Strategy and Wargaming

It is time for our first Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1941 battle video.

This time, we will be covering one of the most impactful moments of the early war, the breakthrough at Thermopylae.

Speed is vital if you wish to break the retreating British and prevent their escape. Having secured the escaping British, the time will come when you also need to assault the mighty defences of the Thermopylae pass. How you tackle this task, is up to you.

Find out more about Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1941 via the games official webpage.

The latest in the Victory At Sea franchise hits Early Access today on Steam.

Evil Twin Artworks’ follow up to Victory At Sea Pacific has finally launched in Early Access with a weeklong 10% discount.

“Set in the American Civil War we have taken a different slant to other games out there by looking at this conflict from the naval side of things.” said James Carroll, Director at Evil Twin Artworks. “Battles took place on both the sea and on rivers of the American Civil War, as the navies of both sides supplied their land forces with resources and transport, requiring both to work together for victory. The Battles on the water powerfully affected the course of the war and would be fundamental as to whom would take victory.”

The game enters EA with a fully playable version of the Union campaign. Following on from this will see a Confederate campaign, as well as Modding and a custom battle mode which will launch through Early Access. While the game will launch in EA with a full roster of ports the Evil Twins will be adding more unique port environment designs as well.

Evil Twin Artworks recently played another round of Victory At Sea Ironclad in a Live stream on the Steam store and you can view it here.

Victory at Sea Ironclad features:

• Search and destroy enemy fleets during the American Civil War
• Effortlessly switch between commanding the entire theatre of war and controlling the fate of individual vessels and fleets.
• Use Resources to build new structures and ships
• Upgrade Ports
• Build shipyards
• Build farms and factories
• Harass shipping and starve ports of vital supplies
• Organize large scale amphibious assaults on major ports
• Control unique vessels such as the formidable Ironclads
• Pausable gameplay allows you to order fleets and then continue the action
• Play as North or South (Play as the South will become available through Early Access)
• Create customisable battles (Will become available through Early Access)

From small skirmishes involving single ships and hunting down merchantmen, to the clashing of massive fleets against implacable enemies, Victory at Sea Ironclad is your ticket to exciting battles that take place on the dangerous seas of the American Civil War.

You can check out the new Steam page for Victory At Sea Ironclad HERE.

Victory At Sea Ironclad Official Website

FRIENDSHIP, ALLEGIANCE, BETRAYAL

Out March 11th, Fates Divided is the next dynasty-defining Chapter Pack for Total War: Three Kingdoms. Set ten years after the turbulent events of the main campaign, players will bear witness to the bitter end of a once great friendship between two of the foremost warlords of the period as they fight to control the future of China.

Forge a new empire with an army headed by two of China’s mightiest warlords, the merciless Cao Cao and the powerful Yuan Shao, each with their own unique motivations and stories to tell from the 200 CE timeline. Following them into the battle is a multitude of era-defining warriors such as Ye Vanguard Spearmen, Xiongnu Noble Cavalry and Qingzhou Halberds, as well as the chance to control the elite Northern Army should you claim victory over your adversaries.

Players can also embark on a new cross-generational campaign as Liu Yan, a man of great ambition and strategy, as he attempts to establish a legacy for his family in the shadow of the Han Empire. Use his unique aspiration mechanic to set the stage for his son Liu Zhang’s eventual inheritance, and reap the rewards of your father’s hard work, or watch as his best laid plans crumble under your care.

The release of Fates Divided will usher in a sizeable free content update to all players of Three Kingdoms including faction reworks for Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, a new Imperial Intrigue mechanic, improvements to the Faction Council and much more.

Watch the Total War: Three Kingdoms - Fates Divided Announcement Trailer here.

More information on the Fates Divided Chapter Pack can be found on the official FAQ here.

Click here to pre-order Fates Divided and receive 10% off.

Combat Mission Cold War is set in the tipping-point years of a conflict that gripped the world for 45 years. Between 1979-1982, both the NATO and Soviet Warsaw Pact militaries began the shift away from industrialized warfare of the early 20th century and towards the modern digital battlefield of today. Combat Mission Cold War simulates several “what if” conflict scenarios between US and Soviet forces centered on the strategic Fulda Gap and environs in West Germany.

The game also simulates the early days of the US National Training Center (NTC) as US forces began to rapidly transform away from Vietnam era doctrine and towards the revolutionary AirLand Battle concepts that would define warfare in the modern era.

It truly was a transformational period in battlefield doctrine and revolutionary equipment for both the NATO and Warsaw Pact forces. Combat Mission Cold War is set in a period that features true peer versus peer forces facing off in what can be nail biting action.

