- Rhine Shield DLC - Announcement - 30 September 2026
Introducing Rhine Shield, a new DLC for Armored Brigade II, bringing France, Belgium and the Netherlands to the battlefield, with 400+ new units, a new map and three campaigns spanning three decades of the Cold War.Had the Cold War turned hot, NATO’s defence of Central Europe would never have rested on its largest armies alone. Command three Western European nations, each bringing its own doctrine, equipment and strengths to the fight.Hold a forward position on the North German Plain, fight a delaying action through West German farmland, or launch a counterattack in the wooded hills of the Ardennes. Adapt your tactics to each army and make the most of what it brings to the battlefield.Visit the store page to discover more about Rhine Shield.Home of Wargamers 2026As part of our annual Home of Wargamers event, we had the pleasure of interviewing Nikola Sandic, database specialist for Armo…
- Home of Wargamers 2026 is almost here - 8 September 2026
Home of Wargamers 2026 is almost here. Our yearly live showcase, streamed on Twitch and YouTube, returns on September 30th with fresh announcements, updates and a look behind the scenes at what's coming from Matrix Games.This edition brings together longtime fan favorites and brand new projects. Developers and producers will step up to walk you through what they've been building, share previews, and talk about where their games are headed next. On the schedule: Strategic Command, Armored Brigade II, Decision Point, Decisive Campaigns, Flashpoint Campaigns: Lowland Lions, Commander: Europe at War, Nuclear War Simulator and more, a mix of reveals, walkthroughs, and titles landing very soon.Mark your calendar: September 30th, 2026 at 7 pm CEST.Join us on YouTube and Twitch. See you there for an evening of strategy and wargaming.
- Changelog 1.609 - 13 July 2026
As we teased in last week's Dev Diary, Update 1.609 is now available, bringing the "Comrades in Arms" free campaign, new AI stances, and much more.v1.609Fix: The vehicle stop animation caused them to slide sideways when turning.Fix: The origin point of the Polish AT soldier model was wrong, causing it to sink into the ground.Fix: The WP-8's muzzle flash did not work.\ Added the 'Comrades in Arms' linear campaign.\ Added amphibious capability trait to suitable vehicles (i.e, BTR, SKOTs, BMPs etc.).\ Fixed Polish T-55A ammunition.\ Added correct Polish UAZ-469 texture.\ Aggressive stance + Contact: Only the element that identifies the threat will halt, while the rest of the formation continues operating.\ Defensive stance + Contact: Units will attempt to break enemy observation by reversing out of sight, similar to Scout behavior.\ Aggressive stance + Scout: Emphasizes reconnaissance in-f…
- Dev Diary #11 - Comrades in Arms - 7 July 2026
Greetings, Commanders!With Update 1.609, we continue expanding the battlefield experience in Armored Brigade II with new content and gameplay features. This update will introduce our fifth scripted campaign, “Comrades in Arms,” consisting of eight highly diverse missions told from the perspective of the Warsaw Pact underdogs: East Germany and Poland.The new campaign is largely based on German (both West and East) and Polish planning documents from the era. It also makes extensive use of the newly added scripted artillery missions, allowing fire support to play a more structured role in mission design. These missions enable us to create a more carefully crafted battlefield, where artillery support is integrated into the larger battleplan rather than simply being an available asset.More AI StancesA key addition in this build is a set of new AI stances, this time focused on Scout and Conta…
- Changelog v1.608 - 4 June 2026
A new update for Armored Brigade II is now available. This update focuses on the Polish Rework, Audio Overhaul, AI improvements and more. We previously shared detailed information on these topics in our latest Dev Diary, which you can find here below: Here is the changelog:v1.608Fix: The ammunition selection algorithm sometimes iterated through invalid elements, potentially causing various issues.\ Reworked Polish mechanized and motorised squads.\ Added SKOT APC sub-variant models.\ Added SKOT-2AM as AT vehicle.\ Added Polish ZPU-4.\ Added truck mounted ZPU-2 and ZU-23-2 (Hibernyt). \ Updated Polish support vehicle and teams values and added motorised equivalents.\ Added 4th tank to most Polish tank platoons (except T-72 and T-55AM Merida).\ Updated Polish tanks and added T-54AM1 and T-72A (Polish designation for late-production T-72M).\ Added TOSU-76 APC.\ Added D-44 field gun and M-30…
