Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of WWII E3 2003 Preshow Report

Last year's surprise hit multiplayer shooter Battlefield 1942 has already gotten one expansion pack in The Road to Rome, and later this year Electronic Arts and developer DICE will follow up with a second add-on called Secret Weapons of WWII. Like The Road to Rome, Secret Weapons won't seriously shake up the established gameplay model that was introduced in 1942--players will still be waging war across real-world locations in conquest, capture the flag, and deathmatch modes. Rather, the new expansion will add to the already considerable stock of weapons and vehicles available to players. Additional maps, player classes, and one new gameplay type will be included as well.

As the name implies, Secret Weapons of WWII focuses on weaponry and vehicles that were part of the Allies' and Axis' experimental weapons programs during the war. Many of these developments, in fact, never saw widespread usage, and you'll probably be surprised to see some of the things DICE has included. Among the new vehicles are the Sturmtiger, which is a Tiger tank chassis equipped with a submarine buster cannon; the German Wasserfall guided missile, which you can take control of after launch and steer on the fly; and the C-47 cargo plane, which will serve as a mobile spawn point. Perhaps most surprising is a prototype German rocket pack that will allow a single player to fly and fight at the same time. Four new weapons will also be available, though the only one we know about so far is a new "one-shot kill" knife that will be standard issue for all Allied and Axis ground troops. British Commando and German Elite forces will also be available, though we've no word yet on what role they'll play in battle. Finally, a new objective-based gameplay type will likely be the most valuable addition to the game for existing 1942 players. In this new mode, your team will be tasked with a particular mission goal, such as overrunning and destroying a secret facility.

Secret Weapons of WWII contains eight new levels to complement Battlefield 1942's already impressive stable of maps. Included are Peenemünde, the German V2 rocket research facility, and the Eagle's Nest, which Hitler used as a hideout. It looks like Secret Weapons of WWII will add a great deal of new content to an already excellent game, and we'll bring you more details on the expansion's particulars as they become available.