Combat Mission Cold War is intended to be a sandbox for experimentation, for example how would a situation unfold when equipped with M-60A3s or M1s in 1982 facing off against T-80s? How about the same situation with M-60A1s or M-60A2s in 1979 against T-64s or T-62s? Combat Mission Cold War allows a player to do just that!

For the old-timers who served during the Cold War it would be gratifying to actually play out many of the scenarios that were conjectured and trained for during the late seventies to the early eighties, or to re-fight battles at the National Training Center (NTC). Combat Mission Cold War provides those old-timers, and any others that are interested, the opportunity to do just that.

Highlights: Combat Mission Cold War provides the player with the opportunity to take command of either US or Soviet tactical formations, centering on the Company Team or Battalion Task Force between 1979 to 1982. Tactical formations include highly detailed, historically accurate organizations, equipment and modeling of weapons effects that is second-to-none within the wargaming industry. Highlights include the full suite of era-accurate tanks and mechanized infantry fighting vehicles, including many not available in any other Combat Mission franchise: (M48, M60 series of tanks, M150 TOW, M1 (105), T64, and T80, etc.). In addition, it offers a full suite of aircraft effects modeled on legendary platforms such as the iconic US F-4 Phantom and A-7 Corsair. Coming back to Combat Mission are the first variants of the venerable A-10 Warthog and F-16 Fighting Falcon, as well as the Army variants of the AH-1 Cobra gunships. The Soviets bring with them their service workhorses, the infamous Mig-23/27, the Su-17, the rare but powerful Su-25 Frogfoot, and the well-known Mi-24 series gunship, including the first “Hind A” version and the famous “Hind D.”

Combat Mission Cold War comes with:

• 15 standalone scenarios set in the US V and VII Corp sectors of West Germany. Scenarios range from small platoon-based actions to large Battalion battles.
• 3 full length campaigns:
• The NTC Campaign. The National Training Center in the California Mojave Desert was established in 1982, right at the end of Combat Mission Cold War’s time frame. The NTC campaign puts you in command of a US Army Company Team as it begins its rotation and trial by simulated fire against the premier Soviet style formation in the world, the NTC OPFOR (Opposing Force).
• The US West German Campaign. Set in the southern Fulda Strategic Corridor between Fulda and Hanau, the US campaign unfolds across historically accurate maps as player take charge of the 2nd Bn TF of the 28th Infantry Regt in a race to stop the Soviet juggernaut. In keeping with the sandbox theme of Combat Mission Cold War, there are two versions of the US Campaign, 1982 and 1979 to allow players the opportunity to see and compare the differences in equipment between the two periods.
• The Soviet Campaign. Set north and east of Fulda, the Soviet Campaign follows the “Ride of the 120th Motor Rifle Regt” on the opening 48 hours of a fictional “what if” West German invasion. Players will fight on historical battlefields “that never were”, such as Eiterfield and Alsfeld as part of the first wave of Soviet troops racing towards their divisional objectives.

Special Features: Combat Mission Cold War is somewhat unique within the franchise in that it covers a broader time-period than many other Combat Mission base games with a view to eventually covering an even wider period. The aim is to provide the player with the broadest set of experiences and tools to build their own scenarios if they so wish.

Combat Mission Cold War also includes new and reoccurring battlefield innovations such as the introduction of Single and Dual-Purpose Improved Cluster Munitions delivered by both air and artillery support. The early days of electronic warfare is also modeled giving players a sense of the impact an encroaching digital age would have on warfare. Finally Combat Mission Cold War is more than a clash of equipment and weapons, it simulates a clash between command-and-control systems. The US, embracing maneuver warfare doctrine, while the Soviets favour mass, and centrally controlled command systems; Combat Mission Cold War allows the player to see in detail how the clash of these two doctrines would have played out.

Find out more on the official Combat Mission Cold War Steam page.

Rebuild the Empire of the Classical World’s Greatest Conqueror

Though the man has died, his dream of universal empire lives on. The spirit and ambition of Alexander fuels the wars of his quarreling generals, each master of a large kingdom that is somehow still not large enough. Become the master of arms and diplomat extraordinaire as you claim your right to be the heir of Alexander.

Heirs of Alexander is the newest content pack for Imperator: Rome, Paradox Development Studio’s grand strategy game about the classical world. New events and missions highlight the Wars of the Diadochi, a series of bitter struggles fought by former generals and followers of Alexander the Great.

