Games with the conquest of territories on PC. The best military strategies on PC. List of the best war games

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Top best strategies that can be played online or online with friends and random opponents, description of ways to play

Strategies are games in which you can feel like a king, ruler, and even God. They do not feature dynamic gameplay (as in shooters), but they force the player to think logically, develop tactics, and make various decisions. Victory in them depends on the user's ability to foresee the future actions of the opponent, coordinate the actions of his army and calculate his strength.

At other times, strategies are not only battles between thousands of troops. Behind the entertainment lies a complex economic system, the development of which will also bring you victory in the game. And sometimes there are no battles at all - some developers release exclusively economic strategies based on some kind of business (or in other areas).

In any case, the strategies can keep you glued to the screen for a long time. In this article, we have presented the TOP best strategies on PC of all time, in which you will find decent games. They can be played with friends, teaming up against AI, alone, or against other users. For convenience, the strategies are presented in the form of a list that describes their main advantages.

Of course, you can express your opinion in the comments on the articles, and those who don’t have time to download strategies on a PC can look at the list of the best rated online browser strategies that you can start playing right now.

Warcraft III - online

Out: 03.06.2002

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

The essence of the game lies in the uniform construction of a base, pumping up heroes and recruiting an army. For each game stage and situation, different actions are prioritized, of which there are an inexorable variety, which in itself determined the incredible success of the game among gamers. It is worth noting that different races have different priorities, which creates a certain abstract balance.

Of course, the game achieved success primarily because the history of Warcraft is quite old, and the first game in the series was released back in 1994 on DOS, which allowed it to win crowds of fans at the dawn of the gaming industry. The entire Warcraft series has a deep and thoughtful history, on which the plot of Warcraft III is based, although it is not important here, it is necessary for the full perception of the game.

For the most part, the game received recognition for its good balance of races and atypical gameplay for those years, which marked the beginning of a new era of strategies.

• Balanced hero leveling system;
• Balanced economic system;
• Interesting solo company;
• Balan races;
• You can play online;
• The graphics are outdated.

You can play Warcraft online on servers: Tangle, Garena, iCCup.

Heroes of Might and Magic III - online

Out: 28.02.1999

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Although the series of “heroes” is quite old, it has never acquired a significant plot. First of all, in the games of the series, the gameplay and gaming component are valued, and the plot is not at all important.

The gameplay itself boils down to the fact that the player needs to destroy all opponents on the map. Initially, the player has an undeveloped castle and one hero under his command. The castle is gradually upgraded by constructing new buildings, which opens up access to hiring new creatures. The hero can be upgraded in battle, or by distributing gold from chests to your troops. To win, it is enough to destroy all enemy heroes and capture all castles.

There are a total of 9 races in the game (specifically in the third part), including:

• Castle – people;
• Stronghold - elves;
• The tower is the residence of magicians;
• The fortress is a swamp;
• Citadel - barbarians;
• Inferno - demons;
• Necropolis - undead;
• Dungeon - command underground creatures;
• Conjugation - command the elements of the elements.

Each race has its own orientations, advantages, and special skills. For example, necropolis can raise the dead, inferno can turn its defeated fighters into demons, and so on.

Only the 3rd and 5th parts of the game are in demand among players, while the rest either fall short in gameplay or have too good graphics that make your eyes bleed out. We are talking about the excessive detailing of the 6th and 7th parts of the game, which played a disservice. The players did not like the fourth part because of the terrible models and textures.

It is the third part of the heroes that is considered the genius of the series, which is why large tournaments are still held for it and there is a significant gaming community. The problem with online play in Heroes 3 is the length of the matches, because some games lasted up to a month in real time.

If you want to try your hand at online play, we recommend visiting the heroesworld portal, which contains all the useful information.

• Expanded economic system;
• Developed leveling of heroes;
• Balance of gaming needs (in leveling, construction, hiring creatures, etc.)
• You can play online;
• Balanced combat;
• The presence of an unofficial team that is constantly improving the game.

Civilization Series

Out: 1991-2016

Genre: global turn-based strategy

Initially, the game captured the minds of players with its interesting gameplay, which boils down to balancing the army, economy and development (and later culture) of the nation. The game also has a certain historicity, because all nations actually existed.

To win this game you need to skillfully create cities, build trade networks between them, enter into alliances and betray allies, create an army balance that matches your economic development and wisely develop technology.

A simple example: if you only invest in the army, there may come a time when your soldiers will fight with sticks, and the enemy will already have tanks. You can also invest only in development, but then your civilization can be destroyed by ordinary barbarians, and you will never have time to develop.

It is precisely because of the diversity of the gameplay and the variability of development that many call Civilization the best strategy of all time.

At the moment, an online game with random participants is available on Steam, allowing you to test your strengths and skills.

• Unique economic system;
• Unique research system;
• Balance of nations and play styles;
• Advanced multiplayer;
• Expanded political system.

In 2016, a continuation of the legendary series was released, Civilization 6 became the best turn-based strategy of the year on PC.

XCOM series

Out: 1993-2016

Genre: step-by-step strategy

The famous strategy about protecting the earth from the invasion of alien invaders. You are a special squad of professionals, the only stronghold of humanity in the struggle for survival. Study alien technologies, take them into your arsenal and destroy your enemies!

The gameplay of the game is tied to the tactical and economic components. Tactical includes battles with opponents, flights to the landing site or landing site of alien ships, development of fighters, choosing the right perks for them, and so on. Economic - development of the base, the right choice of technology, additional rooms, waste of resources and other things. Also, after the battle, the player receives trophies from the dead, which can then be sold on the black market or used independently in battle.

Many highlight XCOM as one of the best strategy games on PC.

• An interesting system for leveling up fighters;
• A variety of game cards;
• Many battle strategies;
• An interesting system of research and leveling up the base;
• Extraordinary endings.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Out: 1996-2008

Genre: real time strategy

The so-called “cranberry” strategy. For reference, cranberry is considered an unrealistic presentation of the inhabitants and ideology of the USSR, including its territory after the collapse. The game is built on this non-existent ideology. The action takes place in a parallel universe where there was no World War II, so all nations, including the USSR, were able to develop and become incredibly strong.

Later, a time machine was invented that allowed one to change the course of history. For example, the third part of the game takes place when the Russians decide to kill Albert Einstein in the past. Sending to the past was successful, the USSR captured almost all of Europe, but the war did not end - it was just the beginning.

The gameplay is standard for games of this genre, namely, you need to develop your base, hire soldiers, equipment to completely destroy opponents on the map.

• Fascinating plot;
• Balance of Nations;
• Unique combat units;

Space Rangers

Out: 23.12.2002

Genre:“epic game” with elements of RPG, turn-based strategy, arcade, text quest.

A game about a war in intergalactic space between intelligent races. The player can play almost all races, except for the Klisans and Dominators - hostile semi-intelligent races that receive orders from the main ships, which control their behavior. The entire plot of the game tells about the war of the peaceful races of the commonwealth against the above-mentioned invaders.

The main advantage of the game is the gameplay. As you may have noticed, the game does not have a specific genre, since it is absolutely difficult to classify it into any genre. But the game is often singled out as the best strategy game because players spend most of their time controlling their spaceship in separate systems. There are also arcade elements in the game, namely, when flying between systems, you can stumble upon hostile nodes, where the game turns into real-time battle.

RPG elements manifest themselves in leveling up the skills of your captain, playing the role of a good ranger or an evil pirate smuggler. Elements of a text quest appear in some tasks that NPCs give to the player, or, for example, during visits to prisons, where the player balances between being released as quickly as possible and not dying at the hands of fellow inmates. In the latest versions of the game there are also battles with robots on planets in real-time strategy mode.

As you can see, the potential of the game is incredibly high, and it can rightfully be called one of the best RPGs of all time, not only due to the unique gameplay, but also nice graphics, random generation of maps, planets, tasks and other things, which allows you to start the game again and again .

• A unique game world that is randomly generated in each new game;
• Developed system for playing a game role;
• A good mix of many genres;
• Exciting text tasks;
• Nice graphics.

Stronghold: Crusader

Out: 2002-2014

Genre: real time strategy

A classic strategy game in which you act as the ruler of a small city. Your task is to equally develop military and economic power. In gaming companies you can play both the role of the cruel Arab ruler Saladin and the role of the King of England Richard the Lionheart.

The gameplay, as mentioned earlier, lies in the equal development of the army and the economy. Due to its unusual gameplay, the game received recognition. Some of the game's features include:

• Your servants need to build personal houses that provide the maximum number of army;
• It is necessary to develop the food industry, because your entire military machine may perish simply because of hunger. This also creates the possibility of prolonged sieges of castles, forcing the enemy to decay from hunger;
• Almost all fighters cannot be hired just like that - they need to create weapons and armor, and for this it is necessary to collect resources.

If you play against the computer, you will notice that it creates monotonous castles, which, however, are not so easy to break through if the enemy is one of the strong ones. Still, this is one of the disadvantages that can quickly discourage the desire to play. The main potential of the game is revealed in multiplayer maps, which can be played online using Hamachi or Tangle. It is also worth noting that a clear disadvantage is that the player is tied to the starting point - it is impossible to build buildings near the enemy’s castle.

• Unique production and economic system;
• Expanded construction capabilities;
• Not a bad company;
• You can play online with friends.

Kings bounty

Out: 2008-2014

Genre: real-time strategy role-playing game with turn-based battles

The unusual combination of the genre makes the game quite interesting for beginners, and the beautiful graphics without excessive detail are pleasing to the eye. It is worth noting that in the later parts of the game it is possible to enable a 3D game mode, which must be played with appropriate glasses.

