Battalion Commander 1917 is a WWI vertical shooter where you rescue troops, dodge enemy fire, collect gold, and upgrade a growing squad.
Here's a quick look at the game:
Battalion Commander 1917 starts you as a lone soldier pushing through enemy territory, but rescued prisoners can quickly turn that one-man advance into a larger fighting squad. Your long-term mission is to reach and destroy a secret enemy machine while surviving troops, armored vehicles, balloons, Tesla towers, and other defenses along the route.
Build Your Squad During Each Run
Allied soldiers are held in cages across the battlefield. Free them and they join your formation, adding more firepower as you continue forward. Because your soldiers move together, rescuing more troops increases your offensive strength but also gives you a larger group to guide around incoming attacks.
Weapons fire as you advance, leaving movement and positioning as your main responsibilities. Gold collected during runs can later be spent on weapons and upgrades, so even an unsuccessful attempt can contribute to a stronger setup for the next push.
Move, Dodge, and Use Your Skill
On desktop, move the mouse to guide your commander and squad. On touch devices, move your finger to direct them. The formation follows your movement, so shifting sideways is important when enemy projectiles or dangerous units block the route ahead.
A purchased skill is activated with the left mouse button or the on-screen skill button. The skill charges while you progress and can clear enemies around your squad when ready. Saving it for a crowded section can be more useful than triggering it against a small group, because its area effect can remove several nearby threats at once.
Turn Missions Into Permanent Progress
Battalion Commander 1917 includes missions that award experience. Completing them raises your rank, which can increase your possible squad size and unlock additional upgrades. The progression system includes multiple leader weapons, allied soldier types, skills, and dozens of upgrades, giving later attempts more options than the first run.
Gold also supports larger purchases, including a heavy tank with a powerful gun. Checkpoints can be unlocked by purchasing train tickets, reducing how far you need to repeat once you have progressed deeper into enemy territory.
Push Toward the Secret Weapon
The final objective is not simply to survive as long as possible: the campaign leads toward the enemy's secret machine and a boss confrontation. Rescue soldiers when you can reach their cages safely, keep the squad moving away from concentrated fire, and collect gold that strengthens future attempts. Each run therefore combines immediate survival with preparation for a deeper advance on the next mission.
