Gary Grigsby's War in the East 2: Steel Inferno is a strategy simulation game for PC that adds new campaigns and scenarios to the Eastern Front of World War II. It focuses on major offensives and expands playable areas with historical and alternate history situations involving German, Soviet, Finnish, and other forces from 1941 through 1945.
Gameplay
Players direct large formations across maps that represent sections of the Eastern Front and adjacent regions. Each turn involves issuing orders to units, managing supply lines, and responding to enemy movements in a turn-based format. Scenarios emphasize operational decisions such as coordinating armored advances, holding defensive positions, and adapting to changing alliances or partisan activity. The system tracks unit strengths, terrain effects, and seasonal conditions that influence movement and combat effectiveness. Commanders must balance aggressive pushes with the need to maintain cohesion across extended fronts.
Game Modes
The expansion includes two full-map campaigns and eight additional scenarios. These cover specific time periods and operations with defined start and end dates.
- 1943 Campaign runs from July 3, 1943, to July 6, 1945, and begins with Operation Citadel.
- 1944 Campaign starts May 11, 1944, and continues to July 4, 1945, placing players in command during the Soviet summer offensives.
- Operation Kutuzov covers July 12, 1943, to October 3, 1944, following the Kursk fighting.
- Road to Karelia spans June 22, 1941, to October 11, 1941, and includes Finnish forces near Leningrad.
- Army Group A - Part I - Race for the Caucasus runs July 25, 1942, to November 20, 1942.
- Case Blue Phase II 42-43 extends from July 25, 1942, to March 5, 1943.
- Case Blue Phase II 43-43 Alternate offers the same dates with an additional German army available.
- Army Group A - Part II - Kuban Bridgehead covers February 1, 1943, to October 10, 1943.
- AG C - Kutuzov to Bagration 43-44 runs July 12, 1943, to April 2, 1944.
- Western Ukraine 43-44 begins November 3, 1943, and ends April 25, 1944.
- Drama on the Danube 44 covers August 20, 1944, to May 5, 1945, and includes operations across the Balkans and Greece.
Key Features and Expansions
Steel Inferno introduces coverage of Yugoslavia in 1944 and Finnish operations north of Leningrad for the first time in the series. Several scenarios examine the German drive into the Caucasus oil fields and the subsequent Soviet counteroffensives. One alternate scenario tests the impact of retaining an additional army for the Stalingrad and Caucasus efforts. The content also addresses the German response to Romanian and Bulgarian shifts in allegiance and the challenges of withdrawing forces from Greece through contested territory. These additions increase the variety of strategic challenges available.
Is It Worth Playing?
Steel Inferno targets players who seek detailed operational simulations of World War II campaigns on the Eastern Front. The two campaigns and eight scenarios deliver focused content on specific offensives, defenses, and withdrawals that span multiple years. Limited player reviews exist at present, reflecting the specialized nature of the title. Those who appreciate complex command decisions, supply management, and historical what-if situations will find substantial material here. The expansion requires the base game and suits experienced strategy simulation enthusiasts rather than those new to the genre. Physical copies faced a shipping delay to November 24 after the November 10, 2022 release.
