- Infinite Warfare returns to the roots of the franchise with large-scale war, epic battles, and cinematic, immersive military storytelling and takes players on a journey from Earth to beyond our atmosphere. Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare delivers something for every Call of Duty fan with three unique game modes: Campaign, Multiplayer, and Zombies.
- Strategy is the quintessential PC genre, keeping us buried in maps, army lists and build orders since the earliest days of PC gaming. And it's one of the most diverse, catering to everyone from.
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True to form, being as it is the war of the ‘greatest generation', the allure and appeal of World War Two have been hyped beyond all reason. In the gaming world – as in almost every cultural medium – it has effectively become a whole genre all of its own, with the war's many different international conflicts and battles forming the backdrop for thousands of classic computer games over the years.
For us wargamers, of course, the second war is particularly familiar territory: aside from perhaps the ancient world, it is the single most fertile ground for strategy and war games and has spawned some of the hobby's finest digital titles. With so many takes on this globe-spanning conflict, however, it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.
Enter Wargamer: in this guide we've tried to include a range of different types of games, from close-up tactical experiences to sweeping strategic overviews. So, without further ado, here's our guide to the best World War 2 strategy games. We're a computer war games website, we can't be wrong!
What are the best WW2 Strategy Games?
- World of Tanks (F2P)
- Panzer Corps 2
- Unity of Command 2
- Panzer Campaigns (series)
- Steel Division 2
- Strategic Command WW2: World at War
- Command Ops 2
- Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg
- Men of War: Assault Squad 2
- Gary Grigsby's War in the East
- Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault
- The Operational Art of War IV
- Close Combat (series)
New WW2 Strategy & Wargames
- Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal (naval wargame)
- Krim: The War in the Crimea 1941 – 42
- Undaunted: North Africa (board game)
- Winter War
- Cauldrons of War: Barbarossa
World of Tanks
Publisher/Developer: Wargaming.net
Play World of Tanks for free now
We're kicking things off with a Free-to-Play recommendation, because not all wargaming has to be super-serious or sim focused. If you've read our guide to the best naval games, you'll know that some of us are fans of Wargaming.net's World of Warships. It's a super-arcadey take on 20th century naval combat for sure and the free-to-play nature introduces an element of grind, but it's also surprisingly cerebral.
Urban eenvironments require careful manoeuvring and positioning
It's not quite the same for World of Tanks – it's a slightly dumb tank game at the end of the day – but there is something refreshing about zipping along the countryside, blasting shells at enemy vehicles on the other end of the map. The most tight-knit urban environments as well require a lot of manoeuvring and positioning, so there is room for some very tactical gameplay.
These are online-only mass-multiplayer experiences, so if that's not your thing you probably won't enjoy WoT. If you are curious about this action/strategy gaming phenomenon, then we also recommend you try and bring a friend as these things are infinitely more enjoyable with people you know. Just be prepared to put in a lot of work to climb your way to the upper ranks.
Alternate Recommendation
Another game you might want to look at is War Thunder, which encompasses land, air AND naval combat and features fighting vehicles from WW2 right through to the Cold War. It's debatable which time-period features the ‘best' game play, which is why it hasn't been given a full entry in this list.
Panzer Corps 2
Publisher/Developer: Flashback Games / Slitherine
Buy it on: Fanatical
The first Panzer Corps game has been a staple on this list for a while, but we can confidently say it's been replaced by the long-awaited sequel. Panzer Corps 2 updates everything from the engine, to the mechanics… it even adds a semblance of a logistics system! You can take your hard-as-nails corps of German tanks and infantry units from the invasion of Poland in 1939, all the way through Barbarossa, Normandy and even some alt-history scenarios involving the invasion of the American mainland.
Panzer Corps 2 has almost as much content as the first game, including expansions, with the exception of scenarios for non-German factions. Those will probably be coming in future DLC, but in the meantime you can always make your own using the powerful Scenario Editor. Multiplayer is also souped up, with hot-seat, PBEM and ‘true' live multiplayer options available. The ‘King of Wargames' indeed.
NEW: Slitherine has released the first two DLC packs for PC2. The first one covers the Spanish Civil War and is the first in the new Axis Operations series of DLC packs which will follow the German Army's various campaigns through-out WW2. The next installed – Axis Operations: 1939 – was released at the end of August 2020 and covers various campaigns that took place in 1939 including Poland and Denmark.
You may also like: Order of Battle
If you're a fan of the Panzer Corps format and looking for something else to play, then Order of Battle is another Matrix-owned series that may entice you (assuming you haven't come across it already). It was once described to me by a Producer at Matrix as 'Panzer Corps, but with logistics', so you'll find a very similar experience.
The base game Order of Battle WW2 is actually free-to-play and comes with a handful of scenarios so that you can try it out. To date there are over 12 expansions you can purchase to then enhance your game and play through different parts of the war from various perspectives. Unlike it's sibling it's not looking at doing a sequel any time soon (that we know of), and is currently working on a new trilogy of expansions that follow the Soviet Union's trials through WW2. The latest entry in the expansion set is Order of Battle: Red Storm.
Unity of Command 2
Publisher/Developer: 2×2 Games
Buy it on: Steam
We'd have been very surprised if the recently-released Unity of Command 2 wasn't good enough to knock the original game off its top spot. UoC 1 will always be remembered as a wonderful simple wargame, and a great gateway into the hobby, but Unity of Command 2 just takes all of the core concepts and turns it up to 11. Better visuals, better mechanics, better scenarios… it's a knock-out sequel.
Tank Warfare Pc Games
Want more? Read our Unity of Command 2: Blitzkrieg review
Common criticisms of the first game usually centre around it being more of a puzzle than a 'true' wargame, which is a similar accusation levied against games like Panzer Corps. You can still see traces of that in Unity of Command 2's design – many scenarios present you with an initial set-piece or deadlock that you need to break through – but the ways in which you can achieve it have multiplied. Plus, once you do break-through it's still a pretty gripping fight to claim your objectives, and the AI will punish and push through to your back-lines if it sees an exploitable gap.
This is definitely one of the year's best releases to date, however, and if you're even remotely interested it's well worth picking up.
Panzer Campaigns Series – Japan '45 & Japan '46
Publisher/Developer:Wargame Design Studio
Buy it: Direct
John Tiller is a house name with a certain generation of computer war gamers. While he's not as involved in game-making as he used to be, his legacy stands proud through his wide-ranging series of hex-based operational and tactical wars that look like old-school counter board wargames rendered on a screen.
They're not much to look at, but they've always provided a level of depth and detail not seen in many other places. Wargame Design Studio is a small development team that's taken up the mantle of JTS, remastering a lot of the old games but also making brand-new experiences in the same style.
We're highlighting one of their more recent endeavours on this list, because it covers something not really seen before – the hypothetical invasion of the Japanese mainland. Officially part of JTS' Panzer Campaigns series, there are currently two titles that follow this ‘what if' conflict – Japan '45 and a sequel Japan '46.
We've reviewed both and are pretty impressed with not only WDS' attention to detail in terms of the research they've done into the Operations that never were, but also in terms of how they've tried to modernise the format somewhat. If you're looking to explore some plausible alt-history in an old-school package, these are some excellent games to start with.
You may also like: John Tiller's Panzer Battles
If you're a fan of the John Tiller style of games in general then there have been some other newer releases that may take your fancy. Other recent Wargame Design Studio releases include a ‘Gold' edition of El Alamein '42 and the brand new Battles of North Africa 1941. If you want to consider something a bit more ‘old school' then there's always John Tiller's Campaign Series.
Close Combat Series
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Various
Buy it on: GOG.com, Steam
No WW2 list would be complete without the father of modern WW2 tactical strategy games. Close Combat struck the perfect balance between ‘grog'-like wargaming tradition and mainstream strategy design. Depending on which title you played, it managed to straddle the line between hardcore and mainstream with remarkable grace.
