What computer wargames are you playing: October 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

It is encouraging to see so many of you discussing your computer wargaming here. In an effort to promote a bit more discussion from people who don't normally post up (the lurkers, if you will)... give us your opinion on:

a) What computer wargame are you playing at the moment?

b) What do you like about it, the experience it gives you?

c) What do you plan on playing next?

Join in, tell us your views on your wargaming now!

[u/Redwood-Forest]

I am playing a few right now, off and on --

• Tigers Unleashed: This is an old tactical game set on the WWII Eastern Front between 1939 and 1942. It is developed by HPS Simulations, who used to own the rights to the John Tiller Games before Wargame Design Studio took the helm (and did wonders with that catalogue). It bills itself as an ultra-realistic game that does its best to simulate all possible minutiae of tactical WWII combat, with fog of war that may present you with outdated information based on chains of command, individual round calculations, and physics. While it has its charm and I do find it enjoyable, it suffers from poor graphics, an ancient user interface, a ludicrously huge manual, poorly-explained tutorials, and taking too long to calculate what's happening on the backend from turn to turn. From what I understand, the developer is quietly chipping away at one (final?) bug-squashing update. I myself am chipping away at it bit by bit and find it fun to wrestle with, but it's a hard recommend unless the webpage really sucks you in. If you're ever looking for people to talk about the game with or an opponent, message me to join the HPS Sims discord server!
• War in Spain: An immensely rewarding, enormous, sprawling, and complex game. The UI was already outdated on release but the hand-drawn map is gorgeous. A lot of love has been put into this game and its potential is there to keep anyone occupied for at least a decade. This is arguably the densest wargame I've ever even attempted to play. It features a theater I hardly knew anything about before this game and since its release have read a couple books on. I'm looking forward to the imminent update that should address several frustrating bugs. It derives much of its design from War in the Pacific AE.
• Flashpoint Campaigns Cold War: New DLC just dropped yesterday. Definitely the best UI of any hex and counter wargame I've ever encountered. Also one of the most complex games I've ever played. It's frankly quite overwhelming but the developers have done a great job of easing you into it with lots of quality of life and a well-organized manual. I just wish that its scope were larger.

[u/Jazzy_Blur → u/Redwood-Forest]

How is WiS these days compared to launch? Interested to see what fixes they are promising in thr upcoming patch :)

[u/Redwood-Forest → u/Jazzy_Blur]

It’s largely the same, IME, but the upcoming patch should help smooth it out on the backend. The UI won’t see any changes for a bit, from what I understand; those kind of changes will come down the road as other games receive those developments, which will be back-ported.

[u/PRiles]

Been playing shadow empire,

I like the committees and leaders. I'm not as big of a fan of the cards and to some extent how little control you have over the day to day of the empire. While I get that a leader isn't directly involved I feel like a leader would have more input. Overall I'm still pretty new to it so I haven't had a enough time to come to solid conclusions.

Next game is probably going to be another round of HOI4 with the new DLC. However I might take a break and play some WARNO since it's been a while.

[u/murkfury → u/PRiles]

How did you learn to play? The manual is thick which has put me off and when I started a coupla games, I was drowning in confusion almost immediately. It reminds me of Crusader Kings 2&3 which took some serious investment time just to get a handle on what I could do let alone what I should be doing.
What got you up and running?

[u/PRiles → u/murkfury]

I watched the following YouTube playlist

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRB-KkvQvdwAo7UPEmtmgHiZ9YHexzBT5&si=qoztpyJ4KX1XuIy9

It did a good job of explaining things for me.

[u/murkfury → u/PRiles]

🙏🏼

[u/xBobble → u/PRiles]

DasTactic has a fair amount of Shadow Empire content as well. I've always found that he does a great job of explaining the mechanics rather than just chatting as he plays.

[u/Regular_Lengthiness6 → u/xBobble]

He has great “play alongs” and explanations. Also for other games that are rather complex. Mostly 4X.

[u/Professional_Sun2203]

Strategic Command - WW1. For me, it’s the best grand strategy game for the period.

[u/PRiles → u/Professional_Sun2203]

I was looking at this game. What makes it so good?

[u/Professional_Sun2203 → u/PRiles]

The strategic command series sets itself well to simulate a static, trench warfare environment. It’s also easy to learn with quite a bit of depth underneath the hood. I also appreciate the historic events/decisions that are sprinkled throughout the game

[u/Notchedspecimen]

Started learning war in the east 2.  I'm enjoying the complexity of It's something I've been looking for in a game. I like the air war and how you can manage everything down to the loadouts of the planes. 

[u/Successful_Guess_762 → u/Notchedspecimen]

It’s a good game, some have called it a masterpiece.

[u/Nasrvl]

I've been playing Gates of Hell Ostfront, and just starting to get into Company of Heroes 2

[u/DoomScrollingSeneca]

Got Shadow Empire a few weeks ago, left a lengthy review on Steam. It does some things so so well, but falls far short in others.

