Strategies with development and resources. The best military strategy on PC. Review of the best strategies

The genre that will be discussed today can hardly be called super popular with gamers, but every year new turn-based strategies and RTS are released in which you can fight with other nations, tribes or aliens. At the same time, among the thousands of similar games, there are those that every self-respecting gamer should play. We offer Top 20 best strategies in history.

Cities: Skylines

Until last year, SimCity 4 was considered the best city-building simulator without an alternative. In 2013, EA tried to restart the franchise, but it was a real fiasco: fans were unhappy with the many bugs and the unsatisfactory scale of the new game. After the release of Cities: Skylines in 2015, gamers forgot about the existence of SimCity: the new project impressed with its scale, customization options, and a high level of city detail. What's more, the developers have released an official modding toolkit, allowing gamers to modify the game however they like. Users immediately began to release mods, thanks to which new modes, types of buildings, interchanges, cars and much more appeared in the game.

In September, the first update for Cities: Skylines was released, adding a dynamic change in the time of day, as well as making economic model more complex and realistic.

Endless Legend

A global strategy that organically combines elements of fantasy and science fiction, gives gamers the opportunity to play as both a race of carnivorous insects called Necrophages and strange Cultists who expand their holdings by “absorbing” other factions. In total, 8 races are available in the game with unique features and mechanics.

The plot of the project at some points resembles the “Game of Thrones” - gamers will have to fight for survival in the dark era of the decline of the planet Auriga - a harsh winter comes unexpectedly and brings death to all races. The game has all the elements of a classic strategy - a huge game world, a developed technological tree, scarce resources, a system of diplomacy and trade. The developers have provided a lot of main and secondary quests.

Crusader Kings II

Another global strategy in a medieval setting. Gamers are reincarnated as a monarch, striving with all his might to expand his influence in medieval Europe(covers the period 769 - 1453). To achieve this goal, he weaves complex intrigues, treacherously attacks nearby allies, does not hesitate to kill friends and relatives if they get in his way. The game is designed for thoughtful gamers who like to spend hours figuring out complex menus, as well as studying terrain features on maps before bloody battles.

At the center of the project are not abstract nations and states, but dynasties. In the game you can meet many real-life historical characters, each of which has its own strengths and weaknesses. Over time, players become attached to members of the dynasty who grow up, marry, have children, die.

Civilization V

There is hardly a gamer in the world who has not heard about this game. Civilization is the most famous, popular and successful global strategy game in the history of gaming. The developers have added a lot of mechanisms, heroes, resources, units, technologies to the game that make it exciting and dynamic. At the same time, the authors did not bother with realism: for example, the Mongols and Aztecs can become the most highly developed nations, and the bloodthirsty Gandhi can be the first to click on " nuclear button"and start a war of all against all. However, this anti-historical and absurd scenarios make the game a real hit.

In the game, you will have to make difficult decisions on the development of the economy, military and social spheres, and choose a political regime. All this has a decisive influence on the reputation and development trajectory of the nation. The graphics of Civilization V are vastly improved over the previous series, and the combat system has been redesigned to make combat fun. In addition, strategy fans are constantly posting new mods and maps on Steam, so you can enjoy the game endlessly.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War

In many aspects, Dawn of War is a traditional RTS - gamers have to build a base, extract resources, repel enemy attacks. At the same time, you can already see the elements that will soon appear in Company of Heroes in the game: new mechanics, factions, unit morale and much more.

What draws most to Dawn of War is the tension that pervades all missions: constantly moving forward, capturing and holding territory. At the same time, generators and the strategic resource of captured points are rapidly depleted. Therefore, players often do not have time to catch their breath - they need to be on the move all the time.

The Dark Crusade update brings new factions and unique mechanics: gamers can play as Eldar, Orcs, and the Imperial Guard.

total war: Shogun 2

The sequel to the popular RTS can without a doubt be called the most successful game in the Total War series. The Creative Assembly took into account the mistakes made in the previous project - Empire, which was an ambitious project with a lot of bugs, and decided to polish the gameplay of Shogun 2 to perfection. She succeeded with brilliance: the Shogun map is diverse and will force gamers to solve many tactical puzzles. At the same time, it is relatively small, which will undoubtedly appeal to fans of battles.

Visually speaking, Shogun II is the most compelling game in the series so far. Of course, Rome and Attila boast much more realistic graphics, but Shogun II has something much more important - a unique style. The fate of large-scale battles is decided in individual duels, and cherry blossom petals fly over the battlefield.

Modders have released many new maps, modes and updates for Shogun 2.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown/Within

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a turn-based strategy game that pits gamers against an alien invasion. Players send squads of six elite fighters to battle alien squads. Battles take place in fields, cities and aboard spaceships.

The XCOM Central Base is like an ant farm that has scientific department(responsible for the development of technology), a medical block (in which characters are restored after battles), as well as an intelligence department (where gamers follow the movements of aliens). Players decide for themselves whether to invest the available funds in the development of new types of weapons, the deployment of interceptors or the conduct of military operations.

Thanks to the Enemy Within update, which was released a year after the release of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the game has a new faction - EXALTA terrorists, as well as new mechanics.

StarCraft II

Sci-fi RTS StarCraft 2 is a game about the confrontation between iron-clad cowboys, hideous aliens and space elves. This is a classic real time strategy game where you have to collect resources, build armies and try to kill your opponent before he kills you. Often the fate of a battle is decided by a single strategic move or a series of quick mouse clicks.

The multiplayer mode is the most important aspect of StarCraft 2. Playing against humans is much more difficult than against AI: they control units faster and make more thoughtful decisions. StarCraft 2 hosts many tournaments, and an esports community quickly formed around RTS.

The single-player mode is no less interesting: Blizzard has developed many interesting missions. In 2015, the last installment of the StarCraft 2 trilogy, Legacy of the Void, was released.

Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault

In Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault, US military forces fight against German forces for control of the Ardennes - mountain range of major strategic importance. Unlike the original game and the sequel, in Ardennes Assault gamers will have to go through three non-linear campaigns that unfold on a strategic map. German troops are in constant motion, so the battles can be replayed several times, and each time they will be different.

