Tom "WKLINK" Cofield reviews the re-energized WWII Online titled Battleground Europe. Has the facelift given new life to the online game? Read here: http://www.simhq.com/_land2/land_044a.html

Tom.."the game looked dated in 2001 and it really looks out of date now."

...and that is enough to kill it for many i suspect. Me too. I played Panzer Elite back in 1999 or thereabouts. This doesn't look like much of an improvement over that from a graphics view.
Some of the images you posted of the game Tom show just how outdated the graphics are.

but then after seeing the graphics in Steel Beasts ..I've been spoiled.


good article, thanks

Very good article, thank you very much.


However you have the tank designations somewhat mixed up

Fair review, Wklink.

I'm a long time "simmer" and list Warbirds, GPL, Operation Flashpoint, NR20003, Falcon, EAW, and Aces High among the many games/sims i have enjoyed over the years.

WWIIOL aka Battlefield Europe has come a long way. I find the BE graphics to be more than adequate(The French Sector has VERY good terrain) and the game sounds superb. The gameplay is compelling(which is everything, IMO) and with a squad using Teamspeak, there is no more fun to be had in an online sim.

Other games may have nicer graphics but they are boring and un-imaginative, or too one dimensional. Every WWII buff and simmer needs to give Battlefield Europe a try.

And by a try, i mean a good try. It takes a few weeks to learn and get into the game. Join a squad too. I didn't like WWIIOL at its first release, but this iteration is far superior and i am hooked.

Cabby

Count me amongst the early adopters/early abandoners. Played it from opening week till the start of P2P and quit. Came back for various free trial period until I think early 03 when people like me were no longer allowed to come back for free (free trials were for new accounts only).

For me, the continuous CTF-style play got old. I can play RO or BF and get the same thing in a smaller dose, which is all I can take anymore. I can't play for 2+ hrs doing that like I used to, which is what WWIIOL really requires of you.

I never liked the infantry action in the game (granted it's improved now), I preferred the tanks. I remember the days of unrestricted tank warfare and it rocked. Sure it wasn't realistic, but it was fun. I remember a dozen+ Pz IIIF formation storming a Belgian town and blowing everything to bits, including an airfield where the Allies tried to take off for about 10 mins before their total inability to get airborne before dying convinced them to spawn elsewhere.
Once spawn limits were put in place the game became for me an imperfect infantry sim. I preferred OFP's implementation by far, and still play it to this day.

I also was always bugged by the inability to get in and out of vehicles other than as cargo in a truck. I mean, what AT gun crew would sit there helplessly while a sapper walks up and shoots them in the head with a pistol?? It was all about the gameplay balance which I found to be at odds with what I perceived as "realistic" gameplay.

I will say I find their survival 5 yrs later nothing short of miraculous, but I think that speaks more to their excellent business sense in keeping down overhead than to the quality of the game. There's no doubt this game has never had the number of subscribers it did during those early free months, when the map was smaller and you were guaranteed to have pitched battles all along the front.

In short, this didn't turn out to be what I'd hoped, or even what I'd believed to have been promised. Instead it became something far simpler, and conversely once it became almost a necessity to be in a squad to get anything done I gave up for good. I'm not an MMO person. Never even tried SW Galaxies, even though I'm (of course) a huge SW fan. I won't bother with the ST one even though I'm an ST fan. Quite frankly, the fact that the first 6 months of WWII fighting has been going for 5 years without change has not enticed me to return.


The Jedi Master

I was a little surprised to see this,

Not only is the dreaded '88 in game from the start of the map but both sides have 2 upgrades of AT guns, Pak38 & Pak40 for the Axis, 6pdr for the English and equivalent for the French (the American M1?, can't remeber the exact designation, I play Axis almost exclusively).

The '88 is capable of killing any Allied tank and in fact is about the only way short of arial bombs to kill the Allied 'heavies', the Matilda A12 and Char B1 Bis, early in the 'map'. AT uprgrades (which require researching before introduction) are progressively more capable, and are very effective against armour when used wisely.

A general comment: as a 'Day 1' player I've taken plenty of breaks from this game, and struggled with the direction, or lack thereof, it's taken at times. But no other game keeps me coming back like this one does. Yes, the learning curve is extremely steep, and there are glaring omissions/shortcomings, but it's still the most nerve-wracking heart-pounding fun time I've had playing online. The attention to detail, the sheer number of players fighting at any one time (which I understand can be several thousand at peak times), and the use of real-word physics (i.e. you can't kill a Tiger with a rifle, if the round didn't penetrate in real-life it won't pentrate here, and yes, range and strike-angle are modeled!) make this easily the most 'realistic' online WWII sim available.

