I always liked Beasts and Bumpkins, a nice mix of Settlers and classic RTS with good production values from 1997. Lots of stuff that makes it quite original in this genre.
Yeah, Beasts and Bumpkins. I have to add to that a little, for those who don't know it. Beasts and Bumpkins is unique in so many ways.
In Beasts and Bumpkins there is a builder a la Settlers, but in BnB there are actual seasons (the whole graphics set changes for each season). Between the seasons, there is night. Now, in BnB people are born, become children, grow, get old and die. In order to get new people, a man and a woman meet out on the street, the man is like "you know what I'd like right now" (there is actual speech output) they go into a hut for a night, and hey presto, the next morning there is a little baby in a crib, which then becomes a child, and then a grown man (only then can it become either one of the specialists running the economy or a soldier). If there are not enough women around the men begin complaining ("I need a woman's company") and the morale sinks. If people grow old the become grandpas (especially annoying if it happens in the middle of combat), who fight the enemies with their walking stick. It is recommended to use the grandpas as cannon fodder, because if they die in your village, a disease might start - or you need a priest who can bury the dead.
Then the people are not always law abiding, they swear, steal and murder. You can build a prison and actually determine what the punishment for the offenses will be.
This game is so much fun.:D
Also, it has a great soundtrack that I still put into my CD-Player from time to time.