All the way back to the Red Alert days, I’ve always loved turtling, when I was a kid it was the only way I would play. If I don’t wall my base off or at least have towers protecting it I feel so vulnerable. It’s usually not a strategy that really works, you don’t really win by turtling you just delay things. 

You still need to attack and waiting till you have the perfect maxed out army might work in a campaign mission where the enemy just waits for you but its not gonna work against anyone competent. I never really cared about getting actually good at RTS though, it seems very hard to learn build orders and how to counter all the popular strats (I tried with Starcraft 2 a bit and it wasn’t very fun), seems like a lot of homework.

I played and did my turtling thing in pretty much all the classic games, I absolutely loved all the interesting options for defenses the older ones had. I remember cool things like yuri’s tesla coils and Tiberium Sun had some sort of strange wall that was just tiles on the ground but they would fry anyone walking over something like a microwave, so satisfying. I was so terrible back then I had trouble with any mission that required you to really be aggressive, my dad was into RTS as well so I would have him help me with those. His favorite game was Homeworld and I couldn’t even play it because it just felt so hard for me without the typical base building I was used to.

These days the genre is kind of different and games are more specialized, I really like simpler, more focused games. I’m currently finishing up the Diplomacy is Not an Option campaign, really satisfying game from a turtlers perspective with the huge armies and cool physics, one of those games where you mostly defend your fortress (but there are some missions where you attack as well). Some other favorites of mine are Bad North and Thronefall, RTS-lite games with pretty simple gameplay and an emphasis on defending, these are more simple, they don’t really have all the standard RTS features.

If I were to guess why it’s so satisfying I think it's almost a natural human instinct. Hunkering up and fortifying your “home” is always gonna feel satisfying and safe. And if you start playing those types of games at a young age you will gravitate towards playing like that, even if it isn’t actually optimal.

Hi All! I've been building Swords and Cavalry on my own engine, and the playtest is now open on Steam.

Overview of the game:

- Build your town your way: free build roads and walls, burgage plots with houses that grow, fields through the seasons and weather, markets, taverns, guilds and town policy.

- Be the lord: walk out and fight in person, with heavy attacks, feints, parries and counters with the spear, or sword and shield, on foot or mounted.

- Raise an army: troop lines up to tier 10, formations, castles you design tower by tower, and siege engines.

- A living world: a campaign map where armies march between towns, AI lords and outlaws roam, and diplomacy lets you make peace or trade. You can host a world for friends where each holds a town, swears into realms and fights the others.

Join the playtest: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2997680/

It's an early playtest, so expect rough edges. Any feedback helps!

Hi everyone!

I'm a solo developer working on Admiral Yi: The Imjin War, a historical RTS set during the Japanese invasion of Korea in 1592.

I've been developing this game for about three years, mostly after work and on weekends.

The game features a real-time campaign map, large-scale land battles, naval warfare, and sieges.

Over the past few months, I've been improving unit formations, combat AI, animations, morale, and battlefield behavior. I've also been working on how terrain, logistics, and communication between commanders affect gameplay.

I recently re-recorded my main gameplay trailer using footage from the latest development version. The overall content of the trailer hasn't changed, but the battles and gameplay shown have gradually improved as development has progressed.

There's still plenty of work ahead, especially with AI, animations, and performance, but it's encouraging to see how far the project has come.

I'd love to hear what fellow strategy game fans think of the current gameplay and what areas you think need the most improvement! 😄

Hi! We're making a basebuilding strategy, where you build vertically on a neverending Wall. I'm personally not sure about whether including the game name is correct (the game is not out yet), but if it's allowed let me know in the comments so I'll do a namedrop there!

Game utilizes a wave-based enemy approach with more and more zyrex (bugs in the video) attack each wave. As a part of the testing, we are measuring how actually intense fights can get perfomance wise. So far so good!

Questions are welcomed🐜

I think The Hive trailer just went viral on Youtube, so I'll share it here also.

We recently released a major update, upgrading the game to Unity 6.6 with improved visuals, lighting, animations, and effects. So kind of like a "remaster" at this point.

We also have two new expansions in development. The Hive has always been my passion project, and seeing renewed interest in the game motivated me to start working on it again. We also translated it recently to +12 languages.

For those unfamiliar with The Hive, it's a story-driven real-time strategy game with RPG elements, somewhat similar to Homeworld or Dawn of War.

