Battle Isle / 2018-07-24 17:10:23

Battle Isle is a turn-based, hexagon-mapped, tactical war game. It was developed and published by Blue Byte in 1991 to great successes (and many data disks and sequels and ports). It is a very nice game because it is very easy to play and the difficulty is quite gradual... although some missions seem impossible to me . The beauties of Battle Isle are its controls that are intuitive and easy-to-use, its graphics that are nice and varied with many different units, and its game mechanics that are quite realistic.

 

 

Story

Battle Isle is about the war of the Drulls against Skynet Titan on the planet Chromos. The Drulls are looking for a leader to command their their armies (ground, air, and sea) to defeat Skynet Titan over 16 missions. (You can play other 16 missions against another player as well as many more missions from the data disks.) They build Battle Isle as a game to find this leader (think The Last Starfighter or Ender's Game) and, of course, you have been chosen!

Across 16 missions, you must use the different units and resources given to you to devise a tactic that will bring you to victory: either by destroying all enemy units or by invading the enemy's headquarters. To win, you must combine the different forces and units at your disposal, which vary mission-to-mission: ground, air, and see units.

 

Realisation

Battle Isle is generally extremely clean and lean. Its graphics and user interface are entirely obvious so that reading the manual is quite unnecessary. It is turn-based, which means that there are two phases in the game: while one player gives moving orders, the other player gives firing orders. Then, the game performs the orders, starting with the combats. The screen is divided in two so that at all time both player can see each other's movements. The combats are shown in the appropriate terrains, for example mountains or bridges.

 

Graphic Design

Graphics are very nice in Battle Isle, they are precise, clear and clean, and convey clearly what each unit, each terrain, each building is about. It is very rare not to guess what something is about just by looking at it! If needed, below, I summarise all the available units with their images.

 

Musics and Sounds

Let's face it, music is not the forte of Battle Isle . The unique (?) music is okay but, of course, quite repetitive after a while. Sounds are okay but do not bring much to the game. So, sound-wise, Battle Isle is a bit lacking but it's okay because, at the same time, the game is not about music!

 

Animations

Moves, combats, and invasions are animated. Moves are shown as units moving from their position to their next positions. They allow following the moves of the enemy units and "guess" the enemy's tactics.

Combats show the terrains of the two fighting units and the units rolling in. Then, they show each unit firing on each other as well as exploding subunits. They are nice but not extraordinary and only help to increase the tension...

Invading building are also animated and show always the same animation of some troops torch-blowing their way into the building and the door falling down.

So, animations are nice but in truth do not bring much to the game.

 

Units

A strength of Battle Isle is the variety of available units that makes it interesting to combine different units. Some units can carry other units, I call them "carriers" in the following. In the table below, I summarise each unit with its image, its characteristics, and some comments.

Characteristics are:

  • Strength and range against:
    • Ground units;
    • Air units;
    • Naval units;
  • Range of movements;
  • Armour strength.

These characteristics are important because they define what each unit can or cannot do and how they will fare against enemy units.

 

Units and their Characteristics
Names Graphics Characteristics Comments
Images Icons
AD-5 Blitz
  • 25/1
  • 40/1
  • 25/1
  • 5
  • 30
  
AD-9 Sphinx
  • 0/0
  • 48/6
  • 0/0
  • 5
  • 30
 It needs one turn before being ready to fire, so avoid moving it at all if possible.
CAS Firebird
  • 35/1
  • 10/1
  • 35/1
  • 7
  • 30
 Deadly when they have maxium experience.
CV Amazon
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 8
  • 70
 Beware that they need two free hexagones to turn!
FAV Buster
  • 35/2
  • 12/1
  • 35/2
  • 8
  • 25
 Use this unit as support to other units at distance! Its armour is so weak...
G-2 Giant
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 9
  • 20
 Only useful to transport other units obviously!
HG-12 Angel
  • 45/6
  • 0/0
  • 45/6
  • 4
  • 25
 Only at distance! It needs one turn before being ready to fire, so avoid moving it at all if possible.
M-17 Brick
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 0
  • 80
 Somehow, U-7C Barracudas absolutely want to destroy them...
MB-A Buccaneer
  • 45/1
  • 15/1
  • 38/1
  • 7
  • 70
  
R-1 Demon
  • 32/1
  • 0/0
  • 32/1
  • 4
  • 25
  
SC-P Merlin
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 5
  • 30
 During the attack phase, the Merlin can target an area to build a new depot. It takes two turns to build a new depot or two Merlins targetting the same area. In the next attack phase, a single Merlin must target the same area again. The targetted area will be the endtrance to the depot.
SC-T Provider
  • 15/1
  • 8/1
  • 15/1
  • 7
  • 25
  
