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Jeep uses a variety of four-wheel drive systems on their vehicles. These range from basic part-time systems that require the driver to move a control lever to send power to four wheels, to permanent four-wheel systems that monitor and sense traction needs at all four wheels automatically under all conditions.

Command-Trac[edit]

Command-Trac[edit]

Command-Trac was first introduced using the NP208 transfer case in the full-size Jeeps (SJ series) in 1980. The drive modes are the same as with the Dana 18 and 20 transfer cases: 2Hi, 4HI PT, and 4LO PT. The 4WD modes are not for use on high-traction surfaces such as dry roads. The NP208 was used through at least 1987. Aiseesoft 3d converter 6 3 36.

More commonly, Command-Trac is used to refer to the NP/NV-231 or NP-207 transfer cases introduced along with the Jeep Cherokee (XJ) in 1984. The system offers a chain-driven, aluminum, 'shift-on-the-fly' transfer case. The 'shift-on-the-fly' feature provides manual ease and assist while engaging 4WD. Command-Trac should only be driven in 4WD on low-traction surfaces due to the front and rear axles being locked together (no differential action in the transfer case). Driving in 4WD on dry pavement causes excessive tire and drivetrain wear. Four-wheel modes are most commonly used for wet/slick surfaces or extreme weather conditions (rain, snow, etc.) (4H), towing (N), and off-road activities (4L).

There are reports of a modified version known as NP-231J HD which was supposedly (SP) a 'heavy duty' version for the Jeep Grand Cherokee with V8 engines. The NP/NV-231 case is a chain-driven unit that takes 21- or 23-spline input shafts. The 23-spline was for the AX-15 transmission, and the 21-spline was used for the AX-5 and BA 10/5 transmissions. Low range for this case was 2.72 and high range was 1.00.

The Command-Trac HD transfer case was used in 6-speed Liberty KJ's from 2005 to 2007. Although sometimes referred to as the 'NV(NP)231HD,' the transfer cases are actually the 241 series used in full-sized trucks from other makers (241D or 241C). The Jeep version is labelled 'NV(NP)241J.' This is not the NV241OR transfer case found in the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, which uses a 4.0 low range and has a reinforced case. Dodge uses a 241DHD, which has a reinforced case but the 2.72 low-range.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee/Commander line no longer offers a part-time transfer case option. The reason behind this was its poor sales along with an improved Selec-Trac. Selec-Trac and a simplistic Quadra-Trac had the convenience and comfort of 'Full-Time' all wheel drive that Command-Trac lacked for 'luxury' SUV's that did not require the more rugged part-time system.

The terms 'Command-Trac' and 'Selec-Trac' were used in other Jeep lines and refer to different transfer cases in those lines.

Applications:

• 1984-2001 Jeep Cherokee (XJ)
• 1986-1992 Jeep Comanche (MJ)
• 1987–Present Jeep Wrangler (YJ,TJ,JK,JL)
• 1993-1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ)
• 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty/Cherokee (KJ)
• 1980-1987 Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer (SJ)

Command-Trac II[edit]

Command-Trac II works the same as Command-Trac but uses a console mounted switch to control the MP1522 transfer case as opposed to a floor mounted lever.^[1]

Applications:

• 2008-2012 Jeep Liberty/Cherokee (KK)

Rock-Trac[edit]

Rock-Trac is similar to Command-Trac but uses the New Venture Gear NV241OR and adds locking differentials and 4:1 low gear ratio.^[2] In 2007 an electric front sway bar disconnect was added and the locking differentials switched from air-actuation to electric actuation.

Applications:

• 2003–Present Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (TJ,JK,JL)
• 2005–Present Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (TJ,JK,JL)
• 2020–Present Jeep Gladiator Rubicon (JT)

Selec-Trac[edit]

Selec-Trac[edit]

Selec-Trac was first introduced in the full-size Jeeps (SJ) in 1983 using the New Process NP228 and NP229 transfer cases. These are very similar to the Quadra-Trac NP219 transfer case described in the next section below. The differences are 1) they added a 2WD mode for fuel savings and 2) the 2WD-to-4WD modes were controlled via a vacuum switch on the dashboard. The Hi-N-Lo range selection was still performed using a shift lever on the console. The NP228 differs from the NP229 by not having the viscous coupling in 4WD Hi mode, reverting to a simpler open center differential. Both transfer cases still lock the center differential in 4WD Lo mode. The NP228/229 transfer cases were available in the full-size Jeeps from 1983 to 1991. The NP228 was also available in the XJ Cherokee and Wagoneers and the MJ Comanche pickups from 1984 until replaced by the NP242 in 1987. Several companies have offered a dual shift lever conversion which replaces the vacuum switch and solenoid with a more reliable second console lever for 2WD-4WD mode selection.

