Armoured Commander 2

[smithcorp]

I have just been playing this neat little tank commanding game. $8AUD, so really cheap. Graphics are rudimentary as you'll see, but the idea is pretty good. You command a tank as part of a troop and you can play several WW2 battles from Battle of Poland, through to later war including Finland's Winter War. You initially play on a sort of tactical hex map allowing movement in any direction, having regard for the nature of the terrain (roads etc) with travel times varying by terrain traversed. You can get reconn info on adjacent hexes. When you move, if you encounter enemy forces, you move to a more tactical (but very basic) map representation, where you can resolve combat.

Combat is in phases, starting with roles for the crew (spotting, driving, operating an MG or gun, first aid, swapping position etc), then a movement decision, then firing/pivoting, traversing turret etc, with results of combat and movement presenting opportunities and constraints in subsequent turns. Its a lot of fun.

I started as Under-sergeant Ahto Kvisto, in command of a Finnish Vickers 6 ton Mark E (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_6-Ton) armed with a 3-pounder. We are in fighting withdrawal with the Russians advancing. In my first day we are holding a position, its snowing. Infantry, scout cars and tank destroyers are advancing. First action is against an SU-12 truck-mounted SP gun, an HMG squad and an infantry section. We hold position, and destroy or rout the enemy. Next wave is a rifle section, AT rifle squad and a BA-20 mg-armed armoured car. In the process of engaging and destroying these enemies with no friendly losses, my 47mm gun goes kaput for the rest of the day. We are in the poo. I also notice that while my troop has held, the units on our flanks have given way and we need to withdraw or be enveloped. I request fire support but its turned down.

Next phase we have no gun and need to get out of the hex. As commander I'm throwing smoke grenades and when at one point we bump into some kind of enemy vehicle, I tell the driver to withdraw, assuming this would reverse out of range. Instead, it puts us back in the hex we left, with our friendlies even further to our rear! The next combats involve lots of smoke and advancing past enemy infantry with only coax to use against the Red forces. By the end of the day at 3.20pm (Der Ost in Winter) we have survived having not bumped into anything nasty, but we still have to get back to friendly lines. It isn't looking good.

Recommended for some old-fashioned looking fun.