You can only play for the Americans: in each of the three companies, you can upgrade the skills of the characters. Unlike previous projects, in Ardennes Assault the results of battles have an impact on the entire campaign: if in one of the battles the players lost several fighters at once, they will start the next battle with fewer personnel.

Age of Empires II

This classic RTS launched the careers of many gamers: Age of Empires II is easy to learn, fun and fast-paced. Users start the campaign with only a few workers, but after an hour of play they will have a huge city built. In the game you need to get food, wood, gold and stone, build buildings, create your own army.

The project covers the era from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Gamers can go through many campaigns, create own cards, choose from 13 factions... in general, Age of Empires II will not get bored even after a few dozen hours of play.

In 2013, Hidden Path Entertainment released an HD version of the game on Steam. The remake introduced a multiplayer mode and mod support.

Wargame: Airland Battle

The Wargame: AirLand Battle project combines elements of the RTS and military game genres: gamers will have to think over the route of movement of units, as well as participate in fierce battles. The game is a sequel to Wargame: European Escalation, dedicated to the confrontation between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries during the Cold War.

The authors have carefully worked on the detailing of the battlefields and special effects. On the strategic map, gamers control the course of hostilities, issuing orders for the movement of units and capturing new territories. However, the highlight of Wargame: AirLand Battle is definitely the ability to control one of the hundreds of military vehicles to choose from. The developers have tried to reflect in the game the unique characteristics of the machines, their strengths and weaknesses. As part of the multiplayer mode, you can take part in 10 vs 10 battles.

Tropico 4

Tropico 4 is an atmospheric city builder. Gamers transform into the dictator of a fictional island nation who must lead his people to greatness.

Gamers themselves choose the path to prosperity: you can mercilessly exploit natural resources and turn the island into an industrialized state, or attract tourists, taking care of the flora and fauna. Or a combination of both strategies. Each of the decisions of the players entails certain consequences: for example, if you agree to accept migrants, you will need to provide them with housing and work, and for this you need to improve the economy and the service industry.

With the growth of the economic power of the state, it will become necessary to negotiate with the leading world powers - the United States, Russia, China and the EU, each of which will try to influence the processes unfolding on the island. They will offer money in exchange for building a military base or disposing of waste.

All in all, it's an extremely entertaining game: the elements of a city builder are perfectly combined with the economic and political aspects.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

In Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, like any other similar game, you need to colonize planets, build an economy, build relationships with other races. However, the main focus is on large-scale space battles. They look incredibly impressive: battles take place in 3D, the plating of ships is torn from missiles and lasers, and the traces of shots cut through black space space.

There will always be a lot of movement in the game: scouts will flank from planet to planet in search of new resources and worlds, merchant ships will transport goods, and war cruisers will repel attacks from opponents or Pirates.

The game itself is quite difficult, even when playing against AI. In total, three races are fighting for world domination - the Industrial Trade Coalition (earthly colonists), the Walkers (cyborgs) and the Vasari (technocratic race). The title provides advanced system diplomacy. Players can form alliances with both opponents and neutral factions, or bribe Pirates to attack enemies.

DEFCON is a game in which gamers have to do the impossible: try to win a global nuclear war. The goal of the project is to inflict maximum damage on the enemy, getting off with minimal losses. At the beginning, players choose one of six territories (North America, South America, Russia, Europe, Africa and Asia), then deploy military units and a fleet. Gamers are given 18 minutes to think and explore. At the first level of danger (DEFCON 3), units begin to automatically attack enemy equipment (aircraft and navy can be used), at the second (DEFCON 2) you can launch bombers with nuclear missiles (however, the missiles themselves cannot be used yet), at the third (DEFCON 3) The nuclear apocalypse begins.

The game quite realistically describes a possible scenario of a nuclear war - it is impossible to save all the units in it. The winner is usually the player who manages to destroy the opponents' missile silos before the missiles are launched.

Supreme Commander

Supreme Commander is the spiritual successor to Total Annihilation in a futuristic setting. The minimum system requirements of the project, released in 2007, were so high that not every gamer could play this colorful RTS. The Gas Powered Games studio simplified the resource management system as much as possible (there are only two of them - Matter and Energy) and focused on battles - the main goal of the project is to create the perfect killing machine (experimental units).

The game amazed the imagination with its scale: an army could consist of 1000 units in the air, at sea and on land. As in most such projects, players must ensure the uninterrupted production of new combat vehicles in order to dominate the enemy. To do this, you need to capture and hold sources of resources.

Supreme Commander was one of the first RTS to support a second monitor. This gave a decisive advantage in combat: on the first display, gamers controlled the movements of the enemy on a zoomable map, on the second, they controlled their own units.

Star Wars: Empire at War

This game will appeal to all fans.” star wars”: Empire at War is a strategy game based on the original trilogy. Gamers can play both on the side of the Empire and the rebels, manage huge armies, send heroes of the saga into battle (like Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader), and build the Death Star.

The best part of the game is, of course, the large-scale tactical battles in the Galactic Conquest mode, which take place in space. Up to five people can play on one map: each of the participants will have their own space station and fleet, with which they must destroy enemy bases. Ships and heroes have specific features that, if used effectively, can have a decisive impact on the outcome of the battle. Experienced players can easily spot weak spots capital ships and give the order to attack them. Watch the X-wing squadrons try to destroy Star Destroyer will please any fan of the space saga.

In addition to space battles, the developers will allow gamers to take part in land operations. This means that players will be able to control air bikes and AT-AT walkers.

Europa Universalis IV

This global and incredibly complex game from Paradox Development Studio was recognized as the best strategy game of 2013. Europa Universalis IV is a real breakthrough, because the developers took into account previous errors and fixed most of the bugs that wandered from series to series. Moreover, they tried to explain in detail all the places that raised questions among gamers (due to the colossal scale of the game, some mechanics remained incomprehensible), improve the interface and optimize the AI. Of course, to understand Europa Universalis IV, you still have to spend dozens of hours learning. But this game is the most understandable and simple of the EU series.

Nations seek to expand their influence through trade, diplomacy, economics, exploration of new lands, and the development of new technologies. You can try to colonize America, or conquer India, you can start playing as one of the local tribes in North America. In this project, gamers can change the history of mankind - for example, the Venetian Empire can capture the Apennine Peninsula, annex or conquer all the tribes and go to war with the Ottoman Empire. France can conclude an alliance with England and divide Europe into spheres of influence.

