games books dvds 50 battles241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he...

7
® P. 76 FIGHTING NAPOLEON IN SPAIN P. 46 P. 36 STALIN STEALS THE BOMB P. 42 AL-QAIDA’S MEDIA WAR NORMANDY PANZER STRATEGY GAMES BOOKS DVDs HOLIDAY SHOPPING GUIDE 50 BATTLES THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD JANUARY 2009 ARMCHAIR GENERAL ® 50 BATTLES THAT SHAPED OUR WORLD VOLUME V NO. 6 JANUARY 2009 DISPLAY UNTIL JANUARY 31 ARMCHAIRGENERAL.COM GREAT HISTORY >> STRATEGY >> LEADERSHIP >> GAMES >>

Upload: others

Post on 15-Apr-2020

1 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: GAMES BOOKS DVDs 50 BATTLES241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he alone carried the dispatches to Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away. ... it became

®

P. 76

FIGHTINGNAPOLEONIN SPAIN

P. 4 6P. 3 6

STALINSTEALS THE

BOMB

P. 4 2

AL-QAIDA’S

MEDIAWAR

NORMANDY

PANZERSTRATEGY

GAMESBOOKSDVDs

HOLIDAYSHOPPINGGUIDE

50 BATTLESTHAT SHAPED OUR WORLD

JA

NU

AR

Y2

00

9ARMCHAIR

GENERAL

®

50

BA

TT

LE

S T

HA

TS

HA

PE

D O

UR

WO

RL

DV

OL

UM

EV

NO

.6

J A N U A R Y 20 09D I S PL AY U N T I L J A N U A R Y 31

A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L . C O M

G R E AT H I STO RY >>

ST R AT EGY >>

L E A D E R S H I P >>

G A M E S >>

ACGP-090130-CVf.qxd 10/17/08 12:56 PM Page CN1

ACGP-090130-CN1.pgs 10.17.2008 12:07 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN PANTONE 200 CV PANTONE 877 CV

Page 2: GAMES BOOKS DVDs 50 BATTLES241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he alone carried the dispatches to Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away. ... it became

2 ✯ A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L ✯ J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

Armchair General® (ISSN 1546-055X) is published bimonthly by Armchair General®, LLC, 4165 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite

255, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362. Periodicals Postage paid at the Thousand Oaks Post Office and at additional mailing offices. Sub-

scription rate is $29.95 for 6 issues (one year). Subscriptions sent outside of U.S. must be prepaid in U.S. funds with an addition-

al $12 for surface postage and $20 for airmail postage. For Customer Service e-mail us at [email protected]

or call us at (800)755-1366 or (386)246-3456. Canadian Post International Sales Agreement #40852014. POSTMASTER: Send

address changes to Armchair General®, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32164-0235. Copyright ©2009. Armchair General®, LLC.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission.

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and are not necessarily those of Armchair General®, LLC.

V O L U M E V I S S U E 6

December / January 09CONTENTS

COVER STORY DEPARTMENTS

52 50 Battles That Shaped Our WorldMilitary history is world history! War has determined the fate

of nations, created or shifted national boundaries, and in some

cases destroyed entire civilizations. We present 50 battles that

shaped – indeed, are shaping – the world we live in today.

By Andrew Hershey and Jerry D. Morelock

FEATURES

SPECIAL REPORT

42 Al-Qaida’s Media StrategyGuns and bombs aren’t the only weapons used in the

War on Terrorism. By Carl J. Ciovacco

BATTLEFIELD LEADER

46 Rommel’s Panzer Strategy in NormandyHad the German army heeded Erwin Rommel’s advice,

it could have thrown the Allies’ 1944 Normandy invasion

back into the sea. By Bevin Alexander

INTERACTIVE

COMBAT!

71 Hell’s Highway, 1944Choose the correct course of action as Allied paratroopers

face German soldiers during World War II’s largest

airborne operation.

