Command: Modern Air Naval Operations
Command: Modern Air Naval Operations is a warfare simulation video game developed by Greek studio Warfare Sims, published by Matrix Games and released on September 24, 2013. Often described as the spiritual successor to the legacy Harpoon series, Command expands on both the scope and detail of simulation compared to Harpoon and was designed to overcome the earlier series limitations.
Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations | |
---|---|
The Command cover art | |
Developer(s) | Warfare Sims |
Publisher(s) | Matrix Games |
Designer(s) | Dimitris Dranidis |
Platform(s) | Windows |
Release | September 24, 2013[1] |
Genre(s) | Real-time strategy, warfare |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Gameplay
In Command: Modern Air Naval Operations, players have operational control over units on a 2D map of the Earth. Similar to Harpoon, players can command their units using preset missions, or by giving direct instructions of the "Go here, do this" variety.[2][3] The size and scale of the engagements is dependent only on the scenario; the engine is capable of performing small patrol boat battles right up to global warfare, with hardware performance being the only relevant limitation to scale. Individual scenarios vary from a few hours to multiple days of real time, although time can be accelerated to allow for one to complete operations in a timely manner. No multiplayer mode is currently included with the commercial license for any game in the series. Both games also feature a scenario editor that allows for real-time changes to scenarios under construction, allowing battles in the editor to be run and changed instantly. Copies purchased off of the Steam platform allows users to share such user-made scenarios through the Workshop.
Development
The Warfare Sims development team released a number of updates containing new simulation mechanics, improvements and bugfixes based on player feedback.[4]
Upon release of its sequel, Command: Modern Operations, on November 14, 2019, Command: Modern Air Naval Operations was taken down from the Steam Store and the Matrix Games website, although those who had previously purchased the game on Steam did not have it removed from their library.[5]
Downloadable content
Command: Modern Air Naval Operations has had the following downloadable content (DLC) released. Northern Inferno was released 22 October 2015, that can be played as a stand-alone expansion. The Northern Inferno DLC depicts a World War III between NATO and the Warsaw Pact in 1975. It has 15 scenarios.[6] Command Live is a series of one-scenario downloadable content packs released dealing with contemporary events. The Live DLCs released are: Pole Positions,[7] Old Grudges Never Die (Syrian Civil War),[8] You Brexit, You Fix It (war in the Baltic States),[9] Spratly Spat (Spratly Islands dispute),[10] Don of a New Era (War in Donbass),[11] and Korean Missile Crisis (North Korea).[12] Chains of War was released on May 18, 2017 and is also stand alone. It depicts World War III between the United States and China. It has 12 campaign scenarios and four bonus scenarios.[13] Shifting Sands was released October 24, 2017. It covers many of the Arab-Israeli conflicts with 17 campaign scenarios (14 historical and three hypothetical).[14] Silent Service: Released March 1, 2018 has 18 scenarios with submarines covering from the Cold War to present.[15]
Professional Edition
Command: Modern Air Naval Operations was designed from the onset to be highly usable as a serious gaming and analysis tool, and has been frequently used in this capacity.[16][17] An official "professional edition" was unveiled in May 2015, offering advanced functionality tailored to the needs of defense-related professionals and organizations, think tanks, etc.[18] Features exclusive to the Professional license include: full database-editing access, umpire-controlled WEGO-style multiplayer, Monte-Carlo mode (statistical analysis), data import/export and more (these additional abilities are offered piecemeal to allow customers to tailor Command to their needs.)[19] One of the first unveiled professional customers has been BAE Systems.[20]
Reception
Command: Modern Air Naval Operations received an enthusiastic reception in the hardcore wargaming genre, being praised for its combination of scope, detail, realism, accuracy and user interface functionality[21][22][23] It has been criticized for its relatively high launch price,[24][25] and a number of bugs present in its original release.
