Strategy Games are so much fun. Strategy War Games are the most fun! Let's find out the Top 15.
Is war the most frightening and horrid thing that can happen to humanity? Maybe. But war and video games go well together like peanut butter and jelly. Who doesn’t want to get inside historical well-known or maybe sci-fi war conflicts? The main objective in these types of games is a blast. Literally. You control big amounts of soldiers who are loyal to your every command and you get to blast everything in sight using them as much as you want. It is all up to you to strategize and lead them into that long-awaited victory. Here are the Top 15 Best Strategy War Games that test those commanding skills inside you.
15. Civilization 6
Civilization 6 - Launch Trailer
Civilization 6 is a game about the beginning and evolution of your civilization. You get to see it grow from a pack of nomads into a Terminator-style robotic haven. Growing your civilization through time will be involved in a lot of warfare, whether it is defensive and right, or just offensive and without a just cause. War in Civilization 6 is a big part of it, and some might argue that it is the most fun thing about the game.
Blast away cannons
It is very fun to play as a caveman and bump people’s heads with their wooden sticks, but as the game proceeds and you unlock a big chunk of the technology tree, you can feel the game actually changing as well. You have to explore new strategies, because right now the enemy instead of an arrow, has a firing stick and an even bigger one behind him!
Different kinds of modern military instruments
So make an alliance with Gandhi and attack Alexander the Great to steal his Rice fields! Boost and prioritize your technology skills to rush to the Robots ahead of your foes. Laser burn their cities into dust. Make sure you do everything you can in order for your Civilization to be the greatest of them all!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZREqsiafTxc - The lore behind every Fallout game.
14. Broken Arrow
Broken Arrow - Reveal Trailer
This should be the next big thing in the War Strategy genre. It is still not released nor does it have a release date, but I wanted to include it because of its huge potential. It is said to be an extremely massive-sized real-time modern warfare that implements a whole new perspective on the genre. It offers a very complex strategy war game system and a typical real-time action-packed shooter experience.
In-game footage of artillery being OP as usual
It has over 200 units to choose to directly control in your battles. You can choose the Russian and American factions. The biggest part of this game is of course the different combinations and ways how to outsmart your enemy on the battlefield. The roads are unlimited. My favorite thing is how customizable the instruments of war you are using are. Everything from how a tank feels and operates, to how ships fire upon from the skies, to how helicopters and planes fly above the enemy’s heads. Every small individual in this game has his own style and way that you can change and tweak to perfection.
The biggest and scariest thing to see in front of you - a TANK
So go ahead and choose your road to victory. Will it be from the sea? Or maybe throw tons of friendly soldiers across the map like god himself. Or just make a modern blitzkrieg with your cavalry of fast and swift tanks - the enemy will never see it coming! The biggest part of every battle is the planning before the firing and it is entirely up to you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySyMxD3CbIs - Modern warfare at its finest
13. WARNO
WARNO ‘Warning Order’ - Official Trailer
World War 3 is something that crosses our minds these days. But did you know that this isn’t anything new and it was much scarier and it could have really happened before? Oh, it did happen?! Well in WARNO it did. This is a game in which you lead NATO or the Soviets into total destruction. It is still in Early Access but the amount of research on war instruments in the Cold War Era it had, it’s crazy. It is so realistic and immersive that some might call this game a world war 3 simulator. In my opinion, it is.
This could be you leading your army and kicking ass
You get to command and customize your own Cold War battle troops. The ways you can do this are very broad -around 600 different military units-and changeable to your liking. The battlefields are all made to look like modern-day terrain and every map has its own meaning. It has every single detail up to small chicken farms and villages to make your immersion great. Yes, you can destroy those too. You get to control what feels like a real war, and you are actually the observer of something that someday might actually happen.
Tanks holding the line - You shall not pass!
So go on ahead and test your military skills in action! Get your artillery and tanks at the ready, and march your infantry to Ai enemies or multiplayer foes too. Turn big cities into dust just so you can say that they are yours. Who knows, you might even learn something about how to wage a real-time World War 3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6A7dw_42Ps - Humans in their natural habitat
12. Command and Conquer: Rise of the Reds (Generals Zero Hour mod)
Rise of the Reds - Release Trailer
Words aren’t needed when it comes to explaining Command and Conquer games. Just open the trailer, put your volume to the maximum, and hope that you have quality speakers or headsets. The music alone should let you know that you are in for tons of fun and explosions. This mod improves on the whole C&Q experience and makes this look like its own release. If you have nostalgia for these types of games, well be sure to check this out because it will surprise you how well it can keep up with modern strategy genres.
A full-on C&Q experience - war chaos everywhere
We all love this franchise because of all the things happening at once. The quiet period when you prepare for war and battle, and then just explosions, blood, and chaos everywhere. It is up to you to control your soldiers in this havoc, and just unleash hell on your enemy. Rise of the Reds improves on the old C&Q formula making everything much much better, and slightly new and fresh as well. There are a Russian and European Alliance new factions, and every other faction is greatly improved and worked on. Don’t get fooled by the year of release, if you’re looking for a real old-school war strategy game- this is the one for you.
My favorite in C&Q - nonstop airstrikes and bombing raids
So go on ahead and make the whole map dark after your big explosions. Cover your screen red from the blood of your enemies and conquer everything that can be conquered even after bombing them with nukes several times. Get your adrenaline as high as possible with his high-action-packed old-school strategy game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OCBfcQ83q4 - Queue heavy metal guitar
11. Age of Empires 4
Age of Empires 4 - Official Gameplay Trailer
For as far back the memory can go for each and every one of us strategy lovers, Age of Empires has always had that special place in our hearts. This strategy emphasizes the war sector, and it tops many others in the genre because of its simplicity and skillfulness at the same time. For many, this is the Dota or the Counter-Strike of the strategy genre. Age of Empires 4 is the newest edition, and it may have some issues at the moment, its potential is great and it has a vast multiplayer active community even right now. Try to play and improve yourself in these 500 years of Medieval combat warfare to become the best strategist ever.
In-game footage of an elephant attack
You know how you need to play some competitive games over and over again in order to get better. Well, that’s the case with Age of Empires 4. Every time you play you will discover a newer, better, and far more successful strategy than the last. It is highly addictive and rewarding. You get to choose from 8 different civilizations playing from the middle ages until the renaissance. How you upgrade and advance through the years is all up to you. How you lead your troops, and what you decide to use as an army, is also, entirely up to you. The real beauty of it is, especially in the multiplayer, that every once in a while a new strategy gets discovered and it changes the whole game meta. It has a lot of historical topics which are deeply researched and very fun.
High and sturdy walls are my strategy - defense is the best offense
So go on ahead and put in over 5.000 hours and perfect your own war strategy to t-bag over your multiplayer enemies. Master your favorite civilization from taming sheep to spamming archers. Go on a historical adventure and relive huge medieval moments. Relive the old-school Age of Empires games and nostalgia with this new edition. And believe me, this is as addicting as the others, and maybe more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4-tJMtAOpU - Just to see how far this franchise has come
10. Men of War 2
Men of War 2 - Official Trailer
Everybody knows the Men of War franchise, especially Men of War: Assault Squad 2. This is the long-awaited new edition of this beloved RTS game. Relive through that old nostalgia and World War 2 as you’re supposed to. Even though it is not released yet, the way the development diary has been and the road map of this game are outstanding. The future is very bright. Tons of new ways to improve on the old working formula. And again, that big single-player campaign will be finally back. No longer will it just be looked out after the multiplayer fanbase.
Defending your supply convoy from an ambush attack
The way this game tries to make you feel intense while playing is through realistic warfare. Everything feels natural and connected. The way you move your supplies, hide your infantry, or lay mines for the enemy tanks, is just smooth and you don’t get that sense of being overpowered. The environment is very destructible so the way to change your road to victory is up to you. You can play as the Allied or the Soviet campaigns leading their way to Berlin. The multiplayer experience is a whole different thing, as well as the co-op mode.
A friendly discussion between friends
So get your infantry to sacrifice themselves so that your tanks can pass through the enemy lines and destroy the living hell out of your enemy. Bombard forests into twigs so that no germans can be able to hide in there. Get yourself immersed in the beautiful World War 2 experience and try not to get humiliated by that genius new AI.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O87RY81XOVE - A little preview of the multiplayer aspect
9. Medieval 2: Total War
Medieval 2 Total War - Official Trailer
No matter what other strategy games I play, no matter how new and how stunning its visuals are - I still keep coming back to this oldie but goldie of a game. If you are a fan of the newer Total War games and you haven’t given Medieval 2 a chance, boy oh boy, are you in for a surprise. The nostalgia factor is huge, but somehow this game can keep up with everything of today’s strategy and total war standard, and even, in my opinion, excel some games. They even try to make mods to pass on the same experience as this game had, but still the original is unique.
