Strategy and Wargaming

The third DLC for Absolutely Games’ strategic epic launches today with a new map, weapon and weapon variant, clothing set, and two new special ops missions.

Absolutely Games and Team17 Digital have today launched the Talon Pack for WWII-based strategy epic Classified: France ‘44. Available for PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S, the Talon Pack grants players new gear to aid them in their fight for victory, including a new map, ‘Manor’; two new Special Ops missions, ‘Foul Manors’ and ‘Hostage Negotiation’; new weapon ‘Mosin-Nagant M1891’; new weapon variant, ‘Trench Gun ‘Bear’’; and a new clothing set, ‘US Airborne ‘Talon’ Set’.

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.

James Brooksby, CEO, Absolutely Games, said: “Today, on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings we want to remember these momentous events which inspired the creation of Classified: France ’44. We pay tribute to the heroic men and women who took part in the run-up to and during Operation Overlord – the largest amphibious invasion in history. We will not forget the many lives lost in the campaign to liberate Europe.”

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.

Attention, pilots and flight captains!

Prepare for takeoff with Scramble: Battle of Britain.

We’re thrilled to announce that a demo of our exhilarating aerial combat game will be available during the Steam Next Fest from June 10th to17th. This is your chance to experience intense dogfights and intricate mechanics firsthand.

Here’s what you can look forward to in the demo:

Missions

Simulation

Control

Cinematic Tools

Don’t miss out on this thrilling opportunity to immerse yourself in the skies of WWII. Get ready to Scramble! Click here for more game information.

Slitherine Software has announced the release of Field of Glory: Kingdoms.

Field of Glory: Kingdoms is the new game from award-winning studio AGEOD, makers of some of the best grand strategy games of all times. It is set in 1054, just after the Great Schism, and it encompasses more than two centuries of epic European, African, and Middle Eastern history.

Navigate the complexities of politics, religion, and warfare to build a legacy that stands the test of time. The game has a detailed map and a variety of units, including knights, sergeants, spearmen, and crossbowmen, offering countless strategic possibilities.

In Field of Glory: Kingdoms, you can export your battles into Field of Glory II: Medieval. This integration allows you to immerse yourself even further into the strategic and tactical elements of medieval warfare.

Watch the Field of Glory: Kingdoms release trailer HERE.

Find out more about Field of Glory: Kingdoms HERE.

Roads to Power Major Expansion Offers New Ways to Play Popular Strategy Game

Learn new ways to unlock power and prestige in Roads to Power, the new Major Expansion from Crusader Kings III. Be a wandering mercenary, building a reputation as a fixer or outlaw, or lead a noble family in an ancient empire, using influence and intrigue to secure your place. New events, government systems, schemes and lifestyles are yours to explore.

Coming on September 24, Roads to Power is a major expansion to Crusader Kings III, Paradox Interactive’s award-winning strategy/role-playing experience about high politics and relationship building in a dynamic medieval world. It is a part of the game’s Chapter III, the Expansion Pass for 2024 that includes a free clothing pack, the Core Expansion Legends of the Dead, and an upcoming event pack emphasizing character travel.

Roads to Power introduces two new ways to engage with this world, with never-before-seen game styles. You can roam the world as a Landless Adventurer, fulfilling contracts and building up your own base of power, until you feel strong enough to claim a new kingdom for yourself and your band of followers. Or, play as a noble in the Byzantine Empire in a non-feudal system, scheming your way to the top, as you compete against other powerful families at the imperial court, using your influence to manipulate the political system in your favor, placing strong and friendly candidates in seats of power – even the throne itself.

Watch the release date announcement trailer for Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power HERE.

Features of Crusader Kings III: Road to Power include:

Crusader Kings III: Roads to Power will be available on 24 September 2024 as part of Crusader Kings III: Chapter III – which includes the Core Expansion Legends of the Dead, the Major Expansion Roads to Power and the Event Pack Wandering Nobles. More game information is available on the official Crusader Kings III website.

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!