OK so here it is: yes, we're introducing naval warfare as the main new feature (among many) in the expansion pack. There are subs, helicopter carriers, amphibious assault ships, corvettes, stealth destroyers, and more. There are anti-sub choppers that deploy sonar bouys. There are Harpoon missiles, ship-launched Tomahawks, torpedoes, anti-missile SAMs and AAA, etc... the whole nine yards.

The multiplayer maps aren't exclusive naval maps; you still do your resource harvesting and management on land. Your base will contain a shipyard (like Derricks, these can only be built on certain strategically important locations). Like Skyhawk suggests, we'll have a total of about 15 naval units (ground and air units will still play a major role), and he's also right there will be plenty of new air and ground units in the expansion.

Instead of a fourth playable side we introduce mercenaries that can be used be any of the three sides. There are three types each of infantry, armored and air mercenaries; basically anything from medics to bombers that can be called in anywhere on the map for a cash investment.

And there are also bunches of miscellaneous gameplay improvements, new multiplayer maps and options, new upgrades, etc. Some of these are actually pretty major overhauls and deserve their own separate posting (which they will get eventually), others are more cosmetical. With all the different options you can set up in a multiplayer game session, you can create several thousand different combinations of rules.

Mercenary units, meanwhile, might sound like a shortcut to power but they're actually envisaged as a key defence against tank-rushing. Eugen noticed that a lot of novice players would build up a huge stock of cash and fail to use it effectively, while more efficient players were left to wipe the floor with them - now you'll be able to call in the merc's using your excess funds if you're under threat. They cost more, but if they don't get obliterated you can recoup some of it, so it's not all bad.

When you deploy mercenaries, the first thing that'll happen is a recon helicopter will fly in and mark the drop zone. If everything is clear then the mercenaries will land in about 10 seconds. If the recon helicopter gets shot down, then the drop is cancelled. Mercenaries can be called in anywhere on the map at anytime, but it costs alot of money to do so. It's best to protect your expansion with AA to prevent the mercenaries from deploying.

The mercenaries will use ground units, fighters, close air support, and bombers. They will have no naval units or helicopters save for the recon helicopter, although the mercenaries airplanes will be able to attack naval ships. There will also be no PoWs dropped from mercenary units.

So this is a screen from one of the early missions in the new campaign, at JFK airport outside New York. If you look closely you can see two Roland AA systems towards the left of the screen, and if you look REALLY close you can see that behind the Apache there's a Blackhawk, and behind that one you can see the yellow nose of a landed mercenary observation helicopter.