YOU COMMAND

76 Fighting Napoleon’s Armies in Spain, 1808Test your combat decision-making skills as a British

commander opposing the French occupation of Spain.

YOU COMMAND SOLUTION

82 Stalingrad, 1942Historical outcome and winning Reader Solutions to

CDG #28, September 2008 issue.

4 PUBLISHER’S NOTE

6 EDITOR’S LETTER

8 MAILBAG

10 CRISIS WATCH

Analysis ParalysisWhy America’s governmentcan’t understand its enemies.By Ralph Peters

12 DEFENSE 21

The War WithinThe United States’ latest war isbeing fought within the Penta-gon. By Caspar Weinberger Jr.

14 DISPATCHES

Real heroes, destinations,significant events in history,cool gear and more!

22 10 QUESTIONS

General Montgomery C. MeigsAn interview with a provencombat leader who is the epitome of the Soldier-scholar.

26 FORGOTTEN HISTORY

Gettysburg Intelligence CoupThough often overlooked byhistorians, military intelligenceplayed a decisive role in theUnion victory at Gettysburg.

28 LEGENDARY COMBAT UNITS

Canada’s “Van Doos”Le Royal 22e Régiment wonrenown during the Great War,World War II and Korea.

30 GREAT WARRIORS

Red Army Tankers, 1941-45The warriors who led the Red Army to Berlin and finalvictory in World War II.

32 BADGES OF HONOR

Germany’s Pour le MériteThe history of the famous“Blue Max” medal.

34 TIPPING POINTS

“The Bomb”The development of nuclearweapons profoundly altered the course of military historyand world history.

36 SPY WARS

Stealing Our BombHow the USSR’s atomic spieshelped develop the “Russianbomb.”

38 HARD CHOICES

Marshal Foch, 1918Only Foch’s icy nerve preventedthe Germans from winning inthe final year of World War I.

40 LEADERSHIP

John J. PershingTimeless leadership lessonsfrom General “Black Jack”Pershing.

96 PARTING SHOT

Touchdown

REVIEWS86 GAME BUZZ

Dear Sergeant SantaGamers will love these six greatnew titles!

88 VIDEO GAME REVIEW

Warhammer: 40,000: SquadCommand, Crysis Warhead,and Combat Arms

90 WARGAME REVIEW

Europa Universalis: Rome andPanzer Command: Kharkov

92 BOOKSHELF

Sergeant Santa’s Reading ListThese must-read recommenda-tions cover a wide range oferas and subjects.

94 DVD LIBRARY

Sergeant Santa’s Shopping Guide“Small screen” classics to add toyour shopping list this season!

ON THE COVER

Rick Rescorla during the Battle

of Ia Drang, November 1965.

Gen. Hal Moore and Joseph Gal-

loway’s riveting account of the

battle, We Were Soldiers Once ...

And Young, has recently been

followed by their outstanding

sequel, We Are Soldiers Still.

FACI

NG

PAG

E: Z

ACH

ARY

A. B

ATH

ON

TOP

RO

W, L

TO

R: N

ATIO

NAL

AR

CHIV

ES; R

OB

ERT

CAPA

© 2

001

BY

COR

NEL

L CA

PA/M

AGN

UM

; PET

ER A

RN

ETT;

MID

DLE

RO

W, L

TO

R: N

ATIO

NAL

AR

CHIV

ES; B

ETTM

ANN

/CO

RB

IS; N

ATIO

NAL

AR

CHIV

ES; L

IBR

ARY

OF

CON

GRES

S PR

INTS

AN

D P

HOT

OGR

APH

S D

IVIS

ION

; BOT

TOM

RO

W, L

TO

R: D

EPAR

TMEN

T O

F D

EFEN

SE; N

ATIO

NAL

AR

CHIV

ES

PETE

R A

RN

ETT

2 ✯ A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L ✯ J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

More at

armchairgeneral.com

The Other

Napoleonic Wars

What the 1805-12 insurgencies

in Spain and Italy can

tell us about Iraq

and Afghanistan today.

