Battlefront.com

Last updated
Battlefront.com
Industry Video games
Founded1997 (1997)
FounderSteve Grammont
Charles Moylan
Products Combat Mission
Strategic Command
Theatre of War
Website Battlefront.com

Battlefront.com is a video game developer and publisher located in Dover Foxcroft, Maine. Battlefront specialises in war-related games, including turn-based and real-time strategies, as well as simulations of air, land and naval military vehicles. On August 27th 2024, the 25th Anniversary of Combat Mission, Battlefront was acquired by Matrix Games.

Contents

Apart from publishing the self-developed Combat Mission series, the company publishes games created by other studios (such as 1C Company), including Strategic Command and Theatre of War series. [1]

History

The company began life as Big Time Software when Charles Moylan and Steve Grammont decided to form an independent game company. [2] They produced the successful and unique Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord to critical acclaim in 1999. [3] The fledgling company utilized an online sales model and published a manifesto on its website pledging dedication to its fanbase.

The company continued to grow as subsequent titles in the CM series were released, and other publishers began to partner with BTS. A name change to battlefront.com, coinciding with the domain name of the official website, followed.

List of games published

Release
date
TitleGenrePlatformDeveloperNotes
2000 Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord Hybrid turn-based /
real-time strategy
Macintosh, WindowsBattlefront.comThe first game in the
Combat Mission series.
2002 Strategic Command: European Theater Turn-based strategyWindowsFury SoftwareThe first game in the
Strategic Command series.
2002 Combat Mission II: Barbarossa to Berlin Turn-based /
real-time strategy
Macintosh, WindowsBattlefront.comThe second game in the CM series.
2003 Combat Mission 3: Afrika Korps Turn-based /
real-time strategy
Macintosh, WindowsBattlefront.comThe third game in the CM series.
2005 T-72: Balkans On Fire! Vehicle simulation Windows1C Company
2005 Down in Flames Vehicle simulationWindowsDan Verssen Games
2005 Strategic Command 2: Blitzkrieg Turn-based strategyWindowsFury SoftwareThe second game in the SC series.
2006 DropTeam: Mechanized Combat in the Far Future Real-time strategyLinux, Macintosh, WindowsTBG Software
2006 Down in Flames: Eastern Front Vehicle simulationWindowsDan Verssen GamesExpansion pack for Down in Flames.
2007 Theatre of War Real-time strategyWindows1C CompanyThe first game in the
Theatre of War series.
2007 Combat Mission: Shock Force Turn-based /
real-time strategy
WindowsBattlefront.comThe fourth game in the CM series.
2007 Strategic Command 2: Weapons and Warfare Turn-based strategyWindowsFury SoftwareExpansion pack for Strategic Command 2.
2008 Strategic Command 2: Patton Drives East Turn-based strategyWindowsFury SoftwareExpansion pack for Strategic Command 2.
2008 Strategic Command WWII Pacific Theater Turn-based strategyWindowsFury SoftwareThe third game in the SC series.
2008 Combat Mission: Shock Force - Marines Turn-based /
real-time strategy
WindowsBattlefront.comExpansion pack for Combat Mission: Shock Force.
2009 Combat Mission: Shock Force - British Forces Turn-based /
real-time strategy
WindowsBattlefront.comExpansion pack for Combat Mission: Shock Force.
2009 Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943 Real-time strategyWindows1C CompanyThe second game in the Theatre of War series.
2009 Theatre of War 2: Centauro Real-time strategyWindows1C CompanyExpansion pack of Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943
2009 Empires of Steel Turn-based strategyWindowsAtomicboy Software
2009 PT Boats: Knights of the Sea SimulationWindowsAkella
2009Combat Mission: AfghanistanTurn-based /
real-time strategy
WindowsSnowballThe fifth game in the CM series [4]
2010 Strategic Command WWII Global Conflict Turn-based strategyWindowsFury SoftwareThe fourth game in the SC series.
2010 Theatre of War 2: Kursk 1943 Real-time strategyWindows1C CompanyExpansion pack for Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943
2010CM:SF - NATOTurn-based /
real-time strategy
WindowsThe third module for Shock Force.
2010CM: Battle for NormandyTurn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows/MacThe first game to utilize the CM:X2 engine.
2012Combat Mission: Fortress ItalyTurn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows/MacSecond title utilizing the CM:X2 engine.
2014CM:Red ThunderTurn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows/MacThird title utilizing the CM:X2 game engine and the first to be set on the Eastern Front of World War II.
2014Combat Mission: Black SeaTurn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows/MacPresents a (then fictitious) escalation to open warfare between Russia and Ukraine, with NATO intervening.
2016Combat Mission: Final BlitzkriegTurn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows/MacSet during the final months of World War II.
2018Combat Mission: Shock Force 2Turn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows/MacBattlefront.comA graphical improvement over Shock Force 1.
2021Combat Mission: Cold WarTurn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows/MacBattlefront.comPresents a Cold War gone hot scenario.

In development

AnnouncedTitleGenrePlatformDeveloperNotes

Cancelled games

First
announced
CancelledTitleGenrePlatformDeveloperNotes
20045 November 2009 [5] Modern Naval Battles: World War II at SeaSimulationWindowsDan Verssen Games [6]
Would be based on a board game of the same name
20052009Combat Mission: CampaignsTurn-based /
real-time strategy
WindowsHunting Tank SoftwareHad been in development well before 2005; work was mainly by private software company under license. [7]
2005 [8] 2009Histwar: Les Grognards [9] Turn-based /
real-time strategy
Windows

Personnel

Matt Faller spent nine years as chief information officer and project manager, leaving the company for employment with Software Generation Ltd. in August 2009. Faller's duties involved design, implementation and support of the battlefront's IT infrastructure and management of customer support. [10]

On July 1, 2010, Battlefront hired Phillip Culliton as a "First Second Programmer" after operating for 13 years with a single coder. [11]

Notes and references

  1. "1C and Battlefront.com announce Theatre of War!". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  2. "Battlefront.com, Inc". MobyGames. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  3. "Shipping date revealed for Combat Mission: Shock Force". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  4. "Combat Mission: Afghanistan". Archived from the original on 2013-06-28. At the official website of Battlefront.com. URL accessed on March 29, 2010
  5. battlefront.com forum announcement Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Modern Naval Battles". At the official website of Battlefront.com. URL accessed on December 12, 2009
  7. "Combat Mission Campaigns announcement". At the official website of Battlefront.com. URL accessed on December 12, 2009
  8. "gamershell announcement". Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2010-08-31.
  9. Flash of Steel website
  10. tvnewscheck article
  11. battlefront.com announcement Archived August 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine

Further reading