Chits and Bits, a Preview of Lock 'n Load: Heroes of Stalingrad

Heroes of Stalingrad, the computer game based on my Lock 'n Load game system, releases next month (February). Those that have followed the game since its inception know that it has been a long journey. To those folks, I apologize for the wait. Suffice to say that neither Tom, Erik, nor I have been wasting our time couch sitting and bon-bon eating. The wait, however, is almost over, and in celebration, I plan to slap up a few posts describing the game.

Let's start with the game itself. Heroes of Stalingrad is a squad-level, turn-based game. You'll alternate impulses with the computer (or another player in head-to-head), activating squads, machine guns, tanks, and such to move, fire, melee, assault enemy tanks, and more. It's an accurate and beautifully unique representation of the Lock 'n Load board game. Accurate because it depicts almost everything from the Lock 'n Load series--squads, artillery, tanks, mortars, snipers, leaders, medics, a hot nurse, and scenario changing events. Beautifully unique in that the computer game uses art from the board game in addition to art created specifically for the PC. Followers of the Lock 'n Load series know the game boasts some of the most lavish art in the genre. That same art looks damn good on a PC's monitor too.

The game ships with two long campaigns. One each from the German and the Russian side. The campaigns focus on the fighting up to, around, and in Stalingrad. Make no mistake, it isn't a dusty catalog of events and units that fought in the Stalingrad campaign. You'll never read, "Captures in nauseating detail the battles for Stalingrad," on this game box. That's not my design style. What you will experience is the feel of the Stalingrad campaign; an interactive experience rich with decisions, challenges, and fun. Graphic novel panels displayed during the scenarios give hints, tell a bit of a story, and provide choices. Both campaigns branch, leading to a secret set of scenarios with units, capabilities, and situations not typically found in the battles for Stalingrad. Those familiar with my World at War series might find some hints there.

In each campaign players select a handful of core units that move mission to mission. Although

Soviets battle Super-Sized (SS) units.

these are not the only units that you’ll command, they are perhaps the most important. The units include a Leader (these are critical in Lock ‘n Load), 1-3 squads, and a tank. As you progress these units earn Campaign Points—a minimum number by surviving, even more for eliminating enemy units, still more for eliminating them in melee. These campaign points may be spent to upgrade the core units. Tanks can get an extra shot, longer range, better armor; better morale, more firepower, longer range, or additional weapons (flamethrower anyone?) can be purchased for the squads, and better leadership, firepower, or Skill Cards can be added to the leader. Oh yeah, Skill Cards, I forgot to mention those. Lock ‘n Load Skill Cards may be assigned to heroes and leaders. These cards add unique characteristics, allowing them to “break” the game’s rules, for lack of a better word. For example “Dead Eye” double the range of the hero or the units in the Leader’s hex.  

 

Also included in the game are a truck load of standalone and multiplayer missions. These missions are not solely focused on Stalingrad, and aren't all historical, but rather typical situations depicting skirmishes that were fought all along the front. These use a wider variety of units, such as the German Panther and Tiger tanks.

The game's unique impulse system makes asynchronous multiplayer too cumbersome, so multiplayer is an online only affair. Folks log onto the Matrix server, find an opponent and play a specially designed multiplayer scenario. Tom and I designed these scenarios to be short affairs, and they can all be completed in 1-2 hours. There smallness doesn't limit their scope. Some are tank heavy, some provide just a handful of infantry, and yet another has random artillery falling throughout the battle. Great stuff. 

Tune in tomorrow when I talk about the combatants, Russian, German, Romanian, and Partisan.

See you then. 

Mark H. Walker is a retired U.S. Navy Commander and author of over 40 books, including the acclaimed World at War: Revelation, a novel of a twisted third world war. You can read more about Mark/me at my personal website thing.