The player can choose between three classes: warrior, paladin and mage. Each of them conducts battles in their own way. For example, a warrior has an increased number of creatures, a mage attacks opponents with spells, and a paladin is something in between.

The game takes place in a fictional fantasy world, which is inhabited by fairly canonical magical creatures such as vampires, demons, and elves. The player acts as a treasure hunter, on whose shoulders rests the fate of preserving the world. First, he will have to become a great hero, recruit an army of mystical creatures in order to fight the evil henchmen.

The gameplay looks something like this: you walk around the world map in real time, and when you come across enemy units, a turn-based battle mode starts, where the hero can use a book of magic and spirits. Looks like a classic turn-based battle. As you walk around the map, you can communicate with the characters that inhabit the world, complete tasks for them, receive rewards, hire troops, buy items, and so on.

• Interesting character leveling system;
• Many artifacts and unique creatures;
• Interesting combat system;
• Not boring quests;
• Nice cartoon graphics;
• Many games in the series are made in the same style.

StarCraft II - online

Out: 26.06.2010

Genre: real time strategy

An equally exciting game from the creators of Warcraft – Blizzard. The plot of the game tells about the battle of three cosmic races: the Zerg, the Protoss and the Terrans. Unlike Warcraft, the game is more dynamic and lacks heroes, which completely changes priorities in battles.

StarCraft also has a rich story, but it is presented to players during story cutscenes, making you merely an observer rather than a maker of the story.

Each playable race has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, Protoss units have many additional abilities that must be used at the right time, otherwise the army will be quite weak. Considering that the game itself is very fast, you need to have fast playing and thinking skills to succeed in the game.

StarCraft can rightfully bear the title of the best strategy game on PC of all time.

The game can be played online through the Blizzard game downloader.

• Race balance;
• Balanced economy;
• Fast pace of the game;
• You can play online;
• Regular tournaments from official developers.

Warhammer 40,000 series of games

Out: 1999 - 2009

Genre: real time strategy

Warhammer is a fairly popular game not only in computer form, but also in card form. The history of the game appeared long before the development of the computer sphere (in 1983) in America, which determined the success of the series.

The history of the world tells of bloody wars for control of the galaxy, grandiose betrayals and ascensions, and so on. The games in this series are not tied only to the strategy genre, because there are both CCG and action branches.

The most famous games in the series for the general public: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, tell the story of a war for control of one designated planet between the game races. The player chooses one of the sides in the war, which has unique units and battle tactics. In the future, your task will be to seize control of the entire planet. Some games in the series divide the gameplay into two stages: global turn-based control and real-time strategy. The first mode is simply choosing a point of attack, and the second is the actual battle. In battle, you need to rebuild your base, capture key points that bring one of two resources - influence, strengthen them and attack enemy bases. It is worth noting that the main objective of the game is to destroy all enemy buildings.

Almost all Vakha strategies can be played through hamachi.

• Deep history;
• Race balance;
• Each race has its own unique characteristics;
• Interesting system for improving units;
• Interesting company.

Company of Heroes

Out: 2006-2009

Genre: real time strategy

The plot of the game follows such films as “Saving Private Ryan”, “A Bridge Too Far” and the television series “Band of Brothers”. The action takes place during the Great Patriotic War.

The gameplay is a classic RTS with wargame elements. Many note that the game is reminiscent of the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series due to the fact that the player can independently choose the weapons with which his platoons will fight. Troops also have a combat morale scale, which affects the effectiveness of soldiers. For example, if a platoon comes under machine gun fire, its morale drops sharply, which reduces its shooting and running speed. In addition, when a squad member who was holding a weapon dies, it does not disappear, but remains on the ground where it can be picked up. The next feature of the game is the system of unit ranks, which with each increased level of fighters allows them to improve their characteristics, which creates a certain convention that units are not just meat.

Wargame elements also include the fact that the player can install defensive structures himself, increasing the effectiveness of fighters. All the ditches, sandbags, etc. can be occupied by your fighters to increase their effectiveness. Since the game can maintain a small limit, and the combat speed is quite low, the result is an entertaining combat simulator. Of course, this game is not singled out as the absolute best strategy, but it deserves to be at least a nominee.

• Interesting game missions;
• Unusual gameplay;
• The feeling of real battles is created;

Cossacks Series

Out: 2001-2016

Genre: economic strategy

The game stands out for its gameplay, which is based on the balance of economic and military power. The correct construction of the economy has a key role in the game, because even if you skillfully use military forces, skillfully withdraw them, divide them into groups, opening the horizon for a volley of guns, then sooner or later, with a weak economy, you will lose to the player who is more focused on economic component. Firstly, a player with a strong economy can simply spam units - he does not need to think about their safety, because there are always resources. Secondly, the availability of resources such as coal and iron determines the ability of shooting units to attack. If there is no coal or iron, the fighters cannot shoot. Food also plays an important role, as it is a constantly consumed resource. Therefore, if your population is growing, then your food infrastructure should grow accordingly.

The game also stands out in that each player can recruit a huge number of troops, which allows the use of diverse gaming strategies. Among the types of troops you can find: cavalry, melee units, ranged units, artillery. In addition, the game has technical development that allows you to recruit stronger and more technologically advanced troops.

Many players are betting that the third part of the series will be the best strategy game of 2016!

• Dependence of military power on the economy;
• Many battle strategies;
• The need to balance economics and military strength.

Anno 1404

Out: 2009-2010

Genre: economic strategy

The plot is tied to a parallel reality, which, however, repeats real historical prototypes, such as the Crusades, the dawn of early forms of capitalism, and so on.

The gameplay is tied to economic warfare and the development of colonies and settlements. You, as an effective ruler, need to correctly calculate the distribution of resources for the development of cities and conduct diplomatic relations. The combat component of the game is divided into sea and land battles, however, the opportunity to wage war is not immediately open, but later becomes one of the elements that helps to defeat opponents.

All states are divided into two types: European and Eastern. A European country cannot fully develop without spices and quartz, produced only in the east, which naturally determines the need for active trade, which is also one of the main ways to earn gold. One of the key tasks in urban planning is the construction of large cultural elements such as cathedrals or mosques.

• Developed economy;
• An interesting process of urban planning;
• Advanced diplomacy system.

Total War series

Out: 2000-2015

Genre: global strategy

Some semblance of historical strategy. Actions take place on the global world map in different periods of time - it all depends on the part of the game. The player can choose any of the presented countries and subsequently capture the entire map, depending on the established victory conditions.

But it is not for its plot and historical component that this game is singled out as the best strategy on PC, but for its gameplay. It is built on the step-by-step movement of armies, the development and capture of cities in various countries. Battles take place in real time, where the player acts as a commander, places his troops on the map and directly leads the battle. There is also a politics mode where the player makes alliances, declares wars, exchanges resources, and so on.

• Interesting policy system;
• Interesting in-game battles in real time;
• A developed system of internal events (crusades, jihads, etc.);
• An advanced system for improving cities, depending on their location.

Disciples

Out: 1999-2010

Genre: turn-based strategy with RPG elements

The game takes place in the cruel fantasy world of Nevendaar, where dark forces constantly strive to awaken. Companies for all nations are available to the player to complete. It turns out that the player himself weaves the whole story. There are a total of five nations available in the game, including:

• Hordes of undead - servants of the ancient goddess of death Mortis;
• The Empire is a race of people under the protection of the supreme angels;
• Legions of the Damned - Betrezen's demonic minions;
• The Elven Alliance is a united army of elves led by Queen Ellumiel;
• Mountain clans are harsh foothill people led by a high king.

The gameplay is classic strategy. The player’s task is to intelligently explore the territory and upgrade the army. Oh yes, unlike other strategies, here you can only hire minions of lower levels, who then need to be upgraded, gaining experience in battle. Overall, the combat system in Disciples is unique, which is what made the game so successful. At the beginning, the player starts with one capital and a hero. The capital is a unique city guarded by a very strong creature, so it is almost impossible to break through the capital from the very beginning. The war is being waged over sources of magic - one of the resources and separate outposts that allow you to hire troops far from the capital.

• A unique system for leveling up creatures;
• Races are not alike;
• Race balance;
• An interesting system for using magic;

Age of Empires game series

Out: 1997-2007

Genre: real time strategy

Quite an old game that can also claim to be the best PC strategy of all time. The main advantage of this game is custom tournaments with large prize pools reaching up to 100 thousand dollars. The reason for such sums for such an old game is its fans from rich countries who can afford to spend such sums on organizing tournaments.

The gameplay itself comes down to a balance between technology, economy and army. Each nation can move between 5 eras in battle:

• Age of Exploration;
• Age of Colonization;
• The Age of Fortresses;
• Industrial Age;
• Age of Empire.

Each era opens up new research, types of troops and buildings. If you switch between eras early, without spending money on an army, then most likely you will be crushed by “homeless people”, and if you focus only on hiring troops, then most likely the enemy will crush you with a more high-tech limit.

Many players argue that to play effectively in AOE, you just need to be able to move your troops away from volleys of siege weapons and archers, which leads to low army losses and increased economic development, due to reduced resource consumption to maintain the combat limit.

Play AOE online with friends or random players via Steam, Tangle or Hamachi.

• The need for skillful balancing of all game aspects (economy, troops, research, construction);
• Balance of all races (in the latest version);
• Tournaments with large prize pools;
• Average game speed.

Age of Mythology

Out: 01.12.2002

Genre: Real-time strategy

Age of Mythology is somewhat similar to the game described above, but still has different roots and features that allow you to build a more interesting game.

The key feature of the game is the replacement of eras with the worship of gods, which bestow special powers and new mythical creatures with special characteristics and skills, such as fire or poisonous breath, freezing a key unit, etc.

