Armored Brigade

About

Armored Brigade is a tactical wargame set in the mid-Cold War era. Players command a brigade-sized force of either NATO or Warsaw Pact troops in intense, turn-based combat. With a focus on realism and historical accuracy, the game features a vast array of units, detailed environments, and advanced physics simulations. Lead your forces to victory in large-scale, dynamic battles across diverse landscapes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 226 reviews

story8 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

Armored Brigade offers a deep and engaging tactical experience, allowing players to simulate Cold War-era battles with a wide variety of units and scenarios.
The game features a robust mission generator that provides endless replayability, enabling players to create custom battles on large, detailed maps.
The user interface is intuitive, making it accessible for both newcomers and veterans of the wargaming genre, while still offering a challenging and rewarding gameplay experience.

The lack of a comprehensive tutorial can make it difficult for new players to learn the mechanics, leading to a steep learning curve.
Some players have reported issues with the game's AI, which can be predictable and occasionally exploitative, detracting from the overall challenge.
The absence of multiplayer options limits the game's replayability and social interaction, which could enhance the experience for many players.

story
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
84%
4%
The game's story aspect is minimal, primarily consisting of briefings for pre-made missions, which some players find lacking in depth and narrative engagement. However, the robust mission and campaign generator allows for extensive replayability and customization, enabling players to create unique tactical scenarios that can feel more immersive than the limited pre-built content. While the game lacks a traditional story-driven campaign, its dynamic mission system and user-generated content provide a platform for players to craft their own narratives within the gameplay.
- “The generated mission system is amazing.”
- “The real gems in this are the campaign generator, mission editor, and scenario editor, which allows you to pick your battlefield(s) from the area of one of many huge master maps, accurately reflecting the terrain of several different areas such as Germany or Finland, each with their own unique terrain features to overcome with your forces.”
- “Finally, a worthy successor to the Steel Panthers, Combat Mission, and Close Combat series, with its own unique twist (the delayed order system that simulates communication difficulties between units in actual battles) that adds realism and offers interesting strategic and tactical decisions not found in other strategy games.”
- “Story/briefings in this game is limited to a small blurb when selecting pre-made battles.”
- “I do wish the game had a full-fledged campaign mode with story, but they give you the tools to make your own with your imagination.”
- “The one main downside is there's only a few pre-made missions and no pre-made campaigns out of the box.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and functional, primarily utilizing 2D visuals that may appear outdated but are effective in conveying gameplay mechanics and tactical depth. While some players find the graphics lacking compared to modern standards, many appreciate their clarity and the game's ability to run smoothly on lower-end hardware. Overall, the consensus is that the graphics serve the gameplay well, prioritizing strategy and accessibility over visual flair.
- “The 2D graphics are actually very well done, and the unit and map detail is stylized nicely.”
- “Don't let the 2D graphics fool you; this game is rich with content and complexity any wargamer will appreciate, while maintaining a level of accessibility that can be appealing to newcomers as well.”
- “It's a fantastic sim game with highly accurate ballistics, a great art style, and fun close combat-esque gameplay.”
- “First, the graphics... they look like some flash-based or mobile game, but I don't see this as a crucial flaw.”
- “Graphics are really bad; maybe if they had some mods, I could recommend it.”
- “I firmly state though that the graphics are crude, but this isn't about flashy 3D representations of the models; it's about tactics, strategy, and the will to endure a wave of infantry crashing into your battle lines prepared for death or glory!”
gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
79%
8%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by a blend of real-time and turn-based mechanics, offering a deep and customizable experience that emphasizes strategic planning and unit management. While it features realistic mechanics and a variety of scenarios, some players find the learning curve steep due to limited instructional content and ergonomics issues. Overall, it appeals to fans of tactical simulations, providing a rich and engaging gameplay experience, though it may not be as accessible for beginners.
- “The gameplay and battle mechanics of Armoured Brigade are brilliant, and the scenario and campaign generator comes with a lot of customization options.”
- “If ever there were an argument for elegance of design and streamlined gameplay trumping flashy graphics, Armoured Brigade is it.”
- “As for the gameplay itself, besides the obvious fact that it has very many realistic features, it is dynamic, extremely customizable, and easily moddable.”
- “I checked online sources for any kind of how-tos to understand the mechanics, and there is very little content that helps, but there is some.”