The AMC Eagle used the NP119 transfer case in 1980, a strictly full-time all wheel drive model. From 1981 to 1988, a similar system was employed, dubbed 'Select-Drive', which allowed the vehicle to switch from all wheel drive to 2WD using the NP129 model transfer case. The NP129 contained a viscous coupling around an open differential for added traction in slippery conditions. The NP128 has also been found equipped in select model years, which does not feature a viscous coupling.

The NP242 Selec-Trac transfer case debuted alongside the Fuel-Injected 4.0L Inline-6 in the compact Jeep Cherokee in 1987. The shifter has modes 2WD - 4WD Hi Part-Time - 4WD Hi Full-Time - N - 4WD Low. There is a center differential that is open in 4WD Hi Full-Time mode and distributes torque 48/52% front-to-rear. This mode can be used on dry pavement or slippery surfaces with only a small fuel mileage penalty compared to 2WD mode. In 4WD Hi Part-Time and 4WD Low, the center differential is mechanically locked, so these modes are for slippery surfaces only.^[3] Low range engages a 2.72:1 planetary gear ratio for increased torque and low speeds. Overall, this system functions very much like the NP228 transfer case above, just with all of the mode and range controls via a single, console-mounted shift lever. It was available in the 1987 to 2001 XJ Cherokee and Wagoneer, the 1987 to 1992 MJ Comanche, the 1993 to 2004 ZJ and WJ Grand Cherokees, the 2002 to 2007 KJ Liberty, and the 1998 to 2000 Dodge Durango. It was replaced in the 2005 Grand Cherokee by the Quadra-Trac II system featuring the NV245 transfer case with 4WD Auto mode and in the 2008 KK Liberty by Selec-Trac II using the MP3022 transfer case.

Applications:

• 1983–1991 Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer and Jeep full-size pickups (SJ)
• 1984–2001 Jeep Cherokee/Wagoneer (XJ)
• 1986–1992 Jeep Comanche (MJ) *note, 1986 models were available with Selec-Trac utilizing only the NP228/NP229
• 1993–2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ, WJ)
• 1998–2000 Dodge Durango
• 2002–2007 Jeep Liberty/Cherokee (KJ)

Selec-Trac II[edit]

Selec-Trac II uses a console mounted switch to control the MP3022 transfer case. The switch controls the 4WD mode with options of 2WD - 4WD Auto - N - 4WD Low. The MP3022 transfer case uses an electronically controlled clutch pack to bias torque from 100% rear to 50/50% front/rear. The transfer case has no center differential, so power can only be supplied to the front axle when the rear wheels begin to slip. In this way, the transfer case works almost identically to the NV247 transfer case used in the Quadra-Trac II system in 1999 to 2004 WJ Jeep Grand Cherokees. In 4WD Low mode, the clutch pack is locked and power flows through a 2.72:1 planetary gear set for higher torque at lower speeds.^[4][5]

The 2018 and newer JL Wrangler comes by default with Command-Trac, but its Sahara trim can be upgraded to Selec-Trac II, marketed as simply Selec-Trac, utilizing the MP3022 transfer case.

Applications:

• 2008–2012 Jeep Liberty/Cherokee (KK)
• 2018–Present Jeep Wrangler Sahara (JL)

Quadra-Trac[edit]

Eon 2 7 5 – simple and elegant time tracking. The Quadra-Trac name is used on a variety of full-time 4WD systems. The first version used the Borg-Warner BW1339 transfer case and was produced from 1973 to 1979.^[6] The next version used the New Process NP219 transfer case and was produced from 1980 to 1982. From 1993 to 1995 the New Process NP249 transfer case carried the name. And from 1996 to 1998 the transfer case was manufactured by New Venture Gear with some minor improvements and it was renamed the NV249.