By Pat Proctor

ACGP-090130-TCf.qxd 10/16/08 4:29 PM Page 2

ACGP-090130-002.pgs 10.16.2008 15:33 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Page 3: GAMES BOOKS DVDs 50 BATTLES241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he alone carried the dispatches to Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away. ... it became

As the Army of the Potomac’s

I Corps crashed into Henry

Heth’s Confederates the first

day of the Battle of Gettys-

burg, July 1, 1863, a stream

of prisoners was hustled to

the rear of the Union Army for the attention

of John C. Babcock. Babcock, a civilian and

the Army’s order-of-battle specialist, was well

skilled at interrogating prisoners, which he

did throughout the evening. The

rest of the Army intelligence

staff, the Bureau of Military In-

formation, arrived around mid-

night with their chief, Colonel

George H. Sharpe. (See Forgotten

History, July 2008.) Within the

previous six months, Sharpe had

created the first modern all-

source intelligence operation,

and it now faced its ultimate test

in the Civil War’s decisive battle.

E a r l i e r t h a t m or n i n g ,

Sharpe’s chief of scouts ,

Sergeant Milton Cline, rode into

the Union Army headquarters at

Taneytown, Maryland, after re-

turning from a foray behind

Confederate lines. Cline was a

natural actor, bold and cool, and

a master at reconnaissance, thus

he easily passed himself off as a

Confederate. While among his

enemies, he learned that on July

2, vital dispatches traveling from

Richmond, Virginia, for General

Robert E. Lee were expected to

pass through Greencastle, Penn-

sylvania, along the Rebels’

main supply route.

Listening to Cline’s report was

20-year-old Captain Ulric Dahl-

gren, an aide to Union Army com-

mander General George G.

Meade. Tall, dashing and intelli-

gent – and always eager for a

chance to prove his abilities –

Dahlgren immediately volun-

teered to lead a detachment to

seize the dispatches. Realizing that

Dahlgren was just the man for the

job, Sharpe gave him Cline and

three of his best scouts. The

Army’s cavalry corps commander

then added 11 of his cavalrymen.

Two days later, Dahlgren and

his band rode into Greencastle to

the joy of the townspeople, who

had not seen blue Union uniforms

in two weeks. Ordering the citi-

zens indoors, Dahlgren climbed

into a church belfry to observe the

roads. He was just in time, as he

soon saw cavalry approaching –

undoubtedly the Confederate couriers and

their escort. He also saw a Rebel infantry

company guarding a wagon train apparently

loaded with Pennsylvania loot.

Dashing down to the street, Dahlgren hid

his men behind a building. They attacked

just as the two groups of Confederates

reached the town. Surprised at the shouting

Union cavalrymen charging into their midst,

the Confederates bolted. Dahlgren’s men

took 17 prisoners, with Cline personally

grabbing the two couriers.

Upon opening the two dispatches, Dahl-

gren learned one was from the Confederate

Army’s adjutant general and the other was from

President Jefferson Davis. Stunned by what he

read, Dahlgren ordered Cline to form a rear

guard while he alone carried the dispatches to

Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away.

Meanwhile, the rumble of battle

washed over the countryside as Meade’s

army traded hammer blows with Lee’s

forces all afternoon in some of the hardest

fighting of the war. Again, Confederate

prisoners were handed over to Sharpe and

his staff at the rear, where interrogations

lasted long into the evening.

Though overlooked by mosthistorians, military intelligence

played a decisive role in the UnionArmy’s victory at Gettysburg.

GettysburgIntelligence

Coup

FA S T FA C T S

MEADE’S INTELLIGENCE

TEAM

George H. Sharpe

(1828-1900). As Grant’s intelligence chief, Sharpe

contributed significantly toUnion success. He was

rewarded with key appointments during Grant’s presidency.

John C. Babcock

(1837-1908). Babcock continued his masterful

order-of-battle analysis forthe remainder of the war.

