''Men of War'' (russian: В тылу врага 2: Лис пустыни, or ''Behind Enemy Lines 2: Desert Fox'') is a 2009
real-time tactics
Real-time tactics (RTT)(Article at IGN discussing their perception of RTS and related genres as of 2006. RTT is discussed as a new and not yet established genre from the publisher's perspective, so currently all RTT possible titles are still con ...
video game expansion for the sequel to ''
Soldiers: Heroes of World War II - "Faces of War" developed by Ukrainian company
Best Way
Best Way is a Ukraine, Ukrainian company which develops real-time strategy video games. The company was founded in 1991 in Sievierodonetsk, Luhans'k, Ukraine. Its first title was ''Soldiers: Heroes of WWII''. The Best Way's games use the Gem game ...
''. Players issue orders to and/or take direct control of soldiers on a simulation-driven battlefield.
The game takes place during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
and its single-player campaign features battles set in
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...
,
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...
, and
North Africa
North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
across three different campaigns for the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
,
Germans
, native_name_lang = de
, region1 =
, pop1 = 72,650,269
, region2 =
, pop2 = 534,000
, region3 =
, pop3 = 157,000
3,322,405
, region4 =
, pop4 = ...
and Soviets. Japan was introduced as a multiplayer faction in a later patch.
Features
''Men of War'' is a
real-time tactics
Real-time tactics (RTT)(Article at IGN discussing their perception of RTS and related genres as of 2006. RTT is discussed as a new and not yet established genre from the publisher's perspective, so currently all RTT possible titles are still con ...
game in which players complete military objectives. It focuses entirely on
military tactics
Military tactics encompasses the art of organizing and employing fighting forces on or near the battlefield. They involve the application of four battlefield functions which are closely related – kinetic or firepower, Mobility (military), mobil ...
and
special operations
Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...
and does not feature base building, research, or resource gathering. Unit recruitment features in multiplayer, but is rarely enabled in single-player.
Simulation
The game's most notable feature is its simulation-driven world.
Examples include:
* Each soldier and vehicle has an inventory which holds weapons and a finite amount of ammunition and supplies
** Items can be picked up from the ground or traded
* Each vehicle and emplacement is operated by soldiers who can enter and leave it at will
* Each vehicle has components that can be damaged and repaired instead of an abstract
health
Health, according to the World Health Organization, is "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity".World Health Organization. (2006)''Constitution of the World Health Organ ...
value
*
Line of sight
The line of sight, also known as visual axis or sightline (also sight line), is an imaginary line between a viewer/observer/ spectator's eye(s) and a subject of interest, or their relative direction. The subject may be any definable object taken ...
is calculated accurately
* Buildings have fully modelled interiors that soldiers can freely navigate
* Bullets and shells are blocked by solid objects
* Nearly anything can be destroyed, and destruction is physically simulated with solid debris
* Fire spreads
These rules lead to gameplay that has been described as "organic...where others are artificial"
and praised for generating "stories as distinct as they are dramatic",
but criticised for at times demanding intense
micromanagement
In business management, micromanagement is a management style whereby a manager closely observes, controls, and/or reminds the work of their subordinates or employees.
Micromanagement is generally considered to have a negative connotation, main ...
.
Perhaps in recognition of this, players can change the speed at which time passes.
Direct Control
''Men of War'' allows a player to directly control any soldier or manned vehicle/gun that he owns. Movement is controlled with four directional keys and a stance toggle, while the unit aims/faces toward the on-screen mouse cursor and fires when the player clicks his mouse button.
"Direct Control" can be used to perform advanced actions such as targeting individual vehicle components, navigating precisely around cover, and
cooking a grenade. It has also been described as "dissolving the emotional distance between player and unit".
Campaign
The single-player portions of ''Men of War'' comprise 19 missions spread across Soviet, German, and Allied campaigns and a "bonus" campaign of offcuts.
The game focuses on some of the less-known battles of World War II and does not feature famous battles like the
Invasion of Normandy
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...
or
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad (23 August 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II where Nazi Germany and its allies unsuccessfully fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad (later r ...
.
