SitRep has got to be the most useless thing that game has (you might uess from that statement I haven't tried tanks yet, but I can't imgine them being worse then SitRep...).
also the game does have a "pause" button. it's your space key.
about ranks (if anyone cares) I'm guessing you need a point total. right after I posted my question I got my first rank (I think. this game has a terrible announcememnt system) right at the start of battle.
next question: is there a point to being on offensive (i.e. sending troops off the top of the screen) it seems so counterproductive!
to anyone interested: barbed wire is not useless- it has a CHANCE of stopping the enemy and dealing small damage, it might not really be worth the 1 TP (I think it is), but it's permanent.
other than that, this game needs a good manual (instruction leave out 2/3 of the game mechanics!), and it needs to work on collisions (bunkes should be impassible, coliding soliders should engage in melee, etc.)
2/5 for the game, 5/5 for potential.