War Front: Turning Point

War Front: Turning Point
Developer(s)	Digital Reality
Publisher(s)	CDV Atari (Europe)
Platform(s)	Windows
Release date(s)	NA: 19 February 2007 AUS: 19 March 2007 EU: 23 March 2007
Genre(s)	Real-Time Strategy
Mode(s)	Singleplayer, Multiplayer

War Front: Turning Point is an alternate-reality, real-time strategy computer game set in World War II. It was developed by Digital Reality, and published by CDV and released in the United States on 19 February and Europe on 23 March 2007 for the PC.

The game is set in a fictional, alternate World War II in which Adolf Hitler is assassinated in the early days of the war, and under the new chancellor, Germany occupies Great Britain. Eventually, Nazi Germany is defeated, but this allows the Soviet Union to advance into Western Europe. The game features both real life and fictional "experimental" war machines and units.^[1] The characters and events are described, below, using in-universe tone.

Gameplay

War Front: Turning Point is a real-time strategy game featuring units going from World War II weaponry such as Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter aircraft^[2] and M4 Sherman^[3] and T-34 tanks,^[4] to real-life units that were not present during that war such as Northrop YB-49 jet bomber,^[5] to entirely science fictional units like Exoskeleton mechs,^[6] freeze rays^[7] and shield generators,^[8] while all can build a "Bridging" tank unit capable of building bridges over bodies of water.^[9] Each faction can also build three heroes: individual characters with unique abilities, both passive and active to benefit the player's own units and act against the foe's units. The longer heroes and units remain on the battlefield, destroying units and buildings in the process, the more they can rank up, increasing their abilities, yet lose them if they are killed and re-built.^[10] The player can also use aerial support such as calling in paratroopers reinforcements, scouting runs and bomb strikes.^[10]

War Front: Turning Point however has an unconventional RTS feature, being the abilities to manually control pill boxes and turrets to fire upon enemies, like that of a first person shooter. The camera can also be ordered to follow other units in a third-person perspective, where orders can still be given, but the units not be directly controlled like the turrets.^[10]

Along with the time of day changing dynamically in each game, random weather can affect effectiveness of units and interference. Storms, for example, can damage airplanes, and radars (mini-map view) can become distorted or even temporarily knocked out.^[10]

Factions

Allies

Like the real World War II Western Allies, they are a coalition of the United States, Great Britain and the French Resistance. Because of this, their units are a mixture of each side, such as the British Matilda tank and American M26 Pershing. They have a technological advantage over the other factions, because their buildings are able to power themselves, without the need for power plants. They also have a superior air force that is larger, stronger and more versatile. These include aircraft such as the P-38 Lightning bomber (the only bomber capable of defending itself against interceptors) P-51 Mustang fighters and attack helicopters. The Allies also have the atomic bomb at their disposal, deployed by a Northrop YB-35 and an "earthquake bomb" via a Halifax bomber. The Allied experimental unit is the O.R.B. (Omni-Repulsor-Barrier), which is an APC truck with a force-field generator on the back, capable of protecting units, within its deflector shield range, from low to medium attacks.

Germany

The German forces are that of the real-life Wehrmacht, but under new, more effective leadership following the death of Adolf Hitler in the early stages of the war. Their army focuses more on firepower, with a wide range of ground armoured units. German tanks are particularly strong that include real-life and upgraded versions such as the Panzer VIII Maus, Elefant "tank hunter" and Tiger tank. They use ME-262 fighter aircraft and Junkers Ju 390s and Horten Ho 229s for bombing runs, with the ability to deploy V-1 flying bombs, which can be upgraded to a V-2 rocket. The Germans also have more varied experimental units than the other two factions. These include jet pack infantry equipped with flame throwers, heavy Exoskeleton mech-like heavy infantry, Sonic tanks that use blasts of sonic waves (rather than conventional ammunition) and the Giant Zeppelin, which uses an aluminium structure and large air-to-ground cannons.

Soviet Union

The Soviet Union is less developed than the Allies and Germans; however, it uses sheer numbers to overwhelm its opposition. It has an expanded and more-effective selection of infantry. Along with the general Red Army infantry, the Soviets have Medics to heal nearby infantry, Commissars to boost morale (overall efficiency), Molotov infantry that uses Molotov cocktails rather than rockets, being a faster option and can be backed up by Vodka Dealers who can make nearby infantry invulnerable to damage while they're alive. Their heavy armour is also small yet does include some powerful machines, like the Kharkov Rampager that is slow yet equipped with multiple turrets. Their aircraft is both smaller and weaker, primarily using Tupolev TB-3 bombers, Il-2 Shturmovik ground-attack aircraft and Yakovlev Yak-1 interceptors. They do however have powerful experimental units like the Ice Spitter, capable of freezing other units along with a similar "freeze bomb" deployed by a Tupolev bomber. There is also the Giant Moving Turret that is slow with limited turret movement, but it has a long range and is very powerful. The APC Mole can transport troops by tunnelling underground.

