Your TOP 10 strategy games ever

[coldcrow]

Too few people mention Sacrifice. Any list without that game is preposterous.

Genre defying

What. Sacrifice is RTS incarnate, there are few games which tax your clicking ability and strategic knowledge that much. If you doubt that, I challenge you to a duel.

 

[octavius]

Aren't tactics a form of strategy?

Tactics is the implementation of strategy.

 

[mondblut]

"Tactics" do not exist as a standalone genre. Unless a "tactics" game qualifies as an RPG with detailed combat, it is filed under strategy games. The poll says nothing about "only 4x allowed", even visual novels with superficial strategy elements slip inside.

Where do you put these games then :
- Final Fantasy TACTICS
- Ogre TACTICS

JRPG, obviously.

- Alvora TACTICS
- Telepath TACTICS
- ...

Never heard of these, but unless they feature enough RPG elements, everyone will refer to them as strategy games.

 

[mondblut]

mondblut ,

If you find King of Dragon Pass a storytelling game, try ignoring your clan population, mood, gods, or your neighbours stances towards you and just "pick options in story events". In other words, ignore all the management layer of the game, and see where your clan - and you as their a leader - will end.

A plenty of CYOA games have a fair number of resources and options to pick that change their values. That doesn't a strategy game make.

A game that actively prevents you from growing too big and hands you a "rocks fall, everyone dies" TPK when you pick options in story events that it doesn't like is NOT a strategy game, period.

Look, I love KODP, but it is objectively even less of a strategy game than PST is an RPG. Otherwise Girl Life is a strategy game, too.

 

[Silva]

A plenty of CYOA games have a fair number of resources and options to pick that change their values. That doesn't a strategy game make.

A game that actively prevents you from growing too big and hands you a "rocks fall, everyone dies" TPK when you pick options in story events that it doesn't like is NOT a strategy game, period.

Look, I love KODP, but it is objectively even less of a strategy game than PST is an RPG. Otherwise Girl Life is a strategy game, too.

KoDP has a strategy board in place with distinct entities with differing characteristics and goals vying for resources. If that's not a strategy game, I don't know what it is.

The fact events affect those resources and the relations between the entities doesn't invalidate the strategy layer. Otherwise Europa Universalis/Crusader Kings wouldn't be strategy games either. Nor every strategy game with popping up events, for that matter. In fact, the purpose of events in these games is exactly the promotion of a simulation (of a clan leadership in KoDP, dynastic ruling in CK2, etc).

Look, if you point is that KoDP is an hybrid of strategy + storytelling, I'm fine with that (its what I said before). But saying it lacks any strategy aspect whatsoever is nonsensic.

 

[mondblut]

KoDP has a strategy board in place with distinct entities with differing characteristics and goals vying for resources. If that's not a strategy game, I don't know what it is.

What resources you are vying for? There is only land, and you don't need much of it. In fact, you only need it when the game starts whining "hurr durr, you grew too big" - which happens shortly before "hurr durr, you grew even bigger, we don't like it, let's split the tribe and start again, awesome idea, huh?"

At best, you'll make a couple of tribes relocate elsewhere on the map, and that's the end of your expansion. And that, too, happens at random, lol.

Otherwise Europa Universalis/Crusader Kings wouldn't be strategy games either. Nor every strategy game with popping up events, for that matter. In fact, the purpose of events in these games is exactly the promotion of a simulation (of a clan leadership in KoDP, dynastic ruling in CK2, etc).

Okay, that's retarded. EU and CK without events would still be EU and CK, minus some flavor. Those games where you produce more and better units than your neighbors to paint the map your color until no other color is left. Where you have a good estimation that 2000 cavalry under a skill 15 general on the plains would turn 200 militia under a skill 2 general into fine red paste. Meanwhile, KODP without events wouldn't be a game at all. Not even a screensaver. Wallpaper, at best.