Soviet Campaign
The Soviet campaign spans the early battles of the
Eastern Front, through to the start of the Soviet counter-offensive. The campaign begins with the
Battle of Rostov and ends after the
Battle of Seelow Heights
The Battle of the Seelow Heights (german: Schlacht um die Seelower Höhen) was part of the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation (16 April–2 May 1945). A pitched battle, it was one of the last assaults on large entrenched defensive positions ...
, with an epilogue showing Berlin days after
its capture. The Player is represented by Alexey Kuznetsov (who also plays a role in
Men of War: Red Tide) and Victor Smirnov.
Shortly after
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa (german: link=no, Unternehmen Barbarossa; ) was the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany and many of its Axis allies, starting on Sunday, 22 June 1941, during the Second World War. The operation, code-named afte ...
, Alexey Kuznetsov and Victor Smirnov are enlisted into the
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (Russian language, Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist R ...
. However, during their travel to
Rostov
Rostov ( rus, Росто́в, p=rɐˈstof) is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:
While ...
they are suddenly attacked by
Stuka dive-bombers. Their column is destroyed and they are forced to continue on foot. After an encounter with an armoured car, they get to the H.Q of a local defending zone. The Commander allows them to take some soldiers with them to advance into the village, captured by the Germans. They find an empty disabled
KV-1
The Kliment Voroshilov (KV) tanks are a series of Soviet heavy tanks named after the Soviet defence commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov who operated with the Red Army during World War II. The KV tanks were known for their heavy armour pr ...
heavy tank which they repair. They use the tank in their assault on the village and ravage the Germans in the village. Later, the team is given the objective of taking a strategic hill in the area. They do, but they notice a column of tanks advancing on their position, using the tank, they destroy it and are given the order to retreat. Days later, Alexey and Victor arrive at the
Rostelmash factory, where the Soviets are evacuating civilians and any machinery they can transport. The two are put in command of defences at the offices, boilers and storages. They are given just enough time to turn it into a fortress, with anti-tank guns, sandbags and mines. However, the German assault is just as strong, stomping through quite quickly. When the train is fully supplied, the Soviets board and evacuate, narrowly evading the German forces. Victor gets away, but when Alexey tries to catch up, he is knocked out in an explosion. When he regains consciousness, he is captured by Germans. Alexey is sent to a village where a recruitment camp is being set up. The
SS interrogate him, but a
partisan group attacks the village, allowing him to escape. Alexey gets to the partisans, and they inform him of a German H.Q. in the village. Fighting their way through the village and freeing several more POWs along the way, they manage to capture the H.Q. There, Alexey finds documents containing valuable info on German intelligence networks in the Soviet Union. German reinforcements close in, forcing the partisans to retreat. They then hold their ground to give Alexey and his group enough time to get away.
Meanwhile, Victor Smirnov is in Moscow. He is sent to a nearly completed defence line . Receiving reports of German forces nearby, he is forced to hold out with a chain of dugouts and foxholes. Repelling German attacks and even a flanking attack on the nearby dam, the light defences look ready to collapse. Fortunately, Smirnov is given the order to retreat, as the main line of defence is completed. Facing a fully manned enemy force, the German force fails to break through and falls back.
Alexey Kuznetsov finally gets back to Soviet territory, but is captured by the
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (russian: Наро́дный комиссариа́т вну́тренних дел, Naródnyy komissariát vnútrennikh del, ), abbreviated NKVD ( ), was the interior ministry of the Soviet Union.
...
. They suspect him of being a deserter, and refuse to believe his documents, instead sending him to a
penal unit
Penal military units, including penal battalions, penal companies, etc., are military formations consisting of convicts mobilized for military service. Such formations may contain soldiers convicted of offenses under military law, persons enrolled ...
. Near Rezhev, Alexey leads a charge to capture a strategic hill. Despite most of the unit being killed by mines, machine guns or blocking detachments, they capture the hill, later defending it from a counterattack. Proving his loyalty, Alexey is reinstated to his regular unit.
German Campaign
The German campaign takes place in the
North Africa theatre and follows a young, ambitious commander called Gunther Borg who fights as a
paratrooper
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...
in Operation Mercury (
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete (german: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, el, Μάχη της Κρήτης), codenamed Operation Mercury (german: Unternehmen Merkur), was a major Axis Powers, Axis Airborne forces, airborne and amphibious assault, amphibious ope ...
