Month: May 2024

Air battles in War Thunder will reach a new level

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the online military shooter War Thunder will receive the “Seek & Destroy” major content update in June. It will bring medium-range air-to-air missiles with active radar guidance (also known as FOX-3), Belgium and the Netherlands aviation, the Canadian version of the Leopard 2 MBT and dozens of other ground, sea and air military vehicles.

FOX-3 missiles operate autonomously and do not require constant “illumination” of the target, though when launching from longer ranges, it’s most optimal to track a target in TWS (Track-While-Scan) mode to provide radio correction. The Radiation Warning Receiver (RWR), however, will warn the target of the approaching missile and give the pilot time to take evasive action. The first medium-range missiles with ARH seekers in War Thunder will be the French MICA, Chinese PL-12, American AIM-120, Russian R-77, Japanese AAM-4, Israeli Derby and South African R-Darter.

One of the carriers of the new class of missiles will be the Su-27SM, the most advanced version of the Su-27 fighter currently in the game. In addition, it will receive TV guided KAB-500Kr and a completely new, destructive one and a half ton KAB-1500Kr, the largest caliber of Russian bombs of this type in the game, as well as Kh-29TD guided missiles. All this is in addition to the already extensive arsenal of the basic Su-27.

Belgian and Dutch aviation will debut in the game as a Benelux branch in the tech tree of neighboring France, increasing the variety of options for players who choose that country. The line starts with the old Gladiator Mk I, which entered combat duty back in the late 30s, and ends with the modern F-16AM Block 15 MLU! There will also be a place here for the French Mirage 5BA, developed for the needs of the Belgian Air Force, as well as the Fokker G.1A, a Dutch-designed aircraft.

New ground-based equipment includes a Canadian modification of the Leopard 2A4 main battle tank with additional composite armor modules, an advanced thermal imager and the ability to install anti-cumulative screens and a masking net, while fans of naval battles will probably be interested in trying the Kondor II – a minesweeper of the GDR fleet, armed with three twin 25 mm autocannons and a FASTA 4M2 launcher with Strela-2M anti-aircraft missiles.

Watch the ‘Seek & Destroy’ Update Trailer HERE.

You can read more about new vehicles and other content of the “Seek & Destroy” update on the official website of the game.

Slitherine Games has released the Scramble: Battle of Britain – Flight School, Episode #5 video.

Watch Flight School, Episode #5 “Maneuvers” HERE.

Maneuvering & Aerobatics

Aerobatics is the piloting of aircraft through maneuvers not typical of steady, stable flight. Most dogfighting, even the short and simple bounce out of the sun, involves aggressive maneuvering that falls into the category of aerobatics. Loops, rolls, and stalls, all aerobatic maneuvers themselves, are the building blocks of more complex aerobatics like the Immelman or the Split-S.

A Scramble turn simulates for roughly two and a half seconds. In aerobatic terms, with World War II aircraft, this converts to roughly a quarter of a loop, or a third of a roll. Players will chain these partial maneuvers naturally from turn to turn so every dogfight in Scramble resembles the fanciest airshow routines.

Scramble’s Turn/Climb Assist couples roll and yaw control surface inputs, so one of the easiest maneuvers in Scramble is the barrel roll. With a little “climb” input and a little “turn” input players can initiate barrel rolls to re-engage a target or enter a rolling scissors with a pursuing enemy.

Scramble aerodynamics model sideslip-induced rolls, so yawing in the same direction of roll input will increase roll rate. The coupling of yaw and roll inputs in the Turn/Climb Assist assures all basic rolls in Scramble experience this boosted roll rate. Players using Traditional Aircraft Control, with access to all three axes independently, can command full yaw and roll inputs to one side to induce a maximum roll rate, and coupling these inputs with a heavy pitch input will flip an aircraft in a twist resembling a weak snap roll.

Aerobatic maneuvering in a dogfight is ultimately a means to an end, and graceful loops that wow crowds at airshow routines may not be the optimal tactics with an enemy in pursuit. But when thinking three-moves-ahead and flying clean, efficient aerobatics a player can execute a quarter loop, followed by a vertical climb, with a rudder turn at the apex to hammerhead their guns onto the unsuspecting enemy flailing to line up their shot in the climb.

Stay tuned for more Flight School episodes and exciting news coming soon!

Matrix Games announced today that Strategic Command WWII: War in the Pacific will be out on June 25th.

Soon you’ll be able to battle through land and sea, commanding the forces of 7 Major powers: Japan, Australia, China, Communist China, USA, US and USSR. The 1941 Day of Infamy campaign is coming with 36.000 hex map, get ready to re-fight the 20th century’s greatest conflict in the Pacific.

If you haven’t yet, register for the beta, in the meantime you can find a feedback article here.