Campaign

Premise

War Front: Turning Point is set in an alternate universe in which Adolf Hitler is killed in the early days of the war. A new chancellor comes to power, and under his rule, Operation Sea Lion succeeds, and Nazi Germany successfully conquers Britain. As a result, Germany, the Western Allies and the Soviet Union enter a technological cold war, resulting in various new advanced technologies on both sides.

German Campaign

The campaign opens 1000 days after the German invasion of Great Britain, where Oberstleutnant Roland Hellmann, under General Hardt takes control of London. While pushing back Allied resistance north, Hardt reveals to be working with the German Resistance, an undercover wing of the Wehrmacht under Dietrich Preiss; however, Hellmann is uninterested in their means of conduct. He is then sent to rescue Elsa Adler, a female German spy behind Soviet lines of the Eastern war front. There it is revealed that the Soviets are using weapons to cool the environment to their advantage, with Adler being pursued by Aleksei Mikhalkov of the Red Army. Upon Adler's rescue, she reveals Soviet plans to build a range of new super-weapons and conquer Germany. To prevent this, they join up entirely to Preiss' resistance, and with the help of American Colonel John Lynch, they press on to take out the current Nazi leaders in order to make peace and ally with Britain and the rest of the Western Allies in hope of suppressing further conflict with the Soviets. This operation is successful; despite Nazi attempts to even destroy Berlin in the process.

Back at Berlin, General Wells of Britain arrives to sign the peace treaty with Hardt, only to be interrupted by a surprise Soviet attack on the capital. While the Allies and Germans recover, it becomes apparent that the previous reports which Adler obtained were fabricated by the Soviets themselves so the German Resistance would kill the Chancellor, thus bringing Germany into civil war, while the Soviets benefit and conquer all of Eastern Europe. The Soviets are held off momentarily, in order for Hellmann to locate and secure a top-secret German weapons base that houses plans for experimental weapons. During another push against the Soviets, Preiss however is captured, and he is used to lure both the Germans and Allies into a trap, yet eventually is rescued.

As Hardt and Hellmann begin the assault on Moscow, Mikhalkov disguised as a German exoskeleton troop, kidnaps Adler via false a transmission. Hardt order the final strike against the Kremlin itself, but he stops just as the last remaining Soviets raise the white flag of surrender. Meanwhile, Hellmann confronts Mikhalkov, firing on a transmission tower allowing it to destroy Mikhalkov's suit. Instead of defeat, Mikhalkov instead causes the remains to self-destruct, yet Hellmann evades in time. Hardt and Lynch give their victory speeches, and the final scene closes with Adler and Hellmann kissing.

Characters

While playing the game, the player will control and get to know nine characters (three for each side). Everyone of those characters plays an important role in the story and has special skills that will help the player in combat. Those heroes are "immortal" (If one of the heroes dies, the player can revive him/her at the barracks). Each of the characters has his/her own history and his/her own special abilities that they can use during combat.

Germany

Oberstleutnant Roland Hellmann

Born 21 October 1912. Erfurt, Germany Weapon: Triple Barreled Panzerfaust

He was probably the most controversial cadet at the Military Academy at his time, earning the best results in sports and achieving a flawless scholastic record, but also spending the most time in detention. It was obvious for everyone in the military that Hellmann would become one of the finest officers of the Wehrmacht... although with the small flaw of having a soft spot for women and good times and a tendency to show less discipline when it comes down to these two things.

Having grown up in the German countryside, it is not very unusual that a handsome and athletic young man like Roland developed a liking for the other sex and beer, but he was still regarded as sort of a misfit and was looked down upon by the other cadets who had different backgrounds. Since he was neither from noble nor wealthy descent and never joined the Hitlerjugend, they all thought of Hellmann as a low-born, and of lesser blood. However, his athletic build, blonde hair and blue eyes portrayed the Nazi ideal.

Hellmann being as proud as he was, took up the challenge and did everything to prove that he is more worthy to wear the uniform than any of them. While learning everything the academy could teach him, he slowly backed away from the strict and ceremonious behavior of the typical Wehrmacht officer. He absolved the academy with outstanding honors, but felt that he still had much to learn. Being positioned under General Hardt's battalion, he knew it was the right place.

