Strategy and Wargaming

Strategic Command American Civil War, will be available on June 30th, 2022 – Live Stream Preview on June 14th

For the first time in the series’ history, Strategic Command will be taking you to the 19th century battlefields of the American Civil War. In this turn-based strategy game, you will control the armies, research, production and diplomatic policy of either the Union or the Confederacy during a time of great innovation and dramatic battles. Your decisions will determine whether the United States leaves this conflict as one nation or two.

Out on June 30th – Wishlist now on Matrix Games

Features:

• 6 campaigns covering the Civil War from first shot to last:
• 1861 Blue and Gray
• 1861 Manassas to Appomattox
• 1862 Scott’s Great Snake
• 1862 Trent War (Alternate History: What if the UK recognized the Confederacy?)
• 1863 Lee Rides North
• 1864 Make Georgia Howl
• New unit types, including Balloons, Rangers, Monitors, River Gunboats and many more!
• New technologies, including Naval Engines, Ironclads, Skirmishers and the Field Telegraph.
• Riverine warfare is now possible, with waterways that can be navigated by 3 types of river vessel.
• Coastal and inland fortress defences play a much greater role in Civil War strategy, guarding many key ports and waterways. Built before the war, their locations are known to both sides.
• Deactivating Partisan scripts, historical event popups and the European intervention mechanic now requires only a single event to be disabled.
• Official mods have been included with the game, allowing players to choose between two brand new map styles and the “classic” style used in our previous games.
• PBEM++ and Hotseat Multiplayer

On June 14th there will be a stream preview on Slitherine Twitch Channel where we will have the chance to see the gameplay of Strategic Command: American Civil War for the first time, in addition we will be in connection with the developer who will give us many details about this new title.

By Blood Alone Writes New Histories and Adds Plane Designer

Hearts of Iron IV is getting another expansion, one that adds new paths and potential for some of the defining conflicts of the wartime era. Explore new alternate histories for Italy and Ethiopia, as well as one of the leading neutral powers, Switzerland, in Hearts of Iron IV: By Blood Alone.

This expansion to Paradox Interactive’s grand strategy wargame about the Second World War continues the tradition of offering players a range of new stories and possibilities, allowing new histories of the war to be written in every session.

View the Hearts of Iron IV: By Blood Alone Official Announcement Trailer HERE.

Features of Hearts of Iron IV: By Blood Alone include:

• New Italian Focus Tree: Follow the historical path of Mussolini’s Italy or rewrite history by restoring power to the monarchy, leading a Communist revolution or promoting democracy.
• New Ethiopian Focus Tree: Defy the odds to defeat the Italian invader or resist the conqueror from abroad using unique Government in Exile abilities.
• New Swiss Focus Tree: Surrounded by France, Germany and Italy, the mountain nation of Switzerland finds strength in its neutrality, balancing competing factions and overtures from the great powers.
• New Peace Conference Options: Demilitarize zones of the map or entire nations, bid on the capital ships of defeated powers, or claim control of enemy resources or factories as reparations.
• Aircraft Designer: Design and build your own planes, from nimble interceptors that prioritize speed to durable bombers crafted to unload tons of destruction from high above.
• Unit Medals: A log of each division’s accomplishments lets you track their performance, and even allow you to award medals to those that have performed well.
• Embargo Interaction: Embargo your enemies with a new diplomatic interaction, preventing them from trading with you if they have generated enough world tension.
• New Unit Models: More than 20 new pieces of unit art for Italian, Ethiopian and Swiss armies.
• New Plane Models: 67 new plane models.
• 12 New Music Tracks

This expansion for Hearts of Iron IV will be available later this year. It will be accompanied by a major update, free for all Hearts of Iron IV players.

For more game information please visit the official Hearts of Iron IV website.

The land is divided by language, religion and culture, but those with the vision to understand it see a land rich in opportunity. What if the energy devoted to squabbling over towns and titles could be focused on unity or coexistence? But vision is not enough. A strong hand, a taste for intrigue and a deft touch with diplomacy are all required. This is a question for generations, a problem to be solved over time. Only the patient and prudent can settle the Fate of Iberia.

Watch the Crusader Kings III: Fate of Iberia Release Trailer HERE.

Fate of Iberia is the latest flavor pack for Crusader Kings III. Available today, this addition to Paradox Interactive’s award winning medieval grand strategy role-playing game gives you a new way to live out the history of Spain and Portugal through the middle ages. A centuries long Struggle will force you to rethink how to achieve your goals, as a variety of interested and competing parties fight to impose their will on the Iberian Peninsula.

Features of Crusader Kings III: Fate of Iberia include:

• Struggle system: Entirely new system for historic conflict, available to modders and other content creators.
• Decide the Fate of Iberia: Choose the path of conciliation or the path of conquest as you unite Spain or, alternately, agree to a peaceful division of spoils.
• New content: Two new Legacy tracks (Metropolitan and Coterie), new cultural traits emphasizing special historical characteristics of the Iberian peninsula, new friendship interactions and duels over the chessboard.
• New Events: Dynamic historical events related to the struggle for Iberia.
• New Art: New character art reflecting Iberian cultures of the medieval era, new unit designs, new 3D models of holdings and artifacts and a host of new art for backgrounds, events and loading.
• New Music: Additions to the Crusader Kings III soundtrack.

