Introduction
Just from the title alone, you already know this one is going to be a fun one. I’m of the firm opinion that the last decade, from 2016 to 2026, has been really nice to the wargaming genre, and that we have received some absolute gems and, in all honesty, some of the all-time greats.
Such a niche genre also attracts a very passionate player, so I cannot wait for you to let me know what your favorite wargames are, and why they should be included in the best wargames of the last decade! Remember that this is my list, and I haven’t played all existing wargames, so there’s a chance that some titles are missing because I didn’t have the chance to play them.
12 – The Troop
For years, wargamers have lacked a decent entry-level title to convince their friends that wargames were actually cool, and not at all something that only history nerds and people who spend their days on old forums enjoy! To me, that game needed 3 things: Accessibility, good graphics, and a familiar setting. Welcome to the room, The Troop, a turn-based, platoon-level tactical game set during the battle for Normandy that manages to achieve all of the above and still packs one of the best artificial intelligences I have ever faced in a strategy game to date. Capable of laying down suppressive fire, using combined arms tactics, and acting as a decent captain. Add to that the fact that the game is filled to the brim with content, with several campaigns, well over 50 missions, and a battlegroup game mode that offers limitless replayability.
11 – Cauldrons of War – Barbarossa
This article has several monster wargames in it, most of which will keep you busy for weeks if not months. Possibly even years, as you try to finish a grand campaign from beginning to end. It was as a counterpart to that that Cauldrons of War: Barbarossa was born. A turn-based strategic wargame that tackles the infamous enormity of the Eastern Front in just a couple of hours, enough that you can get a game done and over with in a single sitting. Ditch the hex and counters and focus on operations, the composition of your forces, and high-level decision making. It’s also a great game for beginners.
10 – Wargame Design Studio – American Revolutionary War
The titles from Wargame Design Studio (formerly John Tiller Software) evoke only one of two reactions: absolute reverence among those who enjoy the games (as is my case), or complete unfamiliarity among everybody else. Fortunately, the team has been working on taking their games to Steam, and we will see more of the first and less of the second going forward. But I wanted to talk about their latest titles, the just realease American Revolutionar War, which earned widespread acclaim on the part of the series’ fans, as well as Chris, our resident WDS expert, which game it a 10 out of 10 score, calling it a revolution in wargaming qualirtyt due to tis focus on historical accuracy, beutiful artwork and quantity of content, with 147 scenarios and 4 campaigns.
9 – Ultimate General: Civil War
Ultimate General: Civil War isn’t the groundbreaking wargame that its predecessor, Gettysburg, was. However, it manages to take what made it so beloved by players and improve on every single aspect, while keeping the core ideas of simplicity of controls, a clean user interface, and deep combat mechanics intact. Add on top of that a dynamic campaign where the player can manage their army during the entirety of the American Civil War, and voilá, you have the best game the Ultimate series has ever produced. The old heads of the genre still love to shake their fists at the sky and curse at how no Civil War is as great as Sid Meyer’s, but Ultimate General surely begs to differ.
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