8 February 2007

By: Filip Truta, Games Editor
Celebrating the Launch of Battlestations: Midway
iGames offers Eidos support in their journey to WW II gamers' hearts
Leading game center organization iGames will be hosting the release of Eidos Interactive's innovative WWII strategy shooter, Battlestations: Midway, beginning with a 2-week showcase at about 100 game centers across North America for both PC and Xbox 360 platforms, between February 12-25, giving fans one free hour over a two-week period to try out the game. The game has been available in North America on both PC and Xbox 360 platforms since January 30th.The end of the celebration will be followed by an Xbox 360 game center Launch Tournament, February 24-25, where teams of 2 compete in a Saturday pool play tournament for the right to advance to the Sunday single-elimination final tournament and win great prizes such as TVs, MP3 players, the Battlestations: Midway Xbox 360 game and other gaming accessories.Why not go? You'll have the opportunity of playing for an hour free and build your strategy with a teammate, compete in the Launch Tournament for your shot at over $2K total prize pool in prizes which consist of:-Top prize: 19" LCD TV and Battlestations: Midway Xbox 360 game.-Finalist prizes: MP3 Players, Razer gaming accessories and Battlestations: Midway Xbox 360 game.-Prima game guides for all competitors who advance to the final tournament.Battlestations: Midway brings a totally new combat experience as you fight massive air, sea and undersea battles in direct command of multiple warships, planes and submarines in this epic solo and online tactical action game. Large scale aerial and naval combat in an unique mix of direct action and tactical play, all for highly detailed warships, aircraft and submarines, all to bring a 'free-control' sensation as you design and execute the best plans of attack.Battlestations: Midway is the true story of naval recruit Henry Walker, whose first assignment as a gunner at Pearl Harbor was the starting point of an incredible career at the heart of the US Pacific Fleet in 1942, in what became one of the most inspirational military campaigns in history.
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19 March 2007

By: Alexandra Dogaru, Editor, Gaming Reviews (PC)
Battlestations: Midway Cheats, Tips and Tricks

The guide of war

Eidos' Battlestations: Midway follows the story of naval recruit Henry Walker, whose first assignment as a gunner at Pearl Harbor is the starting point of an incredible career at the heart of the US Pacific Fleet in 1942, in what was to become one of the most inspirational military campaigns in history. The game manages to balance along the single player campaign the action found in simulator games and the brain challenges of strategy games. The online battles as well as the other single player modes will make your delight even after the 11 missions introduced you completely into the WWII atmosphere of the game. War is never easy; that's why you should always consider the challenge ahead not only as a flight and naval simulation, but also as a real time strategy game. When you have a limited number of planes, think thoroughly before sending either 4 groups of 3 planes each or 3 groups of 4 planes each. In the second case, you may lose 2 or 3 fighters, while the first option may lead you to your doom. Other times it's worth it to send a smaller group of fighters let's say just to be able to drop off more bombers over the enemy ships. Always remember you can also count on the AI to drop a few enemy planes. Order them around and be sure you get control of the more sensitive matters yourself. One of the most important things in combat (and I'm quite sure that you've had some experience with other strategy or simulation games) is that you should never underestimate your enemy. Battlestations: Midway makes no exception either. Whether you're enjoying the 11 missions of the single-player campaign or you've moved on to the multiplayer challenges be on the lookout and try to expect the unexpected. There are situations where what seemed to be a suicidal attempt proved to be effective especially because the opponent didn't expect it (like the crossing T tactics). No matter what you do try to focus your firepower on the strongest enemy in range. If you can take more hits from other foes, but a few fires and that unit sends you into oblivion, you should definitely make sure it doesn't get a chance to try its weaponry on you. Another crucial thing to do is try to turn the odds to your favor no matter what. Each unit has advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you know them both and try to use your strengths to exploit the adversary's weaknesses. Make sure you repair all the damage that your ship takes within a reasonable time. Floating around with no defensive weapons is a pure act of suicide. Just as well you can't let your ship take too much water or the next time they'll damage your hull, you may not have enough time to fix it. There where times even in real history when destroyers went on against battleships and heavy cruisers and prevailed, so why couldn't it work in the game too? Take the chance if you feel up to it. Just remember to use the destroyers speed and maneuverability along with its torpedoes to even the odds a little. If you want to browse through what the single player campaign has to offer without actually taking up the task, you can use a quick cheat code to unlock all the movies and level in the game. All you need to do is create a new profile using the name of the main character - Henry Walker. There you have it, now see what challenges await for yourself. While the game's story is rather interesting, the main attraction is the battle of course. Here is what units you'll be able to command along with a few tips about them just as the developers themselves are advising. AlliedAircraftBrewster F2A Buffalo - Fighter (F)Curtiss P-40 Warhawk - Fighter (F)Hawker Hurricane Mk 1/2 - Fighter (F)F4F Wildcat Fighter (F)SDB Dauntless - Dive Bomber (D)Fairey Swordfish Mk 2 - Torpedo Bomber (T) TBD Devastator - Torpedo Bomber (T)TDF Avenger - Torpedo Bomber (T)OS2U Kingfisher - Recon Plane (R)PBY Catalina - Recon Plane (R)B-25 Mitchell - Level Bomber (B)B-17 Flying Fortress - Level Bomber (B)The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber entered service with the Marines in late 1940 and with the US Navy in early 1941. Although it's

