The Hybrid Front
From Sega Retro
The Hybrid Front | |||||||||||||||
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System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Virtual Console | |||||||||||||||
Publisher: Sega | |||||||||||||||
Developer: Sega RPG Production,[1] Oniro, H.I.C. M2 | |||||||||||||||
Sound driver: SMPS Z80 | |||||||||||||||
Genre: Simulation[2][3] | |||||||||||||||
Number of players: 1 | |||||||||||||||
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The Hybrid Front (ハイブリッド・フロント) is a 1994 strategy game by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive released exclusively in Japan.
Contents
Story
In the late 21st century, a global economic crisis causes widespread poverty around the world. Looking for a way to avoid economical collapse, many countries turn to corporations for help and "Corporate Support Laws" are established in 2072, giving the corporations great concessions. Soon after, corporations form their own military forces.
In 23rd century, Peak Oil is reached and middle eastern oil producing countries fade away, giving way to cheaper and more easily produced hydrogen based fuel production. As the countries switch to hydrogen based power, corporations begin experimenting with solar power by establishing several space colonies in the Earth Orbit.
In 2243, corporations who developed the orbital belt propose "Orbital Corporation Autonomy Law", a resolution that will grealy increase their power and give them sovereign status. Unsurprisingly, countries reject the proposal and announce that they will curtail the power of the corporations.
Over the course of the 23rd century, tensions between Earth and corporations gradually escalate and finally, in 2302, first all out war between Earth Governments and Corporations break out. Dubbed "First Orbital War", the conflict ends with inconclusive results.
In 2307, corporations establish COCOON, (COoperation COmmunity of Orbital Negotaion), a massive supra-national body to challenge the Earth Governments more openly.
Two years later, in 2309, "Second Orbital War", also known as "Hammer War" begins. With the Earth Orbit is under their total control, corporations use orbital weapon platforms called "Metal Hammers" and reduce major cities around the world to rubble. Soon, in 2315, Earth Govenments propose a conditional ceasefire. COCOON stations its troops all over the Earth for "Peacekeeping" and establishes a legislative body called, "Provisional Inspection Legislative Council" to enforce the armstice.
In 2391, COCOON establishes "Pan-Earth Treaty Organization", (PETO) to prevent further conflicts. With the Earth is more or less under total control of COCOON, Earth embraks on her slow road to recovery.
In the post-war Earth of 26th Century, logistics are handled by group of individuals who are known as the "Mules" who can deliver anything as long as they can be afforded. Players will take control of Sarira, leader of the local Mule group. Over the course of the game Sarira will become the leader of the rebellion against the COCOON and attempt to save the Earth from corporations' control.
Gameplay
Hybrid Front is a turn based strategy game similar to SSI's Panzer General or Daisenryaku series. Players will take control of a military force consisting multiple units ranging from infantry to tanks, helicopters or fighter jets and such.
Characters
Majority of these characters will join up automatically but some of them are secret characters that require completing some optional objectives.
Generally speaking, older characters start with higher stats but they gain very little growth and younger characters will eventually overtake them in terms of stats. Younger characters start weaker but gain more stats growth after each level up.
Leveling up is character-specific. Meaning that characters will always gain same points to their stats after leveling up.
If characters are destroyed during combat, they will return at the beginning of the next level but they will lose all of their experience points (not the experience level). Manual explains it as characters suffering a mental trauma due to the near-death experience they have been through.
Character Stats
- Experience Points: Every time a character reaches 250 experience points he/she will level up to the next level. Destroying enemy units will give most experience but attacking and defending increase experience as well.
- Experience Level: There are 6 levels in total. From worst to best: E-D-C-B-A-Ace (Represented with a "Spade" symbol)
- Air Defence: Lowers damage from enemy air attacks.
- Ground Defence: Lowers damage from enemy ground attacks.
- Anti-Air: Increases damage against air targets.
- Hard Attack: Increases damage against armored vehicles, such as tanks etc.
- Soft Attack: Increases damage against unarmored vehicles, such as infantry, artillery etc.
- Anti-Ship: Increases damage against enemy warships.
- Initiative: A unique ability that allows user to strike first during direct (when you attack an enemy right next to your unit, regardless of who attacks first) attacks. Very useful advantage as it allows character to sometimes kill enemy before it can counter-attack. If both sides have initiative bonus, who ever initiates the attack will strike first.
