War in Spain: Inside the Engine, Scale, and Design Philosophy Behind a New Spanish Civil War Wargame

The Spanish Civil War was a hugely significant and complicated event in the 20th century, and it’s been challenging to recreate effectively in wargames. I’m really looking forward to ‘War in Spain 1936-1939’, a new wargame coming out in 2026, and I recently spoke with the developers to learn what sets it apart. While the game uses a classic turn-based, hex-grid system, it features a completely redesigned approach to logistics, battles, and artificial intelligence. In this interview, the team shares their backgrounds, explains why they chose this conflict, and discusses how ‘War in Spain’ is the first step in a larger, ambitious project.

Who is the team, and why have you decided to go with the Spanish Civil War?

Our team has between 25 and 35 members spread across all continents except Antarctica (and, if you count it, New Zealand). It originally started with people who worked on the 2009 game War in the Pacific: Admiral’s Edition. I’m leading the War in Spain project, just as I did with Admiral’s Edition.

Our team is developing several games, each with its own dedicated group. I was particularly excited about working on WIS because it begins with a chaotic, undefined battlefield – a real puzzle to organize. It’s incredibly challenging from an operational and logistical standpoint, which is what makes it so interesting. We were able to quickly adapt the map from another project, saving us a lot of time compared to building one from the ground up. The Game Design team, who handle all unit research, along with the art and sound teams, progressed very quickly. Because of their speed, WIS is launching first, even though that wasn’t our initial plan.

What made you decide on this scale, and how does it benefit depth over breadth?

I like using a map scale of 5 nautical miles per hex because it feels more focused and detailed than in games like WITP or AE, which use much larger hexes (60 and 40 nautical miles respectively). Those larger scales make the game feel more about managing broad areas rather than specific tactical maneuvers. With a smaller scale, we can simulate how units interact with each other and the terrain in a much more realistic and detailed way.

You mentioned that the game engine is inspired by WitP; why is that? And why did you choose that one?

We began as fans modifying the 2004 game WITP. Around 2005-2006, we formed a team called “CHS” (Combined Historical Scenario) and created new maps and data for the original game. We then partnered with Matrix Games, with the support of David Heath, Erik Rutins, and Joel Billings, to develop WITP-AE (2009). Essentially, the original CHS team became the team behind AE.

Separately, a developer named Alessandro S. was a big fan of the game and created a brand-new game engine that felt similar. We connected in 2018 and formed a team with experienced players and modders from the original game. We’re all passionate players at heart, and we love the unique way the game simulates land, sea, and air combat in a historical, turn-based, hex-grid format.

What work have you done to accurately represent the dynamics of the Spanish Civil War with the engine?

Our game, AE, aims to give equal weight to air, sea, and land gameplay – we call this approach “triphibious.” However, players have consistently found the land-based aspects to be the least developed. With this new game engine – we’re planning 52 titles, and WIS is just the first – our goal was to dramatically enhance land combat and how characters move on land.

This new version represents a significant improvement over the original Uncommon Valor (2002) system, now detailing units at a much finer level – all the way down to regiments, battalions, and even some companies, using a 5nm scale. Previously, you could only divide units into basic “A, B, C” components, and only one layer deep. Now, you can accurately recreate historical sub-units within divisions.

Logistics work very differently now. In our previous system, supplies seemed to teleport between connected locations – we called it “magic carpets” – without considering how much could actually be moved. This caused problems in large areas like China and Australia. We tried to fix it with temporary solutions, but the core issue remained. Now, our new system is much more realistic. We’ve modeled actual transportation limits – considering things like the size of rail networks, the number of trucks, and the capacity of wagons – using historical data. The AI still manages the movement of supplies, but it’s limited by these real-world constraints. No more instant deliveries!

Okay, so the AI in this game is completely different from what I’m used to. Forget those old games where the AI just followed a set script. This new engine has what they’re calling ‘true AI’ – it actually thinks every turn. It looks at everything happening and decides what each unit should do to try and win. Honestly, it makes the game way harder and much less predictable, which I’m really enjoying!

In our game, every unit—from basic recruits to the established Spanish Army—has a historically accurate name and set of skills. We’ve also included many different factions to show how chaotic the conflict really was. We’ve carefully portrayed the involvement of Germany and Italy, staying true to historical events. For players controlling the Republican side, a key strategic challenge is protecting their supply ships from potential interference from Russia.

How is ground and air combat going to work?

Players of AE will quickly find this gameplay familiar: you issue commands, the turn plays out, and you watch the results along with animated air battles. While the core loop is the same, the game offers a more realistic experience thanks to detailed unit depictions and updated combat calculations. After each turn, you can click icons on the map to view in-depth combat reports and help you strategize your next actions.

What steps have you taken to make War in Spain approachable for newcomers while still satisfying veteran grognards? Or are you going “full War in the East”?

We’re not building a game like WITE2! We used AE as a starting point, but made changes to fit our own vision. This is a turn-based strategy war game played on a map divided into hexagons, and while it’s complex, we’ve aimed to make it easy to pick up and play.

Players can customize how they control their units with three different layouts for land units and two for air units, letting them choose what feels most comfortable. We’ve also included more ways to see important information compared to the previous game. During testing, we noticed players have very different preferences—some like using the bottom bar, others prefer a sidebar, and some want to manage units through lists. We believe these options will make the game easier and more enjoyable for players of all skill levels, letting everyone find a way to play that works best for them.

How significant is foreign intervention mechanically, and can player choices meaningfully alter the scale or timing of external involvement?

Republicans mainly receive support in the form of supplies and transportation, while Nationalists get direct military assistance – including ships, aircraft, and troops – from Italy and Germany. These events happen at specific times and with certain capabilities based on historical records. In the game, players can’t change these timings. Although the game engine allows for more complex political interactions, the game designer intentionally kept these historical elements fixed.

How are supply lines, popular support, and civilian factors represented?

Logistics is central to success in WIS. Players need to consider the entire supply chain, from where things are made to where they’re used. Your attacks should be planned around your ability to supply them, and you’ll need to deploy support units like trains and trucks to keep everything moving. If you don’t carefully plan your supply network, your forces will likely be defeated by a better-prepared enemy.

How far can players push alternate outcomes, and where did you decide to keep history firmly on the rails?

You have complete freedom to choose your strategy. You can focus on taking Madrid, building a strong navy to control the coasts, or protecting the Basque region. The game doesn’t force you down any particular path, so you can change your plans whenever you like.

Can we expect post-release updates, expansions, or modding tools?

We’re planning to add even more content to the game, including new scenarios, updated guides, and regular bug fixes. Players can also create their own modifications using the game’s built-in editor. The game engine is versatile enough to support many different time periods and locations, and we currently have 51 potential future titles in development. We’re excited about the possibility of bringing these new wargames to players!

Thank you so much.

Hope you enjoyed the interview! If you’ve been playing Spain at War 1936-1939, I’d love to hear what you thought – please share your feedback in the comments!

2026-02-10 17:45