Strategy and Wargaming

Matrix Games have announced that Strategic Command: World War I – Battles for Ypres is now available for $14.99.

Strategic Command: World War I – Battles for Ypres Gameplay Trailer

The DLC contains six fast-paced campaigns covering all the major Battles of Ypres. Face historically inspired scenarios with a progressive introduction of WWI technologies and tactics, including artillery, gas, tanks and aircraft.

Designed for both accessibility and depth, these divisional-level scenarios emphasize meaningful decision-making, risk management and replayability. Commit reserves at the right moment, exploit breakthroughs, or hold the line against overwhelming odds, every choice can determine victory or defeat.

Matrix Games have announced that the DLC Battle for Ypres for Strategic Command WWI will release on July 14th.

Take command in one of the Great War’s most fiercely contested regions, fighting for control of the Ypres Salient.

Experience six fast-paced, divisional-level campaigns spanning 1914 to 1918, from the desperate defense of First Ypres to the final Allied advance in Flanders. Face the introduction of new warfare elements, including gas attacks, creeping barrages, tanks and aircraft. You will need to adapt your strategy in each scenario, balancing risk, timing, and resources to secure victory in intense battles.

More game information is available on the Battle for Ypres webpage.

Matrix Games today officially announce “Lowland Lions“, the first major content expansion for Flashpoint Campaigns: Cold War. Take command of Dutch, Belgian, West German, and U.S. forces in a massive collection of 25 new scenarios featuring fresh campaigns and intense standalone battles.

What’s Inside Lowland Lions?

• New Playable Faction: Deploy the new Dutch I Corps formations, units, and equipment.
• The Dutch Campaign: Lead the Netherlands forces through a tense 3-scenario campaign covering the opening hours of the war (all playable standalone).
• The Belgian Campaign: Fight across 4 scenarios as Belgian units struggle to contain the Soviet breakthrough.
• The West German Campaign: Shift focus to a West German “stay-behind” unit conducting unconventional defensive operations deep behind enemy lines (6 scenarios).
• Classic Tactical Scenarios: 12 standalone battles, including 8 scenarios featuring U.S. forces inspired by classic Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm gameplay.

The Third World War erupts across the German Border, and the Dutch I Corps stands to meet the first Soviet assault. At the sharp end of the spear, the 103rd Reconnaissance Battalion is tasked with screening and delaying the advancing Warsaw Pact forces, while the 42nd Armored Battalion races forward to reinforce the line.

Also included are 8 scenarios featuring U.S. forces, inspired by classic Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm gameplay.

Wishlist now on Steam.

Relic Entertainment is proud to announce Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand. Launching July 29 on PC via Steam, Final Stand captures the strategy and intensity of Company of Heroes’ cinematic battles in a fast-paced wave defense experience for solo and cooperative play.

Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand Announcement Trailer

Built on the beloved tactical foundation of Company of Heroes, Final Stand expands the series’ signature combat with roguelite progression that encourages experimentation, adaptation, and replayability. Players must dig in, build layered defenses, and survive against escalating waves of enemy forces across 12 increasingly challenging rounds, featuring intimidating bosses and dynamic battlefield events unique to Final Stand. Final Stand will launch at $29.99 USD/£23.99 GBP/€28.99 EUR on July 29. Players can take advantage of a 10% launch period discount, while Company of Heroes 3 owners will receive an additional 20% bundle discount.

A New Way to Experience Company of Heroes

Final Stand is a fully standalone release, meaning no prior ownership of Company of Heroes titles is required. Players can jump right in and experience the thrill of holding the line against overwhelming odds, whether they’re longtime fans or new to the franchise.

Command one of four iconic factions – US Forces, Wehrmacht, British Forces, or Deutsches Afrikakorps – each offering unique strategies, abilities, and progression paths tailored to different playstyles.

Final Stand captures the classic Company of Heroes feeling of those pivotal moments where when faced with overwhelming odds, preparation, adaptability, and decisive command determine survival.

Key Features:

• All-new standalone Company of Heroes wave defense experience
• Single-player and cooperative gameplay
• Command four iconic factions: US Forces, Wehrmacht, British Forces, or Deutsches Afrikakorps
• Roguelite progression and persistent upgrades present new strategic possibilities in every run
• 36 boss units with special abilities and rewards
• 18 dynamic in-game events
• 8 difficulty levels from newcomer to veteran
• 5 battlegrounds designed for wave defense gameplay
• Survive 12 escalating waves, or take on Endless Mode for the ultimate challenge
• Faction-specific progression trees with impactful upgrades
• Unlock 4 premium cosmetic skin packs (1 per faction)
• Brand-new Announcer VO performances bring your Final Stand to life

As part of the recently outlined Sudden Strike 5 roadmap, publisher Kalypso Media and developer Kite Games prepare to transport players to one of World War II’s most decisive campaigns in the DLC Sudden Strike 5 – France: Road to Liberation arriving July 30, 2026, on PC, Xbox on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation®5.

