The real-time naval strategy genre has gone some time without a new product. Jane's Fleet Command, developed by the naval gurus at Sonalysts, brings something new to the table for those of us who enjoy our military simulations on the high seas. How well does it stand up under fire? Let's take a look.

On the Box Experience

Those of you reading my previous material should realize by now that my bent is to look at a new simulation from a variety of viewpoints. While it's easier to take my naval grognard ethos into a low-level eyeball pass of any new sim, a more balanced view is achieved when non-core gamers are also considered, and the developer/publishers intended audience is brought into view. This way we avoid an unfair evaluation which measures a simulation in categories for which it was never intended.

So what is the publisher's take on things? Judging from the marketing material, it looks like they are being quite aggressive with their positioning of the product:

• "The Jane's team has just released the world's first comprehensive naval strategy game."
• "Jane's Fleet Command delivers pinpoint accuracy and realism."
• "Actual Navy war tactics and sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) challenge even the most experienced naval commander."

Though I've selected some of the more hard-core statements from the Fleet Command press release, you can see that Jane's is trying to position their product with few compromises. The many superlatives are typical of marketing hype: "comprehensive," "world's first," "pinpoint accuracy," and "challenge the most experienced." These statements give a clear sense of direction and suggest a hard core target audience.

But on the other hand, there are these statements:

• "Jane's Fleet Command's intuitive point-and-click interface and mouse-driven tactical map eliminate memorizing symbols and complex key commands."
• "Jane's Fleet Command features a range of single missions and multiple gameplay options, from sea lane patrolling missions for novices to a branching campaign for the advanced player."

It's pretty clear from the outset that Jane's is positioning its sim to cast a wide net. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as today's marketplace demands such a wide net. The question then becomes, "Does the simulation actually include the components required to appeal to the diverse groups of gamers?"

The ... Manual?

Jane's in its most recent releases seems to be shying away from the large, information-filled manuals of the past. The Fleet Command manual is 45 pages long and contains sections on Gameplay, the Mission Editor, Multiplayer, and the Weapons Platforms used in the Fleet Command database. By far the most attention is given to the mission editor.

Arleigh-Burke Class Destroyer

The brevity of the manual quickly becomes a problem. On several occasions I had difficulty locating information I was seeking. On page 16 the manual lists icons that represent "air station", "ship station", and "rally points", but I had a difficult time trying to figure out how use these command in a pre-built game.

Finally, I found out that you have access to these commands only in scenarios generated with the mission builder (or ones where the mission designer used them), but I found this out only after posting a question to the naval newsgroup. The manual does not do a good job of adequately explaining this topic.

Also, each ship/aircraft has radars and sonars that assist in detecting targets. No where in the manual does it explain how these devices are to be used and when you might NOT want to use them, such as a stealth mission. Although I understand the difference between a fire control radar and an air search radar, I'm sure there are many new players who do not.

These are but two examples of areas in which I had questions. To me, the manual was of little assistance for all but the most basic queries.

Training

Fleet Command includes a set of four tutorials that allows you to get your feet wet (pun intended.) An instructor narrates each tutorial and he gives you a good sense of how the menu/command structure works.

The training missions are also a good place to learn more about the different situational views and how to navigate across the operational area. Some commands are disabled during training to allow the student to focus on the mission at-hand.

The training missions are what I would expect a good tutorial to represent. They were not too long and they included the basic information on menu navigation, fleet operations, and weapons engagement.

Single Missions

Fleet Command includes 34 scenarios that can be played as single missions. The scenarios range from no-fly zone missions in Iraq to conflicts between India and Pakistan to head-to-head battles with the Russian Fleet. The missions can be played in any order and range in difficulty from one to four stars.

I found the single missions to be an enjoyable way to get deeper into Fleet Command. Depending on how you play, each mission takes approximately an hour. Different fleets are included in the single missions, so you aren't playing as the US forces all the time. I found learning about other fleets to be one of the more enjoyable aspects of these missions.

Campaign

The campaign structure is a bit different than most campaigns included in military simulations today. Fleet Command has a set of four different campaigns that cover different parts of the world.

Unlike campaigns that are a series of linked missions, each Fleet Command campaign is in effect one large mission. Each scenario includes multiple objectives that must be attained for campaign success. Some of these objectives may not be known at the out-set, and they will be relayed to you via tasking messages as the campaign progresses.

Each campaign could last three to four hours or more, but luckily Jane's has included a save feature that allows you to save your missions at any point in the campaign. You can save multiple versions as well.

Each campaign scenario is prefaced by a beiefing video that gives you some background on the situation. Though each scenario has a context, there really isn't any linkage between individual campaigns. Since the campaign scenarios are not really connected in any substantial way, I personally did not like the fact that you are prevented from playing subsequent campaign scenarios until you successfully complete the previous one.

Mission Building

In Fleet Command you can build your own missions, and boy, what missions you can build! In constructing your mission, you have access to just about every ship of the included navies (see below). Most naval aircraft are included as well as airforce aircraft that can fly from ground bases. You also have the ability to save your mission so that it can be played in multi-player mode.