- Indirect:: Accuracy of indirect (a weapon with range of 2 and above) weapon when fired by the character. Stat bonus is added on weapon's accuracy. For example: If a character who has an indirect stat of 20 fires an artillery gun with an accuracy of 75, that attack will have 95% hit rate.
Units
Warships | |
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Appearing in the second half of the game, this unit class contains space ships, including frigates, destroyers, cruisers etc. They have immense health and powerful weapons but they usually move quite slowly. Nevertheless, how you use them usually determines whether or not you will win the mission, so you should pick the best pilot for your strongest ships. Even though they are all considered space ships, they are different ships for different operations. For example, Wesel class is useful against space fighters. Trinidad and Vajis classes are useful against all types of enemies. Tigress and Duplicity class units are best used against other enemy warships.
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Carriers | |
These units can carry other units and supply/repair them while carrying them. While they have considerable health, their weapons are usually only decent enough to defend themselves so it is best to keep them out of combat. They can resupply and refuel all units they carrying in one turn but only repair two points of damage each turn. Landing/loading into units do not take turn off the carrier units, so it is best to load units into carriers after the carriers move or attack to avoid wasting turns.
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Fighters | |
These units have exceptional movement range and lethal anti-air weapons. They are excellent against enemy fighters, helicopters and warships. Just like attack aircraft and helicopters they have different weapon load-outs you can change from airfields or carriers. They should engage enemy aircraft and one you have air superiority, they should change their weapons to ground attack so they can participate further in battle. Just keep them away from enemy Air Defence Tanks and SAM Launchers.
Payload 1 has AA weapons and a Electronic Warfare (EWW) suit to reduce enemy accuracy. Payload 2 has Air-to-ground weapons and EWW. Payload 3 carries more amount of default weapons. Payload 4 hasa fuel tank which increases its fuel capacity for longer operational time.
Payload 1: Short range interceptor with EWW. Payload 2: Ground attack version Payload 3: Can carry aforementioned 4 range AA missile. (Carries only one though) and a fuel tank. Payload 4: Multi-Role with both short ranged AA and AG weapons and a fuel tank.
Payload 1: Has two range 2 AA weapons with EWW. Payload 2: Ground attack version. Payload 3: Has a stronger 2 range AA missile. Plus fuel tank. Payload 4: Short range weapons plus fuel tank. | |
Attack Aircraft | |
These fighter has slightly less movement range but better weapons against ground targets. They can also have some amount air to air weapons so they can defend themselves as well. Still, it is best to keep them away from fighters and anti air vehicles. They usually have powerful indirect weapons that can hit ships from afar. | |
Attack Helicopters | |
These units only appear in the first half of the game until you leave earth. They are slower than fighters but still carry devastating weapons against enemy ground units. Similar to aircraft, they can change into different payload configurations even though selection is a bit limited. Keep them away from fighters and air defence tanks and they will be fine. | |
Transport Helicopters | |
These units can carry other ground units around the battlefield. They have only limited weapons for self defence so they should be kept away from combat. Except Dumara, which has a range 3 air to ground missile. Just like attack helicopters, they disappear after the first half of the game. | |
Tanks/Hovertanks | |
While these units have the strongest armor and firepower in the game. They have more of a supporting role in ground combat. Enemies have more tanks than you and you will not win a battle of attrition. They should act as walls against enemy vehicles and keep them at bay, while your attack aircraft, helicopters and artillery should do the killing. Hovertanks are not much different than regular tanks. They hover over ground and carry energy weapons. So they are technically just advanced versions of tanks. | |
Armored Vehicles | |
These vehicles are in between tanks and infantry. While they are somewhat mobile, they have neither weapons nor armor to keep up with tanks. They have little use in the battlefield after tanks show up. That being said, some of them are actually useful. Reindeer has a range 2 mortar and Freya has a range 2 "M" type weapon which causes damage to all units in a 5 hex range. ("Megahex Damage") | |
Anti Aircraft Tanks | |
Or Self propelled anti-aircraft guns if you prefer official military term. These are armored and well armed units designed to engage aircraft and warships at close range. They are considered "hard targets" due their armor and can even hit hard against lightly armored ground units as well. Just be careful when engaging attack aircraft and attack helicopters as these units have heavy weapons so you can receive heavy counterattacks. | |
SAM Launchers | |
