Armor Command

Armor Command is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by American studio Ronin Entertainment and published by Ripcord Games for Windows on February 25, 1998. Set in the early 30th century, the game revolves around two factions, the United Terran Federation led by humanity, and the Vrass, a feudal slaver empire led by aliens. Armor Command was designed by Edward Kilham, known as the co-designer of Star Wars: TIE Fighter.[3] Armor Command released to generally positive and lukewarm reviews, although seen as obscure in comparison to more notable games in the genre. The game's publishers and developers have since become defunct, and the game is now abandonware.

Armor Command
Developer(s)	Ronin Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Ripcord Games Red Ant Enterprises Pty Ltd.
Producer(s)	Kalani Streicher, Nathan Wright[1]
Designer(s)	Edward Kilham
Programmer(s)	Edward Kilham
Artist(s)	Harrison Fong
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release	NA: February 25, 1998[2]
Genre(s)	Real-time strategy
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Screenshot of the game demonstrating the different camera views during a skirmish

Armor Command is a realtime strategy game set in the far future, which employs a 3D view.[4] The two races are humans under banner of the United Terran Federation, and a slaver alien race called the Vrass, but nicknamed as Slavers. Both are somewhat homogeneous gameplay-wise,[3] their main differences being aesthetic. A close-up view is available that allows players to focus on units, along with a less focused in one, though a top-down, eagle's eye view is present.

Mechanics involve an unseen and unplayable orbiting fleet, which beam units and supplies to the surface using pad buildings -- the town halls of the game. Ore and metal are the two resources of the game, which may be mined using specialized worker units. Ore is used as a more general resource and metal is more specialized, used for purposes such as upgrades. Radar towers may be constructed to bypass the fog of war. Aerial and ground units are available. The only units available in game are mechanical, no infantry exists. Most units may attack when moving. The singleplayer campaign involves 22 missions on each side, as well as five training missions.[3]

Multiplayer is available up to four players, with LAN and modem options available.

Plot

The Vrass in the game are a contingent of their species that have entered human space from a wormhole, starting the events of the game in 2910. Though some space-conflict occurs, most of the fighting between the two races occurs on terrestrial settings, caused by the interference of a nebula[3]. Friendly to Terran indigenous alien races are hinted at throughout the game. The game contains two mutually exclusive campaigns, both of which have different results. The Terran campaign culminates after several interstellar battles, when the aliens are pushed back to the wormhole, and are destroyed. The human forces resolve to study the wormhole and develop technology to defeat the rest of the aliens.

The alien campaign concludes with an invasion of the Earth, resulting in the enslavement of the population.

Reception

Armor Command
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic N/A[5] Review scores Publication Score CGW 60/100[6] GameSpot 7/10[3] GameStar 64/100[7]

Armor Command generally received lukewarm to positive reviews. Themes raised included the game's lack of innovation and criticism over the control and camera designs. The control and cameras were seen as the primary flaws of the game, overshadowing anything else. However, the game was praised for the fidelity of its 3D graphics, seen as a rarity at the time among the RTS genre.

Next Generation reviewed the PC version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "Mix in excellent multiplayer action, and Armor Command comes up as a solid game in a market glutted with a lot of crap. It doesn't push the genre to a whole new level, but it doesn't insult it either."[4]

Alan Dunkin of GameSpot stated that 'Armor Command in many ways is no different from a generic real-time strategy game: direct troops, destroy the enemy, develop your base of operations, exploit resources, and move on to the next scenario. If you're new to the real-time genre or you're just completely addicted to them, it might be a nice distraction from the standard fare. But veteran real-time strategy players will not find much to impress them'.[3] However, he noted that if the control and camera system was improved, then 'Armor Command would have been tremendously better' and rated it 7/10, also praising its graphics.

PC Games Germany agreed with the consensus, prominently criticizing the camera and control system, believing that it detracted too much from the game's positives. It praised Armor Command's graphics and mission diversity, rating it 71/100.[8]

Computer Gaming World said that 'After all is said and done, ARMOR COMMAND is a competent COMMAND & CONQUER clone with a good gimmick and quite a bit of gameplay for your dollar'.[6]

GameStar Germany compared Armor Command to its contemporary Battlezone, believing it to be inferior. However, it praised designer Kilham and the mission design.[7]

Reviews

• Computer Gaming World #167 (Jun 1998)
• PC Gamer #103 (1998 June)

References

1. "Metacritic Armor Command". Metacritic. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
2. "News for February 25, 1998". Online Gaming Review. February 25, 1998. Archived from the original on December 4, 2000. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
   "February 25, 1998: "...a plethora of new titles should be hitting stores today, including...Armor Command."
3. Dunkin, Alan (April 29, 2000). "Armor Command Review". GameSpot. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
4. "Finals". Next Generation. No. 43. Imagine Media. July 1998. p. 115.
5. "Metacritic - Armor Command". Metacritic. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
6. Computer Gaming World 1998
7. GameStar Germany April 1998
8. PC Games Germany April 01, 1998