Quadra-Trac was the trade name for the Borg-Warner 1305 and 1339 gear cases. It was a chain-drive system introduced in 1973 on the full-sized Jeep line behind the AMC version of the Turbo-Hydramatic 400 automatic transmission. CJ7s also received the Quadra-Trac starting in 1976. The BW1305 included 1) a differential with a cone-type slip-limiting clutch to distribute torque between the front and rear output shafts and 2) a vacuum-switch-operated differential lock. It offered only 4WD Hi modes in full-time (open) or part-time (locked) modes. The BW1339 added a 2.57:1 low range gearset to the BW1305, enabling 5 modes: 4WD Hi Locked, 4WD Hi Open, Neutral, 4WD Low Open, and 4WD Low Locked.

The Jeep Quadra-Trac was differentiated from the open 'New Process' Gear NP203 used by Dodge, General Motors, and Ford in that it included a center limited slip differential feature, in this case a clutch pack.

Applications:

• 1973-1979 Jeep Wagoneer (SJ)
• 1973-1979 Jeep Cherokee (SJ)
• 1973-1979 Jeep Gladiator
• 1976-1979 Jeep CJ-7

The Borg-Warner system was replaced with a 'New Process Gear' NP219-based system in 1980^[7] The NP219 Quadra-Trac transfer case was available in full-size Jeep Cherokee, Wagoneer, and Grand Wagoneer from 1980 through 1982. It offered the following modes: 4H LK, 4H, N, and 4L. In 4H (full-time 4WD High) a center differential with a viscous limited-slip coupling is used between the front and rear output shafts. Standard plain text editor for mac. A 2.61:1 low range was engaged in 4WD Lo mode. And in both '4H LK' (4WD Hi Locked) and '4L' modes the center differential is mechanically locked. The 'N' mode disengages the transfer case, transmission, and engine from the axles, thus enabling flat-towing the Jeep behind another vehicle. In 1983, the NP219-based Quadra-Trac system was replaced by the NP228/229-based Selec-Trac, adding a fuel-saving 2WD mode to the full- and part-time 4WD modes of Quadra-Trac.

Applications:

• 1980-1982 Jeep Wagoneer and full-size pickups (SJ)

In 1993 Jeep re-introduced Quadra-Trac, this time on the Jeep Grand Cherokee using the NP249 transfer case. Like the NP219, this transfer case utilizes a center differential with a viscous coupler to provide smooth and efficient four-wheel drive operation on all surfaces. This system has 4WD All-Time, Neutral, and 4WD Low modes. In normal 4WD All-time mode, the center differential is open and distributes torque to both the front and rear axles. When a difference in speed occurs between the axles, heat buildup causes the viscous fluid inside the coupler to thicken, which progressively locks the center differential thus transferring power to the axle with more traction. In 4WD Low, the input torque is multiplied through a 2.72:1 planetary gearset.^[8] NP249 transfer cases used the viscous coupler to transfer power in both high and low ranges.

Applications:

• 1993-1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ)

In 1996 the NP249 was replaced with the New Venture Gear NV249 transfer case. This added a mechanical differential lock to 4WD Low mode, making it much more durable for serious off-road use. The NV249-based Quadra-Trac system was replaced by the NV247-based Quadra-Trac II system for the 1999 to 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ).

Applications:

• 1996-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee (ZJ)

Quadra-Trac II[edit]

Quadra-Trac II was introduced in 1999 and it employs a two-speed chain-driven transfer case featuring three modes of operation, '4-All Time', 'N' or neutral, and '4-Lo'. Two different transfer cases were used, the NV247 in 1999-2004 WJs and the NV245 in 2005-2010 WKs and 2006-2009 XKs.

For the 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees using the NV247 transfer case, in '4-All Time' mode torque is applied to only the rear wheels under normal driving conditions. A gerotor pump is connected between the front and rear output shafts and senses any speed difference between them. When the shafts are turning at different speeds (wheel slippage), the pump supplies oil under pressure to a wet clutch pack. The clutch pack applies progressive 0 to 100% locking between the front and rear output shafts. For example, if the rear axle starts rotating at a significantly higher rate than the front axle, the gerotor pump causes the clutch pack to progressively lock, transferring torque to the front axle until both axles are driven at the same speed. The apply pressure in the clutch pack bleeds off slowly, which progressively unlocks the clutch pack and biases torque output towards 'rear only' unless the rear wheels are still slipping. There is no center differential, so on dry pavement the front and rear output shafts cannot be locked without causing driveline binding. The 'N' or neutral mode is intended for towing the vehicle. In '4-Lo' mode, the input shaft drives through a 2.72:1 reduction planetary gear set and the front and rear axles are locked together through the clutch pack. This same NV247 transfer case is the foundation for the Quadra-Drive system described below.

