Army man explains MOH operatives

The army has explained to Eurogamer that Medal of Honor's Tier 1 soldiers really are the best of the best, and "take on missions that no one else can handle".

"The Tier concept originates from Hostage Rescue Ability and has mutated to include all kinds of stuff. Around 1995 it was based on the amount of time a unit spent conducting Hostage Rescue and Direct Action. The Tier 1 teams would only do this sort of operation," relayed a source, unearthed by former British army Major Neil Powell.

"Standard" Tier 2 teams were made up of SEAL, MARSOC (United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command), SF (Special Forces) and Ranger forces. Tier 1 was reserved for JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command) and FBI HRT (Hostage Rescue Team) soldiers.

"Support personnel such as counter intelligence and intelligence are not Tier anything," the source added, probably hurting their feelings.

Tier 1 soldiers, as we mentioned earlier, answer to the National Command Authority. This is a term used by the US military and government to refer to the ultimate lawful source of military orders - the top of the chain. Up there the President and the Secretary of Defense call the shots and Jack Bauer answers.

Announced this week, EA's new Medal of Honor puts players in the sandpaper-lined boots of a Tier 1 soldier as they operate in Afghanistan.

The soldier on the front of Medal of Honor's box was discovered to bear an uncanny resemblance to real-life soldier "Cowboy". Is he a real Tier 1 fighter? He's got a nice beard.

EA Los Angeles has been tasked with the single-player, while Battlefield creator EA DICE will sculpt multiplayer.

Deployment is pencilled for autumn 2010.