Men of War

Men of War is a tactical real-time strategy game set during the height of World War II, with a meticulous commitment to historical accuracy in its vehicles, weapons and equipment models. The single-player campaign runs across 19 missions distributed between three separate storylines following the Soviet, Allied and German armies, with engagements spanning Europe and North Africa as the campaigns progress.

The signature feature is Direct Control. At any moment during a battle, you can take direct command of a single unit on the field — switching from the strategic top-down view to controlling that unit's actions yourself, aiming its weapons manually, driving its vehicle directly, swapping out its equipment or making repairs. The mechanic adds a layer of micro-tactical engagement that pure RTS games typically lack, and rewards players who learn which units benefit most from being driven by hand at critical moments.

The vehicle and armament models are sourced from design drawings and historical documents, with the cutting-edge graphics engine of the time recreating WWII environments and characters faithfully. Online multiplayer originally included a Japanese faction unique to PvP, alongside game modes like Capture the Flag and High-Value Cargo. GameSpy's shutdown on May 31, 2014 removed the original matchmaking, but LAN play, DirectIP and GameRanger continue to support multiplayer sessions.