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War in the East recreates the initial stages of the struggle between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia (lets get cliched here guys).

It begins with Operation Barbarossa, and then moves into the assault on Moscow.

The player controls the Germans, and the computer runs the Russians. The German forces include infantry and Panzer divisions. When they take damage, they suffer step reduction and become brigade size units. Further damage destroys them. The Russians have weak infantry, tougher infantry and tough tank units.

Initially, the player should launch an all out attack against the Russian front line which will effectively dissolve. Then drive on Moscow, leaving any surviving Russian units to be mopped up by your rear echelon troops. Don't let your valuable Panzer divisions take too much damage.

In addition, keep an eye on the square at the bottom of the screen. This indicates how far the German supply lines stretch to the East. Move further East and your units are out of supply, which halves their combat strength and makes them sitting ducks.

The objective of the game is to capture and hold on to Moscow. I entered the Russian capital, but was driven out in the same turn, which apparently doesn't count By the time I got close again, the Russian reinforcements had arrived and I faced a mass of Red Army units.

Not a bad game, though very simplistic. But when I loaded it in I had an awful feeling of deja vu, which I finally pinned down. War in the East looks and feels very similar to Eastern Front, written by the famous programmer Chris Crawford five or six years ago for the first Atari micros. Even now it beats War in the East hollow.

OK, but nothing more than a straight slog. The scenario has rather been done to death elsewhere too. Expensive.