In 2005 Jeep replaced the New Venture Gear NV247 transfer case with the NV245 transfer case. This transfer case actually has a center differential, allowing both the front and rear axles to have power supplied to them without driveline binding, even on dry pavement. The torque distribution under normal driving conditions (no tire slippage) is 48% front and 52% rear. There is also an electronically controlled variable lockup clutch pack that can apply progressive 0 to 100% locking across the center differential. This is the improvement over the Selec-Trac NV242 transfer case, as that system has only fully unlocked and fully locked settings and requires manual shifting between them. And finally, the NV245 has the 'N' and '4WD Low' modes which act in the same manner as in the NV247 transfer case above.

The major difference between the NV245-based Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II is that Quadra-Trac II uses the Brake Traction Control System (BTCS) instead of electronically controlled differentials. When it senses a left-to-right speed differences between wheel hubs BTCS can apply each of the vehicle's brakes independently, similar to anti-lock brakes, enabling Quadra-Trac II's open front and rear differentials to offer limited-slip capabilities.

Applications:

• 1999–Present Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ,WK,WK2)
• 2006-2009 Jeep Commander (XK)

Quadra-Trac I[edit]

Quadra-Trac I was introduced in 2004 and works similarly to the Quadra-Trac II system, but eliminates the '4 Lo' and 'N' or neutral modes. By excluding these modes it creates a system that requires no driver input.^[9] In 2005 Jeep added the brake traction control system and replaced the New Venture Gear NV147 transfer case^[10] with the NV140 transfer case.

Applications:

• 2004–present Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ,WK,WK2)
• 2006-2009 Jeep Commander (XK)

Quadra-Drive[edit]

The Quadra-Drive system was introduced in 1999 and is based on the Quadra-Trac II system but adds limited slip differentials to the front and rear axles to create a four-wheel drive system capable of not only directing torque to the axle with best traction but to the individual wheel on an axle with best traction.

Quadra-Drive[edit]

Quadra-Drive uses the New Venture Gear NV247 transfer case mated to front and rear axles containing Jeep's Vari-Lok which are gerotor style limited slip differentials.Applications:

• 1999-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ)

Quadra-Drive II[edit]

Quadra-Drive II uses the New Venture Gear NV245 transfer case mated to front and rear axles containing electronic limited slip differentials or ELSDs. Jeep added traction control in 2005 and starting in 2011 only a rear ELSD is offered, while the front has an open differential.

Applications:

• 2005–Present Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK,WK2)
• 2006-2010 Jeep Commander (XK)

Freedom Drive[edit]

Freedom Drive is Jeep's four wheel drive system used in its compact crossover SUVs based on a front wheel drive platform, the Compass and Patriot. There are two versions of the basic Freedom Drive system for the US Market, called I and II.

Freedom Drive I[edit]

Freedom Drive I is a light duty full-time electronically controlled all wheel drive system with a locking mode to set the front/rear torque split for especially slippery conditions in the Jeeps derived from the Chrysler/Mitsubishi GS Platform.

Applications:

• 2007–2017 Jeep Compass (MK)
• 2007–2017 Jeep Patriot (MK)

Freedom Drive II[edit]

Freedom Drive II uses the same hardware as the FDI system but adds a lower axle gear ratio in conjunction with the CVT to simulate the benefits of a low-range transfer case, giving a 19:1 overall gear ratio for off-road use. This function is an alternate program in the CVT and is not a transfer case function. FDII also adds a hill descent control system, off-road tuned traction control, and electronic stability program. The Patriot with FDII also features longer suspension travel (all 4x4, post 2011 models have the same suspension), skid plates, tow hooks, and a full-size spare tire. This enables the FDII-equipped Patriot to wear the 'Trail Rated' badge from Jeep. Trail Rated Jeep vehicles are determined by meeting several requirements of off-road conditions including water fording, articulation, and other tests.