Strategy games are predictable. That's what that "strategy" thing is all about - planning ahead. Having good idea what your enemies might do and how to counter it. In KODP, you can have biggest army in the land and a bunch of instawin artifacts yet get regularly raided by tiny neighbors and get your ass kicked because yay, it's just another random story event that could go anywhere.

 

[Silva]

KoDP has a strategy board in place with distinct entities with differing characteristics and goals vying for resources. If that's not a strategy game, I don't know what it is.

What resources you are vying for? There is only land, and you don't need much of it. In fact, you only need it when the game starts whining "hurr durr, you grew too big" - which happens shortly before "hurr durr, you grew even bigger, we don't like it, let's split the tribe and start again, awesome idea, huh?"

At best, you'll make a couple of tribes relocate elsewhere on the map, and that's the end of your expansion. And that, too, happens at random, lol.

What a load of bullshit. Have you actually played KoDP?

Land, clansmen, cows, sheep, food, trade goods, treasure, are all resources.

Thralls, hunters, weaponthanes, leaders, forested land, crop land, clan mood, magic, que gods, blessings, etc. are internal elements to manage.

Other clans instance (friendly, allied, rivals), trade routes, favors owed and due, foreigners, tribes, etc. are political elements to manage.

And nothing here is related to stories. It's simply the sim/strategical layer of the game.

Strategy games are predictable. That's what that "strategy" thing is all about - planning ahead. Having good idea what your enemies might do and how to counter it. In KODP, you can have biggest army in the land and a bunch of instawin artifacts yet get regularly raided by tiny neighbors and get your ass kicked because yay, it's just another random story event that could go anywhere.

It's not the game's fault if you're a retardo. Anyone who finished it (some in Ironman) know it's predictable as any other, only it has an internal logic that's different than your average, moronic map-painting RTS.

 

[mondblut]

KoDP has a strategy board in place with distinct entities with differing characteristics and goals vying for resources. If that's not a strategy game, I don't know what it is.

What resources you are vying for? There is only land, and you don't need much of it. In fact, you only need it when the game starts whining "hurr durr, you grew too big" - which happens shortly before "hurr durr, you grew even bigger, we don't like it, let's split the tribe and start again, awesome idea, huh?"

At best, you'll make a couple of tribes relocate elsewhere on the map, and that's the end of your expansion. And that, too, happens at random, lol.

What a load of bullshit. Have you actually played KoDP?

Land, clansmen, cows, sheep, food, trade goods, treasure, are all resources.

Pray tell, how does the AI ever "vie" for them? There is no indication the other clans even calculate any of these for themselves. Story events aside, they are only there to be looted by you and to trigger the "you are being raided!11" random event twice a year. Do they ever run out of warriors? Not even after a hundred defeats.

It's not the game's fault if you're a retardo. Anyone who finished it (some in Ironman) know it's predictable as any other, only it has an internal logic that's different than your average, moronic map-painting RTS.

The logic of "if your advisor says 'DON'T CHOOSE THAT OPTION!11', don't choose that option" is not that hard to grasp.

 

[Binky]

Do they ever run out of warriors? Not even after a hundred defeats.

They do, actually. I kept raiding one clan over and over again, never accepting peace and tribute. Their clan eventually disbanded and I composed a poem about it. I think it's a very rare event, perhaps even a one time event. Otherwise you could wipe every clan off the map.

 

[Silva]

mondblut , I don't know if you're trolling me or if you're just stupid.

The other clans in KoDP do count their population and warriors, do have resources tracked, and do have distinct drives.

Also, your leaders advices are loaded by their own stats and personalities. So, as in a simulation, they are not failproof, and you shouldn't always trust them.

Bro, go read a wiki. You're embarrassing yourself at this point.

 

[mondblut]

They do, actually. I kept raiding one clan over and over again, never accepting peace and tribute. Their clan eventually disbanded and I composed a poem about it. I think it's a very rare event, perhaps even a one time event.

Oh? Never happened to me, they just resettled elsewhere. By the way you describe it, I would file it under yet another random event that happens or not at a flip of a coin.

