Hostile Waters - Level 2 (tutorial)

This game from 2001 was inspired by the retro Carrier Command from 1988 and is a RTS / 3P-Action Game hybrid, wherein you control an (aircraft) carrier that is able to build anything with it's nano-based Creation Engine.
It only need "matter" (ie. steel) and with that you produce your units.
And I guess the units them self produce the ammo, because it's unlimited.

On the overview map in the control center of the carrier you give orders to your units and you can switch to the production screen, where you can fit your vehicles (land- and air-based) with different weapons and equipment.
Except for the transport helicopter, the Recycler (which collects the matter from old buildings, cars and destroyed enemies) and the repair unit, you can choose to fit one weapon and several pieces of equipment.

You can choose from a mini-gun, rocket launcher, sniper laser, artillery or flame thrower and several items like armor, shield, stealth generator or ammo replicator (which nearly halves the time it takes to reload the guns).

But the most important piece of equipment is the Soulcatcher chip, which "houses" the mind of dead human soldiers, that serve as the AI in this game!
So for the tanks and choppers to move, attack and execute your orders, each unit must be fitted with such a chip!

furthermore you can always take control of these vehicles yourself; which is actually necessary, as the game is paused while you are on the overview map! So the game only progresses "outside" of the carrier.

And although the AI is pretty good in killing the enemies, you are still the best weapon in the arsenal... and there are some path-finding issues which you'll have to resolve manually.

Of course there is a limit on how many Soulcatcher chips you have.
As you progress the story, you not only get better (well, other) weapons and items, but also more AI chips to use.
So there is a limit on how many vehicles are active at a time.
But remember: the vehicles for yourself don't need such a chip... ;-)

Overall, the graphics are pretty good and this DirectDraw game works out of the box in Win8.1 (from GoG).
The music and sound are also A-OK with some pretty funny comments between the crew/ai members.
Unfortunately they kinda spam the radio and it get's a little annoying after some time...

The whole game concept is freakin awesome!

That's why I loved the criticized "Carrier Command - Gaea Mission" from Bohemia Interactive (youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkFFy5WSZjQ--7xc_91F…) and I would very much like to see newer versions of such a game!