Crusader Kings 2: The Old Gods will be the fourth expansion in the series for Paradox's critically acclaimed dynasty-builder, and today the legends of beardy strategy unveiled the first dev diary (there'll be three in total) for the new add-on.

Check out the video above as project lead Henrik Fåhraeus explains how pulling the start date back two centuries has affected the game's dynamics. Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods will feature all of the key pagan nations and religions of the period including the Norse, Baltic and Slavic pagans as well as the Mongols.

It releases on May 28th.

Accessible naval strategy game Leviathan: Warships has weighed anchor on PC, with iPad and Android versions dated for May 2nd. Players will customise and launch their fleets in easy-to-control yet hard-to-master battles, as this surprisingly jazzy trailer explains.

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Those looking to get all of the DLC as well can pick up for the W:MOTA Collection for £7.50, which still beats the next best offer for a standard copy by £1.

Old Gods, the newly-announced DLC pack for Crusader Kings II, allows players to wield the might of the great Norse civilizations in their prime. Expect longships, pagan sacrifice and pine forests aplenty, as evidenced by a new trailer.

• What: March Of The Eagles
• Where: ShopTo
• Current Price: £6.85
• March Of The Eagles Price Comparison
• March Of The Eagles Review

This relatively accessible Napoleonic grand strategy game is a little sterile in singleplayer, but becomes a superbly devious game of backstabbing and dirty dealing in when played online. Think Risk, only you can't throw the board off the table in disgust. ShopTo have the cheapest price around for this recently-released title, but are selling out fast by the looks of things (a £7 saving on RRP).

• What: Sword Of The Stars Complete & Sword Of The Stars II Enhanced Edition
• Where: GamersGate
• Current Price: £7.48
• Sword Of The Stars Complete Collection Price Comparison
• Sword Of The Stars II Price Comparison

If you want to get all of the Sword Of The Stars, ever, GamersGate will sell you the excellent original, all of its DLC packs and the Enhanced Edition sequel for a wallet-friendly £7.48. It's worth noting that the troubled sequel still isn't as magnificent as its predecessor despite the extra tweaks and content, but at least it works (compared to a horrendously broken launch).

• What: Europa Universalis III: Chronicles
• Where: Gamefly
• Current Price: £0.00
• Europa Universalis III Chronicles Price Comparison

Gamefly are literally giving away Europa Universalis III, along with its DLC packs, which is probably worth adding to your backlog for strategy fans. The experience is extremely intimidating to newcomers, but given time, its blend of national scale politics, finances and the occasional war make for a compelling menu-driven proposition.

Paradox Interactive have announced a new entry in the Magicka series, built around 4-on-4 PvP. Magicka: Wizard Wars promises to "destroy old friendships in new ways" - details and quirky live action trailer below.

Platform: PC

Developer: Paradox Development Studio

Publisher: Paradox Interactive

I must admit to feeling slightly conflicted when I first enlisted into March Of The Eagles. As a rabid Sharpe fanatic, I'm a sucker for anything Napoleonic, and gleefully accept any excuse to take my forty shillings. But Paradox have given us so many grand strategy games over the years, based around the the same 2D map and fundamental framework, that it now takes something truly special to catch our attention. Last year that special something was Crusader Kings II, which pushed the boundaries of what a turn-based strategy game could offer.

March Of The Eagles is a much more focused affair. Instead of hundreds of years of intrigue and backstabbing, players are presented with a notably streamlined take on everything but warfare, with clear objectives and relatively tight time limits replacing the sprawling political playgrounds of fellow Grand Strategy titles. It's clearly designed to let new players get down to the business of shipping troops o'er the hills and o'er the main - through Flanders, Portugal and Spain - but can March Of The Eagles do enough to stand out from the pack?

The answer depends on whether you're willing to stab your mates in the back.

• What: Sword Of The Stars II: Enhanced Edition
• Where: GamersGate
• Current Price: £3.73
• Sword Of The Stars II Price Comparison

Sword Of The Stars II was totally broken when it first launched, but the Enhanced Edition finally fixes almost everything will including every DLC pack and update thus far.

It's also less than four quid on GamersGate, saving you about a tenner.

• What: War Of The Roses
• Where: Steam
• Current Price: £3.74 / Free Weekend
• War Of The Roses PC price comparison
• War Of The Roses Review

Those of you looking to get Medieval this weekend can do so without paying a penny thanks to Steam’s current weekend deal. You can download the entire game to play for nothing until Monday evening, but you can purchase the full game to play beyond that for under £4, beating the next best deal by a whopping £11.

