Battlefront Chat at Armchair General

Jason · Feb 6, 2007

[ Interview ]

This past weekend, <a href="http://www.armchairgeneral.com/" target="_blank" title="ACG">The Armchair General</a> spoke to <a href="http://www.ssg.com.au/" target="_blank" title="SSG">SSG's</a> Gregor Whiley about the nearly finished <a href="http://www.matrixgames.com/games/game.asp?gid=332" target="_blank" title="Battlefront">Battlefront</a>.<blockquote>ACG: Looking only at screenshots, Battlefront seems to be an enhancement of the Decisive Battles series (Ardennes, Korsun, Normandy and Italy). But the battalion level scale of Battlefront is much more tactical than DB, so it is really a different game. For those familiar with the DB series, how is Battlefront different?GW: Many of the Battlefront concepts will be familiar to fans of the DB series. However, there are some important differences. You directly control artillery and airstrikes, picking targets and causing casualties. However, you can’t attack indiscriminately. Battlefront introduces the concept of Attack Supply, which regulates the tempo of combat operations. Only units within command range of their own HQs get the extra materiel necessary for attacks and this will often not be enough to allow attacks every turn. So as well as picking your targets you have to think about properly co-coordinating offensive operations. The new OMA scheme, outlined below, introduces greater flexibility for the player and the scenario designer. The more tactical scale introduces the concepts of Direct Fire and Line of Sight and special combat modes, such as Banzai attacks, give a significant edge to different countries when attacking.</blockquote>Read: <a href="http://www.armchairgeneral.com/articles.php?p=3218&page=1&cat=59" target="_blank" title="interview">Battlefront interview</a> Spotted @ <a href="http://www.armchairgeneral.com/">Armchair General</a>

Flem · Feb 7, 2007

Sounds good, but only four scenarios ? At least half of them -- Saipan and Novorossisk -- are a bit off the overbeaten path.

Llyranor · Feb 7, 2007

Battlefront introduces the concept of Attack Supply, which regulates the tempo of combat operations. Only units within command range of their own HQs get the extra materiel necessary for attacks and this will often not be enough to allow attacks every turn. So as well as picking your targets you have to think about properly co-coordinating offensive operations.
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The Warcard system was first used in Carriers at War and has been redesigned for Battlefront. In essence, it gives the scenario designer much finer control over formations, and much better information on which the formation can base its decision making. For instance, the British 1st Airborne at Arnhem is given a region, marked on the map in the AI editor, in which to operate. Key defensive hexes are designated to ensure that important hexes are not left undefended, and secure locations picked for HQ, Supply and Artillery units. 1st Airborne can be told to counter-attack any intruders within its region and if that fails and a specified number of key hexes fall to the enemy, then the Warcard will be discarded and a new card, with a smaller perimeter, chosen. Should they hold out long enough, other cards essentially tell the unit how to evacuate across the river. Another special card takes care of the vital task of ensuring that Frostâ€™s battalion makes its historic dash to the bridge. The flexibility and feedback from the new system give the scenario designer much greater control over units and a much greater facility to have AI units react to different contingencies, making for a much smarter system.
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Wait, this sounds interesting.

I've never really played the DB games. Anyone here have any impressions? Spill them or I gut you.

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Battlefront Chat at Armchair General

Jason chasing a bee

Flem Novice

Llyranor Liturgist