Battleplan historical, WW2 RTS game of unparalleled realism

[Asid]

Battleplan is a historical, WW2 real-time strategy game of unparalleled realism and simulation. Fight across massive battlefields created from real-world geographic data. Create your army by customizing your order of battle and chain of command. Draw directly on the map to create elaborate plans, and watch your officers carry them out.





Battleplan is a unique real-time strategy game that simulates massive month-long battles with hundreds of thousands of troops second by second, day by day. You give high-level orders, then watch your officers and companies carry them out autonomously.
 
The aim of Battleplan is not to micromanage your army, but to create deliberate plans to destroy the enemy. You dot his by creating multi-step and multi-unit plans intuitively by directly drawing on the map.

Each division is realistically modeled with headquarters, regiments, battalions and companies. Your infantry, tanks, engineers, anti-tank guns, artillery and scouts work together and perform tasks autonomously.

Chains of command can be modified to suit what you need. You can hire and sack officers with unique stats.

Maps are based on thousands of square kilometers of real-world geographic data. Each road, town, forest and swamp is exactly where they are in real-life.

Each mission is simulated second-by-second, allowing you to pause, play in real-time or fast-forward at will. Mission lengths range from one week to a month.

Supply depots are modelled. Both the direct and indirect approach to war can work. You can either try to blast through enemy positions with massed fires, or unhinge them from their base and force them to retreat or be destroyed.
 
The main campaign will consist of 10+ massive historical battles set in the campaign for the Liberation of France. You will upgrade your divisions with new attachments and promote officers. Let wounded divisions rest and recuperate. Gain powerful air support assets such recon, fighter-bomber and heavy bomber aircraft.

The main campaign lets you play as the Allies, but individual scenarios also allow you to take on the role of the Germans.

We have also included geo-tagged locations with real-life historical photographs taken at those locals. After capturing Cherbourg in-game, you can see actual photographs of what the town looked like after the battle there.

Battleplan is currently in Beta, and we would welcome any additional testers that want to sign up - https://www.slitherine.com/beta/battleplan

[Asid]

Battleplan | Dev Diary #1 Defence
Thu, 14 August 2025



Today we'll cover defence, holding territory and vital landmarks.

Welcome to the Battleplan developer diaries! We'll cover various topics to help you understand the game better and give you an edge against the enemy! Today we'll cover defence, holding territory and vital landmarks.


POSITION UNITS DURING DEPLOYMENT

Planning your defence starts before the mission does! In the deployment phase you can position your units anywhere in friendly territory. Your units instantly gain fortifications when the mission starts, so position your units during deployment, rather than moving them AFTER the mission starts.


TERRAIN

Terrain alters the stats of units sitting inside it. Towns & forests are defensive terrain, increasing defence and firepower, whilst decreasing movement speed. Position your units at the edges of forests and towns, so enemies have to approach through the open.



Swamps, wetlands and beaches are all-around terrain. They lower defence, firepower, movement speed and morale drastically. Avoid putting your units there, and force the enemy to move through them instead!

ELEVATION

Click the 'Elevation' view toggle to see real-world elevation of the area. Units on high ground can see further downhill, letting you see the enemy further away. Elevation also confers firepower and defence bonuses. Try to position units above the enemy, though this isn't always possible since the Allies are mainly on the offence.




KNOW WHEN TO GIVE UP TERRITORY

Just because you start with a large amount of territory, doesn't mean you need to keep it. Often you have too few troops to properly defend the entirety of the frontline. It can be better to give up ground, and defend a narrower front or hold more favourable terrain.



Looking at Caen, the airborne troops start in terrible swamps. This makes attacking from there miserable. Consider pulling them back across the river, narrowing your frontage and allowing your frontlines to be thicker.

FORTIFICATIONS & MINEFIELDS

Units automatically dig fortifications when stationary. Most units can dig minor fortifications, whilst engineers can dig more effective fortifications. Fortifications appear visually on the map (trenches, foxholes) and change based on their effectiveness. Some scenarios have pre-build fortifications (bunkers & tank traps) which are very effective.



Mousing over a fortified unit shows their fortification level/percentage near the mouse, and more stats in the stats panel. Fortifications provide defence whilst also increasing firepower. During combat fortifications are degraded (and are rapidly degraded by planned artillery barrages & aerial bombing). Fortified units are hard to damage until their fortifications are destroyed.

