This page is dedicated to the game which first aroused my interest in the campaign on the Eastern Front.
The Close Combat series.
The Close Combat series of games were initially introduced by Microsoft in 1997 and the series enventually resulted in the prodution of five titles, each one focusing on a different campaign from WWII. The game was revolutionary at the time of its conception and was gradually improved with each subsequent release.
Close Combat III
The third title in the series saw game play switch to the Eastern Front. The game allows the player to command a Company sized group, fighting either individual battles, operations or the entire campaign, from its inception in 1941 to its conclusion in 1945. The game can be played from both the German and Russian sides and the player will gain promotion depending on his performance. The higher the players rank the more squads he is allowed to command. The game also comes with a scenario editor enabling the construction of custom scenarios.
 |
 |
| Commander, choose your side, settings and scenario! | Requisition your troops. Choose from command, armour, infantry or support. |
 |
 |
| German troops advance amongst the ruins of Stalingrad. | Russian troops advance towards a victory location on the far side of a bridge. |
 |
 |
| A German Panther loses out in a duel against an SU-122. | Russian troops assaulting the village come under mortar fire. |
 |
 |
| Congratulations commander! You and your men are victorious. | The debriefing screen will let you know just how well, or how badly, you fared. |
Close Combat V
The final game in the Close Combat series was entitled Close Combat V Invasion Normandy and centered on the invasion beaches and Normandy countryside of D-Day in June 1944. The game was designed to be fought between American and German forces and incorporated new features such as a strategic map on which to fight the overall campaign, dedicated force pools and air and artillery strikes.
However the game has been extensively modified by members of the CC community, the latest offering being the excellent Stalingrad Mod. The mod features the initial German assault on Stalingrad and its suburbs, from September 12th to October 6th, 1942. The mod changes gameplay, with Russian forces combatting German on 42 custom built maps and is designed for both online Hand 2 Hand and solo play against the A.I. The mod and custom maps can be downloaded from the sites at the bottom of the page and is simple to install.
 |
 |
| The strategic map allows you to fight the overall campaign for control of the city. | Distribute the forces available within your battle groups to suit the mission. |
|
|
 |
| Check the morale and fighting capability of your individual units. | One of the many excellent custom maps created for the mod. |
 |
 |
| Take part in the vicious fighting to control the grain silo. | Engage in hand to hand combat in the Red October factory complex. |
 |
 |
| Call in an air strike to subdue a stubborn enemy position. | Report for your debriefing commander! See how you fared against your enemy. |
The Close Combat Community
The popularity of the game has lead to the emergence of a large and friendly community, the members of which have endeavored to improve the game with the construction of numerous mods, custom maps and scenarios. The focal point of the community is the CSO website at www.closecombat.org The site hosts numerous forums, news items, FAQ's, tutorials, links and all the available downloads for the game.
Another great resource site for the Close Combat series of games is www.closecombatseries.net
