Month: August 2020

IL-2 Sturmovik: Desert Wings – Tobruk is Out Now

il-2-sturmovik-desert-wings-tobrukThe new addition to the critically acclaimed aerial combat simulation series takes you over the sands of North Africa

IL-2 Sturmovik: Desert Wings – Tobruk, the exciting new expansion for IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover – Blitz Desert War is now available via Steam, the official IL-2 Sturmovik store and other digital platforms for $69.99 USD / 64.99 EUR with a 15% launch discount during the first week!

This new addition to the long-standing and critically acclaimed IL-2 Sturmovik series of aerial combat simulators takes you over the sands of North Africa in the critical moment during WWII when the control of the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal was decided. Experience what it was like to fly and fight during the Desert War in deadly Messerschmitts, sleek Macchis, rugged Kittyhawks and the legendary Spitfires. IL-2 Sturmovik: Desert Wings – Tobruk brings over 40 new flyable types and variants, more than 25 new tank, artillery and vehicle types added to the desert versions of the vehicles from the CLIFFS OF DOVER, as well as 15 new ships including British and Italian types which are historically accurate for the TOBRUK map.

The excellent multiplayer environment that allows over 100 players and dozens of AI aircraft online simultaneously, IL-2 Sturmovik: Desert Wings – Tobruk promises intense and challenging human versus human aerial battles. For the Single Player enthusiasts, the game also includes 24 Quick Missions playable with any aircraft, 7 long form Campaigns based on historical Squadron experiences, another 14 single missions as well as two co-op missions playable both via multiplayer or single player.

Watch the IL-2 Sturmovik: Desert Wings – Tobruk release trailer HERE.

Combat Flight Sim IL-2 Sturmovik: Desert Wings - Tobruk | Donster | |
Full Speed Ahead for New German Aircraft Carriers in World of Warships

New Update 0.9.7 deploys four new historical German CVs, starts a new Ranked sprint, features updated Hamburg Port and much more

World of Warships sees today the release of the new Update 0.9.7 introducing the highly-anticipated German aircraft carriers. The new German CVs are Tier IV Rhein, Tier VI Weser, Tier VIII August von Parseval and Tier X Manfred von Richthofen, and can now be researched by all players.

A new trailer celebrating the launch of the German aircraft carriers can be viewed here.

The German aircraft carriers branch features a series of capital ships that were either planned or partially constructed in the lead-up or during World War II, but never actually deployed. The German planes of these aircraft carriers have low HP pools but feature high speeds. The attack aircraft carry a new type of armor-penetrating rockets that are capable of inflicting heavy damage to enemy citadels with accurate shots. Torpedoes carried by the planes are fast, but short ranged. The dive bombers stationed on these aircraft carriers are armed with armor-piercing bombs.

Update 0.9.7 brings a new expansive in-game Collection called “Germany Navy”. This Collection includes unique collectibles such as emblems, ships, planes, uniforms, and historical personalities that pay homage to the history of German naval forces in the first half of the 20th century. The first elements will drop from new German Navy containers which can be obtained by completing Directives, combat missions and in the Armory. Players who completed the collection will receive the ability to feature a second flag and to use an alternative color scheme for their German ships.

Besides the German aircraft carriers, three new ships will become available with the release of Update 0.9.7: Tier IX German battleship Pommern, ready to brawl with her torpedoes, effective secondaries and 12 380 mm guns; the Tier VI German carrier Erich Loewenhardt, whose dive bombers carry high-explosive bombs instead of armor-piercing; and the Tier X Soviet battleship Slava, well suited for long-range firefights with her accurate guns but rather weak armor.

Update 0.9.7 also brings a new Ranked sprint with a 3vs3 format, playing Tier IX ships, new Unique Upgrades added to the Research Bureau in the Armory, as well as a renewed Hamburg port, and other technical improvements.

Further details on Update 0.9.7 can be found here.

Head over to worldofwarships.eu now to sign up for World of Warships for free.

Visit the official World of Warships website now for more game info and to sign up for World of Warships for free!

MMORPGs World of Warships | Donster | |
New Comanche Update adds Single-Player Mission, 3rd-Person Mode and Overhauled Controls

Comanche“We are doing the Early Access to learn, what the players want” explains Fabian Baumgarten, Producer at development studio NUKKLEAR, “and it became quite clear, that we wanted to totally overhaul our controls, add more single-player content and quality of life features.”

