March 17^th, 2004 (12:00am) - Matrix Games and Panther Games are pleased to announce an agreement with Red Ant Enterprises (www.red-ant.com.au) to expand the distribution of the award-winning Highway to the Reich to wargamers in Australia and New Zealand.

Highway to the Reich is the second wargame released by Panther Games in their critically acclaimed Airborne Assault series. The new release covers the famous WW2 Operation Market Garden, a daring airborne operation designed by the Allies to breach the German defenses and end the war before Xmas 1944. Historically, the Germans reacted quickly and were able to stymie the advance by the British armor up the single “Hell’s Highway” while they overran the valiant British paratroopers who were defending a bridge too far. In Highway to the Reich, players get to take on the role of either the Allied or German commanders and pit their wits against either a computer controlled opponent or a human opponent via LAN or the internet.

Highway to the Reich is receiving rave reviews in the USA and Europe. It is being heralded as “revolutionary”, “extraordinary”, “the new future of wargaming”. At its heart is “the best AI ever seen in any game”. For the first time, players can command like real operational commanders. Or as the GameSpot reviewer puts it “It’s hard to convey just how cool this system is, because not only does it eliminate the massive amount of micromanagement inherent in most wargames, but it does so in a way that makes it feel like you’re really commanding forces in the field.”

Thanks to Red Ant Enterprises, Highway to the Reich will now be available from Electronic Boutique, Harvey Norman and other quality software stores throughout Australia and New Zealand.