Strategy

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a dedicated chess player for a whole host of reasons that I have explored in my blog.  There is just something…unique about the Royal Game.  It possesses an elegance that has often shabbily imitated by other strategy games, but has yet to be successfully duplicated.  Strategy, tactics and the classic battle of wits, all in a convenient package that can be played anywhere.  What more could you want?    
 
You could want some skull-splitting mayhem!  Chess may be many things, but it is most definitely not an action game.  Of course, that hasn’t stopped some past computerized incarnations from trying to inject a little action, most notably Interplay’s successful Battle Chess from many years past.  Unfortunately, most titles that have attempted to merge the thoughtfulness of chess with some spirited action have failed because they simply could not please both the chess and action gamer.  Hence, the dearth of such titles.

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and Slitherine Strategies (www.slitherine.com) have announced the release of Field of Glory – Rise of Rome, the much anticipated expansion to their hit ancient warfare strategy game.

Please note: Field of Glory – Rise of Rome REQUIRES ownership of the original full Field of Glory game. Also please note that the Matrix Games and Slitherine editions are identical and no differences exist between the two.

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “Rise of Rome greatly expands and improves the famed Field of Glory system. Both existing fans and people still on the fence about Field of Glory should have a look at the Rise of Rome expansion because there’s plenty of ancient warfare goodness to be had!”

Based on Slitherine’s popular tabletop wargaming system by the same name, Field of Glory now comes to the PC in a faithful adaptation of this acclaimed miniatures wargame! Without the calculations and measurements required for a tabletop game of Field of Glory, the PC version accurately represents ancient and medieval combat where you make the important and fun decisions on the battlefield.

Dominions 3: The Awakening was released in 2006. It is now 2010 and Illwinter Game Design is still providing the love by adding new features, enhancing gameplay, and correcting any bugs that occasionally show up. How can anyone not love independent gaming?

The latest patch brings the retail version of Dominions 3: The Awakening to version 3.24 and is available for all OS flavors the game supports: Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X. The following is a list of what one can find in the 3.24 patch:

• Eliminated nations are now also shown in the graphs
• Spell AI improved regarding when to cast Arrow Fend, Gift of Flight and Legions of Steel.
• Could get some kind of mine even though all site slots were full-fixed.
• New monster modding commands: #inquisitor, #shatteredsoul, #banefireshield, #uwdamage, #popkill.
• Some units like the vampire now actually takes damage from being underwater, just like they were supposed to.
• Description changed for Maggots to better correspond with its true effect.
• Djinn is now a unique monster.
• Increased maximum number of messages a player can send on a given turn
• Fixed crash during turn generation.
• Support for PulseAudio on Linux.

Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com) and Slitherine Strategies (www.slitherine.com) have released the comprehensive 1.1.0 update for their turn-based ancients game, Field of Glory. Specific changes coming with the update include tweaks to rout and pursuit moves, several alterations to both how disorder is handled and displayed, minor bug fixes, and more.

Please note: It is strongly recommended that all customers install this update. This update is required to continue using the multiplayer feature of Field of Glory. The update will also allow owners of Field of Glory to also play against people who purchase the Rise of Rome expansion.

David Heath, Director of Operations at Matrix Games, said “Excitement has been steadily building in anticipation of the Rise of Rome expansion. With this update, Field of Glory owners will be able to continue enjoying the game’s true strength in multiplayer along with people who purchase Rise of Rome. We can be sure there will be no shortage of generals to clash with!”

HPS Simulations has announced the upcoming release of Naval Campaigns: Midway and Sealion ’40, both John Tiller games.

Details:

Naval Campaigns: Midway

For six months following its surprise attack on the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) had dominated the war in the Pacific. But 4 June 1942 would see the tide turn, with three US Navy (USN) aircraft carriers waiting in ambush for the IJN near a tiny atoll whose name would become immortalized in history: Midway. By the end of that day, the Japanese would lose four fleet carriers, and the course of the war would drastically change. Naval Campaigns: Midway covers not only this action but also other major carrier battles of World War Two, including Midway, Pearl Harbor, Coral Sea, Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz and Philippine Sea. Can you, as the fleet commander, sail your fleet and fly your air forces to victory, or will you be plunged beneath the deep blue waves never to be heard from again?
A whole new dimension