Middle East campaign series releases sep. 24

[MengJiao]

It's out. 
http://www.matrixgames.com/products/582/details/Campaign.Series:.Middle.East.1948.-1985

  I played it happily for 3 hours last night.  It was sort of a nostalgia fest.  I had forgotten how much CS I played 15 years ago.

  I generally don't worry too much about graphics.  I tend to play fairly zoomed out in 2d.  I was happy to find a lot of French and UK
  units for 1956 scenarios, but I played the Last stop in the Negev scenario since I've never seen a comprehensible version of that battle.
  The scenario in this game is very good, though as usual I wonder about the gear the Israelis have.  For example, by late 1948 I'm pretty sure they had quite a few 3-inch mortars since they could make those themselves and plenty of machine guns since they over-produced their own MG ammo (for Bren guns I guess?). 

[Dammit Carl!]

Ooooo... :D

Can't wait to add it to my "serious gaming," collection!

[Cyrano]

Well, spent some time with it last night.

Simple answers: 

If you're at ALL into the period, get it.

If you like groggy games, get it.

If you like supporting developers that develop groggy games, get it.

My impatience as they work on their Viet Nam and WWII games may become unbearable...

[spelk]

Twitch stream..

[bayonetbrant]

I was hoping this was the Flashpoint Campaigns middle east game.   >:(

That one's scheduled for 2021.  Or about the time most of y'all bother to make it to Origins

[mirth]

I was hoping this was the Flashpoint Campaigns middle east game.   >:(

That one's scheduled for 2021.  Or about the time most of y'all bother to make it to Origins

That's an aggressive timetable.  For Origins, I mean.

[Jason Petho]

  I played it happily for 3 hours last night.  It was sort of a nostalgia fest.  I had forgotten how much CS I played 15 years ago.

I'm glad you're enjoying it!

  I generally don't worry too much about graphics.  I tend to play fairly zoomed out in 2d.  I was happy to find a lot of French and UK
  units for 1956 scenarios, but I played the Last stop in the Negev scenario since I've never seen a comprehensible version of that battle.
  The scenario in this game is very good, though as usual I wonder about the gear the Israelis have.  For example, by late 1948 I'm pretty sure they had quite a few 3-inch mortars since they could make those themselves and plenty of machine guns since they over-produced their own MG ammo (for Bren guns I guess?).

The Bren's are included in the infantry stats, generally speaking. If I couldn't find reference to an overabundance, so I didn't include separate MG units.

Same goes for the 3 inch mortars. I was hardpressed to find the mortars assigned to the units involved in the scenario (from the sources I used in Section 9.1 of the manual), so erred on the side of caution and kept them from the OOB.

Fortunately, Middle East is a living game and if it is found that there were these extras, we can add them in future UPDATES.

I hope you continue to enjoy the series and if you spot anything else that you find odd, please note it and I will comment and address it.

Hope you're well
Jason Petho

[Jason Petho]

Twitch stream..

Thanks for posting that.

It's too bad they didn't include the chat on the side, I filled it with a lot of tidbits and/or corrected some misspoken items.

Jason Petho

[-budd-]

I'm playing a linked campaign as the Israelis VS the Egyptians. Thought i'd post some screenshots of the different views. We fought over this ground during the last scenario when i was unable to push the Egyptians back. This time there attacking my positions. Israelis in blue.

View #7


View #6
Nato and graphical unit icons


View#5
Nato and graphical


View #4
Nato and graphical


View #3
3D
probably the one i use the least, if at all


View #2
3D


View #1
3D



Plays well, no major bugs that affect game play and a very supportive team.The AI has handles itself well no obviously stupid moves, haven't seen any backtracking yet and it places and uses its AT assets well on defense, i was impressed when it held fire and remained hidden to wait for a juicy shot at my tanks.  Between this and flashpoint campaigns i might have to broaden my WW2 horizons and play more modern stuff......this game is fun

[Rayfer]

Enjoyed the 3D sprite views...the battlefield was littered with armor wrecks. Great screenies budd!

[-budd-]

This looks promising. After coming straight on during turn 3 looks like the AI is moving left to get around my right flank. it got my attention i relocated an MG and a mortar unit to the right side. The AI's approaches with their armor are limited by all the marsh terrain, especially on their left. I' have good LOS on the their right. Curious to see if the AI continues to try to move around my right.

[panzerde]

I'm finding that the AI is no slouch in this game. It definitely uses terrain and cover to it's advantage and will flank. My first game in I went in without due care in a night engagement and it trashed me.

[-budd-]

One thing the AI doesn't do is to know when enough is enough and it keeps coming. Of course i don't know if an AI can be programmed to call it off. We do complain that the AI is tame on the attack. The AI continued to try to move around my right. I moved a tank unit to join the MG and mortar unit to fight it off. It tried to gets some tanks shifted but really the terrain just wasn't good for that and i cut them down while they were shifting to my right. I eventually killed the main thrust in the center and tried to push on my left with a tank company but it was too late in the scenario. All in all i think the AI did a good job, if it could of got some armor on my right it would have made me nervous.

[Nefaro]

  Between this and flashpoint campaigns i might have to broaden my WW2 horizons and play more modern stuff......this game is fun

Come to the Dark Side.  We have LOTS of toys to play with.  >:D

O0

[Crossroads]

One thing the AI doesn't do is to know when enough is enough and it keeps coming. Of course i don't know if an AI can be programmed to call it off. We do complain that the AI is tame on the attack. The AI continued to try to move around my right. I moved a tank unit to join the MG and mortar unit to fight it off. It tried to gets some tanks shifted but really the terrain just wasn't good for that and i cut them down while they were shifting to my right. I eventually killed the main thrust in the center and tried to push on my left with a tank company but it was too late in the scenario. All in all i think the AI did a good job, if it could of got some armor on my right it would have made me nervous.

Cheers Budd, thanks for the great screenies! One think you might want to experiment if you haven't already is to look at tha A/I menu options, and to sort of give A/I a helping hand. So if you feel they should go on defense, you could set the AI to Cautious, or if opposite, to Audacious. There's the slider available too for something in between.