Great Northern War

Great Northern War

Fight across the battlefields of Northern and Eastern Europe in Great Northern War, a detailed tactical wargame covering the campaigns, battles, and skirmishes that ended Swedish dominance of the Baltic and transformed Russia into a European great power.

From Humlebæk and Narva to Kliszów, Fraustadt, Holowczyn, Poltava, Helsingborg, Stresow, and the final campaigns in Finland and Norway, Great Northern War places you in command of the armies that fought for control of the Baltic world. What began in 1700 as a coordinated assault by Russia, Denmark-Norway, and Saxony against the young King Charles XII became a grueling 21-year struggle across Scandinavia, the Baltic provinces, Poland-Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Finland, and Northern Germany.

Take command in Great Northern War, where detailed tactical maps and historically grounded orders of battle place you in control of armies fighting across snow-covered plains, frozen rivers, fortified towns, forests, marshes, villages, coastal regions, and open continental battlefields. Every engagement is shaped by the realities of early 18th-century warfare: aggressive shock tactics, disciplined musket fire, pikes and bayonets, cavalry charges, dismounted dragoons, field fortifications, morale, command, supply, attrition, and extreme winter weather.

Command the Armies of Northern Europe

Recreate the major campaigns of the Great Northern War from either side of the conflict.

Lead Sweden and its allies, including:

• Swedish Guards and line infantry

• Finnish infantry and cavalry

• Provincial and enlisted regiments

• Swedish cavalry and dragoons

• Troops from Sweden’s Baltic and German possessions

• Pro-Swedish Polish and Lithuanian formations

• Cossack allies

• Swedish field and regimental artillery

Or command the Northern Alliance and Sweden’s other enemies, including:

• Russian Guards and regular infantry

• Russian dragoons and cavalry

• Russian Cossacks and irregular forces

• Danish regulars and militia

• Danish cavalry and dragoons

• Norwegian infantry and dragoons

• Norwegian ski troops

• Saxon infantry, cavalry, and dragoons

• Polish-Lithuanian hussars, pancerni, rajtars, dragoons, cossacks, and noble levy

• Prussian and other allied contingents

The historically accurate Order of Battle reflects the many armies, alliances, and internal divisions that shaped the war. Swedish forces begin the conflict with superior training, leadership, morale, and aggressive doctrine, while the Russian army develops from an inexperienced and uneven force into a disciplined military capable of defeating its former teachers.

A War Across the Baltic World

Great Northern War covers the full scope of the conflict across its major campaigns and theaters.

Fight through the opening campaigns of 1700 and 1701, when Denmark-Norway, Saxony, and Russia launched separate attacks against Sweden. Lead Charles XII’s rapid counteroffensives at Humlebæk, Narva, and Riga, where the Swedish army defeated each opponent before the alliance could concentrate its strength.

Campaign across Poland and Lithuania, where Sweden’s invasion became entangled with political division, disputed kingship, and civil war. Fight for cities, river crossings, fortresses, and the allegiance of Polish and Lithuanian factions while attempting to force Augustus the Strong from the Polish throne.

Invade Russia in the decisive campaign of 1708 and 1709. Advance across vast distances, protect vulnerable supply columns, overcome fortified river crossings, and confront a reformed Russian army using scorched-earth tactics, superior numbers, and the punishing climate to wear down the Swedish advance.

Defend Finland after Poltava as Russian armies move westward through the Swedish Empire. Conduct delaying actions, defend river and lake crossings, and attempt to prevent smaller Finnish forces from being outflanked and overwhelmed.

Fight across Scania and Sweden’s German possessions as Denmark, Saxony, Russia, and Prussia return to the war. Defend Swedish territory, relieve threatened fortresses, attack entrenched camps, and struggle to preserve Sweden’s remaining position on the European continent.

Lead the final Swedish invasions of Norway, where mountains, winter weather, hunger, disease, and fortified positions prove as dangerous as the opposing army. Attempt to capture Trondheim and reverse Sweden’s declining fortunes before the war reaches its conclusion.

Tactical Warfare in the Baltic World

The Great Northern War was fought during a period of changing doctrine, weaponry, and military organization. Armies entered the conflict with sharply different approaches to infantry fire, cavalry action, and battlefield command.