Best described as “fifteenth century Battlefield,” War Of The Roses may not top the charts in terms of visual presentation, but its gameplay offerings are second to none thanks to its impeccable hit detection mechanics and 64-player matches. Provided you can overcome the somewhat steep learning curve, you’ll be virtually hacking off limbs in no time. Thanks to Reser @ HUKD!

• What: Crusader Kings II
• Where: Impulse
• Current Price: £6.62
• Crusader Kings 2 Price Comparison
• Crusader Kings 2 Review

Crusader Kings 2 is a fantabulous grand strategy game: a historical sandbox where every emperor, ruler and vassal can become your playthings. Paradox Interactive have outdone themselves in terms of both quality and quantity (more details in our 9/10 review) - and £6.62 is a steal.

• What: A Game Of Dwarves
• Where: Gamestop Downloads/Impulse
• Current Price: £3.31
• RRP: £7.99
• A Game Of Dwarves Review

Impulse Driven (or Gamestop Downloads now that they've been subsumed into the corporate juggernaut) are running a few Paradox Interactive promotions at present, including their recently-released dig 'em up. It's a relatively entertaining Dungeon Keeper Lite, but several issues with AI and pacing stop it from measuring up to genre classics.

• What: Naval War: Arctic Circle
• Where: GamersGate
• Current Price: £3.74
• Naval War: Arctic Circle Price Comparison
• Naval War: Arctic Circle Review

Turbo Tape Interactive's debut game is absolutely stonking. A niche title, to be sure, but one that seriously delivers on tense, stealthy maritime strategy with an exceptionally user-friendly GUI. GamersGate are asking for less than four quid, which will save you more than you'll pay.

Paradox Development Studio, the makers of the frankly stunning Crusader Kings II, are hard at work on grand strategy sequel Europa Universalis IV, and have a released a new dev diary in which project lead Thomas Johansson explains how the game will shake up the way we've gone about researching new technologies in previous instalments.

War Of The Roses is a brutal and bombastic take on 15th century warfare, a heady blend of pure skill and silly, often outrageous fun. However, it certainly isn't for everyone. If you've been sitting on the fence, you can now get good and bloody with a free trial version that gives players full access to online battles, but doesn't include any unlocks or progression.

We described War Of The Roses as "a gloriously chaotic 64-player experience" in our 8/10 review, so there are probably worse ways to spend a Thursday evening than carving your way through Yorkists Lancastrians like a hot knife through butter. Or pollaxe. Or lance.

Hot damn, Crusader Kings II is a fine strategy game, bristling with intrigue and duplicitous political machinations, forging familial bonds of blood in the hopes of siring a dynasty of lords and ladies, and perhaps even kings and queens. We love it in all of its enormous majesty.

And it's about to get bigger.

Paradox have just announced that another expansion pack is incoming, with The Old Gods reaching back into the Dark Ages for some pagan-tastic treatment.

• What: Defenders Of Ardania
• Where: Gamestop Downloads/ Impulse
• Current Price: £2.49
• RRP: £9.99
• Defenders Of Ardania Review

Developers are continually exploring how best to freshen up the Tower Defence genre, and Defenders Of Ardania is a brave stab at injecting some proper RTS elements into it. Resources can be spent on deploying your own waves of troops against the enemy towers while securing your own fortifications, and it's rather fun once you break through the learning curve.

Gamestop/Impulse have undercut GamersGate's competing deal by an extra couple of quid, and it's still cheaper to buy the DLC separately rather than opting for the £5 collection.

Today Paradox Interactive released a new trailer for their upcoming demon-management tile - Impire - giving players a glimpse of the game in actin, set to some suitable dark and epic metal.

• What: Warlock: Master Of The Arcane Collection
• Where: Gamersgate
• Current Price: £8.50
• Warlock: Master Of The Arcane (Standard Version) PC price comparison
• Warlock: Master Of The Arcane Review

Although you can get a copy of the main game for a fiver in Gamersgate’s current sale, this collection, which includes all of the DLC, provides the best saving overall. Considering the next best in-stock price for a standard copy is £7 more, it’s quite the bargain.

Injecting a little Civilization into the Majesty series, Warlock allows players to mess about with magic along with ordering armies and building up empires. Dealing with monsters, dragons, and other dimensions is a unique spin on things that, while an acquired taste, is certainly worth a look for the price.