Combat Mission Shock Force 2: British Forces

My spreadsheet for CMSF2 modules ranks British Forces last on novelty but second on scenario count, and that tension sums up the whole purchase decision in one number. If you have already sunk serious time into the base Shock Force 2 campaign commanding US Stryker and Heavy Brigade Combat Teams against Syrian regulars, irregulars, IEDs and the rest of the asymmetric warfare toolkit, then this module is a well-constructed extension of exactly that loop. It drops you into the same fictional 2008 Syrian conflict from a British Army perspective, handing you formations ranging from Armoured and Recce Regiments down to Light Infantry Battalions, Mech Engineer Troops, and AS90 artillery groups. The scenario designers built the maps to lean into British force strengths, so you will notice the terrain opens up for the attackers in ways the base game's US-centric missions did not always do. The hardware is where committed players will spend the most mental energy. The Challenger 2 is the centrepiece, and while a casual observer might call it a reskinned Abrams, the differences matter at the tactical level Combat Mission operates at. The Warrior IFV carries a heavier gun than its Bradley counterpart, which changes suppression calculus in urban clearance. The Scimitar handles reconnaissance slots in a distinctly lighter, more fragile way than you might expect from a tracked vehicle. There is also a subtle trap for the unwary: the artillery observation vehicles carry dummy guns to disguise their purpose, and sending one to engage a contact instead of calling fire will end badly. That kind of detail is exactly what Battlefront does well, and it is present throughout the British order of battle. As a bonus, the US Army's Infantry Brigade Combat Team formations are bundled in, which quietly rounds out the base game's American side even if that is not the headline feature. The content volume is respectable. One full campaign, 30 standalone scenarios, and a set of Quick Battle maps give you structured progression and free-form sandbox options in the same package. The scenarios are reportedly the strongest element, with map design that holds up to the base game's quality, and multiplayer via WeGo or real-time modes means the human-vs-human community can get use out of this too. The criticism that sticks, though, is that British Forces is the most conservative of the three CMSF2 modules. The Marines DLC reworks amphibious assault and introduces Syrian paratroopers; the NATO module adds three distinct national armies with their own flavour. British Forces largely delivers more of what the base game already did, with vehicles that are functionally close enough to their US equivalents that a player without deep military hardware knowledge may not feel the differentiation. For a newcomer evaluating whether to buy the full bundle: start with the base game and play the Task Force Thunder campaign first. If WeGo turn structure and the pace of issuing fire-and-movement orders to fireteams clicks for you, this module is a straightforward yes. If you bounced off the base game's interface or found the AI scripting unsatisfying, nothing here changes that equation. The scenario editor and mod support that the broader Combat Mission community has built up over years applies here too, extending the lifespan well past the included content if you are willing to go looking. British Forces is not the module that converts a skeptic; it is the one that rewards a believer.

Diego · Scout Team

Strategy & simulation

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