Martin JørgensenMen of War: Assault Squad is a WWII tactics game for players who want to command the battlefield down to each individual soldier
Men of War: Assault Squad is a World War II tactical strategy game where you command troops, vehicles, and weapons across multiple fronts.
This isn’t about sending a big army forward and hoping for the best. The game rewards smart tactics, using terrain, and deploying your units correctly. We tested Men of War: Assault Squad on a Windows 11 PC, and while it clearly shows its age, the combat still has a special edge that many newer strategy games miss.
What really stands out is the ability to switch between high-level tactical command and directly controlling individual soldiers or vehicles. You can plan an attack from above, then personally take over a tank, line up its cannon on an enemy position, and fire the shot yourself.
Tactical wargame with lots of detail
Set during World War II, Men of War: Assault Squad lets you fight across different theaters around the globe. You’ll deploy infantry, tanks, artillery, and other military units, and every battle demands real thought.
It’s more demanding than classic real-time strategy games that lean heavily on base-building and resource management. Here, the focus is the battlefield itself. A single soldier with the right weapon in the right place can swing a fight, and a tank isn’t just a tank—it needs to be positioned, protected, and used intelligently.
We quickly learned the game punishes sloppy play. Rush troops forward without cover and they’ll get cut down fast. Take time to flank, throw grenades, and use buildings or fences for protection, and your victories feel far more satisfying.
Direct control makes battles more intense
One of the most exciting features in Men of War: Assault Squad is direct control. Instead of only clicking around the map, you can personally control a soldier, fire weapons, or drive a vehicle.
It gives combat a more personal feel. Guiding a tank through a village while shells burst around you feels like a blend of strategy and action. It’s not always elegant, and the controls can feel dated, but the system adds depth that still holds up.
This is also where the game separates itself from more streamlined RTS titles. Men of War: Assault Squad can feel chaotic at first, but once it clicks, it’s incredibly rewarding.
Multiple nations and varied battlefields
You can play several different nations, including Russia, Germany, the USA, the Commonwealth, and Japan. That means battles don’t just feel like repeats on new maps—each faction has unique strengths, units, and tactical options.
Maps range from open fields to urban environments and messy frontlines, so you’ll often need to adjust your playstyle. Some scenarios reward methodical advances from cover to cover, while others demand quick decisions and aggressive pressure.
Visually, Men of War: Assault Squad isn’t on par with modern strategy games, but the detail in destruction, vehicles, and battlefield chaos still works surprisingly well—especially when a tank plows through a wall or artillery reshapes the frontline in seconds.
A tough game — but a rewarding one
Men of War: Assault Squad isn’t the most beginner-friendly strategy game. The interface takes getting used to, and the game doesn’t always explain its many little systems clearly. That can lead to frustrating moments if you’re coming from simpler RTS titles.
The payoff is big once you learn how it all fits together. Winning because you outthought the enemy—not just out-produced them—feels great.
For strategy fans who enjoy games with a bit more weight, Men of War: Assault Squad is still worth a look. It’s not a quick, mindless 10-minute game—that’s part of its charm.
Download Men of War: Assault Squad
You can get Men of War: Assault Squad on its official Steam page. It’s also available from other authorized retailers, but for most PC players, Steam is the obvious choice.
Top 5 tips for Men of War: Assault Squad
Use cover before you attack
Soldiers die fast in the open. Move units from cover to cover and use houses, walls, and shrubs to protect them before pushing forward.
Manually take critical shots
Direct control can decide a battle. Use it with tanks, anti-tank guns, and mortars—one accurate shot can erase an enemy position.
Don’t hoard your grenades
Grenades are extremely useful against enemies in cover. Many new players save them too long—use them actively against buildings and trenches.
Protect your vehicles’ flanks
Tanks are strong but not invincible. Screen them with infantry against explosives and avoid exposing their sides unnecessarily.
Play slower than you think
Men of War: Assault Squad rewards patience. Spend extra time on recon, positioning, and small flanking moves—they beat a big frontal push.
A tactical WWII game that still packs a punch
Men of War: Assault Squad isn’t the prettiest, easiest, or most modern war game out there. But it has something many newer strategy games don’t: the feeling that every decision on the battlefield matters.
If you enjoy World War II, tactical depth, and the option to command both the whole front and a single soldier, it’s still a game worth owning. It takes some patience, but once the battles open up, it delivers an intense and satisfying strategy experience.