- Dev Diary #10 Audio Overhaul, Polish Rework, and AI Improvements - 24 April 2026
Greetings Commanders,After the successful launch of the first DLC for Armored Brigade II, Scandinavia, we are once again turning our attention to the base game and the improvements currently in development. We begin today with one of the most important parts of battlefield immersion: sound.Audio is often one of the most overlooked aspects of game development, yet it has an enormous influence on how a game feels to play. It shapes the atmosphere, conveys impact, and gives weight to every engagement. A shell landing in the distance, the burst of an autocannon, the thunder of advancing armor: these moments are remembered as much through sound as through visuals.The history of our game has never been that of a massive studio production assembled by dozens of specialists or supported by a proper budget. For long stretches of its existence, it was closer to a passion project, built through pe…
- Changelogs 1.605 & 1.606 - 13 April 2026
This Armored Brigade II update introduces an improved ammunition selection algorithm. The new system chooses ammunition based on both target type and the level of identification available. When a target has not been fully identified, ammunition selection is guided by broad vehicle characteristics such as whether it is wheeled, tracked, or half-tracked. Once the target is positively identified (for example as an MBT, medium tank, light tank, or APC) the system prioritizes suitable anti-armor rounds, including penetrating, special penetrating and shaped-charge ammunition. High-explosive and fragmentation rounds are preferred against non-vehicle targets. Permanent Game ModeWe heard your feedback: the Drone game mode, originally created as a fun addition for April 1st, has now been permanently added to the game. Read the news here to learn more about the game mode and the previous update (v…
- Limited time game mode + New Open Beta update - 1 April 2026
As a fun addition for April 1st, for about 1 week you'll be able to access a new temporary game mode featuring drones by joining a beta branch. But that's not all, this beta also includes several changes and improvements that need your help to be tested. Take direct control of experimental FPV kamikaze drones and strike enemy vehicles from a first-person perspective. Use the crosshair to guide your attack, adjust throttle with the mouse wheel, and switch to thermal imaging to acquire targets—then crash into them with a HEAT warhead for maximum effect. Here are the standard steps to join a beta branch on Steam:Open Steam and go to your Library.Find Armored Brigade II and right-click it.Select Properties from the context menu.In the Properties window, open the Game Versions & Betas tab.Under “Selected Game Version”, you will see a list of available versions.Select the Beta branch.Close th…
- Armored Brigade II - Changelog v1.601 & v1.602 - 10 March 2026
Hi everyone, alongside the release of the Scandinavia DLC, we released two updates for the game. You can find the changelog below:Changelog v1.601 & v1.602Fix: Gepard SPAAG had a wrong model scale.Fix: If a missile or rocket exploded before it was rendered (usually because of zooming out) the last line in its trail was rendered back to the trail start.\ Add the 'Shadows Over Giessen' branching campaign.\ Lowered M151 jeep acceleration to 1.8m/s.\ Lowered Osa 9M33 missile perfomance and replaced East German Osa-AK for Osa-AKM SAM.\ Aligned East German AA and AT vehicles with their Soviet equivalents.\ Replaced East German BTR-40A anti-air vehicle with BTR-152E.\ Added SPG-9 on UAZ-469 (DDR) with driver.\ Added B-10 and B-11 RCL gunners for DDR and PL, added transports.\ Added East German Fallschirmjäger (dismounted and motorized) and air assault (Luftsturmkompanie) units.\ Added Volkspol…
- Armored Brigade II: Scandinavia is Out Now - 26 February 2026
Armored Brigade II: Scandinavia is available now on Steam for $19.99.The Northern Flank ignites as the Cold War turns hot. This expansion brings the conflict to the Nordic theatre, where control of the Baltic approaches and Arctic corridors can decide the fate of Europe. New armies, challenging terrain, and distinct national doctrines reshape the battlefield in decisive ways. Key Features:Three new playable armies: Sweden, Norway, and Denmark500+ new ground units and aircraftBrand-new 30x30 km Swedish and Danish mapsA Swedish branching campaignA Danish linear campaign3 standalone single missionsTake command on the Northern Front and test your tactics in one of the Cold War’s most strategically critical theatres. The Armored Brigade II Complete Bundle is now available, combining the base game and Scandinavia in one package. Discounts are also available across the franchise for a limited…
