Empire Earth II expands

Sierra Entertainment (shh! It's Vivendi in a dress!) and Mad Doc Software have announced RTS expansion Empire Earth II: The Art of Supremacy, due in February 2006, introducing new game modes, civilisations and other changes. One of the modes even lets you be someone's bitch in the event of defeat. Awesome!

Called "Fealty mode", it allows you to become a permanent ally or vassal to another player if you're getting slapped around. Mad Doc's actual-doc Dr Ian Davis, CEO, says they were "aching to add the Fealty and Tug-of-War modes" to the original game. Tug-of-War sees multiple battles fought across three, five or seven maps, with the eventual winner the chap who conquers the other bloke on his home turf.

As well as these there'll be three new campaigns, investigating bits of human history left uncharted by Empire Earth II - from the time of the Pharaohs up to the reign of Napoleon, crossing Russian plains and African deserts. You'll also be able to conquer, assimilate or ally with native tribes.

There'll be ten new combat units, including Zulu Warriors, Russian Howitzers and Rafale Stealth fighters (we don't know what those are, but we only ever won the After-8s anyway so who cares), and you can upgrade certain of them to (minty fresh) Hero status in victory, while persistent units that retain upgrades across multiple scenarios are also in.

Beyond that, Mad Doc says we can expect an improved multiplayer matchmaking service, and there's even an editor to create unique custom civilisations. Alas, you can't uncreate the Journalistians because we're such a dominant global power. Like America, except we're all over the globe even where you don't w[stop - Ed]