History Main / CapitalOffensive

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'': In the Soviet campaign, they hit Washington DC first to destroy the Pentagon. It's used in an especially interesting fashion in the Allied campaign, where they use the Chronosphere to teleport a strike force straight inside Moscow to take the Kremlin.
* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert3'': Happens in the Allied mission "Forever Sets the Sun", where Allied forces attack Tokyo and destroy the Imperial military, killing or capturing most of their leadership. Also in the Imperial mission "Crumble Kremlin Crumble" which is the Empire of the Rising Sun's invasion of Moscow.

* The episode "Blackwater" of ''Series/GameOfThrones'' features Stannis Baratheon's spectacular attempt to seize King's Landing.

** The failure by Nazi Germany to take Moscow in early December 1941 is considered one of the key turning points in UsefulNotes/WorldWarII. The Germans were just a few miles away, ready to close in for the kill. However, the infamous Russian winter and a major Soviet counteroffensive by Field Marshal Zhukov (who brought in Siberian units used to the cold) stopped the Werhmacht in its tracks. It was a serious setback for Hitler. And as luck, would have it, it came just days before the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. into the war, meaning he soon wouldn't get many more chances to take capital cities of major Allied nations, now that he was facing ''three'' major industrialized nations.

** In 1940, as the Germans invaded France, much of the French Army was trapped in the north by the Germans Ardennes offensive, leaving the road to Paris wide open. the French government declared it an open city so as to avoid what happened to Warsaw. As a result, the Germans took it without a fight, but the chilling images of German troops and Hitler himself walking around the city served as a ''big'' statement to the rest of the world. France surrendered days later.
** Four years later in the August of 1944, with the Allies liberating France and approaching Paris, LaResistance seized the moment to launch a massive uprising that drove the Germans out of the city. Free French and U.S. forces entered shortly afterwards. The liberation of Paris was a sign that the war was nearing it's conclusion, though it would still be nearly a year before Berlin fell (see below).

** The first game and ''World at War'' featured the Soviet assault on Berlin, Germany during the closing days of the European Theatre of WorldWarII.

** The failure by Nazi Germany to take Moscow in early December 1941 is considered one of the key turning points in WorldWarII. The Germans were just a few miles away, ready to close in for the kill. However, the infamous Russian winter and a major Soviet counteroffensive by Field Marshal Zhukov (who brought in Siberian units used to the cold) stopped the Werhmacht in its tracks. It was a serious setback for Hitler. And as luck, would have it, it came just days before the attack on Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. into the war, meaning he soon wouldn't get many more chances to take capital cities of major Allied nations, now that he was facing ''three'' major industrialized nations.

** ''Film/TheForceAwakens''. In the BackStory the New Republic take Coruscant but they set up rotating capitals by election afterwards. The current one is Hosnian Prime when the movie starts. [[spoiler: Unfortunately, the [[TheRemnant First Order]] doesn't plan on capturing it. They '''DESTROY''' it along with the other planets in the Hosnian system with their new StarKiller Base weapon, along with the Senate]].

* EmpireEarth:

This is TruthInTelevision. The taking or bombing of an enemy capital is a sure way to let the enemy know that things are REALLY bad now. The former especially, as it is often the battle that ''ends'' a war, particularly if the political leadership was captured or killed in the process. However, just as often, the fight will continue, although the losing side's military may have taken some serious damage. In these cases a GovernmentInExile will be formed.

* WorldWarII

* ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'': Taking an enemy's capital by force activates a countdown that will end in an instant victory unless retaken in time by enemy forces.

Capital cities that are unfortunate enough to be near the border are often the most vulnerable. However, on the flip side, the war may not end immediately in such cases since their will still be a lot of country left and likely a strong military force still very much in the game. Capitals that are further away are much more difficult to attack, but by the time you fight your way their, the enemy will likely be much more depleted. In either case, then ''retaking'' the capital will now be the highest priority of the faction that lost it.

* In ''TabletopGame/AxisAndAllies'' a country whose capital has been captured can't produce new units. But the player can use their remaining units to try and retake it.

* ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2'': In the Soviet campaign, they hit Washington DC first to destroy the Pentagon. It's used in an especially interesting fashion in the Allied campaign, where they use the Chronosphere to teleport a strike force straight inside Moscow to take the Kremlin.

* Decisively averted during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution in 1777. William Howe, commander of the main British army in New York. decided to mount a sea-borne invasion and capture the rebel capital of Philadelphia rather than meet the other main British offensive of that year, a thrust south from Canada by John Burgoyne designed to cut off New England from the rest of the rebellious colonies. Howe captured Philadelphia, a victory which did not change the strategic situation at all due to the loose nature of the Continental Congress (capturing the city where the delegates met only meant they fled into the interior to reconvene at Lancaster and later York, Pennsylvania; the ability of each of the colonies to raise their own troops wasn't affected). Meanwhile, Burgoyne's army was defeated by the Americans at Saratoga and was captured shortly thereafter in the biggest turning point of the war (it was this battle that convinced France to openly support the Americans).

** Four years later in the August of 1944, with the Allies liberating France and approuching Paris, LaResistance seized the moment to launch a massive uprising that drove the Germans out of the city. Free French and U.S. forces entered shortly afterwards. The liberation of Paris was a sign that the war was nearing it's conclusion, though it would still be nearly a year before Berlin fell (see below).