Unlike AOE, where the player only has a human and siege limit, AOM also has a mythic limit, consisting of mythical creatures such as giants, dryads, rocs and others. AOM does not have such significant prize pools as AOE, but it also has its own community, among which relatively regular tournaments are held.

You can play AOM online via Steam, Tangle or Hamachi.

• It is necessary to correctly balance all game aspects (economy, troops, research, construction);
• Balance of all races and deities;
• You can play online;
• Average game speed.

Settlers 7

Out: 23.03.2010

Genre: RTS, city planning simulator

A simulator of building cities that subsequently create a vast kingdom. The main task of the game is to correctly place buildings and create transport connections between them. The player can develop his kingdom in three directions, including:

• Military production;
• Scientific approach;
• Trading perspective.

Each development path will ultimately lead the player to victory. For example, if you choose the military path, then the focus of your development will be the army, which will subsequently try to crush your enemies. The scientific path will help you defeat your opponents with technology, and the trade path will help you capture the best trade routes on the entire map, which will give you an advantage over your opponents. Each development path includes unique units.

Critics highlight good artificial intelligence, but a weak storyline.

• Good artificial intelligence;
• Expanded urban planning capability;
• Equality of development paths (economics, military development and technology).

For those who like to carefully think through global decisions and lead huge armies, the strategy genre has been created. In such games you can become a commander of a front or the leader of an entire nation. There are also strategies where you not only need to come up with battle tactics for your warriors, but also develop trade and diplomacy. Games like this are a great workout for the brain. In some of them, developers integrate encyclopedias that cover in detail events that occurred in different historical eras. The following are best strategies on PC– top 10 rating.

10. Anno

The Anno series of games opens the ranking of the best strategies on PC. The first part (Creation of new world) was released in 1998. There are 13 games in total, covering most modern eras, sometimes including alternate history. The main emphasis is on trade and providing resources to its settlers so that they improve their social status. For example, after drinking a cup of coffee, an ordinary citizen can become a merchant or a nobleman, depending on the situation. However, the gameplay here is based not only on economics. Neighboring states will sooner or later want to seize the player’s wealth. Therefore, it always makes sense to build yourself a couple of extra guns.

Caesar 3 is one of the best economic strategies on PC, in which the player will have to rebuild cities for the glory of the Emperor. After the training mission, the developers offer two options for further passage - military and peaceful. In the first case, the city will be regularly attacked by barbarians, in addition, a rebellion may suddenly begin. In the second option there will be much fewer enemies. In some missions there will be no them at all, but the requirements for the prosperity of the settlement there are much higher. If the gamer does not cope with the plan that was drawn up by the game, then the emperor removes him from the post of governor. The city is quickly attacked by Roman legionnaires. If you lose, the player will be sent to the galleys, after which the level will have to be replayed again. It is worth noting that this legion can be defeated by building a defense.

8. Total War: Attila

In 8th place in the top 10 best strategies on PC Total War: Attila. This game has both spectacular combat and a well-implemented turn-based mode on a global map. Total War: Attila takes place in 395 AD, immediately after the division of the Roman Empire into West and East. The player needs to lead one of the nations and completely capture the entire map. Difficulties begin almost immediately. Europe is under attack from the Huns, and civil wars are raging in the lands of Rome and barbarians are rampaging. In other words, the Great Migration is in full swing. The diplomacy system is well done and allows for various cunning moves. The AI ​​is quite smart and may well cause a lot of problems for a novice gamer.

7. Age of Empires 2: The African Kingdoms

Age of Empires 2: The African Kingdoms, an add-on for the remake of Age of Empires 2: HD Edition, entered the top ten best strategies on PC. Compared to the original game, the graphics have been seriously improved and multiplayer has been built in on Steam servers. New nations and four fully voiced companies have also been added. An old classic has been revived and has been very well received by fans. This remake is rightfully considered one of the best games in the entire Age of Empires series.

Command & Conquer 4 is the final part of the famous and one of the best games in the strategy genre. Despite the fact that GDI and the Brotherhood of NOD have joined forces to save the human species, the final stage of the confrontation - the fourth war for Tiberium - is just around the corner. The developers have completely changed the entire gameplay. Now, in order to receive resources, the player must capture and hold special nodes that control the growth of Tiberium. Combat units have also undergone changes and are divided into attack, defense and support classes. Fans and critics received mixed reactions to the game, mainly due to its focus on multiplayer. All other changes were accepted by the public quite loyally.

5. XCOM: Enemy Within

The XCOM series of turn-based strategies is considered one of the best games of its kind. Basically, the plot tells about the struggle of earthlings with aliens. The gamer will have to lead the XCOM organization and carry out various operations against aliens who have a strong technological as well as numerical advantage. The non-plot addition Enemy Within added new tasks, weapons and robotic mechs, for the production of which you need to build a special laboratory. The atmosphere of the game allows you to completely immerse yourself in the noble cause of protecting the Earth from aliens.

4. Civilization VI

The list of the best continues with the global turn-based strategy Civilization VI. One of the most interesting innovations was the new city system. Now settlements can occupy several cells and will provide serious bonuses to the economy, as well as science. Unfortunately, it is impossible to capture a separate quarter - the city is owned only by the one who captured the center. The goal of the game remains the same - to lead your nation to victory through diplomacy, culture or military expansion. However, the Firaxis Games studio was able to make a high-quality game, pleasing fans of the series.

3. Age of Mythology

Age of Mythology opens the top three strategy games on PC. Even ten years after its release, the game has a huge fan base. It was developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Like most standard RTS games in Age of Mythology, the player needs to rebuild cities, collect resources and build troops in order to destroy enemy armies and settlements. The plot of the game is a kind of mixture of Greek, Scandinavian and Egyptian mythologies. Interestingly, gaming AI has been used in scientific research. The scientists wanted to find out what effect merging the emotional model with standard bot scripts had. According to the results, the aggressive option won 25% faster. The only drawback of the strategy was the very monotonous tasks in the company, but this did not reduce its replay value.

Everyone has long understood that Blizzard does not make bad games. Warcraft III was at one time the most anticipated and best strategy computer game on the market, so it is difficult to find a gamer who has not at least once heard of such colorful characters as Arthas, Illidan and Thrall. Well-chosen music allows you to completely immerse yourself in the history of the fantasy world. In addition to an excellent plot, Warcraft has excellent graphics, as well as a map editor that allows you to completely change the characteristics of units, textures and create your own cut scenes. This led to the creation of many unofficial maps, the gameplay of which is strikingly different from the original game. The most famous example is DotA, which has grown into a separate large project.

1. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

Starcraft II Wings of Liberty is the most famous and best real-time strategy game on PC, which has quickly become a new eSports discipline. The Blizzard developers did not even hide that the main purpose of their game was online matches. However, there is a solo company with a cool plot. Terrans, Protoss and Zerg will once again meet on epic battlefields. The main task in any mission is the complete destruction of the enemy and his buildings. The Havok graphics engine and excellent graphics only increase the pleasure of the process. The game turned out to be long-lasting - thanks to a well-developed universe, interesting factions and online leagues that allow you to fight with other players.

Paradox Interactive continues to create complex worlds in the field of grand strategy and grand strategy games. Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings, created by these developers, amazed the audience and gained a large number of fans around the world. Using all their experience, the developers took to the stars with their next project - Stellaris, taking players with them to a more grandiose gaming theater than before.

Stellaris is a highly customizable hybrid of real-time strategy and grand strategy. From the very beginning of the game, you can customize your interstellar people, from their appearance and flag to their philosophy and behavior. Some form of customization is present in many aspects of the game. The manner in which you explore nearby planets and star systems, learn science, expand your race's domain, and interact with other races. Little by little, Stellaris accelerates from a somewhat slow start into a massive and all-encompassing race for control of the universe.

The game doesn't forget its roots. Stellaris borrows socio-political and economic systems from other Paradox games, forcing players to balance internal struggles with external influences and pressures. Stellaris can be played very well alone, but multiplayer is where the game starts to shine even brighter. Playing online, against friends and enemies, is a great pastime that stretches into many hours of gaming pleasure.

Battlefleet Gothic: Armada is one of the modern offerings in the Warhammer 40K universe, a tactical RTS with spaceships. Moving away from the ground-based battles of previous games set in the Warhammer 40K universe, Battlefleet Gothic turns its attention to the stars to fight a desperate war against galactic enemies.

Following the lore standards of the Warhammer 40K universe, the journey through the story sees the player take control of a fleet of Imperial warships, pitting you head-on against familiar foes: Chaos Undivided, Orcs and Eldar. Survival in combat depends on the timely use of tactics, relying on a slowdown mechanic known as Tactical Cogitator (Russian language, at the time of writing this text, is not supported by the game). Meanwhile, your task is to wisely spend all resources on armament and customization of your ships in order to get maximum performance in your chosen tactics.

In addition to single-player, multiplayer mode will allow you to use many ships of different factions and participate in multiplayer battles. With every victory and defeat in single-player and multiplayer games, you earn “Renown”, which you can spend on upgrades and improvements, and defeats in the campaign affect your progress through the story campaign. Battlefleet Gothic: Armada has a bit of a learning curve, but it's the most fun and comprehensive Warhammer 40K experience yet, not to mention the overall game is an outstanding tactical spaceship RTS.

The best strategy where Montezuma (Aztec Emperor) can fight Gandhi (Indian philosopher)

Civilization is a turn-based strategy game about human history: you guide a race of people from the Stone Age to modern times and beyond. This is a global strategy (capture, explore, exploit and destroy) and the best thing is that you start from scratch and grow to become a global power. Or die trying to do it.

The decisions you will face in the game are political, economic, military and even social. You can become a friendly neighbor or an invader. A center of trade and tourism, or an industry-oriented state. Freedom of choice is the best asset of the game - where will you go? What are you going to do? Which path to victory will you choose? There are now more than 20 factions in the game, and each has a specific playstyle, but you will always have freedom of action.

