The Operational Art of War IV

71KS
Released Oct 15, 2018by TrickeySoft LLCVery Positive(81% of 375 Steam reviews)

The Operational Art of War IV is the new generation of operational wargames. With more flexibility than before and with a new array of exciting features, it will make you relive the most iconic battles from the dawn of the 20th Century to modern day, including the ones that never occurred!

Offers

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Official stores

Official stores with direct support.

Steam
SteamOfficial
updated
€38.99
-55%€17.54
Shop now ↗

Keyshops

Third-party resellers. Often cheaper, without official store support. Keyshop prices vs Steam →

Loaded
LoadedKeyshop
updated
Lowest price
€39.49
-64% vs Steam€14.19
Shop now ↗

Multipacks (1)

About The Operational Art of War IV

The legend is back!

The Operational Art of War IV is the new generation of operational wargames. With more flexibility than before and with a new array of exciting features, it will make you relive the most iconic battles from the dawn of the 20th Century to modern day, including the ones that never occurred!



More than 200 scenarios like the Battle of Marne, Dien Bien Phu, the Batte of Arnhem, the Falkland Invasion - and lots more! - will forge your strategy skills and ability to master all kind of troops and terrains!

The entire naval warfare system has been completely revised and implemented, bringing its realism to a new, higher, level!



The supply system has been greatly enhanced, allowing a more gradual simulation without adding extra tasks to the players.

In addition, the game will feature an Improved combat resolution, a much more consistent combat round management, along with major improvements to the TOAW Editor Event system, making complex scenarios easier to create!



A new Battlefield Time Stamp feature takes on TOAW's unique way of handling game turn resolution and makes it easier for players to plan ahead!

And for those among you intimidated by large scenarios, an Improved PO/AI assist automation exists to make handing off part of your friendly forces to the AI easier!

The Operational Art of War IV is the top-notch military simulation that every wargamer needs!

FEATURES

New naval warfare features

  • The modeling of ships has been improved. Instead of treating ships as a single piece of equipment, like a gun or a squad, they are now treated as complex systems that incur damage in combat. Ships have new armor, durability, accuracy, speed, and agility parameters.
  • Embarked units no longer employ their own strengths in defense. Naval combat now evaluates attackers’ Anti-Naval strengths as individual shots/planes – employing their shell weights to determine armor penetration and resulting damage.
  • Sea Interdiction can now be employed by aircraft, ships, and coastal guns. Ships subjected to sea interdiction fire counterbattery back (or, in the case of carriers, counterstrikes).

New Supply system

  • There is now an intermediate supply state that falls between “Supplied” and “Unsupplied”. It’s called “Overextended”. A new parameter called the Overextended Supply Threshold has been implemented. That is the location supply value below which locations are overextended. Units in such hexes will function somewhat between how supplied and unsupplied units function. The result will be that it will be much more difficult for units to press on at red-lined unit conditions from such locations.
  • Motorized unit movement over improved roads can be set by the designer to be less than one MP per improved road hex (for example, ½ MP per hex). If optioned, this affects supply in that supply lines traced over improved roads will extend proportionately further than over other terrain, like regular roads. Note how this would especially affect desert scenarios.
  • The limit of 50% unit supply recovery per turn has been lifted.

Other game features

  • Range Limits: Ranged units can have their nominal ranges player limited. This can be used to tailor bomber ranges to match fighter cover ranges or to make units with multiple range equipment operate within the range of the shortest-ranged equipment. The DBR will reflect the modified range.
  • Deployment Recovery: Ranged units retain their deployment states after combat and ground assaulters can recover theirs if a planned combat is canceled.
  • New Bridge Destruction Rules: There is an option to limit bridge hexes (for destruction purposes) to locations where the road feature graphically crosses the river feature.
  • Combat Report Review. Combat reports are saved in the pbl/sal files for review by both players during their player turns.
  • Adaptation of Matrix’s PBEM++ system.

Game details

Game details

Released
Publisher
Platforms
Steam Deck
Unsupported
Steam rating
Very Positive (81%)

Third-party account: Slitherine PBEM++ for Multiplayer

Age ratings

IGRS 3DEJUS 6STEAM_GERMANY 12

The Operational Art of War IV price history

Lowest tracked price: €13.89 (Jul 9, 2026) · current best: €14.19 across 2 stores.

The Operational Art of War IV player count & reviews

81% positive reviews all-time · 44 peak players in the last 30 days.

The Operational Art of War IV — frequently asked questions

Where can I buy The Operational Art of War IV at the cheapest price?

Right now the cheapest offer for The Operational Art of War IV is €14.19 at Loaded. KingsPrice compares 2 offers from 2 stores — official stores and keyshops — and refreshes prices throughout the day.

What is the lowest price The Operational Art of War IV has ever been?

The lowest price KingsPrice has tracked for The Operational Art of War IV is €13.89 (recorded on Jul 9, 2026). This covers the stores and period we monitor — set a price alert to catch the next drop to that level.

How many people play The Operational Art of War IV?

The Operational Art of War IV peaked at 44 concurrent players on Steam in the last 30 days (highest on Jul 19, 2026). The player chart on this page updates daily.

Is it safe to buy a The Operational Art of War IV Steam key from a keyshop?

Keyshops are marketplaces that resell game keys, usually below official store prices. The keyshops listed on KingsPrice deliver genuine Steam keys, but buyer protection differs from official stores — check the shop's rating and refund policy before buying. You can hide keyshop offers at any time with the keyshops toggle. Keyshop prices vs Steam →

How can I get The Operational Art of War IV at a discount?

Create a free price alert on this page and KingsPrice will email you when The Operational Art of War IV drops below your chosen price. The biggest discounts usually appear during seasonal Steam sales and publisher promotions — the sale calendar on this page shows the next confirmed event.

System requirements

Minimum

Minimum:
  • OS *: Windows 7 / 8 / 10
  • Processor: Pentium 4 or better
  • Memory: 512 MB RAM
  • Graphics: Video/Graphics: DirectX 9.0c compatible video card with 16 MB RAM
  • Storage: 650 MB available space
  • Sound Card: Any Windows compatible
  • Additional Notes: Microsoft .Net 4.0

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