Decks Of War: Wargame: Airland Battle Trailer

Apologies to non-UK readers for the next few sentences. Here is some hold music to tide you over. The word "deck" is interesting. In the hands of Alan Titchmarsh, for example, it means "The bit of a garden that is not the grass". In certain parts of northern England it means "He who is not Ant", and it is spoken with reverence and awe by court jesters. It is a word that can even mean "The bit of a ship that is not the floaty bit". In games, though, it means the collection of units you bring to battle. And in Wargame: Airland Battle, that means tanks, jets, and everything in war that is not a tank or jet.

In Airland Battle's multiplayer, you'll be building a deck to take online and fight with. Your selection is drawn from the 800 or so units that the game has available, mix and matching war machines from 12 Cold War countries. Decks can be patriotic, with their selection drawn from a single country, or you can choose from your favourite units and ignore those pesky borders. Or you could focus on a specific type of class. There are bonuses added whichever way you go. Have a peep at this short, explanatory video below.

I am terrible at Airland Battle's predecessor, European Escalation. I bought it after meeting Alexis Le Dressay, the game's creative director, at a preview event where he demoed Airland Battle. He spoke with such enthusiasm about what he was making that I went home and bought it. Even for a strategic simpleton like me there's something in Eugen system's games to love. I enjoy watching it the fight flowing around on the giant maps. I might be losing, but I'll be doing it with style.

Hey, it's out on May 22nd 2013. I did not know that.