Applications:

• 2007–2017 Jeep Patriot (MK)
• 2011–2017 Jeep Compass (MK)

For the European Market there is a single version which combines elements of both U.S. versions. The European version is available with either a CVT gearbox or most commonly with a 6-speed manual gearbox and has two settings on the traction control and electronic stability program systems to cater for off-road activity, U.S. FDII suspension travel and a full-size spare tire. Skid plates and tow hooks are options in the EU, but the hill descent control system is not available.

Applications:

• 2007–present Jeep Compass (MK)
• 2007–present Jeep Patriot (MK)

Active Drive[edit]

Active Drive I[edit]

Slot machine games for windows 10. Active Drive I is a full-time four-wheel drive system that requires no driver input. This system under normal conditions sends all available torque to the front wheels while monitoring the speed of the front and rear axles. If the system detects that the front axle is moving more quickly than the rear axle then the system will send power through the power transfer unit to the rear axle until the speeds are the same.^[11]

Applications:

• 2014–present Jeep Cherokee (KL)
• 2015–present Jeep Renegade (BU)
• 2016–present Jeep Compass (MP)
• 2018–present Jeep Grand Commander

Active Drive II[edit]

Active Drive II includes all of the features of Active Drive I but adds a low gear range. When in '4-Low' mode the front and rear axles are locked together and power is sent to all four-wheels through a 2.92:1 gear reduction in the power transfer unit; providing a crawl ratio of 56:1 for four cylinder Jeep Cherokees and a 47.8:1 crawl ratio for six-cylinder Cherokees. All Cherokees with this system have a raised ride height of one inch.^[11]

Applications:

• 2014–present Jeep Cherokee (KL)

Active Drive Low[edit]

Active Drive Low includes all of the features of Active Drive I but denotes a greater possible crawl ratio. When in '4-Low' mode the front and rear axles are locked together and power is sent to all four-wheels through the power transfer unit although no low range gear reduction occurs. Active Drive low relies on shorter axle gear ratios while holding first gear in the ZF9HP transmission to achieve a crawl ratio of 20:1; similar in effect to Freedom Drive II.

Applications:

• 2015–present Jeep Renegade (BU)
• 2018–present Jeep Compass (MP)

Active Drive Lock[edit]

Active Drive Lock includes all the features of Active Drive II but adds 'rock' mode to the Selec-terrain system and locking rear differential for better traction when used off-road. What is the latest version of apple macintosh operating system. This four-wheel drive system combined with tow hooks, skid plates, and unique front and rear fascias allows the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk models to obtain the 'Trail Rated' badge from Jeep.^[11]

Applications:

• 2014–present Jeep Cherokee (KL)

Selec-Terrain[edit]

Selec-Terrain is a system designed to calibrate the vehicle to provide the best on-road and off-road performance; depending on which terrain mode is selected. The modes are selected by a dial located near the center console and have five settings: 'Auto', 'Snow', 'Sport', 'Sand/Mud' and 'Rock'. This system was first offered in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It also comes standard on all 2014 Jeep Cherokees with four-wheel drive and all Jeep Grand Cherokees with a two-speed transfer case.

Applications:

• 2011–present Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK2)
• 2014–present Jeep Cherokee (KL)
• 2014–present Jeep Renegade (BU)
• 2016–present Jeep Compass (MP)
• 2018–present Jeep Grand Commander

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Jeep 4x4 Basics'. jeep.com. Archived from the original on 2012-08-07. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
2. ^'Jeep 4x4 Basics'. jeep.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
3. ^http://media.fcanorthamerica.com/pdf.do?id=1506
4. ^'Jeep 4x4 Basics'. jeep.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
5. ^'Selec-Trac II (MP 3022) and CommandTrac II (MP 1522)'. lostjeeps.com/forum. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
6. ^Allen, Jim (1998). Jeep 4x4 Performance Handbook. MotorBooks/MBI Publishing. p. 90. ISBN978-0-7603-0470-9.
7. ^John, Full-size Jeep pages on wagoneers.com 25 February 2002Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 9 October 2010.
8. ^McCraw, Jim (November 1992). '4x4 when the going gets tough'. Popular Science. 251 (5): 112. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
9. ^'Jeep 4x4 Basics'. jeep.com. Archived from the original on 2012-06-29. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
10. ^WJ Four-Wheel Drive Systems, WJ Jeeps.com. Retrieved on 9 October 2010.
11. ^ ^abcHarley, Michael (27 March 2013). '2014 Jeep Cherokee flaunts its new contemporary curves'. autoblog.com. Autoblog.com. Retrieved 27 March 2013.

