Empires & Allies is live! Zynga fires its first salvo on Facebook

You all took half days from work, right? Good, because Zynga has just launched Empires & Allies, its first strategy combat game on Facebook and the first to release in 12 languages. Developed by Zynga Los Angeles and headed by executive producer Amer Ajami of Command and Conquer fame, the game has its cross hairs on bringing strategic combat to the CityVille crowd by introducing them to Risk-like combat. And that's exactly what appears to be the basis for Empires & Allies: city building, farming and resource management with a heavy dose of gun power. Sound appealing to you? Then check our full preview right here and click on the link below to join the battle.

Click here to play Empires & Allies on Facebook Now >

Got any tips on how to level up fast in Empires & Allies? Or, just looking for friends to play the game with?

Zynga's Empire & Allies: The first nine minutes [video]

Zynga's Empire & Allies game -- a mashup of the classic game Risk with another Zynga game, CityVille -- lands on Facebook today (read our full preview here). The video above shows off what happens during the first few minutes of the game -- a quick tutorial that shows you how to build barracks and other buildings on your land and get a first look at what a real-time battle in the game looks like as well.

The game is now live on Facebook, to check it out point your browser here.

Check out the rest of our Empires & Allies Cheats & Tips right here.