Looking for some good Strategy Games

**RoadKill** · 08-12-2007, 14:49

I'm looking for some new games, and decided I want some Strategy games. Something similar to Warcraft III, starcraft. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

**Xiahou** · 08-12-2007, 21:07

Try Spring. It's completely free(open-source), so no risk involved. Check out the sweet screenshots.

The only real drawbacks are the current lack of a single-player campaign and the fact that the few skirmish AIs I've played against haven't put up much of a fight. But modders are constantly working on both. Also, it could just be my style of play that the AIs dont deal well with- I prefer porcing.

Other popular mods also include StarWars and Gundam themes.

**Kekvit Irae** · 08-12-2007, 21:59

If you are looking for an RTS, go with Empire Earth and its expansion. Stay away from EEII, however.

**econ21** · 08-12-2007, 22:01

Starcraft/Warcraft type RTSs are not my cup of tea, but I did get my money's worth out of Dawn of War, which is in that genre. It's almost worth buying just for the opening video. It's probably worth picking up a version with the expansions, as the cost difference should be minimal now and they add a lot (esp. the second one).

Company of Heroes is the same thing in WW2, but I haven't got into it.

**Kekvit Irae** · 08-12-2007, 22:09

Dawn of War is much love.

It translates the confusing world of WH40k into a decent RTS. I'm currently addicted to the Dark Crusade campaign.

**Zenicetus** · 08-12-2007, 23:47

The other strategy game I'm playing now in addition to M2TW, is Galactic Civilizations 2 with the Dark Avatar expansion, which is essential if you decide to try the game. You can buy it online and there is no copy protection (please support the developer if you decide to play it). There's a demo, I'm not sure it includes the Dark Avatar enhancements:

http://www.galciv2.com/

It's a turn-based strategy game, with no tactical combat (all ship battles and planet invasions are auto-resolved), so it doesn't have the same feel as Warcraft or Starcraft. You might still enjoy it because the AI is so good. It's all about making the right decisions about expansion, tech-ing up, warfare, how you design your ships and where you send them. You can win through military conquest, tech advancement, or cultural conquest, and all of this can be adjusted if, for example, you only want to enable a military win.

There is also a very cool shipyard feature where you can design your own ships from 3D modular parts. It doesn't affect anything in the game, but it's a great way to personalize the game. I've been lost for hours in the shipyard tweaking my designs.

The AI is very tough, even when it's not given any cheats. This is partly due to the auto-calc'ed battles, I think. Galaxy maps are randomly generated, so each game is a little different. You can choose randomized races and AI quality to play against, or design custom races as opponents. I like to leave most of that randomized, so I never know exactly what I'll run into with each new game. That's a nice change from a highly scripted singleplayer game like Warcraft, or the fixed starting positions and factions in M2TW.

Anyway, if you can handle a turn-based game that doesn't include a tactical layer, check it out! I think it's one of the best, if not THE best pure strategy games out there right now.

**Marshal Murat** · 08-13-2007, 00:54

Dawn of War 40k was a very enjoyable game. Especially the uniform painter.

Game was lots of fun, got me hooked onto the 'Horus Heresy' series.

Company of Heroes.
Recently purchased it, can't stay away. Beautiful painted loading scenes, excellent garrison ability, WW2, explosions, fully destructible environ.
When I say 'fully destructible' I mean it (even if it may not be grammatically correct)

I'm on a map with hedgerows everywhere.
A couple 105 howitzer bombardments later the place looks like the moon.

**Papewaio** · 08-13-2007, 01:42

Originally Posted by Kekvit Irae

It translates the confusing world of WH40k into a decent RTS. I'm currently addicted to the Dark Crusade campaign.

40K isn't that confusing... as long as you have been playing from Rogue Trader days... it actually has got more streamlined...

so? what did you expect I am a major geek, the very major model of one.

The Dark Crusade is awesome...

**Kekvit Irae** · 08-13-2007, 02:14

Originally Posted by Papewaio

40K isn't that confusing... as long as you have been playing from Rogue Trader days... it actually has got more streamlined...

so? what did you expect I am a major geek, the very major model of one.

40k isnt all that confusing, but it can be intimidating to new players.

"Wait, if the Space Marines and the Imperial Guard both work for the Emperor, why are they fighting each other?"
"Why do all Sisters of Battle have white hair?"
"WTF? Eldar are ELVES?"
"In 38,000 years, don't you think that Orks would have developed their language a bit more?"
"Why are only Space Marines the chosen targets for Chaos possession?"

These are all real newbie questions I heard during my tabletop days.
And yes, as a veteran player, I am very PO'd that the Sisters of Battle army got nixed and reworked into a Witchhunters army. It was my favorite army, second only to the Vahallan Ice Warriors. Then again, they were overpowered...

**lars573** · 08-13-2007, 17:30

Originally Posted by RoadKill

I'm looking for some new games, and decided I want some Strategy games. Something similar to Warcraft III, starcraft. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Like many others have said. Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War, Dark crusade. The Terrans and Protoss of Starcraft are basically rip-offs of the Space Marines and Eldar of Warhammer 40k. To the point that Blizzard and Gamesworkshop came to some kind of araangement (or so I heard). The Zerg are also an aping of a 40k race, the Tyranids (but they aren't in a game yet). So if you like Starscraft DoW will give you a definate SC feel.

