Summary
Fights in grand strategy games are often a very abstract affair. Those games might default to auto-battlers or auto-resolve. Otherwise, they might include battle modes that don’t give the player much influence on how to approach the fight. That is the case of the minimal combat resolution systems ofCrusader Kings 3andEuropa Universalis 4.
For most players, that is no issue at all. Detailed combat is just not what grand strategy games are about. But some, be they newcomers or old fans looking for something new, wish there was more to this worldthan the space mosh pits ofStellaris.
Total War: Warhammer 3is the latest installment in one of the most popular grand strategy and 4X communities. Like otherTotal Wartitles, real-time strategy combat is at the center of the experience.Warhammerbeing a wargame at heart, battles are even more involved here than in the rest of the series.
Fights are complex, characterized by a much more involved version of the classic rock-paper-scissor system. Meanwhile,the game’s 13 factionsare mostly very different and quite a bit customizable, leaving players with high levels of replayability.
The first two chapters of theTotal War: Warhammerseries, especiallyTotal War: Warhammer 1, come short when compared to the most recent entry. They havefewer playable factionsand, according to the community, worse tutorials. They still have great combat though, some of the best in the genre.
When combined, those two games might just rival their younger sibling. This is because players who own both games can access the Mortal Empires campaign fromTotal War: Warhammer 2. Most fans believe this is the best single-player map for a Grand Strategy-style campaign.
Total War: Rome 2is ideal for those who want a more grounded experience in their Grand Strategy without sacrificing good and varied combat. As with every other title in theTotal Warseries,combat happens in real-time, with players directly controlling their troops. If we include paid DLCs,Total War: Rome 2has one of the highest faction counts in the series, a staggering 117 unique factions.
Factions are further divided into cultures, which provide even more variation. The game didn’t do too well originally, as its launch was riddled with bugs and broken features, but it has since become a fan favorite.
The Best Animations in the Series
Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai
A Total War Saga: FALL OF THE SAMURAI features a dramatic clash of traditional Samurai culture with the explosive power of modern weaponry.Now including all DLC faction packs, build up your armies with the Saga, Obama, Tsu and Sendai factions.About Total War Saga: FALL OF THE SAMURAISet 400 years after the events of Total War: SHOGUN 2, guide ancient Japan into the modern age, as the arrival of America, Britain and France incites a ferocious civil war which will decide the future of a nation.Based on the backdrop of the Boshin War period, the new campaign starts in 1864, a time of growing resentment against Western colonial power and influence. As Japan begins to modernise and industrialise, the inevitable social and economic changes lead to increasingly militant nationalism and antipathy towards the Shogunate.Play as a clan supporting the Imperial throne (Choshu, Satsuma, Tosa), or the last Shogunate (Aizu, Nagaoka, Jozai) in a sandbox campaign map reflecting the time period of 19th century Japan.The American, British and French nations play an important part in the story of the Boshin war, and your relations with these foreign powers will be integral to unit recruitment and to advancing your technology trees.About the Saga Faction PackThe ModernisersCenturies of trade with outsiders has given the people of Saga an understanding of foreign and modern ways, allowing them to adopt new military technology quickly.The Saga domain is ruled by Nabeshima Mochizuru, the latest in a line of daimyo who were given this territory after the Tokugawa won the vicious civil war of the Sengoku Jidai. The Saga did well by being sensible enough to join the Tokugawa cause while there was still some doubt over the result. They did not wait until the Battle of Sekigahara to decide where their true loyalties lay.The domain includes the port of Nagasaki, a valuable resource for any daimyo. It is here that Japan has its only official trade with the West, and it is here that interesting ideas arrive in the country. Perhaps this knowledge of the harshness of the outside world is what has convinced the Saga to throw their weight behind the Imperial Court rather than the Shogun.The Saga clan can rely on a few advantages in the coming struggle: they have Western connections and trade that is far ahead of any other domain. In turn, this learning allows them to be artillery experts, and have good shipbuilding and industrial facilities. The modern world has much to offer to those who would embrace it. Interestingly, the historical Nabeshima Mochizuru eventually resigned his position and left Japan to study in England.
Sometimes appearances matter, too. While faction and unit variety aren’t quite on par with the rest of the series,Fall of the Samuraihas some of the most striking animations in the genre. And while the real-time strategy sections of the game are often spent in a bird’s eye view, it’s great to be able to focus on small moments every once in a while.
Fall of the Samuraialso has the benefit of feeling very different fromTotal War: Warhammer, and it’s often considered to have the best guns in the series by far.
6Distant Worlds 2
A New Classic
Distant Worlds 2is the latest installment in a series well-known for mixing grand strategy and space combat. Since its release,Distant Worlds 2has dethroned 2016’sStellarisas the go-to game4X space game. This is especially true for those who were looking for RTS combat to spice up their interstellar politics.
Distant Worlds 2features a deep but not too complex real-time combat system, and while it’s not the most robust space tactics game, it’s one of the best of any grand strategy game.
5Cauldrons of War - Stalingrad
The Indie Darling
Cauldrons of War - Stalingradpromises to be a light mix of grand strategy and tactics.According to the game’s Steam page, this is the game you will launch “whenever you want your WW2 shot but don’t have time for a monster strategy game.”
What makes this mix appealing to tactics combat fans is that, unlike most games in the genre with dedicated combat, there is no real-time strategy to speak of. Combat is central to the experience, but it plays closer to an abstract board game than a Total War title. Even then, there is a lot to learn before mastering combat inCauldrons of War - Stalingrad.
Age of Wonders 4wasn’t quite as acclaimed as other games in the genre. Some even referred to its grand strategy elements as bland. But if, in some areas,Age of Wonders 4loses to some of its rivals, it easily wins out in combat. For one, it’s an original blend of 4X and turn-based tactics.
This is the kind of combat you would usually see in a tactical RPG or inHeroes of Might and Magic. It features all the tactical elements of real-time strategy, like positioning and damage types, but at a turn-based pace that moves at your speed. Also, some people just prefer turn-based tactics.
WhenHumankindwas announced, everyone expected it to be a rival to theclassic 4x seriesCivilization. While most fans of the iconic series didn’t just ship, finding thatHumankindstill has a way to go, most agree that combat is one area where the newcomer certainly improved on the established formula.
Combat happens on the same map as the main game, but it doesn’t follow the same time frame. One turn of combat doesn’t equal one turn of the game. This is what helps the battles, especially large battles, find a pleasant rhythm thatCivilizationdoesn’t even aim for.
2Space Empires V
An Old But Evergreen Classic
Space Empires Vis a bit of an older title, being released back in 2006. Since then, the genre has changed significantly, butSpace Empires Vremains a great choice for grand strategy fans to this day. Plus, it’s really cheap! Combat is divided between space fights and on-ground battles. The first can be controlled by the player in real-time strategy fashion or can be left to itself.
Ground combat is similar to open-space fights but leaves fans more divided, with some calling it frustrating. The game alsohas some exceptional customization. Not only are units, visuals, and game options customizable, but the game has great mod support.
1Polaris Sector
The Diamond in the Rough
Polaris Sectoris a lesser-known game in the grand strategy genre. Even then, its real-time combat allowed it to find a fair number of fans. The biggest criticismPolaris Sectorreceived at launch, of bringing too little unique content for the price asked, seems to have been fixed by the expansion.
The game’s standout feature, besides its real-time combat system, is the ability to customize every single ship in a fleet. This, together with the detailed simulation of space battles, makesPolaris Sectora great twist on a classic 4X game.
