Top War Board Games of 2025 Revealed

War-themed board games offer an exhilarating way to engage in epic battles, with a variety of themes that cater to different play styles and durations. Whether you're in for a quick evening skirmish or a full-day strategic conquest, these games provide a rich experience filled with tactical decisions and immersive storytelling. Prepare your snacks and drinks, gather your friends, and get ready for a thrilling adventure.

To ensure your longer gaming sessions run smoothly, consider these tips: Download a PDF of the rulebook, which most publishers provide for free, and have everyone review it beforehand. Encourage players to handle administrative tasks like sorting cards or counters during other players' turns. You might also want to set a time limit for each turn, provided all players agree. With these preparations in place, 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

### Arcs

0See it
War games that accommodate more than two players often struggle to balance the action on the board with the negotiations and alliances formed between players. Arcs masterfully blends these elements, earning a perfect 10/10 in our review. Its innovative mechanics, inspired by trick-taking card games, offer multiple strategic options, while the circular board encourages aggressive play over defensive tactics. Despite its depth, you can build and conquer a space empire in under two hours, making it perfect for those looking to explore the narrative campaign expansion.

Dune: War for Arrakis

### Dune: War for Arrakis

1See it at Amazon
Don't mix this up with the multiplayer negotiation game Dune listed later; War for Arrakis is a head-to-head duel between the noble Atreides and the sinister Harkonnen, fighting over the valuable spice. This game is highly asymmetric, with the Atreides using guerrilla tactics and their Fremen allies, including summoned sandworms, against the larger, richer Harkonnen forces. The Harkonnen player must balance spice harvesting and shipping to maintain their economic edge. Designed by the same team behind War of the Ring, this game features high-quality plastic miniatures and a dynamic action dice system that keeps strategy fluid and fast-paced.

Sniper Elite: The Board Game

### Sniper Elite: The Board Game

1See it at Amazon
Fans of the video game series may be surprised by the close-quarters action in this tabletop adaptation, but its charm remains undeniable. The stealth element is strong, with the sniper player needing to move silently under a tight time constraint, evading German squads controlled by the opposing player. Beyond the tension, the game offers a historical depth and realism not found in the video game, complete with thematic components and varied sniper loadouts and squad specialists, ensuring high replay value and strategic depth.

Twilight Imperium IV

### Twilight Imperium 4th Edition

8See it at Amazon
Nothing epitomizes epic like this all-day sci-fi civilization-building game. It encompasses everything the genre offers: alien races researching technology, building fleets, and battling over a randomly generated galactic map. Diplomatic negotiations and political decrees add layers to the gameplay, but the game's core is its robust strategy system, highlighted by the strategic card system where players select a special focus each round. This fourth edition streamlines the experience while retaining its vast scope.

Blood Rage

### Blood Rage

1See it at Amazon
In Blood Rage, you lead a Viking clan into the end times of Ragnarök, seeking glory through rage, axes, and horns. Despite its violent theme, the game offers strategic depth through card drafting and careful management of warriors and monsters to pillage regions and complete quests. The blind battle card system adds excitement to confrontations, making this a perfect blend of tactical challenge and thematic brutality—a true classic in conflict-based games.

The Best Boardgame Deals

Dune

### Dune

7See it at Amazon
Distinct from Dune: Imperium, this game is based on Frank Herbert's novel and was groundbreaking upon its 1979 release. It minimizes randomness, focusing instead on hidden information and asymmetric strategies. Each player represents a faction from the book, with unique abilities like the Atreides' card-peeking advantage or the Harkonnen's knowledge of secret traitors. The new edition features streamlined rules and stunning art, capturing the novel's narrative and political essence.

Kemet: Blood and Sand

### Kemet Blood and Sand

0See it at Amazon
Imagine the gods and mythical creatures of ancient Egypt clashing on the desert sands. Kemet offers tech pyramids for customizing your strategy, and everyone starts with the same battle cards, leading to intense mind games. The board layout ensures no hiding, pushing for relentless action. It's a fast-paced, violent experience that's as much about outsmarting as it is about overpowering your opponents.