Civilzation is a well-established series of games. The game has a strong set of tutorials and tooltips to help you make decisions. Combat is better than ever, thanks to Civilzation V's reimagining of the grid system. Having Steam Workshop support means you'll have a never-ending stream of mods and maps.

This is the game series that coined the term "one more move and sleep" - this strategy is addictive, it is an exciting and fun game.

The best Total War strategy

Total War is a game about managing an entire empire, in between armed conflicts on the way to dominance. Now you are fiddling with taxes and building baths, and the next moment you are firing cannons and rushing headlong towards the enemy.

The game takes place in two different modes: empire management in turn-based strategy mode, and tactical battles in real-time strategy mode. The key to victory is the interaction between the two modes, for example: launching a cavalry charge against the enemy army, knowing that it is commanded by the opponent's king and killing him will cause the collapse of the empire.

Whenever two armies meet, the game switches to tactical combat mode. You play as a general, a hero - you control your units, draw up battle formations and strategy, and fight your enemy to the last man. Choosing is not always the best option - with the right terrain and the right tactics, a slight superiority in strength can withstand almost any challenge, and the most powerful army can be defeated by a good ambush.

Total War: Shogun 2 is still the best game in the series. If the period it covers (16th century feudal Japan) isn't to your taste, try Napoleon: Total War, a game centered on the campaign of a famous general. Total War is a deep, tactical and thoughtful game: completing the campaign in Total War can take you a week or so.

Buyer's Guide: Sega often discounts Total War, and you can purchase Shogun 2 and its expansions for less on Steam.

Nearly a decade and a half after its release, the original Stronghold is still the best game in Firefly's castle-building series. The combination of RTS with creative, strategic building, missions and combat sometimes distracted from the game's ace card - a simple but effective medieval building set.

The campaign isn't particularly memorable, and the combat is slow and can be confusing, but playing in the free-building mode is highly addictive, like playing with Lego or sculpting with sand in childhood sandboxes. Of course, the tide always destroys the fruits of hard work, but watching it all fall apart is part of the fun.

Buyer's Guide:Stronghold HD is available in Steam

The best strategy to kill your spouse

Crusader Kings 2 is the bloodthirsty bastard of Global Strategies. You play as a medieval lord trying to gain more power, influence and territory in a historically accurate medieval Europe. The game offers complex game mechanics instead of beautiful pictures. You manage the economy, the army and the people.

The personal element makes Crusader Kings 2 a very compelling game. You are part of a family dynasty, not an abstract nation. You can get married and have children, when you die, your heir will take the reins and everything will start again. In between all this, you can use intrigue or brute force to increase your holdings, but the key is that you develop a real personal connection with your characters, your avatar. You will mourn his death, you will applaud his every triumph.

As a Count or Duke, you can stage a coup and rebel against your Master to increase your power. As a king, it is quite easy to lose the Kingdom due to invasion or rebellion. But as long as a member of your dynasty is still alive, you will always have a chance to win it all back. Don't be put off by the apparent difficulty, the more you play, the more you will learn.

Buyer's Guide: Choose to purchase in conjunction with most expansion packs, including the latest (Old Gods).

The best strategy for electronic sports fans

Starcraft II is a sci-fi strategy game about armored cowboys fighting against xenomorphic aliens and space elves. This is a classic real-time strategy game where you gather resources, build an army and kill enemies before they kill you, requiring you to make quick decisions and click quickly.

Multiplayer is a huge part of Starcraft II. People will become your enemies; they will be able to click on the keyboard faster than you and give orders faster than you. You'll probably lose a lot of nerve cells, but you'll get better gaming entertainment, and you'll be good enough to compete with players at the eSports level.

The single-player campaign is also very interesting - Blizzard combined crazy action with RPG elements, and the story of the exploits of the mercenary Jim Raynor. You'll fight through a series of missions, many of which will have unique objectives - such as trying to gather resources on a map that periodically fills with lava, or defending against waves of zerg for a given period of time. In between missions, you explore an RPG-like hub where you can talk to people, research new technologies, and decide which mission to take on next. It's very difficult to pull off an interesting story in the real-time strategy genre, and many limit themselves to cutscenes and dialogue in missions, but SCII, by forcing you to interact with the world in a non-battlefield setting, actually makes the game's story interactive.

Buyer's Guide: Blizzard is one of the few companies that doesn't actually "make" DLC. Starcraft II has one expansion at the time of writing - Heart of the Swarm, with a second expansion (Legacy of the Void) due out at some point in the future. The expansion overall introduces a few new units and tricks for multiplayer, but mostly pushes the single-player story forward. In the original game, you played as Terrans. In Hearts of the Swarm you play as the Zerg. In Legacy of the Void you will play as the Protoss.

The Best Strategy for Playing Dress Up with Your Dolls

XCOM was a surprise hit. A turn-based strategy game that requires you to fend off an alien invasion in a dynamic single-player campaign. It's a remake of the classic X-Com, and as a remake, it's one of the best.

You send groups of up to six soldiers into battle against little gray aliens, robots, insects, etc. Tactically intense firefights on city maps, countryside, aboard alien ships, all based on light strategy. The player base is set up as an ant farm where you will research new technologies, perform autopsies, and solicit funding from a shadowy government agency.

In a word, this is fantastic.

The character customization is really cool. You can give your wars names and faces as they grow in your mind as you play the campaign, gaining backstories and fake accents. It’s up to you to let these soldiers live or die, and you feel their every step, you feel every plasma bolt that hits them, you feel their pain as if it were your own. When they drop dead, mourn, and the new guy sent as a replacement... well, he (or she) won't get a name until he proves himself.

Tactical combat is the essence of the game, and if you've never tested your commander skills against real people, then XCOM offers you to try it out in multiplayer.

This World War II real-time strategy game throws you right into the middle of combat during the Allied invasion of Northern France. Starting on D-Day, you'll make your way through several maps divided into tactical zones. You must create a base of operations, protect resources, and fight for a just cause.

It's tricky - you have to make sure all corners are covered and that your front line is secure, because if there are gaps, nothing will stop the enemy from wreaking havoc in your rear. Infantry can build defenses and/or garrison buildings, and engineers can set traps or lay down obstacles. Tanks and other vehicles will provide you with brute force, but they are quite expensive to build en masse. As a commander, you have support abilities that give you an extra advantage.

This game is the highest-rated strategy game of all time - the single-player campaign, reminiscent of the film Band of Brothers, makes the story campaign more than just an online tutorial, and the online community itself is well developed. The two factions (or four if you have expansions) are well balanced so that you will need more than just maneuvering or simple ranged combat with the enemy. In the nine years since the first release, the modding community has flourished, which means you can get even more interesting gameplay.

Buyer's Guide: Company of Heroes has two expansions - Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valour. Opposing Fronts is the only add-on truly worth purchasing. At the moment, a sequel has already been released, covering the Russian and Eastern Front.

The best strategy where elephants and sports cars can collide in battle

Age of Empires is a classic real-time strategy series that is easy to learn, charming, and can challenge the player if desired. You choose your civilization, create your city and your army, and fight other civilizations on the map. You progress through various "ages" or technical levels to improve your troops and buildings.

This game is part resource management, part tactical combat, like Warcraft or Starcraft. You always start the game with your city center and a small number of civilians, but by the end of the match you can grow into a metropolis, with walls, fire towers, and a large army. Age of Empires was published before the beginning of the era multiplayer games on the Internet, so the main component of these games is single-player campaigns and battles with artificial intelligence. Representing a series of specially created cards (with customizable objectives), featuring a famous person or group of people from history. These missions don't have to be historically accurate, but they do involve you in the story and each battle provides a unique confrontation scenario.

Age of Empires 2 covers an abstract time period starting in the Middle Ages and working its way through to the early Renaissance. What do you think: The Duke's Celtic raiders with his Persian elephants and medieval pikemen near Japanese fortresses? And those who know cheats can always play with sports cars with installed machine guns.

Buyer's Guide: In January 2013, Microsoft released a "HD" version of Age of Empires 2 , includes the main game and expansion.

The best hybrid of Wargame and RTS

A game in the wargame genre. It will save you from unnecessary worries associated with building bases and will allow you to focus exclusively on battles. You command your own custom army, consisting of tanks, infantry, artillery, and even attack helicopters and jets. Battles take place in highly detailed parts of the European countryside, which can reach up to 150Km2.

Attention to detail is what drives WarGames, and it's what makes WarGame: AirLand Battle a brilliant game. Your tanks can march along the highway or trample various crops in the fields, your infantry can crawl through the forests or hold an important crossroads... but tanks need fuel, and weapons need bullets. If you don't support your troops with supplies through a logistics system, your fireteam will literally be stuck.

For a game about high-level strategy, there's a surprising amount of atmosphere. If you move the camera close to "ground level", the camera will shake as artillery shells hit the ground. The forests will burn around you, and if things go really badly for you, retreating, the remains of fallen tanks and infantry fighting vehicles will be left behind to burn out.

Wargame offers a brilliant, dynamic single-player campaign. You'll be able to play as NATO or the Warsaw Pact, and you'll have to fight for control of Scandinavia using real-world combat units, off-map support... even randomized political events. If you prefer playing with real people, there is a great online community. Wargame also has many multiplayer maps, and there is support for battles in 10 vs 10 matches.

Buyer's Guide: At the time of writing, the Wargame series consists of three games, the latest Wargame: Red dragon, with an alternative history telling about the conflict in Asia

The Best Strategy for an Ambitious Caribbean Dictator

Tropico is essentially a city builder, but what makes it cool is its charm. You play as a dictator in a Caribbean-themed banana republic, and it's your job to guide your island from humble beginnings to greatness.

