Do you want your maps to look like that? In CMO? Yes, you can do it. You can do it now, without any added work from the devs, and your maps can be exactly how you want them. We used to have G.MAPS for getting map snippets, then that was abandoned and now folks are using SAS.Planet. I’m not a fan of it, mainly the whole bootleg/jank feel and the security warnings every time I open it up. So after Stamen took a dump, I decided to find a new way to give me sweet maps. QGIS : The New Way QGIS is an open source piece of software that allows us to make maps and export the bits w ..read more

In the world of digital combat simulations, where strategy meets storytelling and camaraderie reigns supreme, this cooperative DCS campaign unfolds like an epic tale on the virtual battlefield. Gone are the days of just flying solo, or an endless dogfight without purpose, these campaigns are more like a modern RPG but instead of being set on the tabletop with dice it’s set in DCS with actual players flying the aircraft, being Air Battle Managers, Air Traffic Controllers, and even legal counsel. This isn’t your grandpa’s hex and counter. First off, why? Flight simulators, or even wargames, are ..read more

There are some games that hang with you. You get an urge to explore an era and always go back to that same title. It becomes like an old jacket on a crisp fall morning. It feels right. It feels good. Flashpoint Campaigns Red Storm has become that game for me, and seeing as I reviewed it years ago, it’s time for another go. Flashpoint Campaign : Red Storm (FPC:RS, or FRS) is an orders based WEGO hybrid wargame set in the Cold War. This is the Fulda Gap as everyone expected it to be. Intense. Concentrated. Violent. Losses are not measured in vehicles per day, but vehicles per hour. The NATO forc ..read more

One of the most requested features in CMO (and CMANO) has been a Strike Planner, or Time on Target planner. This, with the latest Beta Update, is now a reality. It works. It works well. It will probably change how you play the game, and it will most definitely make your play time more enjoyable. What is a Strike Planner? Using the Strike Planner Strike Planner Bits & Pieces Getting Started Packages & Operation Planner Conclusion What is a Strike Planner? So why a Strike Planner? It allows you to coordinate various patrols and attack packages and see, before they launch, where they wi ..read more

Introduction SGS Operation Hawaii is a “what if” scenario that has the Japanese invade the Hawaiian island of O‘ahu. SGS, The Strategy Game Studio, was founded by Philippe Thibault of AGEOD and Europa Universalis fame. It is in the same vein as the other games in the SGS stable that are firmly grounded in the realm of board games but with a PC interface. Subject of the Game The game covers several days immediately following the Japanese strike on Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941. The Japanese have decided to invade Oahu instead of preserving the Kido Butai strike force and risking it all to k ..read more

Get ready to crank the Creedence Clearwater Revival, roll a doob, and slap a peace sticker on your pot. Campaign Series Vietnam is looking at a Q4 2021 release. Information is sparse but there’s some dev blogs that we’ll highlight below the break so you can get your Vietnam groove on. Edit : Release date of January 20, 2022. https://www.matrixgames.com/forums/tm.asp?m=5093532 Covering all of the Vietnam conflict, we go from 1948 all the way to 1979. This is a refreshing look at a long, complex, and difficult series of wars. Most interesting to me is the progression from independence as a Fren ..read more

Few unreleased games over the years have kept my interest and excitement as Second Front has. Published by Microprose and developed by Hexdraw, it combines the best of solid gameplay, historical accuracy, and move of all, fun. It’s all wrapped into a UI that is delightfully refreshing in the genre. This will be, without a doubt, a true classic of wargaming. Introduction Subject of the Game Second Front is a turn based, hex stylized, squad/vehicle level, tactical wargame. Created by Joachim Bader of HexDraw and published by Microprose, it has been in development, but not Early Access, for sever ..read more

On 14 April, 2022, a pair of Ukrainian Neptune ASM missiles struck the Moskva, fatally wounding the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and leading to her demise hours later.* How is it that a warship fitted with an able and capable SAM system, CIWS (close in weapons system), in a war zone, can be knocked out with so little difficulty? Lets model this in CMO and see what it looks like. “*” – Actual details murky, we’ll try to address that. So how did we go from that? To this? First off some basics, the Moskva is old. 40 years old. In ship terms this is a life time. Most of her sensors ar ..read more

Introduction Hex of Steel, previously know as Operation Citadel, is a multi-platform turn based war game set during World War 2. Designed by Valentin Lievre, this is a first release for the designer as a self taught programmer. The title is both on Steam, as well as Android and iOS. Interestingly, there is multiplayer cross play between the platforms. Subject of the Game Hex of Steel is a turn based IGOUGO war game set from 1939 to 1945. You can play as any Allied, Neutral, or Axis power in a range of scenarios, campaigns, or even a random battle that is similar to something from Advanced Tact ..read more

Like the rest of the world I’ve been watching the terrible situation in Ukraine. Every day I’m incensed by the violence perpetrated by the Russians, and inspired by the courage of the Ukrainians defending their country. It is surreal to watch, almost in real time, as a modern war unfolds. Today we’re going to look at the use of civilian grade drones in CMO. Drone footage, especially from the Bayraktar TB-2, has been all over the news. Not only are they operating with near impunity over hostile convoys but they are knocking out BUK’s and TOR SAM systems. To even see a drone survive at all is fa ..read more