Engineers automatically lay minefields (seen visually as red skull signs and small, gray round mines). Units moving in minefields take damage, and have lower defence, firepower, speed and morale. You can give an explicit 'ay Minefield' order if you want certain intersections or roads mined, or just let engineers to it automatically. When units are in minefields, they'll call friendly engineers to clear the mines which removes the combat penalties when moving through minefields.

FRONTLINE & RESERVES

Defending everything is the same as defending nothing. -Sun Tzu, probably.

You often don't have enough troops to properly defend the ENTIRE frontline. If a panzer division attacks, it will breakthrough most frontlines with ease. You can't know where the break through can occur, so how can you defend against this, Have reserves.



Have a thinly spread frontline of infantry to prevent the enemy from cautiously advancing. Then place your armour divisions a few kilometers behind the frontline using the 'Reserves' or 'Counterattack' orders. Reserve formations should sit in front of/on top of supply depots to protect them. They should also be placed along roads leading towards objectives you MUST hold (ex: Bayeux in the Caen mission).



When a panzer division attacks it WILL pierce your thin frontline, however your armoured units should quickly arrive and stop a deep penetration. If the enemy moves too quickly and doesn't leave any rear-security, your broken infantry frontline may reform and cut them off from behind (cutting them off from supply, applying debuffs).

Use the 'Complex Defence' order to have a single division split itself up with several regiments defending the frontline, and one regiment in reserve.




INFANTRY & ARMOUR ON DEFENCE

Infantry gains more bonuses from fortifications. They're also more plentiful and move more slowly. Use them on the frontlines.

Armour and mechanized infantry on the otherhand receive fewer bonuses from fortifications, and move  quickly. They're also far more valuable on the offence, so try to limit their losses. Use them as elite reserves that rush to plug any gaps.

TRUST AUTO-PLACEMENT

Your forces are deployed automatically at mission start, and will follow the above doctrine: thin infantry frontlines, armour on counterattacks. If you're new, just stick with this deployment! Trust your officers know what they're doing.




SUPPLY DEPOT PLACEMENT

We'll cover supply more in-depth in a later article, but suffice to say units need supply (ammo, food & fuel). If your frontline is thin, placing a depot nearby is risky since you won't be able to prevent a determined breakthrough.

If your frontline is short/thick, or you have a reserve unit, place a supply depot on top of or nearby to maximize supply flow (the shorter path the faster supplies are transferred).

Now you know the basics of defence. Apply the above advice to limit your casualties, whilst inflicting maximum casualties on an attacker.

See you at the front, General!

Wishlist now: https://www.slitherine.com/game/battleplan

[Asid]

Battleplan | Dev Diary #2, Offence
Tue, September 16, 2025



In most battles you're going to have to attack. Let's go over the most efficient ways to take territory while conserving troops.


ESTABLISHING A TIMELINE
First, are you in a hurry, Do you need to take that objective city RIGHT NOW, or can you wait, Read the mission briefing carefully, and look at the remaining time in the mission. Your approach will vary depending on how much time you have.


QUICK OFFENCES
If you're in a hurry, use a Breakthrough Attack followed by an Assemble order. Breakthrough Attacks have the division use a formation, then slowly push through a given route. Units WON'T stop to hold taken territory, and won't wait to mop up enemy units.

Once at the end of the path, the Assemble order has units break formation move as quickly as possible to the destination.

This is ideal for quickly breaking through lightly defended frontlines. However this won't break through heavy fortifications or breach dense cities.




LONG OFFENCES
You've got time, or facing heavy defences/veteran enemies. Use the "Complex Attack" order, which will have your officers generate an elaborate multi-step plan for you.



Steps will include:
Assemble: Move close to the frontlines (but don't engage yet).

Simultaneously:

-   Prepatory Artillery Barrage: Artillery opens on frontline enemies, damaging them, reducing their fortications, lowering their morale and applying a status debuff. You can set the barrage duration, the longer the better (but it costs more ammunition).

-   Scouting: Scouts in armoured cars will move forward and "spot" enemies, revealing them in the fog of war temporarily and applying a stat debuff. This also has a duration, set it to match your artillery barrage.

