15 Best RTS Games Of All Time To Build Your War Strategy (2023)

RTS pc games require a lot of investment in terms of time and effort. Some say Best Free RTS games for PC dying, but fans still find these games, something they are immensely passionate about, although there is a tragic decline in the RTS genre over the past decade. It is impossible to express just how enjoyable the best RTS games of all time can be. Hence the gameplay involves turn-based tactics that require attentiveness, micromanagement, and speed. That’s why researchers say these types of games are good for the brain. Want to know which are the best real-time strategy games on PC right now? Then this top RTS games list will guide you. Let’s dive right in,

What Are The Best Free Strategy Games PC?

1) Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is a turn-based RTS game where you have to attempt to build an empire to stand the test of time. You will pour hundreds of hours into the game and still find new strategies and rewarding gameplay. What you have to do is just transform them into the greatest empire going while picking a world leader and residents. Even though the game’s aim is simple, this is a genuinely fantastic game that is full of content. With a stunning presentation and an epic soundtrack, Sid Meier’sMeier’s Civilization VI is dangerously addictive.

2) Total War: Warhammer II

Total War: Warhammer II is one of the real-time tactics and Best Turn-Based Strategy Games PC designed and developed by the Creative Assembly as a part of the Total War series. This base building game is set in Warhammer Fantasy fictional universe. Total War: Warhammer II is a sequel to Total game War: Warhammer (2016). Hence this is similar to the other games in the Total War series. Players have to move their armies around the map and manage settlements in the best turn-based games scheme.

Total Wargaming series offers the players a breath-taking campaign of exploration and conquest across a fantasy world. Total War: Three Kingdoms, which is another part of the Total War series, is also an addictive turn-based strategy real-time tactics game, which is set in three Kingdoms period. There are 12 factions in the game, and a player can control one of these 12 factions while eliminating other factions. Total War: Three Kingdoms has two game modes. These modes are the ”romance” mode and the ”records” mode based on the novel ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’Kingdoms‘ and the ”Records of the Three Kingdoms’Kingdoms,’ respectively.

Rome: Total War is the third title in the Total War series. There are two primary modes of gameplay. One is the turn-based, single-player campaign, which is set on an overhead map of the world. The other is a real-time battle mode, which happens in 3D battlegrounds. Rome: Total War also received much love from game lovers across the globe.

3) Crusader Kings – Is Crusader Kings 3 Worth Buying?

Crusader Kings II is one of the greatest Popular new PC Strategy Games. Here, you are playing a medieval ruler in a historical medieval Europe while seeking more power, strength, and territory. This empire-building game is an RTS RPG strategy game that is all about people: your family, lovers, enemies, dynasty, and vassals. Marry, have kids, hold fairs, hold feasts, or go hunting while increasing your prestige. You should aim to build an everlasting legacy through intrigues and conquests.

Is Crusader Kings 3 Better Than 2?

Crusader Kings II is different from traditional historic strategy war games online since it offers more than just raising your kingdom. You have to play either as a king or another noble. Be a good king or a tyrant so the choice is yours, and the outcome will be different. After all, Crusader Kings II has an intense learning curve, but a unique strategy experience.

4) Europa Universalis 4

5) Northgard

Northgard is one of the best computer strategy games based on Norse mythology. Here you can lead a tribe of Vikings and explore many mysterious and new things. It fills with excitement and danger. Besides, if you are a fan of the Age of empires, then definitely this will be yours. But Northgard has many different game mechanics. So it will be interesting.  

6) Rise Of Nations

Rise of Nations is one of the best real-time strategy games pc which provides you a historical experience. First, you have to start a single city from an ancient city, collect lots of resources, explore new technologies. Moreover, you can also build wonders of the world such as the Eiffel Tower. Besides, you can expand your armies all over the world using tanks, horses, battleships, and so on. So it will be so exciting and fun and also good for your brain. You can play this game on Windows and mac os.

7) Age Of Empires Series

Age of Empires II Definitive Edition is a real-time strategy game which is developed by Forgotten Empires. This empire-building game is a remaster of its original, Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. Its remaster includes improved visuals and supports 4K resolution. It consists of a new campaign, “The Last Khans,” and four new civilizations based on Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition offers great core gameplay, strong multiplayer options, and tons of campaign content. But at the same time, pathfinding is still dodgy, and new civilizations still feel the same.

The game is one of the real historical time strategy video games series, Age of Empires. The whole series is based on events in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The events that occurred in the series are spanning from the Stone Age to the Iron Age.

Age of Empires: The Age of Kings is another fantastic addition to your collection, which will nicely complement the more cartoony, fantasy world of advanced wars. The game offers you a relatively good interface while giving many units to command. Although you are not into war online strategy games, Age of Empire’s fantastic tutorial mode and excellent interface ease you into the action so smoothly.

Age of Empires III features a built-in scenario editor and cutting-edge graphics details. There can be seen some key improvements over previous online strategy war games pc in the series. World graphics have been updated, and three new native American nations are introduced to lead into battle. There are a few negative aspects of the Age of Empires III as well. So It requires heavy system requirements. And it has no cross-platform multiplayer support. Critics say that it is not much different from the original game.

8) Supreme Commander

This RTS Alternative For Mac is Designed by Chris Taylor and developed by Gas Powered Company. Supreme Commander is a real-time strategy video game set in the future where humanity can travel through the galaxy using a quantum gateway. Players will experience brutal battles on a massive scale in games like Supreme commander. Also, Players are allowed to create customizable armies and experimental war machines, which can change the balance of power at any given moment. Supreme Commander brings a new level of emotional connection to the RTS genre.

9) Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 2

Warhammer 40000: Relic Entertainment developed Dawn of War II as a sequel to Dawn of War. The game is set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. It is an action-oriented and fast-paced real-time strategy (RTS) game. Since the scale is comparatively small and has a heavy emphasis on micromanaging combat, Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War II can be classified as action RTS or real-time tactics games (RTT) as well.

The game has a story-driven campaign mode played in single-player, co-operatively with two players, or multiplayer mode up to 6 players. Unlike the traditional base-building style seen in titles like Age of Empires and Command & Conquer, Warhammer 40000: Dawn of War II focuses on frontline combat and unit-based tactics.

10) Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak

Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak, which is designed and developed by Blackbird Interactive, is a real-time strategy video game set on a desert planet called Kharak. Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak is a ground-based RTS that belongs to the classic Homeworld games. You will be taken to the Deserts of Kharak, where dangerous things happen over every dune.

11) Offworld Trading Company

Offworld Trading Company, designed by Mohawk Games, is one of the smartest and good strategy games you will ever play. It is a strategic simulation of a sci-fi Martian economy. The game has a relatively simple concept, but it is a bit complex in the possible manipulation of the market managing to create a type of gameplay that is traditionally slow into something exciting and rapid. You will love the fast pace, smart mind games, and simple yet deep concepts. But false start and snowball victories may be distractions.

12) Company Of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault

Company of Heroes is one of the best RTS games on steam and developed by Relic Entertainment in 2006. This fantastic campaign ”Ardennes Assault” places you in the heart of the war, which makes a continuation to the story of World War II. Here the players have to lead the US army against an unpredictable German war machine in a fast-paced single-player campaign. Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault is set in the mountainous Ardennes region of Belgium. If you love military strategy games, then this is one of the best like Commandos.

13) Warcraft 3 Series

This game is excellent action-strategy gameplay that has an engaging story and an extensive campaign. Being one of the most enjoyable games ever created regardless of the category, Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos offers grand storytelling, which is rather uncommon in gaming. The game gives you the chance to play as four different and unique races such as humans, night elves, orcs, and undead. You can recruit hero characters who will soon become stronger and more powerful as they become more experienced with each battle. What makes the game more exciting and fresher is the diversity of the missions that varies from large-scale combat to stealth affairs.

14) StarCraft II: Wings Of Liberty

Wings of Liberty is the first StarCraft II product, which consists of 29 missions. It is the name of 2010 released StarCraft II Terran campaign and episode. Wings of Liberty was released separated from its two expansions which are Heart of the Swarm and Legacy of the Void. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is a science fiction real-time free strategy game based on three species, namely Terrans, Zerg, and Protoss. Wings of Liberty focuses on the Terrans while Legacy of the Void and the Heart of the Swarm focus on the Protoss and Zerg, respectively in games like starcraft.

15) Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2

Developed by Westwood Pacific (Now EA Pacific), Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 is one of the real-time simple strategy games. It was released as a follow-up to Command & Conquer: Red Alert. The game is set in the early 1970s. Like the first Red Alert game, Command & Conquer: Red Alert II also has two playable factions: the Allies and the Soviets.

Red Alert II consists of a large amount of full-motion video cutscenes between missions with a highly corporative cast. As the main objective of the game, the players will have to destroy the enemy bases to the point of enemy capitulation and defeat enemy commanders that are played by human opponents or artificial intelligence. The game has unique armies with strengths and weaknesses. To win this game, players should play to their faction’s strengths while exploiting the other faction’s weaknesses.

What Is The Hardest Strategy Game?

There are few games that are extremely hard to play such as “Call to Arms”, StarCraft II, and Commandos. But I used to add more opponents to make it harder and I really enjoy defeating 3 or 4 kingdoms.  Even with the Age of empires, Crusaders, and Rice of the nations I tried that, and trust me it’s amazing. You will definitely love it. Sometimes when I’m playing with my cousin, I let another king (PC) support him. So, it makes us are equal.

Are RTS Games Good For Your Brain?

What Are The Battlefield Strategy Games?

• Rome: Total War
• Crusader Kings III
• ‎Age of Ottoman
• Medieval II: Total War
• War Commander: Rogue Assault
• Civilizations – War Base Building Games
• ‎Grow Empire: Rome

What Are The Spaceship RTS Games Online?

• Surviving Mars
• battlestar galactica deadlock
• Galactic Civilizations III
• Halo Wars: Definitive Edition
• Endless Space
• Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds
• Sins of a Solar Empire

What Are The Fantasy RTS Games?

• Heroes of Might and Magic III
• Dota 2
• Age of Mythology
• Black & White 2
• The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II

What Are The Multiplayer Strategy Games?

• XCOM 2
• Stronghold: Warlords
• Age of Empires II
• StarCraft 2
• Humankind
• Medieval II: Total War

Summary

If you are a fan of tactical games in real-time, you may know that there are hundreds upon hundreds of base-building games out there such as the best empire-building games, space RTS games, build war games, single-player strategy games, battle strategies games, and so on. Here, you are offered an excellent space with rich and expansive stories with single-player campaigns in RTS titles.

Hope you like the list of alternatives. We filtered this list with testing, reviews, and gameplay. And, there can be similar games that our fans love to know. So, feel free to leave any similar games you played or upcoming strategy games. Please share this with your friends and we love to hear your thoughts.

Jhon Max

I’m Jhon Max from Nevada, USA. I’m graduated as a computer engineer and I have more than 10 years of experience in app developing, web developing and software developing.

I welcome you to my site, Archies of Tech. The main objective of our website is to provide you with information on apps, games, software, which are similar to some of the popular applications available out there.