Command: Modern Air Naval Operations was picked as the "Top Simulation of 2013" by Eurogamer of Denmark.[26]
Sequel
Command: Modern Operations is a sequel released on November 14, 2019. While the core gameplay and mechanics are largely similar to its predecessor (maintaining backward compatibility with Command: Modern Air Naval Operations scenarios),[5] Command: Modern Operations runs on a newer version of its 32 bit engine. Its main features that differentiate it from Command: Modern Air Naval Operations include: Tacview integration (allows for a live 3D view of a scenario, although scenario recording and playback is not supported for Command: Modern Operations at this time), a quick-battle generator, detailed satellite maps of the entire planet and automatic image fetching for a number of common entries in the databases (an internet connection is required for the on-the-fly image download of both), a new UI, realistic submarine communication, and terrain affects on ground operations and weapon deployment; in addition to also including the latest versions of the DB3000 and Cold war databases that Command: Modern Air Naval Operations and the prior Harpoon games utilized (of which determine the amount, properties, and capabilities of all the weapon systems and units in the game.)[27][28]
Command: Modern Operations includes DLC from Command: Modern Air Naval Operations, with two exclusive DLCs. 'Command: Modern Operations: Live - The King of the Border pits a Russian-backed Venezuela versus a NATO supported Colombia.[29] Command: Modern Operations Life - Broken Shield 300 depicts how the Heyl Ha'Avir (or IAF, Israeli Air Force) would act in case of a military escalation in Syria and its final activation of S-300 missile batteries to protect Iranian assets.[30]
Wargamer.com praised the game's complexity and improvements over Command: Modern Air Naval Operations, although remarking a steep price and the presence of bugs.[31]
See also
- Naval War: Arctic Circle
- Jane's Fleet Command
- Dangerous Waters
References
- "Command Store Page at Matrix Games". Matrixgames.com. Matrix Games. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- Mizokami, Kyle (2013-09-24). "Game Review: 'Command' is A Worthy Successor to Harpoon". News.usni.org. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- Cobb, Jim (22 October 2013). "Review on Wargamer.com". Wargamer.com. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- "CMANO official updates". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- "IMPORTANT - FROM CMANO TO CMO, WHAT HAPPENS?". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- "Command: Northern Inferno". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- "Pole Positions". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- "Old Grudges Never Die". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- "You Brexit, You Fix It". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- "Spratly Spat". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- "Don of a New Era". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- "Command LIVE #5 released: The Korean Missile Crisis!". Warfaresims. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- "Chains of War". Matrix Games. Retrieved 2017-05-17.
- "Shifting Sands". Matrix Games. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
- "Silent Service". Matrix Games. Retrieved 2018-03-05.
- Royal Aeronautical Society (2015-07-10). "Does the F-35 really suck in air combat?". Aerosociety.com. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- "MILITARY: COMMAND PROFESSIONAL EDITION-AVAILABLE LICENSES". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- "Command Professional Edition". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- "BAE Systems signs agreement to use Command". Warfare Sims. 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- Jens McGonigle Lindblad (2013-10-10). "Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations 1.01 Review". SimHQ. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- Patrick S. Baker (2013-11-15). "Command: Modern Air-Naval Operations". Armchair General. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- "Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations in the press". Warfare Sims. 1982-05-25. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- Stone, Tim (4 October 2013). "Rock Paper Shotgun Review". Rockpapershotgun.com. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- Swafford MD USAF(ret), Maj. Erich (10 October 2013). "SimHQ Review, page 7". SimHQ.com. Retrieved 26 December 2013.[ SimHQ 1.01 review, page 7]
- af Martin Wiinholt Publiceret 29/12/2013 (2013-12-29). "Ĺrets Spil 2013: Simulator •" (in Danish). Eurogamer.dk. Retrieved 2016-09-20.
- "Command: Modern Operations (Features tab)". Matrix Games. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- "Tacview Advanced". Raia Software Inc. Retrieved 2020-03-03.
- "The King of the Border". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2020-02-02.
- "Command LIVE - Broken Shield 300 is announced". Warfare Sims. Retrieved 2020-02-08.
- "COMMAND: MODERN OPERATIONS REVIEW". Wargamer.com. Retrieved 3 February 2020.