Close Combat: The Bloody First

Close Combat: The Bloody First is a new installment of a popular series of tactical real-time strategy games established in 1996 by Atomic Games. The series, known for its vast number of installments, has been taken over by Matrix Games/Slitherine, a popular developer and distributor of numerous turn-based and grand strategy titles. The studio has released a series of remakes of the five initial titles of the series, and then initiated a new batch of games that attempt to introduce a gameplay style that follows the legacy of the series. The Bloody First is a first Close Combat game using a 3D graphic engine.

Mechanics

The player assumes control of the famed United States’ 1st Infantry Division, also known as the “Big Red One” – a combined arms division consisting of mechanized units, artillery, or engineer battalions that took place in a number of campaigns on the Western Front of World War II. The game offers three single player campaigns that take place in Tunisia, Sicily, and Normandy, including the infamous Omaha Beach landing. As always, we are left with a real-time wargame that focuses on tactics rather than mindless clicking. Tactical planning and careful approach pays off, as the individual units amass experience that makes them more viable and effective in combat. The authors also introduced a multiplayer component that offers head-to-head or cooperation modes.