The most interesting part is that you can add non-playable NPCs to the party. This one is all about the freedom to modify the game's mechanics and character and weapon stats. Otherwise, avoid it like a poo-covered insurance salesman. Just kidding, Toy Box is merely a meta-mod that includes several functions some of which are present in the aforementioned mods above. If you're still feverishly playing Act of War: Direct Action online, then High Treason could be worth your careful consideration. While there's a healthy variety of subs and boats to get wet with, they all move around like Pavarotti on a pushbike, failing to navigate even the simplest of sea routes laid out for them.

The naval combat, on the other hand, is far less enthralling. The Mercenary units are a welcome addition to the unit roster they cost a pretty penny to deploy on the battlefield but they're fast, powerful and add a whole new element to multiplayer skirmishes. Major additions include -and are sadly limited to - a bunch of sneaky Mercenary units, brand new naval combat and all the obligatory (and slight) balances and unit tweaks you'd expect from your average RTS expansion. Imagine our horror then, when the expansion turns out to have less quality craftsmanship than a Formula One car made out of wet cardboard. It wasn't a revolution in the RTS genre, but it sported an excellent Campaign mode combined with a strong (if ridiculous) plot and Communist Russians - a crucial addition for RTS fans everywhere. Act Of War: Direct Action looked like the bizarre lovechild of Command & Conquer mixed with a rubbish, late-night Channel Five film, but somehow we loved it.

Act of war mods