Strategy and Wargaming

Fulqrum Publishing has officially announced Theatre of War: Rearmed for PC, bringing the complete Theatre of War series together in one definitive package, unified on the latest version of its original engine, created by a solo developer. The game’s first public playtest will begin on May 7 during Steam’s World War 2 Sale, a themed event focused on WWII games.

Theatre of War Rearmed – Announcement and Playtest Teaser

Theatre of War: Rearmed combines the full legacy of the series into a single experience, including Theatre of War with LEHR and Liberation Belarus, Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943 with Centauro, Theatre of War 2: Kursk 1943 with Battle for Caen and Theatre of War 3: Korea.

The war, rearmed
With Theatre of War: Rearmed, Fulqrum Publishing is bringing the entire series onto the latest version of its original engine, creating a shared technical foundation across gameplay, controls and interface. Almost every game mechanic has been revised and improved, with better performance and stability, refreshed visuals and effects, redesigned high-resolution UI support and refined controls and camera behavior for modern systems.

Rather than replacing the original identity of the series, Theatre of War: Rearmed preserves its tactical depth while refining it into a more cohesive modern package. The core experience remains focused on realistic battlefield systems, including detailed ballistics, armor penetration, damage simulation, terrain-influenced vehicle behavior and infantry reacting dynamically to combat conditions.

A complete battlefield experience
Spanning Europe, North Africa, and Korea, Theatre of War: Rearmed presents the full scope of the franchise as one connected experience. The game includes over 100 missions across multiple campaigns and a dynamic strategic mode, giving players the freedom to approach the battlefield through long-form operations or shorter tactical engagements based on their preferred style of play.

The game also preserves and expands the systems that made the series enduringly replayable, including multiplayer, mission editing, modding support and open resources. Steam achievements are also part of the updated package, adding another layer of progression for returning players and newcomers alike.

Playtest invitation
The first public playtest for Theatre of War: Rearmed begins on May 7 during Steam’s World War 2 Sale. Players are invited to visit the game’s Steam page and request access to the playtest to be among the first to experience the rebirth of classic tactical strategy series.

The playtest version offers a focused slice of the full game, including 11 missions across three campaigns, 2 standalone scenarios and 9 tutorial missions introducing the core systems and mechanics. Multiplayer will also be available, with 11 maps designed for both competitive and cooperative tactical battles. This setup gives players an early chance to experience the updated controls, technical improvements and battlefield systems ahead of release.

Key features

• Complete Theatre of War series unified on the latest version of its original engine
• Over 100 missions across multiple campaigns and a dynamic strategic mode
• Realistic tactical combat with advanced ballistics and damage systems
• Improved AI across infantry, vehicles, artillery and aircraft
• Expanded gameplay systems including engineering, towing and repairs
• 64-bit upgrade with major performance and stability improvements
• Enhanced 3D models, textures, visuals, lighting, shaders and effects
• Redesigned UI with full high-resolution support
• New and updated sound effects. New music
• Large multiplayer component with maps for up to 8 players
• Mission generator for additional replayability
• Full modding support with editor and open resources
• Steam achievements

Join the playtest and wishlist the game on Steam.

Transmission from the Pacific #1

Tora!, Tora!, Tora!

The Theater of War

The Pacific War encompassed the largest area of any episode of World War II. It was full of violent strikes, twists and turns, and the heroism of all the fighting soldiers. It was also a campaign where fleets clashed on one side, and on the other, jungle warfare requiring soldier action took place. Radio Commander Pacific ’41 takes us back to the struggle for islands in the Pacific from 1941 to 1945. The Pacific Theater featured vast distances, the need to capture individual islands, a fierce and often fanatical defense, the need for landings, the use of naval artillery, and more.

Player Role

The player takes on the immersive role of a commander during a conflict in which radio communication was crucial. Using only the radio voice communication, you must understand a situation and build the picture on your own, based solely on what your units are reporting. You don’t have a magic click moving tokens for you. You have to do it yourself. You don’t have automatic graphics and animations to make your work easier, as you might often see in other games. It’s just you, the map, and the radio. Use a radio to be a commander.

And based on the situational awareness you’ve built, you must communicate your intentions to your subordinate units, also via radio. You must independently make calculations, such as losses, the location of your own units, their situation, time to arrival, and ammunition levels. You must anticipate and react to enemy actions.

