Do you want to start playing Wargames in 2024 but don’t know how and which to choose? I’ve been there some years back, and I know how daunting it is. Join me in this journey where I’ll show you my personal and curated list of what I consider to be the best wargames you can play on PC in 2024.

If you want to add your opinion below and help fellow wargamers choose other games, please feel free to comment and post your list down below.

Here’s my definition of wargame: a videogame that does its best to replicate in an authentic and semi-realistic manner the nature of warfare, no matter the scale, no matter the genre.

20 – Battle Academy

Never played a wargame before but getting ready to jump into wargaming? Have a go with Battle Academy, the friendliest of wargames. It’s the easiest game to get going and it frequently goes on sale at Steam for pennies on the dollar. Battle Academy deserves a spot in every beginner’s library.

The game offers a diverse range of units, including infantry, tanks, artillery, and aircraft, each with strengths and weaknesses. One of the key features of Battle Academy is its simple control system, which allows players to easily select units, move them around the battlefield, and engage in combat. The game’s interface is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing players to focus on strategy and tactics rather than wrestling with complicated controls.

Battle Academy was one of my first wargames when I got into the genre in 2017, and I remember penning some thoughts into paper on how great it was for someone starting when compared to other, more complicated titles. Sure, it doesn’t even come close to games like WDS Squad Battles in terms of realism but if you’re just getting started, then it doesn’t get any easier than Battle Academy.

19 – Unity of Command 2

Unity of Command 2 is always lauded as the grand-strategy wargame entry title that every newcomer to the wargaming genre should try. It’s a fun, enjoyable and simplistic take on the classic turn-based, hex and counter formula that’s commonly associated with wargames (imagine titles like Panzer Corps and Panzer General).

You’ll be directing divisions of troops, not individual soldiers, and managing the key element to success in warfare: your supply lines. Unity of Command has a very aggressive nature to it, making these lifelines of ammunition, fuel and supplies intrinsical to the success of your offensives. Fog of war adds a layer of tension as you won’t have complete intel on enemy positions, requiring you to use recon tactics to scout before massive armoured trusts. Victory hinges on this subtle balance between aggression, keeping troops well-fed and in fighting condition, all the while avoiding the numerous pitfalls of bad strategic decisions.

Another plus is that Unity of Command 2 usually goes for very cheap on Steam sales and it has copious amounts of DLC content if you really want to dig into it. If you’re looking for a more serious version of a game like this, you should give Panzer Corps 2 a go.

18 – Scourge of War: Waterloo

Outdated, convoluted and confusing are just a couple of the negatives I can point at to Scourge of War: Waterloo. It is, in fact, a game that has outstayed its welcome… However! And this is important, so pay attention. No other game manages to so perfectly capture the size, scale and complexity of command of Napoleonic battles quite as well as Scourge of War: Waterloo. In its essence, SoW is a real-time-strategy title with a lot of strings attached: Orders are passed down the chain of command via couriers, and battles are slow, draw-out affairs that might go on for hours, each regiment can be carefully positioned if you wish, or its command delegated to your officers.

Scourge of War is the definition of extreme realism in the musket era. Researched as deeply as some academic thesis, this game might as well be featured in some History university courses as a mandatory bibliography, because the amount of details it packs is astonishing. From weapons to uniforms, from the chain of command to belt buckles, no other title does Napoleon justice as much as this. I remember watching Three Moves Ahead when it was good and someone commented on it: in Scourge of War you don’t see the Prussians approaching, “you see the whole of Prussia”.

There’s also an American Civil War title called Scourge of War: Gettysburg, which is equally dense and impressive.

17 – Cauldrons of War

Cauldrons of War games are weird and delightful. On one hand, it’s a very different kind of game from what I’m used to and if something is new, it usually excites me. On the other hand, it’s so fast-paced and so simple I tend to lose interest in the campaign I’m playing currently, and every time I boot the game up I start a new one.

The game is a “turn-based strategic wargame you will launch whenever you want your WW2 shot but don’t have time for a monster strategy game”. It’s a nice mix between a choose-your-own misadventure World War 2 game paired up with a turn-based, grand strategy with some superficial management when it comes to battles. It gives you the feeling of being in Berlin or Moscow making high-level, strategic decisions without all the fluff and micromanagement games like Hearts of Iron, and War In The East 2 entail.

16 – Second Front

Second Front is a deceivingly traditional wargame, slapped with some digital lipstick and disguised as something new. It is a World War II turn-hex-based, 3D tactical game at the squad level, meaning that every unit you control is either a squad, a vehicle, a gun, a tank, or officers. The combatants have a go at each other in turns, but not quite as you would expect it. You see, every turn is comprised of four distinct moments: an explicit “movement and fire”; a reaction fire phase; an advance phase that lets you move one more hex; and a recovery/melee phase when routed units have a chance to regain their composure and engage in melees.