Honey! The neighbors are here!
Dive deep inside the medieval ages and experience the warmongering of this era. Everybody around you, one way or another, is planning to go to war. It can be small, just for supplies, money, or prisoners. Or, it can be the biggest thing in the world - a full-scale Crusade of Jihad! You can play as many factions in this world, and how you tailor the experience is entirely up to you. You get to choose your tactics, how to improve on your generals, manage the economy, and grow your dynasty through marriages. And the most beautiful thing is how well the battles are handled in this masterpiece. The multiplayer community is still active, and the modding community is as well. No matter how old this game is, it is still very much alive.
Merging the tea and baguette into one country? Hell, why not
So sharpen your cross and lead your army into the heathen's land! This is how you spread love and positivity in the medieval ages. Forge family ties with all your neighbor countries just so you can backstab them and take all of their lands in the end. Wear your shields, because a new terrible pandemic is on its way to spread across the world - the MONGOLS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z8oM3d_3z0 - A battle to the death
8. Total War: Warhammer 3
Total War: Warhammer 3 - Official Cinematic Trailer
Warhammer franchise goes way back, even before gaming with books. We all love the Total War games because of their historical epic battles. But what about trying something new and delving into this living Warhammer world with very deep lore. Lots of people just gave up on the whole historical side from battles, like shield walls and rain of arrows to leading hordes of orcs and fire-breathing dragons. Total War: Warhammer 3 improves in a lot of aspects over the other Warhammer games, and it keeps going with the amazing story.
Be prepared to experience the most epic battles
Do not get thrown off by all these massive battles with tons of different units. Actually, that was what was holding me off the Warhammer franchise, but once I played it. Oh my god, my perspective changed. Going through the story and building your massive army filled with giants, undying zombies, sea pirates, chaos warriors with only the goal to destroy everything, Norse Viking style raiders, and plain old human empire. It has everything, and it is all so well connected and tied together, making you feel like this is part of history too. Warhammer 3 improves on the old games, as well as the story proceeds to meet its final conflict with darkness and despair. Multiplayer experience is a must-try at least once.
What a beautiful day to slaughter each other
So go on ahead and play as your dream orc to enslave every human being. Or maybe play as the hellraiser himself! The chaos to spread darkness and death everywhere. Build your dream empire in this fantasy world, level up your heroes, and modify them with weapons and gear to your liking, so they can duel 1v1 against every other lord in the land. Explore every playable faction, because each and every one of them is so different, it feels like you’re playing a whole new game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YdDNzseqo0 - You feel like you are a director of a sci-fi war movie while playing
7. Foxhole
Foxhole - Unofficial Trailer
Have you ever thought, what it must have been like just to be a regular soldier on a frontline? The waiting for the enemy, the hunger, the digging and building forts or trenches. The long-awaited supplies and bullets to start shooting again and take back control of lost land. Foxhole is a masterpiece of a game. I would call it art of how it shows you that one soldier fits inside the bigger picture of the war, and it is the most important. It is a unique and one and only game experience, where everything you do changes the outcome of the war and the world around you.
Trying to retake a small village after having controlled it for a month
You are walking with your comrades trying to surprise your enemy, and suddenly an artillery strike lands near you and kills your entire squad. This shot was actually fired by someone sitting behind the lines and arming, reloading, and shooting while talking about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. This is how real Foxhole gets. It gets you immersed into this whole wide world, where everything is moving and very changeable. The convoys that arrived with ammo and medical supplies, they are driven by a driver whose job is to supply the front. That trench that you are hiding inside was dug by someone 2 days ago. It has a way of making you feel that you matter because you do! You can play with different classes and multiplayer friends and together change the outcome of the long war in your favor.