How you do this is up to you. You can exploit your island's natural resources and turn it into an industrial hub, or you can exploit the island's natural beauty and try to become a vacation spot for ignorant white tourists. Or both. In Tropico, there are many options on where to place a housing estate or factory, whether to grant pensions or conscription. You attract immigrants to the island, and they all need housing and jobs, and you will have to create your own economy and services. Throughout the game, your actions are wonderfully talked about on the talk show of the Tropico radio station, the host tries to give even the most crappy actions of yours a positive color.

As your island grows, you will have the opportunity to start doing business with - America, Russia, or even China and Europe, all will want to influence you. They will offer you money and wealth if only you allow them to build a military base on the island, or allow them to export their waste to you. If you're not careful, you'll have to deal with a rebellion or invasion. In any case, your regime will be overthrown.

Tropico is simply a fun game: it's a city builder with a healthy dose of economics, trade and politics.

The best space RTS

Sins of a Solar Empire - This global real-time strategy focuses on building a large space empire. You have planets to colonize and develop industry and trade on, but when things get tough, there are always groups of ships throwing bullets, lasers and missiles at each other in an endless struggle for dominance.

The game contains a lot of things typical of the Sins series: your scouts will rush from planet to planet in search of new worlds to conquer. Your merchant fleets will move goods from place to place, turning the wheels of the economy, and your mighty battle fleets will rush from one crisis to another, because if it's not pirates knocking on your door, then some other faction has come to lay claim to it. your property.

The game doesn't have a single-player campaign: you simply play an endless number of skirmishes against the AI ​​using a wide range of cards from the set, each with their own quirks and strategies. You can also create your own map using the editor and of course you can start the game online and play against real people.

Buyer's Guide: Sins of a Solar Empire has three expansions. The latest, Rebellion is a standalone extension that includes all previous updates and features. There is also a DLC for the game, called "Forbidden Worlds", it adds new types of planets, new equipment and several heroes.

The best strategy game with atomic weapons

DEFCON is a game about a war that cannot be won - a nuclear war. You're presented with a simple vector map of the world (in the style of WarGames and other classic films), you're given a bunch of military equipment, and the world begins to slowly count down to Armageddon. You must make the best use of everything you have to come out on top in the soon to be deserted world.

The simplicity and abstractness of Defcon is its greatest asset. You can't stop every missile, and you can't win every conflict. Regions will be destroyed, entire fleets will be lost, but... all you see are statistics on the screen. You gain points for killing more people at once, you lose points for every percentage of your original population. The player with the most points at the end will receive the "win". Congratulations.

Defcon is an interesting game, but what makes it so addictive?! This is that the game is actually a battle of wits, akin to chess. The match will always start with DEFCON 5, and will count down the danger level in the allotted time. The closer you get to DEFCON 1, the more you're allowed to do, but basically it all comes down to the successful placement of your assets - your fleet and submarines, bombers and fighters, missile silos, radars. You and your enemies (up to 6 players or AI can play in the same match) will do the same things, so you will need anticipation and the ability to guess your opponent's next move.

The game lasts no more than 45 minutes by default, although you can adjust this setting. The game is great fun for pure strategists and is fast and easy to load. We strongly recommend playing against other players.

Buyer's Guide: There are no expansions or DLC, and the game itself is very cheap.

This space-based global strategy game will throw at you: space bugs, slaver raids, asteroids, even alien probes... and then you accidentally meet another space empire. This is a dangerous Universe and Sword of the Stars reflects this wonderfully, while also providing the player with an exciting and challenging game.

This Living Universe really works its magic in the early game, where grand strategy games traditionally don't have much going on until you encounter other factions. In addition, Sword of the Stars does something that is not often seen in strategy games of this genre, it does not create all game factions as equal. Of course, it all starts with the same resources and planets, but each race behaves in a unique way - they have their own unique methods of traveling through space. It also ties the technology system to the factions: the game's technology tree is randomized for each new match, and each race has preferences for certain technologies.

Ship customization takes up a large portion of the game, and you'll spend some time simply customizing the various ship designs. Like the Total War series, this game goes into real-time strategy mode when the shooting starts. You can give orders to your fleet, set battle formations, and watch as two groups of ships obliterate each other into space dust. Nice.

The Soviet Union is invading America, and it's your job to push them back. Gone are the days when you had to build a base and manage resources, you have command points and goals. If your units are destroyed, you can use command points to call in reinforcements, and you must use your units' strengths wisely, along with an impressive array of off-map abilities.

The single-player campaign is very cinematic and really draws you into the narrative. I almost wanted to join the Red Army after seeing the results of the Soviets storming West Berlin, and there's one scene midway through the game... well, I'll leave you to find out for yourself. You primarily play as a US Army officer helping to repel an invasion, but the Soviet Assault expansion adds missions from the Russian perspective that are critical to the backstory.

The game is a great example of tactical combat, using terrain to your advantage, micro-managing your troops, and it gets even better when you go online to play. Players can fight in matches with up to 16 players, and unlike in single-player campaigns, you must choose one of four roles for yourself, which will affect the units and support abilities available to you. Some roles are likely to be weaker against certain tactics, so you need to make sure you work together with your teammates.

However, there is still no problem that cannot be solved by carpet bombing.

Buyer's Guide: At the game World in Conflict There was only one addition - Soviet Assault. The add-on adds new missions to the story campaign for the USSR.

Best Large-Scale RTS

Supreme Commander was a PC-breaking game because of its processor demands. This game is about the war of the future, robotic real-time strategy, it simplifies resource management and focuses more on creating a wonderful war machine. You start with one irreplaceable device - a command machine, from which you build factories that produce units, they are necessary in order to wage war against your enemies.

The Player's army can potentially reach 1000 units, on land, at sea and in the air. You must carefully orchestrate the ballet of production, movement and attack, grinding down your opponent, while keeping your command unit, as well as your factories and power grids, safe so that they can create more death machines. It's a brilliant and stunning game, and it's not for casual gamers.

Oddly enough, it was one of the few games that officially supported dual monitors, meaning you could have a scalable map on a second screen. This is a godsend, allows you to keep your eyes on the "big picture" of combat, and is recommended if you're going to play seriously. There are few games that let you play on the same scale as Supreme Commander, and when you go to war online, that's when the real challenge begins. Games like Starcraft require quick thinking and reaction speed, but they only allow you to control a couple of dozen units at most. Supreme Commander requires you to deal with thousands of units. Think about it.

Buyer's Guide: There is no DLC for this game, only the standalone Forged Alliance DLC pack. It's better to buy Forged Alliance, it fixes many problems of the main game, and also introduces an additional faction.

Best strategy under license

If you are a Star Wars fan, then this game is for you. Empire at War allows you to take charge of the Galactic Empire or the Rebel Alliance and fight for galactic domination. You take command of a mighty fleet and army; even sending notable heroes into battle, such as Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader. You can also build a Death Star.

By far the best element of the game is the tactical space battles. Up to four players can fight on one map (the map may have hazards such as asteroids or gas clouds), each player with their own space station, and the goal of the game is simply to knock out your opponent by destroying their bases . Large ships, unlike small ones, have targeting capabilities that can shoot down our weapons or shields, and many ships (and heroes) have special abilities that can help turn the tide.

In addition to space battles, you can participate in battles on land, lead a squadron of hovering tanks or AT-AT walkers. This game is mechanically similar to Total War in the sense that there is a separate campaign interface where you control the empire and your forces, and then load separately into the battle screen. The only difference is that everything happens in real time and there are no queues.

This is a pretty big game, which will be even better for you if you are a fan of the Star Wars universe.

Buyer's Guide: There is no DLC, and only one expansion, called Forged Alliance - adds a third faction, completely different from the two already present, and also adds new units, abilities, etc.

Long ago, when Westwood Studios were masters of creating real-time strategy games, they asked the question, "what if there was no Nazi Germany?" They turned the script into an original game. Red Alert, in which the Soviet Union becomes omnipotent and conquers all of Europe unopposed. The original game sets the bar high, presenting two amazingly diverse sides to the conflict, a dangerous arsenal of weapons, and a heavy techno/metal soundtrack and story told through live-action video between missions. The second game in the series has reached an even higher bar of quality, perhaps climbing higher than almost any other game from Westwood Studios.

Red Alert 2 followed the idea that the Allies defeated Stalin and his troops, after which they established their puppet government in the USSR. Unfortunately for the Allies, the Soviets did not take their humiliation well. They regained their strength and attacked the Americans on all fronts. The game's plot is a bit far-fetched, but it paints the backdrop for an incredible series of gameplay campaigns for the Soviets and Allies, complete with plenty of impressive technology for both sides.

If that's not enough, you can go online and invite up to 7 of your friends into battle. The game allows each player to choose a nation, with their own special units, adding an extra layer of strategy to every skirmish. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 wasn't Westwood Studios' swan song, but it may have been their magnum opus. They would have other good games after Red Alert 2, but nothing quite captured the spirit of Westwood quite like their second Soviet/Allied RTS.

Best grand strategy

The mighty flagship from Paradox Development Studio. The Europa Universalis series has always been strong, impressive, intricate and with a sandbox strategy approach. But with this confusion came many problems. Bugs, dumb interfaces, and poorly explained mechanics can turn players off before they annex their first nation.

Europa Universalis IV changed all that. The game is still a tough nut to crack and will require a lot of effort from players, but it is by far the most user-friendly game in the series. And while its countless systems still lead to confusion, it is quite possible to simply jump in and carve a niche in history.

This is a “what if?” game. What if Italy swept through the Ottoman Empire with a huge mercenary army? What if England and France became best friends and divided Europe instead of fighting each other? What if Scotland ruled the world? What to do, if.

