April 28, 2006

Rush for Berlin - Satchel Dogs of War

Paradox Interactive and Stormregion proudly present detailed information about the special skills of the regular soldiers, war dogs and other animals in their new WWII-RTS Rush for Berlin.

"During WWII, five War Dog Reception and Training Centers were operated by the Quartermaster Corps" (www.war-dogs.com). Now the "dogs of war" are returning in Rush for Berlin.

Click here to see all Rush for Berlin screenshots.

Special Infantry Skills
In addition to the officers, the regular infantry soldiers in Rush for Berlin are of vital to players also. Of course, each nation has standard infantry units (such as the sniper, rifleman, sapper, medic, flamethrower or mortar infantry), but depending on the nation, the player will also control unique units like armoured Russian shock infantry with a satchel dog, the German Panzergrenadier or the Fallschirmjäger (German paratrooper). Basically, all infantry units have a gun. Many also have special skills, e.g. the French resistance fighter can throw a Molotov cocktail.

Some more of the ordinary units' special skills:

• Satchel Dog: The unit sends a dog equipped with explosives to a given target, where they explode. The dog returns before the explosion.
• Magnetic Mine: The unit throws a magnetic mine at the nearby armoured unit. The mine explodes on impact and inflicts serious damage.
• Hand Grenade: The unit can throw a hand grenade at nearby targets. When it explodes, the grenade inflicts devastating area damage.
• Land Mine: The sapper places a mine at his location. Only hostile units trigger the mine.
• Field Hospital: The medic places a pile of medical supplies on the ground. The supplies heal every friendly unit nearby.
• Tank Barrier: The soldier installs a tank barrier at his current position. The barrier can be demolished by enemy fire.

More Experience
Some units are controlled in squads while others are single units. All units gain experience when fighting successfully and will be promoted to the next level. Of course, a higher level means better abilities, e.g. more health points. Units can crouch with a stealth bonus or run and will react according to three different behaviour modes: Aggressive mode, Defensive mode and Passive mode.

Inside Buildings
The player can place infantry units in buildings. They will guard the area and shoot out of the windows. The advantage of placing units in buildings is, for example, a wider range of sight when they are on the upper floor, as well as a defence bonus. Units in the wood have a camouflage bonus, in a trench they are much harder to hit.

Inside Vehicles
The player can also place units inside vehicles in order to drive them. Most of the time, there can be only one squad plus one officer inside any one vehicle. The effectiveness of combat vehicles depends on the number of crew members mounted. 3 members and 1 officer are considered a full crew (units inside a tank: 1 crewman - the vehicle can move only; 2 crewmen - primary weapon is available; 3 crewmen - the primary and one secondary weapon are available, etc.).

More Animals
Next to the war dogs, over 20 different wild animals inhabit the maps of Rush for Berlin. Some are lovely (like the deer in the woods), while others are more aggressive (like the wolves). For more war dog information please read the "Technical Manual; TM 10-396, War Dogs, 1 July 1943".

Rush for Berlin will hit the shelves at the end of May. For more details visit Rush for Berlin.

About the Game
Top developer Stormregion is going one step further in this release. The 3D real-time strategy game Rush for Berlin depicts what might have happened if a new leadership had faced up to the advancing Allies and Russia, following Hitler's removal from power. What if they had deployed the already developed super weapons?

Your first aim is to win the race for Berlin in 1944 - 1945. Playing on the side of the Americans, will you succeed in hoisting the US flag on the “Reichstag” before the Red Army? Prepare yourself for a visually luxurious strategy hit that focuses on the enjoyment of the game: tactical WWII war gaming full of fresh ideas. Officers have special abilities and acquire new skills at every level. And the time factor will be introduced as a resource in a game for the first time.

Paradox Interactive publishes the World War II title Rush for Berlin in the United States and Canada under license. The race begins, MAY 2006.

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