Distant Worlds: Universe

Perhaps this is the most ambitious global turn-based strategy in the history of gaming. The developers have created an entire galaxy - 1400 star systems with more than 50 thousand planets, moons and asteroids, as well as a variety of astronomical objects (black holes, gas giants, supernovae).

Gamers will have to create their own civilization in order to establish world domination. The authors of Distant Worlds: Universe offer gamers a wide range of customization options: you can start the game on one planet with several light ships, or you can become the leader of a technologically advanced civilization that has already created a hyperdrive.

The highlight of the game is the ability to automate various processes in the empire: for example, you can not interfere in the economy, focusing solely on diplomacy and battles. In any case, it will not be easy to beat opponents: AI acts surprisingly effectively.

Age of Wonders III

The project is a reboot of the classic franchise, the last series of which was released in 2003. Set in a fantasy world, this 3D turn-based strategy game is set in a time of bitter rivalry between the Imperial Commonwealth and the Elven Alliance.

In the game, you can play as one of 7 races: humans, elves, gnomes, goblins, orcs, draconians, halflings. Heroes can belong to one of 6 classes (warlord, theocrat, rogue, archdruid, sorcerer or technocrat), and also have a specialization (master of the elements of water, fire, air, earth, adept of creation, destruction, research or construction).

The system of diplomacy and city management are not strong features of the project. However, the authors managed to make the battles truly exciting: units can be combined with each other and turned into giant armies, in order to then lay siege to the enemy's fortress. The scale of the battles is reminiscent of Total War, but the feature of Age of Wonders III is the ability to use magic.

Order of Battle: Pacific

Everyone knows the importance of the battles that unfolded in the Pacific during World War II. The authors of Order of Battle: Pacific offer to take part in bloody battles on the side of the Japanese Empire or allies.

Reminiscent of the good old Panzer General in its style, gamers will have to carefully consider every move in this turn-based strategy game. In total, three campaigns are available in which you can change the course of history and, for example, win the war on the side of Japan. Players can control over 500 units like the legendary M3 Stuart and Type 97 Chi-Ha tanks, the A6M Zero and F4U Corsair fighters, or the Montana and Yamato battleships.

During the battles, you can unlock the heroic commanders (Commanders), which can give a decisive advantage in the fight.

Warhammer 40,000 series

Release date: 1992-2011

Genre: Real time strategy

The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best selling games. Fans are constantly waiting for the release of a new game. The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player chooses the race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldar with each game new races appear) for which he wants to play, after which he selects the place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns this earth.

The battle takes place in real time on the terrain where the battle takes place. Players capture special points that give influence and build generators that give energy, structures, troops are built on these resources, and improvements are made. Each race has its own troops, super units and heroes and abilities. The goal of the game in the campaign is to capture all the lands and become the patron of all lands.

Civilization Series

Release date: 1991-2013

Genre: Global turn-based strategy

In Civilization, a complete model of the development of mankind has been created from the most ancient times to the present The player must create and develop his mighty empire, among other competitors, the condition for victory can be a military victory over everyone, victory on points, The game ends in 2050 either culture or build a spaceship and fly to Alpha Centauri. The strength and development of civilization consists of the development and creation of new cities, the creation of production in the cities of troops, scientific and military research. Also in the game you can create wonders of the world.

For the prosperity of civilization, the player must be able to focus and balance between scientific progress, building military power, replenishment of the treasury, development of infrastructure and culture, diplomatic contacts and trade with other civilizations. The player can take part in the historical events that took place, manage leaders such as Stalin, Napoleon, Ramses II, Catherine II and so on. Which of the series is the best is hard to say. Someone says that the part is the best, someone that the fourth. Graphics enthusiasts say that the fifth is the best of this series.

Warcraft III

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

Popularly, the so-called "Varik" was one of the most anticipated games: more than 4.5 million pre-orders and over one million copies of the game sold in less than a month, making it the fastest-selling PC game ever. The game received a large number of positive reviews, with multiple publications honoring the game with the titles of "Best Game of the Year" and "Best Strategy of the Year". The game also received high ratings from the players.

There are 4 races in the game: Alliance (Humans), Undead, Horde (Orcs) and Night Elves. Each race has its own unique heroes who gain experience and a new level in battles. With each level, new abilities of the hero open up. Also, heroes can buy or pick up items from killed mobs that improve the combat characteristics of the heroes and the troops surrounding them. On different maps, players capture gold mines and extract forests, use these resources to build a base and units and improve their performance.

Heroes of Might and Magic III

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Heroes of Might and Magic III is a turn-based fantasy game, the third part of the series has become a cult and gained a lot of fans around the world. Despite the already outdated graphics, it is still played by thousands of players around the world. The fourth and fifth parts of the game have already come out with better graphics and improved gameplay, so if you are not a fan of old games and love graphics, then it is best to play the last parts.

The player travels across the global map as heroes who control mythical creatures, exploring new lands, capturing cities and fighting enemies. On the map, the player moves only one hero and can only go a certain distance or do one or more actions, after which he skips the move and the computer-controlled enemies make their move. When attacking enemies, you move into combat mode, the army of enemies and your army of creatures stand opposite each other, moving combat units in turn, you need to destroy the enemies. With the development of cities, you can open up new opportunities and spells. Hire troops.

StarCraft II

Genre: real time strategy

StarCraft II is the second part of the cult first part released back in 1998. The second part of the game became the most anticipated game of the year due to the great popularity of the first part and fully justified its hopes among the players. Many gaming Russian and foreign portals gave the game ratings of over 9 points out of 10. In the rating of players it received 9.3 points.

The plot of the game and all the actions take place in the distant future, or rather the XXVI century in a distant part of the Milky Way galaxy. The three races of Terran, the Zerg, and the Protos oppose each other. Players extract two types of resources, minerals and Vespene gas, which they then use to build buildings and hire combat units. The main task is to destroy the enemy base. Each type of unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, so to destroy certain types of enemy troops, you need to hire troops that destroy them well.