Buyer's Guide: Europa Universalis 4 has a lot of DLC, and unfortunately they are not all collected in one package yet. You can buy them in parts on Steam, however. Packages and other support items can be ignored if you wish, but Wealth of Nations and Conquest of Paradise are still worth picking up.

Best 4X (Global) Strategy

The best game for 4X fans with goblin fanatics and halfling wizards

Is a desire to resurrect and give a new life to the classic series. This is a fantasy grand strategy game.

There are several scripted campaigns to play through, but the meat of the game is in the randomly generated maps and customizable factions. Fundamentalist goblins can fight - with the help of holy war engines - industrial elves, while armies of dire penguins march across the frozen wastes. It's all deliciously stupid.

The game makes for some damn big fights. Multiple units can be linked together to create giant armies. Reminiscent of Total War sieges in terms of scale, but with clever turn-based combat and magic.

While diplomacy and city management are the game's weaknesses, Age of Wonders shines during combat. An abundance of magic and special abilities, a varied roster of units and battlefields littered with obstacles make every battle a great puzzle game.

Buyer's Guide: You can buy Age of Wonders 3 on Steam, GOG, etc., there is a DLC that expands the building mechanics and introduces the Hobit race.

The best strategy for Warhammer 40k

Dawn Of War is mesmerizing. In many ways, it feels like a very traditional real-time strategy game, with a lot of building, strategy and resource management. But looking at its predecessors, the game is similar to Company Of Heroes. We're seeing Relic starting to experiment with morale, cover, squads, and radically different factions.

Tension underlies the entire game. The whole game is about advancing, capturing and holding territory. And all the time, resources are running out faster and generators are falling into disrepair. But the war machine constantly needs to be fed.

The expansions expand the game by introducing more factions with their own unique mechanics. There are the vile Eldar, the bloodthirsty Orcs, the numerous imperial guards - each faction offers different ways to play the same game. A total of nine factions have been added.

Dawn Of War 2 received many changes, with combat becoming smaller and focusing on tactics over strategy. It's still a great game, but by moving away from the traditions of the genre, Dawn Of War has lost some of its magic.

Buyer's Guide: The base game and all expansion packs have been collected into the Warhammer 40K: Dawn Of War Master Collection.

Best sci-fi economic strategy

Anno 2070 bids farewell to its historical setting as Ubisoft's voluptuous economic strategy series heads into a post-environmental disaster future. The game is still about making money and expanding your influence across the islands, but instead of being a medieval or colonial power, the game flounders with an eco-faction and polluting industrialists.

An unpleasant feeling of despair permeates throughout the game. The world is fighting to survive and in hopes of making a profit, the decisions made could leave the world in an even worse situation. And social and environmental issues add a new dimension of complexity.

Technology has a huge impact. Factions are not limited to their island homes, and can also build underwater, creating kelp farms or dirty oil rigs.

Below is a selection of historical strategies for PC. I'm always on the lookout for new stuff, so I add new ones here that come out or that I find. Only strategies are collected here, there is a separate one.

Civilization Series

release date: 1991-2016

The events of the game will tell about the formation of the first empires, from their origins to their complete collapse. The player takes control of one of sixteen warring factions, each of which has its own plot, campaigns, architecture, type of army, units, etc. Factions are conventionally divided into five civilizations: Egypt, Greece, Rome, Babylon and Asia. The project offers a single-player game, as well as online battles with support for up to eight players.

The gameplay of the project will be able to carry the gamer through entire millennia. Starting from the Stone Age, the player must develop his empire, research new technologies, improve troops, build cities and fight enemy factions. During the course of research, the player’s cities will move into new historical eras, which in turn will open up access to new types of weapons, equipment and technologies.

Europa Universalis Series

release date: 2000-2013

Genre: Historical real-time strategy, global strategy

The project will be able to take the player to the time period between 1444 and 1821. This time covers the period of the most significant geographical discoveries, the formation of the modern world, the active development of science, and the transition from medieval technologies to more modern production methods. The player will be able to take on the role of the ruler of one of the European countries, and try to create the most powerful empire from his state.

The game provides complete freedom of action, but at the same time, there are real historical events, such as wars, crusades, revolutions, etc. The player takes control of any of the European countries and begins to create a global empire, annexing the territories of neighbors, absorbing weaker countries entirely and creating unfavorable conditions for the existence of competitors. Every action of the player will be reflected in the game world. By cutting off one country from a deposit of valuable resources, you can watch its economy wither and its standard of living deteriorate. At the time of its release, the game received many positive reviews from game critics and journalists. The project was praised for its wide political and diplomatic opportunities, as well as a large number of DLC.

Total War series

release date: 2000-2016

Genre: Turn-based strategy, RTS, global strategy,

The events of the game take place between 270 BC and 14 AD. This time spans the rise of the Roman Empire and the multiple civil wars that occurred between various factions wishing to rule vast territories alone.

The project combines such genres as turn-based global strategy and real-time strategy. In grand strategy mode, the player will be able to do large-scale and significant things in a step-by-step mode. For example, in this mode you can declare war, begin capturing enemy territories, or perform other global actions. In real-time strategy mode, the player takes control of groups of units that must be controlled on a detailed map of the area.

Cossacks Series

release date: 2001-2016

Genre:RTS

The game is set in a time frame that spans the period between the 17th and 18th centuries. The plot of the game company depends entirely on the chosen faction. The player will be able to take part in such historical events as the Ukrainian War of Independence, the Russian suppression of the Razin uprising, as well as the Great Northern War, French participation in the Thirty Years' War, etc. The project features a single-player campaign and online battles that support up to four players.

The main essence of the game is the complete destruction of all enemy buildings. The player begins his journey with a small settlement, which needs to be improved and developed as quickly as possible. To do this, workers should be sent to cut down forests, mine ore and do field work. This will help provide the city with the basic resources necessary for the normal development and maintenance of the army. There are also several factions in the project, each of which has its own positive and negative sides. For example, the Ukrainian cavalry is very mobile and deals a lot of damage, but at the same time has a reduced health reserve and weak defense. In general, due to the large number of units, varied gameplay for each faction, as well as historically accurate events, the project has gained enormous popularity among all fans of real-time strategies.

Industry Giant II

release date: 2003

Genre

Starting in 1900, the player has approximately 100 years to create his own business, set up production and create an entire industry out of it that can influence the development of cities. The gamer will be able to choose any direction of production and try to create a truly profitable business that can bring in a lot of money.

The project is an advanced economic simulator with great attention to small details. To create a successful business, the player must calculate every little detail that can affect income. For example, frequent transport breakdowns due to poor-quality road surfaces can significantly increase the cost of transporting finished products to the place of their sale. It is worth noting that the project is time-bound, so products will be opened following developments and needs. The game will appeal to all fans of economic strategies, as well as advanced business simulators.

The Entente Gold

release date: 2003

Genre: Real-time strategy,

The game takes place during one of the most brutal wars in human history - the First World War. The player will be able to become a military leader of one of the five sides in the conflict and try to rewrite history in his own way. The gameplay will take the player to all the key battle sites, such as the battle of Verdun, the Somme, the Brusilov breakthrough, etc.

There are five participating countries in the game, each of which is distinguished by its own equipment, infantry, weapons and equipment. Each faction has its own advantages and disadvantages, which builds the balance of the game. England and Germany have heavy tanks, France has excellent aircraft, and the Russian Empire has improved cavalry and infantry. The project also includes tactical tricks, the use of terrain and relief, the use of mortars and dangerous chemical weapons.

Pax Romana

release date: 2003

Genre: Historical real-time strategy, economic simulator, Ancient Rome

The player will be able to feel like a real Roman emperor, who must make Rome the most prosperous and developed empire in the whole world. To do this, it is necessary to cover all areas that can influence improvement, namely politics, economics, technology development, as well as defense and a strong army.

At the beginning of the game, the gamer will be given a weak country with minimal income, a weak army, a low level of science, technology, etc. To get out of this situation, the player must correctly distribute the workforce, organize the extraction of resources, resume the construction of cities, and also train the army. In the process of passing, new territories, units and other opportunities will open up, and military power will be subject to constant raids by nomadic tribes.

Praetorians

release date: 2003

Genre: Real-time strategy, about Ancient Rome,

The events of the game take place during the reign of Julius Caesar, who was engaged in the defense of cordons from nomadic tribes. The player will be able to play the role of one of the legates - professional military leaders and strategists. During the game, the gamer will be able to experience such historical events as: the beginning of the civil war, the war with Gaul and other Germanic tribes, the formation of the Roman Empire, etc.

The player will be able to take control of entire legions of battle-hardened Roman soldiers. Management is carried out in groups. Each group has a common pool of stamina and health. Units can be split or combined to achieve a tactical advantage in battle. There are also special warriors who have inspiring auras. Auras can significantly increase the defense, health and efficiency of legionnaires. The project will appeal to all fans of real-time strategies, as well as history buffs, since the game features historically accurate equipment and weapons.

Blitzkrieg series

release date: 2003-2017

The plot of the game is entirely dedicated to the Second World War. The events of the project take place in the time frame from 1939 to 1945. There are three sides to the conflict to choose from: Axis Powers, USSR, Western Allies. Each faction has its own companies, scenarios, locations of military operations, as well as historical weapons, equipment and commanders-in-chief.

The project is a tactical real-time strategy in which the player takes on the role of commander-in-chief. The main task of the gamer is to complete the assigned task with minimal losses of personnel. The project has a relationship between missions. This means that in the next task, the player will have the same soldiers as in the previous one (dead soldiers are replaced by poorly trained recruits). Among the main advantages of the game, it should be noted: a large set of historical equipment, weapons and equipment, three single companies, more than 50 missions, large-scale and dynamic battles in multiplayer mode.

