Uncompromising modern-military RTS attempts to squash balance concerns, but its stats are still one-sided

Broken Arrow has faced challenges in achieving equilibrium since its launch in June, with recent statistics indicating that one faction continues to dominate. The delicate balance between competing sides is a common hurdle for even the most esteemed real-time strategy (RTS) games, and Steel Balalaika’s modern-military offering is no exception. In response to community feedback, the developers have been diligently monitoring performance metrics and have now shared detailed win rates, revealing a slight advantage for one team.

Developer Insights and Community Engagement

In a recent blog post, the development team reflected on Broken Arrow as their inaugural major project, marking a significant milestone for a tightly-knit group of around ten individuals. Since the game’s release, the studio has expanded its workforce, recruiting specialists to enhance project efficiency, broaden the in-game arsenal with new units, and realize ambitious concepts that were previously beyond the reach of a small team.

The developers emphasized that balance remains a pivotal non-technical aspect of their game and others within the genre. As avid players themselves, they have engaged in lively discussions on forums regarding unit strengths and balance issues. Initially lacking formal statistics, the team has since established internal metrics to quantify community sentiments.

Current win rates reveal a persistent imbalance, with Russian forces enjoying a 53.66% win rate compared to the USA’s 46.34%, a consistent 7% difference across the entire ELO spectrum, excluding mirror matches. Notably, at higher ELO levels, American win rates do show a slight edge, though this applies to a limited player base.

Another intriguing aspect is the analysis of specialization combinations, which illustrates their popularity relative to win rates. The findings indicate that all Russian options outperform their American counterparts. The latest patch was crafted based on these insights, with the developers expressing hope that this data will clarify the reasoning behind balance decisions and inform future adjustments.

Upcoming Features and Enhancements

While Steel Balalaika is actively working to rectify the balance issues, it also brings promising news regarding one of the community’s most requested features: allied bots that can accompany players in battle. The objective is to create bots that are both predictable and reliable, yet adaptable to various in-game scenarios. This feature is currently undergoing final testing and will soon be available as part of the custom lobby options.

For those interested in exploring the realm of realistic warfare, we have curated a selection of the best war games on PC, alongside a list of top multiplayer games for 2025, perfect for testing your skills against a global audience.

Are you a strategist who follows the meta, or do you prefer to embrace the role of the underdog? Join the conversation in the PCGamesN community Discord server, where players can engage with both staff and fellow gamers.

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Uncompromising modern-military RTS attempts to squash balance concerns, but its stats are still one-sided