Varese, northern Italy - the rally point. Our very own Special Agent Geoff Byers (codename FullAuto) attends a unique gathering in shamelessly revealing broad daylight.

 

It's the Slitherine and Matrix Games' European Press Event and the place for close encounters of a peculiar kind: enthusiastic, bright developers, enterprising businessmen of the gaming industry and the Holy Inquisition... er, the elite strategy gaming press.

 

Needless to say, tongues were loosened with abandon and we shall soon disclose before you all that was successfully extracted.

 

For now though, the telegraphic, top-secret preliminary report of things to come:

- Battlefield Academy to receive two more glorious expansions

- Panzer Corps shall mightily roll out on the 15th of May

- The Lordz Games Studio portends also, Commander: The Great War will arrive this Summer

- Cause of War now renamed: Team Assult, to be conducted by Zeal Game Studio this year

- Time of Fury cometh this May, if Wastelands Interactive has its way

- Advanced Tactics: Gold, ever-evolving brainchild of Victor Reijkersz's (richly brilliant) Designs

- Hexwar a Field of Glory entry in the brewing

- World in Flames in 2012 (it's a game, no need to panic just yet)

 

Detailed coverage to follow briefly. Stay tuned!

Something for everybody there! Grand strategy, a Panzer General-inspired strategy, turn-based tactics, WWI strategy...

Sounds great! Did you enjoy yourself FA?

Er, um yeah, sort of. A large part of my time was spent trying to charge up my phone to keep recording, then trying to charge up my laptop (had to 'borrow' a cable eventually), then trying to get everything uploaded before the laptop died, then trying to get some time with the devs before they went home to actually do some work.

 

Getting to actually talk to the devs, instead of just getting a five-minute presentation and moving on, was by far the best part. Far superior to other events where you go from stand to stand and get a generic talk, ask a question, and then get nudged aside.