ICBM: Escalation

Slitherine today announces Assassin’s Mace has been released. Assassin’s Mace is the third major nation-focused campaign DLC for ICBM: Escalation, following Endless October and United States of Annihilation. This time, the focus is China and its transformation from a country emerging from decades of conflict into a global military and technological superpower. Like the previous campaign DLCs, it also introduces a new set of nation-specific unit cosmetics.

ICBM: Escalation – Assassin’s Mace Gameplay Trailer

Gameplay Changes and Approach

Asymmetric warfare is a major part of the campaign, requiring players to find ways to undermine the enemy’s advantages rather than match their strength directly. China begins as the technologically weaker side and must use strategies such as submarines, anti-ship weapons, and commandos to overcome stronger opponents. Its huge manpower reserves allow players to rely on large numbers of troops when technology is lacking. This creates an important balance between quantity and quality when choosing how to fight.

The campaign also removes research during missions, making for faster, more unit-oriented gameplay. Technology is still gained between missions, allowing China to gradually close the technological gap.
Technological improvement, manpower and time management are fundamental elements that adds strategy depth to the existing gameplay features.

A new campaign: a Century of Conflict

The DLC spans 101 years, with each mission taking place at a pivotal moment in China’s rise.

The campaign begins with the Chinese Civil War in 1946, as communist revolutionaries and the nationalist government fight for control of the country. The Korean War puts its newly established power to the test against a technologically superior coalition. Tensions with the Soviet Union eventually bring former allies into direct confrontation in 1969, while the Third Indochina War demonstrates the challenges of projecting Chinese power beyond its borders.

By 1991, the world changes again as the Soviet Union collapses, leaving China to navigate a new international landscape. The conflicts that follow grow increasingly modern and increasingly dangerous, eventually leading to a confrontation across the Pacific in 2022, another war with Japan in 2031 and a global struggle for energy in 2039. And then comes 2047: Judgment Day.

Discover more about this intriguing campaign on Steam, or the Assassin’s Mace official webpage.

Slitherine has fully reworked the game’s AI. This is a fundamental overhaul, heavily driven by community feedback and incorporating many player-suggested tactics and improvements.

The new AI is more strategic, adaptive, and less predictable in its behavior. Depending on the selected difficulty, it creates constant pressure and makes the world feel truly “alive”, with territories frequently changing hands through ongoing regional conflicts.

It now handles diplomacy, conventional warfare, and nuclear escalation in a far more balanced and coherent way. Conflicts can evolve naturally over time – from early conventional engagements, through limited nuclear use, and ultimately into high-stakes, full-scale nuclear endgame scenarios.

In addition to these gameplay improvements, the update also delivers significant performance optimizations, resulting in a smoother and more consistent overall experience.

S.N.A.R.E. Campaign free content and discounts

Additionally, we are releasing the S.N.A.R.E. campaign for free. A series of five missions set across the decades (1960, 1980, 2000, 2020 and 2040), focused on heavy nuclear warfare.

To celebrate, the entire ICBM series is available at a discount for a limited time. Don’t miss the chance to enter this nuclear world or complete your collection.

ICBM: Escalation is also available for 20% off until May 25th on Steam.

United States of Annihilation is officially out now for $6.99 on Steam. The United States of Annihilation DLC for ICBM: Escalation drills into the core tenets that define the ICBM experience: the cold logic of nuclear supremacy, the reckless disregard for consequence, and the sheer, unrelenting spectacle of global destruction.

Set in an alternate history where the United States emerged from World War II with more than victory, this expansion’s campaign imagines a nation unchecked by opposition. There’s no Korean War. No arms race. No balance of power. Instead, the United States has poured limitless resources into its nuclear program, creating a war machine unmatched by no rival.

Armed with a monopoly on nuclear weapons and driven by an insatiable thirst for control, America rises as a self-proclaimed guardian of freedom whose democracy serves as a cover for ruthless domination.

ICBM: Escalation – Endless October & United States of Annihilation Gameplay Trailer

Launching alongside the DLC is the massive Update 1.1.1, bringing major improvements, refinements, fixes, and enhancements across the entire game. Read the changelog HERE.

Slitherine Software today announced United States of Annihilation, the next DLC for ICBM: Escalation. This new campaign explores an alternate history where the United States rises from WWII determined to impose its will on the entire world.

The DLC is now entering beta, and they are inviting players to sign up and help them test before release. Your feedback will be essential in shaping the final version.

Sign up for the beta HERE.

Endless October plunges players into an alternate world where the Soviet Union never fell

Endless October explores this “what if” scenario across 11 missions, beginning in 1950 and extending into the near future — the year 2047.

In this DLC, the Soviet Union emerges from World War II strong, cunning, and ruthless, determined to reshape the world through diplomacy, domination, or nuclear fire. Players will be tasked with raising the Red Banner over every continent, forging alliances, and thriving amidst war and conflict.