Before starting this review I need to declare an interest. I've been playing naval wargames on computers since Harpoon appeared in 1989 (as long ago as that – I couldn't believe it when I looked it up!) I bought CMANO when it first came out, at full price, and have never regretted it – I absolutely love the game. When I heard that a new version of CMANO, Command Modern Operations (CMO), was being released I was over the moon. I've now had a chance to play a review copy of the game and while I'm still excited about the new version, I've also a few niggles with it.

First Impressions

The start screen of CMO is gorgeous. It fills your monitor with a blue spinning globe and looks much better than the standard Windows dialogues in CMANO. The initial load time in CMO is several seconds and doesn't seem much different from the previous game. All the scenarios from the original game are there and have been reworked to include some of the new features in CMO. If you've previously bought LIVE scenarios or battlesets like Chains of War then these are available in CMO Sketch 3 4 1 download free. too.

The World at your fingertips

Just as in CMANO, CMO gives you the whole World to play with. It presents you with the globe and you can zoom down to look in detail at whatever part of the planet you are currently fighting over. CMO includes a whole bunch of new map layers and the effect on the maps is amazing.

The default is the ‘Sentinel-2 satellite map' that does exactly what it says. It's a full colour satellite image of the entire planet. Zooming down you can clearly see urban areas, runways, roads and all the other stuff you might want to blow up. The level of zoom isn't as high as Google Earth – you can't make out house sized structures – but it gives enough detail to help produce a real sense of immersion when planning a strike.

The BMNG Layer is pretty much that same as in CMANO and I can't really see myself using it much in the future as the other map modes are so much better. The ‘Relief Layer' is also the same as CMANO but much more useful than BMNG as it helps spot valleys to hide things in. The new ‘Line of sight' tool is a great help in this too as it can be used on friendly AND enemy units to allow you to see blind spots.

A new map mode ‘Stamen – Terrain' also allows you to look at the lie of the land, but includes roads and, if you zoom down far enough, even street plans of towns and cities. ‘Stamen – Roads and Cities' is a layer that allows you to superimpose the roads and street plans on top of another map, such as the Sentinel satellite map.

One of the new game features in CMO is terrain (e.g. urban, cropland, evergreen forest, etc). The type of terrain under the cursor is included in the datablock that appears alongside the cursor, but if you want to get an overall picture of the terrain in an area then there is a ‘Landcover' map. I've found this one a bit awkward to use. It doesn't seem to like being combined with some other maps and layers and doesn't respond well to zooming – sometimes the image disappears completely.

I used to work here.

I know that the developers have claimed that map performance for panning and zooming has been improved in CMO. To be honest I'm not sure I see very much difference. When first zooming on an area there is often a wait of several seconds before the program finds and loads the appropriate tiles. I'm using an old fashioned hard drive – if you have an SSD you probably won't be troubled by this (and probably weren't in CMANO either!) It's not a deal breaker, just a minor irritation and subsequent zooms when the data has been cached are much quicker.

The new maps in CMO are lovely and probably my favourite feature of the new program. They help immersion in the game, but are also practically useful for accurately placing targets or figuring out the best approaches for an attack.

User interface

Instead of Microsoft grey, all of the dialogues and windows backgrounds are now dark grey with, mainly, white writing. At first I thought this was a bit of a gimmick, but after playing with game for about 15 hours I now really like it. It's much easier on the eyes and it seems to be easier to glance at panels and get information. It's very subjective I know, but I like it!

A big addition is that database entries now come with images (that are apparently downloaded as required) and some with descriptions. This saves you from going looking for the image packs that were previously available on the internet. Although seeing pictures doesn't change the gameplay I think it does work wonders for increasing immersion. I also like some descriptive text, as I find scanning through the platform or weapon data doesn't really tell me what the thing I'm looking at is to be used for (Wikipedia is usually open when I play CMANO).

