Dev Log #1 – Planning the Battle: The Mission Planner

Hi everyone. I am the developer of Battlespace Command. It has been wonderful to see such a positive response to the announcement! In the coming months, I will share more about the game and its progress toward release in these Dev Logs.

Right now, my focus is on one of the core parts of the user interface - the Mission Planner.

Battlespace Command puts you in charge of large numbers of units spread over enormous maps. While you could issue orders directly to each warship, flight of aircraft, and platoon of infantry or vehicles, this can make it difficult to monitor and coordinate the battle as a whole. The Mission Planner allows you to define a series of checkpoints - each with its own settings for speed, RoE, altitude, radar usage, and more.

So, for example, you could assign the following mission to a mixed group of infantry, APCs, and tanks:

• Proceed to Checkpoint 1 at maximum speed, using roads where available, with infantry embarked in transports. Engage enemy forces only if fired upon.

• Once all units arrive at Checkpoint 1, infantry disembark. All units proceed off-road to Checkpoint 2 at moderate speed. Engage all enemy forces spotted.

• Once Checkpoint 2 is clear of hostile forces, re-embark in transports and proceed to Checkpoint 3 at maximum speed. Remain at Checkpoint 3 until 1700Z, then proceed to Checkpoint 4.

Once you give the order to start the mission, your units will execute the orders autonomously - freeing you up to, say, coordinate artillery fire missions, manage air assets, or simply watch the unfolding battle.

Alongside the Mission Planner, work is underway on a radio system. Your forces will announce their progress through their missions using realistic radio procedures. You will hear your units announcing arrival at checkpoints, calling out contact with the enemy, returning to base when they reach bingo fuel, and so on. This supports both immersion and situational awareness.

Looking forward to sharing more about the game's units, terrain system, and combat simulation in future Dev Logs!