Three Moves Ahead

Freelance games writers Ruth Cassidy and Sin Vega dive deep into their early impressions of Endless Legend 2. Ruth critiques the narrative focus and distinct faction mechanics, emphasizing how they affect playstyles and replayability. The duo explores the contrasting storytelling approaches of Endless Legend 2 and other strategy games. They also share insights on other titles, from the updates in Against the Storm to the historical depth of Rise of the White Sun, reflecting on the evolving landscape of strategy gaming.

In this engaging discussion, guest Ian Boudreaux, a contributor with deep familiarity in Warhammer 40K, explores the Dawn of War series' rich history and future. The conversation highlights the standout elements of the Definitive Edition, showcasing its lasting appeal. Ian shares insights on the evolution of the series, noting the tactical shift in Dawn of War 2 and the pitfalls of Dawn of War 3. The excitement builds around Dawn of War 4, revealing new features like faction-specific campaigns and army customizations, leaving fans eager for what's next.

Ian Boudreaux, a savvy games PR professional, joins strategy experts Mike Williams and Sin Vega to explore the city-building game, Timberborn. They delve into its unique lumberpunk theme where players cultivate beaver colonies and tackle ecological challenges. The conversation highlights the game's strategic depth, focusing on water management and sustainability. They also compare Timberborn's intuitive mechanics to other complex games, offering insights into its development journey and the whimsical notion of building beaver utopias.

In this engaging conversation, Tim Campbell, game director, and Tim Morten, CEO of Frost Giant Studios, dive into the development of Stormgate. They discuss how community feedback shaped the game from early access to full launch, highlighting character and gameplay redesigns. The duo also shares insights into the new map editor that has sparked creativity among players. With their unique journeys in game development, they celebrate the excitement and anticipation surrounding the game's release, inviting players to experience new adventures in this RTS world.

In this discussion, Rob Zacny leads a team featuring Riley MacLeod, an American Civil War enthusiast; Luke Plunkett, a pop culture expert; and Rowan Kaiser, a video game consultant. They humorously navigate Riley's newfound interest in the Civil War, using the game Ultimate General: Civil War as a springboard. Topics range from the ethical challenges of portraying historical conflicts in gaming to the psychological dynamics of gameplay. They also critique the game's historical accuracy while reflecting on the complexity of Civil War narratives and their impact on players.

Dive into the vibrant world of strategy games showcased at Steam Next Fest 2025! Discover quirky titles featuring gremlin-like characters and unique dice mechanics that blend chance with strategy. Learn about the challenges of navigating a plethora of high-quality games and the importance of third-party tools for discovery. Explore innovative combat in captivating titles like Glaciard and the stunning underwater adventures from an indie studio. Plus, uncover the intriguing city-building and narrative blend in Generation Exile!

Len, Mike Williams, Luke, and Jon roll out the red carpet for 9 Kings, a tile placement base defense game with roguelite elements. It's hard to describe, honestly. But trust us: it's worth a look.

It's Three Moves Ahead Original Flavor as Len, Fraser, and Jon gather for a second panel discussion on the press hands-on for Europa Universalis 5. We discuss how this game made us feel like absolute fools, argue about whether or not Greenland is a good starter nation, and discuss who has the most Troy Energy.

This is a free preview of this month's Patreon episode. Check out the extended version at Patreon.com/3ma! Len, Lambert, and Lorris have gotten some hands-on time with the Actually Really Announced game Europa Universalis 5! We discuss our impressions, our praises, our gripes, and even some of our most precious wishes.

Len is joined by special guest Casey Explosion to talk about Cataclismo, a horde defense RTS with a unique, LEGO-like base building mechanic. We touch on the aesthetics, the tactics, and the story, as well as Casey's latest indie recommendations for 3MA listeners. Casey's Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/caseyexplosion Casey's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CaseyExplosion Casey's Steam Curator Page: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/28340174-Casey-Explosion/ Get 20% off your first month at Patreon.com/3MA with code: 37E8A