Battlestations: Midway

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slower and less maneuverable than its Japanese equivalent the Aichi "Val", it can induce a good amount of damage with its 2x.50cal machine gun, 1x 1000 lbs bomb or depth charge. It is strong against Torpedo Bombers and Recon Planes. Due to attack angle, it will easily penetrate ship AA defenses though the small bomb type proves ineffective against the heavy armor of bigger warships. In early 1942 the Grumman TBF Avenger replaces the TBD Devastator as the Navy's main carrier-based torpedo bomber. With its 2x.50cal machine gun, 1x 1000 lbs bomb or depth charge, the Grumman has a slight edge over recon planes in air combat. Though torpedoes are very powerful weapons against all ships, the low angle of attack makes this plane highly vulnerable against anti-aircraft fire. Fast ships will provide even a greater challenge for the slow largest single-engine aircraft in service anywhere in the world. The Grumman F4F Wildcat is the Navy's main carrier-based fighter since August 1940. Though it loses a few points against the superior speed of the Japanese Zeros, it compensates due to the enhanced damage its armor plating can sustain and its self-sealing fuel tanks. Caring around 6x.50cal machine guns, optional: 2x 100-pound bombs the F4F will always be very strong against other planes. One-on-one, it should always win. It is very weak against ships, though machine guns can damage PT-Boats and Transport ships. If armed with bombs, the threat level against lightly-armored ships is increased, but the added drag decreases its efficacy as a dog-fighter. The Boeing B-17 is the USAAF's main heavy bomber and has been so since 1938. Capable of carrying an 8000lb payload of bombs nearly 2000 miles, it is ideally suited to service in the Pacific. The B-17 is a very robust aircraft, capable of sustaining vast damage and still remaining airborne. It has received the nickname Flying Fortress thanks to the 13 turreted 50 caliber machine guns it carries for defense, and a formation of B-17s is a formidable prospect for an attacking fighter pilot.Warships & SubmarinesKing George V. Class - Prince of Wales Battleship (BB)Renown Class - Repulse - Battleship (BB)New York Class - Texas Battleship (BB)Lexington-Saratoga - Fleet Carrier (CV)Yorktown - Fleet Carrier (CV)Hermes Class - Escort Carrier (CVE)Northampton Class - Heavy Cruiser (CA)York class - Heavy Cruiser (CA)Cleveland Class - Light Cruiser (CL)Atlanta Class - Light Cruiser (CL)De Ruyter class (Royal Netherlands Navy) - Light Cruiser (CL)Fletcher Class - Destroyer (DD) British destroyer - Destroyer (DD)Clemson Class - Destroyer (DD)Gato/Balao Class Submarine (SS)Narwhal Class - Submarine (SS)LST Mark 2 - big landing craft US Landing Ship (L)Higgins Boat - small landing craft US - Landing Ship (L)Patrol Boat : '80 Elco - Patrol Boat (PT)Dutch Patrol Boat (Royal Netherlands Navy) - Patrol Boat (PT)Fleet Oiler (T2 Tanker) - Transport Ship (T)Troop Transport (Hunter Ligget) - Transport Ship (T) Cargo Transport - Transport Ship (T)The Fletcher Class DD is very much jack-of-all-trades, master of none. It sails the waters caring 5x 5"/38 DP gun, 4x 20mm Oerlikon AA gun, 1x 28mm quad AA gun, 6x torpedo tubes and depth charge racks. Recon planes, Carriers and Fighter Planes are the only units it will always triumph against. It is particularly vulnerable to dive-bombers (thanks to weak armor and difficulty in shooting them down as they attack) and heavy warships. Its torpedo attack gives it the firepower to sink any ship, but as with a PT Boat the difficulty is getting close enough to launch an effective attack. The Destroyer is the most effective single unit against submarines, as it is the only unit which has both sonar and depth charges. However, it is less effective than a combined unit attack (e.g. cruiser and recon plane).King George V. Class is the representative of the modern British battleships. Equipped with 10x 14"/45 gun, 16x 5"/50DP gun, 4x 28mm quad AA gun, 3x 20mm Oerlikon AA gun, its main weakness is the fact that the 14" main guns are mounted in just three turrets, meaning that if one of them is malfunctioning or damaged much of the firepower is lost. Torpedoes and other Battleships are the key weapons if you try to take one down. Thanks to its lack of sonar and anti-sub weaponry BBs are also an easy prey for submarines. For other torpedo units, the difficulty is getting close enough to be able to attack, though torpedo bombers probably have the best chance thanks to their speed. However, the Battleship's slow speed and poor maneuverability mean that firing a speculative spread from distance has a reasonable chance to hit. The Yorktown fleet carrier

