On August 2, 1990, Iraq’s ground forces invaded and occupied Kuwait. 40% of the world’s oil production, and the developed world’s economy, was placed in imminent threat by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. In response, the United States promptly assembled an international coalition to attack and expel Iraqi forces out of Kuwait, and to eliminate Hussein’s capability to repeat such an act in the future. What followed would forever transform the face of war.

Command: Desert Storm has been announced! Relive the pivotal events of the conflict that sealed the Cold War and radically changed the Middle East geopolitical landscape.

The massive coalition build-up following the Iraqi invasion; The first night over Baghdad on January 17, 1991; the “do or die” strike that stopped Iraq’s chemical retaliation in the nick of time; the frustrating “Scud hunts” all over the Iraqi desert; coalition attacks on Iraq’s airfields; the annihilation of the Iraqi navy at Bubiyan, the “highway of death” during the Iraqi retreat from Kuwait, and much more.

Additionally, step into the unknown as you probe the great unanswered questions of the conflict: What if Iraq had pre-empted the coalition build-up and rolled right into S.Arabia? What if Israel had retaliated for the Scud attacks against it? What if Iran or even the Soviet Union had intervened against the coalition?

Command: Desert Storm is a new DLC/Standalone release for Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations, the premier game of air, naval & strategic warfare and the choice of serious hobbyists and defense professionals alike. Fourteen historical & hypothetical campaign scenarios plus a bonus contemporary standalone scenario cover the major actions that marked the conflict, allowing you to explore the events that happened – and the ones that could easily have.

Get more information from the official Product Page.

Features:

• A standalone expansion for Command: Modern Air/Naval Operations, 2013′s Wargame of the Year: play as a single, separate game, or add it to your collection of scenarios for CMANO.
• 14 campaign scenarios plus a modern-day Israel-vs-Iran scenario written by Wayne Stiles Retired USAF veteran and CMANO community star.
• Using CMANO’s acclaimed continuous real-time simulation engine with new wrinkles in the realm of air & naval warfare.
• The complete arsenal of modern warfare at your disposal: Stealth fighters, cruise missiles, tactical air & attack fighters, strike bombers, close support aircraft, heavy bombers, surface ships & submarines and even hypothetical platforms like the navalized F-117X, the A-12 Avenger II stealth naval bomber and the radically modernized Iowa-class battleship as BBG-1.
• Bonus 2019 standalone scenario: Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear forces.

Update brings arcade mode, five new guns, and celebrates 500,000 players

Insurgency: Sandstorm, the smash-hit indie FPS from New World Interactive, receives its first major content update today. This includes the massive addition of a new ‘Arcade’ playlist with rotating game modes, alongside five new weapons, a new firing range for practicing your aim, performance improvements, and a wealth of smaller changes, additions, tweaks, and bug fixes – all featured in the First Content Update Trailer.
 
We’re also thrilled to announce that over 500,000 copies of Insurgency: Sandstorm have now been sold, already making back the budget of development, marketing, and then some. In celebration, we invite those who haven’t yet picked up a copy to get involved with a first major discount of 20% off on Steam, available until March 5.
 
The Arcade experience that ships with this new update lays the foundation for adding fresh, new, non-traditional game modes into Insurgency: Sandstorm. Things are beginning with a classic Team Deathmatch mode, which removes faction restrictions on weapons and upgrades, and gives more supply points to make your selections. Rules are simple: Build your ideal loadout, and kill enough of the enemy to win the match. New modes will be introduced to Arcade regularly with future updates.
 
To add some spice to this new kill-focused mode, five new weapons are also being added to Sandstorm in this update. Two new variations of the MP5, the MP5A2 and the MP5A5, are low caliber weapons with good recoil control, perfect for close quarters combat. There are also a pair of new machine guns, the M240B and MG3, offering high-caliber damage and an absurd rate of fire respectively. Finally a new Security handgun, the PF940, features 9mm rounds and a massive high capacity magazine upgrade of 31 rounds.
 
These new weapons join a rework of flash grenades to be more effective, alongside new cosmetic additions of eyewear, tattoos, a new camouflage pattern, and more. Performance and quality of life improvements, plus bug fixes, are also a major part of the patch. Read all about them over in the community update post on Steam.
 
New World Interactive and Focus Home Interactive are delighted with the response and reception to Insurgency: Sandstorm so far. This update should be seen as a sign of things to come: major, regular, free updates with new content and gameplay improvements. To join in, we invite you to grab the game at the 20% discount on Steam, available until March 5th.

Visit the Insurgency: Sandstorm website for more game information.

By Hilbert Hagedoorn @ Guru3D

This time we’re checking out the new Phanteks Eclipse P600S mid-tower PC chassis. The Dutch company is keeping up the pace, as this is another new product after the Phanteks Enthoo Evolv X, which we reviewed at the end of October 2018. This time it’s a chassis from a bit lower segment of the market (but that doesn’t mean it’s low-end). It combines the advantages of two approaches – silence and performance.

