7 – WarPlan Pacific
When I interviewed Alvaro, the developer of WarPlan Pacific, he described his idea for the game as this: “The game series idea came about because I found a niche in the World War 2 grand strategy games that was missing. A pure wargame that was more complex than Strategic Command but less than War in the East”. The WarPlan series is the perfect choice for anyone who wants a streamlined, yet deep, wargame experience for the Europe (with the first game) and the Pacific Theater (with WarPlan Pacific). This title, available at a great price during the Matrix Summer Sale 2025, elegantly blends the feel of a classic board game with the power of a digital simulation. It puts you in charge of logistics, naval battles, and amphibious invasions across the entire theater of war, all without the overwhelming complexity of other titles. Its fast-paced and engaging gameplay offers great replayability, making it a stellar addition to your library.
6 – Close Combat – Cross of Iron
If you’re the kind of player who’s looking for an older wargame to relive your glory days as a tactical commander, then there’s one series that truly captures the human element of battle: The Close Combat series. In case you haven’t played it yet, then I would advise you to look no further than Close Combat – Cross of Iron. This re-release of a classic has a unique pausable real-time system and a celebrated psychological morale model, making every battle feel visceral and authentic. No longer are your soldiers mindless drones blindly following your orders, and they’ll now react to what’s going on around them and try to simulate human behaviour in combat. This game takes place on the brutal Eastern Front, but there are plenty of other Close Combat titles you can take a look at on the Matrix Summer Sale 2025 if you’re interested in operations on the Western Front.
5 – Command: Modern Operations
Let’s get this out of the way right now: If you’re looking to get your hands on the pinnacle of modern military simulation, then there’s no better game than Command: Modern Operations. Featuring an enormous, meticulously researched database of modern military hardware (which has dozens of thousands of entries) and a seamless global map, this game allows you to command air, naval, and land forces with unparalleled realism (with a focus on naval and air). With this amount of complexity comes a very steep learning curve, but few moments in wargaming compare to the feeling you get when you finally manage to execute your perfect air strike. Dozens of armies around the world use Command: Modern Operations as a tool for training and wargaming, so if you’re the kind of player who wants the closest thing they can have to reality, and something that’s used by military analysts, then this is the game you’ve been looking for.
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