Introduction
Tank sim fanatics havent exactly been overburdened with too many choices in recent times. In fact, tank sims have been few and far between in the last year or two. So when a new tank sim is released to the public there is a lot of anticipation among devoted tankers. A small but ambitious company known as Shrapnel Games has delivered a game that will finally break through the cobwebs that have been forming in the tank sim genre. Steel Beasts is a hardcore tank simulation that appeals directly to grognard tank sim players, focusing on the modernized A1M1 and Leo tanks. Steel Beasts is a simulation in the purest form, setting aside flashy graphics in favor of a rather complex presentation of realistic tank warfare. For the uninitiated, the learning curve in Steel Beasts is steep, but the payoffs are great when you finally start putting the intricate pieces of the puzzle together.
Indeed, on several different levels Steel Beasts is very much about coordination. At the most basic level youll be coordinating your joystick or mouse with your keyboard as you master the difficulty of operating the gun turret on either the US M1A1 or the German Leopard 2A4.
On a more tactical level youll be coordinating several tank platoons, and even infantry, in full scale skirmishes that are often chaotic and hair-raising. Jumping from gun turret operator to battlefield commander and back in mere seconds is not an easy assignment, although Shrapnel Games has gone to a lot of work to make it as practical a task as can be. While the level of detail is a bit overwhelming at first, successfully operating a tank or commanding a small company of tanks and support vehicles is a rewarding experience. As a forewarning, if youre the type of gamer that favors games with arcade simplicity Steel Beasts will prove to be a little too close to reality. However, for those looking for a tank sim that closely models real-life conditions, look no further than Steel Beasts.
Shrapnel Games has done a fantastic job of simulating the operation of a modern tank. In spite of all the advanced technology involved therein, its not easy to simply jump in and start blowing stuff up. Shrapnel Games was obviously aware of this fact because they included 20 tutorials for both the M1A1 and the Leo tanks. It should be pointed out that these tanks are not just point and shoot vehicles. Youre going to learn what automatic lead is, how to lase a target, and the ballistic properties of different types of ammunition. For the Leo alone, there are nine tutorials teaching you the fine art of gunnery, and five tutorials introducing you to tank driving; the M1A1 has at least as many. Other tutorials cover the subjects of calling in artillery strikes and acting as tank commander. The gunnery tutorials are complex enough to almost be considered a game within a game, and you should plan on spending a good two to three hours with the tutorials before venturing on to the single player missions.
Once you feel comfortable with your gunnery and tank driving skills you can elect to play any of the 46 missions in the game. The missions can be played in any order since there is no interlacing story or campaign to hold them together. While a campaign format would have helped draw the player into the game, Steel Beasts is purely a simulation and therefore doesnt rely on a congruous background story. Many of the missions have real-world themes based on events in Kuwait, Desert Storm, Korea, or Angola to name a few. In most of the missions youll primarily be responsible for an M1 or Leo tank platoon, although several missions will have you commanding a large company consisting of tanks, infantry, and APCs. As you lead your tank platoon on the battle field your wingmen will intelligently stay at your side, providing you with extra support which you will definitely need. Spotting the enemy before they spot you is critical if you wish to keep yourself alive for very long. Therefore, much of the focus is on reconnaissance.
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