For a Warcraft like game go for LOTR: Battle for middle earth 2. Preferably with the Rise of the Witch-King expansion. Not only is a great use of the LOTR license it's a decent RTS game. It has somethings in common with WC. All the LOTR characters (good and bad) are heroes that level up (save Sauron and Galadriel). Plus you can make your own. Plus being able to have my Trolls eat and toss Orcs is just soo much fun.

Company of heroes. Best RTS out now. Expansion adding the British commonwealth forces and SS panzers (although they can't call them that) is coming soon.

Originally Posted by Lorenzo_H

Supreme Commander. As of yet I have heard nothing but good things of this one. I would have bought it if not for the fact that I feared for my computers life because of its high end detail.

It's not that great. I paid only $27 for it, and that was maybe too much. It's only selling point is "ZOMG Total anihillation!!!" Without that it's an average RTS game that's a resource hog and is sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow as hell. I'm talking about the pace of the actual game itself, slow downs not withstanding.

Originally Posted by Lorenzo_H

Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars. I'm an old fan of this series, but I have not bought this latest addition to the RTS franchise. It is promising and looks like the old school formula of Red Alert with sharp graphics.

Play the demo. I have been. It's not like Red Alert in terms of gameplay. It's got it's own vibe in that department. I mean it's CnC gameplay for sure. But it takes elements from Generals, RA2, and Tiberian sun and mixes them.

**ChaosLord** · 08-13-2007, 22:39

Starcraft is more of a rip off Starship Troopers, with Terrans being Earth, Zerg the Arachnids, and the Skinnies the Protoss. Even if 40k was their original inspiration, its not like 40k didn't borrow from Starship Troopers as well.

As for the subject at hand, Civilization 4 is good, as are GalCiv2 and M2TW to a lesser extent.

Lately though i've found my time divided between two games, one old an done new.

First is Age of Wonders 2: Shadow Magic (think Master of Magic + HoMM). Theres a strong fan community going for it, including unofficial patches and some pretty complex mods. Nothing quite like playing an immortal wizard and laying waste to your enemies. Right now i'm on a map with rivers of lava and sorched lands...that my Frostling Mage and lackeys is slowly turning to frost. I've already casted a global spell to speed up the process, ushering in an Ice Age in which my forces shall overrun my enemies.

Highly recommended to strategy RPG and TBS fans alike.

The second game, the newer of the two is Star Wolves 2. I never had a chance to try the first, but this one sounded interesting so I gave it a shot. The best way to describe it would be a space-based tactical RPG/Strategy. You outfit ships, train up pilots, and run missions/follow a storyline. Combat is real time, but its more about managing overall fleet that in-depth micromanagement. There are some crashing issues, but the gameplay has hooekd me enough for it to not bother me so far. It also doesn't have ungodly system requirements and use useless graphical fluff like 2.0 shaders or other such nonsense.

I'd recommend it to fans of games like Homeworld and strategy RPG fans.

**lars573** · 08-14-2007, 00:00

Originally Posted by ChaosLord

Starcraft is more of a rip off Starship Troopers, with Terrans being Earth, Zerg the Arachnids, and the Skinnies the Protoss. Even if 40k was their original inspiration, its not like 40k didn't borrow from Starship Troopers as well.

No denying that. But most people would only know the movie version of Starship troopers. Which is nothing like the book.

I also forgot to mention. Star Wars: Empire at war+ Forces of corruption. A good SW RTS game!

It's a great real time space combat game mixed with an average land combat game. It has a galactic conquest mode that is an aping of the TW campagin mode. Well it is in "real" time. And you really should get the expansion. It makes the rebellion not suck as a bad.

**Zenicetus** · 08-14-2007, 03:17

Originally Posted by lars573

Company of heroes. Best RTS out now. Expansion adding the British commonwealth forces and SS panzers (although they can't call them that) is coming soon.

I bought that to see what the fuss was about, because it gets such good reviews everywhere. I don't know... maybe it's just me, but I just couldn't get into it. I stopped at that first mission where you get some tanks to command.

It was too heavily scripted.... go here, set up a defensive line... oops, now you have to retreat to point X because there's an artillery bombardment. There is a little flexibility in how you can do things, but too much of the game just felt like it was on rails. Once you learn how to "game" each mission, you're done. I know the Warcraft/Starcraft franchise (and others) have made a big success with this in their single player campaigns, but it's really just an excuse for relatively weak strategic AI.

I guess I prefer more open-ended strategy games like the TW series, where even though it's somewhat locked-in by the starting positions and geography, not every game plays out the same. Or GalCiv2, which can be really different with each game.

**lars573** · 08-14-2007, 04:04

I don't play the campagin. Started it, but like most standard RTS campagins it was boring so I never finished it (most of them are uninteresting and suck). Skirmish and/or multiplayer is where it's at.

**Zenicetus** · 08-14-2007, 04:12

Gotcha... CoH does seem like a very good platform for multiplayer. I don't get to play any strategy games in MP because my S.O. drags me off to play with her in WoW whenever there is a "social gaming" time slot. It's a wonder I get to play any single player games at all.