) before being redeployed after temporary leave to join the
Afrika Korps
The Afrika Korps or German Africa Corps (, }; DAK) was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African Campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its African colonies, the ...
in Libya (
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near ...
) and Tunisia.
After training for the operation, German paratroopers under the command of general Gunther Borg land in
Maleme
Maleme ( el, Μάλεμε) is a small village and military airport to the west of Chania, in north western Crete, Greece. It is located in Platanias municipality, in Chania regional unit.
History
Bronze Age
A Late Minoan tholos tomb has been ...
, Crete. Three soldiers (Ulf Liechtman, Wurzen Knopf and Max Luderer) end up on the beach and stock up on supplies from a weapons crate dropped nearby. The trio later rescue the rest of their squad that was captured, as well as regroup with other paratroopers. As the battle continues, a large convoy passes by, threatening the entire attack.
Using captured guns and vehicles, the paratroopers manage to destroy the convoy, saving the assault. Receiving reinforcements, the Germans push their way to Maleme airfield, facing British
Matilda II tanks and AA guns along the way.
Despite fierce resistance, Borg manages to capture the control tower of the airfield, allowing German
Ju 52
The Junkers Ju 52/3m (nicknamed ''Tante Ju'' ("Aunt Ju") and ''Iron Annie'') is a transport aircraft that was designed and manufactured by German aviation company Junkers.
Development of the Ju 52 commenced during 1930, headed by German aeron ...
transport planes to land. However hidden AA guns open fire on the first aircraft to arrive, destroying it. To prevent further incidents like this, Borg orders a charge on the other side of the airfield and despite high casualties, succeeds. With the airfield taken, reinforcements flood in, leading to the eventual capture of Crete. Gunther Borg is allowed to go on leave following Operation Mercury. Later, he is called up to command the
11th Panzer Division
The 11th Panzer Division ( en, 11th Tank Division) was an armoured division in the German Army during World War II, established in 1940.
The division saw action on the Eastern and Western Fronts during the Second World War. The 11th Panzer Di ...
in North Africa. Not long after, the British launch
Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader (18 November – 30 December 1941) was a military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during the Second World War by the British Eighth Army (with Commonwealth, Indian and Allied contingents) against the Axis forces (Ge ...
. At Sidi Rezegh, Borg, assisted by fellow commander Vinzenz Kaiser, are warned of a large British tank assault. At first, the defence goes quite well, with German
88mm
The 8.8 cm Flak 18/36/37/41 is a German 88mm anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery gun, developed in the 1930s. It was widely used by Germany throughout World War II and is one of the most recognized German weapons of the conflict. Deve ...
guns decimating weak British
Crusader tank
Crusader, in full "Tank, Cruiser Mk VI, Crusader", also known by its General Staff number A.15, was one of the primary British cruiser tanks during the early part of the Second World War. Over 5,000 tanks were manufactured and they made imp ...
s. The Germans even manage to destroy an artillery battery harassing them. However, with defence lines falling apart,
Erwin Rommel
Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel () (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was a German field marshal during World War II. Popularly known as the Desert Fox (, ), he served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of Nazi Germany, as well as servi ...
orders them to fall back and regroup with his division.
However, he is stalled by
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
troops and Borg ends up having to hold out on open ground. With the support of the
Luftwaffe
The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German '' Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabt ...
, he holds out until Rommel's troops arrive. Following the events at
Sidi Rezegh
''Sidi'' or ''Sayidi'', also Sayyidi and Sayeedi, ( ar, سيدي, Sayyīdī, Sīdī (dialectal) "milord") is an Arabic masculine title of respect. ''Sidi'' is used often to mean "saint" or "my master" in Maghrebi Arabic and Egyptian Arabic. Wi ...
, Erwin Rommel places Borg in command of the assault on
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near th ...