Experience the thunder of war in a behind the scenes look, as the Budapest Art Orchestra performs the Sudden Strike 5 main theme.

Sudden Strike 5 – France: Road to Liberation is set in August 1944, during the backdrop of Operation Dragoon as opposing forces battle for control of a nation on the brink of liberation. The upcoming DLC introduces six new missions, with three playable as the Allied forces and three playable as the Axis powers. Storm the shores of Camel Beach with the Allied forces and progress through the liberation of Toulon before capturing Hill 300 to sever German retreat routes. Axis missions will challenge the tactical expertise of battle-hardened generals as German armies must evacuate the region while defending critical positions against mounting Allied pressure.

Tactical possibilities expand as generals gain access to a new Commander, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, introducing a mobility-focused playstyle supported by two new doctrine cards Maquis Mobilization and Crew Vehicle Training, each with additional extensions to further adapt battlefield strategies with deeper tactical customization.

Reinforcements arrive with more than six new units and unit types including the Allied destroyer USS Edison, the remote demolition vehicle German SdKfz. 302 Goliath, with French infantry and additional new vehicles like amphibious units joining the fight.

In addition to the upcoming DLC, the development team will continue to deliver auxiliary game enhancements as detailed in the recent roadmap. Co-Op Mode will officially be arriving to the game as a free update for all in early July. A quality-of-life update has already been implemented this past week providing the ability to individually remove units from trenches, the addition of new tutorial hints in loading screen and new visibility settings, among other adjustments and fixes, the full update changelog can be found here.

Sudden Strike 5 – France: Road to Liberation Features:

• Sudden Strike 5 – France: Road to Liberation provides you with 6 new missions (3 each for the Allied and the Axis forces) based on the events of “Operation Dragoon” in famous historical settings.
• The Allied missions take you from the landing at Camel Beach and the Liberation of Toulon to the capture of Hill 300, where you must cut off the German retreat. In the Axis missions, you will fight to hold the line while securing the evacuation of your remaining forces.
• Enhance your tactical options with a new Commander, Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, whose skillset focuses on velocity and mobility, and two new doctrine cards, “Maquis Mobilization” and “Crew Vehicle Training” with a set of new extensions each.
• In addition to a host of units already present in the main game, the DLC introduces more than 6 brand-new units and unit types, including the Allied destroyer USS Edison and the German remote detonation vehicle SdKfz. 302 Goliath as well as French infantry and new vehicles like amphibious units.

Add to your wishlist today on Steam.

Greetings Sire! 25 years since the launch of the original Stronghold, we finally revealed Stronghold 4 at the PC Gaming Show and the reception has been truly incredible.

With over 250 thousand wishlists and counting, we are truly grateful to all our fans, new and old, who cannot wait to build, battle and besiege later this year.

The public demo for Stronghold 4 is now live for all to play on Steam!

A New Era of Stronghold! Stronghold 4 Demo Trailer

Feel the impact of a living medieval world on your castle economy and siegecraft, as you battle against hostile outlaws, rival lords and the elements themselves in this new narrative RTS set years before the events of the original Stronghold!

Stronghold 4 is the long-awaited next mainline entry in the Stronghold ‘castle sim’ series, bringing cinematic story and medieval immersion to the forefront of real-time strategy.

Get ready to experience the drama of the North African front in World War II on Steam with WEGO World War II : Desert War.

In this wargame, you’ll have the chance to relive the key battles that exalted mechanized warfare in North Africa, where the Allies and Axis fought for the control of Libya and Egypt.

Make best use of your Air, Naval, and Ground Assets to turn the tide of battle in your favor.

Enjoy the game with a special 40% off launch discount.

Brian Kelly’s WEGO World War II: Desert War captures the drama of the campaign for North Africa during World War II. It consists of a series of historical and “What-if” scenarios that allow the players to explore the ebb and flow of the actual conflict.

The game uses maps of portions of North Africa over which a hexagonal grid system has been superimposed. This grid is employed to help regulate unit placement, movement, and combat. Ground, air, and sea forces can also be brought to bear during the match, making every scenario a real challenge! Air, Naval, and Ground Assets are off-map capabilities that can be brought into play when the owning player sees fit.

2026 is proving to be quite the remarkable year for anniversaries. While Panzer Corps prepares to celebrate its 15th Anniversary on July 11th, the United States of America marks the most extraordinary milestone on July 4th: 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

This year also marks the 82nd Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, two of the most famous American engagements of World War II. As we reflect on these historic anniversaries, we could not help but notice another fitting connection: the legendary 82nd Airborne Division fought in both of them. From the skies over Normandy to the frozen forests of the Ardennes, the “All American” Division was at the forefront of some of the most important battles fought by the United States in Europe.

As proud as we are of the Panzer Corps franchise reaching fifteen years, our anniversary is but a drop of water in the ocean compared to the quarter millennium history of an entire nation. So, in our own small way to help mark and commemorate this special year for the United States, we wanted our next Elite Campaign to pay tribute to one of the most famous formations in American military history: the legendary 82nd Airborne Division, the “All American” Division.