- “It lacks the vast unit variety of Steel Panthers, and generally speaking, I can't see the real-time mechanics adding any play value to the general concept. It lacks the charm of a smaller scale game like Close Combat and the simultaneity and unpredictability of Combat Mission's WEGO system.”
- “They do have a manual to explain lots of things, but that manual won’t guide you through your first gameplay, so that manual isn’t very helpful to beginners.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, primarily due to its dynamic campaign generator, customizable skirmish options, and a robust mission editor that allows for endless variations in gameplay. Players appreciate the diverse scenarios, clever AI, and the ability to create both large-scale battles and smaller missions, ensuring a fresh experience with each playthrough. Overall, the combination of these features makes it a standout title in its genre for replay value.
- “This game is without a doubt the best in its genre, if only for the dynamic campaigns which offer unending replay value.”
- “The game comes with missions, campaigns, and a level generator that allows the player to create massive battles as well as small infantry-only missions, which is pretty much a recipe for endless replayability.”
- “Most of the included missions aren't too complicated, but the mission generator is where it really shines, allowing for serious replayability.”
- “The AI is surprisingly clever, it's easily moddable thanks to the built-in editor, you can play with a diverse amount of equipment from a whole bunch of nations, and the generated mission/campaign system leads to a ton of replayability.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game features minimal to no music, which some players view as a minor flaw, allowing for greater focus on tactics without distractions. However, the extensive modding capabilities and Steam Workshop support enable players to customize or add their own music, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Huge modding freedom & Steam Workshop support: you can customize or create your own database, new nations, unit graphics, sound effects, music, and maps.”
- “This is actually not a big flaw or con, because there's an opportunity for more focus on tactics, and you are not distracted by any kind of music here.”
- “No music, no vocals.”
- “Also, a minor flaw is the lack of music when you play the game.”
- “Very lacking in the music department.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability with solid performance and no significant crashes or bugs reported. However, some users have encountered issues with the refund process related to troubleshooting time being counted as playtime.
- “When I attempted to get a refund, apparently Steam thought that the time I spent troubleshooting (the launcher will open but not the game itself) counts as 'time played', and they now refuse to refund me.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I encountered multiple bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience, leading to frustration.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is characterized by a high damage and fragility dynamic, which shifts the experience from traditional combat to a more strategic hide-and-seek approach. Additionally, players suggest that the grinding can be challenging enough to require multiple attempts or "lives" to succeed.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
- “The fact that the technology is high damage/high fragility makes each mission feel less like two armies grinding into one another and more like hide and seek.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The atmosphere in the game is mixed; while some users find it lacking in narrative and immersion, others appreciate the detailed visuals, such as zoomable camera features that highlight NATO symbols and battlefield elements, contributing to a basic yet effective atmospheric experience.
- “The great zoomable camera allows you to appreciate the details, from NATO symbols to individual units, crater holes, burning hulks, and perished troops, creating a basic yet atmospheric experience.”
- “There are no narratives, no real briefings, and no immersion or atmosphere.”
- “The game lacks any sense of atmosphere, making it feel flat and uninspired.”
- “Without a compelling atmosphere, the game fails to engage players on any meaningful level.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy relies heavily on first-person action scenes in advertisements, which effectively showcase the game's dynamic gameplay and attract potential players. However, the reviews do not provide specific details on pricing models or in-game purchases.
- “The monetization system feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money just to enjoy basic features.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many of the game's best items are locked behind a paywall, making it hard to progress without spending real money.”
- “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency disrupt the gameplay experience and make it feel more like a cash grab than a fun game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of "Armored Brigade" to be rewarding, as successfully executing strategies evokes a sense of genius and accomplishment, despite facing challenges.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by its playful and absurd elements, particularly highlighted by the amusing interactions with artillery, which adds a lighthearted and entertaining touch to the gameplay experience.
- “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious!”
- “I can't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and funny situations.”
- “The comedic timing of the characters is spot on and adds so much to the experience.”