Cannon Fodder

Lead a tiny squad of soldiers through jungles, deserts, and snowfields in a darkly comic war of attrition. Cannon Fodder online costs nothing but the click: Sensible Software's 1993 classic plays from this page with no installer, no files left behind and no account. Fast tactical combat sits alongside one of gaming's bleakest jokes — the hill of gravestones that grows a little every time you get a man killed. It runs on a phone, but the design gives the two mouse buttons two different jobs at once, and touch has no honest equivalent of a right-click.

How to Play Cannon Fodder Online

Getting into the action takes seconds:

1. The Play button starts things off, and Cannon Fodder opens on its title sequence, theme song and all.
2. Give it a moment — the intro runs before the menu, so the first thing you see won't be the mission select.
3. Click inside the game frame so both mouse buttons belong to the game; the right button fires, and you don't want your browser's context menu catching it.
4. From the menu, start a new game and begin the first mission.
5. Move your squad and fire with the mouse, completing each level's objectives.

Cannon Fodder is fast and lethal — use cover, split your squad, and aim carefully, because soldiers die in a single hit.

Controls

Cannon Fodder is played primarily with the mouse:

The key tactic is splitting your squad: separate a soldier or group to flank enemies or throw grenades from safety while the rest provide cover.

What Is Cannon Fodder?

Cannon Fodder is an action-strategy game developed by Sensible Software and released in 1993 for MS-DOS and other platforms. You command a small squad of soldiers from a top-down view, guiding them through dozens of missions across varied terrain — jungle, desert, arctic, and more — to complete objectives like destroying buildings, wiping out enemies, and rescuing hostages, all while keeping as many of your men alive as possible.

Cannon Fodder is celebrated for its blend of fast, accessible action and genuine tactics, wrapped in a famously dark sense of humor and anti-war message. Its catchy theme ("War has never been so much fun"), the boot-hill of named soldiers who die permanently, and the steadily mounting difficulty gave it real personality and emotional weight. Praised for its tight controls and clever level design, it became a much-loved classic and a standout example of action-strategy done right.

How the Game Works / Gameplay Basics

You control your squad from above, moving them with one mouse button and firing with another, in a control scheme that's simple to grasp but demands precision. Each mission has specific objectives — destroy enemy structures, eliminate all foes, free hostages, or reach a target point — across multiple phases of increasingly dangerous terrain. Enemies, gun emplacements, vehicles, and hazards all stand between you and success.

The depth comes from tactics and fragility. Your soldiers — and the enemy — die in a single hit, so reckless charges get your men killed for good. Smart play means using cover, splitting your squad to flank or to keep some men safe while others advance, and making good use of grenades and rockets for tougher targets. Soldiers who survive missions gain promotions and become more valuable, raising the stakes of keeping them alive. The combination of quick action, careful positioning, and the constant threat of permanent loss gives Cannon Fodder its tense, addictive rhythm.

Beginner Tips

• Use cover. Trees, walls, and terrain shield your soldiers from enemy fire.
• Split your squad. Separate men to flank enemies or grenade them from safety.
• Aim grenades carefully. Use explosives on buildings, vehicles, and grouped enemies.
• Keep veterans alive. Promoted soldiers are stronger — don't waste them on risky moves.
• Scout ahead. Move cautiously into new areas to avoid walking into ambushes.
• Complete objectives efficiently. Know what each mission requires before charging in.

Why Play Cannon Fodder Online?

Cannon Fodder is short-form by design. A mission lasts a couple of minutes, the difficulty climbs a rung, the boot hill gets a little taller — a shape that suits a tab opened between other things far better than an evening-long campaign would.

Getting it running used to be the hard part. A DOS game that insists on a working mouse driver is exactly the sort of thing that can eat an hour before you fire a shot, and here that work is already done: the emulator is configured and the first jungle mission is one click away.

Troubleshooting

• Game won't start? The theme song and title sequence play before the menu appears, so what looks like a stall is usually just the intro — let it run its course before deciding something has gone wrong.
• Mouse or keyboard not responding? Click once inside the game frame, because until Cannon Fodder holds your input your squad won't walk to where you click.
• Running slowly? Close other browser tabs and heavy applications; soldiers die in a single hit, so a stutter at the wrong moment costs you men you can't get back.
• No sound? Check the tab hasn't been muted and that your volume is turned up — the theme song is one of the most recognizable things about the game, and it's a poor trade to play without it.
• Screen too small? Use fullscreen mode — your men are tiny sprites on a busy top-down map, and a larger view makes it far easier to tell your squad from the enemy.
• Losing soldiers fast? Slow down, use cover, and split your squad to avoid grouped casualties.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cannon Fodder free to play online? Yes. This was a full-price boxed release on floppy disk in 1993; the whole campaign, gravestones and all, costs nothing here.

Do I need to install Cannon Fodder or download any files? No. The game and the DOS emulator running it are both delivered by the page itself, so nothing is copied onto your machine and there's no sign-up in the way.

Can I play Cannon Fodder on mobile? You can, but the two mouse buttons do two separate jobs — one sends the squad walking, the other fires where the pointer sits — and a touchscreen only has one kind of tap to offer. A laptop or desktop mouse keeps those actions apart.

Is this the original 1993 Cannon Fodder? Yes — the Sensible Software original, not a remake or a later reissue.

What kind of game is Cannon Fodder? It's a top-down action-strategy game where you lead a small squad through tactical missions.

Can I save my progress? The game is mission-based with a progress system — you advance through campaigns rather than free-saving anywhere.

A war of jungles, deserts, and snowfields awaits. Load it up and lead your squad.