Strategy and Wargaming

Matrix Games has announced a new update for War in the East 2 is now live.

The Morale update adds a new optional rule about, well… morale. Introduced with 01.03.09 is a new optional rule that rebalances retreat attrition. When enabled, routing units will suffer less retreat attrition than normal. The default is for this to be off. With this option enabled you are under far greater pressure to actually encircle enemy formations to destroy them, rather than purely by pursuit.

1.03.10 rebalanced air/ground attacks. The number of requested bomber aircraft for Ground Attack Air Directives must now be set to at least 10 (or set to 0 for Automatic). This update also saw improvements to the multiplayer UI, making it easier to report and log any errors you may encounter.

The update will be available for download either automatically via Steam or directly from here.

Evil Twin Artworks is delighted to announce the official launch date of Victory At Sea Atlantic, scheduled for April 5th, 2024, on the Steam and GOG platforms.

After years of development and community engagement, Victory At Sea Atlantic invites players to experience the thrill of World War II naval warfare in the Atlantic theater. Commanders will embark on a strategic journey through historically accurate battles, dynamically changing weather conditions, and immersive gameplay mechanics.

Key Features in Focus:

Historical Authenticity: Victory At Sea Atlantic faithfully recreates World War II’s naval theater, with realistic ship models, historical campaigns, and dynamic weather conditions.
Strategic Depth: Commanders must make critical decisions, from ship selection to tactical choices, as they navigate the challenges of wartime naval operations.

Find out more about Victory At Sea Atlantic on Steam.

Unfolding during the epic Battle of the Bulge, this latest DLC expansion kickstarts an all-new chapter for the World War II strategy game.

Strategy fans can relive one of the deadliest single battles in American history, as Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines – Bulge is out now on Steam. Set against the backdrop of the last major German offensive on the Western Front in World War II, this latest expansion enables players to experience a full campaign from the Allied perspective for the first time.

The Bulge DLC is the first expansion within Panzer Corps 2’s all-new Frontlines chapter. This thrilling new saga will feature short, but intense, scenarios that showcase some of World War II’s most pivotal battles in greater detail. This approach grants players can unprecedented level of detail, allowing them to vividly relive key moments of history.

Starting a few days before the fateful date of 16th December 1944, the Bulge DLC begins with a smaller-scale US attack on the border between Belgium and Germany. This introductory battle serves as a manageable, yet thrilling experience, allowing players to acclimate to the game’s mechanics and storyline. As the campaign progresses, it sets the stage for a dramatic turn of events—a surprise German offensive that adds layers of complexity and excitement to the gameplay.

Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines – Bulge introduces a new layer of challenges. In the early stages of the German offensive, players will be outgunned and outnumbered. Additionally, the adverse weather conditions limit the main Allied strength – airpower. To ensure an enjoyable and balanced gaming experience, players can earn rewards, including heroes and extra units, and select from different scenarios three times during the campaign, enabling them to choose between different areas of the battle.

Watch the Panzer Corps 2: Frontlines – Bulge 2 minutes gameplay trailer HERE.

Slitherine has released the second flight school video for its turn-based tactical dogfighting game Scramble: Battle of Britain.

Watch Flight School, Episode #2 “Gameplay Phases” HERE.

Dogfights are by their very nature chaotic and unpredictable. Pilots are competing for advantage with their lives at stake. They must execute complex maneuvers with split-second timing to gain a tactical advantage over deadly opponents. Aircraft fly at high speed in close proximity and an understanding of the entire airpace is essential – one wrong move could be fatal.

Scramble simplifies the chaos of a dogfight into short, digestible chunks of action. Maneuvers that can be disorienting in a real-time flight game progress at a pace you can understand. The turn-based design of Scramble ensures you will never lose sight of a target and that you always have a chance to check your six; Scramble helps with the Observe and Orient steps of the OODA loop, and aces will be made of the tacticians who Decide and Act with the most proficiency.

Read more about Flight School Episode #2 HERE.

A new chapter of Strategic Command is on its way. Matrix Games are thrilled to complete Fury Software’s WWII trilogy games with Strategic Command WWII: War in the Pacific. Get ready to re-fight the great land and naval campaigns of this amazing theater.

Our flagship campaign begins with the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on the 7th December 1941 and the rapid expansion of Japan’s Empire into South East Asia and the Pacific. Will victory be won in India, Australia, Hawaii, or battling for islands throughout the Pacific Ocean? This is your chance to re-fight the 20th century’s greatest conflict in the Pacific!

Strategic Command: WWII: War in the Pacific and its flagship 1941 Day of Infamy campaign comes with an impressive 36,000 hex map, providing you with the opportunity to wage war from India and Burma in the west, via the Dutch East Indies, Malaya, the Philippines, Guadalcanal, the Kokoda Trail, Iwo Jima, Tarawa and Midway to the west coast of North America, at an approximately 80km/50mi scale.

