Favourite strategy game of all time

[econ21]

I might sound a little blasphemous here, but i don't like the Total War series all that much. I've never finished a single campaign in any of the three games,...

What Total War does so well, IMO, are the battles. They are just like the minature wargames I used to admire, but with all the complex rules, die rolling etc going on under the hood and a lot more flashy visuals, sound n fury etc. I don't think any other computer wargame has come close to matching TW battles in getting such a balance between authenticity (lots of modifiers etc), playability and sheer visual flair.

May be they are just not for your cup of tea, but two suggestions just in case:

(1) Have you considered joining a PBM (visit the Throne Room)?

Playing a TW campaign solo requires a certain amount of will and patience - the game does not really have the hooks - the goody hut type rewards and the scarey AI threats - of some other games (Civ4 comes to mind; RPGs even more so). I typically did not finish campaigns in STW and MTW. Ironically RTW was about the first TW campaign I finished - it was my first game (Julii) and then I almost gave up on the game until I tried RTR.

Being in a PBM shortens the drag obviously and somehow makes it more vivid - the sense of continuity, trying to make good on what you've inherited and to leave something good for the next player. Also you come to it at various stages of a game and may be surprised by how good some of the mid/late gameplay is. Two examples: playing a Almohad mid-game in MTW, I got into some epic scraps with a massive Byzantine empire - probably the best TW game I've had:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showp...&postcount=202
More recently, playing a Seleucid PBM, I was surprised how much fun it is to take on the 4 Roman factions in the late game, when they have big stacks etc.

Of course, if you like writing (and reading), that's another plus of a PBM.

(2) Second suggestion - try the mods, of course.

RTW was a 6/10 for me until I tried RTR, then it shot up to 9/10. EB is probably even better ("...it goes up to 11..."). Given the slow pace of a TW campaign, having great period detail, beautiful and authentic units, better battles, a more challenging economy etc makes you savour it more.

[Azi Tohak]

STW is my tops, but I also liked M1 Tank Platoon. Disgaea is good too... but not really in the same vein as STW.

Azi

[Kraxis]

but I also liked M1 Tank Platoon.

Not the old simulator from what... 1992? The one where you have four M1s and can be driver, gunner or commander of all all of them, have allied platoon or sections, while fighting increasingly strong Russian forces... But it is a simulator.

[Uesugi Kenshin]

Hearts of Iron II. That's a real strategy game, not like many RTS's which are mostly resource management and very basic combat.

[Azi Tohak]

Not the old simulator from what... 1992? The one where you have four M1s and can be driver, gunner or commander of all all of them, have allied platoon or sections, while fighting increasingly strong Russian forces... But it is a simulator.

It was strategy when I was 9! But yup, that is the game.

Azi

[Ciaran]

"Of all times" - that would be... chess. It´s timeless.

Other favourites include Jagged Alliance 2, Master of Magic, Panzer General, Battle Isle II, UFO - Enemy Unknown, Close Combat Invasion Normandy, Z and a couple more that I don´t recall right now.

[Kraxis]

It was strategy when I was 9! But yup, that is the game.

Azi

My dear... I never thought I would meet another who played that game.
It was quite primitive, yet quite advanced. I loved getting into the rear of a regimental HQ. Just charge them and watch how BMPs, trucks and all kinds of thinskinned vehicles blew up around you.

[Justiciar]

Sacrifice was great. I got my dad addicted to it too. He was a bit put off when I mentioned "mana whores" I seem to remember.

1) Medieval: Total War
2) Rome: Total War (with EB, otherwise it's nothing special)
3) Dragonforce (Sega Saturn.. beautiful game).
4) Starcraft
5) Sacrifice

[Goalie]

1. Shogun Total War
2. Rome Total War
3. Empire Earth
4. Medieval Total War
5. Age of Empires 2
6. Age of Empires 3

Shogun is the greatest game ever. It was an amazing game for its time. I still play it a lot. It is simple yet challenging.

[Blodrast]

wow, Simon Appleton, it's like I found a soulmate or something !
You're the first person I know (besides myself, that is) who likes PG1 more than the others, esp. the sequels.
All the other people who played them said that 'No way, the sequels are much better, there's the cool graphics, and the improved interface, and...'... but I dunno, for me, the feel just wasn't there anymore. I didn't really care about the pseudo-3D thingie, the isometric view, or the more detailed rivers/trees/whatever. The sequels felt more... plastic, artificial, not so fluid and deifnitely not so immersive.
I've also spent _years_ of my life on that game, and I've played it through and through, so many times - and I still pick it up again and again to play a few more scenarios and build my 5 star troops... :)

I tried Fantasy General for a while, didn't quite do it - went back straight to PG.
Seen Pacific General - quite nice, but ...

