Coordinate the Best Team and Lead Your Soldiers to Victory in “Close Combat: First to Fight”

by Louis Bedigian

“First to Fight offers AI tactics that are based on our countless hours of discussion with Marines just back from combat and the military doctrine they use right now.”

Full Spectrum Warrior had a great opportunity when it was released last year: it got to be the first game of its kind.  We had real-time strategy games, and we had several team-based shooters to sink our bullets into.

Full Spectrum Warrior took the two genres and said, “You know what would be really cool?  A real-time strategy game that’s played from a first-person perspective.”  It was refreshing, rewarding, and exciting to have a game that went against the majority.

Just as Splinter Cell went beyond the bounds of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and just as Resident Evil 4 went beyond everything in the genre, Full Spectrum Warrior is about to get some serious competition from Close to Combat: First to Fight. 

Designed as a training tool for the Marines, First to Fight has gorgeous graphics, real weapons, and real story elements.  It’s looking better and better every time new screenshots are released.  PR and Community Manager Steven Charbonneau explains why it will be a must-play game when it’s released this spring.

Some of the screenshots focus on individual soldiers. Is this an indication of what we can expect from the story – a game that focuses on the lives of the individuals fighting the war?

Steven Charbonneau: The focus of the game is on the teamwork of a very capable four-man Marine fire team, and your ability to lead that fire team. You, as a fire team leader, will have access to both air and ground assets in the game, as well as the fire team.

Do you think that more people will be interested in joining the marines after playing this game?

SC: We developed First to Fight to be used as a training tool for the Marines and never intended specifically for it to be used as a recruitment tool (and the Marines’ recruiting office has never given us any money or direction on the game).  

Proceed with caution.

One of the challenges of developing a team-based shooter is creating characters that are equally responsive. How has the development team been tackling this issue?

SC: First to Fight offers AI tactics that are based on our countless hours of discussion with Marines just back from combat and the military doctrine they use right now. The fire team’s movements are based on Marine Ready Team Fire Assist procedures, which provide constant 360-degree protection for the fire team. Also included in every friendly and enemy AI is what the Marines feel is the underlying force in all warfare, the human will. We have modeled the human will in the form of a psychology model that keeps track of the unit’s morale and discipline throughout the game.

So what do I do when I want to coordinate an attack? How quickly and seamlessly can it be done?

SC: It’s very quick. Just press the button that brings up the radial menu and select one of the four order options. Normally, the whole fire team is selected, so your order will apply to the whole team, but you can also select individual Marines if you choose. The game keeps track of situation, location, and surrounding elements to always give you the right options for your orders.

Aside from attack coordination, why will players want to use each character?

SC: One of the things that makes a Marine fire team lethal is that each Marine has a specific role. Your job as team leader is to issue orders and cover the fire sector in front of the team. You also have an M203 grenade launcher, as well as smoke and frag grenades. Your SAW Gunner’s job is to lay down suppressive fire and to get the team’s high-value weapon to the most important location. Other team members are responsible for providing rear security, etc.

Never give up, never surrender.

What's the camera like? Can we peak around corners to avoid unnecessary deaths?

SC: The camera is from a standard first person perspective, which allows the player a familiar orientation for keeping their eyes on the surroundings. Leaning is available, and will have to be used in many situations to minimize the threat to the fire team.

If one man dies, is that it? Does the game end with the loss of one soldier?

SC: You can still complete each operational area even if you lose a Marine.

When does the game end? How many men have to be lost before the game forces you to start over?

SC: If you die, or lose two Marines in an area, you will need to restart the operational area. You also lose the game if you shoot an unarmed, surrendered enemy, or too many civilians, or kill one of your Marines.

The weapons look great. Are they all based on real military equipment?

SC: Yes, all of the weapons are modeled after the very same weapons U.S. Marines and their enemies are using today. You will have access to the M16-A4 with an M203 grenade launcher, the M249 SAW, M1911A1 Semi-Automatic Pistol, M-40A3 Sniper rifle, AN-M8 HC Smoke Grenade, M-67 Fragmentation Grenades, as well as the AK74, RPK-74, and Dragunov SVD Sniper rifle 

If I don’t make it out alive…just hit the reset button. 

Are there any other control/gameplay elements you'd like to share with our readers?

SC: Yes, I would like to talk a bit more about the air ground assets that a Marine has access to in First to Fight. A Marine is never alone in combat. You will have access to snipers, Cobra gunships, mortar attacks, and the M1-A1 Abrams tank through the radial menu when the situation allows.

Thank you for your time.