Star Wars: Rebellion

### Star Wars: Rebellion

14See it at Amazon
Star Wars: Rebellion brings the franchise to your table with the Rebellion player as the underdog, struggling to survive and win over planets, while the Empire uses its might to crush dissent. This asymmetric struggle is populated with iconic characters and events, but the narrative unfolds based on your choices, all tied together with tight strategic mechanics that keep each turn challenging and varied.

Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear

### Conflict of Heroes: Awakening The Bear

0See it at Amazon
Tactical wargames can be bogged down by complexity, but Conflict of Heroes strikes the perfect balance with its simple action point and dice system, offering excitement, realism, and tactical challenge. It starts simple but grows to include artillery, vehicles, and tanks, creating a comprehensive World War II experience. The command point system adds depth, making each action feel crucial.

Undaunted: Normandy & Undaunted: North Africa

### Undaunted: Normandy

5See it at Amazon
### Undaunted: North Africa

3See it at Amazon
### Undaunted Stalingrad

1See it at Amazon
Undaunted uses deck-building to simulate infantry combat with minimal rules. Officer cards add new units to your deck, representing orders and supplies, while unit cards move troops on the scenario map, engaging enemies and capturing objectives. As your deck thins due to casualties, the game becomes more intense, offering an accessible yet engaging way to experience World War II.

Root

### Root: A Game of Woodland Might and Right

18$59.99 save 25%$44.99 at Amazon
Root is a shorter game that boldly embraces asymmetry. Four factions vie for control of a woodland realm, each with unique mechanics. From the Marquise de Cat's conquest to the Vagabond's trickery, the game is deceptively cute but deeply strategic, exploring real-world themes of politics and governance.

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea

### Twilight Struggle: Red Sea

0See it at Amazon
While the original Twilight Struggle is renowned for its complexity and length, Red Sea retains its compelling card-play mechanics but condenses the playtime to about an hour. It's full of strategic decisions, and a new scoring mechanic adds excitement. History buffs can delve into the Cold War's East African theater, with real events simulated through the game's mechanics and a detailed designer's notes booklet.

A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

### A Game of Thrones: The Board Game

2$64.95 save 21%$50.99 at Amazon
This game captures the intrigue and betrayal of the books and TV show, borrowing from Diplomacy's concept where only one can win but alliances are necessary. The secret order system keeps intentions hidden until the last moment, adding tension. The game adds strategic elements from the Westeros world, making it a must-play for fans.

War of the Ring

### War of the Ring 2nd Edition

2$89.99 save 22%$70.36 at Amazon
This game is the definitive board game adaptation of Tolkien's work, featuring a dual-layered approach with epic army clashes and the Fellowship's quest to destroy the One Ring. The interplay between these two aspects creates a challenging tactical experience, making it a favorite among fans of the source material.

Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

### Eclipse: 2nd Dawn for The Galaxy

3$207.00 at Amazon
Unlike Twilight Imperium's focus on warfare and diplomacy, Eclipse emphasizes long-term strategy in sci-fi civilization-building. Its systems for initiative and technology upgrades require forward-thinking as you expand into the galaxy. The game balances exploration, ship design, and combat, relying on strategic planning rather than luck.

If you enjoy these, explore 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 to games simulating historical conflicts, requiring detailed research and often featuring complex mechanics. Examples from our list include Awakening the Bear and Twilight Struggle: Red Sea, which are more accessible entries in this genre.

However, the definition can be broader, including games that simulate potential or fictional conflicts, or those with historical settings but less focus on simulation. Games like Undaunted fit this category. Even games with entirely fantastical or sci-fi scenarios can be considered wargames by some.

Ultimately, the term "wargame" can encompass any game that explores conflict from various angles, whether historical simulations or fantasy diplomacy. If you're drawn to a specific type of conflict game, numerous enthusiast sites are available to help you delve deeper into your preferred niche.