Total series War is the best Rome: Total War

Genre: turn-based grand strategy, real-time strategy

Total War Russian Total War is a series of games that already has seven games and various add-ons. Different games cover different time historical periods and states. The most popular and cult is Rome: Total War, released in 2004, in which the action takes place in Ancient Rome during the period of the Republic from 270 BC. e. up to 14 a.d. e. For example, Shogun: Total War takes place in Shogun: Total War Japan in the 16th century, where ruling dynasties oppose each other. Empire: Total War - during the European colonial wars and so on.

The gameplay of the game is very similar to Civilization. The player controls troops, cities and settlements on a global point. After completing all actions, the player skips a turn, after which the AI-controlled competitors make their move. If you or your enemy attack each other, you move to tactical map, where you control all your troops in real mode, attacking them and placing them in convenient positions on the map.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3

Release date: 1996 and 2000

Genre: Real time strategy

Red Alert - a game released in the last century and captured the minds and souls of gamers around the world, thousands of people still play it, more than 30 million copies sold. The game takes place in an alternate history where the allied forces defend Europe from an aggressive Soviet Union. The player can choose one of two belligerents: the Alliance or the USSR. Accordingly, the goal of playing for the Allies is to stop Stalin until he captured the whole world, for the USSR - to achieve the complete capture of Europe. Depending on the side chosen, the player's victory results in one of two alternate endings.

Battles in the game take place both on land, on water and in the air. Each side can have its own base and can train ground troops, air force and navy. Each side also has unique features. The game mechanics is that now even a simple infantryman can destroy a tank. A tank can easily destroy a machine-gun pillbox, a small group of grenade launchers can just as easily cope with a tank if it is not covered by anti-personnel equipment or its own infantry, which forced the use of various types of troops in battle.

Europa Universalis game series

Release date: 2000-2013

Genre: turn-based global strategy,

Continues a series of global strategies Europa Universalis. Like the previous games in the series, the third part invites you to lead one of the states of the world . The essence of the game: to develop national ideas that give the game power certain advantages; as new state technologies are discovered, it becomes possible to choose one of the national ideas. The action of the game takes place in real time, but the reaction speed of the player is not required, since at any time the game can be paused. The game takes place on a schematically depicted world map, divided into more than 1500 sea and land provinces.

The player can take control of any country that existed during this historical period (about 200 states in total). Under his control are the country's economy, the formation of armies and fleets and their management, diplomacy, the introduction of new technologies, domestic politics states, changing the state religion and colonizing new lands.

A feature of the game is the binding to real history(I note that in the third part of the series it is no longer tied to history and the gameplay is more free); there are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of which has certain abilities that affect the game, generals that actually existed (such as Suvorov or Napoleon I Bonaparte), pioneers, explorers and navigators (such as Columbus, Yermak and Fernand Magellan ), as well as historical events, which usually take place in the same country and at the same time as in real history (for example, in 1517 an event occurs that makes it possible to convert to Protestantism)

Company of Heroes 1.2

Release date: 2006

Genre: Real time strategy

The gameplay of Company of Heroes is very similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player commands entire squads of fighters, but there are separate unique units. Each squad has a life scale (not a separate fighter) and if the life ends when the squad is damaged, then the entire squad dies. The player can equip infantry units with various weapons, choosing which weapon is more promising in battle. After the death of the squad, weapons remain that can be picked up and equipped with them by another squad. This applies even to stationary weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.

Each side in the game is divided into three unique directions - infantry, airborne and armored for the Americans and defensive, offensive and propaganda for the Germans, advancing in which gives access to new combat units and attacks (for example, a raid of attack aircraft). Another important difference is that squads and units in the game have three levels of experience. After destroying an enemy, a new level is obtained that increases damage, speed, health, armor or view range of a unit, depending on its type.

There are three types of resources in the Game: weapons, fuel and personnel. Personnel are used to build buildings, hire new combat units, both infantry and armored vehicles, fuel, in turn, to build buildings and armored vehicles, and weapons are used to provide units with additional weapons, such as a grenade launcher, for artillery and air strikes, or for so that your technology gets new opportunities. Replenishment of resources is carried out using control points.

Age of Empires III

Genre: Real time strategy

Age of Empires III is a strategy game that has earned worldwide acclaim for its innovative and addictive gameplay. Age of Empires has received great ratings on gaming portals and magazines. A feature of this game is a well-designed artificial intelligence (the enemy is controlled by a computer). The player controls one of the powers (Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, France), which set off to conquer the new world (America).

The main action takes place in the colonies, on the map familiar to such games, but now each power has its own city in the Old World. It serves the sole purpose of helping its colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which produce various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: research, colonization, fortresses, industrial and empire era. Military academies train, bandage, send soldiers to the colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodelieros, and for the Russians - archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.

Battles take place in real time. The maximum number of a detachment and a group of soldiers marked with a "frame" is 50 units. Shooting infantry has four formations: a regular rank, which is convenient for shooting in a volley, a sparse formation, which reduces losses from artillery fire, hand-to-hand combat, and squares. The melee infantry has three formations, two of the same, the actual melee and square, and a circular formation to cover the shooters. The cavalry learned three formations - all the same melee and square combat, as well as the offensive mode at a reduced speed, but with damage inflicted over the area.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG

The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense released back in 1993. Aliens attack the planet Earth and start an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (Anti-Alien Combat Unit), which has the most advanced technology, weapons and scientific developments of mankind. They work in it the best specialists world - the military and scientists. The organization must lead fighting against aliens threatening the existence of human civilization.

The player is provided with the central base of XCOM, from which the strategic management of the organization is carried out: monitoring the actions of aliens on the global map of the world using a satellite network, distributing funding for the development of scientific and technical potential, arming and deploying interceptors to destroy flying saucers, as well as conducting combat operations against aliens by the forces of existing fighters in ground skirmishes. The base is presented to the player in the form of an "ant farm" - a cut of the ground, allowing you to look at the premises "from the side".

In a Tactical battle, fighters perform up to two actions in turn - running, shooting, throwing a grenade, using a first-aid kit. Each fighter has only three characteristics: accuracy, willpower and health points.
After the first promotion in rank, a soldier receives a specialization. It can be an attack aircraft, a sniper, a heavy infantryman or a support soldier.

home world

Genre: real time strategy

Well-developed graphics and three-dimensional game space - the implementation of six degrees of freedom (you can consider the battlefield, the combat fleet from different angles) of the movement of game objects and the presence of thoughtful fleet control in three dimensions. A rich and complex plot that gradually unfolds directly during the game. In the next game mission, the player receives the fleet with which he completed the previous one.

