The idea of technique comes from the Greek technique. In Latin, technique. In French, technique. In German, technique. in Italian, technique. In Spanish, technique. Are you scripting this down?
These all come from Greek techniquethat means navy common. What we’re speaking about right here is Strategos.
Developed by the aptly named Strategos Video games and printed by MicroProse 2nd Version, Strategos is a real-time technique recreation the place you command a number of the most legendary armies in historical past. This recreation is scheduled to be launched on January 20, 2026, and it has been on my radar for some time, so I used to be very pleased to get my arms on a overview model.
In full disclosure, I attempted to get a replica of Geoffrey Parker’s Cambridge Historical past of Conflict in preparation for its launch, however it by no means arrived in time. I will blame all my failures on the battlefield on this.
command college
Legendary Russian common Alexander Suvorov as soon as mentioned that tough coaching results in ease on the battlefield. I have never regarded by Parker’s aforementioned books, however Strategos does a wonderful job of protecting the fundamentals earlier than stepping into the guide.
The sport has a three-step tutorial that introduces you to the controls and mechanics, earlier than placing you to the take a look at by taking pictures towards a restricted model of AI generals.
Criminally hidden below the (Miscellaneous) menu is the (Guide) tab. This tab is an extremely clear view the place you’ll find exact details about the unit’s effectivity in numerous eventualities and the modifiers utilized.
Inside, Strategos appears like a historical past geek’s digitally reimagined Warhammer, however you do not have to spend all of your life financial savings on figures painted to a regular adequate to be seen from half a desk away.
cross the rubicon river
I’ve a mushy spot for marketing campaign modes, so it felt like a pure place to begin for my Strategos journey. With only a few clicks, I turned Alexander, the soon-to-be-great king, getting into the Battle of Chaeronea towards the mighty may of the Athenian military in 338 BC.
You’ll be able to select which unit varieties you wish to take with you on every marketing campaign mission earlier than sending them into battle. Though that is restricted to particular slots, it provides a pleasant layer of customization with out jeopardizing the identification of your military. Sometimes, models of the identical class are chosen, reminiscent of completely different mount varieties.
Like most good RTS video games, Strategos has a staging part that lets you rearrange your models relying in your recreation plan. Or you possibly can at all times run with the default huge entrance structure. I did that initially till I obtained used to it.
Nonetheless, what makes it stand out from different video games is its common mechanics. Your military’s area commanders belong to particular models and solely they may give orders on the battlefield.
With only a few clicks, I turned Alexander, the soon-to-be-great king, and was despatched to battle on the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC.
Throughout lulls in fight, you possibly can yell orders at a good vary, however more often than not I ended up counting on the Courier to do the job. Following within the footsteps of Hermes, they run into the midst of battle and ship directions. More often than not they succeed, however casualties are inevitable. Since courier assets are finite, we needed to contemplate which orders wanted to be delivered reliably.
Fortuitously, Strategos has completed away with micromanagement and has probably the most snug autonomous unit administration I’ve ever seen.
Like most real-life battles, battles on this recreation finish with out fully eliminating the enemy. In some instances, the worst-hit facet could win so long as it holds its floor.
In my marketing campaign expertise, I’ve discovered it to be a missed alternative when unit states do not transition between missions, destroying any sense of actual continuity. Contemplating the intervals of some marketing campaign battles, it is sensible that the losses of frequent cavalry models are solely changed, and the reason being comprehensible. Nonetheless, it might have been good to have a stronger attachment to my navy.
mechanical animals
In Strategos, unit commanders could require their generals to problem vital orders, however as soon as they’re of their positions they act independently. Modifiers and particulars are past the scope of this overview, however the sensible result’s which you can really management the circulation of your entire battle fairly than forcing teams of archers to interact.
This has actual penalties, generally adverse. For instance, infantry could encounter a hidden enemy on their approach to a goal space and resolve to cost to guard themselves. This leaves your flanks uncovered and may have a knock-on impact on fight. I’ve discovered that generally this tremendously improves battlefield administration.
Terrain performs an enormous position in Strategos, and I used to be glad to see that it wasn’t simply bushes slowing down models. Your troops are affected by elevation, vegetation, waterways, and even sure kinds of soil. The particular interactions depend upon the kind of unit. For instance, dismounted archers can transfer by forested areas unhindered more often than not, however cavalry will battle there.
When you perceive the intricate intricacies that govern Strategos’ fight, the sport’s issue step by step will increase by campaigns and reenactments. In subsequent missions, the probabilities of making a mistake are tremendously decreased, however they by no means really feel unfair or inconceivable.
Your infantry can (…) cost to guard themselves. Consequently, your flanks could stay uncovered.
The actual problem is managing such a big military in a cohesive method that the primary battles you expertise really feel like senseless skirmishes by comparability. The bitter style of defeat is one of the best instructor for strategos, so all it takes is a number of humility and coffee-infused meditation classes to return to knowledge.
It is the audiovisual expertise that I’ve combined emotions about. Strategos does job of setting the scene with music and battle cries, and the animation is cute, however there is a sure cartoonish high quality to the entire affair that falls into the grey space between creative alternative and outdated design.
None of this will get in the way in which of gameplay, and the classic really feel generally takes me again to the previous days of enjoying Rise of Nation on the way in which residence from college, however there’s at all times a nagging feeling that it may have been a bit extra polished.
Time passes equally for everybody on earth, however it appears like ages have handed since we had an awesome encyclopedic historical simulator for PC. Strategos appears to be like and appears like a completed product, delivering partaking, sensible fight that permits you to unleash your full physique energy from the consolation of your armchair. Though his finances could generally present, Hannibal was extra involved about profitable the battle than smelling the flowers. Strategos delivers the place it issues most and has all of the hallmarks of a traditional real-time technique.