The ratio blood spilled / meter gained is not great
If there was a second world war, it is that there has been another before, right? So why did the conflict that spanned from 1939 to 1945 between Allied and Axis forces have the right to a tetrachya? video game adaptationswhile those covering la Der des Ders can be counted on the fingers of one hand?
Well, I’d put that same hand to chop that a major historical event where the United States does not have the beautiful role is surely already reason enough why the war of 14-18 not popular, but… did you find out what it was like? Although we could die overnight for a whole host of more gruesome reasons, one cannot say that the conflict was particularly dynamic.
It is not for nothing that, among all the names given to it, the traumatic First World War was also known as trench warfare. These enormous networks of tunnels dug in the ground were used to protect themselves from artillery et charges opponents. But with the same strategy adopted in the two camps, which have watched each other like earthenware dogs for years, we understand better why it is so difficult to adapt this conflict to make something engaging.
The balance of power has long been at an almost perfect balance and the smallest kilometer was gained on a misunderstanding or a stroke of luck… all too often at the cost of one staggering human cost. Even if we were treated to action games that decided to take head on WWIit is still complicated to highlight personal exploits, without praising the generals who regularly sent thousands of men to certain death.
Well… that’s precisely the challenge that Petroglyph Gamesthe famous studio founded by Westwood Survivors (Command & Conquer) in 2003, with The Great War: Western Front. Accustomed to laying eggs regularly classic format RTSthe Texas studio supported by Frontier Foundry holds perhaps today its most ambitious title to date, both by the context chosen and by the experience he wishes to offer.
I was able to attend a presentation of The Great War: Western Front during my presence at Gamescom 2022where the designer Chris Becker and the legendary composer Frank Klepacki showed us a demo of the game planned strategy for 2023 on PC, reviewing the promises and mechanics offered by the title. And though I’m often careful with PetroglyphsI must confess what I saw not badly packed.
To start, The Great War: Western Front is not an RTS pure juice. If we had to look for a direct comparison, we would clearly have to look on the side of Total Warwith a strategy map and everything. We start a game with a front line already fixed in 1914 in command of one of the two camps, with regiments distributed hexagons. The thing is, there’s no mechanics diplomacyor even resource management: simply the headache of a war of position which drags on in time.
A bit austerethe strategic map deserves a better presentation, but we quickly spot the masses of infantrys which clump together on either side of the front line which intersects part from north-eastern Franceas well as strongholds like Verdun.
Each territory hex then offers his own cardbearing the stigmata previous battles until the end of a campaign which may continue until 1919. At first, the scenery of the French countryside is idyllic and untouched by any trace of combat, but over time assaults et trenches which multiply, le No Man’s Land is emerging more and more. Where once stood a small village or a farm that did not expect such an onslaught of violence, there is only mud and shell craters.
Petroglyphs relies heavily on these cards that evolve organically to bring clashes that renew themselvesgiven that the very essence of The Great War is to manage to make sense of a war in which it is extremely difficult to gain ground. In the end, the goal of the maneuver is not really to change the front line, but to arrive inflict maximum damage to the opponent in order to disorganize it, which incidentally involves an impact on his morale. Repeated attacks on the same regiment can be destructive on from fatigueespecially since random events between two rounds and weather can of course get involved.
But before whistling the assault, you must above all ask THE question: is it worth it? Crossing No Man’s Land is dangerousand even a supposed victory can have negative consequences on the war effort. It costs resources, ammunition, and most importantly… human lives. Many human lives. Don’t expect to invade the trench opposite without losing men along the way.
That’s why you need this little pressure of “when you have to go, you have to go” coming from the staff, who will regularly demand taking a goal on a particular card.
Once the assault has been given, the game switches to its tactical part. The comparison with Total War was not free, since it is this phase that comes closest to it, starting with l’interface which furiously recalls that of the games of The Creative Assembly. And given the number of units there are to manage and organize in control groups, It’s not worse. It would be stupid to send only a few soldiers to attack: we must go en masse and spaced outand pray that it passes.
Each battle designates an attacker and a defenderand the latter has no interest in moving first. The Great War hopes to save this little time of suspense before the assault, and trench management is part of it: we create new ones to delimit our territory as much as possible, and we don’t forget communication guts which allow you to move without taking your head off the ground… which will not be too much in the event of a fall towards a second line of defense.
Beyond Management hundreds of men who jostle in the trenches (movements are still somewhat unnatural), we recognize a whole bunch of options related to WWI which should put more chances on his side, starting with artillery. If there is a slim chance of doing direct damage to the entrenched troops, but above all it allows them to be prevented to open fire on your own assault groupswhich cross le No Man’s Land under a hail of bullets.
In the tactical phase, everything is a question of knowing when and where it is opportune to lead the chargeand what are the opportunities for limit the damage. A reconnaissance balloon will be able to reveal the distribution of the infantry in the enemy trenchesbut the latter can do take off the hunt to shoot them down, while your own air superiority aircraft will try to protect them. With this third dimension introduced from the battlefield, there’s a hell of a vibe in The Great Warespecially when the shells are raining by the thousands in the field.
As Man has always been very creative to solve practical problems and find a hundred and one ways to kill his neighbor, technological innovations – inspired by the real ones – will be crucial in reversing the course of the war. If we start slowly with improvement of logistics et soldiers’ equipmentwe quickly switch to horror with the introduction of mustard gas et flamethrowerswith countermeasures that may be able to protect against it.
My favorite ability of the whole presentation is surely the gallery dug under the enemy trenchesa real method used at the time and which made it possible to blow it all up when the adversary least expected it, resulting then a gigantic crater if the maneuver is not detected. And we remind that at the next battle fought in the same place, the hole will always be therewhich is to be taken into consideration before launching the tactical part.
Assault tanks will also be the spearhead of your assaults, since they allow to attract enemy fire, while a human tide descends on the adversary trenches. Victory will often be negotiated on good co-ordination between the different types of units, artillery, tactical toolsand the ability to spot weaknesses in the enemy’s defenses while pressing where it hurts.
There won’t be 36 opportunities to lead victory assaultand the slightest failure can result in a counterattack which can be devastating if one has not been careful enough with one’s own organization. A good strategy game where le All-In is required, and where you are likely to sweat regularly cold sweats.
History to better soak up the context of the time and as a good game of historical inspiration, The Great War: The Western Front will benefit many films d’archive to illustrate the situation. And if you like the crackling sound popular music from the beginning of the century, Frank Klepacki said he was quite proud to have been able to integrate licensed period music to its soundtrack which also promises to be grandiloquent, adapting to the intensity of the action.