Sledgehammer Games' Call of Duty: Vanguard is finally out of the bag in terms of 2021's Call of Duty offering. A follow-up to the events of the studio's 2017 Call of Duty: WWII, Vanguard takes us on a far more expansive journey through one of history's most poured through conflicts and looks to surprise with its level of sophistication and storytelling.

We had a chance to go beyond the reveal video and get deep with the devs thanks to a hefty, in-depth presentation on just what makes Vanguard tick. Here's a snippet:

And finally, this original ragtag group is rounded out, as it should, by the Aussie 2Lt. Lucas Riggs of Australia’s 20th Battalion. He’s a veteran of the North African conflict and was inspired by Charles Upham. Riggs’ character is bolstered by the tall tales of the “Rats of Tobruk” -- an Australian-lead garrison who reclaimed the Rats of Tobruk handle given to them by German propaganda, and even created their own medals they struck from a downed German bomber. These guys were truly badass.

What’s interesting and cool about the collected individuals above that form the first Special Forces is that they’re not strictly hierarchical -- it’s their skills that play out over rank, which is best exemplified with the lowly sergeant Kingsley leading three officers. Moreover, Sledgehammer promises that each arc is based on “tide-turning” battles and events.

Click here for our in-depth Call of Duty: Vanguard preview.