Squad-Level Tactical Games

[Ladonna]

All of them are the same in virtually every way (Except storyline) so if Obediah is seconding one....

 

[obediah]

All of them are the same in virtually every way (Except storyline) so if Obediah is seconding one....

I recommend just playing the first two games in each series.Then if you like those, you can brave the higher level games. But high level combat in AD&D is such shit, that the games really really bogg down.

 

[LCJr.]

Missionforce Cyberstrom, turn based tactical mecha game set in Sierra/Dynamix's Earthsiege universe. A very well done mecha game. Units are customizable individual mechs. Your pilots are "bioderms" something similiar to BR's replicants. Each bioderm has certain skills it's good at which can be improved through training, a varying lifespan.

A very solid game all around. No obvious signs of rushing and it was definately heavily playtested for balance. Interface and controls are well thought out and easy to use. Weapons and other components are balanced very well also. Challenge increases gradually which eases the learning curve. One nice feature is you get full resale price for all components. So you can customize and try different configurations to your heart's content.

From HOTU

Basically, by completing missions. At any one time, there are nine missions available to the player. Four of these are mining missions, fairly profitable and not dangerous. Then there are four military missions, more dangerous but more lucrative. Finally, there is the Cyberstorm version of the end of level monster. This mission is a real bastard but if you complete it, you will have cleared the Cybrids from this particular solar system and can go on to the next one. There are three solar systems altogether.

Clarification, there are 9 missions at any time, NOT just 27 missions in a game. You can do the same mission types as many times as you like.

And whatever you do don't bother with the CD rape. Way too much was cut out. In particular the planetary info. Nothing like having a bunch of energy weapon armed Hercs land on a planet to find out their weapons near useless because of the planets EM field. Either buy it or dl the iso.

Technical note, the game runs in 256 colors and will crash on launch if you don't set your desktop to 256 or use a compatibility tool to force it.

 

[Deacdo]

Missionforce Cyberstrom, turn based tactical mecha game set in Sierra/Dynamix's Earthsiege universe. A very well done mecha game. Units are customizable individual mechs. Your pilots are "bioderms" something similiar to BR's replicants. Each bioderm has certain skills it's good at which can be improved through training, a varying lifespan.

I'd kill for a game like that with today's technology. Hell, I'd kill for a quality PC mech game, too. Death for all!

 

[Drone39]

does Icewind Dale count?

Does Icewind Dale (and the sequel) count? It's party based. It's a real-time/ turn-based hybrid like all the infinity engine games. It's action-oriented (Black Isle's answer to Diablo). It's main attraction was in its tactical combat. I'd put it in there as a squad-based tactical game.

 

[obediah]

Re: does Icewind Dale count?

Does Icewind Dale (and the sequel) count? It's party based. It's a real-time/ turn-based hybrid like all the infinity engine games. It's action-oriented (Black Isle's answer to Diablo). It's main attraction was in its tactical combat. I'd put it in there as a squad-based tactical game.

Well, fuck. I guess I would say yes, with the qualification that I'm not very fucking happy about it. I liked the first Icewind Dale as a party-based dungeon crawl, but I would never recommend it to someone on it's merit as a squad-based tactics game.

 

[Severian Silk]

Eh... I don't want to add the IE games to my list.

 

[Crazy Tuvok]

Eh... I don't want to add the IE games to my list.

You don't consider: "hit pause" tactics?

 

[obediah]

Eh... I don't want to add the IE games to my list.

You don't consider: "hit pause" tactics?

I don't think the pause button was the main problem. It's just that IWD only had three tactics:

1) concentrate your attacks
2) don't fireball yourself
3) pull as few monsters as possible.

Success was largely dependent on party composition, phat lewt and buffing. So while you could make the battle much harder with poor tactics, there wasn't much incentive to pause each battle, get the lay of the battleground and work out a plan of assault.

While it does have the basics, I'm not going to fault Mikail for not adding it to the list.

 

[Severian Silk]

Would you consider Panzer General a tactics game or a strategy game? The wikipedia article states that it lies somewhere in between.
[edit] Woops! It's not squad-level. Should have started a new thread.

 

[Severian Silk]

Has anyone played Korea: Forgotten Conflict? How about Kowloon Youma Gakuen Ki?

 

[Jason]

It's real-time, like Commandos. You have it under turn-based. XIII Century is RT also.

 

[Severian Silk]

But, the mobygames article says it's turn-based.

 

[Jason]

They lie. It's a lot like Commandos. Here's the Gamespy review.
And XIII Century is an RTS, like Total War without the strategic layer.

 

[Severian Silk]

Have you played Liberation Day? The mobygames article says it's a lot like X-COM, but it doesn't say exactly how.

 

[Severian Silk]

I removed GearHead 2 from the list as it's not party-based, and even with the new Tactics Mode the game still doesn't feel very tactical.

I may re-add it if things change considerably.

 

[Deacdo]

You may want to add All American: The 82nd Airborne in Normandy. The prequel was pretty decent.

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/sg_develop ... ican/1.htm

 

[Severian Silk]

I've read that the early Ultima games featured combat similar to Japanese TRPGs. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[Mr Happy]

I'm pretty sure the Omega Syndrome doesn't feature party-based combat. Plus, the website is down.

 

[roshan]

Another one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odium

 

[Keldorn]

http://ufoai.sourceforge.net/


They released 2.2 for windows & mac (finally).

 

[Hory]

Jesus, why are there so few good tactical turn-based games? What is there worth playing apart from Jagged Alliance, X-Com, Incubation, Odium, Silent Storm and perhaps Spellcross?

Edit: is Night Watch worth it? The setting seems good, the engine is good, the developers are the same, yet I didn't hear people praising it...

 

[quasimodo]

Have any of you tried Chaos Gate by Random Games. It is a pretty decent TB squad game. It is a Warhammer Universe game, but is pretty light on the Mechs. You mostly control a few 5 man infantry squads. The graphics are about level with FO or JA2. It won't work under XP, but I keep a Win98 machine around just so I can play it.

 

[SimpleComplexity]

SWAT 2

 

[callehe]

I'm a complete noob when it comes to this type of games so could someone recommend me a fun turn based tactics game with multiplayer?