Crusader Kings

release date: 2004

Genre: Historical global strategy,

The game is set in a time frame that will take the player into the major battles that took place during the Middle Ages. The gamer will be able to take an active part in the Third Crusade, the Hundred Years' War, and also in the Battle of Hastings. The main essence of the game lies in complete territorial domination over other countries and factions.

The project involves the development of technologies that do not depend on the player’s actions. You can only choose the basic development orientation for the main areas. The game also features simulation of historical events. So the player can find himself in the midst of a crusade or in the difficult times of the Hundred Years War. The main gameplay innovation of the project was random events. For example, you can build to capture other countries and provinces, but the more territories the player has under his control, the more difficult it is to manage them, and this can lead to riots and uprisings. In general, the project will appeal to all fans of the genre, as well as fans of games about the Middle Ages.

Knights of Honor

release date: 2005

Genre: Real-time strategy, global strategy about the Middle Ages,

The game takes place on a huge map of the medieval world, which includes 100 different states that actually existed in those days. The player will be able to choose any country and take part in the development and formation of a new large-scale empire. The main objective of the game is to suppress all competing countries, destroy enemies and maintain power.

The game is designed as a real-time strategy with elements of a global strategy. On a large map, the player will be able to view the state and political actions of other countries. In strategy mode, the player must control troops and conduct active combat operations with the enemy. The project implements a system of court knights. Each knight is a separate subject of the king, who influences military power, construction, trade, military intelligence and religion. Knights will be upgraded as you play, allowing you to improve all aspects of the country as a whole. The project boasts wide possibilities, exciting battles and high attention to small details, such as religion, treasury, construction, etc.

Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War

release date: 2006

Genre: RTS, RPG, Ancient Rome, about Ancient Egypt

The events of the game will tell the story of the confrontation between four civilizations that wage constant wars for control of territories and valuable resources. The player will be able to become a military leader of Egypt, Greece, Persia or Rome and lead his faction to complete victory over its competitors. For Greece and Egypt, their own single companies and scenarios are available, in which the player can personally control Alexander the Great or Cleopatra.

The project has two game components - strategic and role-playing. In a role-playing game, the gamer must control the hero, perform various tasks, use special skills, gather an army, etc. The strategic component is represented by the classic construction of a base, improving technology, recruiting troops and attacking an enemy base. In addition to historically accurate types of troops, equipment and equipment, the game contains elements of mythology and fantasy.

Golden Horde

release date: 2008

Genre: Historical real-time strategy, RPG, made in Russia

The plot of the game is based on the confrontation between three factions - the Teutons, the Russians and the Golden Horde. The player can take control of any of them and take part in massive medieval battles. Each faction has its own storyline and company, which allows you to immerse yourself in historical battles on behalf of each side of the conflict.

The project combines genres such as strategy and RPG. The role-playing component is represented by heroes who have unique talents and significantly strengthen the surrounding troops. The main strategic component is represented by the classic construction of a base, the development of industry, the construction of defenses and buildings, the collection of an army and battles. Since the game is historical, it simulates the real equipment and weapons of each side of the conflict. The project will appeal to all fans of classic real-time strategies in a historical setting.

XIII century. Fame or death

release date: 2007

Genre: Historical real-time strategy, Middle Ages, about Rus'

The events of the game cover the entire 13th century and tell of a bloody confrontation between 21 factions. The player will be able to take any side of the conflict and try to lead one of the medieval states to complete victory. There are 5 companies and about 30 battles available in the game, each of which simulates real events that took place in those days.

The project is designed as a real-time strategy with all the characteristic features of the genre. The player must build a base, study technology, collect resources, upgrade weapons and equipment, and create a powerful army. After this, you can send the army into battle. Among the key points of the game, it is worth noting a wide variety of troops, reliable equipment, many unique factions, castle sieges and massive multiplayer battles.

Imperium Romanum

release date: 2008

Genre: RTS, city planning simulator, Ancient Rome

The player will be able to play the role of the ruler of Rome, who develops the city according to his own taste and discretion. Build new streets, improve technology, create legions of professional warriors, and fight enemies with cavalry, siege weapons and hastati troops.

The project allows you to take control of the construction of Rome. The player begins his journey with the simplest buildings, gradually developing the city, strengthening the infrastructure, studying more advanced technologies and collecting the best army. Things cannot happen without military skirmishes with the enemies of the empire, who are constantly encroaching on territorial integrity. In general, the project will appeal to all fans of strategies about Rome, as well as fans of city planning simulators.

Victoria 2

release date: 2010

Genre: Historical global strategy, about the First World War, economic simulator

The project is in the time frame from 1836 to 1936. The player becomes the leader of one of the 271 states that actually existed in those days. The main objective of the game is to create the largest empire in the world, suppress all competing countries and win the First World War.

The game provides complete freedom of action; the player will be able to choose one of the countries and lead it to complete victory. The difficulty of the game directly depends on the choice of country. As a small and underdeveloped power, it is difficult to capture stronger competitors, which will require masterful knowledge of politics and economics. The game also simulates real historical events, such as the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, revolutions, epidemics, etc.

Sengoku

release date: 2011

Genre: Historical grand strategy, RPG, economic simulator

The events of the game take place in Japan in the 16th century. The player plays the role of an influential feudal lord who must unite all eastern countries under the flag of one powerful empire. To do this, the player must become a strong leader of his clan, a wise ruler and the best commander.

The game is a global strategy in which all actions take place on one large map. The playing field has more than 350 different provinces. The player must manage his clan, build up military power and gradually take control of scattered clans, creating a powerful empire. The game also offers the opportunity to create a family, appoint successors and reward vassals who must obediently follow orders. Among the main features of the project, it is worth noting the wide variety of types of troops, wide political and economic opportunities, diplomacy, and historical events.

Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece

release date: 2012

Genre: Real-time strategy about Ancient Greece

The events of the game tell about the internal conflicts that occurred during the times of Ancient Greece. The player will be able to take an active part in mass uprisings, struggles for power, civil wars, etc. There are several factions available in the project, with the help of which you can seize power in Greece and completely rewrite history.

The project is a classic real-time strategy with base building, army gathering, defense and reserve construction, as well as wall-to-wall battles typical of the genre. The game contains tactical capabilities and various military tricks. You can use the relief and features of the locations. Among the main features it is worth noting: a large set of different types of units, detailed historical equipment, battles on the water.

Alea Jacta Est

release date: 2014

Genre: Global strategy, Ancient Rome

The project is located in a time frame starting from the first century BC. and ending with the third century AD. This time coincides with the period of formation and development of the Roman Empire. The player will be able to take an active part in the main battles and civil wars that took place during the first centuries of the most powerful empire in the world.

The game is made in the form of a turn-based strategy, which most closely resembles a classic board game. The game features a large-scale global map covering the territory of all Roman lands and provinces. The player will be able to create his own army and try to influence the course of history, overthrowing emperors, concluding alliances with Germanic tribes, opening new fronts and capturing more and more territories. The project will appeal to all fans of global strategies about Ancient Rome, as well as fans of games such as Total War.

Hegemony Rome: The Rise of Caesar

release date: 2014

Genre: Real-time strategy, RPG, Ancient Rome

The plot of the game will allow you to immerse the player in the events that developed during the reign of Julius Caesar. Under his leadership, the gamer must conquer the warring Germanic tribes, which became a real “bone in the throat” for the great Roman Empire.

The project focuses on tactical battles using various types of infantry and cavalry. Military tricks are available, such as striking in the rear, decoys, using terrain and weather conditions. In addition to the battle itself, the player must monitor the supply of food, ammunition and recruits. To do this, you need to create entire networks of logistics support routes. In general, the project will appeal to all fans of dynamic strategy games with a developed tactical component.

Urban Empire

release date: 2017

Genre: Real-time strategy, city building simulator, economic simulator

The player will be able to try on the role of a city ruler who has been developing his metropolis for two hundred years. During this time, the city will be affected by cataclysms, political intrigues, technological progress, world wars, etc. The main task of the player is to become a wise and strong ruler, as well as choose the desired course for the development of the entire city. This can be done in various ways, by becoming a good mayor or a despotic tyrant.

The game implements the development of eras, which does not depend on the player. The introduction of new technologies, historical events and other factors greatly influence the gameplay and can sharply drive the city’s budget into a strong minus. To cope with unusual situations, the player must think through each next step and develop the city in different directions. This can be hampered by a city council that rejects or makes risky decisions. As in real life, the opinion of the council can be swayed to your side through deception and corruption.

Historical online strategies

Imperia Online 2

Release date: 2014

Genre: Browser strategy

A colorful browser-based real-time historical strategy in which players, starting from the very bottom and developing in three main directions (economy, diplomacy and army), try to seize power in this fascinating world of kings, knights and crusades.

PLAY

The main gaming feature here is the presence of imperial dynasties. Thus, each player has his own “great people” who have unique talents and help in various aspects of the development of their own empire. Moreover, they are all mortals and during the game you can observe the change of more than one generation of the imperial family. Otherwise, everything is standard - we build and develop a city, hire armies, capture cities and prevent the looting of our own possessions. For fans of clan activities, the game features alliances and global wars.

Stronghold Kingdoms

Release date: 2014

Genre: Economic strategy

Historical strategy, which is the first game in the Stronghold series, made in the MMORTS genre. The project is made in the style of other games in this franchise, but the gameplay is “tailored” for online play. So, for example, buildings are no longer built immediately, but after a certain time, trade also does not take place instantly, and in battles the player can only influence the deployment of troops and the use of one of several inherent tactics.