There are mixed opinions on the series but it is a big part of WW2 strategy game heritage
The one I played the most was Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far – it what made me fall in love with the idea of persistent forces and armies, and I don't think I ever completed it.
There are mixed opinions regarding the ‘Matrix-era' of Close Combat games, but the series in general remains a shining example of WW2 strategy game heritage.
And, thanks to GOG.com, you can now legally purchase the original classics once more.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: Close Combat – The Bloody First
This isn't an official entry in the list but, since Close Combat as a series is mentioned, we'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention the latest entry into the game – Close Combat: The Bloody First. It was always going to struggle in the face of the significance of the series, and it also didn't help that the game took a bit longer than planned to actually release (it's at least a couple of years ‘late' at this point).
Still, it did the best job it could and it's actually a pretty decent game in most respects. It's perhaps not good enough to knock the classics off their camouflaged thrones, but it's a decent modern Close Combat game that just has a few kinks that need ironing out. You can buy Close Combat: The Bloody First on Fanatical buy Close Combat: The Bloody First on Fanatical now.
Hearts of Iron IV
Publisher/Developer: Paradox Interactive / Paradox Development Studio
Buy it on:Paradox store
Hearts of Iron 4 finally made the list following the release of 2019's Man the Guns expansion. This WW2 sandbox game has been going from strength to strength, and while its still got some ways to go Paradox's flagship war game can now finally attempt to stand amongst its contemporaries. Take command of any nation in existence in 1936, and try to guide them through turbulent period leading up to the second world war. With an open-ended nature and three competing ideologies, what form the second world war takes could be different through multiple playthroughs.
Iron it all out: Check out our Hearts of Iron 4 tutorial
You can create your own Divisions, specialising them for specific tasks. A Battle Planner allows you to draw detailed strategies for your armies that the AI will execute for you, and there's plenty of DLC worth checking out that help elevate the base package into something special.
There is actually an important caveat to add to this entry. While Hearts of Iron 4 is becoming a great WW2-era game, it's not necessarily a great ‘WW2 game' in the sense that getting a historical outcome is now only one of many possibilities, and we're not sure if it's the most common one at this point. While plenty of historical events and key decisions are modelled, the course of the war can vary, so if you're an enthusiast who wants a more ‘on rails' experience, this may not actually be the game for you.
Steel Division 2
Publisher/Developer: Eugen Systems
Buy it on:GOG.com, Steam
We had to stop and think about this one before committing it to the list – there's no denying that Steel Division 2 has its problems. Multiplayer balance is an ongoing concern, and generally the new campaign mode is a little bit rough around the edges. Still, we're confident in our assessment that it's overall a better game than its predecessor, and the new campaign mode is one of the finest solitaire wargaming experiences we've ever played (warts and all).
The realities of the Eastern Front make for some brutal fights
Fortnite space requirements android. If you were a fan of the real-time tactical battles in Normandy '44, then you may have trouble warming to this – the operational realities of the Eastern Front and how it's been translated into the game make for some brutal fights, both in single player and multiplayer.
If you felt that the first Steel Division game needed more in the campaign space, however, we dare you to not be impressed by the new Army General mode. Once Eugen sorts out the last of the kinks, this will truly be a war game for the ages. Check out our Steel Division 2 review for more. The Fate of Finland is pretty good, although the most recent Black Sunday DLC could have been better.
Strategic Command WW2: World at War
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Fury Software
Buy it on: GOG.com,Direct, Steam
World at War easily supplants its younger sibling, War in Europe, for the simple fact that while this is, in some ways, ‘more of the same', it is nonetheless ‘more of the same' but now on a global level. Our initial concerns that this one might fall prey to the same problems the SC Classic entry Global Conflict suffered turned out to be ill-founded.
Fury has learned the lessons of the past and managed to create a compelling grand-strategy sandbox, at scale, that leaves plenty of meaningful gameplay options whether you're in Europe, or the Korean peninsula.
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As fun as tactical or even operational level warfare is, there's something empowering about taking control of a nation's entire strategic resources; from industry and production to the military assets. Fury Software's Strategic Command series has been around since at least the early 2000's and is a great example of grand-strategy wargaming.
You command either the Axis or the allied powers (and you can have the AI take over individual nations if you want) and must decide where to invest your nation's production capacity across research, mobilisation, diplomacy and maintaining your armed forces. Units represent Corps, Army Groups, Fleets & Air Groups.
Command Ops 2
Publisher/Developer: Lock'n Load Publishing
Buy it on: Steam
Lock'n Load's flagship computer wargame makes its debut on our list of best games. This more recent iteration of the series approaches a very detailed and complex subject with a system of play that is both easy to learn and smooth as silk to play. Mastering play is not easy, but that's the hallmark of an exceptional product. Other games of this subgenre should take note.
The base version of this game is free, and the download comes with three scenarios that include Return to St Vith, Manhay Crossroads and Greyhound Dash. In this respect LnL has taken the same approach as the World War I flight simulator Rise of Flight, where they charge for additional expansion modules.
Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg
Publisher/Developer: Battlefront
Buy it:Direct
It seems you can't have one of these lists without at least one Combat Mission game. To be fair, they remain at the fore-front of tactical combat simulations and are must-plays for anyone who enjoys the hardcore-end of WW2 games. Combat Mission offers an immersive military experience, with a fully 3D engine and a turn-based/WEGO strategy layer that then plays out in real-time. Units are represented down to individual squads and tanks, however players can play anything from a Company-sized force, to a reinforced Battalion.
You could have a passionate debate about which CM game is the best CM game, but the 2016 iteration mightily impressed the late Mr. Cobb in his Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg review with its attention to detail and the general improvements to the legacy of Combat Mission as a whole: 'The series remains the epitome of World War II tactical simulations. Is it too early for a Game of the Year nomination?'.
Final Blitzkrieg is set in Europe, 1944-45 and mainly centres around the Battle of the Bulge.
Men of War: Assault Squad 2
Publisher/Developer: 1C Company / Digitalmindsoftau
Buy it on:Fanatical
The Men of War series is one with humble (and slightly confusing) origins, but also one that's grown to become a must-have staple of real-time WW2 tactical combat. For fans of Company of Heroes 2 (see below) wanting a little more bite, this is one of the most immersive experiences you'll ever have the pleasure of playing. There's a depth and granularity to combat that you rarely see outside of hardcore turn-based counter wargames, and yet it remains easy(ish) to learn and interact with. It can be brutal and punishing (I don't think they've ever gotten the balance quite right between tanks and infantry), but it is also thrilling.
Assault Squad 2, despite being four years old at this point, represents the pinnacle of the series' development. The series in general has seen many different iterations and experiments, but all of that learning finally comes to together here. As official support has waned, a dedicated mod-community has arisen to provide scenarios ranging from WW1 to the Cold War. If we ever see a new Men of War game, it will be world-class.
Gary Grigsby's War in the East
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / 2by3Games
Buy it on: Fanatical
No conversation on digital wargaming can exist without starting, ending or at the very least, co-existing with, a nod towards the beast set in the east. Gary Grigsby's 2010 opus represents what happens when you take traditional hex-and-counter wargaming and use computer software to bring out its maximum potential. No-one ever said it would be accessible or easy to get to grips with– but it is the ultimate military simulation of war in the eastern front of World War 2.
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To paraphrase the game's official blurb:
Gamers can engage in massive, dramatic campaigns, including intense battles involving thousands of units with realistic and historical terrain, weather, orders of battle, logistics and combat results. Factors such as supply, fatigue, experience, morale and the skill of your divisional, corps and army leaders all play an important part in determining the results at the front line. The game comes with 4 massive campaigns as well as many smaller scenarios all with different strategic and operational challenges. This is not for the faint-hearted.