The Heirs of Alexander content pack includes:

• Unique Mission Trees: New special mission objectives for the Antigonid Empire in Anatolia, Seleucid Empire in Asia, Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt, Macedonia and Thrace.
• Shared Mission Tree: Diadochi-themed mission objectives available to all of the Successor Kingdoms.
• Wonder Designer: New tool that allows players to build their own custom monuments, adding bonuses to their location or to the entire empire.
• New Events: Various Historical Events based on the history and legacy of Alexander’s followers.
• New Deities: Regional gods and goddesses from the Hellenistic kingdoms.
• New Treasures: Distinctive artifacts from the Hellenistic kingdoms.
• New Music: Three new music tracks to inspire your Successor Kingdom.

Heirs of Alexander is now available at major online retailers for the suggested retail price of $9.99/£7.19/€9.99.

This content pack is accompanied by a major free update. The 2.0 ‘Marius’ update to Imperator: Rome is a significant reworking of the military system in the game, adding new features that transform war and army management.

• Levies: Draft levies from your provinces to fight your wars. Their size and composition is based on the cultures and population types in the province.
• Legions: Advance your military technology to create standing, professional military forces to guard your empire. But beware of their cost and tendency to follow disloyal generals.
• Military Histories: Legions and Mercenary units have histories that will list their accomplishments over time.
• Engineers: Special cohort to help with sieges, river crossings and road building.
• Changes to Inventions and Military Traditions: Radically overhauled invention system – unlock new abilities alongside old inventions, and shape your civilization like never before.
• Diadochi War Goals: New large scale conquests available to Hellenistic kingdoms to better model the ambitions of Successor rulers.
• UI Overhaul: Completely reworked interface to make options and decisions more intuitive.
• And much more: New unit models for levy and legion units, new port construction options, changes to forts and deities.

For more game information, and to purchase the game, visit the official Imperator: Rome webpage. Imperator: Rome is also available via Steam.

Take the role of Rommel and change the course of history

Panzer Division Games, a new game studio from Croatia has just announced the development of the game: “Attack at Dawn: North Africa”. It will be a real-time wargame set in WW2 North African theatre, featuring 3 campaigns, and 15 scenarios in singleplayer and multiplayer modes. Watch the Attack at Dawn: North Africa Announcement Trailer HERE.

The game’s large map will cover a distance of almost 2000 kilometres – from the bay of Sirte in Libya, to Suez Canal in Egypt. The terrain will vary between sea, desert and mountains; wadis and sebkhas; villages, birs and ports. The only metallic road in the area – Via Balbia, will span the whole length of the map, and a handful of well-known desert tracks will lead from the road towards the deep Sahara in the south.

The designers have researched orders of battle and unit histories for years in preparation of making this game. Special attention was given to the composition of the armies, combat values of individual units and overall authenticity of each scenario.

Tomislav Čipčić, the lead designer of the game: “Ever since I was 6, I have been fascinated with the North African campaign. The name Tobruk has stuck in my mind ever since. After publishing one successful tabletop wargame – I decided to start the development of “Attack at Dawn”. First milestone was in 2018 when I made a prototype of “Operation Battleaxe“. After 3 years of further development, we currently have a solid, smoothly running and fun game. It will take some time until we finish with all the playtesting, balancing and refining the UI. But I have no doubt that this game will make its mark.”

There are 15 carefully recreated scenarios in the game, which can be played as a solo or multiplayer game, or as a part of a campaign. The game features historical scenarios, and speculative scenarios, depicting the what-if situations from the campaign.

This is a real-time game, which will reflect the speed and chaos of the desert mobile warfare. Combine this with the fog of war, and the experience of being in command vehicle of a Panzer Corps comes to life. The game will immerse you in one of the most intensive and nerve-wrecking experiences of the Second World War.

The game’s release date is yet to be announced. When asked about it, the designer said that the game will be released when the AI is as good as they can make it.

For more game information, please visit the official Attack at Dawn: North Africa website, or you can visit the games Steam webpage.

We can confirm the release date for Victory At Sea Ironclad on Steam Early Access, and it is soon!

It is with great excitement we can confirm that Victory At Sea Ironclad, will launch on February 25th with a Union forces campaign, before receiving an additional Confederate campaign, mod support, and custom battles later in its early access period.

You can add Victory At Sea Ironclad to your Wishlist HERE.

We are still streaming live gameplay sessions with more Streams to come.

Tune in to the official streams here on the Steam Store page. We will be making announcements about future streams there as well.

You can check out the new Steam page for Victory At Sea Ironclad HERE.

