The game takes place during World War II and its single-player campaign features battles set in Europe, the Soviet Union, Greece, and North Africa across three different campaigns for the Allies, Germans and Soviets. Japan was introduced as a multiplayer faction in a patch.
Features
Men of War is a real-time tactics game in which players complete military objectives. It focuses entirely on military tactics and special operations and does not feature base building, research, or resource gathering. Unit recruitment features in multiplayer, but is rarely enabled in single-player.Simulation
The game's most notable feature is its simulation-driven world. Examples include:- Each soldier and vehicle has an inventory which holds weapons and a finite amount of ammunition and supplies
- Items can be picked up from the ground or traded
- Each vehicle and emplacement is operated by soldiers who can enter and leave it at will
- Each vehicle has components that can be damaged and repaired instead of an abstract health value
- Line of sight is calculated accurately
- Buildings have fully modelled interiors that soldiers can freely navigate
- Bullets and shells are blocked by solid objects
- Nearly anything can be destroyed, and destruction is physically simulated with solid debris
- Fire spreads
- Etc.
These rules lead to gameplay that has been described as "organic...where others are artificial" and praised for generating "stories as distinct as they are dramatic", but criticised for at times demanding intense micromanagement. Perhaps in recognition of this, players can change the speed at which time passes.