Second Front is a game that excels in the amount of detail it packs into every single unit and almost every single engagement. I’ve called it a “Magnum Opus despite all its flaws” in my review. The game’s packed with scenarios, campaigns and units. Add to that the game launched with Steam Workshop integration working from the get-go, and a very robust mission editor and Second Front is sure to keep you entertained for ages. The reason why it’s not ranking higher on this list is that it’s not the most intuitive of titles to play if you’re new to the genre and, to be fair, it’s turn-system, despite being very complex and allowing for a lot of player freedom, is also convoluted and it makes battles last way longer than they should.

Read my review with Jo Bader, the developer behind Second Front if you want to learn more!

15 – The Great War: Western Front

The Great War: Western Front stands out as one of the best RTS games of World War 1, offering a unique and engaging experience in 2024. It’s a convenient yet captivating option—ideal for a quick gaming session before returning to other activities. Completing a single campaign demands approximately 20 hours, more if you opt to engage in every battle. Positioned on the Western Front, the game naturally transforms most battles into challenging, meat-grinding slogs.

Distinguished as one of the best RTS in 2023 by Strategy and Wargaming, The Great War innovatively combines strategic planning on a grand map with tactical control of units on the ground. This distinctive blend proves remarkably effective, notwithstanding somewhat repetitive battles. The persistent terrain damage and trench layouts across campaigns prevent monotony, ensuring that revisiting the same battleground remains compelling. The game’s ability to capture the essence of World War 1 is particularly noteworthy.

Consider The Great War: Western Front as your go-to choice for the Best RTS and wargame set during the First World War, offering a refreshing take on historical strategy gaming with its intriguing mix of grand strategy and tactical control.

14 – Grand Tactician: The Civil War (1861-1865)

Don’t be fooled by the naysayers that shout how inferior Grand Tactician: The Civil War (1861-1865) is inferior to its tactical counterparts like Scourge of War: Gettysburg, and Sid Meyer’s. Name one other game that allows you to take control of either side in a Grand Campaign while also giving players the ability to lead their troops from the front, Total War style? I would that few do Civil War as well as Grand Tactician. The campaign is massive and complex, and the battles are big and long affairs that mimic the confusion and order delays (borrowing a bit from Scourge of War) of their real-life counterparts.

Despite its rocky launch, 3 years have gone by, and the team behind Grand Tactician has been steadily toiling away and has launched massive patches adding new weapons, quality of life upgrades, 3D models and even going as far as revamping the whole economy. In 2023 they launched a new DLC titled Whisky&Lemons that introduced a fantastic and very unique take on the whole thing, by having a character-driven campaign that sees players rising through the ranks as officers during the American Civil War.

13 – Arma 3

Few lists can forfeit the presence of Arma 3, and this is no exception. Arma 3 is the universal WarSim and Military Sandbox from a first-person perspective.

What makes Arma 3 earn its spot on every list isn’t just the realistic physics, sprawling maps, detailed weaponry, and massive online community dedicated to simulating every known conflict under the sun. Instead, what makes Arma 3 the go-to milsim is its dedicated modding community. These passionate folk are responsible for the creation of- literally- thousands of weapons and vehicles, maps, equipment, missions and everything else in between.

Pair that up with the lovely real-time editor that allows you to modify your missions on the fly, and Arma 3 stands tall as the go-to military shooter, even a decade after it originally came out.

12 – Hearts of Iron 4

Hearts of Iron 4 is an amazing game that managed to introduce a whole new generation of players to the idea of wargames and military strategy. This grand strategy title from Paradox is set before, during and after the Second World War, with the fantastic premise that you can take any nation in the World, no matter how small, and guide its destiny across one of the most convoluted times in History.

I heavily disagree with those who accuse the title of being a dumbed-down version of previous titles, and instead, I would argue its focus changed a bit, and it removed a lot of the busy work the previous entry entailed. It’s a game whose focus is on commanding a nation as well as its army, navy, airforce, and the logistical nightmare it was to have a proper war economy running.

Criticisms on how Hearts of Iron 4 leans heavily into its alt-history are certainly legit, and this might put off some people looking for a more realistic experience. Hearts of Iron shed the hardcore military simulator skin the third entry had, but managed to successfully replace that with a sense of control and endless possibilities. It isn’t realistic, but it sure is fun and authentic. If you’re looking for a more military-focused grand-strategy title, Hearts of Iron 3 costs less than 10 dollars and it’s still pretty great for a 15-year-old title.

11 – Command: Modern Operations

When it comes to simulating the complexity of modern warfare in videogame format, Command: Modern Operations has no equal, and this isn’t even me exaggerating. Command: Modern Operations is the definitive experience if you want to simulate any military conflict post World War 2 at a tactical and operational level. Ground, sea and air operations are all possible to model with this title to an absurd degree of accuracy and complexity. Heck, some say the equipment database (it has around 70K entries, I believe, but don’t quote me on that) alone is worth the asking price of 80 dollars!

Just in case you’re still doubting how real Command: Modern Operations is, well it’s the commercial version of a title called Command Professional Edition that’s used by organizations such as the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, the Royal Navy and the Luftwaffe.

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