| Close Combat | |
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The official logo of the franchise as used in the third game of the series |
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| Genres | Real-time Strategy |
| Developers | Atomic Games CSO Simtek Strategy 3 Tactics |
| Publishers | Microsoft Strategic Simulations, Inc. Matrix Games |
| Creators | Keith Zabalaoui |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows, Mac, Xbox |
| First release | Close Combat January 1, 1996 |
Close Combat is the name of a series of real-time tactical (RTT) computer games by Atomic Games. In the Close Combat RTT games, the player takes control of a small unit (platoon or company sized) of troops and leads them in battles of World War II from a top down 2D perspective.
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Close Combat was developed as a computer game version of the acclaimed Avalon Hill board game Advanced Squad Leader (ASL). The primary consultant for the morale model was Dr. Steven Silver, a specialist in combat-related trauma. Atomic Games had already developed several games for Avalon Hill, such as Operation Crusader, and Stalingrad. However, with Avalon Hill embroiled in a financial crisis that would ultimately lead to its demise, Atomic Games took what work they had completed, severed ties with the board game franchise and completed the game's development for Microsoft. The first three Close Combat games were notable, at the time, for being among the few games published by Microsoft. The final two games in the original series were, however, published by Strategic Simulations, Inc (SSI).
Close Combat I and II were distributed for both Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac OS. Later versions were released for Microsoft Windows only. In 2005, Atomic Games was bought by Destineer. Destineer licensed the game to Matrix Games to develop three more Close Combat titles. Matrix Games hired first CSO Simtek and later Strategy 3 Tactics to develop these titles.
The five original Close Combat games were real-time tactical (RTT) war games, with a top-down perspective and two-player capabilities. Each was set in a different European theatre of the Second World War. Each game included a mixture of infantry and armoured units, whilst the later games also included artillery, mortars and air support. Although viewed from a top-down perspective, the later games modelled terrain elevation, and included buildings with multiple floors and viewable sides. The overall tone emphasised realism, and modelled the emotional or physical state of the soldiers and equipment which included, panicked, berserk, burning, incapacitated, pinned and many others.
There were many innovations in the Close Combat games compared to previous titles, which combined to make Close Combat more realistic than most RTT and real-time strategy (RTS) computer games:
The factors above meant that the game required realistic military tactics, such as careful placement of troops in cover, ambush, advancing under cover and using terrain or smoke-screens to cover advancing troops. Effective management, such as keeping teams near their officers, not sending green recruits on assaults and maintaining fire discipline so as not to run out of ammunition were also necessary for the player to prevail.
Players also have to make effective use of combined-arms tactics to be successful in Close Combat. Infantry assault require support from machine guns, tanks, and mortars, to suppress enemy fire. Armor units also require screening from infantry units. Although they possess superior firepower, tanks are vulnerable to ambushes from bazooka or panzerschreck units, especially in close quarters such as a town or forest, where the ambushing infantry can wait to have a shot at a tank's vulnerable flank or rear armor. Tanks are also vulnerable to fire from concealed anti-tank guns, or ambushing tanks, which may wait to fire until the enemy presents his flank or rear.
Since the initial release of Close Combat 1, tools to create mods have been made available, allowing for the creation of user-made mods. Generally, the mods can change things such as weapon types, vehicles, soldiers, terrain and ammo as well as other attributes. Some mods change a specific aspect of the game, while other mods focus on changing the underlying data.
All versions except Close Combat: Modern Tactics offer only one vs one multiplayer. CCM offers three on three and Close Combat: Marines offers four on four. Although these versions added more multiplayer ability.
Four of the five original games, A Bridge Too Far, The Russian Front, The Battle of the Bulge and Invasion Normandy have since been remade with new units and maps, updated graphics (maps and sprites) and sound, updated map editors, menus, as well as fixing the compatability issues that the older iterations of each game had with modern operating systems. Each remake also includes the original version of the game that can be played without any of the additions included in the remake.
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