War-themed board games are among the most thrilling and engaging due to their focus on epic battles and intricate strategies. Whether you're in for a quick evening clash or an all-day campaign, these games offer a deep dive into the art of war. Gather your friends, stock up on snacks and drinks, and prepare for an immersive gaming experience.

To ensure your longer game sessions run smoothly, consider these tips: Download a PDF of the rulebook, available from most publishers, and have everyone read it beforehand. Encourage players to handle administrative tasks like sorting their hands or counters outside their turn. Additionally, you might want to agree on a time limit per turn to keep the game flowing. Now, let's dive into the best war board games available.

TL;DR: These Are the Best War Board Games

Arcs
Dune: War for Arrakis
Sniper Elite: The Board Game
Twilight Imperium IV
Blood Rage
Dune
Kemet: Blood and Sand
Star Wars: Rebellion
Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear
Undaunted: Normandy / Undaunted: North Africa
Root
Twilight Struggle: Red Sea
A Game of Thrones: The Board Game
War of the Ring
Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

Arcs

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War games that accommodate more than two players often struggle to balance the action on the board with the negotiation and alliances between players. Arcs masterfully blends these elements, earning a perfect 10/10 in our review. Its innovative mechanics, inspired by traditional trick-taking card games, offer multiple strategic options, while the open, circular board encourages aggressive space combat and discourages defensive play. Despite its complexity, Arcs allows you to build a full-fledged space empire in under two hours, making it an excellent choice for those interested in the narrative campaign expansion.

Dune: War for Arrakis

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Distinct from the multiplayer negotiation game further down the list, Dune: War for Arrakis is a head-to-head battle for two players, pitting the noble Atreides against the wicked Harkonnen for control of the precious spice. This highly asymmetric game features guerrilla warfare with the Atreides, their Fremen allies, and summoned sandworms, clashing against the larger, wealthier Harkonnen forces. The Harkonnen player must focus on harvesting and shipping spice to maintain economic advantages. Designed by the same team behind War of the Ring, it uses quality plastic miniatures and an engaging action dice system that requires constant strategic reassessment, all within a faster playtime.

Sniper Elite: The Board Game

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Fans of the video game series may be surprised by the close-quarters action in this tabletop adaptation, but its charm is undeniable. The stealth mechanics remain intact, with the sniper player moving slowly and silently against a ticking clock, while the German player controls roving squads trying to detect them. The game adds historical depth and realism to the combat, featuring thematic components. With two different boards and various sniper loadout options and squad specialists, it offers ample replay value and tactical challenges.

Twilight Imperium IV

8See it at Amazon
Few games match the epic scope of this sci-fi civilization-building extravaganza. Twilight Imperium IV features a diverse array of alien races researching technology and building fleets to vie for control of a randomly generated galactic hex map. Inter-player diplomacy and in-game political decrees add layers of strategy, yet the game's core remains solidly tactical. The strategy card system, where each player selects a special focus each round, is a highlight. The fourth edition streamlines the experience, making it more accessible while retaining its grandeur.

Blood Rage

1See it at Amazon
In Blood Rage, you lead a Viking clan through the end times of Ragnarök, striving for glory to secure a place in Valhalla. Despite its violent theme and stunning components, the game offers significant strategic depth. Players draft cards to support their actions each round, carefully managing their warriors and monsters to pillage regions and complete quests for glory. The blind battle card system adds excitement to the inevitable conflicts with other players. Blood Rage masterfully combines tactical challenges, thematic immersion, and raw brutality, making it a standout in the genre.

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Dune

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Dune offers a unique futuristic experience, distinct from Dune: Imperium. Based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel and first released in 1979, it was ahead of its time. The game emphasizes a delicate balance of hidden information and asymmetrical strategies. Players assume roles of factions from the book, each with unique special powers. For instance, the Atreides can peek at auctioned cards, while the Harkonnen know all secret traitors. This new edition features refined rules and stunning artwork, capturing the narrative and political essence of the novel.

Kemet: Blood and Sand

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Kemet transports players to ancient Egypt, where gods and mythical creatures clash in the desert. The game's tech pyramids allow you to customize your strategy with special powers for attack and defense, feeding into your board play. All players start with the same battle cards, leading to intense mind games as you try to outguess your opponents. The board's design ensures no hiding, making for fast-paced, brutal confrontations. Kemet is a thrilling blend of strategy and violence, set at a breathtaking pace.

