Comparison

Lead Wars vs To The Trenches

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Lead Wars

Experience a turn-based strategy game that recreates the tactile fun of pencil-and-paper war games. Control units by flicking a virtual pencil on a hand-drawn battlefield, employing strategic moves and precise shots to outwit opponents. Enjoy solo campaigns, multiplayer battles, and map creation.

Highlights
  • Online multiplayer (async/real-time)
  • 2-player pass 'n' play
  • Single-player vs-CPU
  • Single-player campaign
  • Map creator
  • Instant replays
  • Visual 'MoveAid' system
Features
Read full description

Lead Wars is a turn-based strategy game requiring smart thinking and physical skill. It simulates the real life paper war games played in the days before portable gaming devices which needed only a pencil, some paper and lots of imagination! • Charted #1 Strategy Game in 60 countries! Control a fleet of planes, tanks and artillery units by taking turns to flick a pencil around a hand-drawn battlefield on a piece of paper, making long curve shots and strategic moves to try and outwit and out-skill your opponent. Reviews: • "The execution is what makes Lead Wars shine. Startlingly unique, a fabulous little game." 4.5/5 - MacReview.com • "Surprisingly deep … from a strategic perspective, Lead Wars is a beautiful achievement” 4/5 - iOS Game Of The Day, GamePro.com • "Some battle are easily solved puzzles, while other start to feel more like chess games." 4/5 - PadGadget Recommended! PadGadget.com • "You'll definitely love this game." 4/5 - TouchReviews.net • If you're looking for a great game to play with friends, we suggest grabbing this one … it really shines on the iPad” - Amber Neely, MacNN.com • “A brilliantly implemented game" - iPhone-Experience.com • iTunes review - djflippy: "Lead Wars has a rare quality; the simulation is actually better than that which it simulates." 5/5 Note this is not your typical path-drawing game - this is a simulation of the real life game played with a real pencil. The flick mechanic works just like it does in real life (try it!): Point a pencil straight down onto some paper, holding it by the top with just one finger. While pressing down firmly, slowly tilt the top of the pencil - beyond a critical angle the tip will suddenly slip away leaving a line drawn on the paper. This line determines your move or shot on the battlefield. Lead Wars simulates this mechanic using the touch-screen as if you're touching the top of a real pencil. See videos of the real life game and Lead Wars in action: http://www.youtube.com/DemonStudiosOfficial Main Features: • Online Multiplayer - battle asynchronously or live real-time • 2-player tabletop / pass 'n' play • Single-player vs-CPU • Single-player Campaign - rise up through the Army ranks • Map Creator - create your own battlefields • Instant Replays - replay all moves and shots in latest turn • 27 Game Center Achievements • Game Center Leaderboards • Training missions and 250+ Campaign missions • Visual 'MoveAid' system and tips for beginners • 16 built-in battlefields, store up to 75 custom maps • Have up to 25 local games on the go at once • Have up to 30 Asynchronous online games on the go • Highly configurable Game Setup • Choice of 4 paper styles + 3 pencil leads • Doodle graphics and verbal sounds - just like the real game! Technical Features: • Universal app supporting Retina Display • Share maps via the system Clipboard • Game Center turn alert push notifications* • Auto-rotating interface - play in any orientation • Allows iPod music in the background * Turn alert sounds and settings can be controlled in Settings | Notifications | Game Center The best thing about playing Lead Wars on your iOS device though is you're not having to rub out your previous moves, there's no arguments whether a shot hit or not and no dangerous flying pencils! The physical dexterity required to make your move makes the game challenging but ultimately more fun and rewarding, particularly when you make that near-impossible curve shot around a wall to win the battle!

About

To The Trenches

Lead your army through intense, retro-style WW1 trench warfare. Command specialized units, deploy artillery, and adapt to procedurally generated battles with changing weather conditions. Choose from unique historical factions and upgrade your forces through an in-depth system for infinite replayability.

Highlights
  • Procedurally generated battlefields
  • Specialized units and upgrades
  • Authentic WW1 setting
  • Unique historical factions
  • Offline play
  • In-depth officer upgrade tree
Features
Read full description

Lead your army through the chaos of WW1 Trench Warfare in this intense, retro-style RTS! Command troops, deploy brutal artillery strikes, and dominate the battlefield with tactical precision. With procedurally generated battles, every fight offers unique challenges and infinite replayability. Deploy specialized platoons with Sharpshooters, Flame Troopers, Sentries, Trench Raiders and Medics. Utilize powerful Armored Vehicles and Planes to shift the tides of war. Face ever-changing weather and battlefield conditions ranging from mud, lightning storms, blizzards and sandstorms that dramatically impact tactics, forcing you to adapt or perish! Choose from historically inspired factions including Germany, France, Britain, Austria-Hungary, and more! Each featuring unique perks and battlefield strengths. Make strategic choices with an in-depth upgrade system through the Officer Tree, enhancing your army's performance and unlocking devastating weaponry at your disposal. Experience gripping decisions through dilemmas that affect morale, resources and battle performance. No two campaigns are ever alike. ▶ FEATURES ◀ [ENDLESS WARFARE] - Procedurally generated battlefields to ensure a new experience every time. [SPECIALIZED UNITS] - Unlock, upgrade and deploy units including Sharpshooters, Flame Troopers, Medics and Tanks. [AUTHENTIC WW1 SETTING] - Immerse yourself in detailed pixel art visuals, showcasing the brutality of trench warfare and tough battlefield conditions. [UNIQUE FACTIONS] - Each faction brings unique advantages to the battlefield. [OFFLINE FRIENDLY] - Enjoy seamless play anytime, no internet required. [PLAYER EXPERIENCE] - Free to play and enjoy, with fair in-app options and no intrusive ads. Command. Adapt. Survive. Do you have what it takes to lead your army to victory? Enlist now and head To The Trenches! ▶ SOCIALS ◀ Discord — https://discord.gg/3TJ6sH3qQG BlueSky — https://bsky.app/profile/dadmadethings.com Reddit — https://www.reddit.com/r/tothetrenches/ YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@DadMadeGames TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@dadmade X — https://twitter.com/DadMadeGames

