Why am I writing this? I have been playing this game since around 2004 on and off and would like to share some experiences with Sand of Siberia Ares campaign (5 missions that are available)

1. MISSION 1

Good first mission, I liked the fire model. Action is fast, dialogues are fun. Nothing more to say, I enjoyed this one more than the other mod Arabian Campaign

2. MISSION 2 DELTA

I really like it when we visit the same place that we also see in other campaigns. It seems that Tim Gladstone is fated to die unless it's American campaign :(
Rivalry with Farmer is set up early on and will probably reach a gruesome end just like in the other mod.
BUG - the dialogue about going back to Aviradze triggered BEFORE killing every scientist.
Well-paced mission however in the other mod using the same outline there was a cool sidemission "don't let any of the scientists escape"

IDEA: When setting up a trap by using a radio, maybe there could be an option to choose which of your soldiers speaks and you only succed when you choose Kamil

3 MISSION 3 ATTACKING CONVOYS

What I really liked about this mission is that you can't build another base so building an armoury on the road is off the table. Makes this mission a bit more challenging.
One of the mercenaries - Thursten - says that he has binoculars but going up the hill did not trigger anything

4. MISSION 4 - ATTACKING KIROV BASE AKA THE BEST MISSION IN THE MOD

Attacking base with flamethrowers is lit, they folded just like they did in the Russian campaign. Even the Griszko guy was there with his little outpost. Comparing that to slug in the swamp of the other campain...
The only problem I had was that the question about wanting to delelegate few people to the Soviet lab showed up too early and they were killed by the guys in the armoury. Perhaps the question should be triggered by destruction of the armoury?

5. MISSION 5 - RUSSIAN CONVOYS

APEMAN REVOLUTION APEMAN REVOLUTION APEMAN REVOLUTION

I found this mission both too easy and too hard at the same time. On one hand Russian attacks are weak on the other there is seldom time to research and build everything for the side missions.

Was the looking for flowers dialogue a joke about one of the missions in the other Arabian campaign?

BUG - there seems to be something iffy about Heike and Kaja talking about cameras?

II. GENERAL THOUGHTS ON THE CAMPAIGN

We have been blessed with not one but TWO Arabian campaigns and I would that this one is better made but at the same time easier, at times a lot easier.

I loved that there is voice acting, however I would say that Heike doesn't sound like a hardened mercenary.

I was also surprised how Heike's faith is shown. She is a devout Muslim and it's really interesting, there was nothing quite like it in the other mod. I loved how she used her faith to gain trust of Hasimov. On the other hand, she is a mercenary, on the mission for money, I doubt that she would scream thing like "death to infidels!".

Maybe record more German voices? "ANGRIFF!!!" sounds great

Aviradze, I really hope that he is made into a truly mad scientist in next missions, I lked that about him in the other mod.

All in all I think I prefer camradery between mercenaries in both mods to your soldiers in American and Soviet campaigns.

I read that the campaign will have nine missions. Are there plans to include Legion/Arab choice somewhere down the line? Isn't it too few to tell the entire story?



I hope Kaja isn't going to die horribly.