Strategy and Wargaming

1941 was a crucial year in World War II.

Having secured western Europe, now the Wehrmacht looks east. The largest front in the war is about to open, and the biggest and most decisive battles are about to take place.

Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations  1941 brings the decisive battles of 1941 to Panzer Corps 2. Relive the invasion of the Balkans, of Greece and of the Soviet Union and fight both popular and more obscure battles in its 20 scenarios campaign.

As part of the Axis Operations series, you can decide to import a core army from the previous DLC, 1940, or play with a brand new army. You will also be able to export your core army at the conclusion of the 1941 campaign, and export it to the next DLC.

Watch the new Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1941 in 2 minutes video HERE.

You can read more about the DLC and its new features on the product page.

Northern Lords Flavor Pack Spotlights Norse and Viking Culture

One of 2020’s most celebrated games gets its first new content today. Crusader Kings III, Paradox Interactive’s strategy role-playing game about medieval dynasties, expands with a new flavor pack highlighting one of the game’s most popular regions.

Northern Lords adds greater depth and variety to the Norse cultures of medieval Europe through a series of new events, options and decisions. With more detail on Norse religion, raiding and internal disputes, this flavor pack is now available at major online retailers and the Paradox Store for $6.99/£5.19/€6.99.

Watch the Crusader Kings III: Northern Lords Release Trailer HERE.

Features of Crusader Kings III: Northern Lords include:

• Norse Adventurer Realms: Norse characters may abandon their own homes and lead hosts into foreign lands to establish their own kingdoms.
• Jomsvikings and Shieldmaidens: Norse holy warriors and stalwart shieldmaidens take up arms on your behalf, while poets can compose stinging rebukes or romantic overtures.
• New Cultural Content: Special Norse dynastic legacies, Norse blot sacrifices, trials by combat and cultural innovations as well as numerous new events add additional color.
• New Art and Music: Original art and musical score to enhance your playing experience.
• And more: Berserkers, missionaries, runestones, Varangian adventurers, new decisions and other highlights from the exciting history of the Norse people.

Crusader Kings III: Northern Lords will be accompanied by a free update that adds harsher winter conditions to the map, as well as character duels and a new poet trait.

More game information is available on the official Crusader Kings III website.

Slitherine has released a new Battle video showcasing one of the scenarios coming with Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1941.

This time we are featuring a large battle fought on the eastern front: Bryansk. In the video, among other things, we showcase the new muddy terrain coming with the new DLC.

It’s only a few days until the release of Axis Operations 1941. Are you ready?

After the stunning defeat of Poland shocked the world, the Western Allies prepare for the inevitable. The British Expeditionary Force has landed on the continent, Belgian and Dutch forces man their fortifications, and the vaunted French Army mobilize their formidable heavy tanks for combat.

After German plans fall into their hands during the Mechelen Incident, the Allies think themselves ready for the coming storm. But in truth, they have no idea what is coming as Germany launches Von Manstein’s master plan to conquer Western Europe!

To execute the plan, your veteran Wehrmacht forces are called to action to once again!

The Warplan Pacific beta is coming to an end and we’re getting closer and closer to release.

With that in mind, we have prepared the Warplan Pacific Tour, covering the main changes and improvements introduced in Warplan Pacific. The new series has a very special tour guide, as the videos are narrated by Alvaro Sousa, the developer of the Warplan series of games.

A new episode will be published on a weekly basis.

EPISODE #1 – Advancements and Unit Changes

The first video covers changes in advancement that were based on player recommendations. It will also talk about unit differences between countries, the new marine unit ability, special country rules, and added events for China.

Find out more here.

Source: Blue’s News

Fates Divided is now available on Steam as a new DLC pack for Total War: THREE KINGDOMS the Windows, macOS, and Linux strategy game set in ancient China. A new Release Trailer shows off some cinematics and gameplay. Here’s what the fates hold for a who purchase this:

Determine the fate of China in the new Chapter pack for Total War: Three Kingdoms. Grow Yuan Shao’s mighty army or stand in his way as Cao Cao and use strategy to achieve the grandest of ambitions.

In the Fates Divided Chapter Pack you begin at 200 CE, a period that finds Yuan Shao and Cao Cao at a crucial turning point. These childhood friends have borne witness to each other’s growing ambition, but Yuan Shao’s patience with Cao Cao is fast coming to an end – a childhood bond is about to break.

Fates Divided includes significant improvements to several in-game mechanics, a new faction, and new units, as well as new playstyles for established factions.

Slitherine has released a new Battle video showcasing one of the scenarios coming with Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1941.

It is a large tank engagement that took place during the early stage of Operation Barbarossa: the Battle of Raseiniai.

Each scenario in Axis Operations  1941 has been carefully researched and designed to be different. We hope that this battle video did a good job at showing Raseiniai in Panzer Corps 2.

