United Offensive may be an expansion pack in name, but it'll bring a lot more than just new maps to the table. In addition to the expected array of new rifles and sidearms, a number of more unique weapons will join the mix, such as a flamethrower, a bazooka, a portable machine gun, and a smoke grenade. To use the machine gun, you will need to go prone or mount it on a windowsill to fire it.

Like the single-player campaign in the previous game, United Offensive's single-player campaign is split into thirds between British, American, and Russian forces, and these parts will focus on the invasion of Sicily, the Battle of the Bulge, and the Battle of Kursk, respectively. We took a look at two previously unseen missions, one each from the American and British campaigns. In the American mission, the 101st Airborne attempted to move into the village of Noville against heavy German resistance, aided by an AI-controlled tank that did considerable damage to enemy forces before being taken out. This mission primarily involved house-to-house fighting in tight quarters and showed off several scripted action sequences. In one part, the player and some of his allies were sealed in a cellar and had to blast their way out with explosives to rejoin the combat.

The biggest enhancement to the multiplayer in United Offensive is the addition of player-controlled vehicles that will play a pivotal role in competitive matches. Jeeps and heavy and light tanks will all be available, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. Jeeps can move three players at a time, and passengers can fire from the seat or from a mounted machine gun, but of course the vehicle will be especially vulnerable to enemy fire. The light tank houses two players--one of which mans a machine gun turret--and the light tank's main turret can rotate independently of the vehicle's direction. Finally, the heavy tank carries only one player, and its turret always faces directly forward, but the main cannon's firepower is truly devastating, as we saw when it obliterated a light tank with little effort.

The grenade will come in especially handy in combination with the new limited sprint ability, which lets you run forward at great speed at the cost of a lowered weapon. Cooking a grenade will let you control how long you hold it after you've pulled the pin, so you can ensure no wily enemies scoop it up and toss it back before it explodes.

A ranking system will be included that will essentially let you level up throughout a multiplayer match based on your performance, and each increase in rank will confer a new bonus. First, you'll gain a greater number of grenades; second, you'll be granted a pair of binoculars so you can keep an eye on the enemy; and third, you'll be able to use these binoculars to call in artillery strikes from afar. These ranks will be reset when you quit the game, but it will apparently be fairly quick to ascend the ranks again in a new game.