Simultaneously:

-   Breakthrough Attacks: Depending on the composition of your divisions, multiple Breakthrough Attacks may be created, with different regiments moving along different roads to breakthrough enemy lines.

-   Reserves: Normally one Regiment will be held in Reserve. They sit in in friendly territory, and move to assist friendlies who are in trouble. This happens simultaneously to the Breakthrough Attacks.

Seize Ground: Lastly, your units will split up to seize and hold all remaining ground, forming a defensive perimeter. This will mop up enemies who fled earlier.

Feel free to edit/delete/customize orders within the generated attack plan.

It's best to draw the territory to seize in a Complex Attack starting from your frontlines, and pressing inwards 5-15 km depending on the strength of your troops and strength of the enemy.


WHICH UNIT(S)
First, what units should you use to attack, Armoured divisions are ideal. Tanks & mechanized infantry are hard-hitting, and most importantly FAST. They're vehicles, and move more quickly than infantry do marching (regular infantry ride in trucks whilst in safe territory, and dismount close to the front).

Furthermore, your attacking division should have Artillery to perform prepatory barrages, Scouts to perform recon, Engineers to assault fortifications & clear minefields.

The division should also ideally be fresh and have sustained few casualties.

You don't have to limit yourself to one attacking division merge multiple divisions into a Corps!Combine an Armoured Division combined with an Infantry Division (or even two Armoured Divisions) make a mighty force. More regiments allow for better Complex Attacks. It also lets you create fewer plans.

It's best to draw the territory to seize in a Complex Attack starting from your frontlines, and pressing inwards 5-15 km depending on the strength of your troops and strength of the enemy.


WHICH UNIT(S)
First, what units should you use to attack Armoured divisions are ideal. Tanks & mechanized infantry are hard-hitting, and most importantly FAST. They're vehicles, and move more quickly than infantry do marching (regular infantry ride in trucks whilst in safe territory, and dismount close to the front).

Furthermore, your attacking division should have Artillery to perform prepatory barrages, Scouts to perform recon, Engineers to assault fortifications & clear minefields.

The division should also ideally be fresh and have sustained few casualties.

You don't have to limit yourself to one attacking division  merge multiple divisions into a Corps!Combine an Armoured Division combined with an Infantry Division (or even two Armoured Divisions) make a mighty force. More regiments allow for better Complex Attacks. It also lets you create fewer plans.



You can also split units off from division (their artillery or engineers) and give them to another division to help an attack. Don't let your specialty units languish in the frontlines! Or in the army constructor, create specific "storm" divisions that contain your expensive units, and create "hold" divisions filled with cheaper infantry.


SUPPLY
Don't use a division with less than half its maximum supply for an offensive lest they run out while fighting. Armoured divisions use supply more quickly, so be sure to set up a supply depot at the attack assembly point BEFORE initiating the attack.

After extensive fighting, pull your units back to a supply depot to replenish more quickly.


TERRAIN
Analyze the terrain carefully. Use the elevation view to see where the high ground is. Seize high ground to see further and gain combat bonuses.


MORE TIPS
Officers have different personality quirks & stats assign offensive Officers to your storm divisions. Ex: movement speed bonuses, offence bonuses.

Use wait until date/signal to sync multiple attacks to occur simultaneously.

[Asid]

Battleplan | Dev Diary #3  Air Support
Thu, October 16, 2025

The Allies on the western front enjoyed extensive air support

Lets go over the basics so you too can enjoy all the perks aircraft have to offer!




AIRCRAFT

Aircraft are special units  they obviously cannot take territory, and don?t fight like regular

ground units. You?ll recruit different types of aircraft to perform different tasks.




CLOSE-AIR SUPPORT



Fighterbombers armed with rockets, cannons & machine-guns swoop down and strafe enemy units, inflicting minor damage but HUGE morale damage & stat penalties. Strafing runs won?t destroy  enemy units on their own, but they apply huge stat penalties, making your own ground units have a decisive edge.



You can set your doctrine to have fighter-bombers automatically patrol and aid friendlies in need, or you can give explicit orders to attack enemies within a specified area for a set amount of time.

Closeair support isn?t very effective against enemies in fortifications ? they?re most effective against enemies in the open. Use them to ravage exposed & unfortified enemy units pushing into your territory.