Otherwise you could wipe every clan off the map.

But that's the entire point of strategy games

 

[mondblut]

The other clans in KoDP do count their population and warriors, do have resources tracked

Really? Do you have any proof of this?

Bro, go read a wiki. You're embarrassing yourself at this point.

Be aware that you don't have to visit a lot of clans: all these treasures can show up at just one clan.... Once you discover a treasure at a clan, then it will remain on sale there until purchased, so you don't have to worry about it being moved to another clan.

Not very convincing.

 

[Silva]

The other clans in KoDP do count their population and warriors, do have resources tracked

Really? Do you have any proof of this?

I think it's obvious for anyone who plays the game, but here you go:

http://kingofdragonpass.blogspot.com/2011/10/other-clans.html?m=1

Six Ages blog posts probably have more details.

 

[mondblut]

The other clans in KoDP do count their population and warriors, do have resources tracked

Really? Do you have any proof of this?

I think it's obvious for anyone who plays the game, but here you go:

http://kingofdragonpass.blogspot.com/2011/10/other-clans.html?m=1

Fair enough. He sure did a rather poor job communicating that in the game, as the very first phrase attests.

I'd much prefer it to be "a simulation of Iron Age magical economics" than a story game, indeed.

 

[Lagi]

1. Fantasy General
(flying units, who attack who, ranges, bonus vs, wounded/resting is fun, also the game start immediately - buy units and go into tactical map)

2. Dawn of War 1
(melee combat, death animations, big machines squishing infantry. Intro. Unit quotes. Objectives to capture. Dark Crusade if that matters, Soul Storm screw gameplay up with flying units)

3. Age of Wonders 1
(its just most beautiful game ever. The town development is great because dont dilute the essence of strategy game. Available troops are nice classic rooster > AoW3 peculiarities. Yeah the mechanics could be better)

4. Medieval TW 1
(the strategic map is great (2d>3d), the battle looks nice and fast (sprite >3d), music/sounds - gameplay wise the battles are mediocre, Eco>Tactics but its the same in every game)

5. Myth 2: Soulblighter
(also M1 - its the same game just more maps. The ambient of this game is a succulent, brutal prose of soldiers, trying to achieve the higher goal, with no hope to survive the meatgrinder)

6. Age of Empires 1
(ancient empires vibe is better than another medieval)

7. Caster of Magic
(without mod this game is a slow, end turn spam. The AI reaction are "real", kind of like playing Alpha centauri)

8. C-evo
(clone of civ. I dont like civ2 at all, and love C-evo. Design of own units. Game philosophy that everything is deterministic and follow same rules)

9. Heroes of Might & Magic 3
(collecting garbage scattered all over the map? yes please. Building one structure per day? Ofc. I long for Monday. Tu tu, tu tu Ru tu, tu)

10. Starcraft
(no heroes to XP feed and babysit in this one, its reasonable to send separate group of units to achieve different aims than powercreep MainHero)

 

[Norfleet]

Do they ever run out of warriors? Not even after a hundred defeats.

They totally DO run out of warriors. I've battled other clans sufficiently such that they were clearly running out of doodz, as each fight they were getting weaker and weaker because I always KILL AS MANY AS POSSIBLE.

Granted, it's a rather grinding process because the casualty rates in any battle are pretty low by comparison to most vidya-game warfare, being closer to "realistic" casualty levels, so it takes a while to really start grinding them down, but you definitely can see it happen. That's probably why you think that they're not running out of warriors, because in any given engagement, you don't actually kill that many, maybe a hundred or so out of a thousand or two...because honestly? It's not actually realistic to have battles where a few thousand people fight and like 80-99% of one side are utterly wiped out.

You may have noticed that losing a hundred doodz of your own doesn't have a massive impact on you. And that's basically how it is if you only occasionally fight them. If, on the other hand, you are CONSTANTLY FIGHTING them, and always choosing "KILL AS MANY AS POSSIBLE", you WILL grind them down, often quite quickly.