Great article and fair. I think he meant ATR not ATGs.

I breezed over the article and perhaps I missed it, but any mention of brigade and division movemnt? High command features such as attack objective placement and fallback?

The whole game revolves around the above which now makes it as much a strategic game as it is a tactical game.

Wklink review was well done. A fair and honest assement of both the strengths and weaknesses of WWIIOL/BE. Now my two cents.

Also as a very long time war game sim player. I find that WWIIOL/BE fills a nitch I cant find in another other current sim even with all its faults. I must admit I find myself a little too slow in the reflexes to compete with most of the younger crowd in todays genre of pvp sims. This game gives me the opportunity to imploy cunning and deceit to overcome youth and a quick trigger finger.

With BE I have the room to manuver to setup an ambush with a pak or panzer or circle around the blindside of an enemy tank. Too me the lack of 'eye candy' is not a hinderance to my enjoyment of the game.

I find the sound quality to be superb. The 3D sound is as much a part of the game play as the visuals. Hearing an approaching vehicle long before you can see it makes for a real opportunity to implement tactical manuever and weapon employment. The sound of boots slapping pavement or the floor of an adjacent room causes the heart rate to quicken as you wonder if its a sign of than approaching enemy or just a friendly soldier coming to your aid.

While the lack of artillery is still disappointing, both the allied and the axis sides have learned to employ their tactical bombers in such a way to effect an air artillery element to the game. I cant tell you how often I have been in a town under attack and nearly lost my mind with the constant rain of bombs from above. Now that even worsens with the addition of a "dazed" effect when bombs fall within close proximity.


There is way too much to discuss in this game both pro can con but again your review is the most fair I've read.


You really do have to try this game inorder to appreciate its scope

That was supposed to be AT rifles. Will have them fix that. That was a typo on my part and I missed it.

AT guns vary in the game as they should. Smaller 37mm guns can be very ineffective against later tanks, the 45mm, 6pounder and 88s are very effective.

I probably should have talked more about that. I didn't mostly because I was tailoring this review toward those individuals who are looking at trying the game for the first time. The Brigade spawning is mentioned, mostly at the beginning of the game but I didn't dive too deeply into the in depth mechanics of overall control, partially because I don't understand it all myself.

There have been several times when I have found myself made the 'leader' of a mission. This is something I would like as an option in the game. Leaders can mark enemy positions on the map (based upon contact reports sent) and such and may not be for everyone. Unfortunatly you cannot turn down new ranks and that often comes with it.

Ken, if you want maybe you can write something up on the intricacies of the command system; I am willing to bet you understand it a lot better than I do.

Great artical!. Although my personnal opinion. I think this game is pure crap. I have played off and on from its release. Same old thing, one shot kill with the armor and the same map over and over and over and over.......5 years now.

That article was very well and fairly done. It brought out both the good and the bad in it while most reviewers simply look at the proverbial paintjob and often simply try to bomb it from there. Thanks for being one of the few, perhaps the best, to give this game the unbiased review it needs.

One point on artillery, the reason it hasn't made it in game beyond makeshift (but sometimes highly effective) constant bombing runs and rifle grenadings is because a large amount of the playerbase is honestly scared to death of them. Essentially they beleive it would become the ultimate spawncampers weapon. My guess is that we won't see them until we have more various ways to spawn. Basically, I don't think it's so much the Rats as the players that are holding this feature back.

It could be made less effective than people hoped.

I wouldn't allow arty to spawn as a general direct fire weapon. In othe words an artillery piece would have to be spawned from a fairly good distance and then would have to unlimber and set up before firing. In addition it could be coordinated where only mission leaders or direct arty spotters can call in a fire mission. A person would have to actually set the weapon to fire based upon the coordinates given and then would have to fire the weapon. It may not be that accurate. In addition only allow certain numbers of rounds to be fired in a mission, and the further you travel the more rounds you lose.

I do agree with one thing, without the ability of the infantry to actually 'dig in' artillery would be really deadly.

