Game modes

Steel Division has several game modes available, for both single and multiplayer.

Multiplayer modes

Conquest

• In Conquest, you earn Victory Points by controlling more ground than your opponent. When your team earns more points, you start scoring Conquest points. The first team to reach the score limit, or to be in the lead at the end of the time limit, wins. The amount of deployment points earned every 4sec is fixed and not related to the zones.
  • A team gets +1 victory point per second for controlling 51% of the map, +2 for 58%, +3 for 65%, +4 for 75%, +5 for 85% and +6 for 95%. Depending on the amount of points achieved, you can win a minor or major victory. If you reached the score limit before the time limit, you will achieve a total victory.

Close Combat

• Close combat is a slightly changed version of Conquest, the goal is the same, but your deployment zone at the beginning of the match is much closer to the enemy, this makes it much easier to deploy units offside of streets and gives you a bit more variety on where to deploy your troops
  • the only rule changed is that you have to get 52% of the map to get +1, which makes the games often a bit closer as if both teams are on an equal level it can take a while till one side beginns to get points so th game is a bit more open in phase C as the points are lower.

Destruction

• In Destruction, you earn Victory Points by destroying more enemy units than your opponent. Each unit destroyed earns you as much points as its deployment cost. The first team to reach the score limit or the higher score at the end of the set time wins.
  • A team gets additional income for controlling more than half of the map :
    • at 51% : +10 in phase A, +20 in phase B, +30 in phase C
    • at 58% : +20 in phase A, +40 in phase B, +60 in phase C
    • at 65% : +30 in phase A, +60 in phase B, +90 in phase C
    • at 75% : +40 in phase A, +80 in phase B, +120 in phase C

Breakthrough

Breakthrough is the first asymmetrical game mode in Steel Division. In this mode, one party is attacking and the other one is defending.

The goal of the attacker is to capture increasing amounts of the map from the defender, who's job is to prevent this. The game progresses in series based on the percentage of the map captured. The game will also provide on-screen queues for the players as to what phase is occurring, and when the game will end through the normal timers.

1. "Toe Hold" This is when the attacker initially captures map objectives up to one quarter of total map sectors and will allow for the next phase to activate. This will also begin a timer for the Attacker to continue the assault, or lose the game with a major defeat (signifying that the offensive has stalled and is unable to defeat the enemy defenses.)
2. "Foot Hold" is when the attacker controls one quarter to one third of the map's capture points, and will cancel any defeat timer for the attacking player. This is the most crucial phase for both the attacker and defender. Only by repelling the attacker and recapturing zones may the defender revert the game to the "toe hold" victory timer. Likewise the Attacker only has to capture a few more points to begin a Victory Countdown timer for their assault.
3. "Breakthrough" is when the attacker controls more than one third of the map's Control Points and will begin a victory timer for the attacker. The assaulting force has driven back the defenders and has captured a majority of the map.

It is important to note: that as defender if this occurs, it is possible to still be defeated even while holding more than half of the control points. A simple majority of Capture points is not indicative of a strategic victory. The defender must recapture two thirds of the map to revert the game away from a losing condition and reclaim the lead.

Singleplayer modes

Campaigns

• The game has 3 campaigns with 4 missions each, every campaign is focused on one division
  • The divisions are 101 Airborne (easy), 21 Panzer (medium) and 15. Scotish Infantry (hard)
  • The missions are linked with each other, so if you loose missions in one campaign you will not be able to bring them in on the next mission
  • All missions show important battles of the Normandy campaign, but in the German Campaign you change the history into an alternate timeline

Skirmishes and scenarios

• All Multiplayer modes can be played as skirmishes or scenarios against AI opponents, allowing for practicing your skills in combat.

Historical missions

Historical Missions were part of the Back to Hell DLC with 1 being part of the free patch.

They are played with pre-made Divisions, that are mostly not part of the Base game (like Big Red One).

There are 2x 1v1, 5x 2v2 and 1x 3v3 mission.

The goal in each of them is to hold certain territories. In some of them one side holds all objectives at the start and has to hold them till the end, in others both sides start with objectives and have to take away the opponents territory, while holding their own.

The Missions are playable with both sides.

Income, Position and composition of Forces varies strongly between missions and is a lot different from the base game in most of them.

Customizing

• Games can be customized in several ways, including:
• The number of players, from 1v1 up to 10v10 (the latter being usually the most forgiving).
• The rate of the Requisition Point income in-game, once the game is launched. Default setting is MEDIUM:
  • VERY LOW means Requisition Point rate is x0.5 the default one.
  • LOW is x0.75 the default one.
  • HIGH is x1.25 the default one.
  • VERY HIGH is x1.5 the default one.
• Starting resources, from 250 to 1500 points. Higher settings usually lead to much more intense fighting.