Wargame: AirLand Battle

Overview

Wargame: AirLand Battle is the sequel to Eugen Systems' 2012 game Wargame: European Escalation, and is set for release during 2013. The game seeks to add a more comprehensive air-based dimension to the game, with numerous jets being included.

The game will be set in Northern Europe, spanning a great deal of Scandinavia.

Features

• An improved version of the IRISZOOM Engine, with unprecedented level of detail.
• A fully dynamic single player campaign starting in 1981.
• Over 750 units, including 150 planes - over double the unit count of the previous game.
• An Urban Combat Interface for skirmishes inside of cities.
• Improved unit deck-creation system, including bonuses for themed force composition.
• Redone multiplayer ELO rankings, matchmaking, and map balance.
• Multiplayer matches that support up to 10 players on each side.

Wargame: AirLand Battle focuses on a land war between the Warsaw Pact and NATO, with players able to customize their forces based on units from one or more nations:

NATO:

• United States: Largest unit choice, with the alliance's widest range of capabilities. America has both inexpensive units and expensive, highly advanced ones in most categories.
• France: Following a number of colonial wars in the 1950's and 60's, France has a lighter, more mobile range of options that frequently emphasize speed and firepower.
• United Kingdom: The UK benefits the most from proper positioning in battle. Their forces are most notable for slow but well-armoured tanks and highly mobile light infantry.
• Federal Republic of Germany: West Germany is balanced. Though partially equipped by the US, many of its newer vehicles and weapons are German-developed and highly advanced.
• Sweden: Technically neutral, Sweden sees the Warsaw Pact as a threat and thus leans towards NATO. They are a mobility-focused force that relies on air power over ground fire support.
• Canada: Canadian troops have outdated vehicles but are excellent at infantry and anti-tank combat, especially in a defensive position. They also have good airlift capability.
• Norway: The main target for any potential Soviet invasion into Scandinavia. Norwegian troops are especially effective in close combat and combine this strength with a powerful air force.
• Denmark: The Danish have large numbers of reserve soldiers and see Poland as their biggest threat. They focus on strong infantry, reconnaissance vehicles, and anti-tank helicopters.

WARSAW PACT:

• Soviet Union: The USSR has a huge choice of units for any battlefield situation, but frequently focuses on a combination of heavy tanks, attack helicopters, and massed artillery.
• German Democratic Republic: East Germany uses Soviet equipment, but instead of a mechanized force tend to instead rely on effective infantry and intelligence-gathering reconnaissance.
• Poland: Poland doesn't have the most cutting-edge equipment but has a number of unique and effective weapon systems of their own, along with a variety of specialist infantry soldiers.
• Czechoslovakia: The Czechs have their own transports and heavy weapons. Their artillery is especially effective and above all, accurate, compared to regular Soviet standards.

Like the original Wargame: European Escalation, units are highly detailed and can carry several different weapons. Vehicles have multiple armor values facing in different directions, independently modeled optics, and fuel tanks which affect travel range.

Units can be concealed in low areas (salients), forests, or towns. Smaller units are easier to hide than larger ones, and the IRISZOOM engine uses actual line-of-sight to determine if one unit can see another on the map. Urban territory now uses a new interface and behavior optimized for infantry.

Movement around the map is affected by a number of factors. Tracked vehicles perform better off-road, but tend to be slower and consume more fuel. Depending on weight, vehicles can also get bogged down or even stuck entirely in terrain such as swamps or forests.

In combat, units must aim, load, and fire their weapons all as separate actions. This can be affected by their psychological state, which is also modeled in the game. Inexperienced troops may be shaken by gunfire and perform their duties more slowly, or panic and stop fighting altogether.

As a result, unit veterancy plays an important role in the game. Experienced units of a higher rank - purchased initially or earned through combat - are less likely to be badly affected in this way. Other critical effects, such as hits on ammunition, optics, or gearboxes can affect performance.

Because ammunition and fuel are limited, supply and logistics also play an important role in the game. Forward Operating Bases, supply trucks, and helicopters can be used to resupply and repair following a battle or after a long trip.

Technology

Wargame: AirLand Battle now uses the IRISZOOM V3 engine, an improvement over the V2 of European Escalation and the first version used in RUSE. In addition to increased graphical fidelity, the engine now supports more realistic and varied terrain than was possible in the earlier titles. Maps can now be up to 150 square kilometers in size, display millions of objects, and as before may be freely zoomed either in or out very rapidly. Unlike the first Wargame, aircraft will now have crew modeled in the cockpit. Satellite imaging was used to develop a higher level of realism for the single and multiplayer maps which will be used in the game.

Trivia

The subtitle is based on AirLand Battle, the name of the framework that formed the US Army's European fighting doctrine during the latter part of the Cold War.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP SP3/Windows Vista SP2/Windows 7/Windows 8
• Processor: AMD/Intel Dual-Core 2.5 GHz
• Memory: 1024 MB (XP)/2048 MB (Vista/7/8)
• Graphics: 256 MB, Shaders 3.0, ATI Radeon X1800 GTO/NVidia GEForce 7600 GT/Intel HD 3000 or Higher
• Hard Drive: 15 GB
• DirectX: 9