PLAY

However, many processes in the game are not much different from those in the series. As before, players earn popularity and honor, many economic aspects also remained unchanged (food for peasants, production of weapons, etc.). In general, this project will appeal to both fans of the original games in the series and all those who love online historical strategies.

Forge of Empires

Release date: 2012

Genre: Historical urban planning strategy

A historical browser-based online strategy in which players develop their own city, starting from the Stone Age and ending in the distant future. The territory for construction is initially very limited, but during the game it can be expanded, filling new territories with various buildings, structures and decorative elements.

PLAY

Traditionally for such games, we start with a small village, developing which we gradually capture new territories and create our own empire. The game has several eras, each with its own buildings and features. The transition from era to era unlocks not only new buildings, but also new technologies in the research tree. There are also battles and diplomacy (for example, new territories can be conquered or exchanged for resources).

Military strategy games are games in which planning comes first. Even the most formidable enemy can be defeated with the help of competent tactics. Such products do not always have good graphics or a powerful physics engine, but in most cases they make the gamer think. The article will describe several of the best military strategies.

Company of Heroes

Company of Heroes is a military strategy game whose gameplay is very similar to Warhammer 40K. The player will not have to command individual units; the minimum unit here is a squad of fighters. Each group has its own life points, and if their value drops to zero, the entire squad will die. Equipping the army with weapons also rests on the shoulders of the gamer. Only he can determine what weapons the fighters will have in their hands. After the death or disbandment of a platoon, the weapons do not disappear; they can be picked up again and given to another squad.

Each side of the conflict has its own unique areas of development. Infantry, troops and tanks, if the gamer plays for the Americans. Defense, offensive and propaganda among the Germans. Advancement in them will open up new combat units and tactics.

After winning a battle, squads of fighters gain experience, and with its growth, the maximum level of their health and armor increases. In addition, characteristics such as viewing range and attack power can be improved.

Total War: Shogun 2

When describing the best military strategies, we cannot ignore Total War. This game allows you to manage not just an army, but an entire empire. The game is played in two modes - state control takes place step by step, and military clashes require a reaction, because they proceed the same way as in any other RTS.

In the second case, in addition to the standard movement of units, it is necessary to use competent tactical techniques. Superiority in numbers will not always lead to victory. The correct deployment of troops on the ground can turn the entire battle plan drawn up by the enemy, and an ambush will plunge even the most powerful army into panic.

World in Conflict: Soviet Assault

No review of the best military strategies is complete without a description of World in Conflict. The action takes place in an alternate reality. The Soviet Union has invaded America, the player's task is to defend himself and force the USSR army to retreat. The single-player mode is presented by a single company. The developers have raised the level of cinematic scenes in it to a level that was previously unattainable for strategies. The Soviet Assault addon allows you to look at what is happening from the USSR's side.

It’s very unusual to play World in Conflct at first. Military strategies are never without micromanagement. The gamer must obtain resources or accumulate influence points to build a base, hire fighters, or unlock a new improvement. World in Conflict has none of this. At the beginning of the battle, each side of the conflict is given a certain number of command points and a list of objectives. The former can be used to call for reinforcements.

It is impossible to win in online mode without using competent tactics and terrain. 16 players are allowed to take part on one map. As the number of allies and opponents increases, the role of each individual player decreases, and team interaction becomes the main trump card. When entering online mode, each gamer makes a choice that determines which fighters and auxiliary abilities will be available to him. Each type of military force is vulnerable if it works alone.

"Blitzkrieg 2"

"Blitzkrieg 2" presents Russian military strategies. This game is a real test only for true commanders. A couple of tanks will not be able to penetrate the enemy’s strong defenses, and wounded soldiers will leave the ranks for a long time.

In every battle you need to use your troops wisely. Infantry in the field is unlikely to be able to deal with even one enemy tank. However, if the soldiers occupy the heights or dig in, they will become a formidable force that will be able to hold back the enemy’s advance. Tanks on the plain are powerful weapons, and they are not afraid of any enemy, but at the same time, in the city they will quickly turn into scrap metal without proper support. It is impossible to overwhelm the enemy with numbers. The command is limiting the number of reinforcements.

"Behind Enemy Lines"

This is another product representing Russian games. Military strategies in this series have an advanced physical model. And first of all, with the help of it, an unusual gameplay was created. Hiding behind the window of a wooden house, a fighter can stop almost any number of enemy infantry, but a tank or armored car is capable of demolishing this “impregnable” fortification. If the enemy does not have heavy equipment, cunning soldiers can set the house on fire with Molotov cocktails.

“Behind Enemy Lines” leaves no place where you can feel completely safe. When even the strongest cover crumbles from a volley of enemy tanks, and armored vehicles stop in the middle of the field with a jammed gun or a stalled engine, the situation in battle changes radically, forcing the player to think over a new plan of action. And this happens every minute.

Your valiant fighters have just attacked, and a second later the crew leaves the combat vehicle, fleeing the fire and not posing any threat to the German machine gunner. The opposite situation is also possible - the entire battle had to be defended, but one grenade turned everything upside down and brought victory.

The military strategy "Behind Enemy Lines" uses the old tactical system of "rock-paper-scissors". Armored cars are omnipotent in battle against infantry, tanks only need to fire once to blow up an armored car, and infantry can immobilize a tank by throwing a grenade. Of course, there is a lot more detail than it seems. For example, rifles hit at a greater distance, but also take a long time to reload; a high-explosive shell can easily destroy a house, but an armor-piercing shell is better for destroying equipment. A fragmentation grenade is good against infantry, but such a weapon will not cause damage to armored vehicles.

WarGame: AirLand Battle

This game represents those military strategies on the computer that completely eliminate the unnecessary worries associated with the construction of buildings. WarGame's focus is solely on combat. You will have to command your own army, which may include tanks, infantry, artillery, airplanes and helicopters. The battles take place in the countryside. And the size of some maps is 150 square kilometers.

The developers paid great attention to detail. Tanks can drive along a highway or a field and demolish buildings; infantry - move unnoticed in forests or hold important heights. However, armored vehicles require fuel, and shooting rifles is impossible without ammunition. If supplies are not supplied to individual groups, the army will be unable to attack or defend.

No other military strategy on PC creates an atmosphere similar to the one that creates the intensity in WarGame. If you lower the camera all the way to the ground, you will see that the image will shake from the explosions of artillery shells. Forests will burn, and tanks will drown in clouds of smoke.

DEFCON

A very unusual representative of the genre. This game is about that war that cannot be won - about nuclear confrontation. The world is represented by a simple vector map. Before the start of the game, all participants are given a certain amount of military equipment, and the world begins to count down the time until its end. To achieve a leading position, you should make optimal use of everything that is available.

The best military strategy games on PC have never been as simple and abstract as DEFCON. There are practically no graphics here. It is impossible to stop all missiles fired towards the territory of your country. Entire regions will be wiped off the face of the Earth, armies will be lost, but everything that happens is reflected only by statistical numbers. No epic scenes or Hollywood special effects.

DEFCON is a game similar to chess. Throughout the match, internal algorithms calculate the level of danger. The higher it is, the more actions you can perform in one turn. Basically everything revolves around the successful placement of the fleet, submarines, bombers, missile silos, and radars. To win, you need to calculate, anticipate and guess what exactly the enemy will do at a given moment in time.

For each turn in which a war participant killed any number of people in the enemy state, points are awarded. If a nuclear missile explodes in player-controlled territory, these points are deducted. The one with the highest number at the end of the match wins. One game lasts about 45 minutes.

Total Annihilation

This is a cult game. Almost all modern military strategies on PC use developments previously implemented in Total Annihilation. The most important difference of this game is remote weapons, which allow you to fight not only at close and medium distances, but also at long and ultra-long distances. Mobile artillery or rocket troops can easily deal with even the strongest enemy defenses. An artillery unit and a radar system will allow you to win the battle without losing even one of your units. Although power shields and radar detectors can be used to protect against such weapons.

The Commander is another feature that makes Total Annoholation fun to play. Military strategies primarily force the gamer to capture points or destroy the enemy to win. Of course, in the product under review, these goals have not gone away, but the focus is on capturing the enemy commander and protecting your own. The commander can repair buildings and equipment and collect scrap metal faster than other builders, but he can erect a limited number of structures. At the same time, only he can capture someone else’s unit or building, which is very useful. Well, classically the main character has very great firepower. Can stop or delay the enemy's advance almost single-handedly.

The military strategy under consideration does not set any limits on the collection of resources. There are an infinite number of them here. Only the rate of their accumulation is limited. Energy is generated by power plants. Scrap metal can be mined from mines, recycled from energy, or collected from the battlefield.

As you know, in many modern games, killed opponents disappear somewhere. Here, the wreckage of equipment remains on the map until the very end of the game. This state of affairs allows for unexpected strategic moves. So, if you install weak lasers in the first rows of defense, which do not explode armored vehicles, but leave large debris, the enemy’s attack will choke, and he will need to retreat.

Warzone 2100

When describing the best military strategies on PC, one cannot fail to mention Warzone 2100. The action takes place in a post-apocalyptic world of the second half of the 21st century. The player is one of those who survived the nuclear disaster. Together with a group of other people, the main character will have to restore the world.

At the very beginning of the campaign, three groups are created - “Alpha”, “Beta”, “Gamma”. Each of them operates in a specific area and must collect artifacts that can help restore lost scientific knowledge. As the game progresses, more and more advanced technologies will be provided to the gamer.

The main distinguishing feature of Warzone 2100 is the ability to create combat units independently, based on open technologies. This military strategy invites the player not only to command troops, but also to become a designer of tanks, artillery pieces, airplanes, and robots. If you do the math, it turns out that based on all available modules, you can create more than 2,000 unique prototypes of military equipment.