Fate of Iberia includes an update free for all Crusader Kings III owners that adds new options and features for all players. This update will add a new faction type to challenge your ruler, Heads of Faith that can be shared by different religions, vassal contracts for clans, and, of course, a new starting bookmark that highlights interesting Iberian characters for the 867 start date.

Crusader Kings III: Fate of Iberia can be purchased for a suggested retail price of $6.99/£5.19/€6.99. It is included with the Crusader Kings III expansion pass and Crusader Kings III: Royal Edition.

For more information about Crusader Kings III: Fate of Iberia, visit the flavor packs website.

Matrix Games have announced that Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1943 is out now, and with it comes the turning point in the most brutal part of the war.

Will you be able to change history and lead Germany to victory? Or will overcoming the Russian defences prove too problematic to attempt? Either way, this extensive DLC will offer hours of tactical depth and challenge to keep you engaged right up until the final moment.

As with other Axis Operations content, you’ll be able to jump right into this DLC with your existing core. If you don’t have one, don’t worry, as you can also play with our specially tuned premade core.

Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1943 is available now on the Slitherine store, Steam, Windows Store, Epic Games and GoG.

It is 1943. Between the brutal stalemates, brutal winter and armies of marauding tanks, the Germans find themselves pinned or retreating throughout Russia.

But, as spring of 1943 approaches, the wehrmacht perhaps has some cause for optimism. The lessons of the last few years have surely been learnt. The Russians have surely taken incalculable losses. Surely a well thought out strike now could see the end of the war.

Watch the launch trailer HERE.

Rise of the Swiss, the new Field of Glory II Medieval DLC, is now available on PC.

Showcasing one of the most revolutionary changes in battlefield tactics, Rise of the Swiss focuses on the introduction of the long pike. This long thrusting weapon became a dominant part of the Swiss’ weaponry back in the Fifteenth Century, due to its devastatingly long reach, and the DLC represents the first time players will be able to take advantage of its lethal range.

This fourth main DLC for Field of Glory II: Medieval also expands upon the intense turn-based action of the base game by adding four more historically-based campaigns, eight more historical scenarios, and many more features: 22 new units, 60 more army lists, 41 more historical matchups added to Quick Battle mode, increasing the total to 239, most playable from either side.

You can find more info on Rise of the Swiss’ Steam Page.

For the first time in the series’ history, Strategic Command will be taking you to the 19th century battlefields of the American Civil War. In this turn-based strategy game, you will control the armies, research, production and diplomatic policy of either the Union or the Confederacy during a time of great innovation and dramatic battles.

Strategic Command: American Civil War is coming soon with a massive 296 x 224 map, covering all of North America from Canada and New Mexico to the Caribbean at a 15km/9mi scale.

This is the largest hex-based map ever offered by the Strategic Command series, 6 campaigns covering the Civil War from first shot to last, new unit types, new technologies, riverine warfare, historical event popups, PBEM++ and much more, check out the product page for full details HERE.

Strategic Command: American Civil War coming soon and also is looking for beta testers.

Players Can Now Pay Monthly Fee to Access All Heart of Iron Content

In the six years since the release of Hearts of Iron IV, Paradox Interactive’s grand strategy wargame has expanded many times to reflect the size and complexity of World War II. More detailed army and naval management, as well as new espionage and resistance systems have been added, not to mention the many new alternate history paths for the major nations of the world in this tumultuous time.

If you own Hearts of Iron IV but have found it hard to keep up with this growth, Paradox Interactive has introduced a subscription model for players unable or unwilling to commit to six years of added content. This is especially helpful for new players who are unsure where to start when buying expansions or country packs.

Watch the Heart of Iron IV subscription video HERE.

Available only to Hearts of Iron IV owners through Steam, the expansion subscription gives players access to:

• Five expansion packs: Including the naval themed Man the Guns and the recent Eastern Front focused No Step Back
• Two Country Packs: Adding new national focuses for Central European and Eastern Mediterranean nations.
• Sound Packs: Including period music and historical speeches, as well as two song packs from the Swedish metal band, Sabaton.
• Cosmetic Packs: Special cosmetic skins for Allied and Axis Armor, new ship models and planes of the Eastern Front.
• All upcoming expansions and content

This subscription is available now on Steam for the suggested monthly retail price of $4.99/£3.99/€4.99.

Your court is the heart of your kingdom, and now, in Crusader Kings III: Royal Court, you will be able to engage in vital affairs of state in a new game area to awe visitors with your splendor and display marvelous items and artifacts. The first major expansion for Paradox’s award-winning grand strategy role-playing game is now available.

Decorate your court with works of art created by master craftspeople or with rare artifacts captured or inherited across the generations. Hear the pleas of your subjects as they ask for royal favors or mercy, while maintaining a court grand enough to reflect a reputation appropriate for someone of your stature.

