Since the release of the original Close Combat, two other games have followed in the series: Close Combat II, arguably the best game in the series, which covered Operation Market-Garden, and Close Combat III, a fine game that nevertheless overreached itself by attempting to cover the entire Russian Front. After Close Combat III, Microsoft dropped the series, much to our chagrin. So we were pleasantly surprised last year when SSI announced it would give the CC series a new home.

We were less pleasantly surprised when we heard that the subject of SSI’s first Close Combat game would be the Battle of the Bulge (just about everyone was hoping for a Guadalcanal game). It’s not that the Ardennes Offensive is a terrible wargame subject; in fact, it’s a darn good one. In fact, the problem is that it’s such a good subject that nearly every wargame company has done at least a couple of Bulge games. Familiarity, in wargaming as in everything else, breeds a certain contempt. But from what we’ve seen on the beta we’ve been playing, Close Combat IV: Battle of the Bulge may be a game that can break the predictable Battle of the Bulge mold.

Close Combat IV will include a grand campaign, a mini-campaign (Kampfgruppe Peiper), and over 40 stand-alone scenarios, as well as a scenario and campaign editor. You’ll also be able to play as the Americans or Germans. But the best thing about the game system is that this will be the first Close Combat game to seriously attempt to meld the strategic and tactical aspects of the campaign. In the earlier games, the individual scenarios played out on the background of the larger campaign, but you never got the feeling that the results of your games had any effect on the big picture. In Close Combat IV, you’ll be able to make strategic decisions—like the allocation of reserves and air and artillery assets—that will affect your tactical games, and the losses you inflict and suffer in gameplay will have some bearing on the strategic picture.

Gameplay itself remains much the same, though the implementation of air support and indirect artillery are welcome additions. The game’s interface is as elegant as ever, and maneuver and assault as simple as clicking and dragging.

Stunning graphics and photorealistic battlefields have always been part of the CC series’ allure, and CCIV looks better than ever. Weather effects are excellent, and explosions and smoke effects are terrific. Units, especially armor, look very sharp. There is, however, one problem with the game’s look: the Battle of the Bulge took place during winter, and the game’s battlefields are covered with snow. Since most of the units—especially infantry--are also depicted wearing their winter camouflage, it can be very difficult to pick them out on the map. Given the game’s sometimes frenetic pace, this could prove to be a real pain.

Close Combat IV will provide multiplayer options, including IPX, network, dial-up and internet, and SSI plans to provide a online matchmaking service as well.

Close Combat IV should be out by the end of this month, and we’ll be interested to see if the SSI can pull off the integration of the strategic and tactical aspects of the game. If they can, they’ll add a new level of depth and excitement to this excellent but aging game system.