Strategy and Wargaming

Free EU4 Add-on Brings the Great Women of History

The pages of history books are filled with the stories of great men – but also great women: artists, authors, councilors, and rulers. Would Tenochtitlan have fallen without the language skills of Malinche guiding Cortez? Had the reign of Edward IV not been cut short by illness, would England have still ruled the seas, deprived of the strong hand of Elizabeth I?

To mark International Women’s Day (March 8th) Paradox Development Studio has created a free update for Europa Universalis IV, adding 100 great women of history to the game. Each character can be generated through event triggers (a weak regency, a colonial empire, certain ideas, etc.). Players will then have choices about how to use this talented woman. Some may join your court as advisors, some might be suitable for riskier employment as rulers or leaders.
Thomas Johansson, the head of Paradox Development Studio, says that this DLC does something important for the company’s flagship title.

“It’s no surprise that the role of women in history isn’t as well known as that of men,” Johansson says. “Europa Universalis, admittedly, hasn’t done a lot to foreground their contributions. We thought that International Women’s Day was the best time to do a little bit to help balance the scales and introduce our audience to some very interesting people.”

The Women’s History DLC is free for all Europa Universalis IV players and will be available on March 8th, 2015. The full changelog is available HERE.

“You will kill ten of us, we will kill one of you, but in the end, you will tire of it first” (Ho Chi Minh – President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam 1945-69)

Fifty years ago Operation Rolling Thunder was launched. Supported by dozens of US fighter-bombers, this massive bombardment campaign aimed to persuade North Vietnam to cease its assistance to communist insurgents in South Vietnam and to destroy key military targets. Soon after ground units were also deployed and the US was fully involved in this iconic Cold War conflict!

But in Vietnam, firepower and technology only get you so far. Thanks to their knowledge of the terrain, close relationship with the local population and their mastery of guerrilla tactics, the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army regulars proved to be a dangerous and elusive enemy.

As a result, victory is not determined by simply eliminating the enemy, but rather by winning the Hearts and Minds of the local population, thereby gaining their support to crush the insurgency.

In Vietnam’65, a new strategy game releasing today on PC and iPad, players will experience the true essence of this war. Developer Every Single Soldier has focused on providing a realistic and credible Counter-Insurgency model.

We are overjoyed to announce that the game is now available for only $9.99! A special 10% launch discount is also available on PC only. We are also going to offer a free Steam key to anyone who bought a copy of the PC version from the Matrix Games or Slitherine store, once the game is available on these digital platforms!

Get more information on Vietnam ‘65 from its official product page.

Source: VG247

The Longbeards Culture Pack is now available for Total War: Attila and it comes with three new playable factions. The Langobards, the Burgundians and the Alamans can be played in both single and multiplayer campaign modes as well as custom and multiplayer battles.

A new feature called The Lay of Ybor is also included. It contains a series of “linked narrative events” with branching narrative choices. Once the story is concluded, Ybor becomes available as a general complete with traits mirroring choices made in the narrative. You can view the new trailer HERE.

The culture pack is available through Steam for 10% off at $7.19.

Discover the New World and then Make Your Own in Latest Expansion

After a long voyage through rough seas (game development is hard), the newest expansion for Paradox Development Studio’s hit empire-building game Europa Universalis IV has arrived! El Dorado lands with a nearly infinite array of new possibilities and alternate histories, and explorers can begin their voyage into uncharted territories today on PC, Mac and Linux for $14.99.

Take a look at the fabled El Dorado in the launch trailer here.

With its focus on the empires of South and Central America, El Dorado includes three new major Native American faiths for the Aztec, the Maya and the Inca. Sacrifice vassal kings to stave off doomsday as the Aztecs or endure centuries of cyclical rise and fall as the Maya.

If your game choices tend more to exploration and plunder, you can send your fleets on specific missions across the seas or task your conquistadors with a quest to find the lost Seven Cities of Gold!

But, if you tire of “history,” you can now create your own kingdom with the brand-new Nation Designer included with El Dorado. Choose your starting provinces, your national ideas, your starting ruler and everything else you need to prove that you know the value of real estate and strong leadership. Then, for a new thrill, randomize the map and fight a France reborn in Manchuria.

El Dorado features include:

• Nation Designer
• Nahuatl religion for Aztecs
• Mayan religion for Yucatan natives
• Inti religion for Inca
• New exploration system
• Seven Cities of Gold quest for conquistadors
• Treasure fleets, and pirate missions to intercept them
• New limitations on and effects of vassal/subject nation loyalty
• Dozens of new events

For more information, please visit www.europauniversalis4.com.

Nival, an independent game developer renowned for their strategy games, have today announced changes to the business model for Blitzkrieg 3, the long awaited next installment to one of their most beloved franchises, as well as details of the launch of the Closed Alpha Test for the game.

Rejecting the current market trend for so called ‘free-to-play’ with in-game micro transactions, Blitzkrieg 3 will instead require players to only make a one-time payment for the game. Commenting on the business model, Sergey Orlovsky, CEO and founder of Nival said, “The pendulum is swinging once again when it comes to how consumers want to pay for their games. The market is shifting back towards a cleaner, simpler and more transparent model of one-time payments. This trend inspired us to return to the classic distribution model of the series, thus honoring the series’ traditions.”

The digital pre-sale of the full version of Blitzkrieg 3, which includes three single player campaigns, has now launched. Anyone that pre-orders the game will be eligible to join the Closed Alpha Test that begins today. Blitzkrieg 3 will be free from micro-transactions, in-game currency and any other form of in-game payments. In future, players will, however, be able to buy optional additional campaigns as DLC. The premium account system previously announced has also been removed from the game.

