About This Game

Thirty Years War

Fight across the battlefields of early modern Europe in Thirty Years War, a detailed tactical wargame covering the vast, interconnected conflicts that engulfed the Holy Roman Empire and much of the continent during the 17th century.

From the Bohemian Revolt and the early Imperial victories of the Bohemian and Palatinate campaigns, through the Danish Intervention, the dramatic Swedish Intervention under Gustavus Adolphus, and finally the French Intervention and wider Franco-Spanish conflict, Thirty Years War places you in command of the armies that fought through one of the most destructive and complex wars in European history. What began as a religious uprising in Bohemia quickly expanded into a continent-wide struggle involving dynastic ambition, shifting alliances, and prolonged intervention by nearly every major European power.

Take command in Thirty Years War, where detailed tactical maps and historically grounded orders of battle place you in control of armies fighting across devastated villages, fortified cities, river crossings, dense forests, and open continental battlefields. Every engagement is shaped by the realities of early 17th-century warfare: dense formations, matchlock muskets, evolving drill and discipline, mercenary armies, supply constraints, command friction, and the growing dominance of professional standing forces.

Command the Armies of Europe

Recreate the major campaigns of the Thirty Years War across its evolving phases and shifting coalitions.

Lead the forces of the Imperial and Catholic League, including:

• Imperial infantry and cavalry

• Catholic League armies under Tilly

• Spanish Habsburg forces

• The later Bavarian army under Mercy

• Croatian light troops and mercenary cavalry

• Saxon contingents during their periods of alliance with the Empire

Or command the Protestant and anti-Imperial coalitions, including:

• Swedish infantry and cavalry under Gustavus Adolphus

• Danish forces

• Saxon contingents during their periods of alliance with the Protestant cause

• German Protestant armies under Mansfeld and others

• French intervention forces

• Palatinate and allied contingents

The historically accurate Order of Battle reflects the fragmented and mercenary-driven nature of the conflict. Armies are often multinational, understrength, and unevenly trained, with quality varying widely between veteran formations, levied troops, and hired mercenaries.

Multiple Phases of War

Thirty Years War covers the major phases and theaters of the conflict across Central Europe.

Fight through the Bohemian Revolt and the Palatinate Campaign, where early uprisings and Imperial victories secured the Habsburg position.

Battle through the Danish Intervention, where Protestant forces attempted to halt Imperial consolidation under commanders like Tilly and Wallenstein.

Experience the Swedish Intervention, where Gustavus Adolphus reshaped battlefield tactics and delivered decisive blows at battles such as Breitenfeld and Lützen.

Engage in the later French Intervention and the wider Franco-Spanish conflict, where the war evolved into a prolonged struggle between Europe's great powers, culminating in major engagements such as Rocroi and beyond.

Warfare in Transition

The Thirty Years War sits at the crossroads between Renaissance warfare and the early modern battlefield. Infantry formations, firearms technology, cavalry doctrine, and command structures are all in flux.

Fight across battlefields where:

• Matchlock muskets remain the standard type of musket

• Flintlock ignition systems appear in limited and specialized roles

• Dense pike-and-shot formations define infantry combat

• Cavalry shock action remains decisive in many battles

• Mercenary forces introduce variability in discipline and morale

• Terrain, weather, and logistics heavily influence operational success

• Artillery grows in importance but remains inconsistent in deployment

The game models the wide variation in troop quality and equipment across Imperial, Swedish, Spanish, French, Bavarian, Saxon, and other forces, as well as the unique challenges of mercenary armies operating across extended campaigns.

80 Detailed Scenarios

Thirty Years War includes 80 standalone scenarios covering engagements of all sizes, including:

• Tutorial scenarios

• Boot Camp training scenarios

• Major historical battles

• Smaller skirmishes and regional actions

• Variant and what-if scenarios

• Head-to-head and AI-focused engagements

The game covers key battles and operations from across the war, including:

• White Mountain

• Sablat

• Wimpfen

• Höchst

• Lutter

• 1st Breitenfeld

• Rain am Lech

• Lützen

• 1st Nördlingen

• Wittstock

• 2nd Breitenfeld

• Rocroi

• Freiburg

• 2nd Nördlingen

And many more actions spanning the full duration of the war.

Two Campaigns

Two structured campaigns containing additional scenarios allow players to follow the evolving war across its major phases.

Experience the conflict as a continuous struggle of shifting alliances, attritional campaigns, and decisive set-piece battles that reshape the political map of Europe.

Extensive Maps and Historical Detail

A wide range of historically accurate maps are included, covering major battlefields, fortified cities, river systems, and contested regions across Central and Western Europe.

The game also includes extensive 3D unit graphics representing the major armies of the era, including Imperial, Swedish, Spanish, French, Bavarian, Saxon, and other regional and mercenary forces.

Design notes, campaign commentary, and a bibliography provide additional historical context and sources used by the design team to build this simulation.

Powerful Editing Tools

Customize and expand your experience with a full suite of editors, including:

Campaign editor

Scenario editor

Sub-map editor

Use these tools to modify existing content, create new engagements, or subdivide larger maps into smaller tactical regions for custom scenario design.

Multiple Ways to Play

Multiple play options include:

Play against the computer AI

Play-By-Email

LAN and live Internet play

Two-player Hot Seat mode