Act of War: Direct Action is one of a new breed of real-time strategy games due this year. While traditional real-time strategy games follow the familiar formula of gathering resources, building up a huge economy, and then swamping the enemy with sheer numbers, Act of War will try to shake things up a bit. In Act of War, the base-building is mostly automated, and while you'll need to gather oil as a resource, your renewable resource will be prisoners that you capture in the field. Not only can you grill prisoners for valuable information, but also you can ransom them off for cold, hard cash.

The game's is best described as a technothriller that focuses on modern-day weapons and equipment. The storyline was actually written with the assistance of Dale Brown, a noted technothriller author. In the game, a terrorist organization known as the Consortium seeks to destabilize the United States by launching audacious attacks on its homeland. In response, the US deploys its conventional military, as well as Task Force Talon, an elite antiterrorist unit with access to experimental weaponry. Act of War is due to ship this spring. In the first of our profile previews, we'll take a look at some of the US Army's buildings and equipment in the game.

In Act of War, the US Army represents the combined forces of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. As a result, the US Army is capable of deploying a wide variety of powerful and mobile units in to the field, such as air superiority fighters, stealth bombers, heavy armor, and elite Special Forces. However, if the Army has one weakness, it's that all these specialized units can't easily adapt to changing battlefield conditions. Still, the amount of firepower the Army can deploy is formidable.

Buildings

HQ: This is the primary production center from which excavators (construction vehicles) are deployed. It's also the location from where DEFCON alert status changes are made, and it's where you can gain the "world media support" upgrade.

Barracks: This infantry training center turns out US Marines, Javelin antitank units, mortar units, snipers, and Delta Force units. It also allows for the upgrading of grenade launchers and offers nonlethal fighting training.

Field Hospital: This is where prisoners are interrogated by the CIA, which may reveal critical information about the enemy. It also heals friendly soldiers who are heading back to combat. Additionally, it can deploy a UH-60Q Medivac Blackhawk helicopter to evacuate heavily wounded soldiers from the battlefield.