StrategyFit check
Is Combat Mission Cold War worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Cold War wargamers who want fictional US-Soviet conflicts
- Players interested in tactical company and battalion command
- Strategy fans who want scenarios spanning 1979 to 1982
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players seeking a fast-paced action game rather than tactical military simulation
- Players looking for a broad grand-strategy campaign instead of scenario-based company and battalion engagements
- Players who are not interested in Cold War-era US and Soviet forces
Our take on Combat Mission Cold War
The focus on detailed tactical formations and period equipment narrows the experience to Cold War battlefield command. It gives up broader strategic scope and modern or fictional equipment outside the 1979–1982 setting.
What is Combat Mission Cold War?
Combat Mission Cold War is a tactical military simulation set between 1979 and 1982, with hypothetical conflicts between US and Soviet forces around West Germany’s Fulda Gap.
Players command US or Soviet company teams and battalion task forces, using period equipment, aircraft support, artillery, and battlefield electronic warfare. The game includes 15 standalone scenarios and three campaigns: a US National Training Center campaign, two versions of a US West German campaign set in 1979 and 1982, and a Soviet campaign covering the opening 48 hours of a fictional invasion. Scenarios range from platoon actions to large battalion engagements, while the sandbox structure supports comparisons between different Cold War vehicles and formations.
How Combat Mission Cold War plays
- 01Cold War Scenarios
- The game covers fictional US-Soviet confrontations around the Fulda Gap and other West German battlefields between 1979 and 1982.
- 02Campaign Collection
- Content includes 15 individual scenarios plus three campaigns, including two historical-period versions of the US campaign.
- 03Period Equipment
- Playable forces include vehicles such as M48, M60, M1, T-64, and T-80 tanks, along with mechanized infantry vehicles.
- 04Air And Artillery
- Support effects include aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom, A-7 Corsair, MiG-23/27, Su-17, Su-25, and Mi-24.
- 05Electronic Warfare
- The simulation models early electronic warfare and its effects on battlefield operations.
Games like Combat Mission Cold War
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Slitherine Ltd.For:Fans of ancient history who want to command Roman-era armiesSkip if:Players seeking real-time combat or fast action rather than deliberate, turn-based engagements
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MicroProse SoftwareFor:Real-time tactics fans who want to command mechanized forces in a Cold War settingSkip if:Players looking for turn-based battles rather than real-time combat
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Matrix GamesFor:Players who want detailed modern military tactics rather than broad empire managementSkip if:Players seeking fast, action-focused combat instead of deliberate command of vehicles, teams, and squadsPicked by overlapping fit notes and genres, not an editorial comparison.
Combat Mission Cold War: platforms & release
Is Combat Mission Cold War worth it?
It is worth it if: cold War wargamers who want fictional US-Soviet conflicts. Skip it if: players seeking a fast-paced action game rather than tactical military simulation.
Where can I download Combat Mission Cold War?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens Combat Mission Cold War's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is Combat Mission Cold War on?
Windows only.