The General always kept a close eye on Hellmann, even in military school, where he taught the young man at that time. He noticed that he and Hellmann are much in the same position, despite their different personalities, because they are both out-of-place characters among this new generation of Nazi officers. Hardt had a lot against the government but was clever enough to keep it to himself and a few selected fellow-officers only, who also preferred the pre-war Germany and its old ideals instead of the Nazi propaganda. Slowly they were forming a small resistance within the Wehrmacht, but it was Hellmann's appearance that gave Hardt the hope to make the first steps. Hardt found the new hero in him, the one which the resistance and Germany needed.

Not only did Hardt become Hellmann's superior, he became his mentor as well. During the long years they spent together on the battlefield, they also became friends.

Now it is up to Hardt to make his final move and start the rebellion against Nazism. Sooner or later, Hellmann will have to choose sides between Germany and the Nazis.

Dietrich Preiss

Born June 1889. Karlsruhe, Germany. Life was not good to Preiss, even when he was a kid. He grew up in the Eichwald Institut, an orphanage infamous for its strict educational methods, where he learned a great deal of rigid discipline and endurance.

In the meantime, a dormant tendency for aggression began to awaken in him, which was yet to surface. When he was released from the orphanage years later, to make his own path, he had trouble finding his place in the world. History made the choice for everyone in his generation, and stacked the youth of Europe into the trenches of the bloody battlefields that became also the final resting place for most, but not for Preiss.

The war ended for him when he lost an eye during a bloody bayonet charge. Following his own ideals and knowing the true greatness of the old Germany, shortly before the outbreak of World War II, he realized that the Nazis were driving the nation into a new war. Therefore, he openly opposed the government. Preiss obviously underestimated the Nazis, as they reacted to his outspoken criticism with harsh prosecution. He had to run for his life and go undercover, spent months hiding from the Gestapo, fleeing from city to city. To give old Germany a chance, he founded the German Resistance to fight against the Nazi terror by any means possible. Dietrich Preiss is a veteran hero of the German Resistance. He is the master of the sabotage, trickery and reconnaissance operations.

Elsa Adler

Born May 1921. Dresden, Germany. Elsa grew up in an ordinary civilian family as the youngest, the fourth child, and the only girl after three boys. Her strict upbringing and the masculine environment did not give much room for her to pursue any girly habits, so she grew up pretty much like her brothers to the great disappointment of her mother.

When the war broke out, her brothers were drafted into the German Wehrmacht. Just like in everything else, she wanted to do the same as they did and was dying to go and fight for the Reich, but of course this was impossible for a female in Germany. She tried to help her brothers, as a patriot woman, by working in factories and taking up civil service without having any real knowledge of the cause that she really served.

Her eyes were forced open by tragedies that changed her life forever. After just six months, all her brothers had been killed in action, on the front. She slowly realized what the Nazis were doing with her beloved country and to its people. Fueled by hate and anger as a lone freedom fighter, she started a lonely crusade against the Nazis.

When she eventually ran into a deadly trap set by the Gestapo, an unexpected rescuer, Dietrich Preiss, and his members of the newly forged German Resistance arrived and saved her from certain death. Realizing that all of them had a common goal, Elsa joined the Resistance and has served with them ever since. Elsa Adler is the heroine, a young, but talented spy of the German Resistance. She is quick, precise in operations, cautious and a real survivor.

Allies

Colonel John Lynch

Born 1 February 1911. Phoenix, Arizona, United States. Weapon: Grenade Launcher

When the young John Lynch graduated as an engineer two years earlier than his schoolmates with a promising career ahead of him, few would have thought how adventurous and unconventional his life would become in just a few years.

He had no trouble getting a job at one of the country's most important aircraft manufacturers, as he was regarded the new hotshot in engineering circles. He soon topped every expectation with his unorthodox and groundbreaking design ideas, and oversaw the production of the craziest airplane prototypes of his time. When the Japanese Empire launched its war machine against the United States, he knew where his place was, and joined the army, as a real patriot, to serve his country. Since he was not much of a sailor or a marine, he ended up again in the hangars where he was working for the military as a test pilot.

The fall of Great Britain brought a new era in his military career. By winning on the western front, the Nazis could put more effort into their weapons program and carry out their research in Western Europe without any hindrance. A secret commando was formed, nicknamed the "Tech-Raiders", whose job was to infiltrate the continent, find secret Nazi research facilities and perform smaller raids on them to steal or sabotage enemy technology. Lynch joined this team as an engineering expert.

