Combat Mission Shock Force 2

Combat Mission Shock Force 2 is a tactical wargame set in a hypothetical conflict in Syria between NATO forces and the Syrian Army. You command US Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCT) and Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (HBCT) against Syrian Army infantry, mechanized and armored units in an arid environment. The fighting includes conventional forces as well as irregular combatants, terrorists, spies, suicide bombers, IEDs and other threats associated with asymmetric warfare.

You can play the Task Force Thunder campaign, a small training campaign, 20 standalone scenarios, more than a dozen carefully crafted battles, or Quick Battles across a range of maps. The game covers tactical warfare at battalion level and below, with individual vehicles, teams and squads represented in a true 3D environment. Its forces include detailed combat formations and equipment for the US and Syrian armies, 41 vehicles and 35 types of small arms and crew-served weapons, along with on-map mortars, mortar vehicles, drones and anti-aircraft fire.

Missions and modes

Missions give you objectives to accomplish and can be played in Real Time or WeGo, a hybrid turn-based mode. In WeGo, each player plans 60 seconds of combat, then watches both sides’ orders play out simultaneously; you can also replay the action of a turn. Single-player and head-to-head play are available. Head-to-head games can use email (PBEM), hotseat on one computer, or TCP/IP over a LAN or the Internet, in either Real Time or WeGo.

Quick Battles let you choose a custom force and fight on a selected map. They can be deliberate or randomized according to player specifications, and the editor lets you create maps, scenarios and campaigns.

Units and battlefield systems

Units are modeled individually at 1:1 scale with high-resolution 3D models. Vehicles have articulated suspensions, animated hatches and damage modeling that tracks individual subsystems. Weapon penetration and armor protection use real-world data and scientific algorithms, while physics, ballistics and post-armor effects shape combat. Soldier experience, morale and leadership affect how units behave, alongside command and control, objectives, spotting and line of sight.

Each soldier has an individual view of the battlefield through the Relative Spotting system, so one soldier spotting an enemy does not automatically mean the rest of the force can see it. The Tactical AI models each soldier’s psychological state and qualities. Line of sight and line of fire are calculated separately, and a soldier’s posture—prone, kneeling or standing—affects spotting, cover and ability to engage. Line of sight is calculated from the soldier’s eyes or a vehicle’s sensor point; crew responsibilities, vision blocks and sensors also affect how equipment functions.

Terrain and conditions

The arid battlefield includes waterways, bridges and other terrain. Expansive maps use 1m × 1m resolution, supporting short- and long-range action across complex ground. Buildings have simulated doors, windows and floors.

Weather, lighting and ground conditions affect visibility, mobility and fighting ability, from dry, sunny days to muddy, stormy nights. Lighting conditions reflect the time of day, time of year and weather. Soldier and weapon performance also responds to terrain and environmental conditions.

Forces and scenarios

The game includes US Army and Syrian Army formations, as well as two types of Syrian Unconventional Forces, spies, IEDs and VIEDs. Its content includes one large campaign, a small training campaign, 20 standalone scenarios and numerous Quick Battle maps. The equipment roster covers 41 vehicles and 35 types of small arms and crew weapons.