Now, don’t get me wrong. I have no problem with micromanaging. It forces people to focus on the priority rather than just mindlessly spamming units. If you ask me, the idea that you could even select a specific type of ammunition for your tank to engage a specific target at a specific location is AWESOME!
The Sinews of War
MOWAS brought the micromanaging up to a new level. Now you don’t just manage the combat aspect, you now have to take care of the logistics as well- fuel and munitions. Depleted munitions and fuel must be replenished by either through supply truck or my favourite- loot the enemy bodies or its destroyed vehicles.
But micromanaging could be a double-edged sword, and this is where I do wish they simplify the resupplying process.
I’m fine with the idea of doing away with base-building and capturing territories not for resources but rather unlocking motorised and armour support. But kinda troublesome to specifically choose which particular ammunition to resupply to individual squad/vehicle, which leads to truckloads of…trucks when I’m running out of one specific ammunition.
After Action Report
Sure, there are other WWII-RTS like Company of Heroes that put emphasis on proper application of combat tactics. The infantry-supporting arms-armour-close air support-tag-team, making use of cover, leap-frogging, providing cover fire, yes.
But what makes MOWAS different is that now I could even take the war on personal level. I couldn’t just point-and-click towards things I want to kill. I can do the killing myself. I could even drive the vehicles.
Which comes in handy since AI can be quite retarded at times.
And just like COH, this is not where you could ‘tank rush’. Not without proper infantry and combat support, lest your tanks will be prime target for anti-tank emplacements or anti-tank infantry, especially in urban environment.
The damage module is much more extensive compared to COH. A damaged tracks or engine on your tank will render it immobile. A pierced hull will kill most of the occupants inside. Dead crew members must be replaced or the vehicle/weapon system won’t operate effectively.
Speaking of repair, you could repair enemy vehicle and use it against them. Some may have cooling time before you could repair it though while some were completely destroyed, rendering it unusable.
Air support, unlocked after you’ve captured a particular point is useful in taking out strong anti-tank/artillery emplacement. That is, until you’ve unlocked a rocket/heavy artillery system.
Overall, I really love this game, it got me hooked for hours, trying to do things with fewer casualties. I found that I spend more time consolidating my forces, replenishing supplies and fending off counter attacks more than actually attacking; and when I do attack, it was done at a slow pace- which again might be a double-edged sword.
It was fun, but it also means you will lose few hours trying to finish off a map. The learning curve could be steep, depending on how well you could handle micromanaging.
Able Archer 