On a less personal note, reshape your society with dynamic and dramatic cultural options. Change your realm’s habits and practices to better suit a large multicultural empire or strike your own path, forging an original culture as old ways prove unsuitable for new circumstances.

Watch the Crusader Kings III: Royal Court Release Trailer HERE.

Features of Crusader Kings III: Royal Court include:

• Royal Throne Room: A visual representation of your royal court will reflect all the accumulated majesty and prestige of your dynasty. Only kings and emperors have royal courts, so climb the ladder of power to bask in your own majesty.
• Hold Court: Interact with vassals and courtiers as they come to you with their problems, seeking a royal judgment.
• Grandeur: Increase the quality of life at your court with fancier trappings and better food, all the better to impress your rivals and attract higher quality guests.
• Inspired People: Talented artists, craftspeople and thinkers can be commissioned to work on new projects, adding treasures and artifacts to your court. The higher the grandeur of your court, the better the quality of creator you will attract.
• Court Artifacts: Put your arts and crafts on display, and pass these items of great renown down the family line. All artifacts can be stolen in war, building a legacy of ownership and personal claims down the centuries.
• Hybrid Cultures: Make the most of a multicultural realm, developing a new way of life that is specifically adapted to your varied population and geography.
• Cultural Divergence: Split from your traditional culture, adapting it into something new that better fits your situation or aspirations.

As always, this expansion is released with a major update free for all Crusader Kings III players. This update adds more detail and context for the game’s culture system, as well as the addition of minor court positions, a character inventory system for weapons and armor, new events and a way for you to design your own custom coat of arms.

Learn more about Crusader Kings III: Royal Court at the expansions official website.

On January 20th Campaign Series: Vietnam will land on Matrix and Slitherine’s websites.

Get ready to relive the most iconic battles in Southeast Asia spanning from 1948 to 1967.

Campaign Series: Vietnam boasts a wide variety of new units with special capabilities, such as helicopters, riverine units, tunnel rats, civilians, and supply units. New tactical realities include flight limitations, no-go zones, IEDs and hidden minefields, tunnels, and unconventional warfare.

Each scenario is based on a painstakingly researched historical engagement and has a variable number of turns in which you and your opponent attempt to achieve the maximum number of victory points, usually by destroying your opponent’s forces or by capturing objective locations.

A wide variety of battle situations are represented in the game, including firebase defense, helicopter air assaults, meeting engagements, trench defenses, armored breakthroughs, battles of attrition, mobile defenses, search and destroy, and more.

104 Scenarios plus 4 low-complexity Boot Camp scenarios designed with step-by-step instructions to help new players get into the game, and a full suite of editors for those who would like to create their own scenarios and many ready-to-use historically accurate master maps.

Get more information about Campaign Series: Vietnam from its official product page.

MicroProse is happy to announce that Regiments, its new Cold War RTS, has an Open Playtest Build available for everybody to try, now on Steam. There is also a shiny new trailer introducing Operation Firebird, the main mode available in the playtest.

What will be included in this new Playtest?

The Playtest is focused on the new Operations game mode.

In Operations, you will lead your regiment through days of grueling combat over several maps, making tough decisions and experiencing the full weight of their consequences.

Operations feature a high level of persistence. All the losses are recorded, the deployed platoons retain their positions, the engineering obstacles stay where they were emplaced. Even the wrecks and the scarred terrain remain between battles on the same map.

Each phase of combat advances the time of day – eventually, you’ll have to fight at night, relying on night vision equipment or Illumination artillery rounds.

How will Operations unfold?

Between and during the battles, you have to carefully watch your main resource: Operational Points. They’re earned for completing certain objectives – and have a wide array of uses. They can be used to replenish losses in the depleted companies, to order more supplies or engineering support, request new Task Forces, or upgrade existing ones with better equipment.

Operational Points are, thus, always in short supply.

The enemy will not sit idly and will ferociously counter-attack your hard-earned gains. A wide variety of war events is represented by the Events system.
Each phase will have a single event play out. Some are beneficial, like extra air support or an allied battlegroup. Some are negative – supplies failing to reach you in time or an enemy electronic jammer interfering with the communications and radars.

Other updates

Along with the Operations mode, you’ll experience the usual set of improvements. AI updates, extra quality-of-life features, refined visual presentation, more units.

What will be the final Regiments experience?

It’s 1989 and the flames of a New War are flaring up. Thousands of square miles of German landscape will become a stage for sweeping battles between the best NATO and Warsaw Pact has to offer.

Lead your Regiment through the inferno of a wide-scale Cold War conflict in this new Real-Time Tactics game. Break through the lines, call in artillery and air support, maneuver, feign retreats, and stage mobile defenses. Do not relent.

The Platoon Command system lets you orchestrate battles with unprecedented precision and ease. No need to micromanage every infantryman – you’re a Commanding Officer, not a sergeant.

Form your force on the fly. Selecting the main Regiment is just a start. You can expand your army during the game by calling in unique Task Forces, each bringing its own equipment and off-map support options.

For more game information and to join the open playtest, visit the games Steam page, then select “Request Access”.