[Tejszd]

Matrix is now selling Achtung Panzer - Operation star by Graviteam Sims, anyone played this game?

http://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tt.asp?forumid=1047&p=&tmode=1&smode=1
 
It's almost like cheating on CC but I might pick it up to play when taking a break from Close Combat. The strat layer looks very interesting and the 3D graphics when in battle are a change from the CC's top down.....

Here is a quick overview with some screenshots;

http://kriegsimulation.blogspot.ca/2012/01/achtung-panzer-operation-star-quick.html

[Pzt_Kanov]

This is like the continuation of Achtüng Panzer: Kharkov 1943 right?

I've read this has much improved play and A.I. than AP:K 1943 but don't know if it's the same time frame. Still the same complaints about UI though.

For me it looks awesome, I actually purchased the first but still can't play it because I need a new computer.

[southern_land]

Bought the original version cheap a year or more ago and uninstalled it the same day.  The UI was the biggest heap of guano I've seen

[Tejszd]

Broke down and got it.

Yes it is a follow up product to Achtüng Panzer: Kharkov 1943. The UI can be tough but they have tried to make it simpler by having tooltips appear when you hover over an icon or after selecting a unit you can press space to get a list of commands for the selected unit. After about 5 hours I think I've got most of the basic actions/commands down....

[Pzt_Kanov]

Post some screens Tejszd

[Tejszd]

Here is a picture of the strat layer for the 1st operation on the 2nd turn showing'
- allied troops are shown but can not be controlled (lower left)
- battles that needs to be resolved (the flame)
- key locations on the map are key locations (the dots)
- map ownership (shaded red for friendly and blue for enemy)
- strat moves (dotted and solid lines) of the 1st and 2nd turns
- supply lines (green dotted lines without arrows for Germans) in the town. Playing as the Germans so no Russian supply lines are shown.

[Tejszd]

It is a full 3D environment. Here it is zoomed out fully top down;

[Tejszd]

Same view zoomed in on 2 tanks as I'm doing pre battle orders;

[Tejszd]

German Gun & Crew

[Tejszd]

Destroyed Russian light tank.

Note: the tank tracks are added as vehicles move

[MF_Church]

Thank you.  Has that feel / look of COMBAT Mission.

Utube of CM

@  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieU3q3j8zmY

I like how walls of bldgs. turn 'see thru' when your men fight *

Also really like the in-game radio BackGround vocals.   !

[Pzt_Kanov]

Those screens Look great Tejszd. What are your machine specs?

[Tejszd]

My PC is pretty good;

CPU: AMD 6 core 3.2 Ghz with 8Gb of ram
Video: Nvidia GeForce Gts250 at 1920x1200

Both areas can be surpassed with newer items but the cost shoots up.

[Pzt_Kanov]

Well I finally could play AP, not this one but the first Achtüng Panzer: Kharkov 1943.

I must say I did get overwhelmed at first with all the strange icons and the bizarre disposition of them, none the less, by the second day I was fighting custom battles and by the third day I managed to win my first!

I think the difference on the way you control your troops is what puts off some people because in this game you don't give exact orders, you give the squad a general order and they execute, for example you can order them to move to a location and take cover, but they will know if they enter the houses (if there's any) or hit the floor, you can't "lock" enemy units to fire specifically at them, you give area fire orders, fire arcs, priority of targets and then they decide what to shoot at.

The camera controls are a bit odd at first but that's something that practice takes care of. Soon you'll be jumping from one unit to the next one seeing the enemy or terrain from their view, using the binoculars to get that feeling of being there on the battlefield.

One thing I didn't not understand quite well was artillery, some commanders had this option that said 6x30, I assumed it was six guns with each having 30 rounds, but when I used it the rounds seemed sporadic and not as concentrated, not much of an artillery barrage. It did caused much damage to the empty terrain and houses though.

The things I missed from CC, was the detailed description of the squad/Vehicle, I wanted to know their last names, what weapons they were using, what mental state they were in etc.

Pause is essential in this game opposed to CC, because the scope is bigger and sometimes you're commanding several BG worth of men on the same battle.

Also missing was a replay button to see the battle unfold like a movie once its finished and jump to different angles, that would have been awesome.

I most certainly will get AP:OS to get an improved game. As I understand they are basically the same game, same setting, units etc, but improved gameplay.

[Pzt_Kanov]

Some screens from AP:K1943

[CSO_Talorgan]

What can you say about moddability?