WendellM

MichaelU asked "Is morale represented in any way in the game? I just played the demo for the first time and noticed that an OPFOR unit would wander into my kill zone, lose all but one of its vehicles but still keep on fighting." I don't want to put words in the mouth of MajorH, but these are relevant sections from the User Guide: "[Combat] Effects include vehicle destruction, vehicle damage, weapon damage, personnel loss, and suppression. Suppression represents a momentary loss of maximum straight line speed and or combat efficiency resulting from such things as surprise, fear, confusion, reduced visibility, looking for more cover, looking for the firing enemy, looking for a better firing position, tending to wounded, fighting fires, paralysis of analysis, etc. The effects of suppression may last for several scale minutes. [...] Suppressed vehicle units appear to move slower, have difficulty spotting, have a reduced chance of firing protected weapons, have a greatly reduced chance of firing exposed weapons, and fire with reduced accuracy." (On a larger scale, from the Frequently Asked Questions section): "Q: Morale: It's kind of unrealistic, I think, for all sides to fight battles of annihilation. "A: You could just as easy stipulate that the current high loss level in TacOps includes the folks who have simply chosen to remove themselves from harms way. Morale must be approached very cautiously - big potential here for making a lot of gamers very unhappy. Many people have an absolute hatred for morale rules in any form. You might also consider that nose to nose tactical battles between well equipped, well trained, well motivated armored units might often be battles of annihilation. Troops on foot especially can not easily outrun artillery or armor - their personal safety depends on closing with armor when trapped in the open, and in standing and fighting when in covered positions. Morale fans are free to set personal goals and victory conditions that call for breaking contact after certain casualty percentages, but I don't think I should force it on everyone with game code." Wendell [This message has been edited by WendellM (edited 01-10-2000).]

I pre-ordered Combat Mission today. This was an easy decision, since the game looks great and covers WW II, one of my favorite topics. Also, since it's being developed by individuals who care about the subject and it's being distributed by an independent company focusing on quality wargames, I know that it will be well-supported (unlike titles from the large game companies who care less about the subject matter than the bottom line). However, there are other computer wargames out there that are developed and distributed by similarly dedicated individuals and companies, but which lack the nifty 3D graphics of CM and which cover less-common periods than WW II. If you have even a moderate interest in well-crafted wargames in these settings, such as tactical modern armor or 18th Century cavalry and firearms, I suggest that you support the designers and distributors by considering their products instead of a less-well done product from one of the "big guys." Your money will mean more to the independents and will give you a better playing experience. Wendell