We use cookies to help give you the best possible experience on our site. Strictly necessary and functional cookies support login and shopping cart features, they cannot be disabled. Performance cookies support site performance analysis. These are optional and will be disabled if you click on Reject.

By clicking Accept you agree to our use of Performance cookies as detailed in our Privacy Policy.

 

Accept Reject
 
home / news / Battleplan
< go back

Battleplan - Playing as the Germans

socials
Published on April 02, 2026

Playing as the Germans

 

After you beat each mission, you can play it again as the Germans with unique objectives and additional challenges.

WHAT’S VICTORY?

After the successful D-Day landings on June 6, the German army had no realistic chance of victory on the Western front. To reflect that we’ve had craft unique objectives that constitute a ‘victory’ when playing as the Germans. These objectives will never be ‘wipe the Allies off the map’. Instead they’re a combination of ‘hold out for longer than they did in real-life’, inflict significant casualties on the Allies or perform a minor counterattack.

 

EXAMPLE: CHERBOURG

Playing the Cherbourg mission as the Germans gives you freedom to win in two ways: hold out for two weeks, or hold out for one week AND counterattack to capture & hold Carentan for a day. You are significantly outnumbered, and have no armoured divisions. Performing any attacks will be difficult without fast-moving armour.

One strategy would be to completely pull back, give up the frontlines and mass all divisions around Cherbourg itself, constructing minefields & fortifications.

A different strategy would be to use tactics like ‘Defence in Depth’ to preserve your forces and retreat when attacked. Let the enemies push deep towards Cherbourg, and then launch a counterattack from the sides to cut-off their supply lines if they over-extend. A regiment could be split off to try skirting the edges and break through to Carentan.

 

EXAMPLE: CAEN

The Germans are mostly on the defence, but not always! Caen has you start outnumbering the Allies. You also have several elite Panzer divisions ready for a powerful attack on Bayeux. It still won’t be an easy attack - you’ll have to face dug-in British infantry along with the 7th Amoured Division on counterattack duty.

You can win either by capturing Bayeux for several days, or simply holding Caen for several weeks. The Allies will be getting a new division each day, so you’ll lose your numerical advance by the midpoint of the mission.

 

HISTORICALLY ACCURATE OFFICERS & DIVISIONS

Each mission features historically accurate divisions for both Axis & Allies. Divisions have set ‘veterancy’ levels, and are led by their historically accurate officer as well.

You can view details about each historically accurate officer, including a short biography (it’s interesting seeing who survived the war).

 

DIFFERENCES FROM THE ALLIES

When playing as the Germans, normally you’ll be outnumbered, outgunned and on the back foot. You’ll by defending more than attacking. You won’t have access to air support (the Luftwaffe has been destroyed in the West by this point), so your recon and close-air support will be lacking. There won’t be many reinforcements. In summary, you’ll have to do more with less.

 

CAMPAIGNS UNITS

Our campaign follows the Allies, so unfortunately you won’t be able to bring in your own customized & veteran Officers or Divisions.

 

BALANCE

Playing as the Germans is viewed as ‘bonus’ content, and as such won’t be as polished as the regular Allied campaign missions. Additionally, the Germans lost these battles, so expect some ahistorical balance changes to make it possible (and more fun).

 

Slitherine Checkpoint – Upcoming Live Event

 

Next week, on Tuesday the 7th at 5:00 PM CEST, we will be hosting a live event called Checkpoint on our Twitch channel.

 

The event will feature a live chat with Michael Long from Foolish Mortals Games, developer of Battleplan. During the session, we will answer your feedback and questions raised during the playable demo at Steam Next Fest (February edition).

 

To wrap up, the developer will also share the latest updates and ongoing improvements currently in development.

 

Don’t miss it!

Target Games
Search News
Archive
2026
< go to all news