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault
Publisher/Developer: SEGA / Relic Entertainment
Buy it on: Fanatical
One of the most mainstream games on this list, the advent of the Western Front Armies, overhaul of its War Spoils system and years of balance refinement cemented Company of Heroes 2‘s place as a respectable and enjoyable competitive RTS.
this is the perfect choice if you're after something less hardcore
With the creation of the Ardennes Assault campaign, Company of Heroes 2 now boasts one of the best replayable single player experiences in modern WW2 strategy games. It's even available as a stand-alone expansion, if you really don't want to get the core game. Ardennes Assault provides players with a strategic territory-capture meta-game layered over the single-player missions; including semi-random events and time-based objectives that change with each playthrough.
You have four Companies to command (of which you can utilize 3 in each campaign run) and hard choices in an Iron Man setting that forces the player to think through each move and live with sub-optimal strategies. If you're looking for something less hardcore, or something with a larger player base, then this is a perfect choice.
The Operational Art of War IV
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Talonsoft
Buy it: Direct, Steam
The world's secret best wargame of all time, it's surprising The Operational Art of War hasn't made all other hex-based wargames obsolete by now. Infinitely flexible, this game has the potential to contain all other wargames inside… a bit like Google and the internet, I guess?
the 300+ scenarios span everything from WW1 to the Korean War
The fourth iteration of the series may have only offered a modest amount of improvements, but it keeps the series in place as one of the best titles for deep, operational level warfare. While the 300+ scenarios span everything from WW1 to the Korean War, there are plenty of meaty WW2 scenarios for players to enjoy, and the easy-to-use (ish) editor means that you can add plenty more. From Bill's The Operational Art of War IV review:
'Trust me it's worth it. Whether you have all the previous editions as I do, or you are a newcomer just starting out, this game is a must buy. Now toss in over 300 included scenarios, online play not to mention a Jim-dandy scenario editor, and plunking down a few shekels is an even easier decision to make.
Yes, I know, most film sequels are never as good as the original, so what are the odds here? They're pretty good actually. This latest TOAW edition has indeed made an almost perfect classic even better, well deserving a five star rating if not an entire constellation. Two thumbs up for a job very well done.'
All it needs now is a WEGO option, and then it'd be damn-near perfect.
Rest assured, with truckloads of new WW2 games getting released every year – in every genre, format, shape, size and flavour – we'll be keeping this guide updated regularly to keep you posted on the cream of the crop.
Warfare Pc Games
Yes, William Tecumseh Sherman was right and 'war is hell', regardless of when in time it happens, but something about laser guided munitions and modern tanks ups the ante for those of us here in the 21st century. The destruction and terror of World War Two stands as a terrifying warning from history – but even that globe-spanning conflict didn't feature fleets of satellite-controlled drones capable of firing missiles on the opposite side of the planet at the drop of a hat.
The thrills of wielding 21st-century technology, sci-fi-like gadgets and increasingly ultra-deadly weaponry in-game surely account for the words 'modern warfare' appearing in the titles of so many digital games nowadays. Which is not to say to say the following list of the best of modern warfare games snubs the bad ol' 1900s. After all, the vaunted Soviet v. NATO showdown (that thankfully never happened) has also made perfect fodder for games wishing to demonstrate why we should give peace a chance.
We've selected our favourite wargames across different formats and genres that look at combat in the cold war, the modern day and – of course – in alternate-historical versions of both!
What are the best Modern War Games?
- Armored Brigade
- War Thunder
- Terminal Conflict
- Combat Mission: Black Sea
- Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm
- Wargame: Red Dragon
- Full Spectrum Warrior
- Steel Beasts Pro PE
- Afghanistan ‘11
- Graviteam Tactics
- Call To Arms
- ArmA 3
- WinSPMBT
- Command: Modern Operations
- John Tiller's Modern Campaigns series
Armored Brigade
Developer: Matrix Games
Available From: Direct, Steam
We've been waiting for this game for a while, and it did not disappoint. Considering AB's roots as a freeware game developed in someone's spare time, it's amazing what a little publisher support can achieve. If you're looking for a game with the complexity and tactical depth as, say, Combat Mission or even CMANO, but the style and presentation of old-school Close Combat, than Armored Brigade is right up your alley.
Best Warfare Games Pc
The campaign generator update added new nations, including France and Yugoslavia
Set primarily in Europe, Armored Brigade is a ‘Cold War gone hot' game where you can play as either NATO or Warsaw Pact factions. Create your task-force, define your map (using the excellent map generator), and fight it out on the plains of Europe. This is certainly one of 2018's stand-out releases, and well deserving of a space on this list.
The game's recently been updated with the first iteration of a ‘campaign generator', giving you the chance to fight a successive series of battles to give you some extra context. The inclusion of new nations via the Italy-Yugoslavia Nation Pack and the France-Belgium Nation Pack further enriches what's on offer.
War Thunder
Developer: Gajin Entertainment
Play free now
We're folding some free-to-play recommendations into these lists because it shouldn't always be about super-serious war games or simulations – sometimes it's nice to just rock around in a Tank or a Helo and blow stuff up.
War Thunder gets our recommendation here because it features land (armoured), air AND naval combat, all in one game. All three even appear within the same matches, and there are over 1,700 to unlock and wield.
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Games like this, World of Tanks and even World of Warships need caveating slightly because, given their free-to-play nature, based around progression systems, they can actually end up covering several eras.
War Thunder starts in WW2 with the Rank I & II units. Rank III's tend to be a mix of late-war and post-war variants of WW2 vehicles, and it's not until Rank IV and above that you truly get into the ‘cold war' era of military hardware.
Being free-to-play, you also should prepare yourself for a bit of grind (although if you have the money you can always just splash some cash). War Thunder may not be the modern/cold war game you're looking, but it might be the one you need.
Terminal Conflict
Developer: BL Logic
Available from: Steam
This recently released turn-based strategy offers something different, straddling the line between boardgame and videogame, presenting a strategic-level Cold War experience that mas more in common with something like Twilight Struggle. It spent most of the year in Early Access, and only released in Oct 2020 – our review can you tell you more about it if you're ineterested.
The tl;dr is that there are a lot of smart ideas here, though a the moment a potentially weak AI may hinder solitaire players, but it makes for a cracking two-player competitive game. Made by the same team who attempted to make that Cold War-era Hearts of Iron 3 spin-off, East vs. West.
Combat Mission: Black Sea
Developer: Battlefront
Available from: Direct
Battlefront's venerable Combat Mission series, best known for its uncompromising vision of small unit tactics and fastidiously researched content (and, also, really slow development-ED), is a shoo-in for our best modern war gfames list, with Combat Mission: Black Sea (CMBS) taking the cake. Depicting a fictional ‘WW3' style conflict between Russian, American, and Ukrainian forces in 2017, CMBS can be a rude awakening for those used to Battlefront's WW2-focused titles. Night vision, UAV's, active protection systems, and electronic warfare list just a fraction of the new goodies CMBS brings to the table.
Black Sea's 'quick battle' mode has you build a force using points, a la miniatures games
CMBS as it stands offers one campaign per belligerent, along with a modestly priced ‘Battle Pack' that expands the content to include two more campaigns and a handful of handcrafted scenarios. As with the rest of the Combat Mission line-up, CMBS also includes a ‘quick battle' option wherein you can set the parameters of the battle and build your force using points, much in the same way miniature wargames are played.
Jury's still out as to whether Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 is necessarily the better game – Bruce liked it enough when he did our review but it the jury's still out on whether it's objectively a better game than the first Shock Force or even Black Sea. Interestingly enough, though, the game and all its DLC is now on Steam as of August 25, 2020.
FlashPoint Campaigns: Red Storm
Warfare Game Pc
Developer: Matrix Games
Available From: Fanatical
Flashpoint Campaigns features the tried and true ‘cold war gone hot' situation, with the player at the helm of either NATO or the Soviet Union as they duke it out over central Europe.
