The Best War Board Games 2025

The best board games span diverse themes, but war games consistently rank among the most popular. This enduring appeal stems from the thrilling, engaging gameplay they offer. The games below promise epic battles, some concluding in an evening, others spanning an entire day, but all demanding strategic prowess. Gather your friends, prepare refreshments, and prepare for an exhilarating experience.

To ensure smoother gameplay for longer games, consider these tips: Obtain a PDF rulebook (many publishers offer free downloads) and have players review it beforehand. Encourage players to perform administrative tasks, such as sorting cards or counters, outside their turn. A pre-agreed time limit per turn can also enhance the flow of the game.

TL;DR: The Best War Board Games

Arcs

War games with more than two players require a delicate balance between board action and player negotiation/alliances. Arcs masterfully blends these elements, as highlighted in our 10/10 review. Its innovative trick-taking mechanics offer multiple strategic avenues, while still delivering intense spacecraft battles on the circular board that reward aggression. Despite its depth, a full game takes under two hours, making it ideal, especially with its compelling narrative campaign expansion.

Dune: War for Arrakis

Distinct from the multiplayer Dune game below, *War for Arrakis* is a fierce head-to-head duel between the Atreides and Harkonnens for control of spice. The game features asymmetric gameplay, pitting the Atreides' guerrilla tactics and Fremen allies against the Harkonnens' superior forces. Harkonnen players must balance spice harvesting and shipping to maintain economic advantage. Sharing the same design team as *War of the Ring*, it utilizes high-quality miniatures and an action dice system, ensuring constant strategic reassessment, yet maintaining a faster pace.

Sniper Elite: The Board Game

Fans of the video game series might be surprised by the close-quarters combat in this adaptation, but this shouldn't detract from its appeal. The stealth elements are well-preserved, challenging the sniper player to remain undetected against a ticking clock while facing relentless German squads. Beyond the tension, the game offers a historical context absent in the video game, featuring thematic components and realistic combat. Two boards and various sniper loadouts/squad specialists provide high replayability and tactical depth.

Twilight Imperium 4th Edition

This all-day sci-fi civilization-building game is the epitome of epic scale. Players control bizarre alien races, researching technology, building fleets, and vying for galactic dominance. Diplomacy is crucial, alongside in-game political decrees. The strategic core, however, remains robust, with the strategy card system (players choose a focus each round) being a highlight. The fourth edition retains the grand scope while streamlining gameplay for improved accessibility.

Blood Rage

In *Blood Rage*, players command Viking clans during Ragnarök, striving for glory and a place in Valhalla. Beneath the violent theme and stunning components lies a strategically nuanced game. Players draft cards to support actions, managing warriors and monsters to pillage regions and complete quests for glory. The blind battle card system introduces thrilling conflicts for resources. It's a masterful blend of tactical challenge, theme, and brutal gameplay, a true classic.

Dune

Unlike *Dune: War for Arrakis*, this *Dune* offers a different futuristic experience, based on Frank Herbert's novel. Released in 1979, it was ahead of its time, minimizing randomness and focusing on hidden information and asymmetric strategy. Players assume roles from the novel, each with unique powers. The game masterfully evokes the narrative and political themes of the book, with the new edition boasting refined rules and improved artwork.

Kemet: Blood and Sand

Imagine the gods and creatures of ancient Egypt battling for supremacy. That's *Kemet*. The game features customizable strategies through tech pyramids, influencing attack and defense. The shared battle cards create intense mind games as players anticipate and counter each other's moves. The fast-paced, brutal combat, with its open board layout, ensures constant engagement and thrilling clashes.

Star Wars: Rebellion

*Star Wars: Rebellion* creatively adapts the franchise for the tabletop. The Rebellion player struggles for survival, winning planets while facing the Empire's overwhelming might. This asymmetric conflict features iconic characters and events, but the narrative unfolds through player choices. The tight strategic elements ensure every turn is challenging and varied.

Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear

Tactical wargames simulating squad-level combat can be complex. *Conflict of Heroes* strikes a balance, using a simple system of action points, dice, and defense values to offer engaging, realistic, and tactical gameplay. Starting simple, it expands to include artillery, vehicles, and tanks for a full World War II experience. The command point system adds a strategic layer, making every decision impactful.

Undaunted: Normandy & Undaunted: North Africa & Undaunted Stalingrad

These games ingeniously utilize deck-building to recreate infantry combat with minimal rules. Officer cards add units to your deck, simulating orders and supplies. Unit cards move troops on the modular map, engaging in tense firefights. Casualties reduce your deck's effectiveness, reflecting dwindling morale. The result is an accessible and engaging way to experience World War II.

Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right

A shorter game on this list, *Root* emphasizes asymmetry. Four factions—the Marquise de Cat, the Eyrie, the Woodland Folk, and the Vagabond—vie for woodland control, each with unique rules. Despite its charming theme, it's a strategically demanding game exploring themes of politics and governance.

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea

While the original *Twilight Struggle* is renowned but complex, *Red Sea* retains the core card-play, offering compelling dilemmas and shorter playtime. It features a new scoring mechanic and explores the Cold War in East Africa, incorporating real historical events and designer notes.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

This game captures the political intrigue of the books and TV show. Only one player can win, forcing alliances and betrayals. The secret order system adds tension, concealing intentions until the last moment. The game incorporates elements from Westeros, enhancing strategic depth.

War of the Ring 2nd Edition

A top choice for Tolkien fans, this game masterfully combines two intertwined games on a single board: the epic clash of armies and the Fellowship's quest. The interplay between these elements creates a challenging strategic balance.

Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

Unlike *Twilight Imperium*, *Eclipse* prioritizes long-term strategic planning alongside warfare and diplomacy. Smart systems for initiative and technology upgrades demand foresight. The tactical depth complements the exploration, ship design, and combat aspects, requiring strategic planning rather than relying on luck.

For more options, explore our selections for the best board games and best board game deals.

What Constitutes a Wargame?

The term "wargame" is nuanced. Many consider it to exclusively encompass games simulating historical conflicts, often featuring detailed map sheets and counters. *Awakening the Bear* and *Twilight Struggle: Red Sea* represent the more accessible end of this genre. However, the definition extends to games simulating hypothetical or fictional conflicts, blurring the lines.

Ultimately, these semantic discussions are less important than the enjoyment derived from these games. We've adopted a broad definition, encompassing games exploring conflict from various perspectives. For those seeking deeper exploration of specific subgenres, dedicated enthusiast sites offer valuable resources.