At the beginning of the game, the player can choose a fleet of two races Kushan or Taidan: this does not affect the further plot in any way, only combat units change. A key feature of both the Kushan and the Taidan fleets is the presence of a main mothership that acts as the main base of operations. mother ship has its own weapons, and a hyperdrive that allows you to overcome a significant space.

The entire space fleet is divided into a combat fleet and a support fleet. The support fleet includes special ships such as a resource collector and controller, a research ship, a probe, a stealth ship detector ship, a gravity well generator. The combat fleet is divided into classes: Small ships - fighters, corvettes, Heavy ships - frigates, Superheavy ships, Flagships.

Stronghold game series

Release date: 2001-2014

Genre: real time strategy

The game system of all games in the series is based on the economic simulator of a medieval city or castle. The games have a number of unique settings that are unique to games in the Stronghold series. So, in the first Stronghold, the “popularity” parameter was introduced for the first time, affecting the working capacity and population. The combat system is standard for strategies - direct control of groups of units. The economic component is one of the main ones in the games of the series. There are quite complex and long production chains. As a rule, in the games of the series, more attention is paid to the economic rather than the military component of medieval castles.

All games in the series, except Stronghold Kingdoms, have campaigns (a series of story-related missions) and a map editor mode. Stronghold has a single campaign, other games have multiple campaigns.

In all games, except Stronghold and Stronghold Kingdoms, it is possible to play against computer opponents on the selected map. Stronghold and Stronghold 2 have a siege mode (besieging or defending a castle without running an economy). In the first games of the series (up to and including Stronghold 2) there is a free building mode (keeping the economy without war).

Spore

Genre: Real time strategy, god simulator

Spore game is a simulator of the evolution of life on the planet, as well as a strategy and space simulator. The goal of the game is to develop a creature from a microorganism to an advanced space race. During the passage of the game, it is possible to make changes to the creature, improving its characteristics. Also, as it develops, the player will independently create various equipment and buildings, or choose ready-made options from the catalog.

At the beginning of the game, a microorganism living in the aquatic environment falls under the control of the player. At this stage of the game - To survive, the microorganism needs to eat pieces of meat or algae, and also try not to be eaten by other carnivorous creatures. By eating food, the cell grows and turns into a microorganism. After that, the creature is selected to the ground, where it also develops. Over time, under your leadership will be a tribe, civilization and space that you will have to manage.

Ground Control 1.2

Release date: 2000, 2004

Genre: Tactical Real Time Strategy

This game was at the forefront of its genre and won numerous awards. Ground Control features 3D graphics and a freely rotating camera, allowing the player to view the fight from any angle. The game completely lacks the collection of resources, the development of the base and research. The goal of the player is to manage a limited number of combat units and perform various tasks with their help.

the main objective games - the destruction of troops and buildings of the opponent using the features of the terrain and the strengths of your own army. Combat units include various types of armored vehicles, aircraft and soldiers delivered to the battlefield by orbital shuttles. After the start of the next mission, the player cannot call for reinforcements, which requires careful selection of combat units and their configuration before the battle.

The most important element of the game is the requirement for a tactical approach in any situation. Each unit has its own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Combat units are grouped into squads. The player can only issue orders to units, although the units themselves will fight and take damage separately. There are four categories of units: infantry, armored vehicles, support, and aviation. The player can choose the configuration of each individual unit prior to battle. For example, a Craven Corp tank unit can exist in four configurations: reconnaissance, light, main, and heavy. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, so different configurations are suitable for different tasks.

Tiberium Command & Conquer Series

Release date: 1995-2010

Genre: Real time strategy

A series of successful computer games that has the highest sales among strategy series. The action of the game takes place in an alternative temporal reality, conditionally modern to ours, in which a war is going on around the world between two global groups - the international troops of the UN, united in the Global Defense Initiative, and the military-religious Brotherhood of Nod, led by its charismatic leader Kane, fighting for the possession of an alien substance tiberium, slowly spreading throughout the planet.

The gameplay of the game is based on the principle - to collect resources to build a base to destroy the enemy. The only source of money (credits) in the game is tiberium. Another important resource in the game is electricity, produced only by power plants. Various structures and units produced by the player, together form a technological tree, in which access to technologically more advanced, and, accordingly, more expensive structures and units. The base can be protected by various structures, which include defensive fortifications.

There is a huge variety of genres and types of computer games, but PC strategies occupy a leading position, because only thanks to them you can control the universes, build or destroy civilizations. So if you want to feel like a god, then feel free to run one of these fun. Needless to say, a lot of games of this genre have been created, but we have selected for you a rating of the best.

Civilization V

In this strategy game for PC, you will immerse yourself in the history of our world and guide humanity through all branches - from the Stone Age to modern reality and beyond. The player will have to make many different decisions: social, political, economic, military.

Freedom of choice is what characterizes this strategy. You can be a conqueror or build a state focused on tourism or industry. Even a beginner who discovers the world of strategies will be able to understand the game. After all, Civilization V has an excellent hint system and a huge base of tutorials. The rethought battle grid immerses you in the game with your head, nice graphics are also pleasing.

Total War: Shogun 2

The list of "Best PC strategies" continues with a game that will take us to feudal Japan of the 16th century. You have to manage an entire empire - from the economy to protecting the state from invaders. The game has two modes, and you need to demonstrate all your strategic abilities in order to successfully maneuver between them.

Manage the empire in the mode, not forgetting that you are waiting for tactical battles in real time. Battles in Total War: Shogun 2 are a separate story. The player will have to think over the tactics of the battle, and even an enemy with a numerical superiority can be defeated thanks to a skillfully conducted battle or ambush.

Starcraft 2

If you like real-time sci-fi strategy games on PC, StarCraft 2 is the place to go. It's all about the classics: gather resources, build troops and defend the galaxy from evil space elves and xenomorphic aliens.