. German troops cross the
tank ditch and destroy tank traps on the road so panzers can advance. Borg forces his way through the city, despite heavy losses on both sides. Once they reach the coast, assistant commander Paul Weiss suggests placing artillery there to hit transport ships attempting to resupply the defenders. His idea works as the British attempt an amphibious landing to counterattack. The Germans stop the attack and destroy a large convoy of supply ships. Borg then assaults an isolated fort inside the city, completely surrounded by the Germans. They capture it and prepare for the assault on the second line of walls. However, a German soldier discovers a secret tunnel in the fort leading to the inner city. Borg orders five soldiers to go have a look around. As they go, a
Stuka dive-bomber accidentally destroys the tunnel, leaving them trapped. Knowing that Borg will soon break through and that almost every soldier is at the walls, the squad attacks the large fuel depot. They secure it and disable detonators placed by the British in case of a defeat. Using what they can, the squad holds out until advance units of Germans arrive. Tobruk is finally taken, and Rommel (subsequently Borg) receive promotions. However, desperate to conserve his forces, Rommel retreats deep into Libya. Borg, commander of the 11th Panzer Division, encounters a partly dried river. A small squad is sent up and encounters a patrol which they quickly dispose of. Continuing, they find
anti tank mines, and a small settlement guarded by American troops. They raid it and kill the enemy as well as a radioman who attempts to call for reinforcements. In the settlement, the squad finds a mine detector which they use to clear the mined road, allowing trucks under Max Luderer (now a commander) to advance. However, Allies troops begin attacking from both sides in an attempt to cut the Germans off. Holding them off, Borg calls for air support. The dive bombers not only obliterate the enemy, but also cause a rockslide, covering the pass. This forces Luderer to use the second pass. Borg successfully protects the convoys and it escapes with minimal casualties. Borg finally arrives in Tunis, where Rommel is evacuating the Afrika Korps. Borg now prepares to defend with what he has left. An
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort
larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...
is in the bay, giving him
naval artillery support
Naval artillery is artillery mounted on a warship, originally used only for naval warfare and then subsequently used for shore bombardment and anti-aircraft roles. The term generally refers to tube-launched projectile-firing weapons and exclude ...
. As the battle rages on, the Germans receive reports that the British have brought up rocket artillery to destroy the ship. A squad is sent behind enemy lines to destroy the battery. Just as it prepares to fire they manage to kill the commander and stop it. Securing the rockets, they use it against the Allies, bombarding their positions. Meanwhile, the Germans have been pushed back to their final defence line. As they desperately hold the line, their destroyer is sunk by air strikes. They finally receive the order to fall back and Borg escapes on a submarine. Despite almost the entire rearguard killed or captured, they gave valuable time for the Afrika Korps to escape to Italy. Gunther Borg states that he has not abandoned Africa and that soon, he'll be back.
Allied Campaign
The Allied campaign also takes place in North Africa and follows an elite American squad under the command of Terry Palmer (a former anti-war journalist) and a Cpl. Robinson during
Operation Torch
Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – Run for Tunis, 16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of secu ...
as they fight alongside the British
7th Armoured Division (the "Desert Rats"), other American soldiers, and
Henri d'Astier's
French Resistance
The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...
.
In the beginning of the campaign in the 'Arsenal' mission, a group of four commandos including Palmer and Robinson head into an unnamed town in Northern
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
. In the cover of night, the squad sneaks their way through the town to a tower where they meet a French Resistance contact. The commandos then move to take out the German town garrison and capture the military supply base nearby. After taking the military base, the group is joined by armed civilians in the defense of the captured base. The squad, supported by the French Resistance, then holds off waves of German troops and vehicles. Meanwhile, the French Resistance loads up a truck with supplies for the commandos to leave in. The group takes some resistance members with them, and may also tow a gun with them
In the next mission, called 'Armistice', the commandos arrive outside the residence of Admiral
Francois Darlan in
Algiers
Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
. They are tasked with capturing and negotiating a deal with the Admiral, in order to prevent the
Vichy French
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
forces in Algeria from disrupting the Operation Torch invasion. The commandos and the French Resistance break into the residence, taking out the garrison either stealthily or noisy. After blocking escape for Darlan, they set up defenses with the help of French Resistance reinforcements. The group then holds off attacks on the residence. The contract is eventually signed by Darlan, and the mission ends.