Any region of the world can be depicted as well as setting up your scenarios to attack the enemy of your choice. Objects can be programmed to appear with a certain amount of randomness and mission goals can be hierarchically arranged. You also have control over the environment: weather, time of day, and sea state can all play a role in your custom mission.

The mission goal structure is probably the toughest thing to master, and I have yet to understand it fully. My attempt to model a realistic battle of the current Operation Allied Force operation is included here. I got a real kick when I was able to place each object from the current US task force that is present in the Adriatic sea.

I believe the mission builder is quite sophisticated and I have yet to really scratch the surface. This feature above all others will allow me to continue to enjoy the sim for some time.

Gameplay

Much has already been said about the "click fest" nature of certain gameplay scenarios. The game in its current configuration does not allow for friendly ships to protect themselves autonomously. You must manually engage incoming aircraft and missiles.

There are several missions where this becomes a problem to the point of not allowing you to organize offensive operations because you are spending all your time protecting yourself. The argument becomes somewhat subjective as to whether to balance player participation or computer control and I've read the arguments for both camps.

I think the bottom line here is that Jane's should have included options to accommodate both gameplay styles. Some "admirals" will tend to want to control every aspect of fleet protection, while others would tend to leave the close-in protection of the fleet up to the computer. Even for the most mouse-adept clicker, the final campaign scenarios should prove to be too much of a challenge, as enemy ships and planes continuously pummel you with anti-ship missiles. I feel a twinge of Carpal Tunnel coming on as I write this.

What Jane's HAS done is to allow the user (albeit an advanced, familiar-with-programming user) to modify what is called "doctrine" files that control the AI of the ships and planes. You'll find more about this feature below where you can download some files modified by Ron Hunt.

I could have done without the included in-game videos. The live action footage is present in the game before missions to give you a sense of environment and also to give you information for your upcoming mission. I found it odd that US Navy officers were in a combat situation in their dress whites. Maybe they got called into the situation room during a formal occasion?

I'm usually forgiving with regard to the acting in PC games, because let's face it - we are not buying the games for Tom Hanks or Meryl Streep-caliber performances.

But in Fleet Command the performances and dialogue got to be so ridiculous I hastened to hit the escape key to bypass the scenes altogether. I think even gamer/non-naval types will get a chuckle at the statements made about how "their worst enemy is surprise", and "the art of command comes in bringing order from chaos", and "the cost of panic is defeat." I guess Jane's was trying for something different than the standard mission overview briefing. They got it.

Beyond these two issues, I found gameplay to be quite enjoyable. You are free to employ any tactic you see fit, and at times must fully engage all available power to attain your objectives. Although the mouse plays a big part in the control of your assets, Janes has thankfully provided some shortcut keystrokes to allow you to specify commands more readily.

On one particular campaign scenario I was tasked with destroying the enemy's fleet of submarines. I had a large space to search and I was able to sortie just about every ASUW asset I had: P3-Orions, Vikings, and Seahawks all took part in the hunt. It took me a while, but I had control over the types of detection devices used (dipping sonar and sonabouys) and the search areas I wanted them to perform. Eventually I was able to destroy my quarry and the world was a bit safer as a result of my efforts.

Graphics Quality and Support

The Glide and Direct 3D APIs are supported in Fleet Command. Direct 3D goes up to 1024x768 on my Diamond Viper V550 TNT as well as my Diamond Voodoo 2 SLI setup. Although the sim does include real-time 3D rendered objects, frame rates did not appear to be a problem. I did notice that scrolling the screen in D3D seemed to be a bit slower that it was for Glide, however.

Some of the objects articulate - SAM batteries, jet blast deflectors, F-14 wings, and ship propellers all move for effect. One of the best visuals is watching a SAM or cruise missile take off from aboard ship. The Phalanx close-in weapons system will also engage in-bound missiles by firing off its deadly shield of bullets. A hit on an in-bound missile produces a spectacular explosion where the remains of the missile continue on their flight path until they fall into the sea.

The objects in the game were rendered quite nicely. While they won't stand up to comparison to the objects included in EAW, Apache Havoc, or even Longbow II, they represent a good balance for a game that was not intended to be a first-person action simulation where terrain and battlefield assets modeling are paramount.

Sound Quality

I was very impressed with the sound included in Fleet Command. Everything from jets taking off on the carrier to comms traffic and explosions were done very well.

The environment is really enhanced when the fur starts to fly and you are receiving comms chatter from all over the map. The effect is quite similar to 688i where you are receiving many comms calls, all at the same time.

Realism

Much has been written in the news groups about the ability to specify custom loadouts in Fleet Command. Simply put, you cannot change from within the game the default ordnance loads that each aircraft carries. Jane's wanted to concentrate on a single implementation for each aircraft to accommodate the broadest appeal. This translates to an F-14 with 6 AIM-120s and 2 Harpoons and F/A-18s that carry 2 AIM-120s, 2 AIM-9s, 2 AGM-65s and 2 AGM-88s.