Therefore, Update 3 will add the new single-player mission “Bank Job” to the campaign, where the player leads an assault of ground forces with his Comanche attack helicopter. Together with a whole IJTF Strike Force, the Comanche will witness a full offensive against the Kude Core’s last stronghold in the middle of the desert.

Check out the teaser video.

Next to loads of new content like the continuation of the single-player campaign, developer NUKKLEAR took the time to take a deep look into the helicopter controls. Players can now choose between “Arcade” and “Simulation” controls, which play drastically different from another and will satisfy casual and experienced players alike.

Speaking of controls: For this update, NUKKLEAR and Thrustmaster teamed up to support the most important Thrustmaster HOTAS devices natively. Additionally, the frequently requested 3rd-person mode has been added to the game.

You can find all changes in the patch notes:
https://media.thqnordic.com/Comanche/Changelog/Comanche_Patchnotes_EA_Update_3.pdf

Comanche Combat Flight Sim | Donster | |
Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 – Out on August 25th

combat-mission-shock-force-2We are proud to announce that we’ve partnered with Battlefront to bring Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 to our stores. The game, and all its DLCs, will be available from August 25th on Matrix Games, Steam, and other digital stores.

We already work with Battlefront on some very engaging professional projects where Combat Mission is used for training and analysis purposes. We are now genuinely excited to be able to bring it to our wargaming community.

What is Combat Mission Shock Force 2

Shock Force 2 brings you to a hypothetical conflict in Syria between the forces of NATO and the Syrian Army, in which you can play either in real-time or with the innovative turn-based WeGo system. Take command of US Stryker Brigade Combat Teams (SBCT) and Heavy Brigade Combat Teams (HBCT) to fight against Syrian Army Infantry, Mechanized and Armored units in an arid setting. Experience the full range of modern threats to conventional military forces, including irregular combat forces, terrorists, spies, suicide bombers, IED’s and other deadly tools employed in the asymmetric warfare of the modern-day. Play the Task Force Thunder campaign, more than a dozen carefully crafted battles, or unlimited Quick Battles. Shock Force 2 focuses on tactical platoon-level action and features both a single-player campaign and multiplayer (Hotseat or PBEM).

Check out the product pages to know more:

Combat Mission: Shock Force 2
Combat Mission Shock Force 2: British Forces (DLC)
Combat Mission Shock Force 2: Marines (DLC)
Combat Mission Shock Force 2: NATO Forces (DLC)

Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 Strategy and Wargaming | Donster | |
AMD Releases Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.8.1

amd-radeon-software-adrenalin-2020Source: TechPowerUp!

AMD has released the latest update to its Radeon graphics drivers in the form of Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.8.1, which brings a list of improvements and bug fixes. Starting off, the new driver brings support for Horizon Zero Dawn PC port, which is coming out this Friday. Next, the driver brings some improvements to the performance of the Radeon 5700XT graphics card, which scored 9% higher FPS in the game Grounded, when using Epic preset. Another important supporting feature is for game Hyper Scape, which this new driver enables.

The Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 20.8.1 drivers are available online at the AMD driver download page.

Hardware Video Cards | Donster | |
Microsoft Flight Simulator Lands on August 18th in Three Versions

microsoft-flight-simulator-2020Source: TechPowerUp!

Microsoft has been preparing its Flight Simulator game, with photo-realistic graphics and realistic flying experience. Today, we got an update on game progress and when it will become available. Already up for pre-order, the Flight Simulator will come in three different versions. While all editions feature dozens of planes and over 37,000 airports, the difference is in the number of detailed airplanes and airports. For example, the standard edition comes with all 37,000 airports, but only 30 of them are super-detailed. In standard edition, there are also just 20 planes that are super-detailed. When paying for a deluxe edition, you get 25 planes and 35 detailed airports. The premium deluxe edition features 30 planes and 40 airports. The standard edition costs $59.99, deluxe edition costs $89.99, and the premium deluxe one costs $119.99. You can pre-order the game here while waiting for August 18th launch.