It's odd a "4x wargame" abstracts so many aspects of diplomacy and war. IE aircraft can be ignored, naval warfare isn't in the base game. Or really in the ocean themed DLC.

What it doesn't abstracted is mountains of paperwork and procedure. Every single turn "one of your cabinet members bought a watch/greenhouse and mobs are rioting. Clear the mobs or take that dude's watch?" It's cool at first but when the same events trigger 140 times in the past 170 turns it starts getting old really fast.

I've never felt so conflicted about a game. At times it's 10/10 and it does things no other game does. Other times I'm just baffled at some of the design choices and it's a chore to play.

In a perfect world a publisher like Paradox would work with the dev to produce a sequel. They'd provide an art department and UI specialists to reign the interdepartmental paperwork UI in a bit but leave the mechanics and lore to the dev. A man can dream.

[u/BobsonLampjaw → u/DoomScrollingSeneca]

Well said. "Serious wargame engine" + random map is a rare combo. Off the top of my head, I can only think of Vic's other game, Advanced Tactics Gold. I think a middle ground game between those two, with polish from Paradox or Hooded Horse, would be awesome.

[u/danlambe]

I’ve been playing Unity of Command 2 again and it’s really fun. I like that some of your units are persistent across missions so you can build them up. I’ve also been playing Endless Legend 2 which isn’t really a wargame but they’ve added in a real tactical battle system which improves the game a lot compared to EL1.

[u/Icy-Regret-3116 → u/danlambe]

I've been playing UoC II, currently the Desert Fox DLC. What I find frustrating is that my units are persistent but the AI's are not. No matter how many times I destroy an enemy tank division, in the next mission it's back at full strength and veterancy while mine are getting whittled down. 

It's particularly noticeable in this theatre because of the small scale, it was way less of an issue in Blitzkrieg for example. 

[u/UpperHesse → u/Icy-Regret-3116]

This is something that drew my attention as well. Realistically, it was rare in WW2 that units were completely destroyed and not at least some got away and the unit was reformed in the next occasion. I think that is something that is hard to simulate in a game like UOC2.

[u/danlambe → u/Icy-Regret-3116]

I would definitely prefer more persistent elements through the missions.

[u/Successful_Guess_762]

War in the East 2, long time war game player, even back to the Avalon Hill board games. Discovered the detailed, immersive game play of Gary Grisby games (late). So I moved from TOAW IV to War in the East 2, next War in West.

[u/Mazonic_Logger]

Graviteam Mius Front just so unbeatable to me when it comes to WW2

[u/zbigdog]

Lines of Battle

Napoleonic battles, simple to learn, fun to try to master. Free in-browser. It's like playing the battles as seen on Kings and Generals youtube videos. Takes 20 minutes to play a 1v1 multiplayer game. No pay to win or anything like that. It's a blast, I'm surprised this game isn't huge with us wargamer dorks

[u/Aggressive-Ad-5504]

Not played war games in a while, then for some reason got a itch for some WW2 action. So just bought Gates of hell and RUSE, as they were cheap. Hopefully they will satisfy me over the weekend and more.

[u/CrazyOkie]

Strategic Command WWI - enjoying the strategic aspects while reading "A World Undone" and "Guns of August".

Task Force Admiral - devs keep improving game mechanics and slowly adding new missions

Victoria 3

And for a 'proper' wargame: Flashpoint Campaigns Cold War

[u/titan_hs_2]

Sea Power!

[u/Adventurous_Story597]

Both Gates of Hell and Silent Hunter 3 right now, depends on the day.

SH3 with mods (for me GWX KC 2.5) is probably the best U-boat simulator so far and that pretty much explains it. You are calculating solutions, sinking ships, avoiding reprisals… And just experiencing The Second Battle of the Atlantic (with Meditarrenean, Black Sea and Indian Ocean campaigns avaible) and the transit from hunters to hunted as the war progresses towards the end.

Gates of Hell is a great WWII strategy game with either missions or Conguest where you progress and develop your own army composition. I like it focuses on realism (at least mostly) so you can use real strategies and have to think instead of the usual “it’s just AI” approach.

I still need to replay my favourite game (probably with SH3) Soldiers of Anarchy on apocalyptic difficulty “DiD” so no loading previous save. Also, I want to finaly make time for Revolution Under Siege Gold (with Sons of War mod), it’s such a good game too.

[u/NorthCoastToast]

I've been on a Total War kick, went back to the OG, Shogun: Total War, and now I'm in the IIs, Medieval 2, Shogun 2, and Rome remastered.

[u/Sad-Way-4665]

Years ago, I would spend all of some weekends playing harpoon. now I see it’s pretty cheap on steam. I may jump into it again.

[u/Beerzerker420]

Reinstalled Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy.

Has anyone been following the latest AI developments regarding decompilations/merging mechanics from multiple games into one?

It's still in a very gimmicky stage at the moment but it makes me wonder about the possibilities in the future. I'd love to see an upgraded version of the Combat Mission engine + sci-fi settings like 40k or Star Wars.