Screenshots

Lead Wars4 screens
To The Trenches4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: To The Trenches at Free against Lead Wars's $2.99. To The Trenches also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). Lead Wars's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

To The Trenches is free to download; Lead Wars costs $2.99 up front. To The Trenches sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Lead Wars asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

To The Trenches holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: To The Trenches has 7.8K ratings behind it against 48, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Lead Wars's written reviews are positive against 66% of To The Trenches's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lead Wars ships an update every 2 months, To The Trenches weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Lead Wars versus To The Trenches: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLead WarsTo The Trenches
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (48 ratings)4.7 (7.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.6% of reviews65.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings487.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB346 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperDemonStudiosDad Made

Customer experience

Lead Wars

All ratings48 ratings
Positive81.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative10.4%
Written reviews453 reviews
Positive59.6%
Neutral8.6%
Negative31.8%

To The Trenches

All ratings7,809 ratings
Positive93.0%
Neutral3.9%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews636 reviews
Positive65.7%
Neutral11.2%
Negative23.1%

User reviews

Lead Wars

From 48 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great game!
  • 👍 Reminds me of my childhood
  • 👍 Fantastic strategy game with a twist
  • 👍 Awesome little game
  • 👍 Excellent in-depth game

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Absolutely Impossible
  • 🐛 AI is too good. Unfair
  • 🐛 Horrid controls
  • 🐛 Waste of money
  • 🐛 The way you move units and shoot is just bad

To The Trenches

From 7.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great game
  • 👍 Solid game
  • 👍 Fun game
  • 👍 Pretty good game
  • 👍 Amazing game

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes often
  • 🐛 Freezes
  • 🐛 Bugs
  • 💰 Have to pay for good stuff
  • 💰 More great war games should be like this one

Bugs and requests

Lead Wars

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Freezes on second shot
  • Game often crashes when restarting a level
  • Inconsistent behavior when moving over water
  • Occasional crashes
  • Incompatible with older devices

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add more stuff like people
  • Add boats, cargo planes, soldiers, and helicopters
  • Add a random map option for multiplayer
  • Add more units like ships and helicopters
  • Add ability to resize sprites in map editor
Show 5 more
  • Add stats screen showing wins/losses, total units destroyed, etc.
  • Add a full map view and the ability to instant replay the last turn of action
  • Add more game types (Capture The Flag, destroy enemy HQ, etc.)
  • Add asynchronous online play
  • Add ability to flip in-game menu buttons upside down for hotseat play

To The Trenches

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Troops get stuck in loops
  • Freeze when recruiting after battle
  • Freeze when changing weather
  • Crashes when completing daily challenges
  • Losing progress when switching saves
Show 1 more
  • Artillery inaccuracy issues

Requested features

11 requests
  • More maps, troops, officer upgrades
  • Retreat button
  • Unique units like tanks
  • More missions, more purpose
  • Ability to control troops
Show 6 more
  • Medics, machine gunners, raiders
  • Ranks for veteran troops
  • Interactive map of Europe
  • Different battle locations
  • Barbed wire, officer with pistol
  • Ability to upgrade trenches

In-app purchases

None

Lead Wars

No in-app purchases

11 purchases

To The Trenches

One-time11
  • Guardian Token x 1$1.99
  • Training Bonds x 50$1.99
  • Training Bonds x 100$2.99
Show 8 more
  • Recruit Bundle$3.99
  • Training Bonds x 250$4.99
  • Veteran Bundle$7.99
  • Unlimited Version$8.99
  • Training Bonds x 500$9.99
  • Guardian Token x 10$12.99
  • Ultimate Bundle$12.99
  • Training Bonds x 1000$19.99

Questions

Is Lead Wars free?
Lead Wars costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is To The Trenches free?
To The Trenches is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lead Wars or To The Trenches?
To The Trenches is rated higher. Lead Wars averages 4.3 out of 5 from 48 ratings, while To The Trenches averages 4.7 from 7.8K ratings.
Do Lead Wars or To The Trenches have ads?
Neither Lead Wars nor To The Trenches shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lead Wars or To The Trenches?
Lead Wars ships an update every 2 months, and To The Trenches weekly. Most recently, Lead Wars was updated on October 2, 2026 and To The Trenches on October 3, 2026.

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