Gary Grigsby's War in the East

Lore & Background

War in the East was released in 2010 and quickly garnered attention for its detailed simulation of the Eastern Front of World War II. The game system was described as elegant and the product as incredibly well researched, with an astonishing ease of starting play. It was called an instant classic and the definitive game for the Eastern Front by some reviewers, while others noted it as a good, very detailed example of the classic hex-based operational wargame. The game won two awards at the 2010 Charles S. Roberts Awards: Best 20th Century Era – Modern Computer Wargame and Best Computer Game Graphics. An expansion, Don to the Danube, received a 77% rating from Armchair General and was called a solid expansion that includes gameplay for both beginner and veteran players by Muropaketti.

Reader's Guide

War in the East is significant as a landmark in computer wargaming, often cited as the most important wargame since Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord (2000). It was praised for its comprehensive and enjoyable depiction of the German-Soviet war, with a better scenario selection than War in the Pacific (2004). PCGamesN included it on their list of best wargames on PC, calling it one of the most evocative representations of World War II warfare ever made. The game's legacy includes two sequels: Gary Grigsby's War in the West (2014), which covers the Western Front from 1943 to 1945, and Gary Grigsby's War in the East 2 (2021), which rebuilt the artificial intelligence and featured a more dynamic map and deeper logistics system. The original game remains a touchstone for operational-level wargaming, with its design influencing later titles in the series.

Did You Know?

• Each hex on the map represents ten miles (16 km).
• Multiplayer is conducted via play-by-email.
• Two sequels were released: War in the West (2014) and War in the East 2 (2021).