FC features dynamic weather effects, exhaustive TO&E's, and a game engine that accounts for a variety of soft factors such as troop morale and training, sensors, and even the effect of weather on unit optics. And this is just scratching the surface of FC's fulsome list of features, all of which translate into a decision-making space for the player that really captures the feeling of commanding a combined arms force.
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What also makes Flashpoint Campaigns a special modern war game, though, is its focus on command and control and the Clausewitzian 'friction' that occurs when two armies start shooting at one another. FC utilizes a WEGO structure for its turns, wherein players assign orders to their units and watch them play out in real-time concurrently with one another.
FC throws a wrinkle in this, however, by introducing variable turn lengths. In other words, through proper use of command and control, and keeping units in proper formation, a player can 'get inside' another player's turn loop. And of course, the inverse is true: being on the receiving end of a particularly nasty attack you may find it difficult being effective with your units, what with having to wait two in-game hours to your opponent's 25 minutes.
Wargame: Red Dragon
Developer: Eugen System
Available from: Steam
Eugen's popular Wargame series offers a fresh take on the real-time tactics genre. Spread out over three titles, the firsttwo of the trio focus on a fictional clash between the Warsaw Pact and NATO. The third title, Red Dragon, expanded the fracas to southeast Asia and added, among others, Chinese, Japanese and both North and South Korean militaries to the series' growing roster of playable nations. Red Dragon is also the only game of the three to feature naval combat and amphibious landings. It's also inclusive, adding all of the erstwhile Wargames' units and many of their maps into multiplayer. This compilation of units has resulted in Red Dragon having a whopping 1,450 units to play with.
The deck system is easily this series' most unique and endearing feature
Easily the Wargame series' most unique and endearing feature since its inception in 2012 is its deck system. Imitating popular games, players prepare their customized armies ('decks') before the match, and then use those ‘cards' to deploy their troops to the battlefield. There's no random ‘draws' or hands though – you get access to everything from the start, with the only variables being whether or not you have the resources to bring the unit to the field.
The depth of this system cannot be overstated, with bonuses for deck doctrine (Infantry, Mechanized, etc.), mixed nation and 'coalition' decks, and even manpower bonuses for using decks with dated kit, building your customized force is almost a game within a game. This card game-like experience lends itself well to a multiplayer community, where killer deck combinations and the state of the meta are often hot topics of conversation (and contention).
Full Spectrum Warrior
Developer: Pandemic Studios
Available From: Fanatical
Full Spectrum Warrior (FSW) and its follow-up Ten Hammers are, together, a crash course in the ‘four Fs' of modern infantry combat: namely, find, fix, flank, and finish.
Originally released in 2004, with the sequel following two years later, FSW has its origins in the US Army's Science and Technology Community's attempt at training software, and this ethos shows in the gameplay.
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The player commands a squad that can be broken up into teams and must utilize the aforementioned ‘four Fs' to navigate the war-torn streets of the fictional Zekistan.
In addition to its slavish devotion to real-world small-unit tactics, Full Spectrum Warrior turned heads upon release by not allowing players to directly control any of their units, despite FSW's action game style of presentation. Ten Hammers slightly loosened this prohibition and allowed the player to control an M2 Bradley IFV in a few scenarios.
Steel Beasts Pro PE
Developer: eSim Games
Available from: Direct
The end-all-be-all of modern war tank sims, Steel Beasts puts the player in the position of a crew member of an AFV. The game's roster of hyper-detailed vehicles includes (but is not limited to) iconic tanks such as the M1 Abrams, T-72, and Leopard 1A5 & 2.
Even though the title's emphasis is on armor, it does an amazing job of depicting combined arms on the contemporary battlefield. Infantry, APC's, Choppers, and ATGM's are also stunningly realized, both in their detail, as well as role in the greater battle going on around the player.
Steel Beasts also supports multiplayer for up to eight players—which, when you consider that each player can command NPC units, can lead to a wargaming experience very different from the normal 'eye-in-the-sky approach' to virtual commanding.
With a $125 price tag and 100-page manual, Steel Beasts is not for the faint of heart. For virtual treadheads not intimidated by a learning curve, however, Steel Beasts leaves its competition in the dust.
Afghanistan ‘11
Developer: EverySingleSoldier
Available From: Direct, Steam
Tags: 3D, Turn-Based, Tactical, Middle-East, Hex, COIN, Modern War,
The follow-up to 2015's Vietnam '65, Afghanistan ‘11 builds off of developer Every Single Soldier's counter-insurgency sandbox and improves on the formula in every way. Putting the player in charge of US Military operations in Afghanistan circa 2011, Afghanistan ‘11 is a wargame about winning over the local population. Combat still plays a central role, but even when it does happen it's towards the end goal of promoting stability and diminishing the influence of the Taliban.
There's also a Royal Marines DLC that adds playable British forces Emulator com games.
Afghanistan ‘11 flips so many wargame conventions on their head, it may take even seasoned grogs some time to fall into the titles rhythm of sending out patrols, sweeping the mountainous terrain and nursing your limited cadre of US forces. The title features a main campaign, as well as randomly generated ‘skirmish' mode for you to test out your approach to counter-insurgency (COIN) operations in a consequence-free environment.
The Royal Marines DLC also adds British forces in addition to a slew of new gameplay features for players who have fully grokked the base game, or simply want more variety.
Keep an eye out for…
A new upcoming wargame that's just hit steam is War Room. It's still in Early Access, but like A11 it attempts to recreate the themes and operational setting of the Middle East. You're put in charge of an entire theatre, and must deploy your troops to hunt down insurgents but also win over the hearts and minds of the people. Check back in on this entry as we should have some gameplay impressions online by the time we come to update this again.
Graviteam Tactics
Developer: Graviteam
Available From: Steam
Although known primarily for their World War Two scenarios, both Graviteam Tactics games, Operation Star and its successor Mius Front, are home to some excellent DLC featuring modern conflicts generally unsung in the wargaming world. Operation Star's DLC Operation Hooper offers players a slice of the Angolan Bush War, specifically the Battle of Cuito-Cuanavale. Graviteam Tactics' signature dual strategic/tactical gameplay moves significantly faster here than the Ostfront, with BMP's, choppers, and speedy modern tanks turing the strategic layer into a lightning fast game of maneuver.
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Operation Star's other modern offering, Shield of the Prophet, features a counterfactual 1979 military contest between the Soviet Union and Iran. Mius Front's upcoming DLC Operation Moduler is taking the series back to Angola, once again during the Battle of Cuito-Cuanavale. The titular Operation Moduler saw South-African forces squaring off against the Angolan forces of the MPLA. In addition to the new scenario specific vistas and units, Moduler will also come bearing all the Graviteam gameplay and engine enhancements found in Mius Front.
Call To Arms
Developer: Digitalmindsoft EU
Available From: Steam
It's not quite the same for World of Tanks – it's a slightly dumb tank game at the end of the day – but there is something refreshing about zipping along the countryside, blasting shells at enemy vehicles on the other end of the map. The most tight-knit urban environments as well require a lot of manoeuvring and positioning, so there is room for some very tactical gameplay.
These are online-only mass-multiplayer experiences, so if that's not your thing you probably won't enjoy WoT. If you are curious about this action/strategy gaming phenomenon, then we also recommend you try and bring a friend as these things are infinitely more enjoyable with people you know. Just be prepared to put in a lot of work to climb your way to the upper ranks.
Alternate Recommendation
Another game you might want to look at is War Thunder, which encompasses land, air AND naval combat and features fighting vehicles from WW2 right through to the Cold War. It's debatable which time-period features the ‘best' game play, which is why it hasn't been given a full entry in this list.