I thought your review was fair on a bunch of points. I would like to provide a slightly different viewpoint on one of the points that was lightly or not touched on; the huge teamwork aspect of the game and the total interaction with others. It's something I totally missed my first go round in this game. I signed up and pretty much played alone unless some local friends were on. It was very boring. I had gone to the website tons of times and had seen other players in the game but never realized that there were totally organized groups for both the Axis and Allied.

I was one of the folks who signed up way early in the game's life... I played for a while even enlisting friends and co-workers to join in on the fight. I quit playing the game after a very short time due to the graphics and a lack of the flight modeling. (I am one of the senior members of the IL2 flight squadron known as TXSquadron - http://www.txsquadron.com )

It was around 1.5 years ago that I was chatting online with someone from another squadron and he mentioned that he played WWIIOnline. We got to talking on Teamspeak about it and asked if I would like to get online to get some game play in. He went on and on about how they graphics and all had been updated a bit. There was a re-enlist special at the time...a new free 15 day trial...so I reenlisted.

After getting signed up with the Allied High Command as per his suggestion I got signed into the AHC Teamspeak server. Both the Axis and Allied have structured organizations with squads/groups of people all working together for victory. There is a genuine hierarchy in the organizations from commanders to grunts.

I was immediately blown away with how many people were on the AHC teamspeak server. I joined the channel he specified and was introduced to all the players in the channel and began to tag along on their missions. I formed solid online working relationships with these folks. I was part of a much larger team. As you mentioned in your review...If you're looking for instant gratification, this game isn't for you. If you're a hardcore team player however, this is your game! The awesome teamplay aspect of the game far outweighs the less than stellar graphics.

In no time I was working with the team (The LAF) on coordinated attacks with armored divisions, Allied air, and infantry; all working together for a common cause. I’ve flown in a 70+ bomber formation with fighter escort to enemy factories to wreak havoc on the Axis factories which will slow their ability to advance to newer gear. I’ve gone on paratroop missions with 16+ guys loaded on a transport plane to advance a coordinated attack on a city or forward base… I’ve manned a tank with 30 other tanks in the column. There is so much to do and so much to experience in the game.

For those of you who had the game a short time and may not have known that this aspect of the game existed… Give it another shot. Don’t expect BF2, COD2, IL2, or Steel Beasts types of graphics in Battlefield Europe. There is a definite sacrifice in eye candy for great team play. Sign up for the trial…get signed up with one of the official organizations: Allied: http://www.alliedhq.wwiionline.com/ and Axis is at: http://www.axishq.wwiionline.com/ . There are plenty folks in game who are more than ready to help you get signed up and recruited into an air, armored, infantry, etc. group. Get on the Teamspeak server for whichever side you’re on. All the divisions on each side have their own channels in each huge teamspeak server. Join in and find some folks who you have fun working with and join their group. You won’t be sorry you did.

I can be found in the AHC fighting in the 12th Cavalry as a part of the 43rd Regiment of the 1MID, III Corps. http://www.12thcav.com :p

Regards,
TX-Rahman
a/k/a “rahman” in Battlefield Europe
12th_Rahman on Teamspeak

One shot kill: Well yes, if the round penetrates and hits something critical you can die, or you can die from spalling even if the round doesn't penetrate.
Same map: Well yes, if you count the 600+ towns and the landscape between them as one map then it's the same "map" all over again. Sure beats the
minimaps of other games imo.

Take part in a battle, leave your vehicle/gear hidden in a forest while you take a break, then move on to the next battle etc.

Play as grunt/Merc/NCO/CO/HC. Play assault, defense, recon, intercept, ambush, AAA etc etc. There are so many possibilities. That coupled with the amount of different gear, towns and development of the campaigns makes for a neverending variety of gameplay.

If you like big scope games and hate to lose, this could be the game for you (it is for me)!
For me, other games have turned into "crap".
I've played for almost 3 years now and the game never feels repetitive. One reason to that is that it's in constant development. It's one heck of a ride that's for sure!

The CRS wont make the artillery "less accurate". They will only make it one way, and that is to give each weaponsystem its historical data and prestanda. As you proberbly know is each rifle constructed on it own historical data and prestandad. It is not the same rifle with three different skins.

Also, contrary to what some of the playerbase thinks does CRS not "nerf" the equipment to balance it against other similar equipment. What they do every now and then is to correct errors in the code or the model if they finds such issues.

Only way to "balance" the game is to give each side similar equipment, but CRS wont compromise with the equipments data and prestandad.