Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord is a turn-based computer tactical wargame

Tactical wargame

Tactical wargames are a type of wargame that models military conflict at a tactical level, i.e. units range from individual vehicles and squads to platoons or companies. These units are rated based on types and ranges of individual weaponry...

 simulating tactical land battles in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. It is part of the Combat Mission

Combat Mission (video game series)

Combat Mission is the name of a successful series of computer games simulating tactical battles. The series has progressed through two distinct game engines. The original game engine, referred to as 'CMx1' by the developer, Battlefront, powered a trio of games set in the Second World War. Combat...

series. The game was named the best turn-based strategy

Turn-based strategy

A turn-based strategy game is a strategy game where players take turns when playing...

 game by PC Gamer

PC Gamer

PC Gamer is a magazine founded in Britain in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future Publishing. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games magazines in their respective countries...

in their seventh annual awards issue.

Reception

CM:BO was very well received; gamerankings.com currently gives it a rating of 88% based on 16 reviews, and reports that its rank in 2000 PC rank was "13". PC Gameworld gave it a 98 out of 100 rating. Gamespot named it an "Editor's Choice" and noted that "It's sure to appeal to anyone interested in serious military simulations, but even those just looking for a good World War II computer game should find that it has a lot to offer."

Demo scenarios

Three playable public demo

Game demo

A game demo is a freely distributed demonstration or preview of an upcoming or recently released video game. Demos are typically released by the game's publisher to help consumers get a feel of the game before deciding whether to buy the full version....

 scenarios were offered by Battlefront.com

Battlefront.com

Battlefront.com is a video game developer and publisher. Battlefront specialises in war-related games, including turn-based and real-time strategies, as well as simulations of air, land and naval military vehicles....

 at various times. A Beta Demo was released first in October 1999. A Gold Demo was released later, and because the file format changed, two new scenarios were included on it that were not compatible with the earlier Beta version. Neither demo included access to the mission editor, but did permit solo, hotseat, or email play.

Chance Encounter

This scenario was originally released as an add-on for the beta demo, at Christmas 1999. It was later also released as part of the Gold Demo. It depicted a meeting engagement late in the war between an American rifle company supported by Sherman tanks, and a German rifle company supported by assault guns. The terrain depicted a rural crossroads overlooked by a forested hill. Chance Encounter has remained a popular scenario and versions of this battle have been recreated by third parties in Combat Mission: Afrika Korps and even Combat Mission: Shock Force

Combat Mission: Shock Force

Combat Mission: Shock Force is a computer video game in the Combat Mission series of games that covers a fictional United States invasion of a Middle Eastern country, focusing on US Stryker brigades...

.

Valley of Trouble

Valley of Trouble was a new scenario for the Gold Demo that depicted an American assault through a fortified valley.

External links

• http://www.battlefront.com/ official site, patches, forum
• The Few Good Men Gaming Club devoted to the CM series. Tournaments, Competitions, Prize Giveaways and a very active forum.