A really nice new feature is the message balloons. These can be setup in the game ‘options' in the same dialogue as the message log items. If you set a particular item to appear in a balloon then the message will appear for a few seconds in a balloon that is tied to the map location that the message refers to. This makes it much easier to make sense of things like new contact messages as you can see immediately where the contact is. The message log itself has also been changed so that messages are sorted under particular categories. If you don't like this (and I still haven't got used to it) then it's possible to switch back to a ‘Raw text view'.

Another great new feature is the list that appears when you click on an area where multiple units are present. You can then select the unit you want by simply clicking it on the list. This used to drive me nuts in CMANO where unit selection involved multiple clicks or zooming up and down to try to reach the unit you were after.

The new message log.

Review Command 1 4 – Track App Ratings List

The simulation is controlled by some buttons at the top left of the window. The left most button controls time acceleration which can be x1, x2, x5 or ‘warp speed' (the simulation runs as fast as the computer allows). A few more acceleration intervals would be handy as warp speed on simpler scenarios is really fast and it's easy to miss things if you don't have pop-ups set. To the right of the time acceleration button is another button that toggles the simulation from run to pause and back again. Immediately to the right of this toggle button is the record button that allows you to record play.

I thought this was a new feature as I had never used it in CMANO, but it was there – the difference was that the button wasn't next to the simulation control button. The record button has a red circle on it and several times in the heat of battle I found myself hitting it in the hope of stopping the simulation – I might get used to it, but I find it slightly irritating. At the bottom of the main window are buttons that allow you to run the simulation for fixed intervals of simulated time (15sec, 1 min, 5 min and 15 min). This doesn't run the simulation any faster and I can't think of any reason I'd want to use these buttons. Maybe they are there to support multiplayer play in the future?

There is also another row of buttons at the top of the window that allow you to do things like plot courses, access the formation editor, etc. I'm too used to right-clicking and selecting things from the menus to bother using these, but they may be useful to players new to the game.

Simulation engine

I've been involved in building simulation software (for the chemical industry) and know just how complicated and underappreciated the code that actually does the hard work is. CMANO and CMO are pretty complicated simulations with hundreds, or even thousands, of individual units and weapons each of which may have multiple sensors. Making changes to a simulation engine and keeping it working properly can be a big challenge and so I was interested to hear the developers claim that simulation performance in CMO was improved.

To test it I ran two fairly big scenarios ‘Don of a new Era' and ‘Hail Mary' (from Chains of War) for sixty seconds of real time in both CMANO and CMO. I ran the simulations without making any orders, so only the AI routines were running. CMANO was set to run at its maximum time acceleration (x1800, although my computer never comes close to this) and with no pulse. CMO was set to ‘warp speed'. In the sixty seconds of real time CMANO managed to run 778 simulated seconds in ‘Don' and 675 simulated seconds in ‘Hail Mary'. CMO ran 959 simulated seconds in ‘Don' and 847 simulated seconds in ‘Hail Mary'.

It can be said with a modest degree of confidence then that the new engine is faster (by about 25%).

Ground Operations

The addition of terrain and its effects on both ground units and the things targeting them is potentially a big addition to the game, and something I'm excited about. I was particularly interested in the developers' claims that the type of terrain altered the relative effectiveness of different weapons (e.g. napalm was better in the jungle than HE). I decided to test this using the LUA target script from my previous Command School article.

To run the test I used 10 waves of 10 F-18's, using iron bombs (database #4464), M77 incendiaries (#13681) and GBU-16Bs(#3602) against British Royal(sic) Infantry Platoons (#709). The WRA was set to drop two weapons per target. I ran each weapon test twice – once in the Sahara desert and once in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. The number of infantry sections killed are shown in the table:

The thing to look at isn't the differences between the different weapons, because that's affected by stuff like damage points, accuracy, etc, but instead to look at the effects of the terrain. Of course, there is a degree of randomness in this, so differences in the numbers might not show real effects (statistical health warning!) Iron bombs do seem to be worse in Jungle terrain, whereas napalm seems to be relatively unaffected by the change in terrain. However, the guided bombs seemed to do better in the jungle! I've no idea why this is the case – the aircraft in the jungle did seem to take more time to actually drop the guided bombs but the WRA was the same and the individual targets should have been far enough apart to avoid splash damage. I think there is some more work required here from the developers.

