CM v PC

[cillmhor]

I have played Panzer Command Kharkov a bit, and there are things I like about it. As has been said, the infantry model is poor, or at least doesn't feel quite right. The lack of way points, at least as far as I can figure out, correct me if I am wrong, does not appeal to me. You are more of a commander, than a micro-manager in PC, which is fine, but I like to have the option to micro manage.

The simulation of Fog of War is better in PC in my opinion, the graphics are better, though the means to move the camera could be more intuitive, and a way to magnify the troop images would be good. I am also not too struck on the rather flat contours on many of the maps I have seen, realistic, but I would like to see some bigger hills? More than likely this is possible, I just haven't seen them. A map editor beta has been going for some time, but an easy to use one will be a must feature for the next release in the series.

Both games' AI have problems, and I have not played PC on PBEM yet, but I imagine this is where the game really comes into its own. The bound commands etc add another layer, but there are some things which just don't feel right. Russian AT rifles seem a lot more effective in PC than CM, don't know how realistic that is. Tanks in CM are not the borg spotters they are in CM, and especially when buttoned, so armour behaves a lot more realistically in this sense.

It appears infanty can be spotted in woods/light woods a lot more easily in PC, probably realistic again, but it means I have found it a lot more difficult to sneak troops into positions for attacks. In general, what I would say about PC is that it lacks the atmosphere of CM, and a little of the fun of CM. PC is probably more realistic in some senses, with tanks having trouble spotting units, infantry being easier to spot in woods etc, but CM makes you feel you are in a wargame where your decisions make the difference. In PC, at least personally, I get the feeling that I am just advancing my platoon of tanks to uncover the next set of AT guns/AT rifles, and my infantry to spot for them. As I say, a lot of people will have a different opinion on this game. I just feel I can engage more with CM than PC, plus CM has a lot more scenarios (although the PC community will address this in time I hope). In CM if there is a good map with a ditch or some other feature which is crucial to the scenario, you can pick up on it easily. Such features do not appear as easy to pick up visually in PC, although I'm sure a grid mod is out there to address this to some degree.

Just some thoughts. Both good games in their own way, but CM has more for me at the moment. Have tried PC a couple of times, but keep getting the urge to uninstall and leave it for a while. Not a criticism, I just can't get into it.