M1 Tank Platoon II
North American cover art
Developer(s)MicroProse
Publisher(s)MicroProse
Producer(s)Scott Spanburg
Designer(s)Tim Goodlett
Programmer(s)Scott Spanburg
Brian Whooley
Artist(s)Michael R. Bates
Composer(s)Roland J. Rizzo
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
Genre(s)Vehicle simulation, real-time tactics
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

M1 Tank Platoon II (sometimes referred to simply as M1TP2) is a tank simulation video game developed and published by MicroProse Software in 1998 for Microsoft Windows. It is a simulator of the M1 Abrams main battle tank and a follow-up to MicroProse's 1989 release M1 Tank Platoon. M1 Tank Platoon II was sold to Interplay Entertainment in 2009.[2] The game is available on Steam and Epic Games services.[3]

Gameplay

M1 Tank Platoon II allowed the player to play several positions in the four tanks that comprised the platoon. A player could play as a tank commander under cover ("buttoned up") or open on the hatch to man the .50 caliber machine gun. Other positions included gunner and an "outside 3-D scrolling view" of any unit on the battlefield.

Compared to the first M1 Tank Platoon, this game incorporated many new features, including much improved graphics as well as multiple campaigns, and multiplayer options. The ability to play as armored cavalry, USMC or army platoons added another dimension. The manual accompanying the game, over 100 pages, touched on such things as armor types, tactics, vehicles and more.

There was a patch available[4] to upgrade the game to allow for improved machine gun and map performance.

Reception

The game received favorable reviews. Next Generation said, "due to the depth of this simulation and the rather steep learning curve, M1 Tank Platoon II may prove to be an exercise in frustration rather than fun, but for the individual who truly wants to be 'Hell on Wheels,' this title is just the ticket."[12]

References

  1. ^ "MICROPROSE SENDS 100,000 UNITS OF THE M1 TANK PLATOON® II PC CD-ROM OFF TO THE FRONT LINES [title mislabeled as "Star Trek: The Birth Of The Federation"]". MicroProse. March 24, 1998. Archived from the original on May 1, 1999. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  2. ^ "INTERPLAY ACQUIRES INTELECTUAL [sic] PROPERTIES, SELLS SHARES TO MICROPROSE". Interplay Entertainment. March 27, 2009. Archived from the original on December 31, 2015.
  3. ^ "M1 Tank Platoon II". Steam. Valve Corporation. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  4. ^ "Downloads". TankSim.com. Archived from the original on November 27, 2022. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  5. ^ "M1 Tank Platoon II for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  6. ^ Baize, Anthony. "M1 Tank Platoon II - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  7. ^ Cirulis, Martin E. (April 7, 1998). "M1 Tank Platoon II". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  8. ^ Udell, Scott (March 31, 1998). "M1 Tank Platoon II". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on May 23, 2003. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  9. ^ Miller, Patrick C. (August 1998). "Platoon Too Soon (M1 Tank Platoon II Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 169. Ziff Davis. pp. 185–86. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 30, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  10. ^ Bergren, Paul (May 1998). "M1 Tank Platoon II". Game Informer. No. 61. FuncoLand.
  11. ^ Dunkin, Alan (April 13, 1998). "M1 Tank Platoon II Review [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000"]". GameSpot. Fandom. Archived from the original on February 19, 2005. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  12. ^ a b "M1 Tank Platoon II". Next Generation. No. 43. Imagine Media. July 1998. p. 117. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  13. ^ Weston, Jason (May 1998). "M1 Tank Platoon 2 [sic]". PC Gamer UK. No. 56. Future Publishing. Archived from the original on December 9, 2000. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  14. ^ "M1 Tank Platoon II". PC Gamer. Vol. 5, no. 7. Imagine Media. July 1998.
  15. ^ Wright, Andrew (May 1998). "M1 Tank Platoon II". PC Zone. No. 63. Dennis Publishing. pp. 84–85. Retrieved August 28, 2021.

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