Pyramid Review
Gear Krieg
Published by Dream Pod Nine
Written by David Graham and Richard Meaden
128 pages, $24.95 hardcover
World War II and alternate history have always had a lot in common. Historical wargames are all about exploring different outcomes of WWII battles, and the most compelling and popular alternate history novels have often centered on the question, "What if Hitler had won?" That close association makes Dream Pod Nine's combination of World War II and mecha wargaming seem perfectly logical. It's a natural fit -- the only surprising part is that nobody has ever thought of it before.
In Gear Krieg, pulp superscience is alive and well, and living in the 1940s. Armored "Walkers" stomp through the forests of Europe and the jungles of the Pacific, dodging rocket planes and energy cannons as they pour down fire on tanks and infantry squads. The changes in military history are subtle -- panzers and carriers are still crucial weapons in this world -- but the mechs add a new dimension to classic World War II combat situations.
Dream Pod Nine has developed a convincing world for the walkers. The first third of the book is devoted to the background, presenting the first three years of the war in detail and showing the roles that mechs have played in the France, Crete, the Philippines and many other important battlegrounds. They certainly know their history. Most of what they present really happened, and an unwary reader might just wonder if there really were "supertanks" roaming . . .
This article originally appeared in the second volume of Pyramid. See the current Pyramid website for more information.
Article publication date: September 29, 2000
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