Most impressive are the realistic graphics and sound employed by the title. One has an overview perspective of one’s forces which, even though smal in overall size, are well–defined and are also animated with exquisite precision. Within mere moments, the true–to–life movement of the forces becomes quite natural in perspective. Although the game balance seems somewhat recalcitrant within this demo, with enemy forces certainly superior in firepower thanks to their entrenched positions, one can certainly obtain a feel for the accuracy with which this title was is being designed. Highly admirable, to say the least.

Implemented within this demo are various armor, infantry and aerial units. These include the likes of the Tiger, Panther, Panzer I–IV, Stug III, Elefant, Sturmtiger, T34 and T34–85 within the armored realm. You also have the ability to order scout planes to assay a locale to determine where strategic enemy forces may be located within the fog of war, as well as bombers to hopefully challenge and remove major obstacles before your ground forces launch their various assaults. Your infantry is comprised of various units that are armed with the Katyusha rocket launcher, machines guns, grenade launchers, antitank rifles and more. And your scout cars can certainly move forward to help ascertain the location of such limb shattering devices as mines and sniper positions. To assist in maintaining damaged units, there is an ammo and repair truck which you are well advised to retain toward the rear of your area. This unit cannot do you much good if it is destroyed!

You can left click or lasso your units as they appear on the screen. I immediately assigned them to a control number using the CTRL key plus a numeric assignment. With three appearing squads, I assigned each one to such control key, using CTRL 1 through 3. I then ordered in paratroopers to destroy an enemy tank emplacement on the southside of the bridge. This is an important maneuver, as located next to this tank is an anti–aircraft gun which you shall need to eradicate an circling enemy spy plane that is keeping tabs on your troop positions. Once your paratroopers knock out the emplaced tank, you should immediately assign two of your troops to the anti–aircraft gun and they’ll remove that annoying spy plane once and for all. This, then, allows you to bring your forces across the bridge without undue enemy interference.

Battle realism is extremely effective... tanks maneuver around obstacles, such as trees, as you assign them to locations or to attack enemy forces. The same holds true for all units, and using forested areas is a grand way to hide your maneuverings. Additionally, trees and the like also offer shelter from enemy fire. The effect of certain weaponry on enemy tanks can be seen immediately as tracer rounds target enemy units with resultant explosions indicative of success. Ground troops can maneuver quickly into position and they automatically hug the ground when receiving heavy, incoming fire. However, although this ground crouching tactic such can certainly cause enemy ground troops to have reduced effectiveness of fire, such does not apply to opposition armored vehicles who simply pound ground troops mercilessly with their shells, leaving craters and a great number of dead.

The experiences with this demo were quite startling. Few will master the demo within their first few tries... one must become familiar with the power of the units you have at your disposal, the manner in which the fortified enemy positions are assembled, and how to counter such forces with the units you have at hand. There will be many missions attempts wherein you find that you are totally decimated within the first few moments of combat, unless you take the time and care to truly strategize and use your tanks and soldiers to best effect. Always remember that many enemy positions are not simply single unit compositions... a guardhourse may well have a howitzer and a tank hidden near its location to offset a rush of your own forces to that barbed wire location. Care will result in success, but only after many attempts at such.

According to the developing company, Sudden Strike will offer you control of as many as 1,000 units per scenario. All manner of elements appear to be destructable, from bridges and house to fortifications and trees. Plus, the result of shelling is landscape deformation, such as craters and smoking remnants. Having combat experience, I can honestly state that the explosions are among the most realistic experienced in any combat RTS. Although not available in the demo, there will be scenarios that occur in all seaons. Best of all, your successful units shall gain in experience and you can also transfer them from mission to mission. When the multiplayer mode is incorporated into the game play, as many as 12 players and four teams can engage in head–to–head combat.

Elements not locatable or missing in the demo include the aibility to save your game in progress, which I found rather frustrating. Plus, there appears to be no way to identify map coordinates at this time. Unit control is exacting... very little in the way of "unit slide" — these forces follow your orders implicitly and, as stated earlier, the true–to–life movement AI is most impressive.

With the addition of Russian and American forces in the finished product, additional scenarios, and the ability to play online against other commanders, Sudden Strike certainly appears to me to have "success" written all over it... only time will tell when the final product is produced. Until then, I shall simply continue to master this demo scenario until success can finally be garnered with acceptable combat losses. Good show, so far, Strategy First!