These mobile SAM (Surface to Air Missile) launchers can engage enemy aircraft and ships indirectly from long ranges and some of them has "S" type weapons which allows them to attack even after moving. (Even though they have a range of 2 hexes) While they are very useful against enemy aircraft, they cease to contribute to battle after all enemy air units are taken care of. Because of this, it is difficult to gain experience with these units so you should assign regular (nameless) pilots into these units. Unlike AA Tanks, these units are considered soft targets. | |
Infantry Fighting Vehicles | |
These units can carry either infantry or towed artillery. While they can defend themselves, similar to Armored Vehicles, they have little use in combat except when capturing resupply points with infantry. Keep in mind that if IFV is destroyed, units it is carrying will be destroyed as well. Probably only unit that is worth mentioning in this category is Lint I Type, which has a range 3 mortar for indirect attacks. | |
Self Propelled Artillery | |
These units are arguably most important vehicles in ground combat. While they are considered "soft targets" and fairly vulnerable, they still dominate the battlefield with their long range indirect weapons. Their other disadvantage is that they run out of ammo very quickly so a supply vehicle must be right next to them so they quickly resupply their weapons. Protect them with your other units as they bombard enemy vehicles to smoldering wrecks. And keep them away from enemy aircraft as well. | |
Land Vehicles | |
These vehicles are used by enemies only. They contain various vehicle types from hoverbikes to all terrain vehicles. They are usually quite weak and only useful for giving your units experience. However, they sometimes can attack your group from flanks and engage undefended soft units so it is best to destroy them whenever they appear. | |
Defence Emplacements | |
Immobile defensive structures with considerable armor and firepower. Used by enemy only, they can cause damage to your group if they are not destroyed quickly. There are three types of these units: Anti-Ground units should be attacked from air, Anti-Air units should be attacked from ground. Space Emplacements can attack ALL types units, so they can be much more difficult to deal with. It is best to prepare your forces just outside of their ranges then engage and destroy them in a single turn before they can hit back. Be very careful with SC Gunner type units in indoor battles: While they look weak, they have powerful weapons. Make sure to destroy them with indirect weapons to avoid counterattacks. | |
Unmanned Combat Weapons | |
Used only be enemy, these unmanned robots can be a real problem. They not only have high stats and powerful weapons, some of them can even attack from long ranges. Treat them as you do with enemy tanks: destroy them with artillery. | |
Suicide Weapons | |
These unmanned units will charge towards your forces and detonate, killing themselves and causing serious damage to your units in the process. Thankfully they can be killed very easily with rapid fire weapons. AA Tanks are most useful against these nuisances. | |
Towed Artillery | |
These units has a movement range of 1 only and has very weak defences but they compensate for it with their exceptional ranges and powerful armaments. They can be carried around with IFVs and if deployed correctly, they can wreak havoc among enemy. For this reason, enemy towed artillery weapons should always be your primary targets and should be destroyed whenever possible. | |
Infantry | |
Infantry troops have very low movement range and pathetic armor and weapons. They are however, only units that can capture enemy buildings. Besides that they have pretty much no use in actual combat. | |
Supply Vehicle | |
While unarmed, and no armor, these units are important for your survival as they can refuel and resupply friendly units standing right next to them free. Even though their supplies aren't infinite, it is highly unlikely they will ever run out of supplies. Always protect them, as they have no durability and only rudimentary weapons. | |
Decoy Ships | |
These are unarmed, unmanned flying units that appear only in Mission 13. As the name suggests, they are only used to distract enemies. They never appear in any other missions.
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Tactics
- When mission starts, do not start moving towards enemy and instead hold a defensive position. The reason for that is, unlike other turn based strategy games such as Panzer General, Advance Wars or Front Mission, ALL enemy units in the map IMMEDIATELY make a bee-line towards your forces, as soon as mission starts. Pick a defensible position with natural barriers and place your units like below.
- Your tanks and hovertanks should be deployed at the front facing the enemy, and they should be on rough terrain which will give them a defensive bonus. Artillery units should be right behind them, well protected and right next to them should be your supply vehicles. Your tanks will act as walls against enemy vehicles and stop them while your artillery or air units will pound them to ash. Don't forget to pull back your damaged tanks towards owned buildings to repair and resupply.
- Resupplying/Refueling your units is simple. There are three methods.
One: place them on a facility/city owned by you and select "resupply" command. This free command will fully refuel and resupply the unit and repair a random amount between 2 to 5 points of damage.
