Games like "Total War", but with a modern warfare setting?

[Neduz]

Hi!
There are quite many strategy games out there depicting different eras of warfare. We have the Total War series, which let us play through ancient time to the more recent Napoleon wars and even fantasy (Warhammer).

I'm playing, and really liking Total War: Warhammer 2 and am going to dig into more Total War games further on, like Three Kingdoms. The way this is played, on a grand scale strategic map with real time battles on different battlefields. Diplomacy, Real time battles, exploring and all that makes up a great Total War game.

What I wonder is if there's any game out there like this, but in a more modern setting? From the first two world wars and forward. I already own several paradox games (like Hearts of Iron 3 and 4) but they lack the real time battles that are found in Total War.

[The Warmongering Khan]

The problem is that modern warfare got rid of box formations meaning the total war formula no longer works.

[RED /(Weber)\]

Originally posted by The Warmongering Khan:

The problem is that modern warfare got rid if box formations meaning the total war formula no longer works.

Starting with ww1 onwards mass troop deployments and formations became smaller to the point it's not 3000-2000 army stacks moving all over the world as well.

And static emplacements became more common, trench lines, concrete fortifications, and not to mention more rapidly firing guns.

[Regal Beagle]

Originally posted by Nick:

Hi!
There are quite many strategy games out there depicting different eras of warfare. We have the Total War series, which let us play through ancient time to the more recent Napoleon wars and even fantasy (Warhammer).

I'm playing, and really liking Total War: Warhammer 2 and am going to dig into more Total War games further on, like Three Kingdoms. The way this is played, on a grand scale strategic map with real time battles on different battlefields. Diplomacy, Real time battles, exploring and all that makes up a great Total War game.

What I wonder is if there's any game out there like this, but in a more modern setting? From the first two world wars and forward. I already own several paradox games (like Hearts of Iron 3 and 4) but they lack the real time battles that are found in Total War.

If you want a "modern warfare" setting but can't find a Total War-like game - play as Skavenblight.

You can legit just use Ratling Gunners, Jezz Rails, and Doom Wheels. Boom, Mah-Duce .50 cal teams, M249 gunner teams with AG, and Abrams with main gun and Coax malfunction.

Also, you obviously have small scale tactical nukes. So, you're a first world power surrounded by third world types

[THE_RaBiD_CanuK]

There's the Wargame series by Eugen Systems. The last one was Wargame: Red Dragon. Feels a bit like a modern Total War game. They also did a WW2 game called Steel Division. Focuses mostly on the battles.

Check it out.

[Raider Deci]

Not the complete package with campaign and stuff. Closest is problaby the Steel Division-series, only battles through an army-deck selection and depics ww2-battles in a fantastic way.

[Neduz]

Thanks alot for your replies! I've been looking at Steel Division 2, as it looks very promising. Is it worth a buy? I'll probably love it, I just wanted more of the "overview" gameplay aswell. Like a combination of Hearts of Iron 4 and Steel Division, or something.

[Neduz]

But I see your point @RED Floyd, WW1 really did change warfare and brought the classic way of fighting to an abrupt end.

[eatonpye]

Originally posted by Nick:

But I see your point @RED Floyd, WW1 really did change warfare and brought the classic way of fighting to an abrupt end.

The Franco-Prussian War was the final nail, really, but the warning gong was sounded in the US Civil War, where significant advances in firepower resulted in mass slaughter on the field, and taking cover and field fortifications began to be a major trend to counter it. The old ways were dead before WWI. The Great War was all about trying to figure out the counter to the counter to the old ways.

[mk11]

There are the Close Combat series of games. There are also the games from Graviteam Tactics.

Both have an operational level map with real-time tactical combat. No grand strategy level.

The Close Combat series was remastered a few years back and there are new games from Slitherine.

[RED /(Weber)\]

Originally posted by eatonpye:

Originally posted by Nick:

But I see your point @RED Floyd, WW1 really did change warfare and brought the classic way of fighting to an abrupt end.

The Franco-Prussian War was the final nail, really, but the warning gong was sounded in the US Civil War, where significant advances in firepower resulted in mass slaughter on the field, and taking cover and field fortifications began to be a major trend to counter it. The old ways were dead before WWI. The Great War was all about trying to figure out the counter to the counter to the old ways.

Also a fantastic point, I overlooked that too. And to add on, the Russo Japanese War also basically showed a hint of what ww1 would be with trench warfare being used extensively. Pretty much a big reason 40K would be great as a Call To Arms/Men of War or CoH type game.
I hope that happens after DoW3 flopped.

[utilityguy]

Originally posted by THE_RaBiD_CanuK:

There's the Wargame series by Eugen Systems. The last one was Wargame: Red Dragon. Feels a bit like a modern Total War game. They also did a WW2 game called Steel Division. Focuses mostly on the battles.

Check it out.

Yeah. At least from what I've seen, Warfame: Red Dragon's the closest type of game you'll get to what can be a Modern take on Total War.

[Depresspacito]

WARNO is a good option for the real-time battles but again lacks a campaign, WARNO is based during a theoretical cold War gone hot. And there is a game coming out that is modern called Broken Arrow that will likely follow a very similar formula to WARNO. Believe me when I say I am definitely in the same market. If total war adapted their formula for modern warfare I would sink days into it.

Edit: WARNO is a spiritual successor to Red Dragon and I believe shares many devs.