Shrapnel to develop War in Afghanistan
by Kit

Wednesday, April 21 2004

Game will cover historical battles in war torn country.

Shrapnel Games and ProSIM informed VGLN.com today of the development of their new strategy game, War in Afghanistan.

War in Afghanistan can almost be described as a survey-style wargame. Instead of focusing on one particular campaign or period War in Afghanistan will cover everything from British operations in country during the 19th century to the capture of terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden (hypothetical at this point, but possibly real by the game's release). From the Soviet invasion, to the rise of the Taliban, to Operation Enduring Freedom, all important conflicts in the war torn region are touched upon.

An interesting aspect of War in Afghanistan will be the treatment of the scenarios. While many wargames will provide a paragraph or two of color commentary which sets up the player, and may or may not provide a historical context, War in Afghanistan will feature content-heavy scenarios. Setting up the scenario will be aerial photos (actual if possible) of the operations area, ProSIM's well-known highly detailed order briefings, briefing slides, intelligence estimates of enemy force composition, and more. Additionally, each scenario will feature historical notes on how the operation actually played out (if a historical scenario), and will eveninclude helpful hints in the form of "commander guidance" notes for those having a tough time raising the flag of victory in a particular scenario.

The ATF core engine will experience many upgrades and modifications to accommodate the unique situations that will be presented in War in Afghanistan. These include:

* Technicals (in layman's terms, jeeps and trucks mounted with heavy weaponry).
* Horse mounted units.
* Inserting paratroopers.
* Instead of designated urban areas, War in Afghanistan will model individual
buildings, allowing intense urban combat.
* Highly magnified maps specially designed to look good at any zoom level.
* Various radar types: artillery counter-battery radar, J-STARS, and ground
surveillance.

Look for more information on War in Afghanistan as the project progresses at Shrapnel
Games (http://www.shrapnelgames.com).

--- Kit