Do you want to be among the first to play the game? Please join the beta and let us know what you think about it.

The horrors of war seem an ocean away, but no major threat can be contained in a shrinking world. The influences of foreign ideologies and international pressure may force distant nations to take an active part in the global struggle against tyranny. Decide the fate of South America in Hearts of Iron IV: Trial of Allegiance, available now.

This content pack for Paradox Interactive’s best-selling grand strategy wargame, players can write new histories of the major nations of South America in years around World War II. You can try to resist the pressure to join a costly conflict overseas, or take your chances with a major power bloc for help in pursuing your own goals.

Watch the official release trailer HERE.

Features of Hearts of Iron IV: Trial of Allegiance include:

National Focus Tree for Brazil: Challenged by a decade of internal strife and constitutional crises, Brazil can follow the historical path as a late but valuable member of the Allied cause. Alternately, seek continental hegemony under a new government with new priorities.
National Focus Tree for Argentina: Rife with corruption, revolts and worker unrest, Argentina presents a difficult political challenge. Once you’ve settled the problems at home, you can contribute more on the world stage and help this nation reach its full potential.
National Focus Tree for Chile: Chile is a vigorous republic with a radical tradition that must face domestic fascist parties, the embers of ethnic unrest and the imposing influence of the United States. Chart a course of equality and renewal, pick up the banner of uniting the continent under one flag.
Paraguay and Uruguay: Minor content as well as several new releasable nations.
New Art: New 3D unit sprites for the Brazilian army, as well as new unique 2D art for National Focus trees and units
New Music: Six new songs, with two each for the major nations in the pack.
New Voiceovers: Voiceovers in Brazilian Portuguese, Argentinian Spanish and Chilean Spanish.

Hearts of Iron IV: Trial of Allegiance is available for the suggested retail price of $14.99/￡12.79/€14.99 on Steam.

Absolutely Games and Team17 Digital have today launched WWII-based strategy epic Classified: France ‘44 on PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S. 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.

Watch the Classified: France ’44 launch trailer HERE.

Key Features

Unique morale system: Every shot counts. Even if it misses, fire wears down enemy forces’ morale and can turn the tide in the heat of battle
Tactical stealth action: Infiltrate enemy positions; set up ambushes, and choose your overwatch targets wisely. Friendly fire can shape the battlefield, so position your squad and pick your marks carefully
Engaging and replayable campaign: Define the success of the historic ‘D-Day’ battle with a replayable campaign with 15 different endings. Form a specialist team, court the Resistance factions and aid them in building their strength, and make decisions that lead to game-changing outcomes.
Historically authentic gameplay: Mirroring real-world military tactics, missions are a thrilling, varied experience. Use your tactical toolbox of stealth, ambush, morale and flanking to outwit the enemy and aid the Resistance.
The Classified System: Built on the ‘Classified System’ players can access in-game tools to create their own missions to share with the community.

Arming players for victory, the Deluxe and Overlord editions of Classified: France ’44 come fully equipped for war. Available to purchase for £39.99/$39.99/€39.99, the Deluxe edition includes the base game and the first DLC, while the Overlord Edition, available for £49.99/$49.99/€49.99, includes the base game and the full season pass, granting players access to all four upcoming DLC’s. The standard edition is available to purchase for £34.99/$34.99/€34.99.

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

Defy Plagues and Commission Propaganda in Legends of the Dead

Even the most ancient of bloodlines must be bolstered by stories of greatness. Why should one noble house dominate others, if it has no glorious past to claim? Warriors and diplomats, hunters and saints, all have a place in the chronicles of history and the songs of troubadours. Can you build a legend so powerful that people speak of it centuries later? Secure an everlasting legacy in Crusader Kings III: Legends of the Dead.

Watch the Crusader Kings III: Legends of the Dead release trailer HERE.

Legends of the Dead is the newest core expansion to Paradox Interactive’s award-winning grand-strategy role-playing game of the medieval world. Travel back in time to a world of scheming regents and rival monarchs as they compete for prestige and dynastic power. In Legends of the Dead, you can preserve the legitimacy of your rule through not only great deeds, but the publicity of these deeds, creating a worldwide memory of your actions long after death.

But death comes for us all, and, in this expansion, new epidemics and plagues, including the Black Death, threaten to overshadow the accomplishments of all humankind, covering the earth in sickness and despair.