Time skips ahead a little bit for the next mission, 'Meeting the Enemy'. Operation Torch has worked successfully as planned, and now Allied troops prepare for the
Tunisia Campaign
The Tunisian campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the World War II, Second World War, between Axis powers, Axis and Allies of World War II, Allied ...
. Palmer and Robinson reluctantly leave their new French friends to prepare for a new mission. They stumble upon a newly built Luftwaffe airfield during a sandstorm. The commandos first infiltrate a town and take out the garrison in the cover of the dust. The sandstorm subsides as an American troop column arrives at the town, fortifying it. Without the cover of the storm, the whole company cannot assault the airfield in fear of revealing their positions to German planes. The commandos are once again sent into the impossible. They infiltrate the air base and take out nearly the whole garrison before the German troops retreat. The American troops rush ahead and capture the air base, helping to kill any stragglers, ending the mission.
The next mission, called 'Disaster in Tunisia', involves the squad yet again, this time fighting in an armored car fit with a machine gun-bazooka turret. By this time, the Allies have been stricken with loss as the seasons change with delays in the advance into North Africa. This has given time for Rommel and his Afrika Korps to attack and defeat Allied forces in Tunisia. The goal is to reach a major military outpost to warn the garrison of an imminent attack on the area by the Afrika Korps. The group swerves through
Sbeitla
Sbeitla or Sufetula ( ber, Sbitla or Seftula, ar, سبيطلة ') is a small town in west-central Tunisia. Nearby are the Byzantine ruins of Sufetula, containing the best preserved Byzantine forum temples in Tunisia. It was the entry point of the ...
, surprising the German garrison. They attack and defeat the initial defense, however they are forced to stop to retrieve fuel from the area they just attacked as a result of a breakdown in the fuel pipe. While Corporal Robinson repairs the fuel pipe, Palmer and two other commandos attack the remaining garrison and retrieve fuel, which they take back to the truck to move on. The squad continues, swerving and fighting through the sands until they break down again in a small outpost. While Robinson repairs the truck, the group uses mounted machine guns and an anti tank gun to defend the position from German attacks. After fending off multiple troop waves and a few armored vehicles, the group continues in the armored car. The group continues and is halted once again at a roadblock, which must be blown up by the engineer. The group defends the area from more attacks, and then continues once the roadblock is removed. The next area finds the group interrupted by an anti tank gun stationed on a hill. The group moves out to disable the gun and its crew so they can safely continue. After the objective is completed, they continue down a narrow African street where they are assaulted in close quarters combat. After safely making it through the street, they arrive at the final location, where yet another roadblock is present in the form of a debris pile. The group holds off waves of German troops while the engineer, Robinson, creates three dynamite charges. After planting the three, they blow up the roadblock and continue onto the next mission.
In the finale of the Allied Campaign, the group arrives at the American base during the night in the mission 'Turning Point'. The group warns the commander of the base about the imminent German attack. The base is full of various British and American armaments, such as tanks and guns. The garrison, however, is undermanned and pressured for time to prepare. Only a few of the armaments are able to be used in the initial defense, however the Allied troops manage to hold off the initial wave of attackers with somewhat heavy losses of their own in a bloody, action filled battle. After holding off various waves of attackers, the Allies receive some reinforcements which are quickly put to use. More waves of attackers arrive, including heavy armored
Tiger tanks. After holding off another group of attackers, the defense uses the time to repair damaged vehicles or replace destroyed vehicles with new ones, possibly even making use of captured superior Tiger tanks. The battle continues, with another large group of German attackers coming in multiple waves. After the final defense concludes, the Allies reorganize and regroup to prepare for an assault on the remaining German troops, who have fallen back and taken up their own defense. Using repaired, captured or left over vehicles, the Allies go forward and attack the German defense with use of strategy and tactics to overcome the numerically superior German's. Once the assault concludes with an Allied victory, the campaign ends with success.
Bonus
The bonus missions are a collection of challenging scenarios with no particular continuity. They include battles such as the Battle Of Vernon.
