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When
word first came through of Storm Across Europe
it was met with utter disbelief. The whole of the Second
World War conflict in Europe crammed into a 64 just
couldn't be done, but SSI have taken on the challenge
and succeeded in fine style.
Rather
than adopt the finely detailed style of most of their
games, SSI follow the Colonial Conquest lead
with the entire European continent as centre stage.
As the leader of Germany's forces, you're up against
very nearly the whole of Europe -- an unenviable situation.
Storm
Across Europe removes itself from the gritty individual
battles of games like Typhoon of Steel and Overrun!.
Instead it concentrates on the strategies of gaining
territory through best use of all three forces (the
massive German Army serving as the prime force).
Each
turn is made up of a whole season, beginning with Autumn
1939 and finishing whenever you are finished -- after
all you may change history and make it past VE day!
Any of five periods can be chosen to start from or a
saved position restored.
A
scenario builder can be brought into action for wargamers
wanting to change the situation. Extremely comprehensive,
it allows for modification of forces across the board
prior to battle. The level of political (Hitler's) interference
and sanity level of Stalin are just two parameters that
can be modified.
The
period chosen determines forces' strength, technology
and research/raw/materials levels among many other aspects,
with the USA joining the Allies late 1941. Once the
period is selected and the scenario constructed, the
war begins.
With
such a large scale as this, it's impossible to think
about handling individual units. Instead, each unit
represents an entire squadron, army brigade or small
fleet, keeping the scale sensible and combat in correct
relation to the war as a whole.
All
commands are issued using the well designed and user-friendly
menu system occupying the lower half of the screen.
The multi-directional scrolling map of Europe, North
Africa and the Middle East takes up the top half of
the screen, with each country subdivided into separate
regions.
Sub
menus are accessed through the six main menu options:
LAND, NAVY and AIR are the key options through which
each force is sent into battle. VIEW is used to show
information on each country's industrial strength, population,
raw material levels, as well as a map of Europe and
army/fort positions. COMBAT initiates the planned battles
and also brings in the next season. Save/Load position
facilities are also offered through the DISK menu option.
Though
each of the forces has its own menu, many of the options
within are the same in function but relevant to a different
type of weapon -- though all three main force menus
armies/airbases/fleets can be created or removed from
play or units transferred between bases.
Particular
to each menu are the unique action options -- LAND forces
attack with tanks and infantry, the NAVY sets out to
patrol seas, hunt convoys in subs, resupply other units
via convoy, and finally the AIR force can bomb production,
airbases or hunt for enemy airpower and destroy it.
The latter force is capable of investing research points
in either V rockets or atomic bombs, each having its
own pros and cons.
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