Strategy and Wargaming

The crisis that has enveloped Venezuela since 2013 has reached a quasi-apocalyptic dimension.

The Government of Caracas has accused in several occasions that the reason for this humanitarian catastrophe is the constant interference of the USA and its puppets in the region, willing to stop the glorious Bolivarian Revolution started with Hugo Chavez.

These suspects have been reinforced by the enclosing relationship between Colombia and NATO, culminating in 2015 in a joint military operation against maritime piracy.

Recently the situation has further escalated as for days two Colombian bordering towns, Cucuta and Arauca, have been theatre of fights between soldiers wearing the uniform of The Bolivarian National Armed Forces of Venezuela and local Colombian border troops.

Claiming the episode is a machination of Washington to destroy the revolution, Venezuela has asked for support to Russia, granting it the Caribbean Island of Orchila as an outpost. Moscow, eager to expand its influence in the area, agreed immediately and it is confirmed news that an aero-naval expeditionary force is already being sent in aid of its new ally.

The United States has declared they’ll support Bogota from aggression with any means and have put their forces in Panama and Porto Rico on the highest alert.

Stay tuned for further information. Command LIVE news report will keep you informed on any update on this escalation.

Find out more about Command Live: The King of the Border on its official webpage.

Plus Ultra: Rival the Empire of Charles V in Golden Century

From Madrid to Mexico to Manila, the Spanish Crown had the one of the first empires where the sun never set. From the fall of Granada to the Dutch Wars of Independence, Spanish power always had to be taken into consideration. But its road to dominance ran through local rivals like Portugal and Morocco, and its control over the vital sea routes was challenged by English navies and ruthless privateers. What path will you take?

Europa Universalis IV: Golden Century is the newest immersion pack for Paradox’s classic game of empire and exploration in the early modern era, and it is available today on Steam, the Paradox store and other major online retailers for $9.99 / £7,15 / €9,99.

Golden Century focuses its improvements on parts of the game central to the kingdoms of and around Iberia,including new mission trees for the major historical powers and a hypothetical Andalusia if you manage to turn back the armies of Catholicism. But Golden Century also lets you live out your childhood dream of being a pirate king, ruling a republic of brigands, sending your ships to finance realm by raiding the trade routes of more powerful rulers.

Other features of Europa Universalis IV: Golden Century include:

• Minority Settlements: Settle your distant colonies with homeland minorities, promoting greater cohesion at home, while adding more diversity to your subject nations.
• Establish Holy Orders: Iberian nations can appoint Jesuit, Franciscan or Dominican clerics to govern their states to reduce unrest or ease conversion.
• New Mission Trees: New missions and objectives for the nations of Iberia and Northwest Africa, including Spain and Andalusia.
• Pirate Republics: Raise the black flag and pillage the high seas, or defeat these scourges of humanity..
• Flagships: Appoint a Flagship to lead your navy, adding combat and trade power to your fleets.
• Naval Barrage: Use your ships to help besiege coastal forts by bombarding the walls.
• New Army Models: New army and naval models for Castile/Spain, Aragon, Portugal, Leon/Navarra, Pirates, Sale and Galicia
• Plus over ten minutes of new original music.

Golden Century is accompanied by the free Spain update, available to everyone who owns Europa Universalis IV. This update will include newly detailed maps of Iberia, North Africa and the Spanish Main, as well as revised National Ideas for many nations in the Western Mediterranean, new Government Reform options and other changes for all players.

Watch the Europa Universalis IV: Golden Century Release Trailer HERE.

1939. The sand is slipping fast through the hourglass and the clouds of war are gathering all around the globe. While in Europe Germany is ready to finally challenge the order established with the Versailles Treaty and Italy is eager to expand its colonial dominion, in the Far East the Empire of Japan – already embroiled in a bitter war against China – has already proved to be a formidable adversary and soon it will have to face the rising American hostility.

Can Germany, Italy and Japan triumph and construct their new world order, or will triumph turn to disaster as the rest of the world mobilizes to meet force with force?

Strategic Command WWII: World at War is your chance to re-fight the 20th century’s greatest conflict, from Poland to China, Normandy to the Pacific, on a map encompassing the globe.

Building on the success of Strategic Command WWII: War in Europe, this new turn-based game will provide even more opportunities to try out different strategies, maximizing re-playability to the utmost!

Both experienced wargamers and newcomers will find much to love in this beautiful WWII wargame!

Today, Crusader Kings II Gets Its Biggest Expansion Yet

The medieval battle for the soul of Europe takes center stage in Crusader Kings II: Holy Fury, the newest expansion to Paradox Development Studio’s beloved grand strategy role-playing game. The almost infinite playground of dynastic politics in the Middle Ages takes on new drama with the addition of pagan warrior lodges, where you must constantly prove your mettle, and heroic bloodlines that add glamor and prestige to the descendants of history making characters.

Holy Fury is available now for $19.99 at the Paradox Store and major online retailers.