Star Wars: Rebellion

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Star Wars: Rebellion recreates the iconic franchise on your tabletop, with the Rebellion player as the underdog, trying to survive and win over planets, while the Empire uses its vast military might to crush dissent. This asymmetric struggle is filled with familiar characters and events, but the narrative unfolds based on your decisions. The game's tight strategic mechanics ensure each turn is filled with challenge and variety, making it a compelling experience for fans and newcomers alike.

Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear

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Tactical wargames often struggle with balancing detail and playability, but the Conflict of Heroes series excels. It uses a simple system of action points, dice, and differing defense values to deliver excitement, realism, and tactical challenge. Starting simple, it expands to include artillery, vehicles, and tanks for a comprehensive World War II experience. The command point system, allowing extra actions during your opponent's turn, is a brilliant addition, making every decision feel critical.

Undaunted: Normandy

5See it at Amazon

Undaunted: North Africa

3See it at Amazon

Undaunted Stalingrad

1See it at Amazon
The Undaunted series cleverly uses deck-building mechanics to simulate infantry combat during World War II. Officer cards allow you to add new unit cards to your deck, representing the issuing of orders and supplies. These unit cards then move matching troop counters on the modular scenario map, engaging in battles and seizing objectives. As casualties thin your deck, units become less effective, reflecting the erosion of morale under fire. The series offers an accessible and engaging way to experience the pivotal moments of the war.

Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right

18$59.99 save 25%$44.99 at Amazon
Root stands out with its short playtime and bold asymmetric design. Four factions vie for control of a woodland realm, each with unique rules and gameplay. The Marquise de Cat and the Eyrie engage in traditional conquest, while the Woodland Folk fight as guerrillas. The Vagabond operates as a lone trickster-hero. Despite its whimsical theme and art, Root is a strategic game that raises questions about politics and governance, making it a compelling choice for gamers.

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea

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The original Twilight Struggle is renowned for its complexity and length, but Red Sea offers a more concise version. It retains the core card-play mechanics that made the original so engaging, challenging players to navigate their hand of cards without triggering key events for their opponent. The playtime is reduced to about an hour, with a new scoring mechanic adding excitement. History buffs will appreciate exploring the Cold War in East Africa, with real historical events reflected in the game's mechanics and a book of designer's notes providing additional context.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

2$64.95 save 21%$50.99 at Amazon
This game captures the political intrigue and backstabbing of the books and TV show, using a secret order system reminiscent of Diplomacy. Only one player can win, but no one has the resources to do so alone, making alliances and treachery inevitable. The game is enriched with elements from the world of Westeros, adding strategic depth. A must-play for fans of the franchise, it offers a thrilling experience of political maneuvering.

War of the Ring

2$89.99 save 22%$70.36 at Amazon
The best board game adaptation of Tolkien's work, War of the Ring brilliantly intertwines two games on the same board. The first is the epic clash of armies across Middle-earth, while the second is the Fellowship's quest to destroy the One Ring. The game's genius lies in how these two narratives interweave, requiring players to balance their strategies constantly. It's a must-have for fans of the source material.

Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

3$207.00 at Amazon
While the Twilight Imperium series focuses on warfare and diplomacy, Eclipse emphasizes long-term planning in sci-fi civilization-building. Its systems for initiative and technology upgrades demand forward-thinking as you expand from your starting hex into the galaxy. The game retains the thrill of exploration, ship design, and combat, but success hinges more on strategic choices than on the roll of the dice.

If you like these, be sure to check out our picks for the overall best board games and the best board game deals.

What Counts as a Wargame?

In gaming communities, the term "wargame" often refers specifically to games that simulate historical conflicts. These games, such as Awakening the Bear and Twilight Struggle: Red Sea, are niche but well-researched, often featuring detailed components like map sheets and counters. However, the definition can extend to games that simulate hypothetical or futuristic conflicts, or those that focus less on simulation and more on thematic or strategic elements. We've taken a broad approach, encompassing games that explore conflict from various angles, from historical simulations to fantasy diplomacy. If you're interested in a specific type of conflict game, enthusiast sites can provide deeper insights and recommendations.