We're on the brink of a great offensive. After something like a decade, Battlefront.com is at last having us return with impetus to the Eastern Front in the just announced new instalment in the Combat Mission series of tactical combat simulations with Red Thunder.
CM Red Thunder jumps right into the thick of the hard fought battles during Summer 1944 when Operation Bagration took the Soviet forces from the swamps of Belarus to the gates of Warsaw. Experience the most balanced period of tactical warfare on the Eastern Front, even as the Axis' strategic ability to wage war began to collapse. Play out historical battles and campaigns or create your own customized Quick Battles. All new units, new terrain, and new features make this a must have for all Combat Mission fans.
Charging on to the new features:
• Squads can act as HQs for better historical accuracy
• All Squads can split, however Soviet units are less reliable when not in direct visual LOS of their Squad Leader
• More realistic/varied RoF of automatic weapons
• Tank riders! Most AFVs are able to transport either teams or squads
• Backpack and vehicle flamethrowers
• Ammo Dumps allow platoons to have reserve ammo stored separately on map
• Soviet air support attacks on its own instead of being controlled by ground observers
• Antiaircraft weapons are now able to fire at attacking aircraft
• WeGo TCP/IP with the ability to save but not the ability to replay combat action
Beyond these there are graphical, user interface and editor improvements to report as well.
Best of all, though, it is already possible to pre-order this stand-alone title, which indicates it shall probably be marching on to glorious release before long, comrades.
