An RTS that plays like chess

[SunoffaBeach]

I'm looking for an RTS with game mechanics similar to chess.
Something like this:
1) You have a limited number of units
2) You can have a defensive strategy and still win
3) Every battle is unique and requires a different strategy
4) Winning is not just a matter of time
5) The game punishes you if you screw up
6) You lose because the AI was better and not because of some cheap scripted events that only fool you once and leave you totally frustated

What can you recommend? old and/or new

The "Total War" series perhaps? From the demo alone I can't really tell.

 

[crimsondynamics]

I don't know, but isn't that a paradox?

RTS games allow players to make moves simultaneously and independently of each other, whereas in chess players take turns.

I can't see how, with everything else being equal, you can reconcile two fundamentally diverse gameplay mechanics... or am I missing something obvious?

 

[GloatingSwine]

Why would you want an RTS similar to, of all things, Chess?

Chess is a monumentally boring game, it's tactically inflexible as each piece can only act in one way, success at it is largely based on pattern recognition and memory rather than original thought, and it's solvable nature means it easily falls into having a single optimal path at any one time. (and it's hilariously badly played by computers to boot, as computer play of chess is based on having preprogrammed responses to given current board states. Kasparov's win against blue gene was actually achieved by noticing and exploiting a flaw in it's board state responses, then engineering subsequent games into the "vulnerable" state at which point the computer made the same mistake repeatedly).

Though it still has the same AI flaws as computer chess, even Advance Wars is a step up from chess in terms of requiring creative tactical thought.

 

[Splitter]

Yeah, you're looking for a TBS there.
The Advance Wars series sounds like what you're looking for.
I'd recommend Dual Strike.

 

[Unknower]

The campaign map of Shogun and Medieval is a bit like chess.

Also, Hearts of Iron II (haven't played I). You can't control the battles though. And yes, the game punishes the player for playing the game screwing up.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

The game you're looking for is called Myth or Myth 2. You can find it on Gametap (I think) or any of those old school game distributors. You have a finite number of units and you have to get them across a battlefield.

Be warned, you better get used to dwarves chucking firebombs as your number one tactic for surviving.

 

[curlycrouton]

Civilization 3.

 

[sheic99]

Try a Fire Emblem game. When one of your units die, they are gone from the game forever. I jumped on the reset many times playing those.

 

[Fenring]

I liked the old Fire Emblem games. They're pretty good TBS'.

 

[The_Deleted]

Rome TW is gaming crack.
If my PC didn't crap out after a certain amount of time (for reasons I can't figure out) my son would be hungry and my job would be forgotten.

So go for that.

 

[Baby Tea]

Being that I love chess, and that I also LOVE the Total War series, I felt compelled to reply to this thread.

The Total war series is excellent in every aspect you mentioned. It has been said that the battles are the only 'RTS' part of the game, but it's a great blend. I remember playing Medieval: Total War (The first one) and I was holding off an army that outnumbered me 10 to 1. I was able to win repeatedly (Until my other armies swooped in to save the day) all because of good tactics and field positioning. I never launched an offensive, I just let them throw themselves on my spears and swords. Awesome. No other strategy game (That I've played) gave me a similar thrill. Not even close.

On a slightly more modern note, I find EndWar is a good (Not great) comparison for what you mentioned as criteria. I personally enjoy EndWar VERY much, and though it's no Total War, it's the best RTS I've played on a console by far (Which I know isn't saying a lot, but still). Limited number of units, only 7 or 8 unit types (Which means more strategy and less 'I just built a ton of super tanks to kill everything'), and the units are well balanced (Very rock - paper - scissors).

But I'd still recommend Total War first and fore-most (Rome and Medieval 2 are the newer, and graphically most appealing. Gameplay largely unchanged, mostly improvements. Stick with those two).

 

[Anton P. Nym]

My suggestions have been made; the Total War series for something reasonably current and Myth 1 & 2 (not 3 *shudder*) for something retro.

-- Steve

 

[KSarty]

The Fire Emblem games are excellent if you're looking for TBS. The really good ones are on the GBA, but there is one for the Gamecube that was awesome and another for the Wii that I didn't really like. Every battle has a different limit on how many units you can use, and unless there is a recruitable unit in that level(not very often), then you are stuck with the same units you started out with for the whole level. Combat is 1v1 and is based on each character's stats as well as a simple weapon triangle(sword beats axe, axe beats lance, lance beats sword).

Advanced Wars is made by the same developer and as someone else mentioned is quite good as well. The main difference between the 2 is that Advance Wars has traditional RTS aspects in that you build your own units and resource centers.

EDIT: Shattered Union for PC is a recent TBS game, but I never played it so I don't know enough to recommend it.

 

[TheBlackKnight]

The old DOS Game M.A.X. might suit you; Though it IS OLD. Other then that? puuuh The Heroes of Might and Magic Series or any Turned Based Tactics Game might suit you. Beware that your wish is something "rather odd" as in "the current industry is not interested in turn based games" So whatever you end up with it is going to be an older game. (Like the X-COM series)

 

[SargentToughie]

Asking for an RTS that's like chess is sort of... Impossable, seeing as how Chess is turned based

I'd reccomend... Chess

they have that on the internet you know

 

[Demir23]

If, as everyone else is suggesting, you are looking for a TBS game then might I suggest taking a look at Disgaea. You can pick it up on the PS2, PSP, and the DS and it's only $20 for the PS2. A bit different than chess obviously, but given my love of both chess and TBS games I had to recommend it.

 

[almo]

Kung Fu Chess is an RTS very similar to chess. http://www.kungfuchess.com/ But I suspect this isn't what you meant.

 

[Rhodite]

Rome TW is gaming crack.
If my PC didn't crap out after a certain amount of time (for reasons I can't figure out) my son would be hungry and my job would be forgotten.

So go for that.

Could not agree more, while the campaign maps are Turn Based the actual battles are in real time. The totalwar series is one of the finest of its genre'