AERIAL RECON

Reconnaissance planes fly overhead, providing many benefits.

    - Enemy units are revealed, becoming visible to you on the map. Enemy supply depots can even be spotted from the air, allowing you to plan on capturing them in future offensives.

    - Enemy units & positions are ?tagged?, giving them stat penalties due to friendlies knowing their positions ahead of time.

   - You also gain ?intel? on the enemy division, learning more information on them such as troop number, types, commanding officer and even their future plans!




CARPET BOMBING

In certain missions, medium bombers are available to make perform a singular ?carpet bombing run?. Bombers fly overhead, dropping a deluge of bombs to plaster enemy positions. Fortifications are damaged or destroyed, enemy units are moderately damaged, and most importantly the majority of enemies break & panic. Use this brief window before their morale recovers to break through their lines and cut them off!




FLAK

Just because the Luftwaffe is mostly a non-threat at this point in the war doesn?t mean your aircraft can get reckless. Enemy flak units (such as the dreaded 88mm flak gun) will fire at your aircraft flying overhead. Flak deals minor damage, heavy morale damage and inflicts a devastating stat penalty. Don?t expect aircraft to perform close-air support or bombing runs very effectively whilst under flak fire! Flak is often positioned near enemy headquarters, so if your recon identifies their HQ you should be able to avoid flak.




FUEL & SUPPLIES

Aircraft take lots of fuel & supplies when performing tasks. After they run out of fuel, they?ll return to their headquarters/airfield (where they also hang out when idle). It?s important to position your headquarters/airfield near a supply depot so aircraft receive supplies quickly enough to refuel. You?ll want your headquarters close to the frontlines so the aircraft don?t have to fly as far, but not too close that they?ll captured or bombarded by enemy ground units.


WHISHLIST NOW:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3743140/Battleplan/
 

[Asid]

Battleplan Dev Diary #4 | Supply
Thu, November 27, 2025



Let?s talk about logistics.

You may have heard the saying ?Amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics.?, so let?s talk about logistics.


SUPPLY

Each individual company keeps track of its own Supply. Supply represents ammo, fuel & food. When a unit is LOW on supply, they receive stat penalties. If they run completely out of supplies, they start taking attrition and lose health (soldiers deserting, wounded not being treated). Units low/out of supply surrender extremely quickly in combat.



You can also see the supply status for the WHOLE division. Pictured below, the rth Armoured Division is overall consuming 9.1 tonnes/supplies per hour MORE than what they receive. They will eventually run out of supplies unless they: A. Move closer to a supply depot. B. Stop moving or fighting.



Supply consumption is low when idle, but increases dramatically when moving or fighting. Each unit starts with some supplies, but how do units replenish supply?


SUPPLY HUBS

Each map has designed Supply Hubs. These are special points on the map where supply flows INTO the battlefield. Ex: ports, major transport hubs. Pictured below, several ports are supply hubs controlled by the Allies (green +20 t/h text).



Each supply hub receives X tonnes of supplies per hour, which is distributed to SUPPLY DEPOTS. Supply hubs cannot be moved, but can be captured by the enemy team. They won?t generate supply if captured (the Axis won?t receive supplies from the Normandy beaches), but they do cut-off supply for their original owner.


SUPPLY DEPOTS

Supply from Supply hubs flows into Supply Depots. Supply depots are what actually holds and sends out supplies to units. During the mission, you can place up to a certain amount of supply depots, and also dismantle depots. During deployment creating and dismantling depots are instant. After the mission starts, depots take to be established and dismantled. Pictured below is the Siege of Bastogne mission using the Supply View. Note the four Allied supply depots (boxes with 300t).



Positioning of supply depots is crucial ? make sure to place them near units that will soon be/are currently fighting. The supply transfer rate is based on distance AND terrain type of the supply path from the DEPOT to the divisional headquarters.

Pictured below is a divisional headquarters CLOSE to a supply depot, which increases the rate of supplies being transfered (9 tonnes/hour).



Pictured below is a headquarters that?s further away from a supply depot, and the path is through rougher terrain. The further away and worse terrain, the lower the supply transfer rate.



