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[Char13magne]

At the behest of Chattox, I am making this thread in the hopes that people will talk about their experiences with the game, maybe join my let's play, whatever you guys want that is themed towards this little-known gem.

Site link
http://www.windowsgames.co.uk/ff.html

My Let's Play
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=111523.0

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[fenrif]

What kind of game is it? What genre? It looks like a strategy game, is it TBS or RTS? Is there basebuilding? is it free? It has multiplayer I assume, but does it work over a LAN? How many players? If it's little known, then what makes it a gem?

[Char13magne]

Sorry, I realize now that I left out a description of the game. It is an RTS of the Grognard genre (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/grognard) without any base building. It has a steep learning curve, with a persistent campaign and units, as well as a point system for buying units at the start of each map. You can play as a wide variety of countries (see the poll on the lp) throughout the second world war. In-game, there are several elements of command that should be taken into account; there is an extremely complex morale system, a system for determining levels of radio contact based on geography, individual unit ammunition counters, varying types of terrain, etc. At the moment, the only objectives are attack or defend, but as each level is randomly generated, this isn't a huge issue (the game is easily modded, but unfortunately it's fanbase isn't large enough to have much in the way of developed mods as of yet.) If I missed something in this description, please say so. I can put up more screenshots, unfortunately I'm not so good at working with video, but I also welcome others who own the game to put up material.

Fenrif: I'm sorry to say it does not have multiplayer, and it is not free.

[MonkeyHead]

Long time fan of this game. Got into it via "Critical Mass", a sci fi space shooter with similar but far simpler gameplay mechanics.

Whilst it is a good simulation and solid gameplay wise, it can get samey - there are only so many ways to win battles against what is a very cunning AI.

To answer Fenrif: Tactical squad based shooter, action unfolding in real time after a deployment phase. AFAIK no multiplayer, though that doesnt mean that it doesnt exists. There is no basebuilding, instead you have a persistent commander in one of the WW2 nations, and lead soldiers in missions that are semi random and take place on procedurally generated maps. You are restricted to whatever troops your nation offers (from infantry with rifles, smg's, lmg's and hmg's, specialised snipers, mortar troops or flamethrowers, armoured units and other vehicles, and a range of AT guns) and restricted by a "cost", so you need to choose between cheap, efficient and expendible riflemen, or expensive, heavily armed yet vulnerable tanks. Gameplay is based around aline of sight model, and features line of sight ideas to determine who can shoot who, and who is supressed/in cover.

What makes it a gem is how it feels to play. Its hard. Its unforgiving. You get missions that are impossible to win which you will have to retreat from, knowing when is the right time. Its easy to pick up and learn but very hard to master. The AI is very very clever, and the terrain and your management of troops has clear effects on the progress of battle - its not simply "most guns wins". Each soldier has a name and record, and behaves, well, like a human. They will hide and refuse to move if they are in danger. They will surrender if outflanked. When Pvt. Ivanovich is shot and killed by an unseen enemy, and it is your fault as you ordered his squad to advance over open land towards a forested hill, it feels bad. When you outflank a superiour force and use the elevation to execute a devastating crossfire killing dozens of the enemy, its no fluke and feels good.

You can get a free demo via "Sean O'Connors Windows Games". A lil google fu will take you to his website. Most of the games are duds other than this one and the one I have already mentioned in this post. Full versions cost money.

Bah, Ninjaed.

[Char13magne]

Wow, well thanks. That's definitely a far better description!

[Chattox]

How exactly do you get squads to follow orders when under fire? Or is there a suppression mechanic that stops them from moving?

[Char13magne]

Along with the realistic morale, there is a realistic suppression mechanic in place. This means that (like in real life) 3 things are the big killers; tanks, crew served weapons, and artillery (because these things don't really get suppressed, although (with the exception of artillery) they can get scared and fall back or retreat). Normal infantry (with the exception of some late-war elite troops) are very easily suppressed and, also like real life (as seen in the book "a soldier  under fire" - or something like that) only about 20% of the infantrymen in any unit actually kill anyone, and this is usually the squad's light machine-gunner. The infantry squads are generally used either in ambush, or as support for more critical aspects of your command (which is why playing as Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and Dutch is so hard, because they have almost all infantry early on).

