Strategy and Wargaming

The legendary strategy franchise is back, combining heart-pounding combat with new layers of strategy in a breathtaking Mediterranean setting. Company of Heroes 3 is coming to PC in 2022, bringing the series’ intimate boots-on-the-ground storytelling to a brand-new theatre of war. For the first time in the history of the franchise, step into the role of a WWII general on the brand new Dynamic Campaign Map and determine the course of the Allied campaign in Italy day by day, battle by battle. With a birds-eye view of the theater, players will make decisions that impact both the tactical battles they’ll be playing, as well as the course of the war itself.

To close 2021 on a high for all things Company of Heroes 3, Relic Entertainment have prepared a deep dive Developer Diary video here, where players can learn more about the origins of the new Dynamic Campaign Map. The Relic devs discuss some of the exciting new systems, decisions players will have to make, and how the new Dynamic Campaign will affect the classic RTS gameplay that players know and love. Players can also find out more about new resources and mechanics on the Dynamic Campaign Map, such as Partisans, Air and Naval forces, and how these systems can be used to turn the tide of the conflict.

For more game information visit the official Company of Heroes website or visit the games Steam page.

Panzer Division Games has announced the release of their upcoming game Attack at Dawn: North Africa for Spring of 2022. They have also released a new trailer showcasing the game’s latest graphics, user interface and outlook.

Watch the Attack at Dawn: North Africa Release Announcement Trailer HERE.

About The Game

This is a WW2 strategy game that puts the player in the shoes of Rommel or Montgomery, fighting a vicious battle in the deserts of North Africa. It can be played in a real-time, or turn-based (WeGo) mode, which reflects the speed and chaos of the desert mobile warfare.

Game map and the units have been designed to be informative and easy to understand. With the ability to zoom out and see the entire battlefield with a glance, the player will have the best possible situational awareness.

Scenarios have been created after studying the historical orders of battle, and battle histories. Attention was given to the composition of the armies, combat values of individual units and overall authenticity of each scenario.

The game features a large map, covering a distance of almost 2000 kilometres and you can use the Scenario Editor provided within the game to create your own scenarios anywhere on this large battleground.

For more game information, please visit the official Attack at Dawn: North Africa website, or you can visit the games Steam page.

Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive, the fourth wargame in the Decisive Campaigns series, is now available exclusively on Matrix Games store. Covering the battles in the Ardennes between December 1944 and January 1945, it brings to life Operational wargaming by lowering the scale to just above tactical level.

DC: Ardennes Offensive is a classic wargame with an exceptional level of detail where the main unit of maneuver is the battalion. The game comes with a huge, full campaign scenario lasting over 16 days and several smaller scenarios focusing on several days of combat on specific parts of the front (like St. Vith and Bastogne).

Players will be able to play the whole Ardennes campaign on a 1 Km/hex map with battalion-sized Units at their command. Each day is divided into four turns, including a night turn. Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive comes with dozens of additions, changes, and improvements designed to fit its scale and to bring innovation to the series. The result is an extremely immersive operational wargame where, more than ever, intelligent tactics can beat the odds.

For more game information please visit the Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive webpage.

Matrix Games have announced that Combat Mission Cold War has been released.

Take command of either US or Soviet tactical formations, centering on the Company Team or Battalion Task Force between 1979 to 1982.

Combat Mission Cold War is set in the tipping-point years of a conflict that gripped the world for 45 years.

Between 1979-1982, both the NATO and Soviet Warsaw Pact militaries began the shift away from industrialized warfare of the early 20th century and towards the modern digital battlefield of today.
Combat Mission Cold War simulates several “what if” conflict scenarios between US and Soviet forces centered on the strategic Fulda Gap and environs in West Germany.

15 standalone scenarios set in the US V and VII Corp sectors of West Germany and 3 full length campaigns:

• The NTC Campaign: Puts you in command of a US Army Company Team as it begins its rotation and trial by simulated fire against the premier Soviet style formation in the world.
• The US West German Campaign: Set in the southern Fulda Strategic Corridor between Fulda and Hanau (there are two versions of the US Campaign, 1982 and 1979 to allow players the opportunity to see and compare the differences in equipment between the two periods).
• The Soviet Campaign: Set north and east of Fulda, the Soviet Campaign follows the “Ride of the 120th Motor Rifle Regt” on the opening 48 hours of a fictional “what if” West German invasion.

Watch the Combat Mission Cold War release trailer HERE.

Battlefront and Slitherine join forces to deliver the world’s most accurate cold war simulator to Steam and the Matrix Games store.

