RTS games that don't rely purely on APM and micro.

[lRookiel]

Are there any? I mean like...my favorite scenarios in RTS games are where you have a limited number of troops/resources and you either can't get more, or you can only get more by doing certain actions. (I don't remember the game, but there was one campaign mission where you had a small group of survivors and could get more troops by freeing prisoners, completing objectives, calling for reinforcements by fixing a comm tower, etc. Was my favorite mission in the entire game).

But those are only individual stages and such. Are there any that has that as a major design focus? I only know of turn based strategy games that do that, but not any real time.

The myth games are perfect for you then. They are ROCK SOLID I must warn you. I can't really do anything past easy difficulty (It goes timid, easy, normal, heroic, legendary)

They are real time as well by the way. It does require micro but you can always slow the game speed down to make sure you have time.

 

[Kopikatsu]

The reason I was pushing for RTS is because I already know most if not all of the turn based games. Fire Emblem, Phantom Brave, Soul Nomad, Suikoden (Love that series), etc.

Fair enough, though I'm surprised you're looking for RTS and not just looking forward to Xcom. Have you played Blood Bowl, Tactics Ogre and Valkyria Chronicles they're not totally mainstream so you might not have but they're all great ways to scratch that strategy itch. As for Real Time those suggestions stand, so just let me know what you think.

I was turned off by the earlier iterations of X-COM, where my high ranked unit (That I spent ages building up) would fire a volley of laser shots at one of the brain frayer aliens...and missed every shot. The brain frayer alien then took control of him, ran him into the middle of the rest of my squad, and then made him pull the pin on one of his grenades...

It was very depressing. Anyway, I haven't played Blood Bowl but I've heard of it. I avoided it because it seemed sport-y. Not into sport-y.

 

[Driekan]

There was a problem with terminology going on there that basically led me to think "What, you want a game that has neither micro nor macro? Woah, that'd be far out", but... Yeah, that's resolved. So, my thoughts?

You want to devote yourself exclusively to tactically using combat units, without controlling an economy, base, etc. You want to be able to play without having to pull off those crazy high APMs, and you want it real time...

I think most games that can pull that off have been mentioned. Real-Time Tactics games, like Dawn of War 2, Sacrifice, etc.

Rise of Nations and Rise of Legends may also fit, as the games do have economy and base-building, but it is more hands-off. You set a (small) amount of workers to do a task, and never have to look at it again. Basically there will be 1-2 minutes of setting up economy each time you advance an age, maybe 5 minutes at the very start, and that is that.

Depending on your tastes, high strategy games may work for you. Victoria 2, Crusader Kings 2, Hearts of Iron 3, Europa Universalis. Admittedly, they don't have the whole tactics micro-management thing you apparently like, but they are refined, intelligent strategy games that demand no APM whatsoever.

 

[Geth Reich]

If you're looking for scant resources and don't mind unforgiving difficulty. try Sudden Strike and it's various expansions-no base building whatsoever and reinforcements only if you're lucky!

 

[Blunderboy]

this thread is quite silly to be honest and I dont know if O.P is being serious. If you have a small force and the game is setup with no reinforcements, 90% of the time you do have to micro. Easier actions are made for bigger scale r.t.s to manage larger forces ect ect... Someone please lock this post it makes me laugh.

Yeah I was curious about that. I was going to suggest the game in your avatar based on the no reinforcement statement, but Myth 2 needs a lot of micro management.

 

[Greyhamster]

Are there any? I mean like...my favorite scenarios in RTS games are where you have a limited number of troops/resources and you either can't get more, or you can only get more by doing certain actions. (I don't remember the game, but there was one campaign mission where you had a small group of survivors and could get more troops by freeing prisoners, completing objectives, calling for reinforcements by fixing a comm tower, etc. Was my favorite mission in the entire game).

But those are only individual stages and such. Are there any that has that as a major design focus? I only know of turn based strategy games that do that, but not any real time.

Could it be one of the Men of War games?

You mostly control small amounts of men (sometimes as little as 4 soldiers) although there are some larger battles. The game is fairly micro-managey though: They all have individual inventories, individual ammo counts and rounds in magazine, weapon attachments and a whole lot of other stuff. It's a bit of a complicated game but also quite fun.

 

[goodman528]

Are there any? I mean like...my favorite scenarios in RTS games are where you have a limited number of troops/resources and you either can't get more, or you can only get more by doing certain actions. (I don't remember the game, but there was one campaign mission where you had a small group of survivors and could get more troops by freeing prisoners, completing objectives, calling for reinforcements by fixing a comm tower, etc. Was my favorite mission in the entire game).

But those are only individual stages and such. Are there any that has that as a major design focus? I only know of turn based strategy games that do that, but not any real time.

Wargame:EE is a very good RTS without APM nor micro. It's team base multi-player mostly. There is a single player campaign which is very challenging, and involves limited units and resources in many missions. I can play it online with 300ms+ ping in a hotel, and still win.

 

[veloper]

All of them.
APM and precision is very important in many RTS games, but even the most frantic ones require clever tactics at high competitive play.

Now games where APM is less important.

Company of Heroes and Dawn of War are the usual suspects.
Homeworld is another golden oldie, but it has little in the way of base building. Just research labs basicly.
Less known are the Kohan series. Soldiers are always grouped in 5 to 7 size units and they move pretty slow across the map, because most of them are on foot and the map scale is the distance between the cities that function as your upgradeable bases.

