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[Muz]

I'm not really happy with most 'strategy' games. Most strategy games are all about knowing the right combination on stuff, like what to build first, what to build later, design flaws, ideal resource management, that sort of stuff. Point is, some complete fool who has a strategy guide, and follows things by the book could easily beat a genius who tries to figure things out himself.

RTSes are even worse.. it's mostly about multitasking.

So, I'm looking for something where the focus is on the strategy. React to your opponent's plans, pull off a risky gambit, that sort of thing. Something where you actually think, plot, and are thrilled when your plan works. And something where plans can be unexpected, because they're not obvious.

Closest I've found is perhaps Capitalism II, but maybe that's just because nobody powergames it. Worms is also fine, because you have to deal with a random environment, a (limited?) choice of weapons, etc.

[Virtz]

Well, what about Men of War? It's a bit multi-tasking heavy due to your soldiers' inability to find weapons and ammo themselves, but it's pretty strategic and realistic otherwise.

And pretty much most turn-based war games don't rely on building, but how you use units. See Panzer General series, for example.

[ChairmanPoo]

Free ones:

The Steel Panthers games. They are free, too. You can download SPWW2 here: http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Workshop/WW2/WW2_page.html . Look around for SPMBT, which is simmilar but set after WW2. Note that they are TOUGHT AS NAILS


Anacreon is the grand-father of all 4x, and is quite strategy-intensive. Quite hard, as well

Shadow Armada is a free game somewhat simmilar to worms, only you control spaceships. I dont have a link ATM, but its around for download.


As for non-free ones:

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri?

Dominions 3, too, perhaps

Patrician 2-3 is rather cool. (Dont bother with the simmilar but broken Port Royale).

Imperialism 2 is pretty good in this regard too.

[a1s]

Look around for SPMBT, which is simmilar but set after WW2. Note that they are TOUGHT AS NAILS

http://www.shrapnelgames.com/Camo_Workshop/MBT/MBT_page.html
Ignore the big BUY IT sign, and look to the left for the smaller Take it (after all it's free...  ) sign. Don't forget to download all the updates (a total of 6 at 110 MB) that need to be installed in the correct order, they make this already decent game a bit better.
It's worth noting that the game is tactical rather then strategic. You will not gather gold with harvesters, nor receive reinforcements for earning prestige, or broker trade deals with third parties.

[ChairmanPoo]

but in the campaign mode your units will gain strategy and you will have to invest your points carefully to buy the stuff you need.

[DJ]

Point is, some complete fool who has a strategy guide, and follows things by the book could easily beat a genius who tries to figure things out himself.

It doesn't work like that at all in RTS games. Yeah, the genius will lose the first game as he figures out which unit does what, but the second game is his.

[Pnx]

How about Close Combat? That's a game that I haven't seen given any love in a while.

[Errol]

Battle for Wesnoth involves a fair bit of strategy. (It's free, to boot.) The Total War series probably too.

[Davion]

Combat Mission series as well.

[Duke 2.0]

Point is, some complete fool who has a strategy guide, and follows things by the book could easily beat a genius who tries to figure things out himself.

It doesn't work like that at all in RTS games. Yeah, the genius will lose the first game as he figures out which unit does what, but the second game is his.

'Till four zerglings rush his base before he has a barracks up and crush his production line, and another player happens upon him a minute later with 12 zealots.

 Company of Heroes seems rather nice about this, although I have not played enough multiplayer maps to judge correctly. Lots of micromanagement, though.

[ChairmanPoo]

Battle for Wesnoth involves a fair bit of strategy. (It's free, to boot.) The Total War series probably too.

The TW series... yes, but not as hard as you might think

- For what I've heard, many people are disenchanted with the combat management of Rome&onward as compared to the original shogun&MTW. I cant say because I've only played the latter.

- Shogun and MTW (particularily the latter): yes... there IS strategy involved. But the game is not exactly flawless balance-wise. Nonetheless there was a mod by Caravel (Caravel's Pocket Mod) that tried to address these issues to provide a better game experience. Weapons and armor were also being revamped for realism. I dont know it's current status (because, since MTW doesnt run properly in my netbook for some reason, I have not looked into it closely for a while), but back when i was around, they were trying to rebalance the different attack and defense ratings of units, and the building requirements.

[de5me7]

personally i view combat missions as the pinicle of the strategy game,

CMB2 barbarosa to berlin is probably the pick of the pack.

If anyone has it and wants a play by email game contact me.

i dont really go for rts's much, i quite like homeworlds, but thats more for the visuals than the strategy element.

[beorn080]

The Mechwarrior games are fairly decent on strategy, depending on the level. They are FPS's kinda, but definitely tactical at the very least. MW4 Merc is being released free soon.

[Servant Corps]

For all the failings of modern-day RTSes, they at least got some sort of simulation of supply lines, which you can disrupt so that you harm the enemy forces. Just destroy the harvester, starve the enemy of resources, and they'll surrender.

True strategy, of course, lies in board games and turn-based war games. Neither of which are free. And I haven't found any free one that models supply lines either.

(I think I have a paid one that does simulate supply lines, it's a Civil War game, if supply lines are disrupted, the enemy surrenders.)

[beorn080]

MegaMek is free, but doesn't have supply lines. Based on Battletech.

Yes, I am going crazy waiting for MW4 to be released, and have Mech's on the brain.