Armor Command
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Red Ant Enterprises Pty Ltd.
| Armor Command | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Ronin Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Ripcord Games Red Ant Enterprises Pty Ltd. |
| Producer(s) | Kalani Streicher, Nathan Wright[1] |
| Designer(s) | Edward Kilham |
| Programmer(s) | Edward Kilham |
| Artist(s) | Harrison Fong |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | 1998[2][3][4] |
| Genre(s) | Real-time strategy |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Armor Command is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed by American studio Ronin Entertainment and published by Ripcord Games for Windows in 1998. Set in the early 30th century, the game revolves around two factions, the United Terran Federation led by humanity, and the Vrass, a feudal slaver empire led by aliens. Armor Command was designed by Edward Kilham, known as the co-designer of ‘’Star Wars: TIE Fighter’’.[5] Armor Command released to generally positive and lukewarm reviews, although seen as obscure in comparison to more notable games in the genre.
Armor Command is a real-time strategy game set in the distant future, using a 3D display view.[6] The two races are humans under banner of the United Terran Federation, and a slaver alien race called the Vrass, but nicknamed as Slavers. Both are somewhat homogeneous gameplay-wise,[5] their main differences being aesthetic. A close-up view is available that allows players to focus on units, along with a less focused in one, though a top-down, eagle's eye view is present.
Mechanics involve an unseen and unplayable orbiting fleet, which beam units and supplies to the surface using pad buildings -- the town halls of the game. Ore and metal are the two resources of the game, which may be mined using specialized worker units. Ore is used as a more general resource and metal is more specialized, used for purposes such as upgrades. Radar towers may be constructed to bypass the fog of war. Aerial and ground units are available. The only units available in game are mechanical, no infantry exists. Most units may attack when moving. The singleplayer campaign involves 22 missions on each side, as well as five training missions.[5]
Multiplayer is available up to four players, with LAN and modem options available.
Plot
The Vrass in the game are a contingent of their species that have entered human space from a wormhole, starting the events of the game in 2910. Though some space-conflict occurs, most of the fighting between the two races occurs on terrestrial settings, caused by the interference of a nebula.[5] Friendly to Terran indigenous alien races are hinted at throughout the game. The game contains two mutually exclusive campaigns, both of which have different results. The Terran campaign culminates after several interstellar battles, when the aliens are pushed back to the wormhole, and are destroyed. The human forces resolve to study the wormhole and develop technology to defeat the rest of the aliens.
The alien campaign concludes with an invasion of the Earth, resulting in the enslavement of the population.
