Sudden Strike is a World War II real-time tactics game by the Russian studio Fireglow Games, directed by Victor Streltsov. CDV published it in Europe in 2000; it reached Russia on October 26, 2000 through Russobit-M and North America on January 24, 2001 through Strategy First. At home it was called Противостояние III and sold as a sequel to Противостояние (Counter Action, 1996), made by many of the same developers.
There are Soviet, German and Allied campaigns, and no resource gathering or base building. Line of sight is central: trees give cover, and buildings block vision and fire and can be garrisoned.
The game was especially big in Germany, where it debuted at number one and earned a VUD Platinum award, and in France, where it was the first game from Focus Home Interactive. Worldwide sell-through reached about 800,000 copies by the end of 2002.1
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Sudden Strike | Windows | Jan 24, 2001 | Strategy First | 1 |
| RU | Противостояние III | Windows | Oct 26, 2000 | Russobit-M | 1 |
| EU | Sudden StrikeUK. | Windows | Oct 27, 2000 | CDV Software | 1 |
| EU | Sudden StrikeIt topped the German Media Control chart for September 2000. | Windows | 2000 | CDV Software | 1 |
| WW | Sudden Strike GoldSteam. | Windows | May 22, 2017 | Kalypso Media Digital | 2 |
Also known as: Противостояние III RU1Confrontation III RU1Sudden Strike Gold WW2
Box art by region
RU Противостояние III
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: Wikipedia.
Version differences
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TitleRussia
In Russia the game was called Противостояние III and sold as a sequel to Противостояние (Counter Action, 1996), which many of the same developers had made.1
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ContentSudden Strike Forever
The official add-on Sudden Strike Forever brings more accurate units such as the 1944 T-34, desert and snow maps, rebalancing, a map and scenario editor and new campaigns.1
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ContentSudden Strike Gold
Sudden Strike Gold, sold on Steam since 2017, bundles the original with the Forever add-on, the Total War map pack and a map editor.2
Translations
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English Official
CDV Software2000Windows · originalReleased
The English version came out in the UK in October 2000 and in North America through Strategy First in January 2001.1
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German Official
—Windows · originalReleased
Sudden Strike Gold on Steam also lists German and French.2
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Russian Official
Russobit-M2000Windows · originalReleased
Russobit-M released the game in Russia on October 26, 2000 as Противостояние III.1
Where to play legally today
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Steam Purchase
Sudden Strike Gold
Original + Forever add-on; Windows; English (full audio), French, German, Russian
Checked: 2026-10-132store.steampowered.com
How to run it today
Buy Sudden Strike Gold on Steam (Windows); it lists English, French, German and Russian.2
Best version
Sudden Strike Gold is the edition sold today: it combines the original with the Forever add-on, the Total War map pack and a map editor.2
Reception
Metacritic 69/100; IGN gave 8.1/10 and GameSpot 5.6/10. It was a hit in Germany (VUD Platinum for 200,000 sales) and in France (about 250,000 copies), and about 800,000 copies were sold worldwide by the end of 2002.1
In lists
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
Spotted a mistake? Write to atlas@old-games.net.