Read The Review Here

Check 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.

• EK Water Blocks Releases Newly Upgraded EK-Annihilator PRO for Both Narrow and Square ILM Type Sockets
• Thermaltake Outs Pure 20 ARGB TT Premium Edition Fan
• Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic Razer Edition Chassis Now Available
• USB-IF Rebrands USB 3.0 and 3.1 With New USB 3.2 20Gbps Standard
• D-Link Offers First 5G NR Enhanced Gateway
• Micron Launches the 1300, Refreshing With 96-Layer 3D TLC Flash

Take the Watery Road to Victory in Man the Guns

Victories in Western Europe and East Asia were won through the decisive application of industrial naval power. The Atlantic convoys kept Britain supplied until overwhelming force could be applied to Fortress Europe, and American shipyards produced capital ships for the Pacific War at an unprecedented pace. Are you a savvy enough admiral to master the intricacies of naval war? Will you repeat or rewrite history? Test your seaborne skills in Hearts of Iron IV: Man the Guns, available now at major online retailers for $19.99.

Watch the Hearts of Iron IV: Man the Guns – Release Trailer HERE.

Man the Guns is the newest naval themed expansion to Hearts of Iron IV, the popular World War II strategy wargame from Paradox Development Studio. Man the Guns comes with an armada of improvements to the naval game, including a new ship design mode, refitting older designs, fuel considerations and strategic convoy routes.

Man the Guns also improves play for major democracies like the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, with all new alternate history paths and the mobilization of the American Congress.

Features of Hearts of Iron IV: Man the Guns include:

• New Alternate American History: Use the American Congress to push for reform, at the risk of plunging the nation into another civil war.
• New Alternate British History: Push for early decolonization of the British Empire or restore the ancient privileges of the monarchy.
• Ship Design: Research new components and refit older vessels to take advantage of new knowledge. Outfit your submarines with snorkels or improved stealth.
• Admiral Traits and Skills – Tailor and level up your Admirals with new traits and skills.
• Governments in Exile: Welcome a government in exile to your democracy, boosting their legitimacy in return for more manpower and elite troops fighting to free their homeland.
• Other National Focuses: New national focuses for The Netherlands and Mexico.
• Naval Mines: Protect your coasts from invasion or assault with anti-ship mines, or clear a path through enemy mines before you make the big push.
• Shipping route controls – plot new routes for your shipping and navies by marking areas you want to avoid.
• Naval Treaties: Struggle to keep the peace by following internationally agreed upon rules, or creatively defy the world consensus by exceeding your limits.
• Amphibious Landing Vehicles: Add power to your beach landing by researching and producing specialized combat vehicles for your marines.
• New Music: Original music composed specifically for the Man the Guns expansion.

As usual, the Man the Guns expansion is accompanied by a major free update that improves the game for all Hearts of Iron IV owners. This update includes fuel as a major resource and a new Rules screen that allows you to customize your World War experience.

Man the Guns can be purchased from the Paradox store, Steam or other major online retailers for $19.99.

Eugen Systems Adds Six Historical Battles Playable as Solo or Co-op for Upcoming Sequel to Steel Division: Normandy 44

The offerings for Steel Division 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed World War II real-time strategy title, Steel Division: Normandy 44, continues to grow with today’s announcement from self-publishing independent developer Eugen Systems. In addition to an epic single-player campaign set during Operation Bagration, Steel Division 2 players can also look forward to six brand-new Historical Battles with the core game.

With Steel Division 2, players can look forward to a total of six extensive Historical Battles spanning a variety of significant campaigns across the frontlines. Playable solo, co-op against AI enemies, and multiplayer, including 2v1 and 3v3 scenarios, the six new Historical Battles for Steel Division 2 make the already huge real-time strategy title even bigger with this tremendous amount of content that will take players across the frontlines of war, including the Battle for Orsha, Bobr, Krupki, Pleshchenitsy, Lenina, and Naratch Lake. For full details on the upcoming Historical Battles in Steel Division 2, please visit the official page on Steam.

The six extra Historical Battles for Steel Division 2 also follows recently announced news that Steam users who already own Steel Division: Normandy 44 can also expect eight exclusive divisions with over 350 extra units from the original title when Steel Division 2 launches later this year, including the Sherman Jumbo tank from the United States of America, the Churchill IV heavy infantry tank from the United Kingdom, the lend-lease Spitfire and Sherman M4A2 for France and Canada, and many more. For a complete list of divisions and units, please visit the official Steel Division 2 page on Steam.

