Cannon Fodder is a cult classic video game with an anti-war moral, portraying war through dark humor from a warmonger's perspective in an attempt to persuade players that war itself, is a mindless waste of lives and resources. "War has never been so much fun!" is the slogan coined by the game, which has become popularized by time through the years. Some players might find Cannon Fodder distasteful for its frivolous treatment of the grave subject that is war, but as the game manual states verbatim:
Quote:
"War is not a game - war, as Cannon Fodder demonstrates in its own quirky little way, is a senseless waste of human resources and lives. We hope that you never have to find out the hard way."
However, there is a solid game beneath Cannon Fodder's anti-war facade.
The game is of the action genre, wherein the player commands a squad of soldiers through missions which have pretty straightforward objectives, such as: kill all enemies, destroy all buildings, rescue hostages, or a combination thereof. Your men aren't invincible, though. One hit is all that's necessary to erect a tombstone engraved with their name. The more soldiers you keep alive, the more auxiliary reinforcements you'll have available to requisition later. Soldiers are exalted with rank promotions spanning from a greenhorn private, to a prestigious four-star general with longevity in life, too. You can operate a handful of vehicles you encounter on the battlefield, for instance: jeeps, tanks and helicopters, and mount static gun emplacements to facilitate your missions considerably. Moreover, sometimes using them is necessary to accomplish a mission. Don't become complacent, however, for your mode of transportation can be destroyed, and the enemy won't hesitate to unleash their own vehicle arsenal against you. Upon the completion of each mission, which are subdivided into a varying number of phases, you'll receive reinforcements, but don't become attached to your troops. This is game is named Cannon Fodder for a special reason. Either vanquish the enemy, or be shipped home in a box! Dismissed!
Pictures below.
The title screen. The poppy is a flower meant to symbolize the commemoration of soldiers and civilians lost in World War I, and other wars.
If this screen shot appears barren to you, fear not. Soon, it'll be teeming with ninety-four permanent residents, and a long queue of expendable recruits!
Told you. Tsk, tsk. (Apropos the Home-Away scoreboard, it's a subtle comedic allusion to the saying that war isn't a game, but oh does it share similarities to one.)
It's the first mission, and our soldiers' baptism into combat! Yippee!
Saddle up! We're heading westward into the sultry desert, men! If the bullets don't kill you, the heat might!
Onwards to the frigid regions of Greenland, where the omnipresent risk of death awaits us, still!
Yep, another operation within a winter climate, that is surely fraught with potentially pernicious predicaments!
Keep that firearm loaded, soldier, because a rural countryside abound with moors is our next destination! Now's not the time to panic; save it for when we arrive!
For the unwitting, the mission's title for the first phase is a spoof of the movie, "The Bridge Over the River Kwai".
Personally, I dislike protecting civilians as an objective. On occasion, they'll obliviously stray into the crossfire of a firefight between you and the enemy. Thankfully, civilians are somehow impervious to the enemy's bullets, but not yours. Be mindful where you shoot.
Annihilate all enemies, and demolish all their strongholds while disregarding the mission's straightforward title! Yes, sir!
Should it keep moving, it means you didn't "kill" it enough.
Another movie title reference for this mission, aptly chosen since its nature coincides with the movie: "A Bridge Too Far"
When you (or the enemy, for that matter) enter a body of deep water, you're defenseless against attacks until you reach the shoal. Fording a river, I have Jools and Jops cover Stoo as he attempts to swim across, to hinder the enemy from intercepting Stoo while he's vulnerable.
Sometimes dividing your soldiers into separate squads is more efficient, so you can defend an area while simultaneously going on the offensive in another. In this screen shot, Jools and Jops assault a village hut garrisoning enemy infantry. In the meanwhile, Stoo stands poised at a junction northeast of the village's entrance, ready to engage any enemy personnel attempting to counterattack Jools, and Jops from behind, whereas RJ, and Ubik guard the entrance / exit of an enemy underground tunnel leading outside the village to the north, perhaps linked to the hut.