The brand new Alpha trailer can be viewed HERE.

The second walkthrough video looking at the defensive side of the asynchronous multiplayer mode can be viewed HERE.

For more information on Blitzkrieg 3 CAT and to pre-order the game head to the games official website.

It is 1965 and the US ground war in Vietnam is in full swing. As a US Army commander, wage a counter-insurgency (COIN) war to secure the La Drang valley, on the border with Cambodia. 

Good News for all ‘Nam fans! Vietnam ’65 will also be available through Steam and the product page is now live.

While you are waiting and preparing your ammo and equipment, check out the page and the cool trailer.

Vietnam ’65 by Every Single Soldier, will be released on March 5th.

This is a game that captures the true essence of the Vietnam War, where airmobile operations are paramount, fire support bases play a critical role and air strikes can save the day.

Rise through the ranks and watch your personalized uniform transform from a junior Lieutenant to General as you relive the Vietnam War.

“Once the mass of the defending infantry become possessed of low morale, the battle is as good as lost.” (Douglas Haig – Commander of British Expeditionary Force)

Early 1915 – After a massive initial push from the Central Powers on the Western Front, the war is bogged down. Commanders from both sides protect their positions with strong defensive structures and fail to find breaches in the enemy lines. Artillery and barbed wire make the assaults deadly and wasteful. But in Breaking the Deadlock, the first expansion of Ageod’s World War 1 wargame To End All Wars, players can develop new tactics to outsmart their opponent and break the stalemate once and for all!

Breaking the Deadlock focuses on key moments of the Great War. It provides a series of short, intense and very detailed scenarios in which every single turn has decisive consequences on the final outcome of the battle!

And It’s not over! We are also releasing patch 1.02 (direct link) for the base game, bringing a host of improvements, including bug fixes, scenario changes and much more!

The game features five historical scenarios:

• Serbia (1915) covers the decisive Central Powers offensive in Serbia dedicated to secure the area and build a safe and effective supply chain between Germany and the Ottoman Empire.
•  Rumania (1916) narrates the entry of Rumania into the war on the Allied side after having been neutral for 2 years, and the Central Powers rapid counterattack in the Balkan theatre.
• Caporetto (1917) begins with the Germans sending support to the Austrian army on the Italian Front, resulting with some unconventional warfare tactics based on gas attacks and use of assault troops.
• Palestine(1917-1918) the British and Ottoman Empires confront each other in the Middle Eastern theatre. Players will have to deal with logistic challenges and unusual terrain types to be victorious on this exotic battlefield.
• 1916 Campaign (1916-1918) is a fresh new starting point of the Grand Campaign. Victory has not picked her side yet!

Get more information on To End All Wars: Breaking the Deadlock from its official product page.

Treasures, too, in upcoming Europa Universalis IV expansion

With the release of Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado only days away, lead designer Martin Anward has moved to the front of the camera to describe the many changes coming in the latest expansion to Paradox Development Studio’s hit historical empire-building game.

In this seven minute video, Anward describes the new mechanics for Central and South American native states, including three new religions that promise to challenge even the most experienced desktop monarchs. Anward also goes into great detail on the Nation Designer and alternate starting maps that will be available for the first time in El Dorado.

Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado is scheduled for release on February 26, 2015 and will be available on many popular digital storefronts, as well as the Paradox Store.

For more information, please visit www.europauniversalis4.com.

Summer 1943 – The Soviet and German High Commands gather their strength for what they both believe will be a decisive battle. The Wehrmacht wants to retake the initiative on a front that tends to bog down due to the fierce resistance of the Red Army.

Players will be able to relive the key moments of this huge air-ground operation on the Eastern Front in Battle of Kursk, the first expansion of Battle Academy 2, which release is announced for March 26th.

Battle of Kursk offers two campaigns with a carryover system. Often requested by the community, this carryover approach will allow the players to keep units from one scenario to another, forcing them to not be too fool-hardy in order to complete the campaigns!

Get more information on Battle Academy 2: Battle of Kursk from its official product page.

Set sail for adventure, guarding treasure fleets and unlocking the secrets of the Amazon. Sacrifice vassal kings to angry gods to stave off Doomsday. Or, stand outside history, and create a new nation from scratch. More wonders of alternate history are coming very soon.

Europa Universalis IV expands again on February 26 with the release of its El Dorado expansion. This, the fifth expansion to Paradox Development Studio’s best-selling historical grand strategy game, adds greater depth to the New World as your European explorers and conquistadors seek wealth and glory in South and Central America.

With the new Nation Designer, Europa Universalis IV players will be able to create custom challenges anywhere on Earth. Randomized nations with up to 32 user-designed creations open amazing new possibilities for both multiplayer and single player experiences.

El Dorado adds greater depth to the Aztec, Mesoamerican and Incan cultures with new religions and mechanics to help them prepare for the inevitable foreign invasions. Can you ward off Doomsday and hold off the Spanish armies?

El Dorado also introduces a system to automate exploration at sea and on land, where your hardy adventurers will encounter new events and decisions in their quest for cities of gold. There are also treasure fleets, changes to vassal management and many minor changes – as well as the usual pile of content free to all Europa Universalis IV players that accompanies every Paradox Development Studio expansion.

For more information on Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado please visit the official Europa Universalis IV website.