Create a battle plan, implement it, and act on changing enemy actions. Provide support to your units. All this is done exclusively via voice radio communication. Commands and reports are standardized, allowing for faster communication with your subordinates. You have a range of units at your disposal, from infantry to airplanes.

But the battle plan is in the commander’s head… in your head.

Wishlist the game on Steam and Slitherine.

Four intense missions and new deadly tactical challenges await in the second DLC

Publisher Kalypso Media and in-house developer Claymore Game Studios Today release “No Man Left Behind”, the second DLC for Commandos: Origins, available on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and PlayStation®4|5.

Commandos: Origins – No Man Left Behind Release Trailer

Set in the Auvergne region of occupied France, the DLC expands the main campaign with four new missions. Following the capture of the Green Beret during a failed operation, players take command of Thomas “the Sapper” Hancock, Francis T. “the Sniper” Woolridge, and Rene “the Spy” Duchamp to rescue their comrade.

Players navigate through hostile terrain – spanning night time forest operations and heavily guarded military structures scattered across the mountainous countryside. Beyond simple infiltration, objectives evolve: to sabotage the prototype of a new dangerous German superweapon, the Commandos must uncover crucial information and clues on the ground.

The introduction of the Radio Operator adds a fresh tactical challenge. Enemy communications can escalate situations instantly, forcing players to prioritize disruption over direct confrontation. Cutting signal chains is now essential to maintain control across enemy territory.

Betrayed by former allies to the west and besieged by rising powers to the east, the Byzantine Empire has been reduced to its Greek and Thracian heartlands. Centuries of intrigue and invasion have meant a steady decline in the fortunes of Constantinople. But, under your guidance, the heirs of the Caesars and stalwarts of the Orthodox faith can find their greatness once again. On 06 May 2026, you can determine the Fate of the Phoenix. Europa Universalis V: Fate of the Phoenix is the first immersion pack for Paradox Interactive’s best-selling historical grand strategy game about the late medieval and early modern era. Focused on the Byzantine Empire, Fate of the Phoenix adds more historical content to the heirs of Rome, including a new disaster and unique color that brings the challenges of the time to life as you write new histories of this fading giant.

Europa Universalis V: Fate of the Phoenix Story Trailer

Europa Universalis V: Fate of the Phoenix includes:

• Byzantine Bureaucracies: Unique content for the new Bureaucracy system designed for larger imperial powers. Choose to keep the old ways in hopes of restoring the empire or take the risk of discarding centuries of ambition to follow a more modest course.
• Latinitas vs Romanismos: A unique Societal Value for the empire, choosing between a reconciliation with the Latin powers of the west or entrenching Roman heritage.
• Fate of the Phoenix Disaster: Work to reverse the crumbling fortunes of the empire before it gets too late to stop the decline. Choose a clear path, expand quickly, and reform so you can stabilize the ship of state.
• More Orthodox Content: Interact with the Ecumenical Patriarchs, restore the Pentarchy to strengthen the Eastern Church, expand Orthodoxy to Rome and Mend the Schism.
• Hellenism: Revive belief in the old pagan gods, seeking their favor through the invocation of omens.
• Latin Culture: Embrace a total return to the old Roman roots, taking up the old ways.
• New Art: New portraits, illustrations, city models and unit models for the Eastern Mediterranean inspired by Byzantine history.
• New Flavor Content: New events, military units, character-related actions, subjects, and more!

Europa Universalis V: Fate of the Phoenix will be available on 06 May 2026 for the suggested retail price of $9.99/£8.49/€9.99. It is also available as a part of the Europa Universalis V: Premium Edition.

More information is available on the Europa Universalis V: Fate of the Phoenix webpage. You can wishlist the add-on via Steam.

Publisher Kalypso Media and Developer Kite Games are proud to announce the official launch of Sudden Strike 5, marking a triumphant return for the beloved real-time strategy franchise. Sudden Strike 5 sets a new benchmark for tactical WWII gameplay with greater complexity, larger battlefields, and more ways to achieve victory with sandbox gameplay.

The game is out now for PC, Xbox on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5 in Standard Edition (€49.99 / $49.99 / £44.99) and Deluxe Edition (€59.99 / $59.99 /£54.99) with a 10% launch discount available for the first 7 days on Steam, the Epic Games Store and the Kalypso Media Store.

Step into the commander’s seat, where every decision shapes the fight in the official Sudden Strike 5 launch trailer.

