Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 Released

[Jason]

<strong>[ Announcement ]</strong>

<p><a href="http://www.paradoxplaza.com/press/2010/2/achtung-panzer-kharkov-1943-released-today" target="_blank"><strong>Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943</strong></a> became Generically Named WW2 RTS #372 today.</p><blockquote><p>Paradox Interactive today announced the release of Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943, Graviteam and Snowball Studios&rsquo; World War II strategy game with a tremendous focus on battlefield realism. The game is now available from most major digital distributors, including GamersGate and Impulse and select digital distributors are offering 15% off the game&rsquo;s $19.99 price until March 3.
</p><p>Two videos have been released to celebrate the game&rsquo;s release, with the first combining the explosive music of Swedish industrial metal band, Raubtier, with an equally explosive gameplay montage. The second offers a further glimpse at the game&rsquo;s focus on realism, taking viewers to the Kharkov region featured in the game and demonstrating the team&rsquo;s commitment to visual fidelity.
</p>Both videos can be viewed at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/paradoxplaza" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/paradoxplaza</a></blockquote> <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> </p>

 

[Yeesh]

Ok. I just watched one of those videos, and it was sort of a trip. There was a whole lot of lovingly luxuriating right up close in effects and graphics that were pretty fucking underwhelming, and the whole thing was set to a stereotypically growly German (?) metal song. It was nerdy meets history geeky meets psychotic.

 

[Trash]

The youtube videos look awfull and the website and description on the net suck as well. Horrid pr aside however the game is damn good fun. It really is what the combat mission: campaigns game tried to achieve before it was canned. You get a number of operations which play out on a turn based map. Supply, exhaustion, weather, day or night, artillery and entrenchement all play a role. Then when you go into combat you can actually play out the battle. While it is real time you can pause it and there are a shitload of options and orders to make. Not to mention that the individual battles all play out on huge maps. AI seems decent and while the youtube videos are shit they also show that the game looks quite acceptable.

I must say that I was surprised to see this one come out of the blue and what's even better is that it does what the combat mission games couldn't do and it does it very well indeed. Grognards will like this if they can stomach the rtwp portion.

 

[mondblut]

As a matter of fact, it was released in Russia under a localized version of Combat Mission brand ("Liniya fronta" - Frontlines). Of course it doesn't have anything to do with CM actually.

Snowball had outsource the english translation of the game to me, by the way. So you know whose wax doll to torment if you don't like it

 

[Burning Bridges]

Any information how to play the game and reviews highly appreciated. So far I downloaded the demo, didn't have time to play.

I would think it could use polish and better 2D graphics but looks extremely interesting already.

 

[Trash]

Why do you want info on how to play? Figuring it out is half the fun.