Of the later genres to arrive in video games, the real-time strategy (RTS) genre is probably the one most associated with a single platform: the PC. This is mostly due to the urgency experienced in these types of games: everything is happening simultaneously in real time, hence the name.
This means that your opponents are building up while you are. No time to sit and think about your strategy. Every minute you waste is a minute they’re using to get ahead of you.
This makes it somewhat of a race to see who can come up with the winning strategy first.
With its roots in tabletop strategy, then turn-based strategy, RTS engages the players’ mind as well as their speed. Where FPS games test reflexes, and platformers test timing, RTS calls for you to think how best to balance the options you’re given to get optimal results.
There are a few common strategies in all RTS games. The Zerg Rush is among the most famous, named after the Starcraft strategy of creating a horde of low-tech units and swarming the enemy with them. Another is “turtling”, building defences that make your base near impossible to attack safely.
Of course, neither of these work well against a prepared opponent, making the genre a form of rock-paper-scissors; will your chosen side and strategy counter or overpower your opponent’s?
My usual RTS of choice is Command & Conquer Red Alert 3, which offers three sides: Allies, Soviet and Imperial, each with their own strengths.
Some games offer two (the original Warcraft offered Humans and Orcs), while others can have many more, with Age of Empires having 12 distinct factions.
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Of course, this is a nightmare to balance. It is most common to have three sides. In Red Alert 3, the Allies have the best air force, and have units that require pinpoint precision to be most effective.
The Soviets are the strongest on the land, with their tanks being the biggest and toughest; the best counter for a solid Soviet land assault is to flee!
The Imperials favour the sea, and have a lot of units that can act in two modes; a missile-firing helicopter that becomes a walking anti-air unit.
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The RTS genre is definitely not for those with little patience. “Quick” games can take twenty minutes, and long multiplayer games could last hours. Especially when there’s that last little building or unit to eliminate to achieve victory.
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I recommend RTS games to those people who like methodical strategy over twitch-reflex game mechanics. Make a plan, build up to that plan, and head off to fight your enemy. What’s your preferred strategy game?