Wait - what was the topic ? Right, favourite strategy games...
Hard to rank them: Panzer General 1, HOMM 2/3 (4 to a lesser extent) (does this count ? it's not _military_ strategy exactly...but it's strategy), MTW, (RTW is a big nono for me, sorry to say - and even sorrier to pay), Master of Orion 1, and the first two X-COM (UFO) games...

As far as realtime combat/battles and/or scale operations are concerned, it's MTW hands-down - no doubt about it.

[Kraxis]

Hehe... I think PG1 has the huge advantage of the quite good voiceacting for both briefings and debriefings (even if you lost). It just felt so much better to hear a guy mock you when you lost, in a strongly accented German of course. Or when he praised you for capturing Moscow, but only to be crestfallen when he informed you that the Soviets recaptured it in the winter.

That felt good. And of course the little 'action movies' whenever a battle took place,so you could see little men get blasted to bits, or tanks get holed or even exploding to lumps of metal (PzIII and IVs looked particularly gruesome, as well as that Polish TP-7 I think).

[Aenlic]

Well it's more of a strategic simulation game; but...

Harpoon and Harpoon II and Harpoon Classic . Harpoon Online and Harpoon III were . And don't even get me started on the much-lameted vaporware that is Harpoon IV (snarls at UbiSoft).

[Xiahou]

Anyways, on topic: (fav TBS or RTS games, in no particular order)

Total Annihilation
Master of Orion 2
Age of Wonders 2: Shadow Magic
Dominions 2 (as PBEM)
Combat Mission
Steel Panthers: World at War

Im glad that someone threw Total Annihilation a bone. That game was years ahead of it's time imo. Too bad the company went under after dropping that turd of a game Total Annihilation: Kingdoms....

I find Im not much for RTSs anymore, but I may still go back and reinstall TA sometime.

[Subedei]

1. RTW (EB & RTR) + i guess Blue Lotus/ Citadel
2. X-Com: Enemy Unknown (the amazing atmosphere)
3. Pirates! (Sid Meier's)
4. AOE II (b/c of the Mongols)
5. MTW (1st & surprising TW game i played)

...and a game on c64 called "Emperor" or in german "Imperator"

...just had to think about how many joyfull hours these games gave me....

[Alexanderofmacedon]

Empire Earth

[Togakure]

STW is at the top of my list for strat/tactical games for several reasons: it's based on a favorite historical subject, uncomplicated but challenging, smooth, and elegant. Its graphics were great for its time (which still aren't so dated that they annoys me). It sports excellent soundtrack and mini-videos, and cool battlefield weather effects. It had the first really interesting AI I'd seen in games like this.

Honorable mentions are MTW, Alpha Centauri (modded), MoO 2, and MoM.

I enjoyed Civ 3 for a short while, Imperium Galactica 1, and Myth II.

C&C Red Alert and Starcraft/Broodwar were just ok. Red Alert's soundtrack ... well ... it ROCKS.

I was sooo disapointed with MoO 3--one that I was really looking forward to. BoO HiSs.

[Aenlic]

There is supposed to be a Master of Magic II in the works. I'll rank that high up as my most anticipated game. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be vaporware.

[Martok]

There is supposed to be a Master of Magic II in the works. I'll rank that high up as my most anticipated game. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be vaporware.

Stardock has a turn-based fantasy strategy game in the pipeline, but it will probably be some time before they actually begin actual production on it (they have other titles they need to finish first). They don't know yet if they'll secure rights to the MOM franchise (although I know they've been trying), or if they'll give their fantasy game its own title. Either way, I look forward to it.

[Crandaeolon]

Age of Wonders II and AoWII: Shadow Magic are decent modern fantasy TBS games. Another good choice is Dominions 2 if you don't mind low production values and a clunky interface.

A friend of mine swears by the Disciples series. I liked the grim art and music, but was put off by the combat system and character advancement mechanic. It's a very mathematical game, a bit more randomness and fluff would've been nice.

[BDC]

Lan games of MTW. The laughter.

RTW never cut it, except the MTW mod bizarely.

[Alexanderofmacedon]

To go with my last post though...

...don't get Empire Earth II. It's not as good as the first one.

[rotorgun]

Ok, I'm really going to date myself here, but my favorite all time strategy game is from the old Avalon Hill boardgame days.

Tactics II!

It was the very first wargame I ever learned to play,unless you count checkers, Risk or chess. From that moment on, I was hooked on strategy gaming. I still have a copy of it, and use it occasionally to break in a new gamer to the hobby. All in all, a very elegant game that is still a challenge.

@Kraxis, yes I have plaed M1 Tank Platoon also. Great fun, especially when you broke through the Soviet defenses1

[Zanderpants]

My favorite strategy games that I've ever played:

1. Medieval: TW + VI
2. Rome: TW + EB
3. Hearts of Iron
4. Myth I & II (still amazing games)
5. Black & White II/Caesar III
6. Warcraft II and Lords of The Realm II (Back in the day)

Ahh, memoriesssss