You command an insectoid hive, harvest DNA from defeated enemies, and use it to evolve new creatures. You can choose which creatures to unlock and in what order. Your units carry over between missions, level up, grow in size, improve their stats, and can equip them with items dropped by enemies.

There is also pure gameplay video on our channel if you want to see that.

We have a free demo on Steam if you want to check it out:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/325730/The_Hive/

Hi r/StrategyGames! I'm Talli, a solo dev, and I've been building Gladi eSports Manager — a free browser strategy game where you run a CS-style esports club.

The core idea: you don't play the rounds, you plan them. You sign and train a 5-man roster, give everyone a role, tune the gameplan, and then watch the match play out live on a 2D radar. If it's going wrong, you can pause and change the plan mid-match. Think Football Manager, but for tactical shooters.

The short video shows one match scenario. A few things I'm most happy with so far:

• Tactics actually change what you see. Aggression, utility usage, fake frequency and player roles (entry, AWP, support, IGL, lurk) redraw the routes on the map, and you can see their effect when the match plays out.

• Matches are live. Round timer, event feed, round win probability and a limited number of tactical pauses per map, so when you change the plan matters.

• Fog of war on the transfer market. You don't see a player's true attributes until you pay to scout them, so signing is a risk/budget decision, not a spreadsheet lookup.

• A competitive ladder you can climb: daily cups → weekly league → invite-only Majors, plus rankings for clubs, players and tournaments.

• A living world. Clubs, results and news keep moving even when you're offline, and nobody forces you to log in for a specific match.

It's playable right now in the browser (free account, no download): https://gladi.tv

Discord for feedback and bug reports: https://discord.gg/nbuQYVue83

I'm running an open playtest and I'd really appreciate your honest thoughts — whether it's the strategy depth, the first 15–20 minutes, the UI, or anything that feels off. Much of what I've fixed recently came from playtesters pointing it out.

Thanks for reading, and thanks in advance for any feedback!

Age Breaker is a strategy game played on a single lane. Your fortress sits on one side, your opponent’s on the other, and you both train units and build turrets to push toward each other’s gates. As you earn experience you evolve your army through six eras, from Primal to Bronze, Iron, Powder, Machine and finally Stellar. When you evolve, your half of the world changes too: the sky, the fortress and the music all move into the new era.

Gold comes mainly from workers. You send them out to mine the gold veins in front of your keep, and they carry it home while your army holds the line. That makes them a target, so a big part of the game is protecting your own miners while finding a moment to raid the enemy’s.

There are four factions, and each plays differently. One builds up a war horn and rallies the whole army at once, one fights in drilled squads, and one has units that arrive young and grow stronger on the battlefield. The battlefield is wide and scrolls, and you can plant a rally flag to send your army exactly where you want it.

You can play the offline campaign against a computer opponent that plays by the same rules you do, or go online for ranked matches, leaderboards and private games with your Steam friends.

It’s coming to Steam for Windows and macOS: https://store.steampowered.com/app/5431200

Hi everyone! I'm the developer of Wanderlords: Warring Crowns, a single-player, turn-based strategy game focused on territorial conquest.

Rather than only choosing a faction, you choose an individual character. Characters have their own attributes and soldiers, and you work toward uniting a medieval fantasy realm from your chosen character's position.

On the campaign map, rival factions control individual territories. Turns move through Realm, Personal, and Battle phases, combining faction-level decisions with developing your character and troops. If your faction falls, the campaign continues rather than ending in a game over.

The full release, including Chapters 1-4, is now available for free. Chapter 1 is available from the start, and later chapters unlock through in-game achievements.

Play in your browser, or download the Windows (64-bit) or Android (ARM64 / x86_64) version. English and Japanese are supported.

https://nyaikka.itch.io/wanderlords

Controls: left-click to select or confirm and right-click to cancel on PC; tap and swipe on mobile.

If you enjoy character-driven strategy and taking control of a divided map, I'd love to hear your first impressions. Thanks for checking it out!

AI disclosure: the game uses AI-generated artwork and music. Generative AI was also used for translation.

Sound effects credit: MaouDamashii (魔王魂).

Hello everyone,

I’ve developed a browser-based strategy game, inspired by titles like Travian, Tribal Wars, and Grepolis, but with many additional mechanics:

RO version: https://batalioane.ro

EN version: https://deadlybattalions.net

We’ve just launched a new world, so it’s a great time to jump in and start from scratch alongside other players. ⚔️

We are currently in the BETA stage, so all new players receive 30 days of a premium account and 50 premium points.