Panzer Corps 2
Publisher/Developer: Flashback Games / Slitherine
Buy it on: Fanatical
The first Panzer Corps game has been a staple on this list for a while, but we can confidently say it's been replaced by the long-awaited sequel. Panzer Corps 2 updates everything from the engine, to the mechanics… it even adds a semblance of a logistics system! You can take your hard-as-nails corps of German tanks and infantry units from the invasion of Poland in 1939, all the way through Barbarossa, Normandy and even some alt-history scenarios involving the invasion of the American mainland.
Panzer Corps 2 has almost as much content as the first game, including expansions, with the exception of scenarios for non-German factions. Those will probably be coming in future DLC, but in the meantime you can always make your own using the powerful Scenario Editor. Multiplayer is also souped up, with hot-seat, PBEM and ‘true' live multiplayer options available. The ‘King of Wargames' indeed.
NEW: Slitherine has released the first two DLC packs for PC2. The first one covers the Spanish Civil War and is the first in the new Axis Operations series of DLC packs which will follow the German Army's various campaigns through-out WW2. The next installed – Axis Operations: 1939 – was released at the end of August 2020 and covers various campaigns that took place in 1939 including Poland and Denmark.
You may also like: Order of Battle
If you're a fan of the Panzer Corps format and looking for something else to play, then Order of Battle is another Matrix-owned series that may entice you (assuming you haven't come across it already). It was once described to me by a Producer at Matrix as 'Panzer Corps, but with logistics', so you'll find a very similar experience.
The base game Order of Battle WW2 is actually free-to-play and comes with a handful of scenarios so that you can try it out. To date there are over 12 expansions you can purchase to then enhance your game and play through different parts of the war from various perspectives. Unlike it's sibling it's not looking at doing a sequel any time soon (that we know of), and is currently working on a new trilogy of expansions that follow the Soviet Union's trials through WW2. The latest entry in the expansion set is Order of Battle: Red Storm.
Unity of Command 2
Publisher/Developer: 2×2 Games
Buy it on: Steam
We'd have been very surprised if the recently-released Unity of Command 2 wasn't good enough to knock the original game off its top spot. UoC 1 will always be remembered as a wonderful simple wargame, and a great gateway into the hobby, but Unity of Command 2 just takes all of the core concepts and turns it up to 11. Better visuals, better mechanics, better scenarios… it's a knock-out sequel.
Tank Warfare Pc Games
Want more? Read our Unity of Command 2: Blitzkrieg review
Common criticisms of the first game usually centre around it being more of a puzzle than a 'true' wargame, which is a similar accusation levied against games like Panzer Corps. You can still see traces of that in Unity of Command 2's design – many scenarios present you with an initial set-piece or deadlock that you need to break through – but the ways in which you can achieve it have multiplied. Plus, once you do break-through it's still a pretty gripping fight to claim your objectives, and the AI will punish and push through to your back-lines if it sees an exploitable gap.
This is definitely one of the year's best releases to date, however, and if you're even remotely interested it's well worth picking up.
Panzer Campaigns Series – Japan '45 & Japan '46
Publisher/Developer:Wargame Design Studio
Buy it: Direct
John Tiller is a house name with a certain generation of computer war gamers. While he's not as involved in game-making as he used to be, his legacy stands proud through his wide-ranging series of hex-based operational and tactical wars that look like old-school counter board wargames rendered on a screen.
They're not much to look at, but they've always provided a level of depth and detail not seen in many other places. Wargame Design Studio is a small development team that's taken up the mantle of JTS, remastering a lot of the old games but also making brand-new experiences in the same style.
We're highlighting one of their more recent endeavours on this list, because it covers something not really seen before – the hypothetical invasion of the Japanese mainland. Officially part of JTS' Panzer Campaigns series, there are currently two titles that follow this ‘what if' conflict – Japan '45 and a sequel Japan '46.
We've reviewed both and are pretty impressed with not only WDS' attention to detail in terms of the research they've done into the Operations that never were, but also in terms of how they've tried to modernise the format somewhat. If you're looking to explore some plausible alt-history in an old-school package, these are some excellent games to start with.
You may also like: John Tiller's Panzer Battles
If you're a fan of the John Tiller style of games in general then there have been some other newer releases that may take your fancy. Other recent Wargame Design Studio releases include a ‘Gold' edition of El Alamein '42 and the brand new Battles of North Africa 1941. If you want to consider something a bit more ‘old school' then there's always John Tiller's Campaign Series.
Close Combat Series
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Various
Buy it on: GOG.com, Steam
No WW2 list would be complete without the father of modern WW2 tactical strategy games. Close Combat struck the perfect balance between ‘grog'-like wargaming tradition and mainstream strategy design. Depending on which title you played, it managed to straddle the line between hardcore and mainstream with remarkable grace.
There are mixed opinions on the series but it is a big part of WW2 strategy game heritage
The one I played the most was Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far – it what made me fall in love with the idea of persistent forces and armies, and I don't think I ever completed it.
There are mixed opinions regarding the ‘Matrix-era' of Close Combat games, but the series in general remains a shining example of WW2 strategy game heritage.
And, thanks to GOG.com, you can now legally purchase the original classics once more.
OPTIONAL EXTRA: Close Combat – The Bloody First
This isn't an official entry in the list but, since Close Combat as a series is mentioned, we'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention the latest entry into the game – Close Combat: The Bloody First. It was always going to struggle in the face of the significance of the series, and it also didn't help that the game took a bit longer than planned to actually release (it's at least a couple of years ‘late' at this point).
Still, it did the best job it could and it's actually a pretty decent game in most respects. It's perhaps not good enough to knock the classics off their camouflaged thrones, but it's a decent modern Close Combat game that just has a few kinks that need ironing out. You can buy Close Combat: The Bloody First on Fanatical buy Close Combat: The Bloody First on Fanatical now.
Hearts of Iron IV
Publisher/Developer: Paradox Interactive / Paradox Development Studio
Buy it on:Paradox store
Hearts of Iron 4 finally made the list following the release of 2019's Man the Guns expansion. This WW2 sandbox game has been going from strength to strength, and while its still got some ways to go Paradox's flagship war game can now finally attempt to stand amongst its contemporaries. Take command of any nation in existence in 1936, and try to guide them through turbulent period leading up to the second world war. With an open-ended nature and three competing ideologies, what form the second world war takes could be different through multiple playthroughs.
Iron it all out: Check out our Hearts of Iron 4 tutorial
You can create your own Divisions, specialising them for specific tasks. A Battle Planner allows you to draw detailed strategies for your armies that the AI will execute for you, and there's plenty of DLC worth checking out that help elevate the base package into something special.
There is actually an important caveat to add to this entry. While Hearts of Iron 4 is becoming a great WW2-era game, it's not necessarily a great ‘WW2 game' in the sense that getting a historical outcome is now only one of many possibilities, and we're not sure if it's the most common one at this point. While plenty of historical events and key decisions are modelled, the course of the war can vary, so if you're an enthusiast who wants a more ‘on rails' experience, this may not actually be the game for you.
Steel Division 2
Publisher/Developer: Eugen Systems
Buy it on:GOG.com, Steam
We had to stop and think about this one before committing it to the list – there's no denying that Steel Division 2 has its problems. Multiplayer balance is an ongoing concern, and generally the new campaign mode is a little bit rough around the edges. Still, we're confident in our assessment that it's overall a better game than its predecessor, and the new campaign mode is one of the finest solitaire wargaming experiences we've ever played (warts and all).
The realities of the Eastern Front make for some brutal fights
Fortnite space requirements android. If you were a fan of the real-time tactical battles in Normandy '44, then you may have trouble warming to this – the operational realities of the Eastern Front and how it's been translated into the game make for some brutal fights, both in single player and multiplayer.
If you felt that the first Steel Division game needed more in the campaign space, however, we dare you to not be impressed by the new Army General mode. Once Eugen sorts out the last of the kinks, this will truly be a war game for the ages. Check out our Steel Division 2 review for more. The Fate of Finland is pretty good, although the most recent Black Sunday DLC could have been better.