T-3 Scorpion
  • 40/1
  • 0/0
  • 40/1
  • 7
  • 45
  
T-4 Gladiator
  • 52/1
  • 0/0
  • 52/1
  • 6
  • 50
  
T-7 Crusader
  • 60/1
  • 15/1
  • 60/1
  • 4
  • 65
  
TB-X Marauder
  • 0/0
  • 15/1
  • 60/3
  • 10
  • 65
  
TLAV Invader
  • 40/1
  • 10/1
  • 40/1
  • 7
  • 30
  
U-7C Barracuda
  • 0/0
  • 0/0
  • 100/4
  • 9
  • 85
 The U-7C Barracuda is invisible but can be spotted by moving around it other ships: the ships won't be allowed to move atop the submarine...
XF-7 Mosquito
  • 0/0
  • 45/1
  • 0/0
  • 10
  • 25
 Deadly against CAS Firebirds.
Z-1 Pegasus
  • 0/0
  • 50/4
  • 0/0
  • 9
  • 90
  

 

Gameplay

Controls and Phases

The game can be played with the joystick or the keyboard. Personally, I must prefer the keyboard because it is easier in Amiga Forever . The keys are space, CTRL, and the arrows. The arrows are used to move the cursor. The space bar is used to confirm the change of phase. The CTRL key combined with the arrow allow full control of the game:

Keys On a Unit On a Building In a Building Elsewhere
CTRL + Up Move or target Nothing
  • Unit: move
  • Empty: nothing
 Nothing
CTRL + Left
  • Carrier: its content
  • Non-carrier: change phase
 Show its content
  • Unit: nothing
  • Empty: create
 Change phase
CTRL + Down Info. on the unit General info.
  • Unit: repair
  • Empty: nothing
 General info.
CTRL + Right Bird-view map Bird-view map Exit the building Bird-view map

 

Different Orders

The two-phase gameplay are moving units or targetting/repairing/creating units. During the moving phase, each moveable unit is available (not grayed-out) to be moved according to its range and simple rules of engagement: unit touching enemy units cannot run away immediately, so be aware of be circled/blocked by the enemy! Carriers can deliver their transported units.

During the targetting phase, each unit within range of some enemy units can target one of these units. Within buildings, units can be repaired or new units can be created, both if there are enough energy left in the building.

New energy can be brought back by carriers if energy crystals of Aldinium are available on the map. Each energy crystal is worth 50 unit of energy, which means about creating about four units! So, it is important to grab these crystals before the enemy .

 

Artificial Intelligence

Playing against the computer is fun and challenging. The computer generally plays well but relies on numerical superiority rather than cunning to win... Also, the computer is not to smart for several things:

  • It goes for "high priority targets", like the SC-P Merlin, rather than following a strategy.
  • It takes over depots and factories even if a R-1 Demons unit is nearby (thus giving up its R-1 Demons).
  • It does not seem to build anything in factories.

 

Combats

The game computes the winner based on several factors: armament, fire power, range, numbers, and experience. Obviously, armament is important: some units can only attack ground or air units. The computer will refuse to let you use these units to attack different units. Fire power is the number of "subunits" left in one unit out of six. The more "subunits" a unit has, the more fire power it has. Some units can only perform close-range combats, i.e., they must be next to the opposing units, but others can perform long-range attacks in particular the HG-12 Angels. Such units are very powerful because they can support other units and gain experience with little risks. However, they must be protected because they are usually poor in term of defence. The number of units also plays a role: the more units surround (and attack) an enemy unit, the more chance to win the battles and destroy that enemy unit. Finally, experience plays also a role! Experience is gained after each battle: one point of experience per battle, two when the enemy unit is destroyed. Experience is one 7-level Likert scale, from no experience to four points to diamond to a Iron Cross-style cross. Units with greater experience have greater chance to win a battle. I have seen units with only one or two subunits win battles against more numerous units thanks to their experiences!

 

Strategies

Below are some hints to win the missions against the computer... Sometimes, luck play a non-negligible part . Generally, the Enemy seeks to destroy certain particular units, so they can serve as bait: R-1 Demons, XF-7 Mosquitos, and CAS Firebirds. Also, it is a good idea to destroy all the Enemy's R-1 Demons so it cannot invade your HQ! It is always good to destroy the Enemy's CAS Firebirds and XA-7 Ravens because they can only be shot by AD-5 Blitzs, which are rather fragiles, or other air units, which are often few. Finally, T-7 Crusaders are the best unit because, when experienced, they can destroy Enemy's units in one combat .