- Dev Interview + Scandinavia Release Date Reveal - 20 February 2026
Hi everyone, we are glad to announce that the Scandinavia DLC launches on February 26th.Ahead of release, one of the developers joined Shermanator on YouTube for a detailed interview discussing the new nations, units, and design decisions behind the expansion.You can watch the full interview here:and just below you’ll also find a summary of the conversation.INTERVIEWSHERMAN: Nikola, please feel free to introduce yourself. NIKOLA: Good afternoon and thank you for having me. I’m Nikola, one of the Armored Brigade 2 developers. I mainly work on the database and on some of the game content. SHERMAN: Awesome. Thank you for sitting down and having a little chat with me. Let’s jump right into the questions. First: what made the team decide to go specifically with a Scandinavian DLC? NIKOLA: Well, first of all we wanted to complete Europe in terms of the Cold War setting. Sweden was basically t…
- Scandinavia - Beta sign up + Dev Diary #3 - 6 February 2026
Greetings, Commanders!Before proceeding with the Dev Diary, Scandinavia is getting close to release and we need your help testing the upcoming content. Join the beta here and let us know what you think. Enjoy the Dev Diary below. While in the last two diaries we concentrated mostly on Denmark and Sweden, today we turn our attention to Norway, as well as to other elements of the DLC, including operational realities and maps. Norway formed NATO’s exposed northern anchor and remained a constant factor in alliance planning for Scandinavia. In this DLC, however, Norway is treated primarily as a strategic frame of reference rather than a main operational focus. Our playable content therefore concentrates further south, where we now have three distinct map areas: the existing Lübeck map together with two new maps, Bornholm Island and Trelleborg on Sweden’s southern coast. Together, they allow…
- Scandinavia - Dev Diary #2 - 16 December 2025
Greetings, Commanders!Following our first look at Scandinavia through Sweden, we now turn our attention southwest and northwest along NATO’s Northern Flank, to Denmark and to Norway. Both countries were historically neutral until the German occupation during World War II demonstrated the fallacy of this policy. They therefore became founding members of NATO in 1949, and as front-line members of the Atlantic Alliance their defence strategies and force structures grew increasingly similar. Both developed small yet balanced, conscription-based mobilisation forces designed to contain a territorial invasion until allied reinforcements could arrive. These were armies shaped by geography, demography, and a sober understanding of their place in a much larger conflict. Unlike many Cold War armies, Denmark and Norway never planned to fight alone. Their defence concepts were inseparable from allia…
- Scandinavia - Dev Diary #1 - 25 November 2025
Greetings, Commanders!Choosing to spotlight an army that hasn’t fought a major war since the Napoleonic era as the first nation of the ABII debut DLC might, at first glance, seem an eccentric decision. One could argue that more conventional European mainland armies would have been the predictable choice. But predictability is precisely why Sweden makes such a compelling starting point. Beneath its long stretch of neutrality lies an armed force shaped by geography, strategy, and a national mindset that produced some of the most distinctive military solutions of the Cold War. And for those keeping an eye on the base game itself, this diary also brings news of several major features arriving in the next beta build. One of the few exceptions to Sweden’s otherwise domestically focused procurement was the British Centurion. It went on to have a long and successful career in Swedish service, u…
- Update v1.595 - 10 October 2025
The latest update for Armored Brigade II brings a series of refinements and adjustments. Check out what’s new in version 1.595 below:v1.595Fix: The key binding for 'Place markers & draw lines' did not work.\ Adjusted Mot-Schützen squads and formations (including dismounted infantry).\ Added Sniper and MANPADS Teams to DDR company HQ.\ Added DDR LAW, light MG teams, and medium MG teams.\ Aligned DDR dismounted ATGM teams.\ Added AT-7 to East German Fallschirmjäger.\ Added motorized formations for AGL and mortars (DDR).\ Added 85mm D-44 Field Gun, 122mm M-30 and D-30 Howitzers with transports (DDR).\ Fixed early T-64B coaxial machine gun, and W50 Truck exhaust.\ Show no text instead of 'Undefined' for undefined key bindings.