Strategic Command WW2: World at War
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Fury Software
Buy it on: GOG.com,Direct, Steam
World at War easily supplants its younger sibling, War in Europe, for the simple fact that while this is, in some ways, ‘more of the same', it is nonetheless ‘more of the same' but now on a global level. Our initial concerns that this one might fall prey to the same problems the SC Classic entry Global Conflict suffered turned out to be ill-founded.
Fury has learned the lessons of the past and managed to create a compelling grand-strategy sandbox, at scale, that leaves plenty of meaningful gameplay options whether you're in Europe, or the Korean peninsula.
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As fun as tactical or even operational level warfare is, there's something empowering about taking control of a nation's entire strategic resources; from industry and production to the military assets. Fury Software's Strategic Command series has been around since at least the early 2000's and is a great example of grand-strategy wargaming.
You command either the Axis or the allied powers (and you can have the AI take over individual nations if you want) and must decide where to invest your nation's production capacity across research, mobilisation, diplomacy and maintaining your armed forces. Units represent Corps, Army Groups, Fleets & Air Groups.
Command Ops 2
Publisher/Developer: Lock'n Load Publishing
Buy it on: Steam
Lock'n Load's flagship computer wargame makes its debut on our list of best games. This more recent iteration of the series approaches a very detailed and complex subject with a system of play that is both easy to learn and smooth as silk to play. Mastering play is not easy, but that's the hallmark of an exceptional product. Other games of this subgenre should take note.
The base version of this game is free, and the download comes with three scenarios that include Return to St Vith, Manhay Crossroads and Greyhound Dash. In this respect LnL has taken the same approach as the World War I flight simulator Rise of Flight, where they charge for additional expansion modules.
Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg
Publisher/Developer: Battlefront
Buy it:Direct
It seems you can't have one of these lists without at least one Combat Mission game. To be fair, they remain at the fore-front of tactical combat simulations and are must-plays for anyone who enjoys the hardcore-end of WW2 games. Combat Mission offers an immersive military experience, with a fully 3D engine and a turn-based/WEGO strategy layer that then plays out in real-time. Units are represented down to individual squads and tanks, however players can play anything from a Company-sized force, to a reinforced Battalion.
You could have a passionate debate about which CM game is the best CM game, but the 2016 iteration mightily impressed the late Mr. Cobb in his Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg review with its attention to detail and the general improvements to the legacy of Combat Mission as a whole: 'The series remains the epitome of World War II tactical simulations. Is it too early for a Game of the Year nomination?'.
Final Blitzkrieg is set in Europe, 1944-45 and mainly centres around the Battle of the Bulge.
Men of War: Assault Squad 2
Publisher/Developer: 1C Company / Digitalmindsoftau
Buy it on:Fanatical
The Men of War series is one with humble (and slightly confusing) origins, but also one that's grown to become a must-have staple of real-time WW2 tactical combat. For fans of Company of Heroes 2 (see below) wanting a little more bite, this is one of the most immersive experiences you'll ever have the pleasure of playing. There's a depth and granularity to combat that you rarely see outside of hardcore turn-based counter wargames, and yet it remains easy(ish) to learn and interact with. It can be brutal and punishing (I don't think they've ever gotten the balance quite right between tanks and infantry), but it is also thrilling.
Assault Squad 2, despite being four years old at this point, represents the pinnacle of the series' development. The series in general has seen many different iterations and experiments, but all of that learning finally comes to together here. As official support has waned, a dedicated mod-community has arisen to provide scenarios ranging from WW1 to the Cold War. If we ever see a new Men of War game, it will be world-class.
Gary Grigsby's War in the East
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / 2by3Games
Buy it on: Fanatical
No conversation on digital wargaming can exist without starting, ending or at the very least, co-existing with, a nod towards the beast set in the east. Gary Grigsby's 2010 opus represents what happens when you take traditional hex-and-counter wargaming and use computer software to bring out its maximum potential. No-one ever said it would be accessible or easy to get to grips with– but it is the ultimate military simulation of war in the eastern front of World War 2.
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To paraphrase the game's official blurb:
Gamers can engage in massive, dramatic campaigns, including intense battles involving thousands of units with realistic and historical terrain, weather, orders of battle, logistics and combat results. Factors such as supply, fatigue, experience, morale and the skill of your divisional, corps and army leaders all play an important part in determining the results at the front line. The game comes with 4 massive campaigns as well as many smaller scenarios all with different strategic and operational challenges. This is not for the faint-hearted.
Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault
Publisher/Developer: SEGA / Relic Entertainment
Buy it on: Fanatical
One of the most mainstream games on this list, the advent of the Western Front Armies, overhaul of its War Spoils system and years of balance refinement cemented Company of Heroes 2‘s place as a respectable and enjoyable competitive RTS.
this is the perfect choice if you're after something less hardcore
With the creation of the Ardennes Assault campaign, Company of Heroes 2 now boasts one of the best replayable single player experiences in modern WW2 strategy games. It's even available as a stand-alone expansion, if you really don't want to get the core game. Ardennes Assault provides players with a strategic territory-capture meta-game layered over the single-player missions; including semi-random events and time-based objectives that change with each playthrough.
You have four Companies to command (of which you can utilize 3 in each campaign run) and hard choices in an Iron Man setting that forces the player to think through each move and live with sub-optimal strategies. If you're looking for something less hardcore, or something with a larger player base, then this is a perfect choice.
The Operational Art of War IV
Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Talonsoft
Buy it: Direct, Steam
The world's secret best wargame of all time, it's surprising The Operational Art of War hasn't made all other hex-based wargames obsolete by now. Infinitely flexible, this game has the potential to contain all other wargames inside… a bit like Google and the internet, I guess?
the 300+ scenarios span everything from WW1 to the Korean War
The fourth iteration of the series may have only offered a modest amount of improvements, but it keeps the series in place as one of the best titles for deep, operational level warfare. While the 300+ scenarios span everything from WW1 to the Korean War, there are plenty of meaty WW2 scenarios for players to enjoy, and the easy-to-use (ish) editor means that you can add plenty more. From Bill's The Operational Art of War IV review:
'Trust me it's worth it. Whether you have all the previous editions as I do, or you are a newcomer just starting out, this game is a must buy. Now toss in over 300 included scenarios, online play not to mention a Jim-dandy scenario editor, and plunking down a few shekels is an even easier decision to make.
Yes, I know, most film sequels are never as good as the original, so what are the odds here? They're pretty good actually. This latest TOAW edition has indeed made an almost perfect classic even better, well deserving a five star rating if not an entire constellation. Two thumbs up for a job very well done.'
All it needs now is a WEGO option, and then it'd be damn-near perfect.
Rest assured, with truckloads of new WW2 games getting released every year – in every genre, format, shape, size and flavour – we'll be keeping this guide updated regularly to keep you posted on the cream of the crop.
Warfare Pc Games
Yes, William Tecumseh Sherman was right and 'war is hell', regardless of when in time it happens, but something about laser guided munitions and modern tanks ups the ante for those of us here in the 21st century. The destruction and terror of World War Two stands as a terrifying warning from history – but even that globe-spanning conflict didn't feature fleets of satellite-controlled drones capable of firing missiles on the opposite side of the planet at the drop of a hat.
The thrills of wielding 21st-century technology, sci-fi-like gadgets and increasingly ultra-deadly weaponry in-game surely account for the words 'modern warfare' appearing in the titles of so many digital games nowadays. Which is not to say to say the following list of the best of modern warfare games snubs the bad ol' 1900s. After all, the vaunted Soviet v. NATO showdown (that thankfully never happened) has also made perfect fodder for games wishing to demonstrate why we should give peace a chance.
We've selected our favourite wargames across different formats and genres that look at combat in the cold war, the modern day and – of course – in alternate-historical versions of both!