 

Missions and Strategies
CONRA

No deep strategy here, just use the T-3 Scorpions and the T-4 Gladiators (in the HQ) to attack the enemy units and one of the R-1 Demons to assault and occupy the HQ.
PHASE

 

Similarly to CONRA, no need for a deep strategy here. Make good use of the Fav Buster to attack enemy units at a distance by protecting it with the T-3 Scorpion and T-4 Gladiator.
EXOTY

Beware of the Enemy's HG-12 Angel. Attract the enemy on the southernmost bridge and destroy its units methodically. In particular, use the T-7 Crusader and Fav Buster in combination, with the Crusader protecting the Buster. The units at the North East should be brought back to attack enemy units from behind.
MOUNT

It is relatively easy to occupy the two depots and, then, it is just an attrition war...
FIGHT

The best strategy is to use a SC-T Provider to transport some R-1 Demons as fast as possible to occupy the depot at the South. This depot contains invaluable units, in particular two T-7 Crusaders and one HG-12 Angel! In the meantime, you can also send R-1 Demons and T-3 Scorpions to block the exit of the other depot, on the East, so that the Enemy cannot use its units... Then, it is just a matter of using the T-7 Crusaders carefully to destroy all enemy units .
RUSTY

 
FIFTH

 
VESUV

A difficult one! A working strategy is to use the R-1 Demons to take the eastern depot as fast as possible, using the SC-T Provider to provide cover by positioning it southwest, right next to the entrance of the depot. The SC-T Provider blocks the enemy T-3 Scorpion that may reach the depot first. Meanwhile, use the factory to build two HG-12 Angels, which will provide cover to the ground units.  Then, use the remaining units to create a fixing point between the western depot, the central mountain, and the HQ. The R-1 Demons should take the western depot as fast as possible. Finally, use the SC-P Merlin to create a depot (with 30 units of energy!) next to the factory.

From that point on, it is a matter of destroying systematically the enemy units, using the HG-12 Angels first, then the ground units (fixing any damaged units).
MAGIC

This one requires a good start! Use the two SC-T Providers and the R-1 Demons to reach as fast as possible the factories on the north-east and south-west. While one of the SC-T Providers drives to the south-west factory, drop off a unit of R-1 Demons, backed up by the T-3 Scorpions to block the depot in the center of the map. For the south-west factory, wait for the Enemy to take it before occupying it: thus gaining an additional unit of R-1 Demons.

In the north-east, build a HG-12 Angel to destroy any units coming through the bridge and use the T-7 Crusaders to block the access: this tactic will keep the Enemy stuck while it is destroyed.

In the south-west, build a CAS Firebird and seek and destroy any units in the south.

In the center, attack the depot and any enemy units, using the cover of the AD-9 Sphinx and the AD-5 Blitzs to protect your units from air attacks.
SPACE

These missions are getting tougher and tougher! They seem to be more and more like chess: the opening makes the difference between victory or defeat. Here, the opening consists in storming as fast as possible the factoring in the north-west to build at least one HG-12 Angel to be positioned after the bridge. The rest of the force should be used to keep the enemy's at bay in the center. From then on, the game consists in destroying the enemy's units from afar with the HG-12 Angel while preventing them to come close to the HQ...
VALEY

 
TESTY

Beware of the XA-7 Ravens! Once they gain experience, they are very, very hard to destroy without a AD-9 Sphinx... So, the idea is to have a three-pong attack: from the North to the East and South, from the Center to the Southeast, and from the South to the East. Use the depot in the Center-West as refuge to repair your strongest units and hide the other ones. Use the SC-P Merlin to build the depot in the Southwest. Use R-1 Demons to invade the various factories, depots... and the enemy's HQ!
TERRA

 
SLAVE

 
NEVER

 
RIVER

 

 

Conclusion

Battle Isle is a must-play turn-based, tactical war game. It has a great realisation, easy user interface, and gradually more difficult missions, which make for hours and hours of fun... and frustrations . It is the prototypical war game that spun many sequels and variants and copies.

 

Marks

  • Music: poor;
  • Sounds: neutral;
  • Graphics: excellent;
  • Playability: excellent;
  • Lastability: months if not years.

 

Summary

  • Name: Battle Isle;
  • Publisher: Blue Byte;
  • Type: turn-based, tactical war game;
  • Date: 1991;
  • Hardware: Amiga OCS/ECS, 512Kb;
  • License: commercial;
  • Final mark: 9/10.

 

Further Reading