Field Commander
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| Field Commander | |
|---|---|
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| Developer(s) | Sony Online Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | SOE |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation Portable |
| Release | NA May 23 2006 AUS July 22, 2006 EU July 28, 2006 |
| Genre(s) | Turn-based tactics |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer (WiFi) |
Field Commander is the first turn-based war game for the PlayStation Portable set in the modern era. It is often compared to Nintendo's Advance Wars games. The player takes on the persona of a new recruit to ATLAS (Advanced Tactical Legion for Allied Security), a world alliance of military technology and expertise. The player battles Shadow Nation, a crime empire, on various missions.
The multiplayer options include Infrastructure, Ad-Hoc, Hot Swap, and a unique feature called Transmission mode, which is somewhat similar to the "Play By Email" system of older PC games. While playing in Transmission mode each player takes turns and sends them off to the server.
Players can choose a CO that has no effect on gameplay - it acts more as the player's avatar. Divisions, however, determine the player's allegiance (ATLAS or Shadow Nation) as well as Division Bonuses that can be activated.
Fuel and ammunition may be finite, depending on unit types (all infantry, for example, have unlimited fuel while secondary weapons, like the machine guns on tanks, have unlimited ammunition) and when fuel is exhausted, there is a high chance the unit will explode. Running out of ammunition prevents them from attacking altogether or being unable to use the weapon which lacks ammunition. All units can be resupplied by either trucks, transports, or cities at no cost.
Units
There are 18 types of units; each with different strengths and weaknesses.
Infantry
Grunts cost $1,000 and are equipped with low-powered machine guns. They are generally effective against infantry, but are ineffective against all other targets. They can pay for their cost, however, as they are capable of capturing buildings.
Special Operatives (Spec Ops) are more versatile than Grunts, and are able to capture buildings and have a higher cost. They are equipped with long-range mortars effective against light armour and vehicles. They also are capable of laying mines to stop enemy advances. In addition, Spec Ops who walk over mines automatically disable them instead of triggering them.
Snipers, as their name suggests, are capable of long-range attacks. Unlike traditional snipers, however, they can prove effective sometimes against light vehicles. They have the uncanny ability to stealth themselves so they become invisible, revealing themselves only when an enemy unit moves adjacent to it.
Vehicles
Scouts are fast motorbikes with a quick attack. Capable of seating a single infantry agile and easily destroyed by heavier firepower.
Trucks are unarmed and are generally fast, capable of seating 2 infantry units. Even without infantry, however, trucks are useful since they are capable of resupplying allied forces with ammunition and fuel. They do not, however, regenerate lost health.
Halftracks are scaled-down tanks with more mobility and are able to cross swampy terrain, but pack less offensive power than tanks. Their main weapon is quite capable of dealing moderate damage to other halftracks and scouts, but light damage to fully-fledged tanks. Their machine gun is also capable of dealing with all targets, including gunships.
Tanks are the king of land-based warfare. They are extremely tough to destroy. They are best countered with artillery pieces, mortars, tank buster aircraft, or other tanks. They are extremely effective against vehicles and infantry alike and make a formidable opponent. They are also capable of firing at gunships with their machine gun.
MLRS Rocket Launchers are artillery pieces with minimum range and heavy firepower. They are effective against any target in range, especially infantry, warships, and aircraft. However, they are fragile and easily destroyed if cornered.
Concealed tanks are capable of camouflaging themselves to the same effect as the snipers. However, these tanks consume fuel quickly when cloaked, preventing them from staying hidden for extended periods. They can deliver strong firepower at long range when using their cloaking technology, but are only as powerful as half-tracks when not in stealth mode.
AA guns are, as their name suggests, effective against aircraft. They are also effective against infantry, but they should not be used against vehicles unless left with no choice,but at full health attacking first against a scout they do moderate damage.
Warships
Transports are available from the start of the game and are essentially trucks on the water. Capable of loading two units and ferrying them across water, they are also difficult to destroy except by submarines, which often kill them in a single attack. They are capable of refuelling and resupplying any units (including land and air units) and often make the workhorse of any fleet, often resupplying battleships for their long-ranged attacks.
Corvettes use depth charges against other warships, to devastating effect on submarines but only minor damage against a battleship. Against nearby land and air units, they lock a pair of guided missiles fired from the sides of the ship.
Submarines are capable of submerging and concealing themselves at the expense of less movement for more fuel cost. They are extremely effective against enemy battleships, but are easily defeated by corvettes.
Battleships are artillery warships which, while effective against corvettes, have a minimum range that prevents them from retaliating from a short-ranged corvette attack. However, their cannons are more than capable of devastating anything it can reach, even other battleships.
Aircraft
Utility helicopters are skyborne transports and refuelling platforms. While extremely mobile, they require fuel themselves to stay airborne, and are incapable of resupplying themselves. They can ferry a pair of infantry units to anywhere on the map.
Gunships are similar to halftracks in that while effective against most targets, they do not excel in any category. They are best used against enemy infantry, since infantry have a difficult time returning damage to them. Against tanks, however, they are capable of dealing only light damage. They fall easily to anti-aircraft emplacements.
Tank busters are, as their name suggests, more than capable of eliminating tanks. Their bombs are also capable of devastating enemy infantry units, and their hull is extremely powerful, capable of occasionally surviving an AA hit. However, they fall prey to repeated AA strikes (two will often be more than enough to down a tank buster) stealth fighters, MLRS units and corvettes. They are also extremely quick, making it difficult to keep up with them except with stealth fighters.
Stealth fighters are capable of concealing themselves to the same degree as a sniper or submarine. They sport only air-to-air missiles, however, and as such are ineffective against any non-aerial target. Their missiles are more than capable of eliminating other air units.
Buildings
Headquarters is often the goal of many games. If captured by any infantry, the player who captured it is declared the winner. There is always one HQ per map for each side. It also provides a steady influx of resources ($1,000 per turn)
Sparse cities improve the defences of allied units parked inside. They also slowly regenerate lost health and resupply them. They also supply a steady influx of resources. ($500 per turn)
Dense cities do everything sparse cities do, except twice as well. However, they can be destroyed and reduced to the sparse city rating. It provides $1,000 per turn.
Factories, seaports, and airports produce land, sea, and air units respectively, if owned by a player.
Control rooms are secret weapons which can be activated to devastating effect. It takes approximately two rounds to be able to activate the weapon.
The Napalm Strike launches a series of deadly missiles which creates a fire on the selected targate and spreads over three turns letting no ground units in or out and damages units,it also destroys terrain.
The Orbital Satellite Laser strike is a devastating attack which obliterates one target and seriously damages adjacent units.
The air strike control room calls in a wing of bombers to devastate the enemy position with a series of well-placed bombs.
The EMP and the Concussion Burst weapons merely disable enemies for a set period of time. EMP works only against vehicles and ships - the concussion burst disables infantry and air targets. Both attacks cause no damage.
Divisions
There are many divisions each with there own strengths and weaknesses.