Ulric Dahlgren (1843-1864).Dahlgren lost a leg while pur-suing Lee’s army. President

Lincoln promoted him tocolonel for his Gettysburg

exploits. Dahlgren was killedduring a raid in Richmond,

Va., in March 1864.Milton Cline (1825-?).

Cline served ably as Sharpe’schief of scouts until he wasmustered out of service in

November 1864.

26 ✯ A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L ✯ J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

PE

TH

O C

AR

TO

GR

AP

HY

FORGOTTEN HISTORY

The Battle of Gettys-

burg, fought over

three days by

150,000 Union and

Confederate troops,

was the Civil War’s

bloodiest encounter,

with 50,000

casualties.

ACGP-090130-FHf.qxd 10/8/08 9:51 AM Page 26

ACGP-090130-026.pgs 10.08.2008 09:49 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Page 4: GAMES BOOKS DVDs 50 BATTLES241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he alone carried the dispatches to Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away. ... it became

VITAL STATISTICS

INSTITUTED: 1740 byPrussia’s King Frederick

the Great (evolved from a 1667 medal)

DESIGN: Blue enameledMaltese cross with gold

eagles, the Prussianroyal cipher, and the

legend “Pour le Mérite” NICKNAME:

The Blue Max WORN: Worn at

all times, suspendedfrom a neck ribbon

DISCONTINUED:

November 9, 1918 (endof Imperial Germany,

upon abdication ofKaiser Wilhelm II)

The origins of Prussia and Im-

perial Germany’s highest

award date to 1667, when the

German state of Brandenburg

introduced the Ordre de la

Générosité (Order of Generos-

ity). In 1740, Prussian King Frederick the

Great renamed the medal the Pour le Mérite

(For Merit) and issued it to loyal subjects for

meritorious service. The two names were in

French because it was the common court lan-

guage of the era. Today the Pour le Mérite is

commonly known as the Blue Max, both for

its distinctive color and for one of World War

I’s earliest recipients, aviator Max Immel-

mann. It is one of the most famous military

medals in history.

Although the Pour le Mérite was instituted

by Prussia, it became Imperial Germany’s

highest military award after German unifica-

tion in 1871. It was given not for individual

heroic acts but rather for repeated and contin-

ued gallantry. Hence World War I fighter pi-

lots frequently received the Pour le Mérite as

their aerial victories mounted. During that

conflict, 1,687 of the medals were awarded. A

high-level version with golden oak leaves on

the suspension ring was presented 122 times,

typically to military members of upper rank.

Unlike America’s Medal of Honor and

Britain’s Victoria Cross, the Pour le Mérite was

not bestowed posthumously. (During World

War I, many German soldiers died while their

award recommendations were being pro-

cessed.) And unlike recipients of American or

British decorations, Pour le Mérite awardees

were required to wear the medal on a neck rib-

bon at all times, even during combat.

The Pour le Mérite should not be confused

with its civilian counterpart, the Order Pour le

Mérite for Sciences and Arts, which was creat-

ed in 1842 and is still awarded today. Only

three persons have earned both decorations:

Helmuth von Moltke, Otto von Bismarck and

Hermann von Kuhl. Albert

Einstein received the civilian

medal in 1923, but the Nazis

revoked it in 1933.

COLLECTOR’S GUIDE The Pour le Mérite is

an extremely rare medal

possessed by only a few ad-

vanced collectors – an origi-

nal commands $15,000 to

$20,000. Although not for-

mally issued after 1918, it

was produced in limited

numbers following World

War I. The three firms that

manufactured the medal

from 1914 to 1918 used the

same dies to make it during

the 1920s. Stephen Previtera,

author of Prussian Blue: A

History of the Order Pour le

Mérite, explains that the later

ones “were created for World

War I veterans who had not

received their award.”

Many of the Pour le

Mérite medals for sale to-

day are reproductions, with

the best ones dating from the 1960s and

1970s. While those imitations can fetch rel-

atively high prices (above $100), Previtera

says they “lack the same attributes found in

authentic pieces.”

