Close Combat 3: The Russian Front Demo

Set on the Eastern Front -the greatest struggle in history - the game spans the 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union through the gates of Moscow, the factory complex of Stalingrad, to the 1945 fall of Berlin. The game features real-time, historically accurate warfare at a squad level along with psychological elements for maximum authenticity.

Playing either the German or Soviet side, gamers are challenged to out-think and out-fight their opponent while keeping their troops alive. They start as low-ranking commanders and manage unit upgrade and maintenance as they attempt to advance in rank and acquire more troops and equipment. Close Combat III is scheduled to be available in Jan uary 1999.

For the first time in the Close Combat series, the game spans four years of war and includes numerous important confrontations on the Russian Front. The grand scope of the title affects such gameplay elements as command ability, team morale and experience, technology and units, weather and map types and also allows players more control, variety, and replay value.

Players now have the ability to refit and upgrade their units between battles and must closely follow their soldiers' progress through the game as their morale and experience improves with each battle they survive. A command point system affects gamers' ranks and the number of teams they have under their command. In addition, players can manage a new type of unit--the Commander unit --that allows for the rallying of soldiers on the battlefield.

Three times larger than in the earlier versions of Close Combat, the highly detailed maps offer more tactics and strategy choices like flanking scenarios. Based on historical aerial photographs -- such as Red Square, the factory complexes at Stalingrad and the ruins of Berlin - the maps are 16-bit color with 3D terrain elevation effects. Game realism is enhanced with the use of seasonal maps as units' uniforms, morale and mobility are effected by inclement weather.

Close Combat III features more than 300 team types (squads), more than 100 weapon types, 60 soldier types and 80 types of vehicles and AT guns. It includes units like 120-mm mortar, flame-throwers and rocket artillery mounted on half-tracks, and even off-map heavy artillery barrage. This unprecedented variety of units can be upgraded as players go though the campaigns.

Close Combat III features new pre-game and in-game interfaces, context sensitive help and roll over text strings to give more information on the units and terrain. The controls include a traditional real-time strategy click and point system and enables players to select multiple groups for quicker dissemination of orders and set waypoints that allow players to route their troops to a specific location.

Offering "what if" scenarios and extended replay value, the scenario editor allows players to create their own battles by setting deployment zones, victory locations, requisition points, selecting the initial force mix and linking battles together to create multi-map operations.

Accurately depicting W.W.II squad level warfare using infantry and armor, Close Combat III features true line-of-sight and line-of-fire gameplay, direct and indirect fire, elevation effects for terrain and buildings, the ability to enter buildings, foxholes and trenches for protection, and a limited amount of ammunition. The artificial intelligence is unique in that it closely models true soldiers' psychological profiles during combat. The game's soldiers react to real-world combat situations and are dynamically affected by their strength, ability, and morale condition. They will return fire when fired upon, gunners correct fire to zero in on targets, and demoralized men can rally to their leader's battle cry.

A Resource Allocation System allows gamers to manage limited amount of reserves by deciding when and where to use them. The campaign battle flow is dynamic and consequences carry forward so that players have to take into account the long-term effects of their actions. They can push or get pushed back across maps, soldiers continue from map to map within campaigns and map damage carries over to new battles.

The Close Combat III demo will put you in charge of either the German or Russian forces in one pivotal battle of Kursk entitled Prelude to Citadel. The maze of buildings scattered along an east/west stretch of paved roadway will be your playground. Shock Troops, Assault Engineers, T-34s, Tiger Tanks, Rocket launching half-tracks and 120mm mortars will be your toys. Looks like it's time to find out just what it takes to lead men into battle, and survive. The demo also includes a boot camp tutorial and full multiplayer support on the MSN Gaming Zone.

PATCHES	size	date
v3.0b patch	1MB	Apr 18, 99