I suppose the most recent example is Sins of a Solar Empire, which is kind of like Kohan in space, with a little more 4X in the mix.

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

Are there any? I mean like...my favorite scenarios in RTS games are where you have a limited number of troops/resources and you either can't get more, or you can only get more by doing certain actions. (I don't remember the game, but there was one campaign mission where you had a small group of survivors and could get more troops by freeing prisoners, completing objectives, calling for reinforcements by fixing a comm tower, etc. Was my favorite mission in the entire game).

But those are only individual stages and such. Are there any that has that as a major design focus? I only know of turn based strategy games that do that, but not any real time.

Both Star Trek Armada games. The story missions are well done and although a bit old they are still 2 of my favorite RTS games ever.

 

[Zipa]

The original homeworld, it is a amazing RTS with a great story and doesn't follow the new model of RTS games nowadays that you described OP, the spin off HW:Cataclysm was also very well done but a bit faster paced.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Are there any? I mean like...my favorite scenarios in RTS games are where you have a limited number of troops/resources and you either can't get more, or you can only get more by doing certain actions. (I don't remember the game, but there was one campaign mission where you had a small group of survivors and could get more troops by freeing prisoners, completing objectives, calling for reinforcements by fixing a comm tower, etc. Was my favorite mission in the entire game).

But those are only individual stages and such. Are there any that has that as a major design focus? I only know of turn based strategy games that do that, but not any real time.

There's one series that has limited troops and has everything else you wanted. I can't believe no one has mentioned it yet. Everyone here fai--

The myth games are perfect for you then. They are ROCK SOLID I must warn you. I can't really do anything past easy difficulty (It goes timid, easy, normal, heroic, legendary)

They are real time as well by the way. It does require micro but you can always slow the game speed down to make sure you have time.

Okay, this person passes. The Myth series was the first, and only, RTS game I've ever played. I thought all RTS games were like this one. When I found out that Myth was the exception and not the rule, I was very disappointed and haven't touched a RTS since.

You start each mission with a set number of troops. There are I think three missions where it's possible to get maybe five to ten more men, but don't count on it. You get your men, you get an objective, and you complete it or die trying. What's more, your characters 'level up' in a sense. If they survive a chapter, they carry over to the next one and become slightly better in combat. If they die, they are replaced with a rookie character. One mission has you trying to finish off one of the enemy generals. You have twenty Berserkers. I fought my way through it and got to the end with half my men left--and most of them were near death. As I came up the hill, there was another wave of long-range attack enemies. By the time the mission was over, I had one guy left standing who couldn't take another hit. These games are challenging but they are fun.

 

[DazBurger]

None of thoes has much influence on your winnings in Generals: Zero Hour.
You just need to be a good tactician.
But they you also have access to infinite funds.

 

[Rack]

The reason I was pushing for RTS is because I already know most if not all of the turn based games. Fire Emblem, Phantom Brave, Soul Nomad, Suikoden (Love that series), etc.

Fair enough, though I'm surprised you're looking for RTS and not just looking forward to Xcom. Have you played Blood Bowl, Tactics Ogre and Valkyria Chronicles they're not totally mainstream so you might not have but they're all great ways to scratch that strategy itch. As for Real Time those suggestions stand, so just let me know what you think.

I was turned off by the earlier iterations of X-COM, where my high ranked unit (That I spent ages building up) would fire a volley of laser shots at one of the brain frayer aliens...and missed every shot. The brain frayer alien then took control of him, ran him into the middle of the rest of my squad, and then made him pull the pin on one of his grenades...

It was very depressing. Anyway, I haven't played Blood Bowl but I've heard of it. I avoided it because it seemed sport-y. Not into sport-y.

That's almost certainly still a concern, your chance of hitting is not 100% under any situation and that will inevitably lead to Bad Things Happening. That's part of the charm though so if you can't get past it you should probably not bother. That said the new versions features smaller groups so I'd expect that kind of thing to happen far less frequently.

As far as Blood Bowl goes I'd suggest you overlook its sportiness except that it's like that moment in X-Com that put you off multiplied by a million. It's a game where you will fail 3 35/36 sure things in a row and lose a player you've built up over weeks as a result. That's because it turns out a 1 in 10,000 chance happens 1 time in 10,000 as opposed to never. Unfortunately the human brain isn't designed to cope with this and...

Blood Bowl is brilliant, but it can be the most infuriating thing in the universe.

 

[Vigormortis]

Are there any? I mean like...my favorite scenarios in RTS games are where you have a limited number of troops/resources and you either can't get more, or you can only get more by doing certain actions. (I don't remember the game, but there was one campaign mission where you had a small group of survivors and could get more troops by freeing prisoners, completing objectives, calling for reinforcements by fixing a comm tower, etc. Was my favorite mission in the entire game).

But those are only individual stages and such. Are there any that has that as a major design focus? I only know of turn based strategy games that do that, but not any real time.

I've got a few suggestions for ya:

MechCommander / MechCommander 2 - These two would be right up your alley. You start each mission with a squad of mechs, picked and equipped by your choosing, and that's all you get for that mission.

During each mission, you can earn "resource points" by capturing resource buildings or completing certain objectives. You can then spend these points in-mission to call in reinforcements like air-strikes, mortal placements, mech-repairs, etc.

There's absolutely no emphasis on resource acquisition, like in most RTS games. It's solely on managing what you've got and thinking as tactically as possible.

Ergo, less on the "clicky-clicky" and more on the "thinky-thinky".