* Decisively averted during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution in 1777. William Howe, commander of the main British army in New York. decided to mount a sea-borne invasion and capture the rebel capital of Philadelphia rather than meet the other main British offensive of that year, a thrust south from Canada by John Burgoyne designed to cut off New England from the rest of the rebellious colonies. Howe captured Philadelphia, a victory which did not change the strategic situation at all. Meanwhile, Burgoyne's army was defeated by the Americans at Saratoga and captured shortly thereafter in the biggest turning point of the war.

* ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series: A very dangerous gambit to do but it is sometimes important to do as in some capitals there are either important wonders or are dangerous buildings like the Ironworks/Moai Statues which make the capitals the real producers of enemy units. In some versions, there's also a possibility that capturing the capital of a civilization will cause the entire civilization to split into two rival factions.

** Traveling around the D.C. area also reveals that China had a large scale espionage/infiltration operation going on. The player can even find that some of them are still alive, having been turned into long-living ghouls by the radiation. Normally this would not count, except that the Chinese had a number of elite commandoes among their operatives in addition to spies, showing that they may have been planning some kind of commando or terrorist attack on the city. There is even a Chinese command truck that can be found at some point that further gives credence to this.

* ''{{Resistance}}''. In the altenate 1950s where an alien race attacked Earth instead of the Axis Powers, the aliens sweep through Europe with stunning quickness after having already overrun Russia (where they first arrived in the Tunguska Event of 1906). The first game sees the joint U.S. and British forces trying to retake London, which had been abadoned by the Brits months earlier, and destroy the massive tower. Which proves to be a InstantWinCondition against the aliens on British soil.
** In the BackStory, one of the things that proved just how frightnening the aliens are, is the fall of the Polish capital Warsaw. Out of a city of 2 million people, only ''1,000'' survived. This is because TheVirus is used on any humans that aren't killed to prepare them for transformation [[WeHaveReserves into more of the creatures]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series: A very dangerous gambit to do but it is sometimes important to do as in some capitals there are either important wonders or are dangerous buildings like the Ironworks/Moai Statues which make the capitals the real producers of enemy units.

** The nuclear war itself was a subversion. Because on one hand D.C. was just one of many, ''many'' places to get nuked. But on the other hand, one can take a look at the D.C. ruins and see that it was hit especially hard. Indeed, one can look at the conditions in the Capital Wasteland and compare them to the Mojave Wasteland of ''FalloutNewVegas'' and (to a lesser extent) the Commonwoealth (Boston) of ''Fallout4''. Las Vegas was spared much of the destruction as Mr. House's private defense systems stopped most of the missles, and Boston only suffered a single hit from one high-yield nuke that ''missed'' hitting the city directly. But washington, as the nation's capital, was hit multiple times, and sustained far more damage.

** The nuclear war itself was a subversion. Because on one hand D.C. was just one of many, ''many'' places to get nuked. But on the other hand, one can take a look at the D.C. ruins and see that it was hit especially hard. Indeed, one can compare the conditions in the Capital Wasteland and compare them to the Mojave Wasteland of ''FalloutNewVegas'' and (to a lesser extent) the Commonwoealth (Boston) of ''Fallout4''. Las Vegas was spared much of the destruction as Mr. House's private defense systems stopped most of the missles, and Boston only suffered a single hit from one high-yield nuke that ''missed'' hitting the city directly. But washington, as the nation's capital, was hit multiple times, and sustained far more damage.

Capital cities that are unfortunate enough to be near the border are often the most vulnerable. However, on the flip side, the war may not end immediately in such cases since their will still be a lot of country left and likely a strong military force still very much in the game. Capitals that are further away are much more difficult to attack, but by the time you fight your way their, the enemy will likely be much more depleted. If the latter is the case, then ''retaking'' the capital will now be the highest priority of the faction that lost it.

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--> '''Cobra Commander'' (to Serpentor): This is ''insane''! You can't possibly hold Washington, much less conquer the entire United States. I know. '''I've TRIED!'''

* ''GIJoeARealAmericanHero''. Cobra does this twice during the course of the series.

* ''TurningPointFallOfLiberty''. Washington, D.C. is one of the first places to fall to the Germans during their invasion of the Unites States. Later, LaResistance attacks the White House in an effort to kill Stevenson, TheQuisling President installed by the invaders.
* ''SplinterCellChaosTheory''. When North Korea launches an invasion of South korea, it doesn't take long for them to send an attack force to Seoul. TruthInTelevision since Seoul is uncomfortably close to the border. The player, as Sam Fisher, has to navigate through the streets as a major battle between U.S. South korean and North Korean forces rages.

Possible Alternate title: TakeTheCapital

* Decisively averted during UsefulNotes/TheAmericanRevolution in 1777. William Howe, commander of the main British army in New York. decided to mount a sea-borne invasion and capture the rebel capital of Philadelphia rather than meet the other main British offensive of that year, a thrust south from Canada by John Burgoyne designed to cut off New England from the rest of the rebellious colonies. Howe captured Philadelphia, a victory which did not change the strategic situation at all. Meanwhile, Burgoyne's army was defeated by the Americans at Saratoga and captured shortly thereafter in the biggest turning point of the war.