Matrix Games has released its first bit of information on the upcoming title, "The Longest Day". The schedualed release date is April 29th, 2009. As the final version has not been released, the screen shots only represent beta builds and may be much different for the final version. Join the ongoing discussions in progress in the CCS forums and visit Matrix Games for the original article.

However, you can expect many of the features that came with Wacht Am Rhein to show up in The Longest Day. More maps and battlegroups have been implemented. The standard compatibility issues for Windows are present just like in previous versions. The original CC5 Grand Campaign is also included, as was done in Wacht Am Rhein. The strategic is map is set up for battle in the big sectors of Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword and Utah using maps from the original game and some mods. Below are a few of the screenshots Matrix Games released, the remainder are in our screenshot gallery.

From the screen shots you can some of the new features. Darkened maps which likely represent nighttime battles. The areas that seem lit up are from artillery, flares and vehicle fires. The illumination lights up a perfect circle around the source not taking into account any objects which may block light, although Matrix says a flare creates full lighting effects. Light will effect the ability on whether you can see enemy troops or not. The in game screen shots show a new support icon on the bottom left, possibly illumination. The smoke also seems to get casting a shadow at night.

New units icons are also presented to us in the force pool selection and the in game team data display. Olive drab backgrounds with black silhouettes of the unit. In some case the silhouette is simply the main weapon of the unit. Military style unit icons are also shown as if for education, filler or from a lack of graphic artists on the team. Multinational battle groups are also represented.

The strategic map has been totally redone. Its focus seems to be on a very wide array of beach maps, 17 can be counted at the channels edge. It has an average depth of about four maps in the Southern areas but wider in the North. The connections to other maps, as in Wacht Am Rhein, cannot be taken for granted. Many follow unpredictable routes, Matrix Games, in their feature list did say it would be easier to see the routes. The shapes of the maps on the strategic screen will almost without a doubt be very simi lair to WaR, oddly shaped connected to maps without actually connections. Some of the beach maps lead to maps far inland, bypassing other stops on the way. Also shown in the screen shots are Gold Beach from GJS and Easy Red from Bloody Omaha. Amfreville, from original CC5 is shown also, this map notorious for being to narrow and thus not compatible with many large monitors these days still exists in the new release.

The debrief screen now shows more information. A bar graph rather than numbers indicate VL ownership as well as neutral VL's. Cohesion is also indicated on a bar graph for each side, with percentage amounts. It is unclear how cohesion affects gameplay. An image of the overall campaign debrief screen was not released.

Some of the accuracy of the Matrix Games feature list can be questioned, it was as though they took an old template of a previous rerelease and forgot to omit a few details. For example, 24/7 online campaigns will not exist as they did for Cross of Iron. The light effects of night battles seem hacked in and half way done. Perfect spheres around all light effects? The strategic map connections look confusing again, and the actual image itself seems to be in the wrong resolution or stretched to fit the screen. The mods GJS, Meuse and Afrika are being converted to TLD by thier creators, no word on how long this will be. More information will come out in the next few days...

New units icons are also presented to us in the force pool selection and the in game team data display. Olive drab backgrounds with black silhouettes of the unit. In some case the silhouette is simply the main weapon of the unit. Military style unit icons are also shown as if for education, filler or from a lack of graphic artists on the team. Multinational battle groups are also represented.

The strategic map has been totally redone. Its focus seems to be on a very wide array of beach maps, 17 can be counted at the channels edge. It has an average depth of about four maps in the Southern areas but wider in the North. The connections to other maps, as in Wacht Am Rhein, cannot be taken for granted. Many follow unpredictable routes, Matrix Games, in their feature list did say it would be easier to see the routes. The shapes of the maps on the strategic screen will almost without a doubt be very simi lair to WaR, oddly shaped connected to maps without actually connections. Some of the beach maps lead to maps far inland, bypassing other stops on the way. Also shown in the screen shots are Gold Beach from GJS and Easy Red from Bloody Omaha. Amfreville, from original CC5 is shown also, this map notorious for being to narrow and thus not compatible with many large monitors these days still exists in the new release.

The debrief screen now shows more information. A bar graph rather than numbers indicate VL ownership as well as neutral VL's. Force Morale is also indicated on a bar graph for each side, with percentage amounts. An image of the overall campaign debrief screen was not released.

Some of the accuracy of the Matrix Games feature list can be questioned, it was as though they took an old template of a previous rerelease and forgot to omit a few details. For example, 24/7 online campaigns will not exist as they did for Cross of Iron. The light effects of night battles seem hacked in and half way done. Perfect spheres around all light effects? The strategic map connections look confusing again, and the actual image itself seems to be in the wrong resolution or stretched to fit the screen. Are the maps from GJS and Bloody Omaha clues that mods are coming with the rerelease? Or are they being used in the main Grand Campaign of The Longest Day? There are still many questions to be answered...