Source: Blue’s News

Stalingrad is now available for Windows and macOS on Steam as new DLC for Unity of Command II, the World War II strategy game. This gives players the chance to do battle on the eastern front, fighting the enemy, the elements, and starvation. Here’s what to expect:

After staving off the Soviet winter counteroffensive of 1941/42, the German Wehrmacht reclaims the initiative the following summer. Concentrating their forces in the south, the Germans once again slice through Soviet lines, aiming for the oilfields of the Caucasus and the industrial city of Stalingrad. But the Red Army has learned much from past failures and prepares to strike back in an overwhelming fashion.

In this DLC, you will command the multinational Army Group South in its bid to deliver a crippling blow to the Soviet war machine, while securing oil for Germany’s ongoing conquests.

Matrix Games has released the second tactical video from Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive. 

We’re back with a new technical video, this time regarding the new rules designed to fit the game’s lower scale. Discover what’s changed with LOS, height levels, Kampfgruppen, and much more with this new technical video, and get ready for November 18th.

For more game information please visit the Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive webpage.

Panzer Division Games has released a new gameplay video for Attack at Dawn: North Africa. In this video, the designer shows a detailed overview of a game, with a new Advanced AI engine, streamlined User Interface and more.

You can watch the gameplay video HERE.

Map Series
The gameplay video is accompanied by the map series, exploring the battles and operations that took place during the WW2 North African Campaign. The scenario shown in this gameplay video is Operation Brevity, which goal was to recapture the strategically important Halfaya Pass and to clear the frontier area of the German-Italian forces.

For full set of maps and article describing the battle – you can check out the game’s website.

Matrix Games has announced that Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive, the fourth wargame in the Decisive Campaigns series, will be released on November 18th.

While we perfect the last details of the game, we want to share with you a couple of technical videos which we hope will help you have the best gaming experience with Decisive Campaigns’ latest DLC.

Decisive Campaigns: Ardennes Offensive is a real, classic hex-and-counter wargame at its core, where the main unit of maneuver is the battalion. The Ardennes setting and the scale both have huge implications when it comes to rules, so make sure to check out this first video to know more about it.

Source: Blue’s News

In this post, Paradox Interactive explains the release schedule of the Royal Court expansion for Crusader Kings III, the historical strategy sequel. The add-on did not carry a release date when it was announced, so it’s not actually delayed, but the tone suggests the news that this is now expected in 2022 represents some sort of setback:

With that in mind we are not, at the moment, entirely satisfied with Royal Court’s progress, especially regarding its stability. There are a number of bugs we really need to iron out, and are taking more time to make sure it is in line with the standards you would expect from us.

We also understand the frustration that delays cause, but we would like to make sure we are always as forthcoming as possible and that you hear the news directly from us. It’s a tricky balance between sentiments like “It will release whenever we finish making sure it is ready” and things like giving exact timelines only to make necessary but upsetting changes to that timeline when we do actually need time to review and make those changes.

That being said, you can look forward to news about the 2022 release date Soon™!

No Step Back Add-On Tapped for Late November

The bitter fighting of the Eastern Front is given new depth and variety in No Step Back, the upcoming expansion to Hearts of Iron IV. With new alternate history paths and game systems, this eagerly awaited add-on presents new challenges for fans of Paradox Interactive’s best-selling grand strategy wargame. No Step Back will be available on 23 November 2021 for the suggested retail price of $19.99/￡15.49 / € 19.99.

The centrepiece of No Step Back is a series of new National Focus Trees, giving players many new ways to imagine the course of World War II in Eastern Europe. Major nations have been entirely reworked to offer unique challenges and original histories.

Watch the Hearts of Iron IV: No Step Back Pre-Order Trailer HERE.

The features for Hearts of Iron IV: No Step Back include:

New Soviet National Focuses: Communist Soviet rulers must also deal with a government system full of distrust and betrayal but players can lift up party opposition to the powerful leader, or even pursue a reactionary path of restored monarchy.
New Polish National Focuses: Write a new history of Poland, with options to reform the government, entrench the military rulers, or support a popular pro-Soviet uprising.
New Baltic National Focuses: Shared alternate history paths for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as unique paths for each.
Army Officer Corps: Build a general staff, drawing on the talents and expertise of available officers to take advantage of changes in technology and tactics.
Army Spirits: Emphasize certain characteristics of your military arms, adding general bonuses to certain units types or even aiding division design.
Supply System Updates: Scorched Earth tactics, floating harbors and special supply units added to the logistics system.
Tank Designer: Design your own armored force using modules prioritizing speed, gun power, armor or even production cost.
Railway Guns: Commission the grandest, most prestigious of artillery pieces, uniquely designed to deal with entrenched foes, and fortified positions.

As a special bonus, those who pre-order No Step Back will get a musical treat – a new arrangement of the Soviet wartime folk song Katyusha, originally composed before the war, and named for the celebrated Red Army rocket launchers. You can watch behind the scenes footage of the song’s recording HERE.

As usual, this expansion to Hearts of Iron IV will be accompanied by a major update free for all players, including new supply and logistics mechanics as well as many quality of life improvements.

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