Pure battlefield tactics, with the expansion and no base-building tax.
Strategy / RTS · 2000 · ~4.0 GB · Commercial · DRM-free purchase
That One Thing
Every unit matters because there is no base behind you printing replacements.
Ground Control is real-time tactics with the economy removed and the battlefield left exposed. You arrive with a chosen strike force, use terrain and line of sight to create advantages, and live with every bad engagement. There is no worker queue, no resource rush, and no safe half-hour of building walls. The result feels closer to directing a military operation than managing a conventional RTS base.
The Anthology pairs the original campaign with The Dark Conspiracy expansion, adding another faction and a substantial run of missions. The 3D terrain still matters mechanically: elevation, cover, facing, reconnaissance, and coordinated air support decide fights. It is old enough that the interface and compatibility need patience, but the underlying battlefield design remains unusually focused.
The public WON.net service is gone. We do not pretend otherwise or point people at a dead Internet button. The LAN mode still works for up to eight players, and PlayBound Connect gives that mode a private shared network across ordinary home connections. The leader creates a LAN game, everyone else joins from the LAN browser, and nobody forwards a port.
This Testing entry is for groups willing to work with a classic Windows game. GOG does not certify it for Windows 10 or 11, so the modern compatibility pass remains part of testing.
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Minimum Requirements
Windows XP through 8.1 · 1.8 GHz CPU · 1 GB RAM · DirectX 9 graphics · 4 GB storage
Recommended Requirements
Windows 7 or 8.1 compatibility mode; modern Windows remains in PlayBound testing
Published by the game's own developers.
No. The DRM-free GOG master normally costs $5.99 and includes Ground Control plus The Dark Conspiracy.
The original WON.net service is gone. The surviving LAN mode works, and PlayBound Connect carries it over a private party network.
Up to eight players can join competitive or cooperative LAN games, depending on the map and mode.
No. Use GOG’s DRM-free offline installer; Galaxy is optional and Steam is not used.
Yes. Ground Control Anthology has multiplayer. You can host a game on your own PC. It also supports co-op play and LAN play. There is no subscription and no paid multiplayer tier.

The complete GOG Anthology with its surviving eight-player LAN mode carried across the internet.
Looking for the base game?
Ground Control Anthology has an overview, reviews, guides, and discussions covering every edition.