Recent reviews by DanDan

First off let's clarify graviteam tactics is a ground warfare battle operations simulation like a fully realistic flight or tank sim. Don't expect a RTS like company of heroes or even men of war. Also the game is singleplayer only. Also understand you need to read the game manual, if you don't know all the waypoints and movement type parameters or command and morale system you won't know how to effectively command troops in 3d tactical battles.

You start off in the campaign operations list, you pick a operation then start in overhead 2d grid operations map that all your forces are shown in checkerboard style map. This operations map is where you will fight 3d tactical battles on and similiar to total war series that whats on map is whats in 3d battle. Understand this map is a persistent battle so every stat is saved and taken account for, if a vehicle gets destroyed and a town is leveled, next time you fight in that area you will see the all the map terrain damage, dead corpses, destruction all saved exaclty the way it was end of previous battle in that area. 2d operations map is turn based and you move you units around then after AI turn when they attack, ambushed or counter attack you will see a flame with all nearby invovled units with red dots on them representing battle to click on an fight. Then you go into the 3d tactical battle mode, or rts mode.

3d tactical battles are full on simulation. all tank simulated ballistics and armor values are represented historally accuratly. The movement speed is at a realistic pace, so thats why the time speed button is there for, the morale command system is very compolex and integrated. The distance to commander, nearby troops, enemy troops and under fire severly changes your troops ability to follow orders.

The movemnt types are critcal to use properly, you mave move by roads is key to keeping vehicles from getting stuck in rough terrain. the move fast or crawl under cover, formation of line, free blob, column and unit spacing of in file, spaced, or scattered. movent can have tanks in front lead as cover for infantry tofollow behind or infantry can ride on tanks. Commander units must use area fire order to spot for artillary to barrage point and better commander can spot the more accurate the artillary fire.

Units that don't move on current turn can intrench in the ground. The detail is amazing, building that get hit will catch fire and burn with smoke and after awhile will collapse, destroyed vehicles might blow up, or catch fire and crew bail out on fire screaming running around like chickens with head cut off for a few seconds until they burn to death. Also burning vehicles will start cooking off munition and see secondary explosions. Terrain is fully deformed with explosions blasting holes in ground, burning trees and buildings, tanks can smash down fences and trees. There is pools of blood and gore decals on shot soldiers. If morale low enough units will surrender and put hands in area or panic and route and no longer follow any orders and run away to save themselfs. Soldiers can be knocked unconsious from concusion of explosion or wounded and drop to knees holding there wounds on arm or stomach.

Also note there is a quick battle scenario that has a template to quickly whip up a operation to fight and there is a full editor (probably same one developers use to create campaigns) to create a operation as details as the ones in the game. There are modding tools to bring in your own textures and models.

Basically long story short if you want a hardcore ground warfare simulator to fight a battle operation on the eastern front in WW2 this games for you.

If your a casual RTS player, want a quick get in play and stop, or need lots of instant action, don't have patience, want to only or need to play multiplayer then this games not for you.