In the void left by Command and Conquer, many RTS games have emerged trying to take the crown of the legendary series. Titles like Company of Heroes 3, World in Conflict and Men of War 2 all tip their hats to the king of the genre and explore different takes on military RTS action. Upcoming game Broken arrow It looks like this might be the most ambitious of them all, combining RTS mechanics with the in-depth look at military hardware seen in titles like War Thunder or World of Tanks. It just launched its latest playtest and is already storming the charts for Steam players.
Which is immediately established Broken arrow apart from everything else there is the breadth of the RTS game‘s simulation. It’s not enough to give you small maps to fight over – these battlefields are huge, detailed environments that sometimes feel remarkably realistic. These massive arenas can contain varying terrain, meaning you’ll need to take different approaches to achieving your objectives.
If there is water, you can deploy naval units such as hovercrafts and land troops in ports to capture key locations. Your forces send in soldiers, tanks and fast attack vehicles to protect areas from enemy incursions, relying on air support to keep them safe. You can launch paratroopers behind enemy lines, or send helicopters to attack deep into enemy territory. It’s almost a complete overview of the different ways you can wage war, and if it succeeds, it could very well pick up the torch that Command and Conquer dropped.
Another aspect that makes Broken Arrow stand out is its almost slavish devotion to military accuracy. It features over 200 different accurately recreated military units, vehicles and technologies, all of which you can take a closer look in the game’s customization menu.
Yep, that’s right, Broken Arrow isn’t just content with giving you loads of military toys to play with, you can customize them to better fulfill the role you want them to play on the battlefield. You can change the equipment of planes, tanks and more, allowing you to make important tactical decisions before the mission has even started.
The Broken Arrow multiplayer playtest is now live on Steam and you can participate for free. Go to the announcement post for more information and to join the nearly 8,500 other players currently playing at the time of writing.
If you need something different in your life, our guides to the best war games and the best strategy games is sure to keep your tactical mind occupied for a long time to come.
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