Squad level combat at its best!
-Tour of Duty (Vietnam)
-The Proud and the Few (Marines in WW II in Pacific)
-Eagles Strike (US invasion of Western Europe in 1944)
-Korean War
-Advance of the Reich (Early war in Russia in WW II)
-Pacific War (Covers the rest of the war in the Pacific in WW II)
and most recently
-Soviet-Afghan War (Covers Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979).
Gameplay: This series is a turn-based squad level game. The units include leaders, squads, weapon-teams, and individual vehicles. The game is played on a 2D map (though some of the games in the series have 3D maps) which are adequate for a wargamer. The game uses many similar calculations to a boardgame such as terrain values and combat values. If you are familiar with Squad Leader or Advanced Squad Leader board games, the Squad Battles series is probably the closest thing you will find in a computer game. The squads carry a number of different weapons which can be fired separately at different targets, or fired all together at one. There are a large number of different types of weapons including rifles, AT weapons, satchel charges, and even wire clippers! The vehicles also have a wide variety of weapons that can even change their load. This is not a quick-fix, shoot 'em up game! To be successful in the Squad Battles series, one must study the terrain, the units and weapons available for each scenario and must have an understanding of squad tactics that one can incorporate into the objectives of each scenario. Because of this, the game is very realistic in its results. If you run across an open field in full view of a Machine Gun nest, you are very likely going to be cut down and pinned, of no further use. But if you concentrate firepower, approach carefully and assault with numbers and fire superiority, things will go much better! The game does take a lot of patience though. While there are a large number of vehicles in the game, it is an infantry game at heart I think. Graphics: They do not WOW an individual necessarily, but they are adequate and actually quite pleasing for the type of game it represents. The 2D graphics are actually superior to the 3D in my opinion. Sound: Adequate. The different weapons sound correct. This is a wargame though, and not a lot of unnecessary music or other sound is added. Multi-player: The games really shine in the PBEM (play-by-email) realm. Playing against a real opponent can be very satisfying as you both study the battle and match wits. The system in rock-solid in this area. Overall: This is a great system to study squad tactics and to get a taste of a wide variety of different theaters of war. The cost of the series is somewhat high, but if you are a student of this kind of wargaming, it is worth it. The game can be modified with graphics and new scenarios can be made. I rate the series very highly. There are a number of Wargame Clubs with a Squad Battles section to join others with similar interest. The games do take a lot of effort to learn and be able to play well, but the satisfaction of doing so is also very high. I recommend the series highly.