Relic has shown alpha gameplay footage of its new title, Company of Heroes 2: The Western Front Armies today at EGX Rezzed.

You do not need to own the original Company of Heroes 2 game as it’s a stand alone title. The Steam beta will go live in June.

The Western Front Armies brings players back to the Western Front, which was first introduced in the original title and introduces two unique new content collections: the US Forces and the German Oberkommando West.

Each army has its own tactical gameplay options, new infantry, team weapons, vehicles, abilities and upgrades on a total of eight seasonal multiplayer maps set on the Western Front. It also includes a new progression system.

All Company of Heroes 2 players can access 31 maps and over 1000 community maps available on Steam Workshop through auto-match multiplayer, regardless of what content they already own.

“We know how much fans love the setting of the original game and we have responded to their request to revisit the Western Front,” said Relci’s executive producer Greg Wilson. “By offering Western Front focused content to Company of Heroes 2, we are giving players a brand new set of tactical options that significantly expand their multiplayer experience. At the same time, it has never been easier for new players to get access to our vast multiplayer community. “

In the studio’s session at EGX Rezzed today, the team said it was now adopting a ‘games as a service’ approach to development going forward, using data specialists to analyse player information that is then integrated into games creation.