War Board Games are one of my favorite ways to spend time with friends and loved ones. While They can be slightly complex, their reliance on tactics, backed by the central theme, offers massive scope for imagination.
The choices in 2024 are plenty, ranging from ageless classics to modern creations. While some of them have you role-play as a simple faction, others put you in charge of expanding entire kingdoms. In this list, I have focused mostly on the newer games available in the market while shedding some light on the evergreen classics.
10. Battleship
What can be a better way to start this list than this evergreen classic? While Battleship doesn’t have armies and grand strategy, the game is incredibly fun and requires just two people. The aim is simple – you and your opponent are in a race to take down the different boats on each side. To do so, you have to guess where your opponent has placed their boat correctly. The one who makes all the correct guesses first wins the match. It’s quick and easy to learn, and the smaller board offers plenty of portability.
9. Risk
The grandfather of War Board Games, Risk has aged well and inspired plenty of modern creations in this genre. The classic puts you in charge of your army, and the goal is to capture the whole world. However, your attempts to seize different lands depend on the outcome of your rolled dice. Risk is available in various editions, so you can choose the one to your liking. Irrespective of your choice, the core gameplay is the same.
8. Sniper Elite: The Board Game
Sniper Elite: The Board Game is certainly one of the better adaptations of a video game onto the tabletop. If you’ve played any of the different Sniper Elite titles, you’ll be no stranger to the importance of stealth. In the board game, the emphasis remains the same as you aim to outwit your opponents (a maximum of three players can play it). Use different loadouts and inventory cards and combine them to reach your target. But be aware that your rivals will also have certain tricks up their sleeves to defeat your purpose.
7. Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition
While Mage Knight can be an extremely complex game to learn, its reliance on grand strategy is second to none. First, it’s one of those unique War Board Games that can be enjoyed solo. The idea is to capture cities of the realm, and you can do the same with your friends in co-op (or go directly against each other). Once you learn the basics, the emphasis on strategy will win you over. Additionally, Mage Knight belongs to the genre of magic and fantasy, going on a different path from most War Board Games.
6. War of the Ring
This one is for all loves of Tolkien’s writings, and the game has two parts – the clash of Middle-earth and the resistance of the free people to the threat of Sauron. The event cards shape how your campaign develops and whether your grand quest will be a success or failure. Players, playing as the good and evil, take turns to outclass each other. While there are more War of the Ring adaptations, this one offers the classic Tolkien experience found in the books and movies.
5. Conflict of Heroes: Awakening The Bear
The beauty of Conflict of Heroes lies in its simplicity, and it’s certainly one of the more accessible War Board Games to get into. Action points dictate the core gameplay, and you have to decide about arranging your front and rear defense properly. As the game goes on, it gets more complex with new units entering the war. Conflict of Heroes is an excellent depiction of World War 2 and a perfect choice for those who love games based on history.
4. A Game of Thrones: The Board Game
From World War 2, we switch to the fantasy world of Game of Thrones. If you have read the books and watched the series, you already know what to expect. Humorously enough, no player has all the resources to trigger the victory condition. This is why cooperation is key until you have what it takes to backstab your rivals and win the game. While the gameplay has ample twists and turns, the central theme is a bonus for those who love George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world.
3. Dune
Dune: Imperium might be the newer game, but the original pays homage to the classic War Board Games. You play as one of the several factions from the world of Dune. Every faction has unique advantages that the players can exploit. The narrative campaign evolves just like it happens in the books, and the game is best enjoyed between 4-6 players. Do note that a complete campaign can be between 2-3 hours, but you can play with your friends in multiple sessions.
2. Undaunted
Undaunted moves away from the more orthodox War Board Games, as your strategies are decided on decks. Your deck represents the battlefield – use officers to add units, and then use the units to complete objectives. Of course, every war has its casualties, and the same happens in Undaunted. As good a deck as you might have, something might always happen to weaken the cards in your hands. Undaunted is available in three different editions, with Stalingrad being the latest one.
1. Root
A war is uncertain, and so is Root. A normal round of this game can sometimes feel so chaotic that you’ll have to invest all your gray cells to complete the objectives. Like Dune, there are different factions, and the four choices couldn’t have been more unique. All four factions have various ways of completing the objectives, which adds to the replayability. What might seem like a cute board game can quickly feel brutal. Rounds in Root are also quicker compared to some of the other entries on this list.