Holy Fury adds special new challenges for experience players by adding Shattered and Random World starts for the game. Begin playing in Shattered world where no one controls more than one county and prove how clever you are on an even playing field. Or start in a Random World that includes ahistoric kingdoms, empires and religions – a world that resembles our own, but is entirely fictional.

Other features in Crusader Kings II: Holy Fury include:

• Warrior Lodges: Join a Pagan warrior lodge and raid your way up the ranks, unlocking access to powerful allies and greater military skill.
• Dynamic Pagan Reformations: Choose the tenets and organizing principles of your new religion.
• Legendary Bloodlines: Descendants of great warrior heroes will have bonuses that match the accomplishments of their forefathers, including historical bloodlines of Charlemagne, Genghis Khan and others..
• Sway or Antagonize Your Neighbors: Try to win a reluctant vassal through charm and persuasion, or provoke someone you want to push into conflict.
• Sainthood: Pious Catholics can become canonized, passing on their glory to their descendants and making their resting place a site of great value
• Mass Baptism: Emulate Vladimir the Great and convert your pagan nation to Christianity or Islam, dragging your citizens and vassals to the altar with you.
• Coronations: Feudal kings and emperors must find clergy to crown them, since all power descends from the heavens.
• New Crusade Events: Deeper gameplay for the religious wars of the era.
• New Succession Laws: A Pagan Elder Council may have the final word in how a realm is divided among heirs, or a ruler may challenge his brother to combat to unify a realm.
• And much more: Changes to religion, custom names for people or objects, lists of people you’ve killed, and other small changes for flavor and variety.

As usual, Holy Fury is accompanied by a major update FREE to everyone who owns Crusader Kings II. This patch is especially significant since it includes an entirely new Crusade system, breathing new life into one of the game’s major themes.

Watch the official Crusader Kings II: Holy Fury Release Trailer HERE.

The latest expansion for the Order of Battle saga is out!

Endsieg brings you to the last two frantic years of war, where you will fight on the German side.

The expansion is the third of a trilogy: you started the war in Blitzkrieg, and then fought against the Russian bear in Panzerkrieg. Now you can carry-over your core force to a new campaign and finish what you started.

It will be a desperate struggle to contain the Soviet advance in the east as well as the Allied offensive in the west, and you will need all your leadership and planning skill if you want to hold on your conquests.

Endsieg features a 16 scenarios long branching campaign – get ready for a few surprises! Will you be able to change history? It is a real must-have for all Order of Battle fans, also introducing new specialization options for Germany as well as over sixty new unit types!

For more game information please visit the official Order of Battle: Endsieg  product page.

The final chapter of the “krieg” trilogy is here: after four years of campaigning the battle-tested Wehrmacht will have to face its hardest challenges in Order of Battle: Endsieg.

The Endsieg campaign, the biggest and longest yet, includes 16 unique scenarios. The story begins right after the Battle of Kursk, where the game provides the option to import a core force from either the Panzerkrieg or Sandstorm campaign.

The first five scenarios are based on the historical 1st Soviet offensive in the Donbass in summer 1943, up to the Leningrad–Novgorod strategic offensive in early 1944. A decisive defeat of the Red Army will eventually allow total victory over the Soviet Union, while failure to do so will turn the campaign away from the Eastern Front and into the Battle of Anzio in Italy.

In the second part of the campaign the player’s forces are transferred to the west, where the Allied invasion of Normandy has opened a new front. Initially you’ll be forced on the defensive, and you’ll be tasked to extract other German forces from the Falaise trap, defeat Allied airborne units in Market-Garden, and defend the city of Aachen and the Huertgenwald against heavy attacks. By reaching a decisive victory in the German Ardennes Offensive in December 1944 the tide of the war can finally be turned again, leading to a set of ultimate battles to destroy the Allied armies once and for all.

Covering the final years of the war, Endsieg offers powerful weapons such as Tiger II heavy tanks, Jagdpanther tank destroyers and Me-262 jetfighters as well as several new specializations. But beware, the enemy has brought many deadly new weapons of their own!

Are you ready to change history?

Endsieg is due to release in November.

For more game information please visit the official Order of Battle: Endsieg  product page.

Heralded WWII Strategy Title Gets Eastern Front Expansion with New Faction and Vehicles

1C Entertainment today announced the launch of new Ostfront Veteranen DLC for the celebrated RTS series, Men of War: Assault Squad 2, which is the latest chapter in the award-winning and long-running Men of War strategy game series. The Ostfront Veteranen faction-based DLC, which is now available on PC via Steam for $9.99, expands the game with a brand-new unit selection available for the first time in the franchise—players can now join the battle as a new German faction with more than 10 new vehicles and hardened infantry squads from the brutal Eastern Front.

The Men of War series has a storied and acclaimed history since first launching in 2009. In 2014, Men of War: Assault Squad 2 updated the game with significant tech improvements as well as new skirmish modes that take players from extreme tank combat to deadly sniper stealth missions. Commanders can face off against opponents on multiplayer maps ranging from 1v1 to 8v8 in scope, with a dedicated player community still ready to commence WWII battles on a daily basis.