Collector’s References: The Prussian Or-

den Pour le Mérite: History of the Blue Max by

David Edkins, and Prussian Blue: A History of

the Order Pour le Mérite by Stephen Previtera.

Website: gwpda.org/medals/germmedl/

prussia.html ✯

Peter Suciu has covered military history for more

than a decade and his work has appeared in “Military

Heritage” and “Military Trader.” He has been an avid

collector of helmets for over 30 years.

Germany’sPour le Mérite

The history of the famous“Blue Max” medal.

MED

AL: C

OU

RTE

SY, S

TEPH

EN P

RE

VITE

RA;

IMM

ELM

ANN

: U

LLST

EIN

BIL

D/T

HE

GRAN

GER

CO

LLEC

TIO

N, N

.Y.

NOTABLE RECIPIENTS

PRE-WORLD WAR I

Czar Peter III of Russia

(awarded 1762)Gebhard von Blücher

(of Waterloo fame)Helmuth von Moltke

Otto von Bismarck

WORLD WAR I

Max Immelmann

(Blue Max namesake)Manfred von Richthofen

(Red Baron)Herman Goering

Erwin Rommel

Paul von Hindenburg

Erich Ludendorff

Ernst Jünger

(last living recipient,died 1998)

Max Immelmann,

credited with 15

aerial victories,

became the first

German pilot to

receive the Pour le

Mérite in January

1916. Thereafter,

the medal was

known as the

Blue Max.

The Pour

le Mérite

32 ✯ A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L ✯ J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

BADGES OF HONOR

ACGP-090130-BHf.qxd 10/14/08 4:57 PM Page 32

ACGP-090130-032.pgs 10.14.2008 16:21 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Page 5: GAMES BOOKS DVDs 50 BATTLES241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he alone carried the dispatches to Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away. ... it became

The Germans couldhave driven back the Allies at Normandy on June 6, 1944, ifas Field Marshal Erwin Rommel had

urged, they had posted their formida-

ble panzer divisions directly behind the three locations on the French

coast where the invasion had to occur. However, Rommel – aka the

Desert Fox – and Heinz Guderian, the two most famous panzer com-

manders in history, were embroiled in a huge dispute over the prop-

er way to employ armor. Caught up in this argument, senior German

commanders failed to concentrate tanks where the Allies were bound

to land. This failure cost Germany the war. (For more about Rommel

and Guderian, see Battlefield Leader May 2005 and January 2008.)

UNDER AN AIR UMBRELLA

Guderian, who had a great deal of practice in wide-ranging panzer

sweeps over the Russian steppes, wanted to pull all the panzer divisions

back from the coast and launch a massive counterattack against the Al-

lies after the initial landings. Rommel, who boasted hard-won experi-

ence against overwhelming Allied airpower in Africa, thought the op-

posite. Allied fighters and bombers, he insisted, would destroy the tanks

if they tried to travel along the French roads. Therefore the panzer di-

46 ✯ A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L ✯ J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

Had the German army heeded Rommel’s advice, it could have thrown the 1944 Allied invasion back into the sea.

B Y B E V I N A L E X A N D E R

B A T T L E F I E L D L E A D E R

January 1944.

Rommel inspects a

German position along

the Atlantic Wall near

Fecamp, Normandy.

UL

LS

TE

IN B

ILD

/TH

E G

RA

NG

ER

CO

LL

EC

TIO

N,

N.Y

.

ROMMEL’SPANZERSTRATEGYIN NORMANDY

ACGP-090130-BLr.qxd 10/17/08 12:56 PM Page 46

ACGP-090130-046.pgs 10.17.2008 12:07 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Page 6: GAMES BOOKS DVDs 50 BATTLES241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he alone carried the dispatches to Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away. ... it became

Fighting Napoleon’s ArmiesSPAIN, 1808

Test your decision-making skills as a British commander opposing the French occupation of Spain.

