Review: M4—Sherman Tank Simulator
Reviewed by Karen Kaye

Type: Tank "Simulation"
Manufacturer: Deadly Games (516) 482-4000
Retail Price: $44.95
Mail Order: $34.00
Requires: Color or Grayscale Monitor, Hard Drive, 4 MB RAM
Protection: Periodic "Battalion HQ Security Check" — requires referencing an authenticator code sheet found in the Tank Commander's Guide

The M4 Sherman served in US service, in several variants, from 1942 to 1956. It was based on the preceding M3 Grant, which gave a satisfactory account of itself in the North African desert. The M4 was a much more conventional design than its predecessor, and it mounted an excellent 75mm gun in the turret. It reigned supreme in North Africa when it was introduced there toward the end of the conflict. 

Unfortunately, it had the misfortune of being forced to continue in service until the end of the war. By that time, despite several substantial modifications, it was rapidly becoming outclassed by the late-war German and Russian designs. It is perhaps best that Patton was reprimanded at the end of WWII for his plan of attacking the Soviet Union, since the M4 would have fared rather poorly against the T-34-85 or the JS-II/III. 

What the Sherman may have lacked in capability, it made up for in numbers: over 49,000 were built during the Second World War. It was converted to a myriad of special applications: everything from flame-thrower tanks to armored personnel carriers.

"We'll Win the War with the M4!" This tank simulator is the newest software published by Deadly Games. Their previous two products received generally positive reviews, and Bomber won MacWorld's Best Simulation Game award a few years ago. While the outside of the game box is nothing special (you will not be awed by expensive graphics here), the inside is. It contains two disks, some quickstart information, a razor-thin manual, and . . . headphones? Hmm. The player can opt for the quickstart, since the 22-page tank commander's guide — nearly half of which are maps — does not appear to hold too many secrets (novice wargamers may wish to start with the manual).

M4 starts you off in C Company, 5th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division. It is the 16th of December, 1944, the Ardennes. Operation Westwall, the drive into Germany, is about to begin. The Our River is to be reached by January 17, 1945, at the latest. The player assumes the role of a tank commander fresh from Tank School. The other four crew members — gunner, loader, driver and assistant — are just as green. There are no scenarios or variants, and the player is not able to select a particular model of the M4 to start with. However, in due time, Charley Company upgrades to better versions of the tank, culminating in the M4A3E "Jumbo."

The player is allowed to name all the crew members, and in typical WWII fashion, name the tank as well. The ammunition loadout can be customized, so I stock my vehicle with 45 armor-piercing, 40 high explosive, and 5 white-phosphorous shells. I am starting to wonder why I have the headset on. This question is answered as soon as I check the communication equipment: not only is the communication panel an interactive reproduction of an actual WWII SCR-508 Receiver-Transmitter, but all radio transmissions are received as digitized voices. The radio faithfully reproduces static and transmissions can easily get garbled. The headphones are a great idea! The radio and intercom crackling in the player's ear create a heightened sense of realism — the effect truly recreates a historic environment. These worked equally well in Bomber. 

At the beginning of each day (beginning shortly after 7 AM, lasting typically til 5 or 6 PM), the player receives a transmission on the communications channel. The company commander issues new orders, or repeats yesterday's orders if they have not yet been accomplished. The orders can either be an advance to a grid coordinate, or a directive to stand firm against a German counterattack. The map shows all the detail necessary for the game and is easy to read. Before setting out, however, several more radio options are available to the player. The 25th Cav. Reconnaissance Squad can be called up to report on the disposition of enemy forces. Based on the intelligence assessment, the player may decide that the target should first be softened up by a barrage from the 22nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion. Should the player receive a promotion to Lieutenant, the option for calling in air strikes will be made available. Before undertaking this request, the Army Meteorological Office in Paris can be reached for a weather report. The communication panel is definitely one of the strongest aspects of the game. 

The only view of the vehicle is the inside of the turret, as seen from the commander's viewpoint. A small periscope gunsight serves as the window on the outside world. The driver can be given movement orders in eight semi-cardinal directions. The engine comes to life and the tracks squeak as "Lucky Strike" rolls off. Game play is actually a series of events, as opposed to a continuous simulation. Between events the periscope gunsight is blacked out, and a digital clock counts the minutes passed until the next encounter or the next map coordinate is reached.

Enemy presence is typically announced by one of the crew members. Except for the closest adversary vehicles, it is hard to spot the enemy. Through the intercom, the other four crew members attempt to locate the opposition. Initially these neophytes wouldn't be able to identify the Empire State Building, but with experience they will even call out machine gun positions nestled against a tree line. Additional information on the enemy can be gained through the player's binoculars. Since the player is the "point" tank, this represents first contact with the enemy. The Germans are often unaware of your presence, so selection of the first target is crucial. The tank commander's guide provides some tips in this area, as well as the selection of the appropriate type of ammunition.

