Line #30 Trivia/BattalionWars


1	* ActingForTwo: Several actors in both games double up on roles. The most notable one is Kerry Shale, who voices both Tsar Gorgi and his son Marshall Nova.
2	* AcclaimedFlop: Neither game were particularly high sellers despite their solid critical reception and small cult fanbase. This, combined with Nintendo switching focus to more casual games during the UsefulNotes/{{Wii}}-era, is why the series ended after ''II''.
3	* ExecutiveMeddling: A positive example: Kuju Entertainment are largely known for doing mid-budget contract work, and according to some developers it was largely Nintendo's supervision and strict quality standards that kept ''Battalion Wars'' as polished as it is.
4	* FakeAmerican: Most of the characters are voiced by British actors doing exaggerated American/Russian/German accents. The exception to this are the Solar Empire characters, who are played by UK-based Japanese actors.
5	* TheOtherDarrin:
6	** Brigadier Betty went from being voiced by Penny Rawlings in the first game to Pat Rodriguez in the second.
7	** As Colonel Austin and Major Nelly were reduced to bit parts in the second game, they were recasted from Kenny Andrews and Sarah Parnell to Stefan Ashton Frank (shared with General Herman) and Pat Rodriguez (shared with Brigadier Betty) respectively.
8	* MemeAcknowledgement: The Anglo Isles' Anti-Air vet unit dossier pokes fun at the first game's Anti-Air vets being absurdly powerful against ground targets as well as air targets.
9	--> ''Anglo anti-air infantry consider their A-23 "Puffin" portable SAM armament so potent that they deem it bad form to use it against infantry or armored vehicles, purposely disengaging auto-lock when confronted with ground targets''
10	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
11	** ''Battalion Wars'':
12	*** An early trailer from back when the game was to be called ''Advance Wars: Under Fire'' featured a more realistic art direction, different designs for most units and a playable Air Transport.
13	*** A later trailer briefly showcases a playable Xylvanian Battlestation on their bonus mission. In the final game, it is one of the few unplayable units to have a properly configured camera.
14	*** ConceptArt shows that Kommandant Ubel was to have a more soldier-like design including a pickelhaube, Countess Ingrid was to have an officer's hat instead of a fedora, and Colonel Austin was white.
15	*** Three unused units exist, and have both DummiedOut unit icons and complete 3D models viewable in the portfolio of artist Gavin Rothery. The first, an [[http://www.gavinrothery.com/battalion-wars/qsxwzravzqqh6f5uohogtdfdm7kohf Xylvanian Light Recon]], is still featured in cutscenes as Ubel's bike. The second and third are more unique: an [[http://www.gavinrothery.com/battalion-wars/way38zwd0c1hd5trvl6ijg143nmqp9 Xylvanian]] and [[http://www.gavinrothery.com/battalion-wars/dm29ebvz2py8zgmyv6kub3r260nxbt Western Frontier Land Transport]] equipped with a single machine gun and space for carrying infantry in the back. The Western Frontier Land Transport was shown off as a playable unit in a pre-release video, while the Xylvanian variant still makes a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in a cutscene in the second game.
16	*** Another unused unit is the Tundran Mortar Vet, who also has a DummiedOut unit icon and a model that was shown off on the Japanese website, but remain TheUnfought. The sequel introduces them as playable units, using an updated version of the design they would've had in the first game.
17	*** Split-screen multiplayer was considered for this instalment in at least some capacity; online multiplayer would be SavedForTheSequel.
18	*** The ability to load infantry into vehicles so they can use their secondary guns was implemented, but cut because it was too fiddly and slowed down the pacing of the game. In the final version, these vehicle secondary weapons are automatically manned with no player input.
19	*** Some other secondary attacks, such as Grunts being able to throw grenades, was considered before deciding to make each unit focused on a single type of attack. Another cut unit was the Medic, who was dropped due to their role being difficult to micro-manage, and because the health packs scattered around the map are sufficient for healing your troops.
20	** ''Battalion Wars II'':
21	*** A Shotgun Veteran was considered as a new unit in the second game; leaked models show that at least Western Frontier and Xylvania versions of them were made. A few other unused units can be seen in the Unit Dossier, most infamously the Frontier Battlestation and Stratodestroyer (the former having had its model from the first game modified to include a rotating turret). The Frontier’s Battleship is also viewable despite going unused. Concept art also exists for an Anglo Isles Stratodestroyer (viewable in-game) and Recon.
22	*** On the topic of the Stratodestroyer: Despite being unplayable in this game, the Stratodestroyer's controls have been altered compared to the first game, heavily implying that it was supposed to be playable. Whereas in the first game you could only fire its missiles while it would drop bombs automatically, in ''II'' your attacks are context sensitive, firing missiles when you are targeting an enemy aircraft and dropping bombs otherwise. The Stratodestroyer also noticeably handles better than in the first game.
23	*** A few hints seem to imply that the assault map “Storm the Palace” was planned to be much bigger; it is the only assault map to feature two objectives instead of the usual three, the southern third of the map is accessible despite being empty, and there is a large number of DummiedOut units set to appear on this level, most notably the aforementioned Frontier Battleship.
24	*** The game files contain many unused voice lines. Of most interest is that General Herman in the flashbacks was to have a younger sounding voice, whereas in the final game he sounds identical to his present-day self.
25	*** Split-screen offline multiplayer was also considered for this game, and in fact still exists in-game, though DummiedOut and in an extremely crude form.
26	*** An Indian-inspired faction was given some consideration early in development. A factor in deciding against this idea was a desire to avoid any "race war" undertones to the game's conflicts.
27	** Other:
28	*** The series was originally conceived as an independent game called ''Versus'', which would've focused on a conflict between modern humans and an undead army made up of dead soldiers from all eras of history. The designs and iconography of these factions evolved into the Western Frontier and Xylvania of the final game, while the 'dead soldiers of the past' concept was adapted into the Iron Legion.
29	*** A spin-off called ''Knight Wars'' [[https://www.unseen64.net/2011/06/14/knight-wars-wii-cancelled/ was in early development]] around the time ''Battalion Wars II'' was released, set in a medieval fantasy version of England that could've featured King Arthur as a commander. Little is known aside from some images from an artist's portfolio, a brief mention in a Gamespot article, and some DummiedOut strings of code in ''Battalion Wars II''.

Context Trivia / BattalionWars