- Dev Diary #9 - Key Rebinding, New Units, and Beyond - 9 October 2025
Greetings, Commanders! It’s been a while since our last Dev Diary, but we’re back with news following last week’s announcement of the first Armored Brigade II DLC, Scandinavia, and the release of our 12-month roadmap outlining the major features and improvements currently in development. Each of those topics will be explored in dedicated diaries, but today we want to focus on the just-released Patch 1.594 and several upcoming near-term improvements that haven’t been mentioned before. These are features we have been tirelessly working on behind the scenes. One of the most notable additions in the latest patch is the highly requested key rebinding feature, allowing players to customize controls according to their personal preferences. AI counterattacks in defense are now more aggressive, and infiltration mechanics have been refined to make them a more rewarding tactic, particularly when e…
- Armored Brigade II: Scandinavia | DLC Reveal + Roadmap + Update v1.594 - 25 September 2025
Today at Home of Wargamers we had an interview with Nikola Sandic, one of the developers behind the Armored Brigade series. In the interview, he talked about the evolution of the series from ABI to ABII, shared future plans, and also announced the next DLC: Scandinavia. Here below you can find the roadmap with all the upcoming content: Matrix Games 25th Anniversary Free ContentTo celebrate the 25th anniversary of Matrix Games, we are happy to release a free master map set in Germany, called Giessen. Giessen’s terrain offers a mix of wooded ridges, river crossings, and open farmland, creating both obstacles and opportunities for maneuver. This combination of strategic importance and varied battlefield conditions makes Giessen a natural setting for high-stakes operations.UPDATE 1.594Additionally, we released the latest update for Armored Brigade II. You can find the changelog below:v1.594…
- Armored Brigade II at Home of Wargamers 2025 - 2 September 2025
The wait is almost over: Home of Wargamers 2025 is coming on September 25th, bringing you the biggest updates from the world of strategy and wargaming. Home of Wargamers 2025, the yearly live showcase that we stream on Twitch and YouTube, is coming on September 25th. It will bring you the biggest announcements, updates, Spoilers and behind-the-scenes insights from the world of Matrix Games.This year’s edition will showcase some of the most beloved franchises in our catalog, as well as exciting new projects. Developers and producers will take the stage to share exclusive previews, reveal upcoming expansions, and discuss the future of their series. Be ready to know more about Shadow Empire, Combat Mission, Armored Brigade, Strategic Command, WEGO, Rule the Waves 3 and more. During the event, the developers will share new details and future plans for Armored Brigade II, don't miss it.
- Update v1.591 - 18 August 2025
Hi everyone, a new update for the game has been released, here below you can find the changelog. Changelogv1.591IMPORTANT PLEASE NOTE - Due to updates to the Database, some savegames involving battles with Polish and East German troops may not work anymore.Fix: If a platoon position and other states were set in the Mission Editor, but the formation was not given any waypoints, it was not automatically detached from its company when the scenario was loaded, so it copied some states (e.g. rotation) from the company level formation.Fix: An initial mounted/dismounted state in a scenario script was not used, only the state in scenario.xml.\ Tweak 'Beyond Water', 'Over the Hills', and 'Defending Fulda'.\ Alouette II helicopter model added.\ Added H-34 Choctaw transport helicopter for the US and West Germany (CH-34 and H-34G).\ Added Soviet, East German, and Polish Mi-2 helicopter models.\ Add…
- Update v. 1.588 - 27 June 2025
A new update for Armored Brigade II is out now, packed with fixes, quality-of-life improvements, and a host of new database additions. The dev team has been working tirelessly to polish and expand the experience, and we're incredibly excited to showcase something new this September. It's shaping up to be a great winter for all Armored Brigade II fans. --- Changelog ---v1.588Fix: A Windows user folder non-ASCII character issue prevented from deleting save files and editing scenario files.Fix: Weapon wrecks were rendered twice, potentially causing performance and other issues.Fix: Vehicles were set on fire too often when destroyed.Fix: Detached AI squads always used a Contact waypoint instead of Advance, so they were not advancing anywhere if player units were in sight.Fix: The AI side platoon-level waypoint syncing did not always work.Fix: The defending AI rotates its units to observe pl…