In addition, players who pre-order any edition of Steel Division 2 can also expect guaranteed access to the game’s Beta phase. Scheduled to start this quarter, the Steel Division 2 beta will offer players exclusive access to an early build of the game ahead of its 2019 launch. Moreover, players who pre-order the Commander Deluxe Edition, General Deluxe Edition, or Total Conflict Edition will also benefit from 48-hours of early access to the game ahead of the worldwide launch for Steel Division 2.

For full details on pre-order bonuses for Steel Division 2, please head to the official website at buy.steeldivision2.com.

Set during Operation Bagration on the Eastern Front in the summer of 1944, Steel Division 2 pushes the limits of the World War II tactical experience, delivering new 1:1 scale Dynamic Strategic Campaigns. Command entire armies during Operation Bagration, covering the Soviet counter-attack against Axis forces in Byelorussia. Battle in the multiple skirmish modes on 25 maps and customize your battlegroups in the brand-new deck system, allowing for an unprecedented level of customization.

Ubisoft has revealed a brand new trailer ahead of the highly anticipated Open Beta for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. The Open Beta will run from 1st March – 4th March, and is available to pre-load now.

Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 releases worldwide on March 15th, 2019, on the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X, PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Windows PC.

Led by Massive Entertainment in collaboration with seven other studios around the world, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 is the next evolution in the open-world online shooter RPG genre that the first game helped establish. Set seven months after a deadly virus was released in New York City, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will bring players into a fractured and collapsing Washington D.C. The world is on the brink, its people living through the biggest crisis ever faced in human history. As veteran Division agents, players are the last hope against the complete fall of society as enemy factions vie for control of the city. If Washington D.C. is lost, the entire nation falls. Building upon more than two years of listening to and learnings from The Division community, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will offer a substantial campaign that organically flows into a robust endgame, to create a cohesive and meaningful experience for all types of players.

More game information can be found on the official Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 website.

By VSG @ TechPowerup!

Ah, Aimpad technology! I have been wanting to try it out for a while now, having read references of the Aimpad analog control input mechanism with mechanical keyboards over three years ago. I referenced it in my review of the Roccat Isku+ Force FX as well, a membrane keyboard that used pressure sensitivity to drive a rudimentary form of analog control. Then came the very impressive Wooting One with optical switches for a satisfactory analog control experience on the entire TKL form factor keyboard. That required new switch designs, however, and Aimpad’s compatibility with many existing switches offered a viable alternative as well. Cooler Master partnered with Aimpad, first via a working prototype using their erstwhile Rapidfire keyboard and then for more proofs of concept at CES 2018. Well, it is now 2019, and we are finally here with a retail keyboard. Say hello to the Cooler Master MK850.

Read The Review Here

Check 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.

• Cooler Master Releases Gaming Keyboard with Aimpad: MK850
• MetallicGear Makes Premium The Standard With Skiron Series Fans
• Sharkoon Introduces its New Low-budget Gaming ATX Midi tower: The VG7-W
• Alphacool Releases Eisbaer Solo Chrome (DIY CPU Pump and Block)
• Thermalright’s Huge HR-22 Passive CPU Cooler Spotted In Matte Black
• SilverStone Introduces the 550 W and 650 W Strider Gold S PSUs
• Be Quiet! Now Offers Window Side Panels for Silent Base 801 & 601 Cases
• SilentiumPC Signum SG1 Brings the ODD-less Design to the Masses
• ENERMAX Intros REVOLUTION D.F. 80PLUS Gold Certified PSU with DFR Tech
• Arctic Shows Semi-passive Freezer 50 TR Cooler for AMD Threadripper
• ENERMAX Launches MAKASHI MK50, an Elegant RGB E-ATX Gaming Case

Following up on recent relaunch of the aircraft carrier line of naval ships in World of Warships, Wargaming is pleased to announce that British aircraft carriers will be added to the game, expanding upon the currently available US and Japanese Carrier lines!

Starting February 27 with the launch of Update 0.8.1, three Royal navy aircraft carriers enter the fray through early access. Mighty tier IV Hermes, tier VI Furious, and tier VIII Implacable will be made available upon completing new missions and Directives of the “Fly! Strike! Win!” in-game event. A full release of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier branch will follow in the next month’s patch update.

British planes come with generous HP, which allows more daring attacks against ships with strong AA defenses. And while these aircraft are somewhat slower than the American and Japanese naval planes, they pack more of a wallop, thanks to extra rockets and high-level bombs, that makes them unique in this class.

Additionally, from February 28 to March 14, players who log in each day will receive free Air Supply containers in World of Warships. These containers include — Naval Aviation collection, camos, signal flags, resources, and combat missions that can help players earn additional ships.

Lastly, upcoming patch 0.8.1 will introduce three key new changes to the gameplay of World of Warships. These include changes to the way Search Radar works, along with interface updates, and a change to how ships suffer flooding damage. For more information, please see the developer diary video HERE.

For the latest game information, visit the official World of Warships website.