While the ability of each aircraft to carry the assigned load is realistic, at times it makes it a little difficult to perform a particular mission. Airbase attacks require many sorties when your only ordnance is Mavericks and HARMS. There are no AIM-54s, AIM-7s, laser-guided or dumb bombs, or any of the more advanced air-to-ground weapons such as the JSOW, JDAM, SLAM, or tactical nuke.

If there is one place that shines above all others, it is in the database of the included aircraft, ships and weaponry. Not only are the ships from the US, Russian, and British navies included, but you also have access to ships and aircraft from the countries of China, France, Australia, Germany, India, Argentina, Brazil, Pakistan, Iran, Taiwan, Libya, Malaysia, and Japan. Whew!

Janes also claims that Fleet Command adheres to realistic sensor detection models and object dynamics. My subjective analysis shows that Jane's/Sonalysts has done a great job in staying at the top of the heap with respect to a realistic Order of Battle.

Bugs

For the most part, Fleet Command was relatively bug free. I have read posts in the naval news group that stated there were some crash to desktop problems with Glide when you were inside the game, but I never experienced any of these personally.

The most notable problem for me was when I would end a game's session by going back to the desktop and then trying to run the game again. About 95% of the time I would lock up when the game is trying to mode-switch between the desktop and my chosen 3D card. This happened so frequently that I resolved myself to rebooting after each time I exited from a game. Sometimes, even the reboot didn't help. After seeing similar problems in Falcon 4.0 get resolved during the patch-beta process, I understand that there are some underlying hardware-to-software issues at fault.

I also tried to run the game from a Windows 95 OSR2 machine (my P2 450 before I switched over to Win98). I would continually lock up when I entered my name at the sign-in screen. For some reason, I was never able to get past it. Only after reformatting my system to Win98 was I ever able to make it past the sign-in screen.

Occasionally I experienced problems in the AI that I could not explain. When I gave the command to a flight of EA-6B Prowlers to "set speed to max", inevitably one aircraft would drop its speed to the normal rate after a couple of minutes and fall behind the pack. Since these aircraft all took off at the same time and there were no threats in the area, there shouldn't have been any reason for the one aircraft to perform differently.

Ships would occasionally exhibit the same behavior. At times one ship would depart from the pack and return to patrol status after I've given the set of ships a specific directional transit command. Departure from command is something I would experience about twice in each mission. It seemed to be more prevalent the more objects there were to control.

Summary

Did Fleet Command stack up as billed? I would have to say partly so. While there is much to be said for the realistic database and environment that is resident in Fleet Command, control of the available assets only goes so deep, and the sim as-shipped may not please the naval grognards who require more precise control.

I believe that newer players will enjoy the sim to the point of the later missions where fleet defense becomes a physically limiting issue. I believe more experience players will continue to enjoy the sim because of its robust mission builder and multi-player features.

I think both newbies and seadogs alike will be frustrated at the lack of informative manual and the ability to control from within the game loadouts and fleet defense options. Here are some of my parting thoughts:

High Points:

Mission Builder, Available Assets, Realistic Environment and Feel, and General Gameplay.

Low Points:

Manual, Lack of Control Over Certain AI Aspects, In-Game Videos, some bugs.

Rating

• Core Rating: 82%
• Gameplay: 85%
• Graphics: 85%
• Sound: 90%
• Manual: 50%
• Intelligence/AI: 82%
• User Interface: 85%
• Mission Planner: 90%
• Fun Factor: 88%
• Learning Curve (in hours): 1-2 hours

Overall Rating: 83%

Test System

• Pentium III 500
• Windows 98
• 256MB RAM
• Diamond Monster 2 SLI
• Diamond V550 TNT AGP
• Turtle Beach Montego PCI
• Mitsumi 32x CD-ROM
• Latest drivers on all ;-)

**Additional Note: FC Mods

While I generally try to make it a habit to only comment on the simulation as-delivered, I must let you know about the work that Ron Hunt and several others have undertaken. They have put together a list of "doctrine" file changes that in-effect modifies the AI to allow the ships and aircraft to engage the enemy on their own.

You can learn more about what Ron has done by heading to Ron Hunt. For me, this has made the sim much more enjoyable, especially for the more advanced campaign scenarios. Following is a brief outline of the effects of his changes:

1. The AirtoAir file has been refined and you will notice that planes sent to ID a target will automatically engage that target if it is hostile. After the engagement the plane will default to Patrol status and then re-engage enemy planes that it later senses.

2. The CWIS file has been modified to allow automatic engagement of inbound missiles. I deliberately left out auto-engagement of aircraft from the ships. If you have a CAP up you won't need it since they'll do it for you! Turning on the ships air radar will greatly enhance your ability to defend against incoming targets.

3. Aircraft sent to ID a ship or land target will automatically engage that target if it turns out to be hostile and then default to Patrol status once the attack is complete. Also included are two alternate files which will allow the aircraft to ID ships and land targets and if they turn out to be hostile the aircraft will then turn and run giving you the opportunity to plan those attacks manually.

Download Ron Hunts adjusted doctrine file by clicking HERE. Instructions included.