During the long assignments among the tech-raiders, he gradually developed his fighting skills. After an unfortunate mission when the leader of the group died, he had to assume command. Eventually he ascended to the rank of a Colonel and became the top man in the technological war against the Third Reich. Colonel John Lynch is the main hero of the Allied Forces.

His grenade launcher is very effective against infantry, light vehicles and buildings.

Anna Herzog

Born 19 October 1917. Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Born to a British mother working for the Ministry of Defence and an Austrian father who settled down in England between the two wars, she always had a more sophisticated view and a personal connection to the events on the continent that finally led to the annexation of Austria and the start of a World War II.

Because her mother gave much emphasis to a classical education, she was both fluent in German and French. This made her a vital asset to the British Secret Service at the beginning of the war, and she was soon enlisted as a spy to be deployed in Nazi-occupied France. She was only 23 at the time, but she soon proved to be a great agent and served an amazing four years undercover in France and Austria. This is something no one else could pull off, as the Gestapo started a bloody and brutal manhunt for Allied agents. During these years, she forged a valuable alliance with local Maquis Groups, especially with a daring freedom fighter, Vincent Sagnier.

She even earned certain esteem among them for fending off everyone's flirtation with a cold and devastating glance. Before she realized, she had become one of the most critical connections between the French resistance and the British Intelligence. Anna Herzog is a British undercover agent and the heroine of the Allied Forces. Her main weapons are charm and misdirection.

Vincent Sagnier

Born 26 August 1913. Paris, France. As an adopted son of Charles Cassel, the chief editor of a renowned Parisian newspaper, he spent most of his childhood as a brash and tough newsboy, who was famous for beating up the other kids working for the competing newspapers.

Although his stepfather rather enjoyed this devotion to his business, he knew where this bellicose nature was coming from, and it always reminded him with a sad heart of Vincent's father, his best friend who lost his brave life in the First World War. Charles, always haunted by the death of his friend and the horrors of war, tried to bring up Vincent in a pacifist manner and did everything to hold him back from the military career the boy was dreaming of.

He employed him as a journalist when he became older, and when the war broke out, he pulled some strings and arranged for the young man to serve as a war correspondent, instead of as an active combatant at the front. Vincent, who was eager to fight as his father did, was unable to go against the wishes of the man who loved him as a son, and accepted the job. When the Germans attacked Paris, he had no thoughts of shooting pictures at all anymore, just shooting Nazis.

He finally stepped onto the path his father had trodden and became a fighter... something he felt he did too late, as the war was now lost for France. There was only one place where he could make up for his tardiness, the Maquis. He joined them and soon proved to be a versatile member of the group, given his experience in working for the intelligence and talent for moving on the battlefront undetected, which he had acquired during his time as a war correspondent. Vincent Sagnier is the French hero on the Allied side. He is a demolition expert and also able to defend his allies against explosions.

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Aleksei Mikhalkov

"Soviet Lion", "Bloodhound of Stalin", born Sometime between 1901–1905, unknown location in Siberia, Russia (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics since 1922). Weapon: Vehicle class chaingun

Very little is known about the Soviet Lion, the Bloodhound of Joseph Stalin. His past is a mystery, even for the soldiers of the Soviet Red Army. There are many rumors about Comrade Aleksei Mikhalkov, and it is hard to tell, of course, which story is true and which not.

It is certain Aleksei had spent several years with priests as a child, having no one else to care for him, and it is also widely known that he is an avid and fanatic bear hunter. His time with the priests was very short, as they tried to tame the young but already powerful Aleksei, who had regular outbreaks of anger and aggression that he either could not, or did not, want to control.

At one point he became so fed up with being preached at all the time that he attacked one of his caretakers and broke his spine with a single devastating blow. He had to flee, and he had been hiding for years. However, when Stalin came to power and religion was persecuted, Aleksei's sin was no longer a crime.

He finally found his place in the Red Army where his aggression and bloodlust were rewarded and could be lived out entirely. The mysterious Aleksei Mikhalkov is one of the greatest heroes of the Soviet Red Army. He is quite effective and deadly against everyone and everything, with his handy vehicle-class machine gun.

Nadia Amanova

10 May 1916. Arhangelsk, Russia (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics since 1922). Nadia Amanova is second on the Soviets' cruelty list. She works in the ranks of the Red Army, where special tasks require a certain extent of anonymity. When Comrade Aleksei Mikhalkov's raw power is not enough for an assignment, Nadia's cruel intelligence will surely find a solution to accomplish it.