{[((((Sorry for all the parentheses!))))]}

[Elfeater]

Suppression is really a bitch in this game, but a way to get them moving again is to drive a tank through the squad.

[MonkeyHead]

Or drop some smoke shells to provide temporary cover...

[ConscriptFive]

Incidentally, Firefight is a spiritual successor to the classic "Close Combat" series.

Close Combat series was originally a big-deal Microsoft release that came too late in PC-gaming to be commercially successful.  Strategy wargames used to be a bigger seller for PC's during the 80's and early 90's.  Unfortunately, the Close Combat series was released at the wrong end of that paradigm shift.  The license got sold off to other studios who drove it into the ground with Close Combat 3 onwards.

CC2 was probably one of the best wargames ever made.  The historical campaign for CC2 was dynamic and perfectly suited to this game: doomed paratroopers fighting for their lives.  Each victory or setback of the relief column along "Hell's Highway" dictating their chances of survival.  A blown bridge or lost drop zone a potential condemnation to death.  Persistant small units with individually named soldiers you could get attached to.

Then CC3 came along, went "Bigger is Better" and threw the series into the human-wave slaughter-house of the Eastern Front.  All the intimacy and uniqueness of CC2 was lost, and the series began its decline into the typical soulless Matrix Games tripe.  Matrix Games keeps pushing remakes of the series, but they just don't feel right.

But yeah, CC2 is up there with XCOM: UFO Defence in terms of fondly remembered 90's PC games:
www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/05/02/heavily-engaged-close-combat-2/

[Anvilfolk]

Oh boy oh boy - Close Combat 2. I was doing a cleanup at home the other day and found what I think is the original CD I wonder if it still runs.....

Although, if you say this is the spiritual successor, perhaps I should try this instead?

[Char13magne]

Incidentally, Firefight is a spiritual successor to the classic "Close Combat" series.

Close Combat series was originally a big-deal Microsoft release that came too late in PC-gaming to be commercially successful.  Strategy wargames used to be a bigger seller for PC's during the 80's and early 90's.  Unfortunately, the Close Combat series was released at the wrong end of that paradigm shift.  The license got sold off to other studios who drove it into the ground with Close Combat 3 onwards.

CC2 was probably one of the best wargames ever made.  The historical campaign for CC2 was dynamic and perfectly suited to this game: doomed paratroopers fighting for their lives.  Each victory or setback of the relief column along "Hell's Highway" dictating their chances of survival.  A blown bridge or lost drop zone a potential condemnation to death.  Persistant small units with individually named soldiers you could get attached to.

Then CC3 came along, went "Bigger is Better" and threw the series into the human-wave slaughter-house of the Eastern Front.  All the intimacy and uniqueness of CC2 was lost, and the series began its decline into the typical soulless Matrix Games tripe.  Matrix Games keeps pushing remakes of the series, but they just don't feel right.

But yeah, CC2 is up there with XCOM: UFO Defence in terms of fondly remembered 90's PC games:
www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/05/02/heavily-engaged-close-combat-2/

I have played the entire series and would definitely agree with this. (Unfortunately; CC2, being so old, does not play well on most modern pcs and has huge screen-refresh issues, if not for that I would play it more often.)

[EuchreJack]

Didn't know there was a free version.  Checking out so that my suggestions in the LP are less suicidal (maybe  ).

[Char13magne]

For some unknown reason (maybe been playing too much of far cry 2 ) I really want someone to mod either firefight or one of the close combat games to be like this;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dogs_of_War_(novel)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dogs_of_War_(film)

[EuchreJack]

Ok, after playing the demo, I only learned one thing: use tanks.