Sinclair User


Pegasus Bridge

Author: Gary Rook
Publisher: PSS
Machine: Spectrum 48K

 
Published in Sinclair User #71

Pegasus Bridge

Pegasus Bridge is a well designed and provoking game which looks capable of providing earnest strategists with a consistent challenge.

It concentrates on one particular target, a bridge over the Caen canal which saw some heroic and heavy fighting between the German and British troops. Taken by glider borne forces at the start of D-Day, they managed to hold on to it in the face of heavy enemy pressure until eventually relieved. After the war was over, the bridge was officially renamed Pegasus Bridge, after the winged horse used as a unit symbol by the British forces.

You get quite a bit of choice with this one, as you can elect to command either the British or the Germans, with the computer commanding whoever you don't want. Alternatively, you can two player with (obviously) one person commanding each side.

Pegasus Bridge

The game follows what is by now a fairly familiar format, used by most if not all strategy games. A central scrolling map window is surrounded by various other displays indicating time, date, status of troops.

The graphics are crisp and clear, but the symbols used to depict the various forces involved are smaller than I'm used to. In fact, my main problem with the game was attacking a German unit or a speck on the screen.

At the start of the game, assuming that you choose to play the British against a computer-controlled German army as I did, you get to choose where your gliders are going to land. Do this carefully - remember the main objective is to capture and hold Pegasus Bridge.

Also remember that just because you want a glider to land in a particular spot doesn't mean that it necessarily will. High winds may bring it down well away from your chosen target!

Once down, moving troops is easy enough - you just indicate a target point by moving the on-screen cursor there and hit Fire.

The cursor is also used to tell your units which enemy forces to attack. Move the cursor on to the target, hit Fire etc. You have a number of different attack options; you can just wade in and beat someone over the head with your rifles, or you can use ranged fire from your artillery; the Allies also have access to naval gunfire support from the fleet of warships steaming around off-shore, and air power.

There's not really much more that needs to be said. Pegasus Bridge is an entertaining strategy game, which is in general (pun - geddit?) well thought out and programmed.

My main complaint is the relatively small size of the map window and of the units which are depicted on it. I have a lot of difficulty seeing them - maybe I need new glasses.

Overall Summary

Well designed, no nonsense wargame covering an interesting part of the D-Day operations. A little unexciting though.

Gary Rook

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