW2 Campaign Series campaigns, but for now I've been playing the scripted missions in chronological order, and they have been a blast (literally and figuratively ;o)!! Indeed, I'm hard-pressed to think of a scenario I didn't like. There was one cool early one right after WW2 where your French forces are trying to nail some Viet Minh units in training along the 'Street Without Joy'. As the French, not only do you have an armored riverboat and a landing craft, but also a couple of ex-Japanese light tanks.
In another you have three large river transports that are bombarded by the Viet Minh from the shore. In this one you have to land your forces and suppress the Viets, then quickly move your riverboats (with their non-combatant passengers) off the other end of the map before the clock runs out and without getting any of them sunk by Viet shore guns.
There is also a really fun land convoy escort mission that has a lot of replay value due to the random entry and placement of Viet forces and the traps and obstacles along the road.
There have also been a number of Rorke's Drift (or should I say 'Beau Geste'?? lol) desperate defenses against massive Viet Minh human wave attacks. These have been real nail biters, often going down to the last turn and with just a few squad remnants remaining of 2-3 men each.
I think my favorites thus far have been the defense of Mao Khe scenarios. In one you have modest French forces tasked with relieving the pro-French Viets besieged at the top of the map. Gosh, this one was as bad as the relief of Korsun!!! lol In the following one you have a polyglot force of Frenchmen, Moroccans/Algerians, and friendly Viets holding a large compound against a substantial Viet Minh attack (see attached screen shot). This battle was my defensive masterpiece!!!
)Anyway, needless to say I highly recommend the game; possibly the best, most intense and engaging wargame I've ever played, and heck, I haven't even gotten to the Dien Bien Phu battles yet!!!! FYI, I know it's a great game because I've been occasionally breaking my rule of not playing any computer games on nights when I have to get up for work the next day!!!! lol
Dansons la Carmagnole
Vive le son,
Vive le son,
Dansons la Carmagnole
Vive le son du canon!!!! ;o)
