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The 5 Mac games you need to play from April 2019 Decide the fate of Rome or go muddin’ on the back roads of Sweden. It’s all possible with April’s games. Civilization V, Cities: Skylines, and Total War: Shogun 2 are probably your best bets out of the 9 options considered. 'Endless scenarios and replayability' is the primary reason people pick Civilization V over the competition. This page is powered by a knowledgeable community that helps you make an informed decision.

The war of the 'greatest generation', WW2's allure and appeal has been hyped beyond all reason. Aside from perhaps the ancient world, it is the single most fertile ground for strategy and war games. With so many takes on this globe-spanning conflict, it can be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff.

We’ve tried to get a range of different types of games, from close-up tactical experiences to sweeping strategic overviews. So, without further ado, here's our guide to the best World War 2 strategy games. We're a computer war games website, we can't be wrong!

Wargamer.com is affiliated with the GOG.com store, Wargaming.net, Gajin Entertainment & the Paradox Store.

What are the best WW2 Strategy Games?

1. World of Tanks (F2P)
2. Panzer Corps 2
3. Unity of Command 2
4. Panzer Campaigns (series)
5. Steel Division 2
6. Hearts of Iron IV
7. Strategic Command WW2: World at War
8. Command Ops 2
9. Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg
10. Men of War: Assault Squad 2
11. Gary Grigsby's War in the East
12. Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault
13. The Operational Art of War IV
14. Close Combat (series)

New WW2 Strategy & Wargames

• Carrier Battles 4 Guadalcanal (Naval War Game)
• Undaunted: North Africa (Board Game)
• Cauldrons of War: Barbarossa
  

World of Tanks (Free-to-Play)

Publisher/Developer: Wargaming.net
Tags: Real-Time, Tactical, Tank Combat, Arcade, Free-to-Play, Affiliate
Purchase:Play for Free

We're kicking things off with a Free-to-Play recommendation, because not all wargaming has to be super-serious or sim focused. If you've read our Best Naval War Games feature, you'll know that some of us are fans of Wargaming.net's World of Warships. It's a super-arcadey take on 20th century naval combat for sure and the free-to-play nature introduces an element of grind, but it's also surprisingly cerebral. It's not quite the same for World of Tanks - it's a slightly dumb tank game at the end of the day - but there is something refreshing about zipping along the countryside, blasting shells at enemy vehicles on the other end of the map.

The most tight-nit urban environments as well require a lot of manoeuvring and positioning, so there is room for some very tactical gameplay. These are online-only mass-multiplayer experiences, so if that's not your thing you probably won't enjoy WoT. If you are curious about this action/strategy gaming phenomenon, then we also recommend you try and bring a friend as these things are infinitely more enjoyable with people you know. Just be prepared to put in a lot of work to climb your way to the upper ranks.

Alternate Recommendation

Another game you might want to look at is War Thunder, which encompasses land, air AND naval combat and features fighting vehicles from WW2 right through to the Cold War. It's debatable which time-period features the 'best' game play, which is why it hasn't been given a full entry in this list.

Panzer Corps 2

Publisher/Developer: Flashback Games / Slitherine
Tags: Operational, North Africa, European Theatre, 1939 - 45, Turn-based, Campaign, Multiplayer
Purchase: GOG.com,Steam, Direct

The first Panzer Corps game has been a staple on this list for a while, but we can confidently say it's been replaced by the long awaited sequel. Panzer Corps 2 updates everything from the engine, to the mechanics.. it even adds a semblance of a logistics system! You can take your hard-as-nails corps of German tanks and infantry units from the invasion of Poland in 1939, all the way through Barbarossa, Normandy and even some alt-history scenarios involving the invasion of the American mainland.

Panzer Corps 2 has almost as much content as the first game, including expansions, with the exception of scenarios for non-German factions. Those will probably be coming in future DLCs, but in the meantime you can always make your own using the powerful Scenario Editor. Multiplayer is also souped up, with hot-seat, PBEM and 'true' live multiplayer options available. The 'King of Wargames' indeed.

NEW: Slitherine has released the first two DLC packs for PC2. The first onecovers the Spanish Civil War and is the first in the new Axis Operations series of DLC packs which will follow the German Army's various campaigns through-out WW2. The next installed - Axis Operations: 1939 - was released at the end of August 2020 and covers various campaigns that took place in 1939 including Poland and Denmark.

You may also like: Order of Battle

If you're a fan of the Panzer Corps format and looking for something else to play, then Order of Battle is another Matrix-owned series that may entice you (assuming you haven't come across it already). It was once described to me by a Producer at Matrix as 'Panzer Corps, but with logistics', so you'll find a very similar experience.

The base game Order of Battle WW2is actually free-to-play and comes with a handful of scenarios so that you can try it out.To date there are over 12 expansions you can purchase to then enhance your game and play through different parts of the war from various perspectives. Unlike it's sibling it's not looking at doing a sequel any time soon (that we know of), and is currently working on a new trilogy of expansions that follow the Soviet Union's trials through WW2. The latest entry in the expansion set is Order of Battle: Red Storm.

Unity of Command 2

Publisher/Developer: 2x2 Games
Tags: Operational, North Africa, European Theatre, 1943 - 45, Turn-based, Campaign, Hot-Seat Multiplayer
Purchase: Steam

We'd have been very surprised if the recently release Unity of Command 2 wasn't good enough to knock the original game off its top spot. UoC 1 will always be remebered as a wonderful simple wargame, and a great gateway into the hobby, but Unity of Command 2 just takes all of the core concepts and turns it up to 11. Better visuals, better mechanics, better scenarios.. there's a reason Jack was so impressed in his Unity of Command 2 review.

Common criticisms of the first game usually centre around it being more of a puzzle than a 'true' wargame, which is a similar accusation levied against games like Panzer Corps. You can still see traces of that in Unity of Command 2's design - many scenarios present you with an initial set-piece or deadlock that you need to break through, but the ways in which you can achieve it have multiplied. Plus, once you do break-through it's still a pretty gripping fight to claim your objectives, and the AI will punish and push through to your back-lines if it sees an exploitable gap. This is definitely one of the year's best releases to date, however, and if you're even remotely interested it's well worth picking up.

Panzer Campaigns Series - Japan '45 & Japan '46

Publisher/Developer:Wargame Design Studio
Tags: Operational, Hex-and-Counter, Pacific Theatre, Alternate History, John Tiller, Turn-Based
Purchase: Direct (links below)

John Tiller is a house name with a certain generation of computer war gamers. While he's not as involved in game-making as he used to be, his legacy stands proud through his wide-ranging series of hex-based operational and tactical wars that look like old-school counter board wargames rendered on a screen. They're not much to look at, but they've always provided a level of depth and detail not seen in many other places. Wargame Design Studio is a small development team that's taken up the mantle of JTS, remastering a lot of the old games but also making brand-new experiences in the same style.

We're highlight one of their more recent endeavours on this list, because it covers something not really seen before - the hypothetical invasion of the Japanese mainland. Officially part of JTS' Panzer Campaigns series, there are currently two titles that follow this 'what if' conflict - Japan '45and a sequel Japan '46. We've reviewed both and are pretty impressed with not only WDS' attention to detail in terms of the research they've done into the Operations that never were, but also in terms of how they've tried to modernise the format somewhat. If you're looking to explore some plausible alt-history in an old-school package, these are some excellent games to start with.

You may also like: John Tiller's Panzer Battles

If you're a fan of the John Tiller style of games in general then there have been some other newer releases that may take your fancy. Other recent Wargame Design Studio releases include a 'Gold' edition of El Alamein '42and the brand newBattles of North Africa 1941.If you want to consider something a bit more 'old school' then there's always John Tiller's Campaign Series, of which we have a review of West Front.

Close Combat Series

Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Various
Tags: 2D, Tactics, Real-Time, Series, Various Theatres
Purchase: GOG.com, Steam

No WW2 list would be complete without the father of modern WW2 tactical strategy games. Close Combat struck the perfect balance between ‘grog’-like wargaming tradition and mainstream strategy design. Depending on which title you played, it manged to straddle the line between hardcore and mainstream with remarkable grace. The one I played the most was Close Combat 2: A Bridge Too Far - it what made me fall in love with the idea of persistence forces and armies, and I don't think I ever completed it.

There are mixed opinions regarding the ‘Matrix-era’ of Close Combat games, but the series in general remains a shining example of WW2 strategy game heritage. Thanks to GOG.com, you can now legally purchase the original classics once more.

Close Combat: The Bloody First

This isn't an official entry in the list but since Close Combat as a series is mentioned we'd be remiss if we didn't at least mention the latest entry into the game - Close Combat: The Bloody First. It was always going to struggle in the face of the significance of the series, and it also didn't help that the game took a bit longer than planned to actually release (it's at least a couple of years 'late' at this point). Still it did the best job it could and it's actually a pretty decent game in most respects. It's perhaps not good enough to knock the classics off their camouflaged thrones, but it's a decent modern Close Combat game that just has a few kinks that need ironing out. Read our Close Combat: The Bloody First review if you want to know more.

Hearts of Iron IV

Publisher/Developer: Paradox Interactive / Paradox Development Studio
Tags: Grand-Strategy, Strategic, Global, Real-Time, Divisions, Sandbox
Purchase:Paradox Store, Steam

Hearts of Iron 4 finally made the list following the release of 2019's Man the Guns expansion. This WW2 sandbox game has been going from strength to strength, and while its still got some ways to go Paradox's flagship war game can now finally attempt to stand amongst its contemporaries. Take command of any nation in existence in 1936, and try to guide them through turbulent period leading up to the second world war. With an open-ended nature and three competing ideologies, what form the second world war takes could be different through multiple playthroughs.

You can create your own Divisions, specialising them for specific tasks. A Battle Planner allows you to draw detailed strategies for your armies that the AI will execute for you, and there's plenty of DLC worth checking out that help elevate the base package into something special.

There is actually an important caveat to add to this entry. While Hearts of Iron 4 is becoming a great WW2-era game, it's not necessarily a great 'WW2 game' in the sense that getting a historical outcome is now only one of many possibilities, and we're not sure if it's the most common one at this point. While plenty of historical events and key decisions are modelled, the course of the war can vary, so if you're an enthusiast who wants a more 'on rails' experience, this may not actually be the game for you.

Steel Division 2

Publisher/Developer: Eugen Systems
Tags: Division-level, Real-Time Battles, Operational, Turn-Based Campaign, Team play, Eastern Front
Purchase: GOG.com, Steam

We had to stop an think about this one before committing it to the list - there's no denying that Steel Division 2 has it's problems. Multiplayer balance is an on-going concern, and generally the new campaign mode is a little bit rough around the edges. Still, we're confident in our assessment that it's overall a better game than its predecessor, and the new campaign mode is one of the finest solitaire wargaming experiences we've ever played (warts and all).

If you were a fan of the real-time tactical battles in Normandy '44, then you may have trouble warming to this - the operational realities of the Eastern Front and how it's been translated into the game make for some brutal fights, both in SP and MP. If you felt that the first Steel Division game needed more in the campaign space however, we dare you to not be impressed by the new Army General mode. Once Eugen sort out the last of the kinks, this will truly be a war game for the ages. Check out our Steel Division 2 review for more. The Fate of Finland, is pretty good, although the most recent Black Sunday DLC could have been better.

Strategic Command WW2: World at War

Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Fury Software
Tags: European Theatre, Pacific Theatre, Global, Grand-Strategy, Turn Based, Hex
Purchase: GOG.com,Direct, Steam

World at War easily supplants it's younger sibling, War in Europe, for the simple fact that while this is in some ways 'more the same', it's 'more the same' on a global level. Our initial concerns that this one might fall prey to the same problems the SC Classic entry Global Conflict suffered turned out to be ill-founded. Fury have learned the lessons of the past and managed to create a compelling grand-strategy sandbox, at scale, that leaves plenty of meaningful gameplay options whether you're in Europe, or the Korean peninsular.

As fun as tactical or even operational level warfare is, there’s something empowering about taking control of a nation’s entire strategic resources; from industry and production to the military assets. Fury Software’s Strategic Command series has been around since at least the early 2000’s and is a great example of grand-strategy wargaming. You command either the Axis or the allied powers (and you can have the AI take over individual nations if you want) and must decide where to invest your nation's production capacity across research, mobilisation, diplomacy and maintaining your armed forces. Units represent Corps, Army Groups, Fleets & Air Groups. Read our Strategic Command WW2: World at Warreview.

Command Ops 2

Publisher/Developer: Lock'n Load Publishing
Tags: Simulation, Operational, Planning, DLC
Purchase: Steam, Direct

Lock'n Load's flagship computer wargame makes its debut on our list of best games. This more recent iteration of the series approaches a very detailed and complex subject with a system of play that is both easy to learn and smooth as silk to play. Mastering play is not easy, but that’s the hallmark of an exceptional product. Other games of this subgenre should take note.

The base version of this game is free, and the download comes with three scenarios that include Return to St Vith, Manhay Crossroads and Greyhound Dash. In this respect LnL has taken the same approach as the World War I flight simulator Rise of Flight, where they charge for additional expansion modules. Read our Command Ops 2 review to find out more.

Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg

Publisher/Developer: Battlefront
Tags: Tactical, Simulation, Battle of the Bulge, WEGO, 3D
Purchase:Direct

It seems you can't have one of these lists without at least one Combat Mission game. To be fair, they remain at the fore-front of tactical combat simulations and are must-plays for anyone who enjoys the hardcore-end of WW2 games. Combat Mission offers an immersive military experience, with a fully 3D engine and a turn-based/WEGO strategy layer that then plays out in real-time. Units are represented down to individual squads and tanks, however players can play anything from a Company-sized force, to a reinforced Battalion.

You could have a passionate debate about which CM game is the best CM game, but the 2016 iteration mightily impressed the late Mr. Cobb in his Combat Mission: Final Blitzkrieg review with its attention to detail and the general improvements to the legacy of Combat Mission as a whole: 'The series remains the epitome of World War II tactical simulations. Is it too early for a Game of the Year nomination?'. Final Blitzkrieg is set in Europe, 1944-45 and mainly centres around the Battle of the Bulge.

Men of War: Assault Squad 2

Publisher/Developer: 1C Company / Digitalmindsoftau
Tags: Real-Time, Tactics, Simulation, All Theatres
Purchase:Steam

The Men of War series is one with humble (and slightly confusing) origins, but also one that’s grown to become a must-have staple of real-time WW2 tactical combat. For fans of Company of Heroes (see below) wanting a little more bite, this is one of the most immersive experiences you’ll ever have the pleasure of playing. There’s a depth and granularity to combat that you rarely see outside of hardcore turn-based counter wargames, and yet it remains easy(ish) to learn and interact with. It can be brutal and punishing (I don’t think they’ve ever gotten the balance quite right between tanks and infantry), but it is also thrilling.

Assault Squad 2, despite being four years old at this point, represents the pinnacle of the series’ development. The series in general has seen many different iterations and experiments, but all of that learning finally comes to together here. As official support has waned, a dedicated mod-community has arisen to provide scenarios ranging from WW1 to the Cold War. If we ever see a new Men of War game, it will be world-class.

Gary Grigsby's War in the East

Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / 2by3Games
Tags: Turn-Based, Operational, Eastern Front, Hex-Based
Purchase: GOG.com,Direct, Steam

No conversation on digital wargaming can exist without starting, ending or at the very least, co-existing with, a nod towards the beast set in the east. Gary Grigsby’s 2010 opus represents what happens when you take traditional hex-and-counter wargaming and use computer software to bring out its maximum potential. No-one ever said it would be accessible or easy to get to grips with– but it is the ultimate military simulation of war in the eastern front of World War 2. To paraphrase the game's official blurb:

Gamers can engage in massive, dramatic campaigns, including intense battles involving thousands of units with realistic and historical terrain, weather, orders of battle, logistics and combat results. Factors such as supply, fatigue, experience, morale and the skill of your divisional, corps and army leaders all play an important part in determining the results at the front line. The game comes with 4 massive campaigns as well as many smaller scenarios all with different strategic and operational challenges. This is not for the feint-hearted. There is also Gary Grigsby's War in the West if the Eastern Front isn't your thing.

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Company of Heroes 2: Ardennes Assault

Publisher/Developer: SEGA / Relic Entertainment
Tags: Real-Time, Tactics, Strategy, Western Front 1944, Single-Player
Purchase: Steam

One of the most mainstream games on this list, the advent of the Western Front Armies, overhaul of its War Spoils system and years of balance refinement cemented Company of Heroes 2's place as a respectable and enjoyable competitive RTS. With the creation of the Ardennes Assault campaign, Company of Heroes 2 now boasts one of the best replayable single player experiences in modern WW2 strategy games. It's even available as a stand-alone expansion, if you really don't want to get the core game.

Ardennes Assault provides players with a strategic territory-capture meta-game layered over the single-player missions; including semi-random events and time-based objectives that change with each playthrough. You have four Companies to command (of which you can utilize 3 in each campaign run) and hard choices in an Iron Man setting that forces the player to think through each move and live with sub-optimal strategies. If you're looking for something less hardcore, or something with a larger player base, then this is a perfect choice.

The Operational Art of War IV

Publisher/Developer: Matrix Games / Talonsoft
Tags: Operational, Turn Based, Scenarios, Various Theatres, Hex-and-Counter
Purchase: Direct, Steam

The world’s secret best wargame of all time, it’s surprising The Operational Art of War hasn’t made all other hex-based wargames obsolete by now. Infinitely flexible, this game has the potential to contain all other wargames inside… a bit like Google and the internet, I guess? The fourth iteration of the series may have only offered a modest amount of improvements, but it keeps the series in place as one of the best titles for deep, operational level warfare. While the 300+ scenarios span everything from WW1 to the Korean War, there are plenty of meaty WW2 scenarios for players to enjoy, and the easy-to-use (ish) editor means that you can add plenty more. From Bill's The Operational Art of War IV review:

Trust me it’s worth it. Whether you have all the previous editions as I do, or you are a newcomer just starting out, this game is a must buy. Now toss in over 300 included scenarios, online play not to mention a Jim-dandy scenario editor, and plunking down a few shekels is an even easier decision to make. Yes, I know, most film sequels are never as good as the original, so what are the odds here? They’re pretty good actually. This latest TOAW edition has indeed made an almost perfect classic even better, well deserving a five star rating if not an entire constellation. Two thumbs up for a job very well done.

All it needs now is a WEGO option, and then it’d be damn-near perfect.

Other WW2 Strategy Game Recommendations

Not every game releases gets to take a spot in our 'Best of' lists, and some games that do earn themselves a place get rotated out for newer titles, just to keep things fresh. Neither category deserves to be forgotten so here's a quick summary of recent releases and past 'best' games:

• Battles for Spain
  
• Barbarroja
  
• IL-2 Sturmovik
• Graviteam Tactics
• Panzer Corps

What would your list of favourite WW2 war games look like? Answers on a postcard!

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The best strategy games always has a good balance between a survival element and either a great story to go with it or multiplayer to play against your friends.

Whether it is high fantasy, sci-fi or based on historical events, the best strategy games are the ones that gives you hours of gameplay.

There are two basic categories when it comes to strategy games,

• Turn-based strategy games
• Real-time strategy games

Turn-based strategy games are usually a lot longer and aim to gives the player a feeling of real power when you accomplish your goals. They also tend to focus more on grand strategy than having a deep story connected to them.

Real-time strategy games on the other hand has rich stories and gameplay is a lot faster with everything happening right now!

You will have to do a lot of smaller missions that leads you through the story while you try to accomplish specific goals and survive, survive, survive! Luckily there are many awesome strategy games out there you can choose from to give you a great gaming experience.

If you like the list of strategy games, please share with your friends and share your favorite game in the comments.

The Best Strategy Games in 2019

1. Total War: Warhammer 2 and Total War: Thrones of Britannia

The Total War Series is most likely the best and most well known strategy games of all time, with a balance between turn-based and real-time gameplay.

Playing a Total War game can take you, depending on how much you play, days, weeks or even months to finish a grand campaign, but still gives the player the pleasure to have massive real-time battles that can take anything up to an hour.

The key is to find a balance between economic management and war tactics to get the best results in your campaigns and this is what keeps the games really interesting. You will manage massive campaigns and have a lot of strategic battles through any campaign.

The Total War Series has made a wide range of strategy games depicting various times throughout history in Europe, America and Japan.

They also released Total War: Warhammer 1 & 2 that is all about fantasy, perfect for those of you who loves fantasy. The latest title in the series is Total War: Thrones of Britannia that takes you through some of the darkest times in English history on the British continent.

My opinion is that if you love historical games, you must play some of the games in the series like Rome II, Shogun II and Thrones of Britannia. If you like high fantasy games, either one of the Warhammer titles will give you hours and hours of awesome gameplay.

Or you can just play all of them if like!

Total War: Warhammer II

Total War: Thrones of Britannia

Buy Total War Games

2. Civilization 6

Civilization is another grand strategy turn-based game where your main goal is to lead a chosen civilization through the times like the stone age to the modern day.

Unlike the Total War Series, it only has a turn-based gameplay with some form of military management to enjoy. There are many different civilizations to choose from and the race is on to achieve victory in a few various categories.

In Civilization you need to keep up with research to improve your technology, culture and military endeavours.

The 3 main victory conditions is through Science (establishing a colony on Mars), Culture (become the top tourist destination through arts and music) or Military (dominate every other civilization on the map). It is awesome to work your way through the different times and using the available technology to overcome scenarios that you’ll face in your campaigns.

The great part is that the maps you choose will be different and randomly generated which gives you a different experience every time.

Best Computer Strategy Game 2019

The latest title in the series is Civilization VI that came out in 2016 and the first official expansion released in 2018 which introduced new civilizations and leaders to play with.

If you like grand strategy management games Civilization is the perfect game for you.

Buy Civilization 6

3. Battlefleet Gothic Armada 2

Do you like Real-time Strategy games, enjoying epic battles and fighting to survive the onslaught of countless enemies?

Look no further, Battlefleet Gothic Armada 2 are one of the latest strategy games for pc that is out in 2019.

It’s a sequel to the original game (Battlefleet Gothic Armada), but it’s bigger, better and with much more richer content.

Have epic space battles between different galaxies with massive fleets and military spaceships.

You’ll need to carefully plan your strategies and tactics to take out your enemies and grow your space empire.

Every spaceship, big and small, are unique and will ultimately impact how your campaigns or battles will pan out.

You can choose to play either a skirmish mode and choose between all 12 available factions, play the 3 single player campaigns with 5 different factions or get together your friends to play some multiplayer games, even co-op play modes.

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Each faction is unique with their own story and characteristics to give you a unique gameplay, every time!

So, the basics is to pick your faction, build your fleets and engage your enemies in some epic space battles. Are you ready to command your own space fleet?

Buy Battlefleet Gothic Armada 2

4. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

StarCraft is a military science-fiction real-time strategy game that are focussed on the hardcore elements of strategy games as we know it.

The world is about to get over populated and the world decides to send colonization parties to establish a new capitol somewhere in the Milky Way.

But, the computers are malfunctioning and they lose all contact with the Earth. Now it’s time to survive! Your job is to grow and protect the new capitol from invasions by weird species genetically created a 1000 years ago, all while conflict starts to brew between the human factions.

The story is absolutely great, brutal and breathtaking with many missions to do and plots to uncover. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty is a direct sequel to StarCraft I, so to fully enjoy and understand the whole story I suggest you play or at least watch a video of StarCraft I as it came out in 1998.

Which in turn requires a Windows based system, most macs lack the GPU power to play a game. Empyrion Galactic Survival is wrote to support DirectX, like most other AAA games. Once running Windows your mac will effectively be able to play, assuming you have a decent GPU which most macs lack. Can you play aaa games on a mac with bootcamp. However if you must try to play, I would recommend getting a copy of Windows and installing with apples bootcamp assistant that creates a partition on you HDD or SSD to install Windows on.

The game is perfect for fan that love’s a old school real-time strategy game with a rich story to immerse yourself for for hours of gameplay. StarCraft is also a very popular Esports title with awesome multiplayer capabilities, so you don’t have to play alone after you finished all the campaigns.

Buy StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty

5. Stellaris

Strategy Games Mac 2019 Free

Are you ready to lead a civilization in space?

Stellaris is a real-time grand strategy game that will give you the opportunity to build, manage and grow a civilization in space.

The game starts in 2200, so your’e already in space. You can choose between various pre-made empires or create your own custom species with unique traits.

In Stellaris, there are many factors and processes you’ll need to manage to keep your space colonies save.

These include the management of space ships, science development, construction and military tasks.

Like in every strategy game, you’ll need to fight enemies to survive. Combat can take place in space or on the ground, depending on what planets you are.

The game also include diplomatic and trade mechanics which let’s you team up with other factions or trade resources.

If you love space exploration and want to build colonies on various planets, make sure to check out Stellaris.

Buy Stellaris

6. Spellforce III

Spellforce III finds the perfect balance between real-time strategy (RTS) and role playing (RPG) with an epic fantasy world to explore.

You can create your own hero just like in RPG’s, choose skills & attributes from a complex system that makes every character unique.

Fantasy is a big part of Spellforce and you’ll be able to make use of magic and spell casting during combat. It has many different options and combinations to choose from.

You don’t have to fight alone, by raising large armies and leading them into battle will give a true RTS feeling.

Besides the fighting, the game has an economy system as well where you need to build settlements and keep your people alive.

The story will give you more than 30 hours of gameplay with a full dialog, so it’s more than enough time to fully enjoy every aspect of the game.

When you like the real-time strategy and role playing game blend with the ability of large scale domination, Spellforce III hits the sweet spot.

Create a unique character, build settlements, raise armies, forge alliances and cast some epic spells!

Buy Spellforce III

7. Company of Heroes

Company of Heroes is a real-time strategy video game that let you experience the Second World War from another viewpoint.

It is a fast paced video game with a lot missions you can play and enjoy with your friends in multiplayer mode. The main goal in every mission or round is to capture strategic points that generate resources you’ll need to build a base, recruit soldiers, vehicles and crush your opponents.

It has a great balance between managing your infantry and using your transportation units like jeeps, tanks and other personnel vehicles to have a real-time war experience.

Sometimes you really need to fight a lot of smaller battles for resource points to ultimately defeating your enemy, but that is what makes the Company of Heroes titles so fun to play.

Company of Heroes I was released in 2006 and the second in 2013, but both is still awesome and fun to play.

If you are crazy about the World War II setting and like a challenge, you will find that Company of Heroes I & II can be a lot of fun.

Buy Company of Heroes

8. Steel Division: Normandy 44

Buy Steel Division: Normandy 44

9. BattleTech

Buy BattleTech

10. Europa Universalis IV

Buy Europa Universalis IV

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11. Endless Space 2

Buy Endless Space 2

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12. Hearts of Iron IV

Buy Hearts of Iron IV

13. Northgard

Buy Northgard

14. XCOM 2

Buy XCOM 2

15. Age of Empires Definitive Edition

As one of the pioneers when it comes to strategy games, Age of Empires have revolutionized this gaming genre and set the standard back in 1998 when the first title was released.

Soon after that in 1999 Age of Empires II was released which was the star performer in the series. So why would you play a game that was released in 1999? Well, they released another addition in 2018, Age of Empires Definitive Edition which brings back all the original gameplay, but with better graphics to make it relevant once again.

