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Say goodbye to shoot-'em-ups, say goodbye to simulations, say goodbye even to arcade adventures and say hello to the world of the computer plus board game - just like Brian Clough's Football Fortunes all over again.

'Cept it isn't quite like that at all. Once you've opened the large box, dropped the 48 little plastic tanks on the floor, read the twenty page manual and unfolded the large and sturdy honeycombed map you begin to realise that this might be something a bit special. And it is - all the way from the strange news that it was coded by an Ireland-based Swedish father and son team.

So what's involved? Basically this - select which of the four possible countries you'd like to represent (with possible alliances and vicious unprovoked assault all part of the game's winsome charm) and then place your tank and armoured vehicles in position on the map. Of course, your opponents and allies will be doing the same. Then - action!

The object of the game is to capture the enemy headquarters (whilst stopping a similar attack on yourself) and updates on the battle are given in the form of newspaper reports on screen. Weather, damage reports and so on affect the action.

The computer decides how far each vehicle can move and how good your shooting is and it's easy to see that initial strategy can have a major effect on the play.

Also on the board are repairing and rebuilding depots so damage isn't necessarily long-lasting. However, your major link with the battle is a display of battle strength showing the number of tanks in active service or being repaired and your major input into the game is through four on-screen icons allowing you to move, attack the enemy HQ or finish your turn.

During close-up battles you also get the chance to input relative strengths of armour, range of shots and so on - the micro does the rest. Then the game switches to a long shot and, from a hill, you can watch the tanks shoot at each other. And so on.

Is it for you? Well, probably not immediately - the game is a superb piece of programming but clearly will interest the veteran wargamer more than anyone. The rest of us may find it a little slow and the lack of any real 'hands on' experience does slow the game down rather. However, with others playing and the smell of battle in the nostrils, it's easy to get quite worked up and enthusiastic about it.

I think it's certainly worth your attention, if only to see the claimed 'artificial intelligence' of the program, consisting of purposeful lies by the machine during some news reports - what fun! Certainly the opportunity to form alliances and so on deepens the game's appeal and there's a nice balance between skill and luck.

Better graphics would have been nice but then when wouldn't they? They're not really needed and the main grumble about the game therefore revolves around getting four players, a playing board, 48 tanks and a computer all on one suitable playing surface.

(And, before you say anything, this isn't just Game of the Month because there's nothing else - it's actually rather good and I like it. So there!)

Dave Reeder