Horrified at the forces of change released by the French Revolution – and the subse-

quent battlefield success of Napoleon, France’s military genius – the reactionary

kings and princes of Europe formed military coalitions that prosecuted wars against

revolutionary France and then Napoleon from 1792 until 1815. Fought across Eu-

rope and over the surrounding seas, the Wars Against Napoleon reached the Iberian Peninsula in

1807. The following year, British leaders determined that the unexpectedly fierce resistance the

Spanish people were mounting against the French occupation of their country provided a rare op-

portunity for British forces to directly oppose Napoleon’s tide of European conquest.

Armchair General® takes you back to

December 1808 in northwestern Spain,

where you will play the role of General Sir

John Moore, commander of a British field

force that disembarked at Lisbon Harbor

the previous October. (See Iberian Cam-

paign map, p. 77.)Your mission is to sup-

port the monarchies of Portugal and Spain

as they resist Napoleon’s attempt to con-

quer and occupy their respective coun-

tries. With nearly all of Europe under

French rule, your army’s presence in Spain

gives Britain a way to strike back at

France’s conquering host. Although the

men under Napoleon on the Iberian

Peninsula greatly outnumber your own,

his forces are spread over the length and

breadth of Spain, while yours are concen-

trated. However, any plan of action you

undertake will not be without risk. Your

force is Britain’s only field army, and its

defeat would be a catastrophic blow to

your country’s ability to oppose Napoleon.

Y O U A R E I N C O M M A N D !

Armchair General® challenges YOU to take command of this historical battle. Here’s how to get in on

the action: READ the article carefully. DEVELOP your own solution to this tactical dilemma.

RECORD your solution on the CDG map and pullout form on pages 79 and 80. SEND to Armchair

General by December 26, 2008.

Winning Reader Solutions will be printed in the May 2009 issue. But those eager to find out the correct COA and read

the historical analysis can log on to armchairgeneral.com/cdg after December 27, 2008.

YOU COMMANDINTERACTIVE

army.” The loss of your force, or a large part of

it, would be a victory for Napoleon from

which Britain would take years to recover. As

you carry out your mission, you must keep

this knowledge foremost in your mind.

Your force is organized into three infantry

divisions commanded by Generals David

Baird, John Hope, and Alexander Mackenzie;

a reserve infantry division under General Ed-

ward Paget; and a cavalry division led by Lord

Henry Paget (Edward’s brother). Although

Spain and Portugal each have regular armies,

they are small, indifferently trained and no

match for Napoleon’s experienced combat

veterans. While you can’t count on incorpo-

rating the Spanish or Portuguese forces into

your war plans, you would welcome their

participation should it be offered.

Notably, the people of Spain are proving

more a thorn in Napoleon’s side than are the

country’s regular forces. Many Spanish civil-

ians have risen up to oppose the French occu-

piers, striking at isolated detachments and

harrying French lines of communications.

These “guerrillas,” as they are known, are ty-

ing up thousands of Napoleon’s more than

125,000 troops in Spain, preventing the

French from launching an overwhelming

force against your army.

The French II Corps is the primary force

opposing you in northwestern Spain. Com-

manded by Marshal Nicolas Soult, the corps’

approximately 25,000 soldiers exhibit a mas-

tery of the battlefield skills needed to win a

pitched battle, and therefore they are dan-

gerous opponents. (See “Napoleonic Tac-

tics,” p. 80.) Yet you realize that the rugged

Spanish terrain can be enlisted as a potent

ally in any encounter.

