Released in the spring of 2004, The Road to Baghdad is a real-time strategy game inspired by real current events. Players take part in scenarios based upon Operation Iraqi Freedom. The game incorporates modern military equipment and tactics, such as sight-obscuring smoke and machine-gun cover fire. The player's soldiers can also run, shoot, dive for cover, and throw grenades. In certain cases, players can even call for artillery or helicopters to support the troops on the front lines. The Road to Baghdad also features a psychological model for its soldier units, designed to cause them to realistically hesitate, or advance toward the enemy, according to their confidence in their current situation. In addition to the game's single-player campaign, two player contests are supported across a serial connection, local network, or the Internet.