Real-Time Strategy fans can be heard rejoicing throughout the net this year, spoiled by a plethora of triple-A titles such as Supreme Commander and Command and Conquer 3. Relic looks to continue adding to this impressive list with Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts; a stand alone expansion to the award winning Company of Heroes that delighted fans of the RTS World War 2 genre and casual gamers alike with its cinematic portrayal of the Western Front in 1944-45 that made killing krauts and yanks enjoyable again in a genre that looked like it was heading the way of the 3rd Reich.

Packed full of new content, Opposing Fronts builds upon the foundations of the original Essence engine with two unique new playable factions for the Allies and Axis; the British army and German Panzer Elite respectively, fighting across two new campaigns which span 17 missions between them.

Rumbling in for Zee Germans is the Panzer Elite, the name saying it all really. The Panzer Elite will emphasise Blitzkrieg war as an offensive army. Expect to see half-tracks, tank hunters and the fearsome King Tiger to be available in the arsenal. With three new doctrines allowing you to acquire the assistance of the Luftwaffe and even more armour, such as the Jagdpanther, a 40.5 ton tank killer sporting the Germans famous 88mm gun, the tread heads among us will have plenty of new kit to play with. Interestingly Opposing Fronts will feature the first official campaign set from the German perspective, as the Panzer Elite Kampfgruppe fight to repel the largest Airborne invasion in history: Operation Market Garden.

The British in contrast are a defence-focused army, providing the more traditional RTS player an army that can dig in and hold against the odds. Slit trenches, Anti-tank emplacements and fortified mortar pits all lend to a "Hold the line!" attitude. Units will include Tommies, the basic British infantry, the M5 Stuart and the Cromwell tank. Fans of Relics Dawn of War series will recognize the inclusion of stances which affect the speed of British units and how much cover they receive. For example when British units advance in enemy territory they will move slower in return for increased cover bonuses, while in friendly territory they will move at normal speed. This is a clever and subtle difference to the more gun-ho Americans.

Officers will affect the units around them, providing bonuses that are either offensive or defensive depending on the officer class. The British doctrines are based on the Royal Engineers, Royal Commandos and Royal Canadian Artillery. Each doctrine will provide extra suitable abilities and units, such as the Churchill Tank, the SAS and the M7 Priest self-propelled artillery. The British campaign follows the fictional 3rd Battalion in its assault on Caen and the surrounding area, facing off against divisions of the Waffen-SS. Intense urban warfare and massive tank battles will constitute the bread and butter of this campaign.... Just the way we like it.