Supply depots can be captured. Try to locate enemy supply depots using recon planes or scouts, then when planning attacks have your route go through the enemy depots to capture them! There?s nothing like using the enemy?s gasoline for your own tanks.


CUTTING OFF SUPPLIES

One of the most basic strategies of war is to cut off the enemy?s supplies. Pictured below is the 101st Airborne division in Bastogne, which has been completely encircled by the enemy. Luckily for the paratroopers there?s still a supply depot with 350t of supplies left. HOWEVER, that supply depot will not be receiving any more supplies, and will eventually run out. Once all supplies are depleted, the airborne units will suffer attrition, and surrender very quickly.



Ideally you should cut-off enemies that aren?t supplied by a supply depot (or capture their depot). Pictured below is a panzer division that pushed forward too aggressively, and is now cut-off from supplies. They will be completely destroyed unless they retreat.




ATTACKING & SUPPLY LINES

It takes multiple units to ensure your supply lines stays open when attacking.

1. Use an armoured division to punch through enemy lines and push deep into enemy territory, aiming for enemy supply depots if possible.

2. Have an infantry division follow-up to HOLD the ground the armoured division moved through, thus keeping supply lines open.

Your tanks will quickly run out of fuel & ammo if supply lines are not kept open, and new supply depots placed nearby. Pictured below is the armour, which has quickly pushed forward, and the infantry following up and holding open a corridor.



You now know the basics of logistics in Battleplan. Good luck, General!

[Asid]

Battleplan | Dev Diary #5 - Engineers
Fri, January 9, 2026



Engineers play an invaluable role on the battlefield, both on defence AND offence


MINEFIELDS

Engineers can place minefields. Minefields are incredible defensive tools. Enemies inside of minefields receive a myriad of penalties. Their movement speed is drastically slowed, and when in combat take extra casualties, receive less defence, lower firepower and lower morale. Pictured below is the defensive line in Operation Veritable, with minefields and bunkers littering a swamp.



Minefields have a strength percentage - the more time you give to lay mines, the stronger the minefield will be. You can tell the strength of a minefield visually by the number of mine icons. When you capture territory containing enemy minefields, their strength is slowly diminished over time as safe paths are marked & found.

Friendly units are not slowed down by friendly minefields (maps & paths are marked for them).

LAYING MINEFIELDS

Engineers can automatically lay minefields (changeable in the Doctrine panel), favouring roads. However you can also explicitly tell them to mine an area you think the enemy will through. Laying minefields takes lots of supply though.



CLEARING & ASSAULTING MINEFIELDS

If attacking an enemy position containing mines, you'll want your engineers to CLEAR the minefields ahead of time. This is a slow procedure, so give them as much time as possible before the attack (ex: 24 hours).



Additionally, friendly units become immune to the effects of minefields when escorted by nearby engineers. Pictured below are mechanized infatntry being escorted by mechanized engineers in halftracks.




FORTIFICATIONS

Engineers are also useful for creating higher level fortifications. Fortifications have a strength level, and by default most units can only create fortifications up to a certain strength (ex: Infantry can dig fortifications 40% strong). Fortifications grant defensive bonuses (especially against artillery), and minor firepower bonuses. Note in the picture below the relatively basic trenches & foxholes dug by regular infantry.



Note the higher fortification percent with the fortifications dug by engineers.



Lastly, some missions has you attacked pre-placed fortifications such as bunkers, pillboxes, anti-tank traps & ditches. These fortifications take weeks to build, and cannot be built during a mission.



DESTROYING FORTIFICATIONS

Fortifications are slowly destroyed while fighting. However Engineers are armed with specialist tools & weapons for destroying fortifications rapidly. Engineers will automatically move to assist & destroy fortifications that friendly units are fighting against.




MECHANIZED ENGINEERS

Engineers can be on foot, or mounted in halftracks. Mechanized engineers enjoy increased firepower from the machine guns in their halftracks and increased movement speed. Unfortunately they consume more supplies and cost more requisition (used to build division between missions).



In summary, Engineers are necessary for both defence and offence. Defensively they lay minefields and create improved fortifications. Offensively they clear minefields and quickly destroy fortifications.  They can be mounted in halftracks for improved firepower & speed. Don't forget to include Engineers in your custom-made divisions!

A demo will be available during Steam Next Fest from February 23 to March 2!