Prepare to wage war! Fulqrum Publishing and Best Way are thrilled to announce the official launch of the highly anticipated real-time strategy game, Men of War II, available for PC today on Steam, Epic Games Store, and other digital retailers for $44.99 USD / £37.99 GBP / €44.99 EUR.

Men of War II delivers an unparalleled World War II RTS experience, meticulously crafted for both seasoned veterans and new commanders alike. Players will command their forces across epic clashes and focused manoeuvres, strategize their campaigns, and experience the chaos and brutality of war like never before.

Featuring an unmatched level of strategic depth, Men of War II offers players a staggering number of meticulously detailed units, each with unique specializations to fit their strategic visions. It also offers unwavering historical fidelity with authentic environments and battlefields and advanced enemy AI that will try to outsmart and outmanoeuvre players by adapting to their playstyles.

In Men of War II, players will take command of one of three World War II global powers – the Soviets, Americans, or Third Reich – each boasting a unique narrative campaign, allowing them to experience the war from different perspectives and utilise their military expertise in their choices. Two further Historical campaigns introduce pivotal battles with scenarios inspired by historical events, as well as a dynamic Conquest campaign and a skirmish-style experience in Raid mode. Players can also team up with up to four friends and tackle any campaign cooperatively.

Men of War II also boasts extensive multiplayer options, allowing players to compete against each other (PvP) or work together against the AI (PvE). Ranked matchmaking ensures balanced competition across three distinct battle setups: Battalions, Combined Arms, and Classic Mode.

After last year’s public playtests, Best Way took extra time and care to incorporate improvements from community feedback. This dedication means that Men of War II launches with numerous technical improvements, bug fixes, balancing tweaks, and enhanced audio-visual quality – a testament to the team’s commitment to delivering a polished experience to players at launch. Best Way are determined to listen to their community post-launch as well, and will continue to improve Men of War II with their feedback.

For more game information, visit the official Fulqrum Publishing website.

Fulqrum Publishing and Ukrainian studio Best Way are excited to announce the Frontline Hero pack, a new DLC pack for real-time strategy game Men of War II, free for players purchasing Men of War II within the first week of launch on May 15th.

The Frontline Hero pack provides exclusive cosmetic features for player profiles, including two exclusive profile badges and six exclusive avatars, a set of 10 wallpaper images, and an instant unlock of four collectible tank units. It provides fans of Men of War II with a chance to stand out from the crowd.

The Frontline Hero Pack instantly unlocks the following collectible units*:

M4A3E8 “Sherman”

Panther Ausf. A

T-34-85

T-34-85M

*All units are also available for unlocking via in-game actions.

Don’t stop the tanks! For players who want to go beyond the battlefield, a Deluxe Edition of Men of War II will also be available. This comprehensive edition offers players the full game, the Frontline Hero Pack, a digital artbook offering a behind-the-scenes look, and the official soundtrack to score their victories. The Deluxe Edition is priced at $54.99 USD / £45.99 GBP / €54.99 EUR, with a 10% discount for the first week.

Men of War II will be available for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and other digital stores on May 15, 2024, retailing for $44.99 USD/£37.99 GBP/€44.99 EUR. For more information, visit the official Fulqrum Publishing website.

Another year and anither anticipated Upgrade, Fixes and Additions have arrived. This game is now in it’s Twenty Sixth year with the release of WinSPWW2v17, bringing the total number of versions/upgrades of the game release to 38. Since the time the first tentative steps were taken to begin modding SP2 into a WW2 based game to today at least 9600 days have passed… that’s over 7400 days longer than WW2 lasted. We say Impressive!

First, DO NOT apply the upgrade patches while in the midst of a secure PBEM game as the game will fail.

Available for immediate download, this patch is ready to run. So, let’s take a look at what the great guys at Camo Workshop have given us…

The 2024 consolidation patch updates any version of winSPWW2 version 9 and up to version 17. winSPWW2 version 17.0 includes:

1. Two new standard infantry unitclasses (UC172 and UC179) replace the old Bicycle unitclasses that were no longer used and were of no real use in the game in their old form.

2. Electronic garbage was appearing along the left side of some maps. This has been corrected

3. All “cavalry” unit classes now behave the same way in the same terrain types.

You can download the upgrade HERE.

More game information can be found on the winSPWW2 webpage.

Slitherine Games has released the Scramble: Battle of Britain – Flight School, Episode #4 video.

Watch Flight School, Episode #4 “”Aircraft Control” HERE.

Aircraft in Scramble simulate in 3D space with six degrees of freedom: three degrees for XYZ position, and three degrees for rotation about the XYZ axes. Simulation is the foundation of Scramble gameplay depth, and analog control of the airplanes allows players to replicate most of the maneuvers they are familiar with from real-world aerobatics and dogfighting, but controlling airplanes is a hard problem to begin with, and designing a control scheme for the turn-based environment of Scramble proved one of the longest lasting challenges our team faced.