This is what you will be thinking of before sleep
So go on ahead and become a World War ½ soldier and befriend lots of people in your squadron to go on offensives together. Build and dig trenches and cover walls so that your medic can heal the dead ones safer behind them. Artillery strike enemy bases and make them rage quit after being on patrol for hours. Forget about your girlfriend and family and build your own one in this wonderful masterpiece art of a strategy game!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PsS30fuT10 - No video can do justice to how amazing this game is
6. Call to Arms - Gates of Hell: Ostfront
Gates of Hell - Trailer
The well-known and beloved strategy war games from Call to Arms have done it again. Gates of Hell Ostfront is that new thing that will keep people talking about CTA titles. This is a DLC that of course requires to have the original Call to Arms to be able to play, but it functions like its own standalone and really feels like one. The whole setting set in World War 2 is amazing that goes very well with the Call to Arms strategy and 1st person highly combat active game.
You will be seeing a lot of these scenes in your gameplay
Go inside the Easter Front from the Barbarossa operation in 1941 to the end of the war in 1945. Face across all sorts of enemies in the vast front that stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea. A lot of soldiers. A lot. Lead them into the front, put them in cover while getting bombed, open suppressive fire, build flamethrowers on your tanks, and literally destroy your enemy in order to advance and be the winner of the war. There is a very fun and dynamic campaign, as well as a very big variety of multiplayer options to play with your friends. The most fun thing for me is how you can switch from a birds-eye view to holding a rifle in your hands and shooting through a small crack in a window towards your enemies. For a lot of strategy lovers, this is the main point that makes this game a fan favorite.
You ordered these soldiers to ambush, now you play as one
So go on ahead and order your troops to war and chaos while simultaneously being one of them yourself. Control the airspace and burn everything in 1st person with your flamethrower tank. Or maybe go historical campaigns and order and lead your soldiers into a victory. The options are vast, and the fun is unending.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iF3Yboi2Wls - You feel like you are in Saving Private Ryan while playing
5. Company of heroes 2
Company of Heroes 2 - Gameplay Trailer
Company of Heroes 2 is that RTS game that we used to love and enjoy a long time ago. But this game just keeps getting better and better with every DLC added since then. If you haven’t played it in a long time, believe me, try it and it feels as fresh as ever. Just like it is a brand new release. If you thought the AI was good back then, well this game is using a new engine that makes the AI feels almost like real-time players. Company of Heroes 2 is that RTS that questions your every move, just before you decide to take it.
Believe it or not, this is in-game
It can become really chaotic at times like in this picture, but hell, it is World War 2 isn’t it?! You can choose between playing the Soviets, German east army, German special west army, and with the DLCs, you can get U.S. and British forces as well. The amount of choices for war instruments is crazy and very very different. Every single battle feels different than the last. The real beauty of it is the unit versatility as well as timing advantage. It is set as historical or can be modified, but as you proceed with the war, the battles are changing in favor of other factions which gives it very unique gameplay. There are single-player campaigns which are very fun, but multiplayer is where this game shines in my opinion.
Yeah try to split up your troops, because that plane is blasting them to pieces
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lAFMjvBzCo - Hyping you up for the upcoming Company of Heroes 3
4. Steel Division 2
Steel Division 2 - Launch Trailer
Are you ready to push your limits in the war strategy RTS sector? Well, Steel Division 2 is the game for you. This game puts you in charge of the whole front and you decide what to and with what to attack your enemy as well as how to coordinate your plans. How the whole game operates makes you feel like you are really the commander of all these actions, and the outcome changes from a single infantry squad getting deployed by you into a different area of control.
You zoom out all the way or zoom in all the way into your soldier's rifle
The strategy plays a big part in Steel Divison 2. You have these huge vast maps, which are all different and historically accurate that go 150x100 km. And on top of all that, you have an even bigger map of Europe. You control every single decision of your army, the infrastructure, the supplies to your troops, what to bring into battle, and what to use as reinforcement. The Dynamic Strategic Campaign brings in a very real side of the war. The battles can last hours, and how you play them out, is all up to you. Choose over 600 historical units, and between different factions of World War 2. There are tons of multiplayer events and it is highly addictive to play team vs. team.
Customizing your Panzer and army
So go on ahead and make that big flank that will take 2 hours to go across these huge maps just to flank and surprise your enemy. Send an army full of grenade launchers as well as bazookas and destroy forests as you go just so the view is more clear. Lead the biggest of tank convoys and never forget - artillery is op!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHCk49NK4ns - Spreading communism with love
3. Graviteam Tactics: Minus-Front
Graviteam Tactics: Mius-Front Trailer
I can describe this whole experience as a real simulation. Maybe the controls are not so user-friendly, but once you get a hang of it and master all the little peccadilloes, this game will be a blast for you. I have put it so high on the list, even though it is not very played or well known, but really the whole tactics and the soldier in-game controls make this really worthwhile. Everything is made very realistic and may be complex, but at the same time very rewarding and enjoyable.