The game will require quick decisions and actions. The multiplayer is especially pleasing, because the opportunity to fight with another player tickles your nerves much more. Although the single player campaign has its advantages. Lots of quests and additional tasks they will not let you get bored, and their variability and originality will delight any player.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Space strategies installed on a computer can really surprise. In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the player will have to repel an invasion in a turn-based strategy mode. You need to assemble a team of six fighters and boldly direct them against robots, aliens and other opponents.

The game has a large number of terrain maps where the heroes will have to engage in tough skirmishes, and after the battle they will have a base where they need to study technologies, increase their abilities and solve funding problems. The strategy will drag on in earnest. If you don't want to follow the path of a single-player company, and there is a great desire to engage in battle with a real enemy, then the multiplayer mode will give you such an opportunity.

Tropico 5

Continues the rating "Best PC strategies" excellent city builder, where you have to feel like a dictator of the Caribbean. A small republic can become a great country, but only under skilful leadership. The player will have to decide for himself which path his small kingdom will take, because this is the charm of a totalitarian regime.

But do not go too far, because your people can revolt and overthrow the regime. And if you are not careful enough in foreign policy, then the country is waiting for a military invasion. Tropico 5 is a great and funny city builder that will give you a lot of fun.

Age of Wonders 3

The classic fantasy strategy games on PC will never go out of style. Despite the fact that diplomacy and city management are rather poorly thought out in this game, Age of Wonders 3 made it to the list of the best for a reason.

A huge number of different units, and battlefields dotted with obstacles, immerse you in battles with your head. With the right tactics and skillful strategy, you can build a really huge army, sweeping away everything in its path. So if elves, gnomes, giants are close in spirit to you, and you are not averse to practicing magic, then feel free to purchase this game.

World in Conflict: Soviet Assault

In this strategy, installed on the computer, you have to defend yourself from the "evil Soviet soldiers" who decided to conquer the whole world. The topic is quite hackneyed and has already lost its relevance, but the way it is presented in World in Conflict: Soviet Assault deserves special attention.

In this strategy, you no longer need to build bases or manage resources, victory or defeat depends on the command points that are given for completing missions. Impressive graphics and a really interesting single-player campaign will absorb and keep you in suspense throughout the game.

Strategy online

"Rules of War" opens up a similar genre. In this one you have to become a fearless commander who survived nuclear war and trying to build relationships with not-so-friendly neighbors.

The game has gained a huge following among social media users around the world, and for good reason. Excellent graphics and voice acting, addictive gameplay, the ability to communicate with other players and create alliances - this is far from full list merits, thanks to which the project "Rules of War" got into the rating of "Best Strategy Games". You can play for free immediately in the browser, which makes the game even more attractive.

"Sword and Magic"

The idea of ​​bringing the legendary series online has been around for a long time. And this moment has come when you can play your favorite "Heroes" for free by opening a window in your browser. Little attention is paid to economic development and the construction of castles, but this is compensated by a huge number of quests, thanks to which you will travel around the world to your heart's content. Searching for artifacts, leveling up your character and clashes with enemies will not let you get bored.

The Might and Magic game is well thought out and it can take almost 100 hours to complete the storyline - this is quite an impressive time for an online strategy game. But, as in any browser project, the hero will have to interact with real players. Some of them will become friends, and someone will turn out to be a sworn enemy. It's safe to say that Ubisoft has managed to fulfill the dream of many fans of the series.

Anno Online

Strategy games in Russian most often involve the order of urban development and bloody battles. But if you do not want to participate in battles, and are eager to surrender to the creative process, then you simply need to play Anno Online. Here you also have to interact with other players, but only through trade and cooperation.

The main task will be the development of your city. You also need to think about increasing the population and problems with its arrangement. You will establish trade and industrial relations, build houses and industrial buildings, and much more. thought out, and you will not find a city similar to yours, because each player develops in his own way.

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Top best strategies that you can play online or online with friends and random opponents, a description of how to play

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

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 fights at all - some developers release exclusively economic strategies based on some business (or in other areas).

In any case, strategies can keep you at the screen for a long time. In this article, we have presented the TOP of the best PC strategies of all time, in which you will find decent games. They can be played with friends, teaming up against the 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 also express your opinion in the comments on the article, and those who do not have time to download strategies on a PC can see a list of the best rated browser-based online strategies that you can start playing right now.

Warcraft III - online

Released: 03.06.2002

Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements

The essence of the game lies in the uniform construction of the base, pumping heroes and hiring an army. For each game stage and situation, different actions are prioritized, of which there are an inexorable multitude, which in itself led to the incredible success of the game among gamers. It is worth noting that for different races there are different priorities, which creates a kind of abstract balance.

Of course, the game was successful 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 whole 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 a good balance of races and atypical, for those years, gameplay, which marked the beginning of a new era of strategies.

• Balanced system of pumping heroes;
• Balanced system of economy;
• Interesting solo company;
• Balan races;
• Can be played online;
• Graphics are outdated.

Warcraft can be played online on servers: tangle, garena, iCCup.

Heroes of Might and Magic III - online

Released: 28.02.1999

Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements

Although the series of "heroes" is quite old, it has not acquired a noble plot. First of all, in the games of the series, the gameplay and the gaming component are valued, and the plot is completely unimportant.

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

In total, there are 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;
• Pairing - command the elements of the elements.

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

Among the players, only the 3rd and 5th parts of the game are in demand, the rest either do not reach the gameplay, or have too good graphics, from which the eyes flow. It's about about the excessive detailing of the 6th and 7th parts of the game, which played a disservice. The fourth part was not to the taste of the players because of the creepy models and textures.

It is the third part of the heroes that is considered the genius of the series, so major tournaments are still held on it and there is a significant gaming community. The problem of the network game in heroes 3 is the duration of the matches, because individual games lasted up to a month of real time.

If you'd like to try your hand at online play, we recommend visiting the heroesworld portal for all the useful information.

• Expanded economy system;
• Developed leveling of heroes;
• Balance of game needs (in pumping, building, hiring creatures, etc.)
• Can be played online
• Balanced combat;
• The presence of an unofficial team that constantly refines the game.

Civilization Series

Released: 1991-2016

Genre: global turn-based strategy

Initially, the game captured the minds of the 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, make alliances and betray allies, create an army balance that matches your economic development and competently develop technologies.