The few people who are aware of her real abilities and are still alive, but remain silent, rather than to risk her unwelcome visit in the night. Nadia is known by many names in the Red Army. Among those that stand out are the Black Widow or the Hellmaiden. Anyone who opposed her, or stood in the way of her career, regardless of that person's rank or background had either changed his opinion very quickly, or had no opinion about anything ever again.

This aggressive approach to careerism did not escape the attention of some members of the regime, who also gave voice to their fears about her. They shared the same fate as others in her way, which despite being a below-the-line way of operating even in the eyes of the political leaders, amused Stalin very much. Nadia Amanova is the first class special agent of the Soviet Red Army. She is quiet, lethal, effective and invisible.

General Andrei Nazarov

Born 3 January 1899. Moscow, Russia (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics since 1922). Andrei Nazarov is a man of challenges, so they say, and a born leader. One memorable event during his early years was when he coxed his fellow pupils in his boarding school to break into the local liquor warehouse together, on an extremely harsh Russian winter evening. One of Andrei's biggest passions, his unbounded affection for genuine Russian vodka can be traced to this past event.

Although this raid might not be absolutely free of pretense, for a while the other kids drank themselves into delirious joy. The young Andrei was perched on a rooftop, with a silent smile on his face, knowing that the chaos they had aroused made him the temporary master of the small town of Novoritjenko. The locals still tell stories about the drunken youngster singing "Polyushka, Polye" all through the chilly night.

His determination and sense of purpose also defined his future. Being completely beyond control, he found himself in one of the toughest military schools of the Soviet Union. There he finally seemed to settle down and became serious. His precision and self-control best showed itself at the firing range, as there was no one else who could shoot more accurately than he could, with or without the assistance of a "little" vodka. He not only won a number of bets with this skill, but he also drew several followers to himself with it.

As he had been wearing a uniform literally since his childhood, he entered the war as the already renowned comrade-general Nazarov. His successful military career ran in parallel to his political advancement, both managed with the utmost care and guile, and so he soon rose to become Stalin's right-hand man. General Nazarov is a natural-born leader of the Soviet Red Army. He is charismatic, a true mastermind and also known as an elite sniper.

Reception

Reviews

Publication	Score
IGN	7.8/10[11]
GameSpy	3/5[12]
Eurogamer	7/10[13]
GameSpot	7.5/10[14]
X-Play	4/5[15]
PC Gamer	77%
GamesRadar	7/10[16]
Yahoo Games	4/5[17]

Upon release War Front: Turning Point received a fair yet generally positive reception with an average critic rating of 74% at GameRankings, based on 31 reviews. Most praise was directed at the game's alternate history spin on World War II. X-Play found that the "alternate history stuff keeps the stale setting interesting without getting completely wacky"^[15] while GameSpot commented on the balance of real-life and fictional units, being a "good thing because battles remain grounded in real-world combat and don't go overboard with high-tech gadgetry", going on to say, "Digital Reality strikes an almost perfect balance here between real history and 'what if?' ruminations".^[14]

Many reviewers however felt the RTS gameplay was still too conventional, regardless of the subject matter. GamesRadar, while still finding it a "highly polished iteration of a military-based RTS with balanced armies, relentless AI, and fun multiplayer matches", felt it still "feels a little too much like the many other military-based RTS games that crowd the market".^[16] IGN found that, "While War Front isn’t anything particularly new, it does traditional very solidly and creates a decent action atmosphere."^[11] PC Gamer similarly agreed by concluding, "War Front is a solid and entertaining game, though far less original than it purports to be". Because of the game's traditional RTS formula, Eurogamer reviewed the title while at the same time satires reviews in general by outlining the traditional conventions in most reviews, such as concluding, "Lazy conclusion? Wrap things up with a witty line that leaves readers grinning. Or, just stop writing in the middl…" They gave War Front a final score of 7/10 still.^[13]

On the game's campaign, GamesRadar cautioned that gamers should "expect a strong case of déjà vu" with the usual "build up your base and destroy the enemy or take your squads from point A to point B mission objectives". Yahoo Games called them "engaging" yet "goofy".^[17] GameSpy criticised the first-person shooter aspect for being "useless in a game that moves so fast" and even "may also cause lesser computers to slow to a crawl".^[12] Graphically, GameSpot felt, "The dark, gritty look of the game makes most levels a treat for the eyes when you're simply gawking at the scenery" yet at times can be "so dark and dense with detail that units are obscured".^[14]

Online play

War Front: Turning Point includes online play through GameRanger. Custom games can have up to ten players playing in one online game.

Notes and references

External links

• War Front: Turning Point at IGN
• War Front: Turning Point SP & MP Demo

[Category:Video games set in the Soviet Union]]