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is both the strongest unit and yet the weakest. It charges its enemies with 8x 5"/ 25 gun, 2x 40mm Bofors AA gun, 1X 20mm Oerliken AA gun. Its airpower makes it capable of attacking and destroying any other unit, yet up close it is a big, slow, poorly armed and armored target, vulnerable to pretty much all other units except fighter planes (who cannot damage it with machine guns). Its light AA defense means it has some chance against plane attack, but really its main defense stands in its escorts and air wing. For an enemy unit to be attacking it at all, shows that its defense has failed. Built in the late 1920s and commissioned in 1930, Narwhal Class submarine was designed for hunting down enemy commerce ships. Like all submarines, it is very vulnerable when on the surface, thanks to its lack of armor and firepower, but submerged it is a danger to any ship. It is equipped with 1x 5"/25 gun, 1x M2.50" AA gun, 4x torpedo tubes forward, 2x torpedo tubes aft. It proves to be a significant threat against all surface ships, with only the destroyer capable of engaging it one-on-one. It's highly vulnerable against combined defenses (e.g. sonar ship combined with PT boat or anti-sub plane). When on surface, its light AA and surface armament gives it some defense against other threats, but generally, it becomes vulnerable to all other units except fighter planes.Japanese AircraftKi-43 Oscar - Fighter (F)A6M Zero - Fighter (F)D3A Val - Dive Bomber (D)D4Y Judy - Dive Bomber (D)B5N Kate - Torpedo Bomber (T)E13A Jake - Recon Plane (R)H6K Mavis - Recon Plane (R)H8K Emily Flying Boat - Recon Plane (R)F1M Pete - Recon Plane (R)G3M Nell - Level Bomber (B)G4M Betty - Level Bomber (B) The Nakajima B5N "Kate" serves the Japanese air force since 1939 as a torpedo bomber. Known to the Japanese as "Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber", it caries around 2x 7.7 mm machine gun, 1x torpedo or 500kg bomb. Has a slight edge over Recon planes in air combat thanks to forward firing guns and speed advantage and the torpedoes are a very powerful weapon against all ships. However, due to low angle of attack it is highly vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. Its size and maneuverability make it struggle even against PT Boats. The Aichi D3A "Val" carrier-based dive bomber is known to the Japanese Navy as "Navy Type 99 Carrier Bomber Model 11". Its weapons, 2x 7.7 mm machine gun and 1x 500kg bomb make it the second-best dogfighter and also prove to be strong against torpedo bombers and recon planes. Since it travels at a slower speed than the fighter planes, a retractable landing gear was not necessary, thus making it an easily recognizable target. However, it is highly maneuverable and stable, proving to be able to serve even as a fighter plane if needed. The Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen "Zeke" is known to the Imperial Japanese Navy as the Type 0 Carrier Fighter. Capable of higher speeds than any comparable American plane, the Zero also carries around an impressive armament: 2x 7.7mm machine gun, 2x 20mm 99M1 auto cannon, optional 2x 100kg bomb. It will always be very strong against other planes, having very good chances of always winning one-on-one challenges. It is however very weak against ships, though machine guns can damage PT-Boats and Transport ships. If it's armed with bombs, the threat level against lightly-armored ships is increased, but at the cost of efficiency as a dog-fighter.The Japanese nicknamed it Hamaki or Cigar due to its cylindrical shape. The Americans fear it as Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" level bomber. Equipped with 3x 7.7mm machine gun, 2x 20mm machine gun, 8x 250kg bomb or 1x torpedo, Betty is a true queen of the skies. Achieving very good performances in top speed, altitude and range, Betty along with the Zeros pose a great threat to the US Navy. Its main weakness is that the "light" weight of the plane translated into a light armor, which makes it highly vulnerable to enemy fire. Warships & SubmarinesKongo/Hiei Class Battleship (BB)Yamato Class - Battleship (BB)Fuso Class - Battleship (BB)Hiryu - Fleet Carrier (CV)Soryu - Fleet Carrier (CV)Akagi - Fleet Carrier (CV)Kaga - Fleet Carrier (CV) Shokaku - Zuikaku - Fleet Carrier (CV)Shoho-Zuiho - Light Carrier (CVL)Mogami Class Heavy Cruiser (CA)Tone Class - Heavy Cruiser (CA)Takao/Myoko Class - Heavy Cruiser (CA)Kuma - Light Cruiser (CL)Fubuki Class - Destroyer (DD)Minekaze Class - Destroyer (DD)Type B - Submarine (SS)Daihatsu Barge - Small Landing Craft (L)SB Boat Second class - Big Landing Craft (L)Japanese Patrol Boat - Patrol Boat (PT)Fleet Oiler (T2 Tanker) - Transport Ship (T)Troop Transport (Hunter Ligget) - Transport Ship (T)Cargo Transport -