Furthermore, we have some important news: Axis Operations 1941 will be released on March 18.

We’ll see you next week with another battle video: Bryansk.

Source: Blue’s News

2×2 Games and Croteam announce Barbarossa, new DLC that will come to Steam on April 21st for Unity of Command II. As the title suggests, this is based on Operation Barbarossa, allowing owners of the World War II strategy sequel to recreate Germany’s ill-fated invasion of Soviet Russia. The DLC includes 23 scenarios, new maps, new units, new vehicles, and alternative outcomes that make it possible, if difficult, for Germany’s plan to succeed. Here’s the battle plan:

On 22 June 1941, a Sunday, Nazi Germany set in motion the largest invasion in the history of warfare — the attack on the Soviet Union, codenamed “Barbarossa”. By the time the four-year conflict on the Eastern Front is over, the world will have witnessed a war that’s unfathomable in scale and unparalleled in brutality.

In this DLC, you command Axis forces during Operation Barbarossa, from their summer of roaring victories to the painful halt at the gates of Moscow in the winter of 1941/42.

Key Features of the Barbarossa DLC

• 23-scenario historical campaign, with battles from the lakes of Karelia in the north to the Black Sea beaches in the south
• Limited, but still difficult to achieve, alternative historical outcomes, such as capturing Moscow in late 1941
• Detailed, zoomed-in maps for the hard-fought sieges of Odessa and Sevastopol
• 20+ new unit types including those from Italy, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Finland, and Spain.
• Beautiful new vehicle models including BT-7 and T-26 tanks, and the iconic ZIS-5 truck

You can now preorder Gary Grigsby’s upcoming masterpiece by visiting the Product page.

We are only selling the game on the Matrix Games (and Slitherine) site for now, and the game will release on Steam at a later date. Anyone pre-purchasing, or purchasing on the day of release will get a Steam key eventually, when the title launches there.

Both digital only and upgrade to physical are available. The first 1000 copies are coming by air and will begin shipping on April 16th, while the remaining copies will be shipped in May when the next batch of books arrives.

The physical manual is a 520 page hardbound full color volume. The biggest printed manual we’ve ever done. All shipments at this point are from the UK and we recommend carefully reviewing the shipping options (typically Royal Mail or DPD) to determine which iss best for your location.

Royal Mail is a typical mail service, DPD is an air courier service and shipping times, customs/VAT costs and service to special addresses may vary by your location. However, the shipping cost is significant due to the sheer weight of the hardbound manual, which comes in at over 4.5 lbs / 2+ kg.

For more information and clarification on purchase option, please visit the Forum.

It is time for our first Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1941 battle video.

This time, we will be covering one of the most impactful moments of the early war, the breakthrough at Thermopylae.

Speed is vital if you wish to break the retreating British and prevent their escape. Having secured the escaping British, the time will come when you also need to assault the mighty defences of the Thermopylae pass. How you tackle this task, is up to you.

Find out more about Panzer Corps 2: Axis Operations 1941 via the games official webpage.

The latest in the Victory At Sea franchise hits Early Access today on Steam.

Evil Twin Artworks’ follow up to Victory At Sea Pacific has finally launched in Early Access with a weeklong 10% discount.

“Set in the American Civil War we have taken a different slant to other games out there by looking at this conflict from the naval side of things.” said James Carroll, Director at Evil Twin Artworks. “Battles took place on both the sea and on rivers of the American Civil War, as the navies of both sides supplied their land forces with resources and transport, requiring both to work together for victory. The Battles on the water powerfully affected the course of the war and would be fundamental as to whom would take victory.”

The game enters EA with a fully playable version of the Union campaign. Following on from this will see a Confederate campaign, as well as Modding and a custom battle mode which will launch through Early Access. While the game will launch in EA with a full roster of ports the Evil Twins will be adding more unique port environment designs as well.

Evil Twin Artworks recently played another round of Victory At Sea Ironclad in a Live stream on the Steam store and you can view it here.

Victory at Sea Ironclad features:

• Search and destroy enemy fleets during the American Civil War
• Effortlessly switch between commanding the entire theatre of war and controlling the fate of individual vessels and fleets.
• Use Resources to build new structures and ships
• Upgrade Ports
• Build shipyards
• Build farms and factories
• Harass shipping and starve ports of vital supplies
• Organize large scale amphibious assaults on major ports
• Control unique vessels such as the formidable Ironclads
• Pausable gameplay allows you to order fleets and then continue the action
• Play as North or South (Play as the South will become available through Early Access)
• Create customisable battles (Will become available through Early Access)

From small skirmishes involving single ships and hunting down merchantmen, to the clashing of massive fleets against implacable enemies, Victory at Sea Ironclad is your ticket to exciting battles that take place on the dangerous seas of the American Civil War.

You can check out the new Steam page for Victory At Sea Ironclad HERE.

Victory At Sea Ironclad Official Website