Another feature of adding terrain is that land units moving through it will plot their own path between objectives to minimise the movement cost. This is quite a challenge given the sheer amount of ‘terrain' present on the planet. Unfortunately there seems to be a problem with this too. I found this when running the ‘Raid on Kismayo' scenario – this is one of the scenarios recommended in the manual for learning the game. Part of the scenario involves a car leaving an airfield that has to be tracked by a drone. In CMO it is completely impossible to complete this scenario as the car continually oscillates between self-generated waypoints. I opened the scenario up in the editor and the cars path is plotted, but the new pathing algorithm avoids this path and generates its own (very badly).

There and Back Again - A Car's Story in Two Parts.

Although improved ground operations is a great addition to the game, the code to implement it doesn't seem to work as well as it should at the moment.

Gameplay

To give CMO a proper trial I decided to play through all of the scenarios listed in the manual as suitable for learning the basics of the game plus a few others. I'd already played many of these in CMANO. The first thing I noticed is that these scenarios have really been reworked. Some have different unit mixes and the first time I saw a life-raft appear after one of my aircraft was shot down I nearly fell off my seat.

I liked the new user interface as it seemed to be easier to work with and less tiring on the eyes. The message balloons were really useful. The speed of the simulation did mean that I had to use more pop-ups that I usually do to stop things when something significant happened, but this wasn't a major problem.

I did have three or four crashes during play, and most of them occurred when I tried to implement a ‘special action'. All but one of the crashes simply shutdown the program and I was easily able to restart the scenario I was playing from autosave. One crash, however, didn't cleanly exit the program – the window disappeared but something continued running in the background that prevented me restarting CMO. I had to restart my computer to clear the problem, although I was still able to continue from the autosave.

I've already mentioned the issue with the ‘Raid on Kismayo' scenario, but there were some other gameplay problems too. Occasionally the information displayed just seem to make no sense, for example this unit display appeared while I was playing Khark Island Raid.

Review Command 1 4 – Track App Ratings Today

I also had problems in the scenario ‘Iron Hand' where I found it impossible to persuade my aircraft to shoot anything themselves. I used ‘Alt-F1' to try and figure out the problem and was told that the ‘Weapon Control Status (WCS) is WEAPONS HOLD'. Sure enough it was, but nothing I did in the doctrine windows (overall and mission) would change this – it just seemed stuck. This only happened in the one scenario, but there does seem to be a problem there.

What's not there and would I buy it?

Although CMO is a new game the only things that are radically different from CMNAO from a player perspective is the ability to link to Tacview and the option to generate quick battles. https://solcihinno1982.mystrikingly.com/blog/mac-default-password-administrator. Everything else is pretty similar to the older game but nicer. I personally won't be spending £60 buying Tacview as I find it hard enough to keep on top of what's going on in CMO already without being distracted by 3-D aeroplanes. I also don't see myself using the quick battle generator as the scenario editor is easy to use and much more flexible.

I'm a bit disappointed that the developers have added features that I think are of marginal value, but have failed to add some really important things. For me, the big omission in CMO is an advanced strike planner and the poll on the Matrix games site suggests that many players feel the same way. We can only hope that the work the developers have done on the game engine is with a view to adding the features most requested by players in the future.

Would I buy CMO? At the moment it's a bit buggy, but this is to be expected with such a complex game. I'm sure the developers will fix it quickly as they've supported CMANO for years, adding lots of new content as well as squashing bugs. It looks beautiful and the new user interface works really well. It's worth noting that owners of the original CMANO base-game will be eligible to purchase CMO for a 50% discount up to January 31st, 2020. You can read how you do that here. Since the final price is £67, you're looking at an 'upgrade' price of £33.5. You can make up your own mind as to whether that's a good enough upgrade price or not but I'd personally wouldn't pay more than £20 for it if I'm taking it on faith that the developers will fix the problems and add more content that I think the platform actually needs.

It's also worth noting though that If I was a new buyer, and interested in modern naval/air warfare, this would be an instant purchase even at full price. It's much prettier than CMANO will become the base for most of WarfareSims future development as the original game will no longer be available to purchase after today, although you'll still be able to play it.

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