The engagement is primarily a long range turkey-shoot. The main gun is aimed and fired by the commander, and the gunner provides voice corrections in both azimuth and range. This process is a fairly accurate historic representation. The M4 did not enjoy the one shot–one kill capability of today's battle tanks. The battle ends when either the enemy's or player's tank is destroyed. In the former case, the player continues on to the next event, while in the latter, the fate of each crew member is displayed and the player is given a new tank. If the player survives until the end of the day — not an insignificant achievement in an M4, a message is received from the company commander informing the crew to bivouac at their present location. A summary of the day's kills is displayed, along with any medals or promotions earned by the commander.

The Debriefing. The front cover of the Commander's Guide classifies this game as Skill Level 2. What this means is not explained anywhere. This is unfortunate because it may aid the consumer in deciding if this game is suited to their tastes. In the absence of this, I would like to provide a few insights. The game is easy to learn and interface with. It does not come packaged with a brief history of WWII, nor is a West Point education a prerequisite for play. It is easily playable in a single weekend. Obviously it was designed for a broad audience, and some compromises were made along the way.

Despite the title of the game, this is not a simulation. There appears to be little modeling in the way the vehicle behaves: the loading rates for the main gun are really fast, while the traverse of the turret from lock to lock is too slow (the M4 could complete a turret rotation in 60 seconds — quite exceptional for the time). During one game my tank was knocked out 17 times, yet I only suffered one killed crew member (I knew I had not named the tank "Lucky Strike" for nothing). The game does not allow one to drive across the countryside, to dodge from cover to cover, or to attempt to overrun an enemy position. There is none of the terror of streetfighting, where just around the corner there could be a Panzerfaust anti-tank weapon team hiding. In a scene reminiscent from many spaghetti westerns, the enemy conveniently lines up on the outskirts of town for a showdown. 

The use of sound and voice throughout the game is appealing, especially in combat, and the Comm Panel is well-implemented (aside from two switches that appear to do nothing). The drawback to the use of voices is that they quickly become repetitive. There is simply not enough room on two floppies to provide a significant library of voices. After a while I really wished to turn off the driver's "You got it!" acknowledgement whenever we moved out. Alas, in this game, as opposed to real life, a Lieutenant cannot tell a Private to just shut up and get on with it. 

The game exhibits some unusual quirks, but I'll comment on three. Several times I would be given a memo stating that our supply column had broken down at the rear and I should conserve ammunition. Despite this, when my tank was destroyed during those days, I would be given a brand new vehicle that I could stuff full of shells. I was wondering where the stuff was coming from. The use of the binoculars is also poorly implemented: regardless of range, they display the same image. And lastly, a minor point: the game conceals the menu bar, so access to anything located there is denied while the game is running.

The combat sequences are the one element of the game that have suffered the most from the company's desire for simplification. Historically, the M4 relied on maneuverability and numbers to overcome superior German tanks. The game almost completely omits this basic fact. The ability to maneuver on the battlefield is limited to ONE order: move into a hulldown position (which simultaneously closes the range and parks the vehicle behind some elevation so only the turret is exposed). I envisioned being able to maneuver to the exposed flanks of enemy Tigers, or at least to close to a few hundred yards to destroy an enemy machine gun nest (instead of having to shoot at them from long distance). The game does not allow this type of control. The reaction of the enemy to the player's presence is also very basic. Enemy vehicles rarely attempt to change range so that it favors them, instead they just turn head on. This is a sensible approach for a Panzer, whose frontal armor is thicker than on the side, but it's a nearly pointless maneuver for trucks (except for perhaps the smaller target cross-section it might create). Which brings up another point: the enemy does not attempt to retreat when it is completely outgunned. On several occasions infantry squads, which I had not spotted yet, opened fire on me from long range. I was impervious to their feeble pebblings, and all they accomplished is giving their position away.

The Footlocker. The author's note that comes with the game freely admits that there have been simplifications. He comments that grognards will find much to criticize, but reminds the player that this is WWII the Game, not WWII the Real Thing. In the process of conducting this review IMG contacted Deadly Games for additional information. Rene Vidmer was rather surprised when he was informed of who was doing the review. He told us that girls just don't like this game. I suppose the reader, and this reviewer, can take this as fair warning from the programmer. [Editors note: some of our best friends are women tank drivers.]

Deadly Games publishes a quarterly journal, "Dispatches from the Front," which contains tips, information, and letters to the company. Those wishing to order directly can contact Deadly Games at 516/433-9800.

The Verdict. This game is evidently a labor of love. It is based on solid research that has been the foundation of Deadly Games from the outset. The graphics are based on actual photos, and the use of sound is comprehensive. It is bug-free, and may be supported by additional scenarios. It is a fun game that is aimed at the novice military gamer. 

I would have a difficult time recommending it to those who really expect a simulation. Individuals with a strong wargaming background may rapidly lose interest in the game due to the limited player options and simplistic artificial intelligence (AI). In addition, there is a complete lack of interaction on the battlefield with other vehicles in the company. Mechanized combat is essentially based on units or teams, so it does not translate well into the first person perspective of M4. 

Pros:
• Original use of digitized voice
• Good background research
• Simple interface
• Easy to learn

Cons:
• Too simplistic for experienced wargamers
• Weak AI
• Single-player only
• Limited replay value
• Limited use of graphics or animation