Dogs Of War Online
Dogs of War Online takes the framework of the Confrontation tabletop miniatures game and adapts it into a free-to-play, turn-based strategy MMO. You assemble a mercenary company from fantasy troops, then test your tactics in structured PvP modes or practice against AI, with positioning and unit matchups doing most of the heavy lifting.
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Publisher: Cyanide Playerbase: Low Type: Strategy MMO PvP: Battleground / Tournaments Open Beta Date: February 4, 2014 Pros: +Simple ruleset that clicks fast. +Unit roster feels well-tuned. +Strong tabletop tactics vibe. Cons: -Support effectively ended. -Very small active community. -Strategy layer can feel shallow long-term. |
Dogs of War Online Overview
Dogs of War Online is a 3D tactical MMO set in Aarklash, a battered fantasy world split by the competing influences of Light, Darkness, and Destiny. Rather than controlling a single hero, you command a hired warband aligned with one of these powers, fielding squads that can include disciplined human fighters, bestial elites, and undead horrors. The design leans heavily on Confrontation’s established rules, so battles focus on careful movement, threat ranges, and how units interact when they lock into melee. Concepts like engagement, counter-strikes, and surrounding enemies matter, and a good turn is often about setting up favorable trades instead of chasing flashy combos.
Progression is tied to unlocking more options for your company. As your rank climbs, additional troops become available, ultimately building toward a roster of 54 units that can be mixed into many different lineups. On top of that, nine Champions act as powerful leaders with distinct combat roles, giving each company a clearer identity. Outside of combat, customization is mostly cosmetic, with dyes letting you change the look of your units without turning the game into a pure gear chase. When you are ready to compete, you can queue into PvP battlegrounds and tournaments, or spend time against AI opponents to learn matchups and practice positioning.
Dogs of War Online Key Features:
- Confrontation Rule Set – tactical flow and balance inspired directly by the Confrontation miniatures game.
- 54 Playable Units – unlock and field a large unit pool, enabling many different company builds and counter-picks.
- Three Varied Factions – fight for the Wolfen, the Alahan armies, or Acheron’s undead forces.
- Nine Powerful Champions –choose a leader with unique strengths to anchor your squad and define your approach.
- Missions and Tournaments – run mission timers for routine rewards and join monthly tournaments for competitive play.
Dogs of War Online Screenshots
Dogs of War Online Featured Video
Dogs of War Online Review
Dogs of War Online is best understood as a digital skirmish game first and an MMO second. The “massive” part mainly comes from matchmaking, rankings, and scheduled competition, not from open-world exploration or persistent zones. If what you want is a focused, turn-based tactics loop with a clear tabletop lineage, it delivers that style quickly, but the experience is also defined by its limited long-term support and a small pool of active players.
A skirmish game with readable rules
Matches are built around compact encounters where every square and facing matters. Engagement and counter-attacks encourage you to think about what happens after the initial hit, not just the first strike. It is often smarter to pin an enemy in place, force a bad counter, or create a surround than it is to simply rush damage. That emphasis on board control makes the game approachable for anyone who has played miniature skirmish systems or grid-based tactics RPGs.
The pacing is generally brisk for turn-based combat, with enough decisions per turn to feel tactical without drowning you in layers of sub-menus. The downside is that once you learn the fundamentals, many fights can start to feel like variations on familiar exchanges, especially if you repeatedly run into the same small selection of opponents.
Units, factions, and building your company
The roster is the heart of the game. With 54 unlockable units, you can experiment with different frontline cores, ranged support, and specialist picks. The three factions give the setting and silhouettes their flavor, and it is easy to recognize what you are fighting and roughly what it wants to do. Company building is satisfying because even minor swaps can change how you take engagements, how you contest space, and which targets you prioritize.
Champions add an extra layer by giving your lineup a centerpiece. They help define a plan, whether that is leaning into durability, aggression, or control. Still, the overall buildcraft does not reach the complexity of deeper tactics games, and some players will eventually wish there were more meaningful systems beyond unlocking options and refining matchups.
PvP structure and AI play
Competitive play is centered on battlegrounds and tournament formats. In its best moments, the game feels like a clean, fair duel of positioning and prediction, with less randomness than many online strategy titles. The AI mode is useful as a training ground and a way to learn your units, but it cannot fully replace human opponents when it comes to mind games and adaptation.
The biggest practical issue is population. With a low playerbase, matchmaking variety suffers, and it can be harder to find the kind of consistent competitive environment these systems are built for.
Presentation and overall feel
Visually, Dogs of War Online communicates the miniatures-inspired identity well. Units have clear roles, and the 3D presentation makes it easy to read the board state at a glance. Cosmetic dyes offer a simple way to personalize without turning customization into a grind for power. Sound and effects are functional and generally in service of clarity, which is more important here than spectacle.
Support status and what that means today
The game’s most significant drawback is its history of halted development. After open beta began on February 4, 2014, updates continued for a period and then stopped, leaving the project in a state that feels unfinished. Without ongoing balance passes, new content, or official communication about a full release, it is difficult to recommend as a long-term main game, even if the underlying combat remains enjoyable.
Overall, Dogs of War Online is a solid representation of tabletop-style tactical combat in a free-to-play format, but it is best approached as a niche curiosity for tactics fans, rather than a living service you can rely on for years of growth.
Dogs of War Online Online Links
Dogs of War Online Official Site
Dogs of War Online Official Forums
Dogs of War Online Steam
Dogs of War Online Facebook
Dogs of War Online System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows XP / 7 / 8
CPU: Dual-Core 1.8 GHz
Video Card: GeForce 8600 GT / Radeon HD 3850
RAM: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space: 3 GB
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 / 8
CPU: Dual-Core 3.0 GHz
Video Card: GeForce GTS 250 / Radeon HD 6670
RAM: 4 GB
Hard Disk Space: 4 GB
Dogs of War Online Music & Soundtrack
While Dogs of War Online does not have a widely discussed standalone soundtrack, the audio direction fits its skirmish-game focus. Music tends to stay in the background to keep turns readable, and combat effects prioritize clear feedback over cinematic noise. If you enjoy tactical games where sound is there to support decision-making, the mix generally does its job.
Dogs of War Online Additional Information
Developer: Cyanide
Distributor: Steam
Closed Beta Date: October 9, 2013
Open Beta Date: February 4, 2014
Release Date: TBA
Development History / Background:
Dogs of War Online is developed by Cyanide, a French studio founded by seven former Ubisoft employees and located in the western suburbs of Paris, France. The game entered closed beta on October 9, 2013, and remained there until it transitioned to an open beta release on Steam on February 4, 2014. After opening up to the public, the title received regular updates through July 2014, and then stopped receiving new patches. Since then, there has been no official confirmation on whether active development is continuing or if a full release will ever happen.
Cyanide’s broader catalog covers multiple genres, including sports, stealth, and licensed projects. Other notable releases from the studio include Of Orcs and Men, Blood Bowl II, and Styx: Master of Shadows.