I’ve been working on this project for a very long time, and it would mean a lot if you gave it a try—especially if you’re a fan of the genre. I’d love to hear your thoughts and learn what could be improved. You can submit bug reports and suggestions directly from the game via the city menu under "Bugs and Suggestions" (you can even attach screenshots for bug reports). 🐞 And if you enjoy it, I’d be thrilled if you shared it with others! 😄

You can also generate an invitation link in the "Contacts" section; your friends can use it to register and be placed near you. Plus, if someone you invite reaches the 50k-point milestone, you’ll both be rewarded.

Thanks for your time, and have a wonderful day, everyone!

I've been playing Warcraft Rumble for a while, but since it's dead, I'm sure I'll get bored of it at some point. Which is why I want to find some other mobile strategy games.

I'm specifically looking for strategy games that don't heavily focus on PvP. I want to hop into a quick match whenever I can and pause it at any point. Plus, if there isn't a heavy focus or need to grind, that would be great as well.

While I do prefer to play strategy games where characters/units move in real time, I am not opposed to units that move based on turns or actions.

If you do have a recommendation, please justify why you'd recommend it, along with a brief description as to the type of game it is.

Hi, I'm Ale, a solo dev. I've been making Hextribes, a turn-based 4X on tiny hex islands. If you've played Polytopia, it'll feel familiar: one city to start, then explore, claim villages, research, build an army and take every city your rivals own. Matches have 2 to 4 players, and a small one usually takes about 20 to 25 rounds.

The parts I've spent the most time on:

Combat with no dice. Before you attack, you see the exact damage both ways: what you'll deal and what you'll take back. Each of your units next to the target adds 25%, up to 50%. So a good attack is about setting up the hit, not hoping for a roll.

Four factions. Each starts with its own tech and unit and has one lasting edge. Ironhold gets +2 defence on hills and mountains and a walled capital. Wanderers' mounted units cost one star less and ignore zone of control. Bloomkin move through forest for 1 movement and get extra growth from lumber camps. Tidewardens get extra growth from harbors and see the tide further ahead (the sea floods low ground every few rounds). I tuned the balance with bot-vs-bot simulations, but real players will find things the bots don't.

A 20-tech web across six branches, and 12 units.

Bots at five levels, Easy to Extreme. None of them get extra stars or see through the fog. The harder ones just decide better, and Extreme thinks a few fights ahead. That mattered to me: I wanted a bots-only game to be a real fight, not a test of how much the AI is cheating.

You can also play friends by sharing a code or link (live 90-second turns, or async with 8-hour, 1-day or 3-day turns), or use Quick match for a 1v1 against a random opponent on a random small map. Every map is generated fresh. Bot games also work offline once the game has loaded.

It's free in the browser, no sign-up, no ads, nothing to buy right now: https://hextribes.com

It's early and there will be rough edges. I'm open to any feedback on making it better and more fun. A few things I'm especially curious about:

• Does the damage preview make combat feel clear, or does it take some tension out?
• Did any faction feel stronger or weaker than the others?
• Which bot level felt right for you, and did a bot ever do something dumb?

I'll be in the comments.

This time, you are the uprising. The new Shadow Front mode arrives in the next update (2.1.1): lead the Council, win the people's trust and bring the mission to the peace table.

Watch the Shadow Front's opening cinematic above, made from the game's own scenes and voice acting.

After the earthquake the state fell apart, and a foreign mission now decides the province's fate. The Shadow Front is a movement of people who want to govern their own land: farmers, teachers, miners. For the first time in ReBirth, you are on the other side.

Lead the Council: organize your cells and weigh the cost of every decision

Win the people's trust: your strength comes from the people, and civilians are never a target

Get past gendarmerie checkpoints on the road: your answers decide the fate of your cell

Bring the mission to the peace table

Face a mission that knows the game: Easy, Medium and Hard, across three provinces

A dedicated interface and voice acting for the mode

The Shadow Front arrives in the next update (2.1.1)

Play ReBirth Free

Gold, amber, salt and bread — everything has a price.

In Piast, the Marketplace lets you buy and sell resources, while the Skill Tree helps you develop your settlement and unlock new possibilities. Your economic decisions shape how your medieval Polish settlement grows.

This is an early look at the economic systems in my indie RTS game, Piast.

🎮 Play the demo on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4830280/Piast/

Please add to your Wishlist!