That quiet period where you can hear your inner thoughts before shooting
It has these long periods where you are just thinking of what would be the best strategy, as a real commander in a sense. Everything you do will impact your chance of success. The biggest thing for me is those big wide open maps and how you interact with them. It is not made to be full of chaos and shooting at all times, but as a real-life battlefield - there’s havoc, and there’s peace in the chaos. You operate on the map with how to move your army, and you get inside real-time battles where tactics are needed. It is highly replayable and the battle simulations are very intense. Almost everything can be blown off which is a big bonus, and seeing that ultra-realistic soldier behavior is very welcoming and unique.
Throw all the arrows on them!
So go on ahead and put on your tanker cap as you are about to enrich your historical war strategy simulation. Control full large-scale World War 2 operations and add your tactical touch into it all like Salt Bae himself! Immerse yourself and try to get to the realism of a real-time war strategy game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lkA-7CxiM0&t=1399s - Just a little preview of how realistic this game is
2. Wargame: Red Dragon
Wargame: Red Dragon - Trailer
From the creators of WARNO, this is their older game but do not ever let the release date fool you. This is a masterpiece of a war strategy game. The things that you see on the trailer? They do not do justice to how well this game performs and handles war. It is the same scenario as always, it is a World War 3 between the western and the communist bloc but it makes everything seem so realistic and breathtaking. You can almost spot a tractor stealing a tank along the road.
Getting Gandalf flashbacks
This game is an RTS treasure in my opinion. Maybe WARNO is going to outdo it, but for now, this takes the lead. You can play as 17 nations into a full-scale war and use a selection of 1.450 units to destroy the world! You are the commander on the drawing board, you are leading helicopters, planes, tanks, and also the biggest warships you have ever seen. Every battle from big to small has its own intensity and tactical depth and yet you see it all. From planes making bombing runs onto a building to a couple of infantry soldiers holding a bridge from a convoy of tanks. Maps are huge and realistic it has a campaign system too, as well as the choice to play multiplayer battles with up to 20 people.
Control, control all the territory!
So go on ahead and try your chance to fall in love with this game after getting your ass kicked multiple times over and over again. Strategize and learn how to prioritize artillery over everything else, because everyone knows it is the most op thing ever. Hunt down enemy commanders to bombard them into pieces with rockets. Never forget, getting frustrated is for noobs. Keep going and believe me, you will fall in love with this amazing Strategy War Game and in a blink, you will have well over 1.000 hours of gameplay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2witXv8hGBE - Using artillery is a sign of a very high IQ
1. Hearts of Iron 4
Hearts of Iron 4 - 5th Anniversary Trailer
The best of the best War Strategy Game in my opinion. This is a grand strategy where the opportunities and ways to do even the smallest of thing is changeable and customizable by you - the leader of a World War 2 nation. What happens behind those tanks being led into a blitzkrieg, or those paratroopers falling from the skies, how about a massive infantry march? Well, it all comes from your planning it on the drawing table and making all sorts of crazy ideas about how to win the war.
Spreading the anime culture throughout the world
You don’t get directly thrown into the war conflict. Instead, you start in 1936 and have some time to get ready for the war. Will you choose to go historical, or side with some bloc? Maybe create a new one? Whatever it is, these years of peace before the war feel like the most relaxing thing ever, building infrastructure, designing tank models, whether to focus on guns, supplies, planes, or walls. You plan for a long time, and then when the first bomb lands, then another game starts. You choose your commanders and start drawing arrows and lines about where your troops should move and attack. Hope that the technology that you researched will be better than the enemies and there’s no looking back! The Multiplayer experience is the most beautiful thing in this game, modding community is also superb.
How will you lead your troops into battle?
So go ahead, and never forget to put 50% of your war factories into artillery production. Build your infrastructure, industry as well as political stability in your country for better war propaganda! -Of course, we are the good guys in this war. Have the biggest army of them all, just to see them get nuked to dust. How will you lead your nation, which path will you take which will grant you total victory?. This Strategy War game brings it all, peacetime, the planning time, the fighting time, and the post-war time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nLKYChTBdw - It is the Christmas spirit with lights everywhere
