Update: release was postponed, it's out now.
I'm buying it, got curious. Will update with first impressions soon.
After a quick Moneybookers transfer, I'm downloading the 910MB exe file at 2,5MB/s. Effectively takes about 7 min.
Installation requires .NET and Visual C++ runtimes, besides the obligatory DirectX. Give the installer some time to check these features, at some point it doesn't seem to be doing much, in my case it continued.
*update 2*
First run results
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* FIRST GAME LAUNCH *
After launching the game, the first thing it did was present me with 4 "training videos". When I tried to launch the first, the game froze. I had to ctrl-alt-del to taskmanager to see the error message, too bad the screenshot I tried to take of the error didn't take. Ah well, second attempt.
After reading through the manual a bit, I thought "ah heck I'm used to Jagged Alliance, how hard can this be?". So I clicked "Force Builder", what the manual taught me was a way to customize my troops. The game said it would make me quit back to desktop. I wanted a quick fix, so I cancelled and launched a skirmish game.
It presented me with some options: I could choose from some pre-defined Axis and Allied batallions. As the AI picked Axis, I thought I'd pick some US GI's. I could have chosen some custom reinforcement points, game types and maps, but as I had no clue what those implied exactly (and am too lazy to go through those topics in the manual), I left the options on default, type to control (hold the capture points) and the map on random. Launch dammit, launch!
* HELLO ITALY (or is it France?) *
When on the game map, I saw a cross-section of 3 streets forming a H pattern. In between were some partially bombed buildings and some bocage. After scouting the map for a bit, and noticing control points, I picked my first batch of 4 squads to deploy. I had 2000 control points, and squads varied between 420 and 630 points. Some of my options were Heavy Recon (with Browning Auto Rifles, Garands and some smoke grenades), a HMG troop with a .50 gunner and 2 backup guys, an Engineer squad with flamethrower, more grenades and more cannon fodder, and a bazooka squad. The Flamethrower squad was way too expensive, and in my opinion too short ranged. Mind the word opinion, I wasn't looking at stats yet.
After clicking around a bit with my first squad selected, I concluded I had to place all my reinforcements in some highlighted small box on the map. Once deployed, I ordered a troop to an abandoned car, another to a hedge, and another to some lined-up barrels. As they had to sprint there, and messages "stamina -30" were popping up, they seemed too busy catching their breath to do anything more for now. This all happens squad-per-squad, and one enemy team popped around a distant corner before I could order my last squad to move from their drop zone.
* FIRST BLOOD! *
As this enemy squad was now busy catching their breath, this turn was for my guys. The .50 killed their squad leader, and the BAR's decreased their morale to the point where they dropped to the ground, sobbing and crying for their mommies. Almost literally: they were pinned down and hardly returned fire.
Now the intellect of my opposing commander surfaced, as his other 2 squads popped up at that time. Finding my squads reloading after their first turn, these enemy squads didn't sprint, leaving them spare breath to set up their .50 whilst whistling some German schlager song. They merrily mowed down 4 of my men, severely impacting my troop morale. Aww. 1-0 for the Krauts.
* BASIC STRATEGIES *
Summarizing the experience a bit, I got most of my reinforcements (which come every 3 turns or so, with different control points available per reinforcement pick) in secure positions. I messed around a bit with commands like "hold position" (skip turn and await interrupt for enemy action), "dig in", and fired some bazooka rounds. It was a big win, after a while I had 4 squads mowing down whatever the opponent threw around the corner, and 2 more going after distant control points. As reinforcements of both parties have to pass the same first crosspoint to reach the rest of the map, the entire game is controlled by whoever dominates that point. -1 for level design.
A plus was the implementation of distance and line of sight. A line is drawn between your squad and it's target, green where their shot is clear, and turning yellow/red wherever there is smoke or cover. A hit chance percentage per shot is shown, making 40% for a 2 round shooting single-action Garand, and 10% for a 8-round burst .50 reasonable odds.
* THE VERDICT? *
I'm going to postpone judgment until I've explored all the game options. This level was far too easy, but I get the vague impression I can put quite some tweaking into this game. To be continued!
