Airborne Assault: Conquest of the Aegean

Conquest of the Aegean is played out in real time. This puts the game, and the Airborne Assault series in general, at odds wit­h virtually every other operational level wargame out there because operational level wargames are virtually all turn-based. Of course whilst I really enjoy turn-based wargames (of all varieties) they don't make for a completely realistic experience because in real life time is always progressing and events are frequently occurring that can change the nature of the battle. The Airborne Assault series has made a point of reflecting this and Conquest of the Aegean is no exception. As the name of the game suggests, Conquest of the Aegean primarily concentrates on the WWII battles for Greece and Crete. There are over 30 scenarios in all some of which are hypothetical, 'what if', scenarios  but most are fact based.

What's good about the game?

The best aspect of Conquest of the Aegean has to be the AI which essentially is quite capable of ripping your wonderfully prepared tactics to shreds. The game's AI has a level of cunning seldom seen in games and provides a level of challenge we armchair generals rarely encounter. Of course this challenging AI is initially frustrating as you attempt to get to grips with the game only for the AI to outwit you time and time again (particularly if you aren't used to the other games in the Airborne Assault series). However in the long run you'll be glad of the AI's level of competency as years down the line the game is still giving you one hell of a challenge. The excellent AI isn't simply confined to your enemies though. Conquest of the Aegean, like other titles in the Airborne Assault series doesn't task you with having to move every single unit around the map. You can simply give your commanders orders and them let them deal with their subordinates, if you wish to do so. This frees you from a lot of mundane tasks and allows you to concentrate on the overall strategy of your forces. Of course your commanders all have their own abilities but for the most part you'll notice their behaviour to be quite realistic. The game even models the delay in formulating ideas and communicating orders. Thankfully you can choose the degree of the delay from painfully realistic to never, so novices need not suffer because of this whilst they are learning the game. It's also worth mentioning that the game models morale and fatigue quite impressively and that the full implications of terrain, time of day and weather type are all accurately modelled.

If you've played the previous titles in the Airborne Assault series you'll be wandering what's new in Conquest of the Aegean. A more sophisticated supply system has been implemented which essentially rids you of having to micromanage your units resupplying. Basically all you have to do is make sure your units have access to your Base unit in order to resupply. The nature of the terrain is now fully taken into account during movement. The effects of streams and slopes on the mobility of your units are now very realistic. The AI officers will always find a passable, alternate route should any problems arise with your directions. Other game play additions include an Exit objective, improved interface, new units, German parachute arrivals and a reworked AI to give more lifelike reactions. Scenario creators will also be pleased with the inclusion of a map and scenario creator. In short fans of the series are going to find Conquest of the Aegean the best in the Airborne Assault series to date.

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