A simple example: if you only invest in the army, then 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 ordinary barbarians can destroy your civilization, and you will not have time to develop.

It is 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, a network game with random participants is available on Steam, allowing you to test your strength and skills.

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

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

XCOM Series

Released: 1993-2016

Genre: step-by-step strategy

The famous strategy to protect the earth from the invasion of alien invaders. You are a special detachment of professionals, the only bulwark of humanity in the struggle for survival. Learn the technology of the aliens, take them into service and destroy the enemies!

The gameplay of the game is tied to the tactical and economic component. Tactical includes battles with opponents, flights to the place of landing or fall of alien ships, the 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 consider XCOM to be one of the best strategy games on PC.

• An interesting leveling system for fighters;
• Various game cards;
• Many battle strategies;
• An interesting system of research, base pumping;
• Extraordinary endings.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Released: 1996-2008

Genre: real time strategy

The so-called "cranberry" strategy. For reference, cranberries are 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. Action takes place in parallel to the universe, where there was no second world war, so all nations, including the USSR, were able to develop and become incredibly strong.

Later, a time machine was invented, allowing you to change the course of history. So, 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 only the beginning.

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

• Fascinating plot;
• balance of nations;
• Unique combat units;

Space Rangers

Released: 23.12.2002

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

A game about war in intergalactic space between intelligent races. Almost all races can be played by the player, except for Kleesans and Dominators - hostile semi-sentient races that receive orders from the main ships that control their behavior. The whole plot of the game tells about the war of the peaceful races of the commonwealth against the above invaders.

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

RPG elements are manifested in pumping your captain's skills, playing the role of a good ranger or an evil smuggler pirate. Elements of a text quest appear in some tasks that NPCs give to the player, or, for example, during visits to prison institutions, where the player balances between getting out as soon as possible and not dying at the hands of inmates. In the latest versions of the game, there are also robot battles on planets driven 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 of playing role;
• Good mix of many genres;
• Fascinating text tasks;
• Nice graphics.

Stronghold: Crusader

Released: 2002-2014

Genre: real time strategy

Classic strategy in which you act as a ruler small town. 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 King of England Richard the Lionheart.

The gameplay, as mentioned earlier, lies in the equal development of the army and the economy. Due to the unusual gameplay, the game received recognition. Among the features of the game stand out, such as:

• Your servants need to build personal houses, causing the maximum number of army;
• It is necessary to develop the food industry, because your entire military machine may die simply because of hunger. It also creates the possibility of a long siege of castles, forcing the enemy to rot from hunger;
• Almost all fighters cannot be hired just like that - for them it is necessary to create weapons, 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 strongest. Still, this is one of the downsides, which can quickly discourage the desire to play. The main potential of the game is revealed on multiplayer maps that can be played online using hamachi or tangle. It is also worth noting that the unequivocal minus is the binding of the player to the starting point - it is impossible to build buildings near the enemy's castle.

• Unique production and economic system;
• Advanced building options;
• Not a bad company;
• You can play online with friends.

King's bounty

Released: 2008-2014

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

The unusual combination of the genre makes the game interesting enough for beginners, and the beautiful graphics without excessive detail are pleasing to the eye. It is worth noting that in the latter parts of the game there is an option to turn on the 3D game mode, which must be played with the appropriate glasses.

The player can choose between three classes: warrior, paladin and mage. Each of them fights 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 inhabited by fairly canonical magical creatures such as vampires, demons, elves. The player acts as a treasure hunter, on whose shoulders lies the fate of saving the world. To begin with, he has to become a great hero, recruit an army of mystical creatures in order to fight evil henchmen.

The gameplay looks something like this: you walk around the world map in real time, and when you stumble upon enemy units, a turn-based battle mode starts, where the hero can use a book of magic, spirits. Looks like a classic turn-based battle. When 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

Released: 26.06.2010

Genre: real time strategy

No less exciting game from the creators of Warcraft - Blizzard. The plot of the game tells about the battle of three space races: zerg, protoss and terrans. Unlike Warcraft, the game came out more dynamic and there are no heroes in it, which completely changes the priorities in battles.

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

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

StarCraft can rightly be called the best PC strategy game of all time.

The game can be played online through the Blizzard Game Downloader.

• Race balance;
• Balanced economy;
• Fast paced game;
• Can be played online;
• Regular tournaments from official developers.

Warhammer 40.000 series

Released: 1999 - 2009

Genre: real time strategy

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

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

The most famous for the wide inhabitants of the game series: Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, tells about the war for the control of one selected 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 just the choice of the 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 the two resources - influence, strengthen them and attack enemy bases. It is worth noting that the main task of the game is to destroy all enemy buildings.

Almost all Wahe strategies can be played through Hamachi.

• Deep history;
• Race balance;
• Each race has its own, unique features;
• An interesting system for improving units;
• Interesting company.

Company of Heroes

Released: 2006-2009

Genre: real time strategy

The game's plot follows films such as Saving Private Ryan, A Bridge Too Far, and the television series Band of Brothers. Actions take place during the Great Patriotic War.

The gameplay is a classic RTS with wargame elements. Many note that the game resembles 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. Also, the troops have a scale of combat morale, which affects the effectiveness of the soldiers. For example, if a platoon comes under machine gun fire, then its morale drops sharply, which reduces the speed of firing and running. In addition, upon the death of a member of the squad who held any weapon, it does not disappear, but remains lying on the ground, where it can be picked up. The next feature of the game is the squad ranking system, which with each increased level of fighters allows you to improve their characteristics, which creates a kind of convention that the squads are not just meat.

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

• Interesting game missions;
• Unusual gameplay;
• It creates a feeling of real battles;

Series Cossacks

Released: 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 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 cannons, then sooner or later, with a weak economy, you will lose to a player who is more focused on the 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 ability of ranged units to attack is tied to the availability of resources such as coal and iron. If there is no coal or iron, the fighters cannot shoot. Also, food plays an important role, which is a constantly consumed resource. Therefore, if your population is growing, then the food infrastructure should grow accordingly.