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Transport Ship (T)The Yamato Class battleship was simply the biggest, best armored and most powerfully armed ship ever built. It weighs almost twice as any other BB (71,659 tones) and it carries 12x 14 inch guns, 16x 16 inch guns, 8x 5 inch guns, 37x AA guns. Its secondary batteries offer it excellent defense against air attacks making the torpedo bombers try really hard to make a successful hit. Battleships are the only surface units that might stand a chance against the Yamato. Thanks to its lack of sonar and anti-sub weaponry they'll be easy targets against submarines if not flanked into a suitable formation. Entering service in 1928, the Fubuki Class destroyer was the infamous conqueror of the seas with its 6x 5"/50 DP gun, 2x 13mm/76 AA gun, 6x 25mm/60 AA gun, 6x torpedo tubes, depth charge racks. Only years later (in 1942) came its match the American Fletcher Class destroyer. This Japanese jack-of-all-trades is mainly vulnerable against dive bombers and heavy warships, yet it still proves an extremely versatile and useful ship. Its torpedo attack gives it the firepower to sink any ship, but as with a PT Boat the difficulty is getting close enough to launch an effective attack. The Destroyer is the most effective single unit against submarines, as it is the only unit which has both sonar and depth charges. However, it is less effective than a combined unit attack (e.g. cruiser and recon plane).The Akagi and the Kaga were the first large carriers to join the Imperial Fleet, and have had long and distinguished careers. Originally built as battle cruisers, they were remodelled as a carrier in the aftermath of the Treaty of Washington, which explains their unusual appearance. Both of these carriers served with great distinction in the Chinese campaign, and together are known as Carrier Division 1. The Akagi's arsenal includes 12x 5"/40 AA guns, 18x 25mm/60 AA guns. Its airpower makes it capable of attacking and destroying any other unit, yet up close it is a big, slow, poorly armed and armored target, vulnerable to pretty much all other units except fighter planes (who cannot damage it with machine guns). Its light AA defense means it has some chance against plane attack, but really its main defense is its escorts and air wing.The Type B Submarine is one of the stars of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Coming into service in 1940, this is a fast, long-ranged ship, every bit the match for the US Narwhal Class sub. It cruises the underworld equipped with 1x 4"/45 gun, 1x 5.51" Type 97 AA gun, 4x torpedo tubes forward, 2x torpedo tubes aft. It proves to be a significant threat against all surface ships, with only the destroyer capable of engaging it one-on-one. It's highly vulnerable against combined defenses (e.g. sonar ship combined with PT boat or anti-sub plane). When on surface, its light AA and surface armament gives it some defense against other threats, but generally it becomes vulnerable to all other units except fighter planes.

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