In Flight School Lesson 4 we will introduce you to the Turn/Climb Assist – our default Scramble control scheme – and we will explain how it couples some traditional aircraft control inputs to provide an intuitive piloting experience for all players, regardless of their familiarity with piloting airplanes.

Read the full article HERE.

Scramble Battle of Britain is a turn-based tactical dogfighting game that puts you at the heart of the action. Lead your squadron of pilots in a desperate battle for air supremacy. Fully-simulated flight physics and powerful camera tools let you plan and execute your attacks with perfect precision.

Engage in intense aerial battles as Luftwaffe and RAF fighter squadrons clash over the English Channel. Plan your flight paths, execute breathtaking maneuvers, rewind time to evaluate battle damage, and outsmart your opponents with strategic brilliance and captivating aerobatics. Get ready to take control of the skies!

New Missions and Other Historical Content Now Live

Over a dozen nations get makeovers in Winds of Change, a new expansion pack for Europa Universalis IV, available now. This expansion pack adds new historical content for nations as different as the Aztec Empire that dominated 15th century Mexico, to the Mughal Empire that emerged out of Central Asia to dominate India for three hundreds years, to the trading republics of Venice and the Netherlands, each controlling the seas to guide precious cargo home.

Watch the Europa Universalis IV: Winds of Change – Official Release Trailer HERE.

This historical content takes many forms, including expanded and branching mission trees, unique government reforms that reflect the characteristics of certain nations, new decisions and events, and special mechanics that allow you to leverage cultural abilities for unique bonuses.

Europa Universalis IV: Winds of Change includes new historical content for:

Europa Universalis IV: Winds of Change is now available for the suggested retail price of $19.99/£16.75/€19.99. More game information is available at the official Europa Universalis IV website or via the games official Steam page.

MADFINGER Games, a globally recognized Czech independent game studio, is thrilled to share a momentous milestone: Gray Zone Warfare has officially sold over 500.000 base game units and 250.000 DLC editions within 4 days!

Watch the launch trailer HERE.

This incredible achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering support of dedicated gamers, press, and creators, and we are overflowing with gratitude.

Each article (positive or not), review, and mention has contributed to our success, and for that, we are deeply thankful.

As we celebrate this milestone, we are reminded of the journey that brought us here and the exciting and challenging road ahead. We remain committed to delivering engaging content, listening to player feedback, and continuing to push the boundaries of what Gray Zone Warfare can offer.

We’re just four days into Early Access, so please keep in mind that we have hotfixes and patches planned with additional features that will come along the way. We just released the #2 hotfix, which addresses some challenges, such as the ability to wipe your character and change your faction. The following #3 hotfix is also on the way and should come early next week!

Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, require additional information, or wish to arrange an interview. We value our relationship with the press and are always available to assist in any way we can.

ABOUT THE GAME

Following a mysterious event on a fictional Southeast Asian island, the entire area has been put under international quarantine. With almost all the civilian population evacuated by the United Nations, three PMCs are tasked by their enigmatic clients to explore the region, uncover its secrets, and bring back anything of value.

TACTICAL FPS GAMEPLAY
Embrace the challenges of an intense tactical FPS featuring a realistic ballistic simulation that incorporates precise real-world values and authentic ballistics models. In this high-stakes environment, every move matters, and every fight could result in the loss of your hard-earned gear and progress.

HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE WEAPONS
Create your own firearm that perfectly suits your needs and playstyle. By exchanging, removing, or adding hundreds of various parts, mounts, and accessories, the behavior and performance of each weapon can change, making it adaptable to any situation.

More game info and to purchase Gray Zone Warfare please visit Steam.

The second DLC for Absolutely Games’ strategic epic launches today with a new Special Ops Map, Special Ops missions, weapon, weapon variant, and clothing set.

Absolutely Games and Team17 Digital have today launched the Agent Pack for WWII-based strategy epic Classified: France ‘44. Available for PC1, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S, the Agent Pack grants players new gear for their covert operations, including a new Special Ops map, ‘Radar’; Two new Special Ops missions, Over Hill Under Hill and Make Every Kill Count; a new weapon, the Winchester 1912; a new weapon variant, Beretta ‘Compact’; and a new clothing set, Female Resistance ‘Agent’.

An original take on the turn-based tactics genre, Classified: France ’44 authentically captures the challenges of World War II firefights, shining a light on a lesser known story. Players will take charge of the Jedburghs: a group of special forces dropped deep in the heart of Nazi-occupied France, working with the Resistance to disrupt and sabotage enemy forces in the lead up to D-Day.

The season pass for Classified: France ’44 can be purchased for £19.99/$19.99/€19.99, granting access to all four DLC packs, with the individual DLC packs 1-4 available for £5.99/$5.99/€5.99 each.

For more information on Classified: France ’44, visit the official website. PC users can purchase the game via Steam.