What are the best Modern War Games?
- Armored Brigade
- War Thunder
- Terminal Conflict
- Combat Mission: Black Sea
- Flashpoint Campaigns: Red Storm
- Wargame: Red Dragon
- Full Spectrum Warrior
- Steel Beasts Pro PE
- Afghanistan ‘11
- Graviteam Tactics
- Call To Arms
- ArmA 3
- WinSPMBT
- Command: Modern Operations
- John Tiller's Modern Campaigns series
Armored Brigade
Developer: Matrix Games
Available From: Direct, Steam
We've been waiting for this game for a while, and it did not disappoint. Considering AB's roots as a freeware game developed in someone's spare time, it's amazing what a little publisher support can achieve. If you're looking for a game with the complexity and tactical depth as, say, Combat Mission or even CMANO, but the style and presentation of old-school Close Combat, than Armored Brigade is right up your alley.
Best Warfare Games Pc
The campaign generator update added new nations, including France and Yugoslavia
Set primarily in Europe, Armored Brigade is a ‘Cold War gone hot' game where you can play as either NATO or Warsaw Pact factions. Create your task-force, define your map (using the excellent map generator), and fight it out on the plains of Europe. This is certainly one of 2018's stand-out releases, and well deserving of a space on this list.
The game's recently been updated with the first iteration of a ‘campaign generator', giving you the chance to fight a successive series of battles to give you some extra context. The inclusion of new nations via the Italy-Yugoslavia Nation Pack and the France-Belgium Nation Pack further enriches what's on offer.
War Thunder
Developer: Gajin Entertainment
Play free now
We're folding some free-to-play recommendations into these lists because it shouldn't always be about super-serious war games or simulations – sometimes it's nice to just rock around in a Tank or a Helo and blow stuff up.
War Thunder gets our recommendation here because it features land (armoured), air AND naval combat, all in one game. All three even appear within the same matches, and there are over 1,700 to unlock and wield.
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Games like this, World of Tanks and even World of Warships need caveating slightly because, given their free-to-play nature, based around progression systems, they can actually end up covering several eras.
War Thunder starts in WW2 with the Rank I & II units. Rank III's tend to be a mix of late-war and post-war variants of WW2 vehicles, and it's not until Rank IV and above that you truly get into the ‘cold war' era of military hardware.
Being free-to-play, you also should prepare yourself for a bit of grind (although if you have the money you can always just splash some cash). War Thunder may not be the modern/cold war game you're looking, but it might be the one you need.
Terminal Conflict
Developer: BL Logic
Available from: Steam
This recently released turn-based strategy offers something different, straddling the line between boardgame and videogame, presenting a strategic-level Cold War experience that mas more in common with something like Twilight Struggle. It spent most of the year in Early Access, and only released in Oct 2020 – our review can you tell you more about it if you're ineterested.
The tl;dr is that there are a lot of smart ideas here, though a the moment a potentially weak AI may hinder solitaire players, but it makes for a cracking two-player competitive game. Made by the same team who attempted to make that Cold War-era Hearts of Iron 3 spin-off, East vs. West.
Combat Mission: Black Sea
Developer: Battlefront
Available from: Direct
Battlefront's venerable Combat Mission series, best known for its uncompromising vision of small unit tactics and fastidiously researched content (and, also, really slow development-ED), is a shoo-in for our best modern war gfames list, with Combat Mission: Black Sea (CMBS) taking the cake. Depicting a fictional ‘WW3' style conflict between Russian, American, and Ukrainian forces in 2017, CMBS can be a rude awakening for those used to Battlefront's WW2-focused titles. Night vision, UAV's, active protection systems, and electronic warfare list just a fraction of the new goodies CMBS brings to the table.
Black Sea's 'quick battle' mode has you build a force using points, a la miniatures games
CMBS as it stands offers one campaign per belligerent, along with a modestly priced ‘Battle Pack' that expands the content to include two more campaigns and a handful of handcrafted scenarios. As with the rest of the Combat Mission line-up, CMBS also includes a ‘quick battle' option wherein you can set the parameters of the battle and build your force using points, much in the same way miniature wargames are played.
Jury's still out as to whether Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 is necessarily the better game – Bruce liked it enough when he did our review but it the jury's still out on whether it's objectively a better game than the first Shock Force or even Black Sea. Interestingly enough, though, the game and all its DLC is now on Steam as of August 25, 2020.
FlashPoint Campaigns: Red Storm
Warfare Game Pc
Developer: Matrix Games
Available From: Fanatical
Flashpoint Campaigns features the tried and true ‘cold war gone hot' situation, with the player at the helm of either NATO or the Soviet Union as they duke it out over central Europe.
FC features dynamic weather effects, exhaustive TO&E's, and a game engine that accounts for a variety of soft factors such as troop morale and training, sensors, and even the effect of weather on unit optics. And this is just scratching the surface of FC's fulsome list of features, all of which translate into a decision-making space for the player that really captures the feeling of commanding a combined arms force.
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What also makes Flashpoint Campaigns a special modern war game, though, is its focus on command and control and the Clausewitzian 'friction' that occurs when two armies start shooting at one another. FC utilizes a WEGO structure for its turns, wherein players assign orders to their units and watch them play out in real-time concurrently with one another.
FC throws a wrinkle in this, however, by introducing variable turn lengths. In other words, through proper use of command and control, and keeping units in proper formation, a player can 'get inside' another player's turn loop. And of course, the inverse is true: being on the receiving end of a particularly nasty attack you may find it difficult being effective with your units, what with having to wait two in-game hours to your opponent's 25 minutes.
Wargame: Red Dragon
Developer: Eugen System
Available from: Steam
Eugen's popular Wargame series offers a fresh take on the real-time tactics genre. Spread out over three titles, the firsttwo of the trio focus on a fictional clash between the Warsaw Pact and NATO. The third title, Red Dragon, expanded the fracas to southeast Asia and added, among others, Chinese, Japanese and both North and South Korean militaries to the series' growing roster of playable nations. Red Dragon is also the only game of the three to feature naval combat and amphibious landings. It's also inclusive, adding all of the erstwhile Wargames' units and many of their maps into multiplayer. This compilation of units has resulted in Red Dragon having a whopping 1,450 units to play with.
The deck system is easily this series' most unique and endearing feature
Easily the Wargame series' most unique and endearing feature since its inception in 2012 is its deck system. Imitating popular games, players prepare their customized armies ('decks') before the match, and then use those ‘cards' to deploy their troops to the battlefield. There's no random ‘draws' or hands though – you get access to everything from the start, with the only variables being whether or not you have the resources to bring the unit to the field.
The depth of this system cannot be overstated, with bonuses for deck doctrine (Infantry, Mechanized, etc.), mixed nation and 'coalition' decks, and even manpower bonuses for using decks with dated kit, building your customized force is almost a game within a game. This card game-like experience lends itself well to a multiplayer community, where killer deck combinations and the state of the meta are often hot topics of conversation (and contention).
Full Spectrum Warrior
Developer: Pandemic Studios
Available From: Fanatical
Full Spectrum Warrior (FSW) and its follow-up Ten Hammers are, together, a crash course in the ‘four Fs' of modern infantry combat: namely, find, fix, flank, and finish.
Originally released in 2004, with the sequel following two years later, FSW has its origins in the US Army's Science and Technology Community's attempt at training software, and this ethos shows in the gameplay.
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The player commands a squad that can be broken up into teams and must utilize the aforementioned ‘four Fs' to navigate the war-torn streets of the fictional Zekistan.
In addition to its slavish devotion to real-world small-unit tactics, Full Spectrum Warrior turned heads upon release by not allowing players to directly control any of their units, despite FSW's action game style of presentation. Ten Hammers slightly loosened this prohibition and allowed the player to control an M2 Bradley IFV in a few scenarios.