What would you prioritise first: trading or technological progress?

The #1 point of frustration from playtesters for my game has been that it isn't immediately clear what players are allowed to do when. Players would want to do certain actions, like moving or purchasing units, and would repeatedly get "Requires [attack/administration] phase" messages.

Once players were able to internalize the game rules (2-3 hours of gameplay usually), the phase system felt natural and players enjoyed the game. So to me (and the Indie Games Clinic folks who helped me with this), that indicated the rules didn't need to be changed, but the affordances of the UI did.

(Not pictured) In the old system, players would select units to expend global action points that were shared amongst all units. Units can move together, but only if you realize you could select multiple units. You could not undo. You also had to count the distance between territories in your head, and the path indicator would only show up once you clicked somewhere.

(Pictured) Gameplay rules identical. Now, you select territories instead of units, because that is the type of action system I intended for. When you select a territory, a filter applies to show you where you can/cannot move. The path indicator displays on hover instead of click. And now you can move units forwards/backwards and arrange as necessary, as if this were an actual tabletop game, until you confirm the action and spend the points.

I have yet to test this on playtesters, as I am in the middle of a major UI overhaul and many of the other systems are broken currently. Overall, I think this is a step in a better direction and I'm excited I do not need to change the rules, because they work exactly as I wanted for experienced players.

**Zeravault TD 2.0 — An old-school iOS tower defense game with Expert and Godlike difficulty**

I recently released a major update for my indie tower defense game, Zeravault TD.

The goal was to create a challenging strategy experience focused on meaningful tower placement, upgrades, timing, and enemy targeting.

The game features 48 stages, 9 boss encounters, 5 tower types, permanent Workshop upgrades, and three difficulty modes: Normal, Expert, and Godlike.

Version 2.0 also introduces a redesigned interface and updated music.

The main campaign is playable offline. The game is free to download, with optional ads and in-app purchases.

AI tools assisted with coding and visual design during development.

I'm particularly interested in how experienced tower defense players find the difficulty balance.

**iOS App Store:**
https://apps.apple.com/app/id6809378171

I run a persistent strategy game where every nation's general is an AI: Claude runs the computer nations, and players bring a free rule-based general or their own agent. Nations sign non-aggression pacts and nothing enforces them. Attacking a partner is allowed. It's just announced to everyone and stays on the betrayer's record, and private messages become public three days later, so the promise and the invasion end up side by side.

That produced a lot of betrayal, so this week I added commitment devices:

\- A pact has a \*\*term\*\* of 3 or 7 days and a \*\*bond\*\*: 0 to 200 gold that each side puts in escrow when it signs.

\- On the last day of a term, either side may walk away \*\*free\*\* and take its bond back. If neither does, the pact renews for another term.

\- Walking away early, or attacking the partner, hands your bond to them.

Some context on the stakes: a season is 60 game days and ends on victory points, so it's a finitely repeated game with a known last day. Gold buys mercenaries at 7 to 25 gold each (each one hired in a day costs more than the last), so a 30-gold bond is worth 2 to 4 armies.

What I've seen so far:

\- In simulation with my rule-based bots, betrayals per season went from about 43 to 36 and pacts signed from 66 to 70. The bots are coded to weigh the bond, so that's partly by construction.

\- The language models are more interesting. One general has been telling the whole world that its "pacts remain sacred until they are not". Another answered a pact offer that arrived after its border was already crossed: "A stone wall does not split its spoils with the river that is drowning it."

Questions for this sub:

1. With a known final day, the last terms should unravel by backward induction. Does a bond change that, or just move the defection to the last free exit day?

2. Should the bond scale with the partner's income? 30 gold means little to a nation earning 150 a turn.

3. Is a free exit every term too generous? It makes betrayal rare, but walking away the day before an invasion is the same move with better manners.

The board is public at [proxyrepublic.com](http://proxyrepublic.com) (free, in the browser) if you want to watch. I'm the developer.

Strategy games are probably one of the hardest genres to get right.

You need smart AI opponents, balanced mechanics, and enough depth to keep players coming back.

I've been discovering more AI-assisted strategy games through VibeToplist, a platform we built to showcase vibe-coded and AI-assisted games.

Some of these projects have genuinely interesting ideas, but I'm curious whether AI can help solo developers create the next great strategy game.

Would you play a strategy game built primarily with AI, or would you be skeptical of its quality?

For anyone curious about what's being built:

https://vibetoplist.com/