Campaign missions typically give the player a predetermined set of troops and pit them against overwhelming odds on large battlefields. They range from infiltration's with four or fewer soldiers at the player's command to all-out battles with hundreds of troops and tons of vehicles, sometimes within the same mission.
AI units are typically docile until attacked, allowing players time to form plans and eliminate enemy troops in small chunks.
Multiplayer
''Men of War'' includes 16-player internet and LAN multiplayer across six game modes. Multiplayer games retain most simulation features and Direct Control, and add unit recruitment and capture points. All armies from the campaign can be selected (USA, Commonwealth, German, Soviet), and the
Japanese Army
The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force ( ja, 陸上自衛隊, Rikujō Jieitai), , also referred to as the Japanese Army, is the land warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. Created on July 1, 1954, it is the largest of the three service b ...
was added after release.
Game modes are:
; Battlezones
: Players fight for control of three flags.
; Combat
: A simple
deathmatch
Deathmatch, also known as free-for-all, is a gameplay mode integrated into many shooter games, including first-person shooter (FPS), and real-time strategy (RTS) video games, where the goal is to kill (or "frag") the other players' characters a ...
mode.
; Frontlines
: An attack/defend mode in which one player must capture the other's territory.
; Cooperative
: All campaign missions can be played
cooperatively
Cooperation (written as co-operation in British English) is the process of groups of organisms working or acting together for common, mutual, or some underlying benefit, as opposed to working in competition for selfish benefit. Many animal a ...
.
; Victory Flag
: Similar to Battlezones, but with only one flag.
; Valuable Cargo
: Players search the map for randomly spawned cargo and carry it back to their base.
The game features a
skill ranking system for online play.
Development
Development on ''Men of War'' began in 2006
with the intention to create a polished successor to ''
Faces of War
''Faces of War'' (originally known as Outfront II, russian: В тылу врага 2, or ''Behind Enemy Lines 2'') is a real-time strategy and real-time tactics Wargame, war video game developed by Ukraine, Ukrainian developer Best Way and publi ...
''. Ukrainian series developer
Best Way
Best Way is a Ukraine, Ukrainian company which develops real-time strategy video games. The company was founded in 1991 in Sievierodonetsk, Luhans'k, Ukraine. Its first title was ''Soldiers: Heroes of WWII''. The Best Way's games use the Gem game ...
led development with assistance from
Digitalmindsoft, a new German studio formed with Best Way's assistance by ''Faces of War''
modder
''Modding'' is a slang expression derived from the English verb " to modify". The term refers to modification of hardware, software, or anything else, to perform a function not originally intended by the designer, or to achieve bespoke specifi ...
Chris Kramer.
Digitalmindsoft were to provide "Western soul" to the game; Kramer described this as "combining the new ideas and innovations
f eastern European countrieswith great in-game atmosphere and smooth gameplay
f Western studios.
The game was developed by a team of 30 at Best Way and 15 at Digitalmindsoft.
Best Way developed the game's engine and core simulation systems, while Digitalmindsoft provided mission/world design, visuals, and audio and organised a large
beta test
A software release life cycle is the sum of the stages of development and maturity for a piece of computer software ranging from its initial development to its eventual release, and including updated versions of the released version to help impro ...
.
Reception
''Men of War'' has received generally favorable reviews, garnering a
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
score of 80 out of 100.
*
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EGX ...
praised the game for generating "stories as distinct as they are dramatic" and compared it favorably to ''
Company of Heroes
''Company of Heroes'' is a real-time strategy video game series developed by Relic Entertainment. The series is set during World War II.
Games
''Company of Heroes''
The first game in the series was released on September 12, 2006 in North ...
'', but criticized its "faintly disappointing" stealth missions.
*
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
described Direct Control as "well-crafted" but criticized the game's graphics and "pathetic English-language voice acting".
*
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
criticized the game's "aggravating"
pathfinding
Pathfinding or pathing is the plotting, by a computer application, of the shortest route between two points. It is a more practical variant on solving mazes. This field of research is based heavily on Dijkstra's algorithm for finding the sh ...
and "tedious"
micromanagement
In business management, micromanagement is a management style whereby a manager closely observes, controls, and/or reminds the work of their subordinates or employees.
