Which grand strategy games are considered the best?

[jun123]

I'm currently on the lookout for good grand strategy/empire-building games and wargames. While I don't have a specific era or time period in mind, I'm seeking titles with reasonably good graphics, similar to games like AACW and Europa Universalis.

Here's a list of games I already have:

1. Europa Universalis III

2. American Civil War: The Blue and the Gray (AACW)

3. Operational Art of War III (though not exactly grand strategy)

I'm considering Hearts of Iron II, but I'm still undecided as version 1 felt somewhat similar to "Europa Universalis circa 1940".

If you have any suggestions or ideas for games that match my criteria, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks to all for your help!

[Pocus]

Not exactly a pure historical game, but I did like a lot (after some acclimatization to some peculiar mechanisms) Old World.
It's much more historical than Civ, very polished, clever in many mechanisms, original. Try the Carthage campaign. The Alexander/Diadochi one is decent, but you have to eat your vegetables and play some boring scenarios through the campaigns to get to the really interesting scenarios.

[Baris]

Imperiums: Greek War is also quite good. From what I see AI also use the tools players have in their strategy unlike civilization games. It has a mix of grand strategy and wargame flavour. It has commanders like ACW and FOG Empires. There are some DLC content but they put some of the mechanics into the base game also.

[Duc de Montebello]

I'm currently on the lookout for good grand strategy/empire-building games and wargames. While I don't have a specific era or time period in mind, I'm seeking titles with reasonably good graphics, similar to games like AACW and Europa Universalis.

Here's a list of games I already have:

1. Europa Universalis III

2. American Civil War: The Blue and the Gray (AACW)

3. Operational Art of War III (though not exactly grand strategy)

I'm considering Hearts of Iron II, but I'm still undecided as version 1 felt somewhat similar to "Europa Universalis circa 1940".

If you have any suggestions or ideas for games that match my criteria, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks to all for your help!

If you play pbem then PON might be a strong candidate.

I dont have time for it currently, operational level wargames that most AGEOD titles are have enough grand strategy in them for me.

Can Pocus answer what financial and legal conditions have to be adressed to get updated the old titles?

For example BOA, ROP, CW2 and WON that are purely AGEOD titles.

We have board game classics being redone and these are digital board game classics.

[Baris]

I'm currently on the lookout for good grand strategy/empire-building games and wargames. While I don't have a specific era or time period in mind, I'm seeking titles with reasonably good graphics, similar to games like AACW and Europa Universalis.

Here's a list of games I already have:

1. Europa Universalis III

2. American Civil War: The Blue and the Gray (AACW)

3. Operational Art of War III (though not exactly grand strategy)

I'm considering Hearts of Iron II, but I'm still undecided as version 1 felt somewhat similar to "Europa Universalis circa 1940".

If you have any suggestions or ideas for games that match my criteria, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks to all for your help!

If you play pbem then PON might be a strong candidate.

I dont have time for it currently, operational level wargames that most AGEOD titles are have enough grand strategy in them for me.


For example BOA, ROP, CW2 and WON that are purely AGEOD titles.

For remake AGEOD titles check:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2150 ... he_People/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1933 ... in_at_War/

Maybe more to come.

[Duc de Montebello]

I'm currently on the lookout for good grand strategy/empire-building games and wargames. While I don't have a specific era or time period in mind, I'm seeking titles with reasonably good graphics, similar to games like AACW and Europa Universalis.

Here's a list of games I already have:

1. Europa Universalis III

2. American Civil War: The Blue and the Gray (AACW)

3. Operational Art of War III (though not exactly grand strategy)

I'm considering Hearts of Iron II, but I'm still undecided as version 1 felt somewhat similar to "Europa Universalis circa 1940".

If you have any suggestions or ideas for games that match my criteria, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks to all for your help!

If you play pbem then PON might be a strong candidate.

I dont have time for it currently, operational level wargames that most AGEOD titles are have enough grand strategy in them for me.


For example BOA, ROP, CW2 and WON that are purely AGEOD titles.

For remake AGEOD titles check:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2150 ... he_People/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1933 ... in_at_War/

Maybe more to come.

Are these WEGO?

I like the cards used in the old AGEOD titles, they could be even expanded in remakes.


But I prefer the old AGEOD combat resolution, it could be refined but the core concept is fine.

[Baris]

Regions, supply and somehow garrison inside buildings are similar. I feel like playing AGEOD game while playing Taiping Rebellion with many factions. Card system much better and combat resolution more transparent. Some players may not like board game dice but is all about dice in combat in games. WEGO or not is about debate and preference.

[StatboyVT]

For remake AGEOD titles check:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2150 ... he_People/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1933 ... in_at_War/

Maybe more to come.

They are also releasing a Napoleonic game soon. Can't wait to check that one out, as well as We The People. Their Mexican War game also looks good, but I haven't played it.

[Pocus]

The old code base (AGE engine) is the property of Slitherine, but I feel it is now almost replaced on all things (and way faster) with my work on Empires and now Kingdoms.

I would not want to use anymore the old code base anyway ...

As for the requisites to recreate with the current engine the old AGEOD games, it boils down to manpower. I would say it is also a matter of sales potential, but this argument would be of smaller importance if someone with coding skills would be willing to make a deal with Slitherine.

Barring this unicorn, then that's on me and given I work for Slitherine, they will want something with decent commercial traction. I honestly don't know which game I'll do after Kingdoms...

[lodilefty]

For remake AGEOD titles check:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2150 ... he_People/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1933 ... in_at_War/

Maybe more to come.

They are also releasing a Napoleonic game soon. Can't wait to check that one out, as well as We The People. Their Mexican War game also looks good, but I haven't played it.

Thank you! I'm enjoying working on these and others!

[ERISS]

I did like a lot (after some acclimatization to some peculiar mechanisms) Old World.
It's much more historical than Civ, very polished, clever in many mechanisms, original.

I tried to like it, but was bored with characters (that I almost never understood) and war without strategy.

Some who give it 40% rating:
"The characters are bland and uninteresting and I find myself not really careing about my own character's actions and events much less that of all the other characters I barely bother to keep track off or learn to remember. Frequently I find that characters that I actually do notice die within a couple of turns before they made much of an impact.

As for combat, I find it too fast phased with units frequently coming in from across the map and due to how little damage my defending front line deals the attacker have a huge advantage. While I understand this is due to attacking in this game carrying a resource cost it also means that frontlines never seems to form and it turns more into random units being all over the place.

a lot of clumsiness purported as "complexity".
The pretense of being "historical" is quite frankly ridicule (King Hrotgar of the Danes?In Tyre? never heard of the Phoenicians?) and basically is Civ4 with less civilizations and the tech tree truncated before the middle age.

Ten years ago it could have been a good game, now it falls below average, especially since the historical turn-based strategy game subgenre has seen excellent titles such as Field of Glory:Empires or Imperiums:Greek Wars"

Ozymandias is an excellent little game.
https://www.gog.com/en/game/ozymandias_ ... xe_edition