Attention, Generals!
It’s time for another showcase of some gameplay elements in order to best prepare you for the battles to come. The focus of today's news will be on the changes to nations in general and the impact of changes on overall gameplay. On top of that, you’ll be able to take a look at one of the largest units in Iron Order's arsenal, the Flying Fortress!
Nations:
First and foremost the world and general setting of Iron Order will be detached from its real-life counterpart. While nations are strongly inspired by the actual nations in Europe, some will also have distinct differences such as changed forms of government or ideology, as well as drastic changes to their borders.
One of the most interesting changes in this regard will be the subject of today's showcase. The British Isles generally is a very safe starting point in most strategy games where players can build up their economy and enjoy the luxury of natural defenses in the form of the North Sea. On the flip side, they offered little immediate options to expand unless you're keen to go to war with another major nation on the continent.
We want to change this up a bit and offer more options with higher risk and reward by placing two major nations on the isles in the form of England and Ireland, with Scotland as a minor AI-nation. In harsh contrast to the familiar borders of 1914's Europe, the situation in our alternative timeline has changed quite a bit. At the point in time where our future battles will be fought, Ireland managed to establish itself as an equal next to England, thus creating a precarious situation for both. Further details as to how this situation came to be and the general fate of the British Empire might be revealed in future updates.
What this means from a player perspective is that the islands will no longer act as an immediate safe haven as you will have to either deal with your neighbor via diplomacy or plan to take him out quickly in order to gain dominance over the British Isles. Should you opt for the first option, the delicate question of how to split up Scottish territory will arise rather quickly, as its cities and resources are an obvious first target for expansion for both. In case you start conquering Scottish territory right away, you need to keep a close eye on your other neighbor as he will surely want to exploit any sign of weakness or attrition.
Besides the British Isles, other nations and areas of Europe will also see similar changes. We want to create a more exciting start for player nations whose starting situation traditionally offers little variety. By creating more opportunities to balance the risk and reward of expansion we are able to provide a more thrilling experience early on.
Flying Fortress:
As special eye candy, we want to show off one of the largest units you’ll be able to command in the future. Due to a revolutionary propulsion system, its designers were able to equip it with several high caliber guns which were installed in a broadside configuration. Besides these heavy bombardment cannons, several medium-caliber guns and a plethora of MG’s were also installed all along the ship, providing it with the necessary defensive capabilities needed to ensure a prolonged deployment in frontline sectors. Wherever possible, vital areas of the hull were reinforced and covered with armor plating.
Once the Flying Fortress arrives in a sector of the front, it’ll immediately assume a commanding role over the battlefield. From several kilometers behind and above the actual battle lines, it’ll commence with the bombardment and most likely complete annihilation of enemy formations. In contrast to ground-based Artillery, it does not run the risk of receiving counter-battery fire or being outflanked. The only realistic way to take out a Flying Fortress is to concentrate all available Interceptors for repeated strikes or hope your enemy will be foolish enough to maneuver within range of massive anti-aircraft batteries.
This doesn't mean the Flying Fortress is invincible, however. It should always be treated as the crown jewel of any Air Force and protected accordingly. After investing the large amounts of resources necessary to research and construct this magnificent beast, it should ideally be provided with constant fighter cover. While it can easily fend off smaller formations of aircraft, it can’t dodge concentrated enemy fire or outrun an incoming attack due to its sheer size. Multiple enemy fighter wings could potentially overwhelm its defenses and damage critical areas of the hull.
Should your opponents not be able to react to the deployment of a Flying Fortress adequately and within a reasonable time, it can become a deciding factor of the war and force your adversaries to seriously consider diplomatic solutions before their ground forces get annihilated in a hail of death and destruction. If diplomatic solutions do not bear fruit a Flying Fortress can ultimately be ordered to deploy its most devastating weaponry and unleash a Firestorm barrage. More about unique unit abilities in future sneak peeks.
Get ready and don't forget to wishlist the game to get notified of any news and teasers.
Good luck, Generals!