Hubbry Logo
Strategy gameStrategy gameMain
Open search
Strategy game
Community hub
Strategy game
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Strategy game
Strategy game
Strategy game
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia
Chess is one of the most well-known and frequently played strategy games.
The 1979 strategy wargame Divine Right

A strategy game or strategic game is a game in which the players' uncoerced, and often autonomous, decision-making skills have a high significance in determining the outcome. Almost all strategy games require internal decision tree-style thinking, and typically very high situational awareness.

Strategy games are also seen as a descendant of war games, and define strategy in terms of the context of war, but this is more partial. A strategy game is a game that relies primarily on strategy, and when it comes to defining what strategy is, two factors need to be taken into account: its complexity and game-scale actions, such as each placement in the Total War video game series. The definition of a strategy game in its cultural context should be any game that belongs to a tradition that goes back to war games, contains more strategy than the average video game, contains certain gameplay conventions, and is represented by a particular community. Although war is dominant in strategy games, it is not the whole story.[1]

History

[edit]

The history of turn-based strategy games goes back to the times of ancient civilizations found in places such as Rome, Greece, Egypt, the Levant, and India. Many were played widely through their regions of origin, but only some are still played today.[2]

According to Thierry Depaulis, oldest strategy games would be the "Greek game of polis (πόλις), which appears in the literature around 450 BCE, and the more or less contemporary Chinese game of weiqi (‘go’), which, under the name of yi (弈), is mentioned in Confucius’s Analects (Lunyu) compiled between ca 470/50 and 280 BCE."[2]

The Royal Game of Ur from c. 2500 BCE which often been called one of the oldest board games, likely had some strategy elements as well, although it is generally seen as a luck-based race game.[3][4]

One of the earliest strategy games still played is mancala.[5] Due to claims that some artifacts from c. 5000 BCE might be old mancala boards, it has been suggested that mancala may be the oldest known strategy game, but this claim has been disputed.[3]

Another game that has stood the test of time is chess, believed to have originated in India around the sixth century CE.[6] The game spread to the west by trade, but chess gained social status and permanence more strongly than many other games. Chess became a game of skill and tactics often forcing the players to think two or three moves ahead of their opponent just to keep up.[7]

Types

[edit]

Abstract strategy

[edit]
Main article: Abstract strategy game

In abstract strategy games, the game is only loosely tied to a thematic concept, if at all. The rules do not attempt to simulate reality, but rather serve the internal logic of the game.

A purist's definition of an abstract strategy game requires that it cannot have random elements or hidden information. This definition includes such games as chess and Go. However, many games are commonly classed as abstract strategy games which do not meet these criteria: games such as backgammon, Octiles, Can't Stop, Sequence and Mentalis have all been described as "abstract strategy" games despite having a chance element.[citation needed] A smaller category of non-perfect abstract strategy games incorporate hidden information without using any random elements; for example, Stratego.

Team strategy

[edit]

One of the most focused team strategy games is contract bridge. This card game consists of two teams of two players, whose offensive and defensive skills are continually in flux as the game's dynamic progresses. Some argue that the benefits of playing this team strategy card game extend to those skills and strategies used in business[8] and that the playing of these games helps to automate strategic awareness.

Eurogames

[edit]
Main article: Eurogame

Eurogames, or German-style boardgames, are a relatively new genre that sit between abstract strategy games and simulation games. They generally have simple rules, short to medium playing times, indirect player interaction and abstract physical components. The games emphasize strategy, play down chance and conflict, lean towards economic rather than military themes, and usually keep all the players in the game until it ends.

Simulation

[edit]

This type of game is an attempt to simulate the decisions and processes inherent to some real-world situation. Most of the rules are chosen to reflect what the real-world consequences would be of each player's actions and decisions. Abstract games cannot be completely divided from simulations and so games can be thought of as existing on a continuum of almost pure abstraction (like Abalone) to almost pure simulation (like Diceball! or Strat-o-Matic Baseball).

Wargame

[edit]
Main article: Wargaming
A German military wargame from 1824

Wargames are simulations of military battles, campaigns, or entire wars. Players will have to consider situations that are analogous to the situations faced by leaders of historical battles. As such, wargames are usually heavy on simulation elements, and while they are all "strategy games", they can also be "strategic" or "tactical" in the military jargon sense. Its creator, H. G. Wells, stated how "much better is this amiable miniature [war] than the real thing".[9]

Traditionally, wargames have been played either with miniatures, using physical models of detailed terrain and miniature representations of people and equipment to depict the game state; or on a board, which commonly uses cardboard counters on a hex map.

Popular miniature wargames include Warhammer 40,000 or its fantasy counterpart Warhammer Fantasy. Popular strategic board wargames include Risk, Axis and Allies, Diplomacy, and Paths of Glory. Advanced Squad Leader is a successful tactical scale wargame.

