14 DAY TRIAL // Two Force Recon teams clear two buildings filled with Russians, with their amphibious vehicles providing fire support from a distance. I have seen a few helicopters swinging around, which is why I deploy a Stinger squad as close to the line of contact as possible without exposing them to potential fire.
Meanwhile, a bigger Marine force is moving on the other flank, engaged by an enemy tank and infantry. One of my mortars is helping them eliminate those forces, while the others are targeting the air defense systems I am supposed to eliminate. Bringing in one more Dragoon team would have probably been a good idea.
My big problem is the loss of some amphibious vehicles, which means I need to wait for more requisition points to come in. Once the enemy no longer controls the airspace, the plan is to bring in Ospreys and choppers to restore mobility to my troops.
Broken Arrow is created by Steel Balalaika and published by Slitherine Ltd. I played a preview version on the PC. The title aims to deliver a real-time wargame set during modern times, challenging players to use powerful hardware in the best way possible.
The mission featured in the preview gives players control of a Marine-focused United States force. Its mission is to bottle up the Russian Baltic fleet by taking control over areas of Kaliningrad. That, in turn, requires the destruction of a defending tank force and the elimination of other defensive assets.
Broken Arrow gives players a starting force, as well as a selection of units they can call in using requisition points. These need to be carefully moved through the detailed battle environment to achieve objectives.
Players can control each individual squad and vehicle and use a range of abilities. Each unit type comes with a weapon loadout that determines its role on the battlefield. Players have to make decisions on where and when to move and what kind of force they will commit to each mission.
Modern warfare is lethal and maneuver focused and Broken Arrow reflects that. Infantry in cover or buildings is very good on the defensive. But any push requires solid fire support and willingness to take casualties. Recon saves lives and opens up options. Helicopters are fragile but can pour accurate and effective fire on the best enemy troops.
Tanks can be a huge headache to a light infantry force and specialized assets need to be deployed to eliminate them. And there’s always a strong enemy force ready to counterattack as soon as you secure an important location.
After playing a single mission, it’s easy to see that Broken Arrow is both challenging and very fun. When the battlefield becomes chaotic, make sure to reduce game speed. And always take stock of the situation before moving troops or choosing to call in reinforcements.
Broken Arrow aims to stay as close to the real world as possible. Take a trip to the Hangar to see a ton of modern hardware, lovingly modeled, featuring a variety of load-outs and armor setups. The same amount of work has been put into battle spaces and effects. Battles also sound great, mixing realistic weapon fire with a lot of unit chatter.
Conclusion
The development team at Steel Balalaika seems committed to mixing realism with engaging gameplay. Winning an engagement requires careful planning and near-flawless execution. Broken Arrow is shaping up to be a great wargame that emphasizes player choice.
A preview key was provided by the publisher.
