These two games from SSI are the NUTS if you want Small and I mean SMALL unit action! Soldiers At War is a World War Two game and Chaos Gate is a Warhammer 40000 sci-fi game using the very popular sci-fi Warhammer 40000 game world. There are great 25mm figs available from Games Workshop -UK-and others for Warhammer 40000. These paint up beautifully, and are truly awesome if you're into 25 mm figs! I have quite a few hundred and they are very pretty. I also have a lot of great 25mm-30mm WWII figs and great armor for these small unit-e.g. Saving Private Ryan-games! HO, 1:76,1:72 and Minitanks etc. also work well. Email me if you want some sources for these at docwren@aol.com, They are great for the game table with hidden placement. You can duplicate the SAW scenarios and /or vary them! The game also has a create scenario feature that you can use in the game or on the table Soldiers At War is the initial game in this game system and is GREAT if you want a WWII game with individual GIs! Be aware that you only get to pick eight or less GIs for each mission as far as I have played the campaign game and scenarios. Please let me know if you find a scenario that allows more than 8 GIs! The more advanced campaign scenarios of Chaos Gate allow for two or three? Squads of eight Space Marines if you have any left. Casualties in both games are hard to avoid unless you save often as you usually have the burden of the offensive. You must select 8 Soldiers from a group of 24 different men. There are 3 sergeants, 3 corporals and 18 privates with different abilities and training. You must then equip each soldier with the various weapons, explosive devices and equipment available for the particular scenario without overloading each man with too much weight in what he carries. The availability of equipment apparently varies somewhat from mission to mission. More detail on this later. This game system is an earlier attempt at 3-D without the necessity of having A 3-D video card and will play splendidly on your computer without W. AGAIN, a 3D VIDEO CARD IS A NECESSITY for PANZER GENERAL 3D Assault and also for PANZER ELITE but not for either SAW or CG! However, these games, SAW and CG, are pretty damn good at creating the illusion without the 3D card. There are seven levels of terrain, starting with one at ground or basement level and continuing upward at about ten feet or less depending on terrain slope. Thus you can build each level of terrain and/or buildings etc. from I to 7 levels attaining a height of about 4 to 7 stories by typing the numbers on the upper keyboard from I to 7 which adds or peels it off or on one level at a time. I like to start at the top and look around at the whole area first and then start peeling off one layer at a time. Both games share this feature as well as the equipping of the individual troopers There are some scenarios with truly awesome castles, buildings, fortifications etc. which peel off to reveal rooms, magazines, or DARE I say Dungeons below with great detail. The individual GIs or Space marines appear on the map, move, fight etc., outlined in transparent cubes which you have to scroll around to see where they can move, shoot etc. as well as or maybe moving up and down from terrain level to level lots of stair cases. Be careful you know what mode you are using such as moving, firing etc. as I have inadvertently killed my own troops more than once. You also have the option of magnification or zoom in and zoom out as in most games at 25,50 and 100 magnification level. I usually use 50 or 100. Each soldier has a map option that I don't find very useful. Each individual GI or Space Marine must be selected from a squad selection menu, briefly described above. This is a bit tricky. You need to study the different weapons, grenades, equipment etc. carefully as your needs will vary from scenario to scenario. It may be best to select all your non-coms and only two privates as the noncoms have more action points and better skills. This an action point game and you can get more action points through promotions but this only is possible in the campaign game. That's the good news. The bad news is you must save often or risk getting your carefully husbanded GI's killed. There are 15 scenarios that you can play individually or you can play them in a campaign which takes you through them in chronological order. You can also design your own which might be great fun. I haven't tried it as yet. You are always American GIs in the standard scenarios and campaign but I imagine you can try German and Italian troops in the design your own feature since they are your opponents and their weapons appear in the weapons encyclopedia. Outfitting your troops is crucial and fun. Study the weapons, explosives and equipment in the encyclopedia so you can select the best stuff for your men. 'This is also very educational and I learned a lot about a few weapons and grenades I was not familiar with before I tried this game. There are M-2 fragmentation grenades, rifle grenades, MKA3 stun grenades and ANM8 smoke grenades. Don't forget to take the proper launcher if you take rifle grenades. There are at least 15 weapons to choose from ranging1rom the Colt M 1911Al 45 caliber pistol to machine guns and flame throwers with all the rifles and carbines available together with BARs and bazookas and of course you need extra ammo. Other equipment includes knives, field radios with which you can call in supporting fire if available, wire cutters, medical kits, metal detectors and satchel charges. There are no vehicles available to you. Chaos Gate is a little better graphically, especially the introductory stuff which is very good. There are a few differences in trooper types as you don't have all dogfaces. The outfitting is pretty much the same and the weapons are similar but souped up sci-fl versions of the basics. These two games are 4* if you want this type of game but less if you want more and larger scenarios. Enjoy! Back to MWAN #108 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2000 Hal Thinglum This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com