Ironclad enemy bunkers can seldom be destroyed by grenades, and rockets. Instead, you'll have to employ the dint of heavier gun ordinances to penetrate them; a gun turret, for example. Oh, and don't forget to cover your ears!
Chokepoints, such as a bridge stretching across a canyon chasm, are always hazardous to attack when the enemy waits in ambush, and are especially susceptible to be rigged with booby-traps. Tread carefully. One misstep, and it's a lo-o-o-o-ong plummet down!
When unaccustomed to the layout of the area, or formulating a strategy, it's always wise to consult your map to pinpoint your whereabouts, and to plan your route of attack, and subsequent escapade.
When the odds appear lopsided against your favor, and death seems imminent, there is no shame in surrendering. You'll be forced to restart the current mission phase anew, but your soldiers will remain alive (provided none were killed before you surrendered). Moreover, if you make an irrecoverable mistake on a mission, this is an expedient option.
Grenades are invaluable in situations like this. You can lob them over obstacles while remaining safely behind cover. In this picture, I give the enemy soldier wielding a bazooka on the far left an early Christmas present. I think he'll be rather surprised by this aberrant display of philanthropy, no?
Don't worry. Wally is safe. Tanks, which are one of several vehicles you can commandeer, are immune to most types of explosives, except for armor piercing calibers. Fortunately for me, those aforementioned calibers are unavailable to the enemy infantry, and helicopter at the moment.
On a couple missions, feats of daredevilry will be perforce, since there is no alternative avenue of reaching the enemy. In one mission, you'll have to use a ramp to jump over a row of trees, via a Skidoo with deft precision. Otherwise, you'd better start digging those graves.
Whenever feasible, you can reconnoiter the entire area to locate enemy positions, and assess the extent of their strength, organization, and aggressiveness beforehand of actually embarking on your mission. Wouldn't want any lethal surprises, now, would we? In this screen shot, using Arnie to scout an upcoming bridge in an unarmed helicopter, the enemy has established a nearly watertight; unassailable bridgehead defense, which may prove disastrous if precautions aren't taken when attacking it.
Jools leads the charge with as much fortitude, and intrepidity he can humanly muster.
Jops' zeal on the battlefield is the source of his formidableness.
Stoo procures an extra cupful of stew for surpassing his killing quota for today!
Mac simply refuses to die.
Abdul eradicates the infidels, adhering to his solemn pledge.
The enemy formed a special task force expressly to kill Browny, since he's that lethal.
Although he's a mere corporal in comparison to his peers, CJ is already proving himself as an asset.
Hector outfoxes death again, to survive to see another day.
Despite his name, Peewee isn't one to be underestimated.
Chris' marksmanship continues to overcome impossible odds.
Pete's personal vendetta against the enemy has been vindicated.
Tadger will be rewarded with a third chevron to sew on his sleeve!
Wally continues to terrorize the enemy forces.
Jason's enemy slaughter en masse impresses his superior officers.
Roy exults in joy for killing several father's boys, who will no longer bring their sons home toys. (Terrible rhyming, I know.)
Killer gets a taste of his own medicine.
Sorry, Goofy, but not even Disney characters are spared as wartime casualties.
Nifta took down as many enemies as possible before they finally got him.
Softy's sympathy towards the enemy was his own quietus.
Bomber meets his own ironic demise; detonated asunder.
Windy was swiftly blown away from this mortal realm.
Brains couldn't contrive a timely solution fast enough when the enemy's bullet zipped his direction.
Buster combusted.
Norm is now part of a new society where being immured within a casket is considered the norm.
Rest in pieces, Stan.
Tosh, a once sentient human, is now but a corpse for target practice.
Spike was impaled by one. He should have watched where he was going.
Pervy leaves this life with his prurient desires unfulfilled.
Notwithstanding if this is the same Norris I'm thinking of, it doesn't change the fact that he's dead.
Hey, there's me!--- Oh, right. Damn... I've been all "kinnikued" out.
