Command a Cold War force on real German terrain
Flashpoint Campaigns: Cold War is a grand tactical combat simulation where you take the role of force Commander over battalion, brigade, or regimental forces. Battles are fought on rendered real-world maps of the German area of battle, with each hex covering 500m of militarily significant terrain on maps of 20km x 15km or larger. A single battle runs 4 to 24 hours of in-game time and can take place at any time of day and in any realistic weather conditions. Your forces are arranged as maneuver units of companies, platoons, and sections of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, infantry squads and teams, recon forces, engineers, air-defense and anti-tank systems, helicopters, and more. The simulation models Electronic Warfare, Air Superiority, Realistic Weather, Line of Sight and Fire, Terrain and Elevation, Smoke and Mines, plus human factors like training, morale, and readiness. Weapon systems of the era, including guns, missiles, precision munitions, and small arms, are comprehensively modeled, and each nation carries its own National Characteristics, Command Parameters, and Orders of Battle.
Fight through asynchronous WEGO turns
The engine runs on asynchronous WEGO turns, which is how a group plays this together. You and your opponent issue orders and set Standard Operating Procedures, then a variable amount of time unfolds on the battlefield. You then read what happened and adjust orders to react, trying to outmaneuver and outthink the other side's battle plan. Online PvP is supported, so two players can work through this loop against each other. As Commander you also call on off-map assets like long-range artillery, rockets, or airstrikes as force multipliers, and you may face the choice of using chemical or nuclear weapons to support your forces on the map. The new Tactical Transport feature, which includes Air Assaults, lets you move forces with helicopters or trucks around the battlefield in a coordinated and planned way. Refined unit SOPs and order queuing, along with an improved user interface, handle both new and experienced players.
What to know before starting
This is a data-rich simulation, so expect to spend time reading information dialogs, map overlays, and range rings to understand your force's capabilities. Several tutorials, covering basic, intermediate, and advanced features of the game system, let players learn at their own pace. The game ships with over 100 Cold War scenarios in total: 60+ independent scenarios and 10 campaigns, run either as solo national efforts or with allied nations, across 80 plus maps and equipment from 1980 to 1989 for the United States, Great Britain, France, Canada, Belgium, West Germany, Russia (Soviet Union), East Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia. Every scenario has multiple computer player battle plans, and the base computer player reacts and deviates from those plans as needed, so battles stay dynamic. Illumination rounds light up the night skies to help spot enemies, and improved spotting and combat models sit alongside refined resupply controls for ammunition and critical munitions. Players can also create their own scenarios and campaigns and modify game data, artwork, and sound effects, with detailed documentation supporting all of it.