But these are khaki-clad drops in an ocean of military mediocrity. Engineers can build bunkers, airborne units can make paradrops, and you can use special powers at the crucial point in the battle.

Trouble is, when the fighting starts, tedious drag-and-drop mass assault tactics and creeping defence building ensues, and once again an RTS betrays its genre, featuring very little in the way of the eponymous strategy. and aircraft are called in one at a time to either bomb or scout. The only naval units available are battleships - which are little more than floating HQs.

Units are grouped into regiments, each with six or so troops, trucks or tanks. An ever-expanding border shows the limit of your power, and within this area, troops can be re-supplied and new constructions built. The base building and resource gathering system is fairly interesting, revolving around constructing HQs that produce and manage your armies, and depots that expand your terrain and generate cash, oil, supplies and ammo. You can zoom in a little, though apart from the odd detail like trees crushed under tank tracks, there's not much to look at. The RTS battles are fought over dull, isometric maps.

Axis and allies computer game free 2004