Ambushed!

I had been meaning to show off my latest completed Terminator squad before the end of the month, but a sudden ambush occurred by way of me buying (and playing) the WWII game "Battlefield Academy" for the PC.

Now, as ever, I'm not going to tread old water and give a full game review. There is an excellent one at strategycore.co.uk. But like my Bloodbowl for the DS post, I can give a quick, gamers perspective of it.

First of all I'll just say that I really like the game - it (like the Bloodbowl game) is pretty much tabletop on the PC. The action is turn based, with forces at unit (or vehicle) level. Each unit has a certain amount of action points and firing actions to spend each turn. One aspect I especially like, much like one of my favourite game systems - Chain Reaction, is that the non active forces get reaction shots at the enemy. This can result in automatic exchanges of fire and units retreating, or being suppressed as they come into view or are ambushed by hidden enemy. Suppressing units is another major part of the game. Peppering a Nazi Panther tank with fire may not penetrate, but enough of it saps the moral of the crew and their fire will be suppressed, or they may even retreat all together. This is the same for all units, be they gun positions, tanks or infantry. The control system is all right or left mouse click, and very easy to pick up.

They sound is fine and not over stated, the graphics simple but characterful in isometric (which can be rotated and zoomed near/far for a better view. And I daren't mention the excellent background music that'll be in your head long after you've finished playing (Great Escape style).

There are plenty of scenario led campaigns to play - Desert, Western Europe in different stages of the war, with a couple of extra expansions to buy, or download fans made ones. Multiplayer is on a Play-by-Email type of system, so you can play with anyone whenever you have the time for a turn and not have to sit for ages in the small hours of the morning for a game!

Quite frankly I just recommend this. Available for download from the makers - Slitherine