“Leviathan” Gives Players More Development Options

Picture a capital city that shines like a gemstone, improved by the wealth drawn from the hinterland – decorated by riches demanded from vassals. A capital not of a mighty territorial empire, but of a compact and concentrated state that can still use gold and favors to influence neighbors and rivals. Picture it and then make it so in Europa Universalis IV: Leviathan.

Leviathan is the newest expansion to Paradox’s flagship grand strategy game about the early modern world. Leviathan offers new tools that allow you to play “tall” with smaller and more focused realms with a few centers of power. It also has a host of other changes to well-established game features like Regencies and Colonies.

Among other things, Leviathan gives you new ways to quickly develop your capital, drawing resources and power from vassals or newly conquered territories, and allows you to build beyond your province’s construction limit if you are willing to pay the price.

Watch the Europa Universalis IV: Leviathan Announcement Trailer HERE.

Europa Universalis IV: Leviathan will be accompanied by a major free update that reworks the Southeast Asian and Australasian maps, with new nations, new cultures and new religions. This fascinating region of powerful monarchs and rich merchants takes on new color and offers new ways to play.

More game information is available at the Europa Universalis IV: Leviathan webpage, or on the expansions Steam page.

Victory At Sea Ironclad demo launches as part of the celebrations

‘Evil Twin Artworks’, the award winning indie team behind PC RTS classic, ‘Victory At Sea’, Man O’ War: Corsair and Victory At Sea Pacific has launched a demo of its long awaited follow up, Victory At Sea Ironclad, as part of the Steam Games Festival.

“We thought it would be great to get at least a taste of what is to come in Victory At Sea Ironclad with a demo” said James Carroll, Director at Evil Twin Artworks. “The Steam Games Festival seemed like a good place to start!”

A huge Open World RTS where you play out the entire Civil War, making history with every decision made. Victory At Sea Ironclad will set sail on Steam Q1 2020 in Early Access.

You can check out the new Steam page for Victory At Sea Ironclad HERE.

Field of Glory II, the undisputed reference of tactical turn based wargames on PC, gets Medieval.

Take to the battlefields of medieval Europe in this turn-based strategy game with deep gameplay, infinite scenarios, countless armies, and a broad collection of historical battles.

Developed by legendary designer Richard Bodley Scott, it brings the best from the tabletop world into the best digital framework. Field of Glory II Medieval is a turn-based tactical game set in the High Middle Ages from 1040 AD to 1270 AD.

This was the heyday of the mounted knight. Armoured from head to toe by the later 12th century, European knights rode heavy horses in tight formation, and delivered a devastating charge with couched lances.

Watch the What is Field of Glory II Medieval in two minutes video HERE.

The Setting

Major themes of the period include the struggles of the Kings of France against the Kings of England and the German Emperors, the English wars of conquest or attempted conquest against the Welsh, Scots and Irish, the Baltic Crusades and the Mongol invasion of Eastern Europe. With dynastic struggles and rebellions by powerful nobles thrown into the mix, Europe was in an almost constant state of war.

Field of Glory II Medieval allows you to take command of the armies of the Anglo-Saxons and Normans, post-conquest England, France, Germany, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, the Low Countries, the Free Cantons, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Bohemia, Poland, the Teutonic Knights, the pagan Old Prussians and Lithuanians, Russia, Hungary, the Cumans, Volga Bulgars and Mongols in an endless variety of battles and campaigns set in 11th-13th century North and Central Europe.

The Armies

Lead your chosen army and its named generals to victory in set-piece historical battles or “what-if” custom battle situations against an AI or human opponent. Choose your forces from historically accurate orders of battle allowing all of the options and variations that would be available to a real general of that nation at any date during the era. Field of Glory II Medieval has more than 100 beautiful and historically accurate fully animated troop units, each with multiple variations to bring out the colour and variety of the era. Watch the swords flash and the arrows fly! Count the cost of victory or defeat as bodies litter the battlefield.

The Battles

Field of Glory II Medieval has a campaign system that concentrates on the battles, and allows real strategic decisions without time spent moving armies around a strategic map. Each battle is vital to your progress. Your army will gain experience and elan as it goes from victory to victory against your enemies and their allies. There are four historically-based campaigns covering major conflicts of the era: The Angevin Empire, The Northern Crusades, Alexander Nevsky and the Mongol Invasions. There is also a sandbox campaign system that allows you to lead any nation (and their historical allies) against any other nation (and their allies) – giving thousands of permutations. Victory will require determination and tactical mastery.

Find out more about Field of Glory II Medieval on the games the official product page or via Steam.