 

[BrotherFrank]

I ain’t going to torture myself by making an order which I will change my mind on 5 mins after posting. Heck it’s hard enough even classifying some of these games, ex: I consider kodp to be a story focused game so won’t be including it on this list even though I love it to bits. Also 1 game per franchise.

So in no particular order:
Jagged Alliance 2 (one of the most hybrid games around but I always thought of ja2 as a tactics/strategy game first)
Dawn of war 1
Company of heroes 1
Xcom 2 WITH MODS otherwise openxcom.
Alpha Centauri (though tentatively, it’s the setting and writing that makes me remember it so fondly. Either this or the mod From “Caveman to Cosmos” for civ 4 would be my top civ choices)
Total warhammer WITH MODS otherwise medieval 2
Stellaris WITH MODS (yeah kinda a theme with me, I like my mods) otherwise..Eugh which paradox games do I play without mods? Vic 2 I guess.
Sins of a solar empire
King arthur 2 (tough call between 2 and 1 but the sequel is unfairly maligned imo so showing it some love)
Renowned explorers (the wildcard choice)

I wanted to put in moo2 or at least a moo like but I’ve played so many space 4X that they all tend to blend together and I’d have to replay them to see which I liked and if moo2 is only coming up because it’s the grand daddy.
Same thing for dk2, I’d have to replay it along with some of its imitators like evil genius.

 

[Life of the Party]

In a somewhat chronological order, 15 games I remember liking a lot at some point in my life, whether playing with friends or by myself.

Alpha Centauri

Red Alert II

Battle Realms

Empire Earth

Europa Universalis II

Warcraft III

Medieval: Total War

Age of Mythology

Command and Conquer: Generals

Rise of Nations

Dawn of War

Rome: Total War

Knights of Honor

Victoria II

Crusader Kings II

 

[Life of the Party]

Didn't take long to remember a game I might like more than any of those.

 

[Lagi]

Lagi Learned

Joined:
Jul 19, 2015

wtf ?! Im already 5 years on codex? I feel like I create account last summer at most.

 

[janjetina]

Alpha Centauri
Hearts of Iron III with Black Ice Mod and submods (TRE, GGA etc.)
Civilization IV
X-com the original one (UFO: enemy unknown)
X-com 2 (Terror from the Deep)
Master of Orion 2
Civilization III
Crusader Kings 2
Civilization II
Europa Universalis IV

Not necessarily in that order

 

[Catacombs]

wtf ?! Im already 5 years on codex? I feel like I create account last summer at most.

Time flies when you're having fun.

 

[Mastermind]

Top 10 in no particular order other than that one of the WBCs would take the #1 spot.

Age of Empires 3
Emperor: Battle for Dune
Heroes 3
Heroes 4
Netstorm
Red Alert 2
Starcraft 2
Star Wars Galactic Battlegrounds
Warlords Battlecry 2
Warlords Battlecry 3

Honorable mentions, either because they're not quite on par with the top 10 or because they've aged poorly
Warlords Battlecry 1
Starcraft 1
Red Alert 3
Age of Empires 2
C&C Generals
C&C 3
Age of Empires 1
Plants vs Zombies
Age of Mythology

 

[Norfleet]

Time flies when you're having fun.

FUN IS A FILTHY PARASITE.

 

[jebsmoker]

i deleted the original version of my list since i realized i had actually forgotten about a specific game i poured countless hours into, namely due to its incredible mission design and still unmatched physics engine. i also reorganized it slightly

1) Homeworld
2) Homeworld: Cataclysm
3) Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak
4) Soldiers: Heroes of World War II
5) Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin
6) Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri
7) Sudden Strike
8) Graviteam Tactics (any of them, really - it would be impossible to fit all the battles Graviteam has simulated in a single numbered list)
9) Nexus: The Jupiter Incident
10) Victoria 2 (was tempted to put Stellaris here but I much prefer Vicky 2's ambitious political and social simulation)