Sudden Strike 5 unleashes a slew of new features and quality-of-life upgrades over its predecessor, designed to give commanders more control and tactical choice. Players can construct bridges over rivers to open new routes to catch enemy forces by surprise, call-in reinforcements via sea or railroad, and coordinate large-scale maneuvers with improved visibility and streamlined unit management, allowing for the deployment of overwhelming force!

Take control of the battlefield in one of three major factions: the Western Allies, Soviet, or Axis forces, across an expansive 25-mission campaign. From the frozen landscapes of the Eastern Front to the harsh deserts of North Africa, each battlefield presents unique challenges demanding careful planning, adaptability, and tactical mastery.

New Hearts of Iron IV Focus Pack Offers Fresh Challenge

The hungry eyes of autocratic neighbors have turned to a small Central European democracy. Not even 20 years old, the Republic of Czechoslovakia has uncertain alliances in this dangerous world. Can you resist the tides of history and survive the crisis of the late 1930s? In Peace for Our Time, a Focus Pack for Hearts of Iron IV, you will face a new test of your skills as the enemy is close and time is short.

Hearts of Iron IV: Peace For Our Time Official Release Trailer

Available now, Peace for Our Time is designed in collaboration with veteran modders Logan ‘Spicy Alfredo’ Calkins, Abbus Fung and Marijn ‘marijn211’ Vroegh. This pack includes new National Focus Trees and unique mechanics, inspired by the difficult situation of pre-war Czechoslovakia, as it faces external aggression, internal division, and an unpredictable diplomatic climate.

The Hearts of Iron IV: Peace for Our Time Focus Pack is available now on Steam for the suggested retail price of $5.99 / £4.99 / €5.99.

Broken Arrow values its community loyalty, engagement, and continuous feedback. To strengthen this mutual commitment, Slitherine and Steel Balalaika are opening the PTE to the public, giving everyone the opportunity to experience upcoming features early and contribute meaningful input on improvements that are not yet part of the live game. This approach allows us to collaborate more closely with players, using their insights to refine mechanics, balance gameplay, and guide future updates. Community feedback gathered through the PTE will play a direct role in shaping what comes next. On this branch, players will be able to test a wide range of gameplay improvements, balance adjustments and new systems designed to deepen strategy and dynamics before they are implemented into the game.

Such as:

• Game Mode Changes: A new Conquest mode has been introduced with multiple score thresholds (500, 1000, 1500). Points are gained or lost based on zone control, with a fixed tick rate per objective. Destruction points remain unchanged, and phase-based WP compensation has been removed.
• Income Changes: Income is now calculated non-linearly based on the number of deployed units, with a cap of 1500 pts. The system is designed to improve early-game dynamics, encourage smaller and lighter armies (including air playstyles) and the ability to extend an army.
• General Changes: A new anti-overkill system has been added. Infantry transport vehicles now carry supply crates as an ability that can resupply and heal infantry. Ground units have custom respawn timers visible in their stats. Damage for automatic weapons in the unit info panel is now displayed as damage per second. New map layouts have been introduced, and infantry now inherit stress from destroyed transports.
• Recon Units, Infantry, Vehicles, Support Units, Anti-Air, Helicopters, Aircraft and much more….

To access PTE go on the Steam Page at 5 P.M. CEST and click on the last news: players can find there clear instructions.

This year, Crusader Kings III will add new threads to the rich medieval tapestry players can weave. Today’s launch of Chapter V reveals the upcoming plans for Paradox Interactive’s celebrated grand-strategy role-playing game, including two expansions that highlight major new playstyle options and greater depth and historical flavor as well as a music pack and cosmetic pack that are available Today. Today, Crusader Kings III is also getting a major free update, adding new ways to find information about your game, with an improved ledger and other stat tracking, as well as more shortcuts, changes to the interface, new sound cues and more.

Crusader Kings III Chapter V Reveal Trailer

The two upcoming expansions, By God Alone and Silk & Silver, focus on aspects of the medieval world that the wider Crusader Kings community has wanted to see explored in more depth. By God Alone deepens the religious themes of the game, with more attention to the evolution of Christianity in Europe and how medieval secular rulers competed with the religious orders for power and wealth. Silk & Silver opens up merchant republics for play, letting you take the position of a medieval merchant rising to power through shrewd trading, political office, or noble patronage.

