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Combat Mission: Red Thunder

Combat Mission: Red Thunder Game Cover
82%Game Brain Score
story, humor
graphics, gameplay
82% User Score Based on 89 reviews

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PCWindows
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Combat Mission: Red Thunder Game Cover

About

Combat Mission: Red Thunder is a single player and multiplayer turn-based strategy game with a warfare theme. It was developed by Battlefront and was released on June 15, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

"Combat Mission: Red Thunder" is a tactical warfare game set on the Eastern Front during the summer of 1944. Players can command either Soviet or German forces in historical battles and campaigns, or create their own customized quick battles. The game features new units, terrain, and features, providing an engaging and detailed experience of the decisive and devastating Eastern Front battles.

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Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
Combat Mission: Red Thunder screenshot
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 89 reviews
story10 positive mentions
graphics5 negative mentions
  • Highly realistic tactical shooter that captures the complexities of WWII combat, especially on the Eastern Front.
  • Deep gameplay mechanics that require strategic planning and tactical thinking, making it rewarding for players who enjoy military simulations.
  • Strong community support with a wealth of user-generated content and mods, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Outdated graphics and engine performance issues, leading to low frame rates and technical difficulties, especially for AMD GPU users.
  • High price point for an older game, with some players feeling it lacks significant updates or improvements over previous titles in the series.
  • Complicated user interface and controls that can be unintuitive, making it challenging for new players to engage with the game effectively.
  • story
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the Combat Mission series, particularly in "Red Thunder," is characterized by its focus on realistic World War II combat, immersing players in tactical operations on the Eastern Front during 1944-45. While some reviews highlight the depth and authenticity of the missions, others criticize the campaign design as uninspired and reliant on outdated mechanics. Overall, the narrative experience is enriched by a dedicated community and user-generated content, though it may feel dated compared to modern titles.

    • “I learned the incredible depth of the mechanics and systems of the game, developed an appreciation for the skill level required to command battalion-level tactical operations, and the satisfaction that is gained from completing a mission with minimal casualties.”
    • “The depth of the simulation, the detailed unit soft factors, the easy-to-learn mapmaker/mission editor, the mods which will craft the game the way you want it to be, and the incredible community that has been behind the Combat Mission games for the past 20 years.”
    • “Very good so far, better than what I thought it would be. It is a great authentic WWII experience and a lot less stressful to use compared to previous titles. Helmets go flying off soldiers' heads when shot, very enjoyable experience, to see what your actions result in, not to mention all the different explosive effects and enemy troops who surrender. This Combat Mission is an improvement on previous titles.”
    • “Unimaginative campaign and mission design; the challenge is reliant on maps stuffed with too many units to compensate for static AI that doesn't do anything contrary to the player's plans ever.”
    • “It is already the umpteenth part of the Combat Mission series, whose first part was released in 2000, and whose engine has only been improved in very small steps since Combat Mission: Shock Force (2007).”
    • “Initially turned off by the outdated graphics and complicated UI and controls, I was pushed away from the Combat Mission franchise.”
  • graphics
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in the game are widely regarded as outdated, with many users noting issues such as poor performance on certain graphics cards and distracting visual glitches like foliage disappearing. While some players appreciate the charm of the landscapes and units, the overall consensus is that the graphics need significant upgrades to meet modern standards. Despite these shortcomings, the game's tactical gameplay and unique niche appeal still earn it a strong recommendation for fans of the genre.

    • “Graphics need an upgrade but an awesome game!”
    • “Great graphics and gameplay options.”
    • “People moan about the graphics but I think overall the landscapes and units have a certain charm to them, especially if you get the camera just right while everything is kicking off.”
    • “I have an AMD graphics card, and it seems that a three-year-old issue with drivers still exists, making the game virtually unplayable and limiting the size of the battles you can play, even if your PC has good specs.”
    • “Graphics are outdated, controls and UI are pretty poor, but no other game can do what Combat Mission does.”
    • “The graphics and performance are not up to modern standards, but overall this remains a strong recommendation, especially if you like large tank battles.”
  • gameplay
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay features deep mechanics that allow for complex interactions during combat, such as tank crews panicking and needing to be repositioned. However, the user interface and overall fluidity have suffered over time, particularly in larger battles, and the line of sight mechanic has been criticized. Despite these issues, players appreciate the strategic depth and flexibility of the game, finding it rewarding to manage battalion-level operations effectively.

    • “Fairly deep game mechanics allow for multiple, overlapping factors to affect combat; for example, tank crews can panic and bail out of their vehicles only to be ordered back in after a couple of game turns.”
    • “I learned the incredible depth of the mechanics and systems of the game, developed an appreciation for the skill level required to command battalion-level tactical operations, and the satisfaction that is gained from completing a mission with minimal casualties.”
    • “This game is primarily a strategy simulator that offers a unique gameplay experience.”
    • “Sadly, the full fluidity of gameplay and UI has decreased over time due to some technical outdatedness, especially with larger, battalion-sized battles.”
    • “The worst mechanic of this game is the line of sight.”
    • “I am going to stick to Graviteam Tactics, which is way better and offers a similar depth and tactical gameplay.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received significant criticism, with users reporting poor performance and outdated engine technology that fails to meet modern standards. While some players appreciate the control scheme and overall gameplay, the consensus is that the game's optimization issues detract from the experience, leading to frustration despite the enjoyment of its core mechanics.

    • “The graphics and performance are not up to modern standards, but overall this remains a strong recommendation, especially if you like large tank battles.”
    • “However, it's time to update the engine, guys. It runs poorly, and while we pretty much all enjoy the game, there's no excuse for producing 9 out of 10 games on (what the development team calls new) an engine that has the same poor performance with zero updates. Great series, horrendous business practices.”
    • “The performance is catastrophic.”
    • “The graphics and performance are not up to modern standards.”
  • humor
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the humor in the game to be derived from absurd situations, such as the exaggeratedly slow movement of vehicles, which adds a comedic element to the gameplay experience.

    • “Watching a tank take 3 minutes to turn 15 degrees is hilarious.”
    • “The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud.”
    • “The game's quirky characters and their ridiculous antics kept me entertained throughout.”
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Frequently Asked Questions

Combat Mission: Red Thunder is a turn-based strategy game with warfare theme.

Combat Mission: Red Thunder is available on PC and Windows.

Combat Mission: Red Thunder was released on June 15, 2023.

Combat Mission: Red Thunder was developed by Battlefront.

Combat Mission: Red Thunder has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its graphics.

Combat Mission: Red Thunder is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Combat Mission Battle for Normandy, Combat Mission Black Sea, Combat Mission Shock Force 2, Graviteam Tactics: Mius-Front, Armored Brigade and others.