Steel Beasts Pro PE
Developer: eSim Games
Available from: Direct
The end-all-be-all of modern war tank sims, Steel Beasts puts the player in the position of a crew member of an AFV. The game's roster of hyper-detailed vehicles includes (but is not limited to) iconic tanks such as the M1 Abrams, T-72, and Leopard 1A5 & 2.
Even though the title's emphasis is on armor, it does an amazing job of depicting combined arms on the contemporary battlefield. Infantry, APC's, Choppers, and ATGM's are also stunningly realized, both in their detail, as well as role in the greater battle going on around the player.
Steel Beasts also supports multiplayer for up to eight players—which, when you consider that each player can command NPC units, can lead to a wargaming experience very different from the normal 'eye-in-the-sky approach' to virtual commanding.
With a $125 price tag and 100-page manual, Steel Beasts is not for the faint of heart. For virtual treadheads not intimidated by a learning curve, however, Steel Beasts leaves its competition in the dust.
Afghanistan ‘11
Developer: EverySingleSoldier
Available From: Direct, Steam
Tags: 3D, Turn-Based, Tactical, Middle-East, Hex, COIN, Modern War,
The follow-up to 2015's Vietnam '65, Afghanistan ‘11 builds off of developer Every Single Soldier's counter-insurgency sandbox and improves on the formula in every way. Putting the player in charge of US Military operations in Afghanistan circa 2011, Afghanistan ‘11 is a wargame about winning over the local population. Combat still plays a central role, but even when it does happen it's towards the end goal of promoting stability and diminishing the influence of the Taliban.
There's also a Royal Marines DLC that adds playable British forces Emulator com games.
Afghanistan ‘11 flips so many wargame conventions on their head, it may take even seasoned grogs some time to fall into the titles rhythm of sending out patrols, sweeping the mountainous terrain and nursing your limited cadre of US forces. The title features a main campaign, as well as randomly generated ‘skirmish' mode for you to test out your approach to counter-insurgency (COIN) operations in a consequence-free environment.
The Royal Marines DLC also adds British forces in addition to a slew of new gameplay features for players who have fully grokked the base game, or simply want more variety.
Keep an eye out for…
A new upcoming wargame that's just hit steam is War Room. It's still in Early Access, but like A11 it attempts to recreate the themes and operational setting of the Middle East. You're put in charge of an entire theatre, and must deploy your troops to hunt down insurgents but also win over the hearts and minds of the people. Check back in on this entry as we should have some gameplay impressions online by the time we come to update this again.
Graviteam Tactics
Developer: Graviteam
Available From: Steam
Although known primarily for their World War Two scenarios, both Graviteam Tactics games, Operation Star and its successor Mius Front, are home to some excellent DLC featuring modern conflicts generally unsung in the wargaming world. Operation Star's DLC Operation Hooper offers players a slice of the Angolan Bush War, specifically the Battle of Cuito-Cuanavale. Graviteam Tactics' signature dual strategic/tactical gameplay moves significantly faster here than the Ostfront, with BMP's, choppers, and speedy modern tanks turing the strategic layer into a lightning fast game of maneuver.
Tropic Thunder: Here's our guide to the best Vietnam war games
Operation Star's other modern offering, Shield of the Prophet, features a counterfactual 1979 military contest between the Soviet Union and Iran. Mius Front's upcoming DLC Operation Moduler is taking the series back to Angola, once again during the Battle of Cuito-Cuanavale. The titular Operation Moduler saw South-African forces squaring off against the Angolan forces of the MPLA. In addition to the new scenario specific vistas and units, Moduler will also come bearing all the Graviteam gameplay and engine enhancements found in Mius Front.
Call To Arms
Developer: Digitalmindsoft EU
Available From: Steam
Ostensibly the modern warfare incarnation of Digitalmindsoft's Men of War (MoW) series and sharing the same engine, Call To Arms enjoys many of the same features that have made MoW a fan favorite for years, albeit with a WW3 twist. Although only currently featuring two factions, the United States Army and the Global Revolutionary Movement, Russia and Germany are purported to be in the works.
This is an exciting prospect for modern military aficionados as Call To Arms shares the same persnickety attention to detail as it's WW2 forerunners with each individual unit having its own inventory of authentic kit. One exciting new feature Call To Arms brings to the table is the ability to take control of any unit from the first-person perspective. This feature combined with fully destructible environments and the lethality of modern weaponry really brings Call To Arms into its own, as dictating orders to your units and then participating in the attack yourself or providing cover with the PK light gun is a feeling unmatched by most wargames.
ArmA 3
Developer: Bohemia Interactive
Available From: Steam
As the game that launched a thousand mods (including the Fortnite sensation), ‘vanilla' Arma isn't often talked about as much as the games/mods derived from this venerable consim.
And this is a shame, because it is prerequisite playing for anyone with even a passing interest in contemporary warfighting. The base game's campaign does an admirable job of easing the player into navigating the waters of modern war military simulation, and soon enough your commanding AFV's, calling in mortar strikes and adroitly toggling between the game's multitude of firing positions.
It's a goddamn arms race: Discover the best Arma 3 mods
Assuming you tire of the Mediterranean vistas of Atlis and Stratis, Arma 3's DLC Apex offers up the south-east Asian themed Tanoa, and along with it a suite of new weapons, vehicles and factions. And of course, this being Arma, just about every military conflict of the last 50 years can be found in the workshop. Rarely trodden topics like the Falklands or First Chechen War are only a download button click away for Arma-ites looking for something beyond the stock campaign(s).
Don't forget to check out our extensive Mods guide if you want to take your game to the next level. It recently received a new campaign expansion called Contact – covered in our Arma 3 DLC guide – which is a fascinating trip off the beaten path, but does little to enrich the wider game (Aliens, tho).
WinSPMBT
Developer: Shrapnel Games
Available From: Direct
Modern Warfare Pc Game
If I were pressed to describe WinSPMBT in one word it would be ‘breadth'. Meticulously researched, and with OOB's for the game's 92 nations (!!) ranging from the end of World War 2 up until 2025, WinSPMBT quite literally has it all.'Out of the box' it features over two hundred scenarios and 13 campaigns, and that's before considering the bottomless amount of user created content available courtesy of WinSPMBT's robust editor.
Although pushing nearly two decades since coming into being, WinSPMBT still enjoys an avid following judging by the throngs of fresh AAR's and 'Opponents Wanted' postings over at developer Shrapnel Games forums, which bodes well for the continued life of the game.
Other Modern War Game Recommendations
John Tiller Spftware have also made some modern-era wargames as part of their ‘Modern Campaigns' series, such as Danube Front '85, Korea '85 and Middle East '67. These are low-res, top-down hex-and-counter affairs as is JTS' bread-and-butter, so apart from some mechanical differences to account for the era these play and feel largely like their brethren across the rest of the company's catalogue. Still pretty good if that's your cup-of-tea though.
If you want something really complex, try Command: Modern Operations
A quick shout-out must also go to ICBM. If you ever played DEFCON and remember it fondly, this is definitely worth checking out. For everyone else – this is a game about firing nukes at each other until a ‘winner' is declared, if you can call it that. There's a lot of manoeuvring and development that takes place leading up to the war to end all wars, but this is a simple game with a simple premise. Read our ICBM review for more.
If you're looking for something really complex. it may be worth checking out Command: Modern Operations. You'll also find that game on our list of the best naval games, although you could make a case for it to be on either list, especially since CMO now has enhanced ground combat. We feel it's still approaching modern warfare predominantly through the lens of naval and air based assets though, and the mechanics are all skewed towards those areas of combat.
For a token table-top wargaming suggestion, Bill recommends Great Escape Game's Seven Days to the River Rhine rule-set, which offers an excellent alternative to heavy-weights like Team Yankee, although it's still compatible with all the same miniatures!
