Broken Arrow is a dream RTS game, fusing realistic milsims with outright action

Even as the most cast-iron acolyte of Command and Conquer, I know its battles can often feel too fast, too simple, and too fluid. For a more authentic military strategy experience, it’s best to go elsewhere: Warno, Steel Division, the classic World in Conflict. But then I come up against another problem. These games are detailed, and rooted in more ‘realistic’ aesthetics and mechanics, but that sometimes makes them inscrutable. They’re slow and complex; by design, they’re hard to get into, and can feel too much like work. I want C&C. But I also want something that feels more grounded, and more tactically demanding - but then I also don’t want a simulation game. Broken Arrow is the first RTS to successfully walk the line.