“Even now, nearly ten years after the game’s initial release and four years after launching Men of War: Assault Squad 2, today’s Ostfront Veteranen DLC release shows the enduring vitality of the Men of War franchise,” said Nikolay Baryshnikov, CEO of 1C Entertainment. “Opening the Eastern Front with new vehicles and battle-hardened infantry is something our community has been looking forward to tackling, and it’s a pleasure to continue supporting this great game.”

The base game, which is required to play the DLC, has been lauded as one of the great masterworks of RTS games, and currently has an 84% positive rating on Steam. The Ostfront Veteranen DLC continues developer Digitalmindsoft’s commitment to providing new and exciting content for the game’s active community with new troops, units, and features based on the Eastern Front.

Ostfront Veteranen DLC Features

• New German faction of veteran Eastern Front troops, which is available for both multiplayer and player vs. AI matches
• More than 10 new vehicles including the Brummbär, StukazuFuß, and Flak37 mounted on SdKfz 8
• Battle-hardened new infantry squads from the Eastern front

Men of War: Assault Squad 2 is developed by Digitalmindsoft and published by 1C Entertainment. The full game is priced at $29.99 on PC via Steam.

Add-on Brings New Missions, New Commanders and Challenging New Environments

Kalypso Media is thrilled to announce the release of Africa – Desert War, the next chapter in the World War 2 strategy title, Sudden Strike 4. Released today for PC and Xbox One (with PlayStation®4 following on 15th October, Europe only), the Africa – Desert War add-on is based on the most notorious desert skirmishes in North Africa during World War 2.

Sudden Strike 4: Africa – Desert War features two new mini campaigns with six new singleplayer missions from the North African campaign of World War 2. In the Axis campaign, start the Italian advance on Egypt to take the city of Sidi Barrani, besiege the city of Tobruk and take over its harbour, as well as break through the Kasserine Pass in Tunisia. In the Allied campaign, take part in Operation Compass and retake the village of Sidi Barrani, relive the watershed of the Western Desert Campaign, the Second Battle of El Alamein, and break through the German defensive line in the Battle of Mareth. Fight in an unforgiving and harsh desert setting with sandstorms to challenge your tactical wits.

As well as the new campaigns, players can choose from five new doctrine commanders to lead their troops into battle. On the side of the Axis, armchair generals can choose from the highly decorated German general Erwin Rommel, as well as three additional Italian commanders, including renowned field marshal Giovanni Messe. On the Allies, play as legendary armoured division general Sir Richard O’Connor.

As the war heads into new territory, Africa – Desert War introduces over 30 new vehicles including an all-new medical truck, the Marder II Tank Destroyer, the British Bishop SPG, as well as the Italian Semovente da 105/25 Assault Gun.

To celebrate the release, Kalypso has prepared a new trailer showcasing the new DLC in all its glory.

The time has come. Moscow and Tokyo seem to have discharged every further diplomatic effort to solve the rising crisis over the Kuril Islands.

Claimed by Japan but occupied buy Russia after the end of the Second World War, these small islands have been turned in a symbol of Nationalism for both the governments.

Now, a strong Russian contingent is being dispatched to strengthen their positions. Will the JSDF attack the convoy and risk an-all-out war with its old enemy?

Command LIVE: Kuril Sunrise the ninth installment in the Command LIVE series, has been released! This new episode explores a scenario in which two powerful Navies must face each other having an impressive array of sea denial weapons.

Which one shall prove to be superior?

DLC’s Features:

• Playable as Russia or Japan.
• 21st Century convoy warfare. Using advanced aircraft, ships, and submarines, face the challenge of either escorting or attacking a convoy of civilian ferries. Which previous tactics will work and which ones will not in a new era?
• Control advanced submarines. The nuclear vs. diesel dispute is on as the Yasen and Akula II submarines on the Russian side face the Soryu and Oyashio SSKs on the Japanese side. The strengths and weaknesses of both types are on display.
• Fight the air battle with upgraded F-15s and Su-27s alongside classics like the F-4 and MiG-29.
• Plan carefully. Each side has its own technological or logistical weakness the other can exploit.

Source: Blue’s News

A new official trailer for Armored Brigade seeks to raise interest in this upcoming real-time tactics game set during the Cold War. The clip comes along with the following details:

In our world, the Cold War, fortunately, has remained “cold” and (at least for now) the Third World War has not broken out. In the world of Armored Brigade, however, history goes differently: the USSR, still at the height of its military power, invades Central Europe together with its allies of the Warsaw Pact. NATO can do nothing but deploy the US, German and British divisions to stem the Red Tide.

Set between 1965 and 1991, Armored Brigade is a tactical RTS in which you will take control of either the NATO command or the Warsaw Pact. You can select your army not only by choosing the nationality (USA, West Germany and United Kingdom for NATO, USSR, Poland and East Germany for the Pact), but also the type of deployment – infantry, motorised or tank battalion.

The battlefield is set on three maps: the centre of Germany, the Fulda Gap, where NATO expected the salient of the USSR attack in case of war, and the south of Finland, present in the game as a neutral faction. You choose any portion of these maps to fight your battle.

Get more information about Armored Brigade from its official website.