Two: Use a supply vehicle. Place a supply unit right next to the unit you want to supply, select that unit, and select "resupply" command. Remember: Supply vehicles only refuel and resupply. They CAN'T repair.
Three: Load them to a carrier unit. They will be fully refueled and resupplied by the next turn. They can also be automatically repaired while they are inside the carrier but only by two points.
- To maximize resupply efficiency, place the units you want to resupply around the supply vehicles like flower petals. This way you can resupply 5 units in a single turn. As it stated before, "resupply" command is a free action and doesn't end your turn.
- Indirect weapons (weapons with a range of 2 and higher) CANNOT move and attack the same turn, unless the weapons has "S" suffix.
- During indoor battles, not all facilities can repair and refuel/resupply the same time. Some facilities only provide repair while most of them can refuel and resupply. (Ones with a winch can usually repair)
Production credits
- 総合監修: 野田 昌宏
- キャラクター原案 / コンセプトデザイン / イメージイラスト原画: 末弥 純
- メカニック原画デザイン: 青井 邦夫
- 監修・考証・協力: (株)オニロ, 設定・シナリオ協力スタジオ WOW!, 佐藤 哲郎
- キャラクターパブ用イラスト: 大矢 正和 (MDP)
- 企画原案: KAKUKA
- 設定原案: REW
- ストーリー原案: REW, KAKUKA
- データ設定: 別所 未来
- イベント設定: KAKUKA
- メッセージ: KAKUKA
- マップエディット: KAKUKA, REW, 別所 未来
- システム: Bug-Bug
- 思考ルーチン: Bug-Bug, [email protected]
- イベント: Bug-Bug, [email protected], 太田 仁 (HIC), 杉崎 さとる (HIC)
- 戦闘シーンシステム: 太田 仁 (HIC)
- メッセージ: 杉崎 さとる (HIC)
- オープニング・エンディング: 杉崎 さとる (HIC)
- ツール作成協力: 別所 未来
- 総合美術監修: REW
- ユニットデジタイズ
- 地上・その他: REW
- 航空・宇宙・その他: 電鳳寺 雅
- マップパーツデザイン: REW, 電鳳寺 雅
- 戦闘画面背景: REW, MARUTSUGI
- キャラクターデジタイズ: REW, MARUTSUGI, 電鳳寺 雅
- オープニング・エンディングヴィジュアル: 電鳳寺 雅
- イメージヴィジュアル デジタイズ: 電鳳寺 雅
- デザイン協力: YOKOKAW, いとちん
- 総合監修: HATA
- Music・S.E.: HATA
- サウンドコントロールプログラム: MILPO
- S.E.: PONTARO
- Music.: SHIRAKO
- 開発協力: 鈴木 力, MENME, フェニックスりえ, パタ
- テストプレイ協力: L.C., りどる, Resort Master, THOR, しろちん, いとちん, やまちん
- 資料協力: 安東 貴広
- The Hybrid Front
- ©Sega 1994/Masahiro Noda/Oniro Co.
- Original Illust Designed By: Jun Suemi
- Original Weapon Illust Designed By: Kunio Aoi
- Music: Sachio Ogawa[7]
Digital manuals
Magazine articles
- Main article: The Hybrid Front/Magazine articles.
Promotional material
Physical scans
Sega Retro Average | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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67 | |
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Based on 5 reviews |
Technical information
- Main article: The Hybrid Front/Technical information.
References
- ↑ Most developers are credited in other games by this department
- ↑ File:TheHybridFront MD JP Box.jpg
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-20 09:51)
- ↑ https://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/vc/software/03.html (Wayback Machine: 2018-03-06 00:26)
- ↑ http://vc.sega.jp/vc_hybridfront/ (Wayback Machine: 2007-08-13 07:58)
- ↑ File:Hybrid Front MD credits.pdf
- ↑ https://vgmdb.net/db/covers.php?do=view&cover=68102
- ↑ 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 138
- ↑ Beep! MegaDrive, "August 1994" (JP; 1994-07-08), page 21
- ↑ Famitsu, "1994-07-29" (JP; 1994-07-15), page 1
- ↑ Mega Force, "Octobre 1994" (FR; 1994-xx-xx), page 114
- ↑ Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 84
The Hybrid Front | |
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Main page | Maps | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Reception | Region coding | Technical information
Prototypes: 1993-02
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