14 DAY TRIAL // 
When does a recon unit have to put up a fight? And what can it hope to do against incoming tank units? Not much on its own, but plenty when given access to artillery from the division level and if it acts as a spotter for capable Apache gunships. At least four T-72s fall prey to guided rockets, with more affected by suppressing fire.
Even with as much defensive dire, the M-2 and associated crews get destroyed by incoming tank fire. Should I have told them to retreat at some point? Was holding the bad choice? They managed to hold a weaker position while my core forces pushed, slowly and carefully, to a city featuring victory points.
The big issue is that two of my HQs are dead, which makes it harder to get my units to quickly implement orders. The good news, reinforcements are coming in. As long as my recon continues to do good, I can use them to stem the tide of Russians and, hopefully, reach all objectives with fewer casualties going forward.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm is developed by On Target Simulations and published by Matrix Games. I played on the PC. The title offers a deep wargaming experience centered on the Cold War turning hot.
The action takes place in 1989, when the Soviet Union launches a surprise attack on Western Europe, seeking to defeat NATO forces in a quick invasion. Gamers can command forces from the United States of America, the USSR, Canada, East and West Germany, France, and Czechoslovakia, depending on the scenario.
The game also offers three campaigns: one each for American and Soviet forces and a third focused on Czechoslovak units. They will focus on a core set of units, that move from one battle to another, while also giving players access to extra options depending on performance. There’s plenty of variety in the conditions, making for exciting battles. The game does a great job of offering details and information, as long as players put in the time to learn the interface.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm is a WEGO experience, which means that both sides issue orders and then watch them play out. There are no turns but there are hexes. Players can choose how much information they will get about the battle space and enemy forces.
Orders are issued at intervals, determined by a variety of factors, including HQs and how much electronic interference affects the battlefield. Most are linked to movement and stances, especially for recon, infantry, and tanks, with extra options available for helicopters, artillery, and off-map assets.
It’s possible to lose a Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm battle before moving a unit or firing one shot. Carefully read all info about objectives and conditions. Evaluate your own forces and see which are their strengths and how to best use them. Think about potential enemy lanes of advance, and create at least 2 or 3 battleplans.
Once the two sides issue their orders, even the best-laid plans will require substantial changes. Important units will be destroyed. Actions that seemed perfect on paper create dangerous gaps or allow the enemy to get local superiority.
Southern Storm offers players a ton of details to take into account when making decisions. There are as many as nine pieces of information on the unit counter and players can dig even deeper by going to its dashboard and its associated tabs.
Make sure to check the SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) to see how different they can react to enemies and tweak their approach. Recon usually moves away from threats but there might be moments when you need them to get to a hex, stay hidden as much as possible, and then open fire once the enemy is right on top of them. SOP gives players the levers that can lead to that results.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm is a big, hard game to master. I lost my first attempt at the first tutorial. Read the well-designed PDF manuals. But it is also the best wargame take on the Cold War gone hot I have played.
The gameplay mechanics manage to nail the complexity of the battlefield, the limits of command, and how hard it is to coordinate movement toward an objective. The game needs players to familiarize themselves with weapon system capabilities, the terrain where each scenario takes place, and the conditions that affect the order cycle.
The reward for the time and energy investment is a solid wargame with solid campaigns and exciting scenarios. There’s also a full editor that will allow the community to create a range of new battles.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm allows players to engage in multiplayer matches using a Play-by-E-mail++ system, classic PBEM, and even more old-school hot seat. Matrix’s infrastructure is solid and wargames get more exciting when humans go head-to-head.
Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm is a tile-driven wargame and looks the part. There are tons of pieces of info presented using a variety of screens and menus. Players will have to learn how to move through the interface and the best keyboard shortcuts. But the presentation is better than in many other titles in its genre, with more detail on the unit counters and attention to map design. Don’t expect particle effects for explosions but there’s a certain austere beauty to be found. The sound design features solid combat and background effects. Make sure to queue some solid podcasts about military history and strategy, the game only has music for the menu.
[GAMEPLAY=9-15]
The Good
- Deep wargame mechanics
- Campaign and scenario variety
- WEGO system and order cycles
The Bad
- Overwhelming at first
- Time investment
- No soundtrack
Conclusion
Start off with the tutorials and the associated PDFs. Then pick one scenario and try to really master it, making sure to understand why everything happens and what strategies work without relying on luck. I hope Flashpoint Campaigns: Southern Storm attracts both veterans of the genre and newcomers, allowing it to establish itself as the hex-driven strategy title for the late Cold War period.
A review code was provided by the publisher.