Crusader Kings III: Chapter V is available now, and it includes:

• Symbols of Authority: This clothing pack offers new crowns and headwear for European characters, including crowns inspired by some of the most glamorous heads of history. Available Today, this pack is instantly unlocked upon purchase of Chapter V.
• Songs of the Realm: Out now, this new Crusader Kings III Music Pack offers a wide variety of musical accompaniment to your empire-building and dynastic scheming. Songs of the Realm offers thirteen songs, a mix between remasters of Crusader Kings classics and adaptations of traditional European music. This Music Pack is the perfect soundtrack to while away the hours as you plot your next big move to secure your family’s hold on destiny.
• By God Alone: This Core Expansion for Crusader Kings III focuses on the religious life of your characters, with a special emphasis on new systems for Christian characters. Guide your dynasty through religious developments as the tenets of the faith evolve over the centuries, avoid or embrace heresies, navigate Schisms and Synods and watch your characters struggle with the demands of their religion. Coming later this year.
• Silk & Silver: This Major Expansion for Crusader Kings III focuses on medieval trade and the merchant families that ruled or financed great empires. Play as a merchant family with a mansion to maintain, earning gold through the trade of exotic goods. Compete for power in a merchant republic, where gold is more important than blood, or set up shop in a landed kingdom and finance its expansion. Push rival families out of the most valuable markets, establishing monopolies on important routes. Coming later this year.

Crusader Kings III: Chapter V is available now on for the suggested retail price of $43.99/ ￡36.99/€43.99. More information about Crusader Kings III is available on the official Crusader Kings III website or on the games Steam page.

Relic Entertainment is excited to announce Company of Heroes 3: Dare & Destroy, a new Battlegroup DLC launching May 14, 2026, on PC via Steam for $24.99 USD £19.49 GBP | €22.99 EUR. The DLC introduces four new Battlegroups, alongside new cosmetics and a general game update, expanding Multiplayer and Co-Op/Skirmish vs A.I. gameplay with new tactical options, powerful units, and distinct playstyles.

Company of Heroes 3: Dare & Destroy Announce Trailer

Each Battlegroup introduces new ways to approach the battlefield, offering players greater strategic depth through specialized units, unique abilities, and all-new playstyles. Building on the series’ legacy systems, Battlegroups act as supplemental forces that enhance your army and open up new tactical possibilities in every match.

Four New Battlegroups

US Forces – Free French Battlegroup:

Establish a resilient defensive line and stall enemy advances before unleashing a decisive counterattack.

French Rifle Sections, Bastions, and Tourelle defenses anchor your position, while Railway Artillery and the Char B1 Heavy Tank turn the tide and force a breakthrough.

Wehrmacht – Siege Breaker Battlegroup:

Break through fortified enemy positions with siege tactics and overwhelming firepower.

Flame Halftracks and enhanced infantry weaponry pressure enemy lines, while Siege Specialists and the Sturmtiger Heavy Tank shatter even the most entrenched defenses.

British Forces – Special Services Battlegroup:

Disrupt and weaken the enemy through precision strikes and resource denial.

Commandos, Snipers, and fast raiding vehicles harass from unexpected angles, while Scorched Earth tactics punish overextension and drain enemy resources.

Deutsches Afrikakorps – Elite Forces Battlegroup:

Field a highly advanced and experienced force designed to outmaneuver and overpower opponents.

Veteran infantry and vehicles, led by the Command 8Rad Armored Car, combine with Ace Stuka air support and the Tiger Ace Heavy Tank to deliver decisive battlefield dominance.

Sudden Strike 5, the highly anticipated Real-Time Strategy WWII game and latest instalment in the Sudden Strike series, is available once again as a playable demo on Steam. The development team has addressed player feedback received during the initial demo earlier this February, resulting in a range of performance and gameplay improvements prior to its full launch on April 23.

Watch the Sudden Strike 5 demo trailer HERE.

In this demo, command forces from the Soviet and Western Allied factions in two missions, “Attack on Monte Cassino” (Western Allies) and “Defense of Sevastopol” (Soviets). These reworked missions deliver feedback-specific game improvements including higher and more stable framerate, reduced frame drops during combat, reduced stuttering and improved frame pacing, improved pathfinding, and improved responsiveness of AI patrol units. At launch, Sudden Strike 5 will feature a massive 25 mission campaign, multiplayer modes, along with additional balancing, and final refinements.