Flight Simulation Microsoft Flight Simulator | Donster | |
World of Tanks’ Newest Update Is the Biggest of the Year

Update 1.10 brings a new equipment system, Polish medium reinforcements and the return of a fan-favorite map to the game

August marks the 10th anniversary of World of Tanks so it’s only fitting that this month’s update is a cause for celebration: it’s the biggest one of the year. Update 1.10 will introduce a new system for equipment and 6 new Polish medium tanks, while also marking the return of Pearl River.

Allowing players to increase their vehicles’ characteristics and performance when installed, equipment in World of Tanks is being completely overhauled with the introduction of new pieces and revised bonuses for existing ones in Update 1.10. By changing the core mechanics, players will now have more freedom and choice when it comes to their loadouts. Additionally, the new pieces will diversify the gameplay, while also leading the way for new and non-standard battle tactics. And for lower and medium tier vehicles, equipment has become more accessible as the credit (World of Tanks’ earnable currency) price has been decreased.

“1.10 is the biggest World of Tanks update since 1.0 released in 2018,” states Max Chuvalov, Publishing Director, World of Tanks. “The biggest part of it is the new equipment system. The current iteration has been in the game for 10 years now and was definitely in need of a revamp. Players will now be able to experiment a lot more with their loadouts thanks to the new and improved equipment items.”

Additionally, this new system brings with it a brand-new feature: slot specializations. Each vehicle from Tier VI onwards will have one of these slots and all equipment will now be designated one of four categories: firepower, survivability, mobility and scouting. By placing certain pieces of equipment in this slot, tankers will get an extra bonus on top of the piece’s standard one.

August’s update will also see the introduction of 6 new Polish medium tanks. Researchable from the Tier IV 14TP, the new branch will stretch from Tier V to Tier X. These winged hussars are versatile with good gun depression, mobility and maneuverability. They’re able to battle on any terrain and are suited for close-to-mid-range combat. At the top of the line is the CS-63 which introduces a brand-new feature: a gas-turbine engine. Boasting both standard and rapid mode, the latter will increase the vehicle’s engine power, as well as its top speed and acceleration. However, when this mode is activated, its accuracy is significantly impacted.

Update 1.10 also features the return of Pearl River. Making its first foray into World of Tanks in HD, the Asian-inspired map has received a significant revamp since it was last seen in 2015. And finally, the in-game battle communication system has been made simpler and more informative, so tankers can concentrate more on the battle.

Watch the Update 1.10 Review: The Biggest One This Year Video HERE.

For more information about Update 1.10, CLICK HERE.

MMORPGs World of Tanks | Donster | |
Order of Battle: Red Storm Announced

order-of-battle-red-stormOrder of Battle: Red Storm, the third chapter of the Soviet DLCs trilogy, has been announced for PC and Mac.

Fight the massive battles between 1943 and 1945 and lead the Red Army to victory.

The campaign begins with the fierce tank battle near Prokhorovka during Operation Citadel, the last grand German summer offensive on the Eastern Front in mid-1943. Following the failure of Citadel the Red Army will almost always be on the offensive.

Like in the previous Soviet DLCs, Red Star and Red Steel, Red Storm includes both famous and crucial battles as well as operations that are less known or limited in scope, but still provide unique challenges. So while the Eastern Front is known mostly for large land battles, a few operations with amphibious and naval elements, like the Kerch-Eltigen landings and the liberation of Crimea, were added.

An optional scenario roughly in the middle of the campaign depicts key aspects of partisan warfare in Byelorussia – winning it offers additional benefits in Operation Bagration, the huge offensive against Army Group Center in the same region a few months later.

The ultimate goal of this campaign is the defeat of the Third Reich in the Battle of Berlin. But Red Storm does not stop there – players can opt for another battle after the fall of Berlin and take their core army to the Far East to defeat Japanese forces in the last major Soviet offensive of World War 2 in Manchuria.

Order of Battle: Red Storm is about to start its Beta. If you are willing to give us a hand in providing your feedback, you can sign up here.

Order of Battle: Red Storm Strategy and Wargaming | Donster | |
Just Announced Hardware for 3 August 2020

newhardware-iconCheck out these latest hardware announcements for today from around the web. Also included are some hardware news bits, and on some days, a few rumors tossed in for good measure. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

Hardware | Donster | |