By December 19, your forces are concen-

trated south of Leon, about 50 miles south-

east of Astorga, which lies at the foothills of

the rugged Cantabrian Mountains. When re-

76 ✯ A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L ✯ J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

WO

RLD

HIS

TOR

Y/T

OP

HA

M/T

HE

IMAG

E W

OR

KS

THIN RED LINE IN SPAIN

You are aware that you have detractors in

high-level British government circles – some

felt the younger but inexperienced Sir Arthur

Wellesley should have been given command

of Britain’s army. Nonetheless, you have been

chosen to lead the Redcoats as they oppose

Napoleon in Spain. Your instructions read:

His Majesty, having determined to employ a

corps of his troops, of not less than 30,000 in-

fantry and 5,000 cavalry, in the North of Spain,

to cooperate with the Spanish armies in the ex-

pulsion of the French from that Kingdom, has

been graciously pleased to entrust to you the

Command in Chief of this force.

You realize the gravity of the situation and

the importance of the task entrusted to you.

Indeed, as Britain’s foreign secretary George

Canning has observed, your army “is not

merely a considerable part of the dispensable

force of this country. It is, in fact, the British

ACGP-090130-YCf.qxd 10/16/08 3:07 PM Page 76

ACGP-090130-076.pgs 10.16.2008 14:28 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN

Page 7: GAMES BOOKS DVDs 50 BATTLES241atl232uqw4cfhbq361wua.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/... · guard while he alone carried the dispatches to Meade’s headquarters, 32 miles away. ... it became

Gears of War 2

(epicgames.com) is

squad-level tactical

gaming at its best. Just like the

original Gears of War, this iter-

ation offers frantic action, ex-

citing challenges, and solid

character interaction as Marcus

Fenix and his Delta squad

mates once again battle against

flyers, swarming foot soldiers,

and ‘Mechs as they strive to

end the Locust Horde’s inva-

sion of the planet Sera. They

even grab the aliens and hold

them as shields to absorb ene-

my fire. Cool stuff – as long as

you aren’t an alien.

Supreme Ruler 2020

(paradoxplaza.com)

lets gamers live their

fantasy of world domination.

This second title in the

Supreme Ruler series offers a

more user-friendly experience

than did its predecessor. Gone

are the layers of nested win-

dows; now all relevant infor-

mation is shown along the bot-

tom of the screen. Additionally,

a slick new 3-D engine has im-

proved the visuals. One thing

developer Battlegoat didn’t

change was the in-depth play –

gamers still control everything

about their chosen country,

from the economy to the mili-

tary. Supreme Ruler 2020 is a

deep simulation and not for

the faint of heart.

World in Conflict:

Soviet Assault

(sierra.com) is yet an-

other in a parade of sequels.

But rest assured, it’s one heck of

a good game. The original

World in Conflict, a real-time

strategy game depicting a Soviet

invasion of America, was well

received by critics and fans

alike. Now Soviet Assault –

which is actually less a sequel

and more a port to the Xbox

360 and the PlayStation 3 –

keeps the good times going. De-

veloper Massive Entertainment

states that there is enough new

content to make even the most

cynical gamers want to give the

franchise another go. Players

will find the control scheme in-

tuitive and the graphics pleas-

ing, with vibrant explosions,

lush vegetation, and authentic

depictions of Soviet and Ameri-

can armament. This game is a

1

2

3

Dear Sgt. SantaGamers will love these

six great new titles!

REVIEWS GAME BUZZG A M E B U Z Z P. 8 6 V I D E O G A M E R E V I E W P. 8 8 W A R G A M E R E V I E W P. 9 0 B O O K S H E L F P. 9 2 D V D L I B R A R Y P. 9 4

The combat in World in Conflict: Soviet Assault is as violent as it is stunningly beautiful.

Gears of War 2 is chock-full of exciting action, new features

and eye-catching visuals.

Gamers battle for world domination in Supreme Ruler 2020,

an improved version of its predecessor.

PA

RA

DO

X P

LA

ZA

EP

IC G

AM

ES

86 ✯ A R M C H A I R G E N E R A L ✯ J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 9

SIE

RR

A

ACGP-090130-GBf.qxd 10/10/08 4:06 PM Page 86

ACGP-090130-086.pgs 10.10.2008 15:08 BLACK YELLOW MAGENTA CYAN