Fight across battlefields where:

• Swedish Gå-På tactics combine close-range volleys with aggressive infantry shock attacks

• Swedish infantry use formations combining musketeers and pikemen

• Danish infantry rely on disciplined musket fire without pikes

• Russian infantry and leadership improve as Peter I’s military reforms take effect

• Cavalry doctrine ranges from aggressive Swedish charges to more controlled fire-and-charge tactics

• Dragoons may operate as cavalry or dismount to fight on foot depending on their army and role

• Polish-Lithuanian hussars and pancerni bring armor, mobility, and powerful cavalry shock action

• Cossacks, ski troops, and other light forces excel at reconnaissance, harassment, and movement through difficult terrain

• Regimental guns support advancing infantry while heavier artillery dominates sieges and fortified positions

• Snow, mud, forests, rivers, marshes, and extreme cold shape movement, fatigue, supply, and combat

The game models the differences between Swedish veterans, provincial formations, Finnish troops, early- and late-war Russian armies, Danish and Norwegian forces, Saxon regulars, Polish-Lithuanian cavalry, Prussian contingents, militia, and irregular troops. Unit quality reflects training, leadership, morale, equipment, and historical battlefield performance.

89 Detailed Scenarios

Great Northern War includes 89 scenarios covering engagements of all sizes, including:

• A solo tutorial scenario

• Major historical battles

• Smaller skirmishes and regional actions

• River crossings and amphibious operations

• Sieges and attacks on fortified positions

• Variant and what-if scenarios

• Specialized versions for both head-to-head play and play against the AI

The game covers famous and lesser-known actions from the Great Northern War and the included Scanian War content, including:

• Halmstad

• Lund

• Landskrona

• Humlebæk

• Narva

• Olkieniki

• Riga

• Erastfer

• Hummelshof

• Kliszów

• Pułtusk

• Poniec

• Jakobstadt

• Gemauerthof

• Warsaw

• Fraustadt

• Kalisz

• Holowczyn

• Lesnaya

• Malatitze

• Koniecpol

• Veprik

• Baturyn

• Oposhnya

• Poltava

• Pälkäne

• Storkyro

• Helsingborg

• Wismar

• Gadebusch

• Stresow

• Stäket

• Trondheim

And many more.

Five Campaigns

Five structured campaigns allow players to follow the war through connected historical battles and alternative outcomes:

• The 1700 Campaign

• The Polish Campaign

• The Russian Campaign

• The Finnish Campaign

• The Norwegian Campaign

Each campaign includes major historical engagements and what-if scenarios based on tactical or strategic choices available to the opposing commanders.

Experience the conflict as more than a collection of isolated battles, with campaign decisions and battlefield results influencing the operations and engagements that follow.

The Scanian War Included

The included first expansion adds 20 scenarios, covering additional Great Northern War actions and battles from the Scanian War.

Fight in the earlier conflict between Sweden and Denmark-Norway, where King Charles XI defended Sweden against invasion and won major victories at Halmstad, Lund, and Landskrona.

The Scanian War provides the historical background to the Great Northern War. The experience gained during the conflict and the military reforms introduced by Charles XI helped create the disciplined Swedish Karoliner army later commanded by his son, Charles XII.

Extensive Maps and Great Northern War Detail

A range of historically accurate maps are included, covering the significant locations fought over during the Great Northern War and the Scanian War, along with many lesser-known battlefields.

Fight across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Baltic provinces, Poland-Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine, Swedish Pomerania, and other contested regions. Many maps extend beyond the immediate historical battlefield, allowing players to maneuver more freely or create their own scenarios.

The game also includes extensive 3D unit graphics representing the major armies involved, including Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Danish, Norwegian, Saxon, Polish-Lithuanian, Prussian, Cossack, and other allied forces.

Design notes, campaign notes, historical commentary, and a bibliography provide additional background on the conflict, the armies involved, the production of the game, and the sources used by the design team.

Powerful Editing Tools

Customize and expand your experience with a full suite of editors, including:

Campaign editor

Scenario editor

Sub-map editor

Use these tools to modify existing content, create new engagements, or subdivide larger maps into smaller battlefield segments for custom scenario design.

Multiple Ways to Play

Multiple play options include:

Play against the computer AI

Play-By-Email

LAN and live Internet play

Two-player Hot Seat mode