Hearts of Iron and most of the titles developed and released by Paradox interactive have a unique niche in the gaming world. Hard core simulation and strategy games are the progenitors of the modern video game culture. While the heyday of the strategy era, typified by some hardcore games from now deceased publisher Strategic Simulations Inc. (SSI) has waned there are a healthy number of titles produced every year for the history and strategy fans.The Hearts of Iron series is based on the battlefields of World War II and have a special focus on the rise of the tank as a cornerstone to cavalry based combat. The game handles not only the armchair general battlefield tactics but the broader strategic elements of logistics, territory and campaign planning. Recently Hearts of Iron III was announced by Paradox Interactive with a fall 2009 release planned.

You can watch the interview after the jump and find out more about Hearts of Iron III. While it doesn’t offer the same visceral action of a modern shooter, war is a thinking man’s game and these games offer a view no muddy foot soldier can appreciate.In preparation for the launch, Paradox Interactive sat down with Hearts of Iron III producer Johan Andersson for a video Q & A based around questions submitted by fans of the series and to get an update on the game, its evolution and new features from previous iterations.