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

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

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

Anno 1404

Released: 2009-2010

Genre: economic strategy

The plot is tied to a parallel reality, which, however, repeats real historical prototypes, such as the crusades, dawn early forms 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, conduct diplomatic relations. The combat component of the game is divided into sea and land battles, however, the ability to wage war is not immediately open, but subsequently acts as one of the elements that help defeat opponents.

All states are divided into two types: European and Eastern. A European country cannot fully develop without spices and quartz, which are produced only in the east, which by itself 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;
• Interesting urban development process;
• Advanced diplomacy system.

Total War series

Released: 2000-2015

Genre: global strategy

Some semblance of a historical strategy. Actions take place on the global map of the world 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 not for the plot and the historical component, this game is distinguished as the best strategy on the PC, but for the gameplay. It is built on the turn-based movement of armies, the development and capture of cities in various countries. The battles take place in real time, where the player acts as a commander, places his troops on the map and directs the battle itself. There is also a politics mode where the player makes alliances, declares wars, exchanges resources, and so on.

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

Disciples

Released: 1999-2010

Genre: turn-based strategy with RPG elements

The action of the game takes place in the cruel fantasy world of Nevendaar, where dark forces are craving to wake up every now and then. Companies for all nations are available to the player for passing. It turns out that the player himself weaves the whole story. In total, five nations are available in the game, including:

• Undead hordes - minions ancient goddess the death of Mortis;
• Empire - a race of people under the auspices of the supreme angels;
• The Legions of the Damned are Bethrezen's demonic minions;
• Elven Alliance - a united army of elves led by Queen Ellumiel;
• The mountain clans are a harsh undermountain people ruled by a high king.

The gameplay is classic strategy. The player's task is to intelligently scout the territory, pump the army. Oh yes, unlike other strategies, here you can only hire lower-level minions, who later need to be upgraded, gaining experience in battle. In general, the combat system in Disciples is unique, which has led to the success of the game. Initially, the player starts with one capital and one 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 fought for the sources of magic - one of the resources and separate outposts that allow you to hire troops away from the capital.

• Unique system for pumping creatures;
• The races are not alike;
• Race balance;
• An interesting system of applying magic;

Age of Empires series

Released: 1997-2007

Genre: real time strategy

A fairly old game that can also claim to be the best strategy game on PC 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 amounts for such an old game is its fans from wealthy countries who can afford to spend such amounts on organizing tournaments.

The very same gameplay of the game comes down to a balance between technology, economy and the army. Each nation in battle can move between 5 eras:

• Age of Research;
• The era of colonization;
• The era 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 the 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 in order to play AOE effectively, you just need to be able to move troops away from volleys of siege weapons and archers, which leads to low loss army and increased development of the economy, by reducing the consumption of resources to maintain the combat limit.

Play AOE online with friends or random players via Steam, Tanggle 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 a large prize fund;
• Average game speed.

Age of Mythology

Released: 01.12.2002

Genre: Real time strategy

The age of mythology is somewhat similar to the game described above, but still has other roots and features that allow you to build a more interesting game.

A key feature of the game is the replacement of eras with the worship of gods, granting special powers and new mythical creatures with special characteristics and skills, such as fiery or poisonous breath, freezing a key unit, and so on.

Unlike AOE, where the player has only a human and siege limit, AOM also has a mythical 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 through Steam, Tanggle or Hamachi.

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

Settlers 7

Released: 23.03.2010

Genre: RTS, city builder

Simulator of building cities, which subsequently create a vast kingdom. The main task of the game is to correctly place buildings, create transport links between them. The player can develop his kingdom in three areas, including:

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

Each development path will eventually 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 the enemies. The scientific path will help you defeat opponents with technology, while 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 of the development paths includes unique units.

Critics point out good artificial intelligence, but a weak storyline.

• Good artificial intelligence;
• Expanded city building capability;
• Equality of development paths (economy, military development and technology).

For those who like to think carefully global solutions and lead huge armies created a genre of strategies. In such games, you can become a front commander or the leader of an entire nation. There are also strategies where you need to not only come up with battle tactics for your warriors, but also develop trade and diplomacy. These games are a great workout for the brain. In some of them, developers embed encyclopedias that cover in detail the events that took place 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 of the modern eras, sometimes including alternate history. The main focus is on trade and providing their settlers with resources so that they can 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 built not only on the economy. Neighboring states will sooner or later have a desire 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 strategy games 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, barbarians will regularly attack the city, in addition, a rebellion may suddenly begin. In the second option, there will be much fewer enemies. In some missions, they will not be there 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. In case of loss, the player will be sent to the galleys, after which the level will have to be replayed. It is worth noting that this legion can be defeated by building defenses.

8. Total War: Attila

Ranked #8 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 the global map. The action of 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 by the Huns, and the lands of Rome are raging civil wars and the barbarians run amok. In other words, the Great Migration of Nations is in full swing. The diplomacy system is well done and allows you to make various tricky moves. AI is smart enough 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 is one of the top 10 strategy games on PC, an add-on for the remake of Age of Empires 2: HD Edition. Compared to the original game, the graphics have been seriously improved and multiplayer has been built into the Steam servers. New nations and four fully voiced companies have also been added. The old classic was revived and was very warmly received by the fans. This remake is rightfully considered one of the best games throughout the Age of Empires series.

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

5XCOM: Enemy Within

The XCOM turn-based strategy series 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 Enemy Within non-plot add-on added new missions, weapons, and robotic mechas, for the production of which you need to build a special laboratory. The atmosphere of the game allows you to fully immerse yourself in the noble cause of protecting the Earth from aliens.

4 Civilization VI

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

3. Age of Mythology

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

Everyone has long understood that Blizzard does not bad games. Warcraft III was at one time the most anticipated and best strategy computer game on the market, so it's hard to find a gamer who hasn't heard of such colorful characters as Arthas, Illidan and Thrall at least once. Well-chosen music allows you to fully immerse yourself in the history of the fantasy world. In addition to a great story, 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 has led to the creation of many unofficial maps, the gameplay of which is very 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 best-known and best real-time strategy game on PC and has quickly become the new esports discipline. The developers of Blizzard did not even hide the fact that the main purpose of their game is online matches. However, a single player company with a cool storyline is present. Terrans, Protoss and Zerg once again face off 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 came out long-lasting - thanks to a well-developed universe, interesting factions and online leagues that allow you to fight with other players.