A Quick Facebook Review

[blackcloud6]

I was posting screenshots and a running AAR of a meeting Engagement I was playing today on Facebook. Some people asked for my thoughts on the game, this is what I posted:

Some folks have asked me to give my comments on Armored Brigade, the recent release from Matrix Games. Some background first. I'm a retired USAR Infantry Colonel. I commanded a Bradley IFV equipped Mech Infantry Company in the 3d Armored Division from 1987-1988. I also was a civilian threat intelligence analyst for US Army TACOM for 24 years. I've been playing wargames since 1970.

I like this game a lot. It is accessible, easy to play, relatively quick to play and the interface and commands are intuitive. I like the view as it looks like a tactical computer screen that you would be seeing in your command post and you can zoom in to see your tanks taking on the bad guys. The US vehicles of the late 1970s even have MERDEC camouflage. Although I'm always a RTS fan, this game paces it just right. I do not feel the need to be clicking madly to get orders out, nor do I feel the need to micro manage my boys in the fight. They seem to do what they should do if you set the SOPs correctly (although there could be a "shoot and move back" type command which is how the crews are really trained).

I bought the game on release day but didn't get to sit down with it until a day or two later. I read the manual and then played a scenario from the battle generator making just a small similar force or force engagement. I did not find it hard to figure out at all (now I did watch a few videos by Commissar Roach before release, although not tutorials one can pick up how to play form watching him play). So far I've been playing reinforced company meeting engagements using various nations forces and have a blast doing so. Battles are easy to generate once you do a few you have it down. I find this the fun part, picking various orders of battle and seeing how they will do. And you can pick anywhere in West Germany to fight so I'll be able to actually play out what would have been my GDP back in the Spearhead Division in the late 1980s: Hunfeld, Germany.

Since I have been playing meeting engagements I've figured to win these you find a good position and let the enemy come to you where you force him to do so in open terrain. I so far usually shoot them up. Now I am not going to say this is poor AI because this is how we were trained to fight, maneuver to good positions and attack by fire, let the bad guy move to his death. I have yet to play the Soviet side nor have I attacked. Although in one meeting engagement I aggressively went for the OBJ and my poor M48A3s got hammered.

And speaking of Patton tanks, this game allows you to play from 1966 to 1991. This is great! not many games cover the 60s and 70s and it is fun to go back and play with the not-so-great-tanks. Heck even a caveman can win with M1A2s! try it with the older ones and its not so easy.

Its been a long time since I've been immersed into a computer wargame (I playtested Talonsoft's Campaign Series for many years) and i am so far getting into this one. There are complaints about no campaign nor multiplayer. These don't bother me a this game does just what I want it to do, give me the ability to gin up a battle covering any part of a long period of Cold War history. I can't wait for the DLC. bring on the French!

If you like modern armor, this game will likely be for you. I recommend it.

[nikolas93TS]

Thank you for this nice review!

[blackcloud6]

ORIGINAL: nikolas93TS

Thank you for this nice review!

You are welcome.

[Sniper31]

Great feedback blackcloud6, and well tempered review. I have played about as much as you have since the game was released, although I have not yet delved into the battle generator yet. I must agree with your comments almost exactly. I will also add that I have recently retired after 28 years as a Light Infantryman in the U.S. Army, so I view this game through that lens. It reminds me greatly of the OPFOR computer sims at the 'Star Wars'building at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk. And THAT is a lofty, positive comment if you know anything about that system. [:)]

[blackcloud6]

ORIGINAL: Sniper31

Great feedback blackcloud6, and well tempered review. I have played about as much as you have since the game was released, although I have not yet delved into the battle generator yet. I must agree with your comments almost exactly. I will also add that I have recently retired after 28 years as a Light Infantryman in the U.S. Army, so I view this game through that lens. It reminds me greatly of the OPFOR computer sims at the 'Star Wars'building at the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk. And THAT is a lofty, positive comment if you know anything about that system. [:)]

Thank you. I've only seen the high speed sim stuff the Army has in passing, I've never got to experience it. I remember when they were using TACOPS at CGSC at Ft. Leavenworth.