The real-time strategy genre is a constantly expanding frontier of experimental titles and revitalizations of older classics. Whether players want an in-depth, stat-filled experience or somethinga little lighter, there are a host of RTS games that will meet that demand.
A core component of many RTS titles, however, is the base maintenance element, which gives players a foundation of power to build up over the course of a game. But,for newcomersand veterans alike, there is surely some appeal to be utterly unbound, not tied to any one base, able to build armies and wage wars wherever the wind takes you. For players who can’t handle the commitment of a long-term base, these real-time strategy games have no base-building to speak of.
TheHomeworldseries findsits way into the heartsof many space strategy enthusiasts thanks to its simple, fast-paced gameplay and design. The first title in this series doesn’t have a base per se, but there is a vital sort of central node to the player’s fleet - the mothership. The mothership is a unit in many ways similar to the other ships players will be constructing their fleet with, save for the fact that it can produce more ships with the right resources.
Homeworldgives players a vitally important ship to manage and take care of, but also lends it the offensive capabilities of other units, and keeps the story dynamic with a fleet that is constantly on the move through the void. No two battles or battlefields are ever the same withHomeworld, and it’s the first in an underlooked but incredibly satisfying series of games.
There might be some players saying “Hey, a sci-fi RTS focused on coordinating combat with no base-building, that’s cool, but it’d be cooler with more gore, and maybe throw in an oft-misunderstood satirization of fascism, too.” Those players, believe it or not, are in luck.Dawn of War 2is a strike force-focused RTS set in the Warhammer 40k universe and makes a marked departure from its predecessor title in a number of ways. One of those ways in particular is a move away from the base-building aspect in the originalDawn of War.
As Warhammer games continue to expand into avariety of platformsand genres, this fast-paced RTS stands as a reminder of what tabletop Warhammer games tend to focus on, albeit with a greater emphasis on tight-knit squadrons, as opposed to massive armies. The game is a slick, bloody romp through some incredible 40k Campaigns, good for anyone looking after a faster-paced strategy game set in a well-realized grimdark universe.
Ground Controlis an excellent army-building RTS set in the 25th century, with a host of warring extrasolar nations to fight alongside or against. Similarto other beginner-friendlyreal-time strategy games, the campaign and initial levels within it offer a fairly gentle learning curve that slowly introduces all the mechanics that go into building up a collection of squadrons, each with particular units that can be personalized in some way.
Ground Controlput a huge emphasis on tactical troop usage, loading up dropships with powerful units was all well and good, but making use of support units and terrain was essential to completing the campaign, especially as the difficulty ramps up. There’s no base building in sight, as units are deployed onto the field at the start of every battle, but using the environment and positioning to the player’s advantage is essential to a successful run.
Warnois a definitive World War 3 simulator focused on maintaining and altering the doctrine of assault for the chosen faction. This title manages to show the shifting front lines of a fictitious, but frighteningly well-realized nuclear conflict between two major superpowers, NATO and the Warsaw Pact. A fantastic title for anyone who doesn’t mind a bit of a learning curve and immersing themselves in military realism, where tactics, air support, and artillery are vital to success.
Similar toGround Control, this title has battles that begin with deployment, and there’s no permanence in the form of bases that players need to worry about. The objectives are typically to overwhelm the enemy through a frontal assault or widespread bombardment, a grim (but fun!) implementationof a wide-scale"scorched earth" policy.
This early access RTS title already shows a lot of promise, and the detailed mechs that define each player’s army each have unique strengths, weaknesses, and counters that make for incredibly tactical play. The goal of this RTS is, simply put, to destroy the enemy’s army of mechs - with no bases to upgrade or defend here. Buildings do assist in giving benefits to the player’s army, but if relied upon too heavily, it all comes crashing down when the enemy destroys them.
Mechabellumteaches players alot of important lessonsearly on, like being careful with resources and unit composition. It’s an incredibly strategic army fighter with a huge amount of content already, set to only grow as it continues to develop.
