For the wargamer, this is one good game...

User Rating: 9.2 | Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin PC
First, let me start by saying that CMBB should appeal to a certain type of gamer. For instance, if your gaming experience at any point in your life includes paper and pencil or strategic board games, then you may qualify for having fun with this PC game. If you've ever stayed up half the night strategizing on troop movements and flag positions, then you may qualify for having fun here. If you truly know what a miniature is, and even better, if you've ever detailed one, then you may definitely qualify for having fun here.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that CMBB is the type of PC game that wargamers enjoy. It takes the realism of detailed combat strategy and condenses it into a turn-based PC replica - with graphics, sound, and effects to boot. All the calcs and ratings are performed behind the scenes - but don't get me wrong, this is no arcade run. Players still need to understand and pay very careful attention to troop placement and movement, terrain, morale, fatigue, ammo, command, line of sight, and so on! The only thing you really don't have to do is reference tables and roll dice.

Just to give you an example of how fun this is, consider a scenario I played recently... I was playing the German side, defending against an advance into a small town by a force with troop strength of 160% my force. I dug in and placed anti-armor personnel in key positions. Upon their approach, I was able to hold a line and then send in my armor division to frustrate their troops while staying in position if the enemy armor approached down the road. Low and behold, the enemy armor burst through some light brush - on my flank side!! Totally unexpected! The only thing that saved my armor division from outright decimation was some positioning beyond a knoll that blocked their line of sight. Having only one, maybe two moves to reposition, I had my armor fire as many smoke rounds as possible, creating a screen whereby I could reverse, withdraw, and reposition. When the smoke cleared, surprise, I was on their armor division's flank! A tank battle ensued and I came out VICTORIOUS!

This is just one of the many types of scenarios that are possible in this game - and that's just in the single player battle mode. You also have single player operations as well as a strong community by which to set up play over the Internet (TCP/IP).

Overall, this is a great combat simulation and it has great staying power. I pull it out anytime I have a need for some serious strategic combat!

Best and enjoy!