Features of Crusader Kings III: Legends of the Dead include:

Legends: Commission an epic retelling of your family history or build your own heroic reputation through great deeds. Promote this legend, far and wide, and see how the stories of the past reverberate through the centuries, and add even more glory to legendary dynasties.
Legendary Playstyle: Leverage your living legend status through new Decisions and actions, keeping the stories of your family in the minds of a continent, strengthening the legitimacy of your rule and allowing further choices.
Legendary Buildings: Your legendary reputation gives you access to new elite buildings, cementing your legacy for future generations.
Legendary Feasts: Poets and bards can ornament your celebrations with songs and odes to your greatness, inspiring your guests to spread the tale of your legendary generosity.
Court Chroniclers: Hire an official historian to spread the story of your dynasty’s great accomplishments, or use your poets and musicians to turn your actions into art.
Two New Legacies: A new Heroic dynastic Legacy for the heirs of legendary characters, even using the great deeds of ancestors to justify claims from the distant past, as well as a Legitimacy Legacy that promotes your dynasty as the true rulers of the realm.
Illness and Mourning: New diseases like the Bloody Flux, Measles and Holy Fire may ravage your court, but you can honor your deceased loved ones with dignified Funeral rites, according to your faith.
The Black Death: The greatest scourge of the Middle Ages strikes down noble and commoner alike, radically transforming the political and social environment. Prepare your realm and prepare your soul, because a rampaging plague may be the strongest enemy facing your rule.
New Art: Both life and death are given new energy with the celebrated art style that Crusader Kings III fans have come to appreciate. A new exclusive Map Table, new varieties of clothing, unit models and holding designs for extra flavor.

Crusader Kings III: Legends of Dead is available for the suggested retail price of $19.99/£16.75/€19.99. It is also available as part of the Crusader Kings III Chapter III bundle which includes one Instant Unlock upon purchase, 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 has released the first flight school video for its turn-based tactical dogfighting game Scramble: Battle of Britain.

The Battle of Britain opened in the summer of 1940 over the waters of the English Channel with precise, harassing attacks on shipping convoys, and eventually blossomed into massive raids of hundreds of twin-engined bombers targeting cities and industry.

Legends were made for cutting-edge airframes like the Spitfire and Me109, while more established, heavier types like the Stuka and Bf110 proved far more vulnerable than in previous conflicts. The Royal Air Force demonstrated that a nation could, indeed, mount a meaningful defense against heavy bombers with a force of disciplined and practiced fighter pilots equipped with fast, nimble planes.

Watch Flight School, Episode #1 “Airplanes” HERE.

In Scramble, players will pilot the most prominent fighter planes of the Luftwaffe and RAF and employ them in fighter patrols, bomber escorts, and raid interceptions.

The initial release will include 4 playable fighters and 5 AI bombers:

RAF Fighters
Supermarine Spitfire
Hawker Hurricane

Luftwaffe Fighters
Messerschmitt 109
Messerschmitt 110

AI RAF Bombers
Bristol Blenheim

AI Luftwaffe Bombers
Junkers 87 “Stuka”
Dornier 17
Junkers 88
Heinkel 111

Spitfires are quick and agile and can hold a high angle of attack. The Me109 can dive and roll faster than any aircraft in the game. Hurricanes pull the tightest sustained turn and can sustain more punishment than the other single-engine fighters. The Bf110 is the slowest fighter in Scramble, but its heavy armament and tail gunner make it dangerous from two directions.

The dogfights of Scramble simulate with real-time physics, and every aircraft is uniquely modeled with aerodynamics and mechanical subsystems that respond procedurally to location-based damage.

Bombers in Scramble are larger, slower, and better armored than any fighters, and full of subsystems and components to be riddled with bullets. Players will relish the sight of an unescorted group of sluggish single-engine Stukas or the undergunned Bristol Blenheims. Formations of Do17s and Ju88s may have enough pace to escape distracted predators, and even a single He111 sports enough turret gunners to defend itself against predictable attacks.

Click here for more game information.

Evil Twin Artworks, the creators of the acclaimed Victory At Sea series, are thrilled to release a captivating new gameplay trailer for their upcoming title, Victory At Sea Atlantic. The trailer provides an immersive glimpse into the naval battles that will define this epic World War II experience.

Watch the Trailer HERE.

Victory At Sea Atlantic takes players on a cinematic voyage through historical naval warfare. The new gameplay trailer showcases the meticulous attention to detail, historical accuracy, and dynamic gameplay that players can expect. From the vastness of the Atlantic to the intricacies of ship design, every aspect has been crafted to provide an authentic and thrilling experience.

Key Features in Focus:

Historical Authenticity: Victory At Sea Atlantic faithfully recreates World War II’s naval theater, with realistic ship models, historical campaigns, and dynamic weather conditions.
Strategic Depth: Commanders must make critical decisions, from ship selection to tactical choices, as they navigate the challenges of wartime naval operations.
Community-Driven Development: The trailer reflects the invaluable feedback from the community, who have actively participated in shaping the game’s features and mechanics.

Evil Twin Artworks invites players to embark on this thrilling journey when Victory At Sea Atlantic sets sail in Early Access on Steam. Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we continue to explore the intricate mechanics and features of the game.