Command from the tent, not the battlefield
Radio General puts you in a WWII command tent with a map and a radio. You never see your units directly. Instead, companies call in verbal reports and you send orders back by speaking into a microphone. The game uses speech recognition for this, so your voice is the interface. Reports come in confused and incomplete, which is the point: you decide what to believe and act anyway. Behind the scenes the game models ammunition, morale, camouflage, sight and stamina, and terrain matters a lot. Forests favour ambushes by smaller forces, roads speed movement but leave you exposed, and hills boost spotting distance, range and damage. Companies have their own strengths, weaknesses and personalities, and some officers may refuse a retreat order. Veterans gain specializations, and units need rest between missions or they fight poorly.
Playing the campaign with a friend
Radio General has online co-op, and the whole campaign can be played with a comrade at your side. Custom missions from the Steam Workshop work cooperatively too. Two commanders means two sets of eyes on the map and two voices on the radio, which helps when reports contradict each other and you have to pick a plan fast. Since orders go out by voice, coordinating who speaks for which sector keeps the radio traffic clear.
Before you start
Speech recognition is English only, is not available on Mac, and works best with a North American accent and a good microphone. Plan your hardware and language settings before you commit to a session. The campaign runs from the perspective of the 1st Canadian Army, covering the Dieppe Raid, the Hitler and Gothic Lines in Italy, the Normandy landings and the closing of the Falaise Gap. There is a map editor for building your own battles and sharing them through Steam Workshop, plus a collection of historical photos, documents and video about how soldiers lived through the war.