Broken Arrow
Large-scale real-time tactics with deep unit customization.
Broken Arrow is a large-scale real-time tactics game set in modern warfare, developed by Steel Balalaika and published by Slitherine. Players command either American or Russian forces, using a distinctive army-building system and a deep unit customization tool. The game was first announced in 2019 through a crowdfunding campaign on the Russian platform Boomstarter.
It launched for Windows on June 19, 2025, via Steam and VK Play, with later updates adding Linux support through Proton. Critical reception was mixed to positive: reviewers praised the detailed unit customization and tactical depth, but pointed out technical problems like the absence of mid-mission saves in singleplayer and a significant number of cheaters in multiplayer.
**Gameplay** Players start with pre-made decks, or armies, for each faction. Each faction has over 200 different units and is built around a specific specialization. Resource management is central: players earn points by destroying enemy units, recycling their own units by sending them back to base, or simply by staying in the match over time. Every unit has a point cost, and as players learn the mechanics, they can directly customize and control individual units. Upgrading a unit makes it more expensive and resource-dependent.
**Factions** - **Russia**: Units are based on the VDV (Airborne Forces), Motostrelki (Mechanized Infantry), Morskaya Pekhota (Naval Infantry), Spetsnaz, and other Russian military branches. - **United States**: Units draw from the Marine Corps’ Marine air-ground task force, the Army’s Armored, Airborne, and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, and U.S. Special Operations Forces.
**Army Building** Players build and customize an army to suit their playstyle. This can be done by modifying individual units or by tailoring the army around a specialization such as airborne, armor, or marines.
**Unit Types** - **Infantry**: Can garrison buildings for stealth and protection. - **Reconnaissance**: Specializes in spotting and marking enemy positions. - **Vehicles**: Includes armored vehicles (tanks and IFVs), ATGM carriers, and fire support vehicles. - **Support**: Artillery and anti-aircraft vehicles for long-range support, plus logistics vehicles that carry ammunition and medical supplies to repair units.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Broken Arrow
- Developer
- Steel Balalaika Studio
- Publisher
- Slitherine Software
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Windows
- Released
- 19 June 2025
- Genre
- Real Time, Strategic, Tactical
- Modes
- Single-Player & Multiplayer
- Director
- Félix Habert
- Composer
- Evgeny Shchukin · Aleksander Tochilkin
- Producer
- Nikita Hiletin
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Broken Arrow is a real-time tactics game set in modern warfare, focusing on American and Russian military forces. The Russian faction draws from units such as the Airborne Forces (VDV), Motostrelki, Naval Infantry, and Spetsnaz, while the U.S. faction is based on Marine Corps air-ground task forces, Army Armored, Airborne, and Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, and Special Operations Forces. Each faction has upwards of 200 different units.
Gameplay centers on resource management, where points are earned by eliminating enemy units, recycling units back to base, or simply staying in the match over time. Players can customize individual units, making them more expensive and resource-dependent. Army building allows players to tailor their forces around specializations like airborne, armor, or marines.
Unit types include infantry (which can garrison buildings for stealth and protection), reconnaissance units, armored vehicles, support vehicles (artillery, anti-air, logistics), helicopters (attack and transport), and airplanes for air support or airdrops. A multiplayer beta was released in early 2024 to over 250,000 users. Steel Balalaika is also developing a scenario editor that lets users create scenarios with cutscenes and dialogue without coding.
Reader's Guide
Broken Arrow received mixed to positive reviews. Critics praised the detailed unit customization and tactical complexity, but noted technical issues such as a lack of mid-mission saves in singleplayer and a large presence of cheaters in multiplayer. The game was initially slated for a 2024 release but was pushed back to June 19, 2025. Before release, the studio announced a Vanguard Edition with early access on Monday June 16, including a soundtrack, digital wallpapers, and exclusive unit skins. Support for Linux via Proton was added in later updates. The game's crowdfunding campaign on Boomstarter in 2019 marked its initial announcement, and its release on both Steam and VK Play reflects its Russian development origins. The large-scale tactical depth and customization options distinguish it within the modern warfare real-time tactics genre, though technical shortcomings affected its reception.
Did You Know?
- Broken Arrow was initially announced in 2019 via a crowdfunding campaign on the Russian platform Boomstarter.
- The game features over 200 different units per faction.
- A multiplayer beta in early 2024 attracted over 250,000 users.
- The Vanguard Edition offered early access on Monday June 16, 2025.
More in Video Games of the 2010s, Part 1 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced