Strategic Command: World War I - Battles for Ypres

The Battles for Ypres DLC for Strategic Command: World War I delivers six high-intensity, quick-to-play campaigns set across one of the most iconic and strategically vital fronts of the Great War. Covering the major clashes fought in and around the Ypres Salient from 1914 to 1918, each scenario captures a different phase in the evolution of modern warfare.

From the desperate defense of the First Battle of Ypres to the gas-stricken chaos of the Second, the precision assault at Messines Ridge, the muddy nightmare of Passchendaele, the shock of the German Spring Offensive and the final Allied advance in 1918. Every campaign offers distinct challenges, pacing and strategic dilemmas.

Fight across a shared battlefield that evolves over time, with changing terrain, shifting frontlines and increasingly advanced military technologies. Experience the transition from early-war maneuver and rifle fire to trench warfare, creeping barrages, tanks, aircraft, and chemical weapons. Each reshaping how battles are fought.

Designed for both accessibility and depth, these divisional-level scenarios emphasize meaningful decision-making, risk management and replayability. Commit reserves at the right moment, exploit breakthroughs, or hold the line against overwhelming odds, every choice can determine victory or defeat.

First Ypres (19 October – 22 November 1914)

The First Battle of Ypres ended the “Race to the Sea” and marked the start of entrenched warfare on the Western Front. Players command British, French, and Belgian forces against a relentless German advance. Hold the line under overwhelming odds, coordinate counterattacks, and survive the mud and rain that defined the front.

Second Ypres (22 April – 25 May 1915)

The Second Battle of Ypres saw the first large-scale chemical attack in history. Canadian, French, and British units must contend with gas assaults, heavy casualties, and a German army unable to fully exploit their initial success. Players must make razor’s edge decisions to hold or break the line.

Messines Ridge: Prelude to Third Ypres (7 – 14 June 1917)

The British launch a decisive assault on the German salient south of Ypres, detonating massive underground mines and rolling creeping barrages forward. Players command multinational forces to seize the ridge, consolidate gains, and repel counterattacks before advancing further.

Third Ypres (31 July – 10 November 1917)

Better known as Passchendaele, this grueling campaign challenges players with torrential rains, mud, and stretched Allied resources. Capture key ridges and railway hubs, coordinate British-French assaults, and contend with German elastic defense tactics, artillery, and counterattacks in a battle defined by attrition.

Fourth Ypres (7 – 29 April 1918)

Also called the Battle of the Lys, this clash was part of the German Spring Offensive. Elite stormtroopers spearhead attacks against fragile Allied lines, while players must reinforce and hold critical positions under pressure. Every decision matters in this test of innovation, desperation, and endurance.

Fifth Ypres (23 September – October 1918)

The final campaign, the Advance in Flanders, lets players experience the reversal of Third Ypres. Belgian, British, and French forces press rapidly against exhausted German defenders. Speed, coordination, and momentum are key to liberating the Ypres Salient and securing victory after four years of relentless struggle.

Key Features

• Six fast-paced, tournament-friendly campaigns covering all major Battles of Ypres

• Divisional-scale gameplay focused on intense, decision-driven combat

• A dynamic battlefield that evolves across the war’s timeline

• Historically inspired scenarios with varied objectives and strategic depth

• Progressive introduction of WWI technologies and tactics, from artillery duels to gas, tanks, and airpower