Micromanagement is generally considered to have a negative connotation, main ...
, but still concluded that it was a "revelation...like watching all your favorite war movies play out in front of your eyes".
*
Rock, Paper, Shotgun
''Rock Paper Shotgun'' (also rendered ''Rock, Paper, Shotgun''; short ''RPS'') is a UK-based website for reporting on video games, primarily for PC. Originally launched on 13 July 2007 as an independent site, ''Rock Paper Shotgun'' was acquir ...
called the game "spectacular" and "organic...where others are artificial", but criticized its "disastrous" voice acting, "tedious and pointless" cut-scenes, and occasionally "brutal" difficulty.
Sequels
Five standalone 'expansions' were released for ''Men of War'': ''
Red Tide
A harmful algal bloom (HAB) (or excessive algae growth) is an algal bloom that causes negative impacts to other organisms by production of natural phycotoxin, algae-produced toxins, mechanical damage to other organisms, or by other means. HABs are ...
,'' ''
Assault Squad'', ''
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
'', ''
Condemned Heroes,'' ''
Assault Squad 2 and
Assault Squad 2: Men of War Origins.''
''Men of War: Red Tide'' contains multiple campaigns based on the World War II feats of the
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
Naval Infantry
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
of the
Black Sea Fleet
Chernomorskiy flot
, image = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet
, dates = May 13, ...
, and has the largest number of missions in the series. It also is the only game to feature
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
and
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
as factions, although they are only playable through the editor.
''Men of War: Assault Squad'' is the first predominantly multiplayer based game of the series, however it is also known for its large array of single player skirmish missions.
''Men of War: Vietnam'' is about the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
, with two short campaigns featuring
North Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
ese and Soviet commandos, and
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
commandos respectively.
''Men of War: Condemned Heroes'' features the Soviet
penal battalions
Penal military units, including penal battalions, penal companies, etc., are military formations consisting of convicts mobilized for military service. Such formations may contain soldiers convicted of offenses under military law, persons enrolled ...
of World War II. The missions are particularly brutal.
''Men of War: Assault Squad 2'' is a remaster of the original Assault Squad game. Improvements include enhanced graphics, more skirmish missions, more multiplayer features, enhanced Steam integration and full Workshop modding integration. The game is, like its predecessor, based mainly on multiplayer. Two expansions were released: Airborne and Iron Fist.
''Assault Squad 2: Men of War Origins'' is a remaster of Men of War based on the Assault Squad 2 engine. Some of the enhanced models and content are included in a free update for ''Assault Squad 2''.
''Men of War 2'' has been informally announced by series producer Sergey Gerasev.
On 17 December 2012,
Digitalmindsoft announced a new game called ''
Call to Arms'' on their website calling it "The true successor to the Men of War series".
''Call to Arms'' is set in a conflict between the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
and the fictional Global Revolutionary Movement in the modern era. A DLC for Call to Arms named
Gates of Hell
''The Gates of Hell'' (french: La Porte de l'Enfer) is a monumental bronze sculptural group work by French artist Auguste Rodin that depicts a scene from the ''Inferno'', the first section of Dante Alighieri's ''Divine Comedy''. It stands at ...
developed by
Barbed Wire Studios is currently available in Steam Early Access program.
In August 2016, Digitalmindsoft and 1C Company announced a full modern remake of the original ''Men of War'' called ''Assault Squad 2: Men of War Origins''.
The
original makers of ''Soldiers: Heroes of World War II'', ''Faces of War,'' and ''Men of War'' released ''Men of War II: Arena'', based on a heavily improved GEM engine. The servers were shut down in September 2021, as development shifted to a full-feature sequel of the original ''Men of War.''
Best Way published ''
Battle of Empires: 1914-1918'' by
Great War Team, an independently-made GEM engine game.
References
External links
Official website
{{Men of War series
2009 video games
1C Company games
505 Games games
Cooperative video games
Real-time tactics video games
Video games developed in Germany
Video games developed in Ukraine
Video games set in Algeria
Video games set in Germany
Video games set in Greece
Video games set in Libya
Video games set in the Soviet Union
Video games set in Tunisia
Windows games
Windows-only games
World War II video games