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Tanks is a disc-based warfare simulation game which gives you a chance to emulate Rommel and Montgomery. Three scenarios are available: Western Europe, North Africa and the Russian winter. Each scenario gives a different landscape and a choice of tanks relevant to the battle zone. The aim of the game is to move tanks and support units across the countryside in order to reach and capture the objective. In some games, the objective is close at hand: in others it is across the board from the starting position.

After choosing the battle scene, forces on both sides are allocated from a variety of tanks (with different fire-power and manoeuvrability) and support units (a list of typical forces for each scenario is giving in the instruction pamphlet which is provided with the game).

Enemy fortified positions are marked on the map as pill-boxes but enemy tanks are hidden from view until they are within range. Tanks and support units are moved around the map using the keyboard and a cursor. On placing the cursor on a piece, a more detailed 15 by 15 square map is displayed. This screen contains information on the status of the piece ot be moved - that is, its make, speed and numbers of moves available. On engaging an enemy tank another close-up screen of the two tanks is loaded from disc and then the battle commences.

The tanks are stationary and fire shots at one another until they run out of shells or one of the tanks is destroyed. Damage reports are given at the top of the screen and even minor damage may take a number of moves to repair.

The computer moves all of its pieces in a fraction of a second. No encounters occur on the computer's move. However, the enemy does have bombers which frequently fly overhead and those of your tanks that are not under cover in forest are extremely vulnerable to aerial attack.

Finding a path to the objective, avoiding and defusing mines (using sappers), hiding from enemy bombers, attacking fortified positions with mortar units or artillery and keeping tanks refuelled in order to reach the objective make this a very intriguing battle-style game.

Add to this the necessity of protecting the more vulnerable petrol tanker, mortar units and sappers, then this game is one of the best warfare simulations available on the BBC Micro. Highly recommended without reservation.