The expansion also introduces new Soviet and Russian-style player portraits, and marks the debut of cosmetic loadouts. Depending on the nation they’re playing, players will see appropriate counterparts on the battlefield — their Leopard 1s might appear as T-62s, their F-22s as Su-57s, and so on. Units are automatically represented using faction-specific models to better reflect the historical and stylistic context. Whether simulating Soviet dominance or leading a modernized Russia, players’ forces will look the part.

What’s new

Endless October is out now on Steam, with the base game, ICBM: Escalation, on sale at 10%.

What is ICBM: Escalation

ICBM: Escalation is a grand strategy RTS where players command armies, develop cutting-edge tech, and wield devastating weapons. Conquering enemies with conventional forces or nuclear firepower, with new modes like Standoff and Conquest, gamers will explore deep strategic layers in a global warfare setting.

What if the Cold War never ended and the Soviet Union never fell?

We’re thrilled to officially announce Endless October, the first major DLC for ICBM: Escalation. This alternate history expansion reimagines a world where the USSR emerges from World War II not just intact, but more powerful, more aggressive, and more determined than ever to spread communism across the globe.

Endless October features a brand-new campaign beginning in 1950, as the Korean peninsula becomes the first flashpoint in a world on the brink of nuclear war. Lead a revitalized Soviet Union through decades of high-stakes conflict, navigating tense diplomacy, fierce proxy wars, and the constant threat of nuclear annihilation.

The DLC also includes:

Join the beta for Endless October and help us fine-tune the balance, pacing, and strategic depth of this ambitious new campaign. Your feedback will help shape the future of ICBM: Escalation.

To join the beta, head over to this page.

Prepare to raise the Red Banner once more. The Cold War is far from over.

Slitherine Software has released brand new update for ICBM: Escalation. This latest patch introduces Steam Achievements, full Russian localization and a few bug fixes.

Jump in, put your strategies to the test, and let us know what you think. Your feedback is invaluable in shaping the future of ICBM: Escalation.

EDIT: We’ve just released a hotfix to address a few last-minute bugs reported after the latest update.

View the changelog HERE.

ICBM: Escalation is a grand RTS game that plunges players into the high-stakes world of global warfare, where every decision could tip the balance between survival and annihilation. Command vast armies, develop cutting-edge technology, and wield the most devastating weapons ever created to ensure your faction’s supremacy. Whether by conventional forces or through nuclear firepower, you’ll need to conquer or obliterate your enemies to secure dominance in a volatile global arena.

To find out more about ICBM: Escalation, and to purchase, visit the games official webpage or via Steam.

Slitherine Software has released a brand-new “What If” scenario video for ICBM: Escalation. This time, tensions rise between India and China, as a buildup of Chinese forces and nuclear missiles near the Tibetan plateau threatens regional stability. Players will experience the consequences of two critical decisions: a surprise airstrike to neutralize the threat or a pre-emptive nuclear strike that spirals into catastrophic global conflict.

The latest video dives deep into the high-stakes strategy and decision-making that defines ICBM: Escalation. Each choice brings unpredictable outcomes, challenging players to consider not just military objectives, but the far-reaching consequences of their actions.

Watch the full scenario video and see the devastating possibilities unfold. What would you do?

ICBM: Escalation is a grand RTS game that plunges players into the high-stakes world of global warfare, where every decision could tip the balance between survival and annihilation. Command vast armies, develop cutting-edge technology, and wield the most devastating weapons ever created to ensure your faction’s supremacy. Whether by conventional forces or through nuclear firepower, you’ll need to conquer or obliterate your enemies to secure dominance in a volatile global arena.

Slitherine Games has released the V105 update for ICBM: Escalation, its grand RTS game. Click here to view the changelog.

ICBM: Escalation is a grand RTS game that plunges players into the high-stakes world of global warfare, where every decision could tip the balance between survival and annihilation. Command vast armies, develop cutting-edge technology, and wield the most devastating weapons ever created to ensure your faction’s supremacy. Whether by conventional forces or through nuclear firepower, you’ll need to conquer or obliterate your enemies to secure dominance in a volatile global arena.

Immerse yourself in the tension and intensity of global thermonuclear warfare with the ICBM: Escalation Soundtrack Pack. Featuring a curated selection of original tracks that capture the game’s high-stakes atmosphere, this pack lets you relive your most strategic moments outside of the battlefield.

From hauntingly ominous tones to adrenaline-pumping beats, the soundtrack is the perfect companion for fans of ICBM: Escalation, whether you’re planning your next move or simply enjoying the music’s dynamic energy.

Available now on Steam, the Soundtrack Pack is a must-have for those who want to experience the escalation of conflict in a whole new way.

Don’t miss the chance to bring the world of ICBM: Escalation to your playlist.