Strategic Command WWII: War in Europe for PC is another installment in a series of complex strategy games created by Fury Software – a Canadian developer. In this game, the player is once again taken to the European theatre of World War II, which is an area that has been highly explored by the video game industry.
Mechanics
The player is given an opportunity to take command over a great military force – either the Allies or the Axis. By controlling the armies of particular coalition-, the player recreates the most significant operations conducted in Europe during the Second World War. The main campaign begins in 1939 and covers almost the entire period of the war. Apart from the campaign however, the creators incorporated here several minor scenarios set in the years 1940-44. Gameplay is turn-based, and traditionally, the in-game maps are covered with nets of hexes. Particular skirmishes take place on the ground, on waters, and in the skies. What is typical both for this franchise and the entire genre, is the presence of the so-called fog of war. Thanks to this element, the player is only partially acquainted with the situation in the areas that are not under their direct control.
Similarly to all the previous installments in the Strategic Command series, the game is an incredibly complex strategy designed for the veterans of the genre. The player is required to deal with all the larger and smaller factors that influence the course of the war. Thus it is necessary to set levels of priority for particular actions, as well as to decide about the strategy for battles, or to coordinate the work of supply lines. As usual, each of the in-game nations here has its faithfully recreated weaponry and units, with both their strong and weak spots – all of this reflects a particular one's actual potential in combat, as well as the level of technological advancement in the military forces of the period. Apart from conducting military operations, one of the key factors that influences the balance of powers in the game is constituted by espionage and diplomacy. For instance, the latter allows to make alliances with neutral countries in order to gain their , which is quite important.
Game modes
On its release, Strategic Command WWII: War in Europe for PC offered the singleplayer mode exclusively. However, a full-fledged multiplayer mode was added to the game as a post-release update. In this mode, two players can compete against each other via the Internet.
Technical aspects
In of technicalities, Strategic Command WWII: War in Europe for PC practically does not differ from the previous iterations, though as usual, the creators introduced a portion of minor improvements and changes. What stands out here, is that the player can choose between more ascetic, traditional visuals, and a modern-day-like 3D perspective. Also, the game features a functional editor that was present in the previous installments. Here, the players can create their own scenarios – those do not have to be set firmly within a particular timeline.
