Combat Mission Shock Force 2 News

The Combat Mission devs are working with the MoD to bring more diversity into the game

Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 recently made the jump to steam, and is also a game that's becoming a frequent staple of the defence industry's training regime. The UK's DSTL, a research arm of the British Government's Ministry of Defence that houses their wargaming team, makes use of the software alongside other games like Command, as well as physical tabletop set-ups.

A recent initiative currently doing the rounds in defence circles, especially when it comes to professional wargames and their contribution to the defence industry, is trying to include a more diverse range of voices and representation. The Derby House Principles (Derby House, Liverpool UK was the location of the Western Approaches Tactical Unit during WWII) have been supported by many leading professional wargame institutions, and now those principles are being brought into Combat Mission.

In partnership with Slitherine and the developers over at Battlefront, DSTL is recruiting for a new range of voice talent to add the ambiance to the game.

Read the rest of the story...

If nothing else, Combat Mission Shock Force 2's move to Steam will make the game easier to patch

So, word on the street is that Combat Mission Shock Force 2 (CMSF2) has arrived on Steam. I'm as surprised as everyone else is at this as Battlefront always seemed to be a holdout against 'corporates', insisting on using their own anti-piracy methods and requiring players to jump through hoops to update.

They actually lost me as a customer for a while after Combat Mission: Afrika Korps where the game CD had such a weird copy protection system that the only way I was able to get it to run was to download a cracked version!

They drew me back in with Combat Mission Shock Force, and then again when Shock Force 2 arrived on the scene. However, when the last update for SF2 came out it took me back to the old days as the update installed to a sub-directory first and then kept looping, creating sub-directory after sub-directory. Eventually, after spending some time on the forums, I got the update to work only to find all the unit names were screwed up!

The only reason I'm nursing my grudges against Battlefront is that, to me, the move to Steam (and to Slitherine) seems to be a really great idea that I wish they'd done sooner. The steam update system works brilliantly without any user intervention and I've never had a problem with any of the games I've bought there. Current owners of Shock Force 2 will be issued with Steam keys and I really can't see a good reason why they won't move across. I know there are some folk who detest Steam, but I'm OK with using it if it gives me an easier life.

Read the rest of the story...

Combat Mission Shock Force 2 is finally on Steam

If you know about Combat Mission Shock Force 2, then you know that it's a big deal that it's finally arrived on Steam. Battlefront's simulation-heavy wargames have only been available from the developer's official online storefront for years, and not only is Shock Force 2 on Steam now, it's also deeply discounted - another rarity for Battlefront.

For the duration of its first week on Steam, you can pick up Combat Mission Shock Force 2 for 30% off the list price. That puts the base game at $41.99 USD / £32.54 until September 7. Its three DLC packs, which include expansions for NATO Forces, British Forces, and US Marines, remain at their standard price point of $34.99 / £27.79 individually, but you get a 38% discount on the complete set, which reduces the price of Shock Force 2 and all three expansions from $164.96 to $102.86.

That's on the fairly expensive side for a game that's nearly two years old, but Combat Mission Shock Force 2 is a serious piece of wargaming software. It's serious enough that Battlefront does brisk business with professional military trainers around the world, who have used Combat Mission software for various military training purposes over the years.

Read the rest of the story...

Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 is out on Steam today - here's how existing owners can get a Steam key

Battlefront's leading modern-era wargame Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 has been released on Steam (despite telling us it'd be released tomorrow - thanks guys). For those who enjoy hardcore, WEGO experiences that try to simulate authentic combat conditions, Shock Force 2 is one of the leading examples, challenged only by the likes of Graviteam (although they don't often touch on modern conflicts).

Anyone who's been supporting Battlefront a long time however will of course be aware that launching on Steam has been something people have been asking for for a long time. Not everyone, but there's a solid core of pro-steam users who've finally had their prayers answered. But if you've been supporting Battlefront all this time, what options are available to you now? Do you need to buy Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 all over again?

Thankfully, the answer is a confident 'No'.

Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 was brought to Steam by a company we all know and love (to hate) - Matrix Games/Slitherine. They have a lot of experience not only publishing niche wargames on Steam, but also maintaining separate versions of their games. There are plenty of hardcore games from their catalogue that still aren't on Steam, and more games that get a Steam release after they've been available for a while (like Armored Brigade).

Read the rest of the story...

Combat Mission Shock Force 2 is now available

For the first time, Combat Mission Shock Force 2 and all its DLCS are available on Steam.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Combat Mission Shock Force 2 is set in a hypothetical modern-day (2008) Syrian conflict. The game’s 3D graphics engine takes advantage of Battlefront’s vast experience in 3D wargames, giving an unprecedented level of realism and detail – so much that the game is used in several professional military environments for training and analysis purposes. Players can assign orders to their units, either in real time or with the innovative turn-based WeGo system, as Shock Force 2 focuses on tactical platoon-level action.

The game features a single-player campaign, several pre-made scenarios and multiplayer (Hotseat or PBEM). The DLCs add the US Marines, the British Forces and the NATO armies (German, Dutch and Canadian).

All players who have the original Battlefront version will receive a Steam key for the base game and all DLCs they bought. All details can be found here.

To celebrate the launch on Steam and Matrix Games, Combat Mission Shock Force 2 base game will be discounted at 30% off for a limited time.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1369370/Combat_Mission_Shock_Force_2/