There were many worthy candidates for our choice for the next Elite Campaign. From the armored spearheads of the 1st Armored Division “Old Ironsides” and the 2nd Armored Division “Hell on Wheels,” to the hard-fighting formations of Patton’s Third Army, America fielded no shortage of iconic units during the Second World War. However, after the heavy tank battles featured in our Ghost Division and Soviet 1st Guards campaigns, we felt it was time for a change of pace. An Airborne Division offers a completely different flavor of combat, and no American formation embodied it better than the 82nd Airborne.

And once we closely examined and researched the combat record of the 82nd, we knew we had found our star. From Sicily and Italy, to the skies over Normandy on D-Day, to Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge, the 82nd Airborne was present at every single one of these major American engagements fought on the Western Front of the European Theater. The result is truly an action-packed journey through some of the most famous battles of World War II!

We’ll be revealing much more information about Elite: All American in the days ahead. For now, you can check out the link below for additional details and screenshots.

Panzer Corps 2: Elite – All American Store Page

Wishlist the DLC on Steam.

Slitherine has announced that “Battleplan“, its latest World War II strategy game, will be releasing on July 14. Prepare to take control of armies and tactically draw up your plans in some of World War II’s largest battles. Relive history and dictate your path to victory.

Battleplan Release Date Announcement Trailer

Battleplan is a historical, WW2 real-time strategy game of unparalleled realism and simulation. Fight across massive battlefields created from real-world geographic data. Create your army by customizing your order of battle and chain of command. Draw directly on the map to create elaborate plans, and watch your officers carry them out.

Wishlist Battleplan today on Steam.

Many of the mightiest medieval rulers feared the judgment of an even greater power. But that greater power is also a distant one, its will only interpreted and imposed by mortals that claim to speak with divine authority. This is a semi-divine power that can be turned to mundane ends. The Church can be just one more avenue to glory and prestige. On 30 September, you can experience the drama and power of the medieval church in Crusader Kings III: By God Alone.

By God Alone, an upcoming core expansion for Crusader Kings III, introduces new ways to engage with religion and church politics. Focusing on the development of Christian leadership through the medieval era, By God Alone allows you to play theocratic landholders such as archbishops or even the Pope, guiding your flock, increasing church power and fattening your purse.

The expansion also adds many new ways for characters to interact with their religion, with new faith-based activities and a reworking of rites and tenets. You can follow the straight and narrow or defy the religious authorities and bend the faith to your own will. But beware. Mortal concerns and earthly power are not all that matters.

Crusader Kings III: By God Alone Announcement Trailer

Crusader Kings III: By God Alone includes:

• Playable Theocracies: Take control of landed realms headed by an archbishop or even the Pope himself. As the Papacy, new resources of power and wealth will be at your disposal.
• The Christian “Situation”: A new persistent Situation for Christian realms, allowing actions and decisions connected to the development and progress of the Faith. You can participate in Ecumenical Councils to decide on religious tenets and beliefs.
• Heresies: Religious rites that diverge too much from the standard Faith steal power and wealth from the Church and may be declared heretical, forcing you to either conform or rebel.
• The Great Schism: In the 867 game start, the Christian church will eventually reach a crossroads for the faith. This can result in the Great Schism, separating Western Catholicism from Eastern Orthodoxy.
• Monastic Holy Orders: Centers of both research and theological power, Monastic Holy Orders offer potent bonuses to those who host their headquarters. Chief among their offerings is spiritual fulfilment, for their prayers protect secular rulers from eternal damnation.
• Changes to Religious Tenets: Revisions to the tenet system in Crusader Kings III now center characters’ relationships to their faith and what is appropriate behavior within that faith. Follow heretical beliefs that push the boundary of what is accepted or have your personal preferences adopted and accepted through internal church politics.
• Spiritual Fulfillment system: Traits, actions and religious tenets work together to paint portraits of characters’ inner spirit and spiritual life. Sinful or virtuous actions are not merely a concern for stress, but can also affect relationships with God and concerns about the afterlife.
• Archdioceses: New clerical titles that have religious authority over a geographical region independent of the secular rulers’ lands.
• College of Cardinals: The Pope can appoint cardinals across Christendom. But, the struggle between secular and religious authority never ends – secular rulers can use their power to influence the appointment of Cardinals and the direction of the Church.
• Dynamic Holy Sites: Faiths can now dynamically change their holy sites as they grow and change over time.
• Cathedrals: Cathedrals can become the focal point for reverence of specific saints or other holy figures, leading to them becoming Holy Sites.
• Puppets: In order to interact with the political machinery of the church, secular rulers will be able to puppet clerical characters so they can act on their behalf.

And more!

Crusader Kings III: By God Alone will be available on 30 September 2026 and is part of Chapter V for Crusader Kings III. It will also be available as a standalone purchase the suggested retail price of $19.99/£16.99/€19.99.

More information about Crusader Kings III is available on the official Crusader Kings III website or on the games Steam page.