You can choose between 16 civilizations, start in a particular age with the earliest the stone age and achieve victory. The victory conditions for a normal round is straightforward, defeat all the players on the map by gathering resources, building a base, recruiting soldiers and research technology.

The game takes you through several age periods where each have unique features and challenges.

If you played the older versions, you will know how much fun Age of Empires is to play, so now you can finally enjoy this awesome strategy video game in beautiful graphics with the Definitive Edition.

Buy Age of Empires Definitive Edition

16. Sudden Strike 4

Buy Sudden Strike 4

17. Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak

Buy Homeworld: Deserts of Kharak

18. Empires Apart

Buy Empires Apart

19. Cosacks 3

Buy Cosacks 3

20. Stronghold Crusader II

If you go crazy for medieval castles and is a fan of real-time strategy games, then Stronghold is a must.

It is a simple game, but is very fun to play the campaigns and multiplayer with your friends. Stronghold Crusader II is the latest title, where you play in the deserts of the middle east with you choosing between a Crusader or Arabic campaign.

The campaigns in Stronghold Crusader II primarily focus on a range of skirmish missions you have to complete to win the game, unlike it’s earlier titles which had rich and interesting storylines.

You can also choose to play the economic campaigns to experience a more relaxed gameplay.

So, if you like to build medieval style castles and play an interesting old school real-time strategy game, you should make sure to check out the previous Stronghold games in the series.

21. Crusader Kings II

Political intrigue, invasions on all fronts and a grand strategy experience, this is Crusader Kings II.

The country is in chaos with enemy invasions on almost all fronts, betrayal in your own midst, you need to figure out how to lead your dynasty to success.

The player can do this by many different ways like strategic war tactics, marriages and even assassinations. Crusader Kings II is set in the Medieval times taking place from 1066 to 1453 (or 867 and 769 with DLC’s) with many historical figures that you’ll discover throughout the game.

The win conditions are simple, don’t die and if you do, make sure to have an heir take over to rule.

The only in-game goal is to get as many prestige points as you can. There are also a few DLC’s to enhance your gaming experience even further where with new historical figures, starting points and challenges to overcome.

Crusader Kings II is perfect for someone who likes a balance between grand strategy, government, religion and political management.

22. Supreme Commander 2

Supreme Commander 2 is a fast paced, interesting and addictive game that are extremely fun if you like a good strategy game.

The developers, from the start, wanted to put more emphasis on the characters and by telling a really awesome story.

There are three factions you can choose from, each with unique stories interwoven together to make the campaigns so much more interesting. You basically play from the commander’s point of view for each faction where the characters are all caught up in an enormous intergalactic battle.

The game starts where the newly elected president of the Coalition has been assassinated which leads to chaos, uncertainty, lost of trust and ultimately a great war between the factions. Can you solve the problems and keep the peace or will there be another infinite war on the horizon.

If you’re curious about how the story plays out, you should definitely play Supreme Commander 2.

23. Ashes of the singularity

Conclusion

What is your favorite strategy game?

Games you can play with xbox one controller on mac. Mac’s trackpad and keyboards are not the best controllers in the world, so if you want to play some games, better get yourself an Xbox One Controller. It is simply the best gamepad you can play with. Comparing with Windows 10, where Xbox One Controller is natively supported, macOS works a bit strange with Microsoft’s gamepads. How to stream Xbox One games on Mac. OneCast is a great client for Mac-based Xbox One gamers, and offers a myriad of benefits including Bluetooth and USB connectivity for Xbox One controllers. $24.99 $14.99-40%. $39.99 $11.99-70%. $49.99 $9.99-80%. Games Played With Xbox Controllers More Than Any Other Type $14.99 $2.99-80%. $19.99 $4.99 -75%. Most played with more than one controller $44.99 $17.99-60%. $19.99 $9.99-50%. $59.99 $9.59 -84%. $19.99 $13.99-30%.

Did I miss one?

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Now that you have a long list of great strategy games to choose from, you can be sure to have hours of strategy fun! I listed the best strategy games, real-time and turn-based, you can play in 2019.

Please share my post with your friends if you found this post helpful or interesting.

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