It is instructive to compare the Total War series to the Civilization series, where moving troops to a specific tile is a tactic because there are no short-range decisions. But in Empire: Total War (2009), every encounter between two armies activates a real-time mode in which they must fight and the same movement of troops is treated as a strategy. Throughout the game, the movement of each army is at a macro scale, because the player can control each battle at a micro scale. However, as an experience, the two types of military operations are quite similar and involve similar skills and thought processes. The concept of micro scale and macro scale can well describe the gameplay of a game; however, even very similar games can be difficult to integrate into a common vocabulary. In this definition, strategy does not explicitly describe the player's experience; it is more appropriate to describe different formal game components. The similarity of the actions taken in two different games does not affect our definition of them as strategy or tactics: we will only rely on their scale in their respective games.[1]

Strategy video games

[edit]
Main article: Strategy video game

Strategy video games are categorized based on whether they offer the continuous gameplay of real-time strategy (RTS), or the discrete phases of turn-based strategy (TBS).[10] Often the computer is expected to emulate a strategically thinking "side" similar to that of a human player (such as directing armies and constructing buildings), or emulate the "instinctive" actions of individual units that would be too tedious for a player to administer (such as for a peasant to run away when attacked, as opposed to standing still until otherwise ordered by the player); hence there is an emphasis on artificial intelligence.

See also

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Strategy games.

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Strategy game

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
A strategy game is a of games, encompassing both and video formats, in which players exercise uncoerced to achieve objectives through , , and tactical maneuvers, prioritizing cognitive over rapid physical reactions. These games typically involve managing limited resources, commanding units or entities, and adapting to dynamic scenarios to outmaneuver opponents, often in competitive or simulated conflict settings. Key characteristics of strategy games include long-term foresight, from player choices, and scalable decision-making—from grand-scale empire-building to micro-level unit control. Subgenres distinguish gameplay tempo and focus: games demand simultaneous actions in continuous time, as seen in titles requiring on-the-fly resource harvesting and unit deployment; turn-based strategy (TBS) allows deliberate, sequential decisions, emphasizing calculated positioning like in chess variants; and hybrid forms such as (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) integrate economic simulation with conquest. Overlaps with other genres, like elements in tactical RPGs, further diversify the category, but core emphasis remains on strategic depth to secure victory conditions. The roots of strategy games trace to ancient board games, with evidence of structured play emerging around 3100 BCE in through , a race-and-capture game symbolizing life's journey. By the (circa 319–543 CE) in , introduced proto-chess mechanics involving armies and chance, spreading along trade routes to influence global variants like and xiangqi. In video gaming, the genre crystallized in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with (1992) pioneering RTS conventions like base-building and multiplayer skirmishes, building on precursors such as (1989) while establishing templates for modern titles. Strategy games have profoundly shaped gaming culture by fostering skills in problem-solving and self-regulation, with psychological studies linking frequent play to enhanced , though subgenres like RTS show varied associations with behavioral outcomes. Notable series such as , StarCraft, and exemplify the genre's enduring appeal, blending historical simulation, competitive , and innovative to engage millions worldwide.

Fundamentals

Definition

A strategy game is a type of game in which players engage in decision-making to achieve long-term objectives, primarily through the allocation of resources, anticipation of opponents' actions, and adaptation to evolving circumstances. This emphasis on foresight and planning distinguishes strategy games from genres reliant on immediate reactions or random outcomes, as success hinges on uncoerced choices that influence the game's progression. The term "strategy" derives from the Greek word stratēgia, meaning the "office or command of a general," rooted in stratēgos (general of the army), which combined stratos (army) and agō (to lead). In gaming contexts, this etymology reflects the genre's focus on generalship-like planning, where players simulate leadership roles involving tactical oversight and resource orchestration, a usage traceable to the late 19th century. Strategy games span analog formats such as board and card games, as well as digital implementations, provided that player agency in strategic choices predominates over elements of pure or reflex-based mechanics. For instance, games like chess and Go exemplify this through their profound strategic depth, where outcomes depend on calculated moves rather than . In contrast, is excluded as a strategy game due to its dominance by probabilistic elements, with minimal influence from player decisions.

Key Characteristics

Strategy games are distinguished by their emphasis on foresight, where players must anticipate future developments and opponent actions to secure advantages, often described as "seeing future patterns and maneuvering to obtain an advantage." This core trait requires , as players evaluate potential outcomes and balance uncertainties, such as factoring in "risks and the " to inform decisions. Multi-step further defines these games, involving extended causal chains of actions that build toward long-term objectives, where shorter chains can render decisions trivial and longer ones deepen strategic complexity. A hallmark of strategy games is in player positions, where participants start with or develop dissimilar resources, abilities, or goals, fostering unique strategic paths and enhancing through varied interactions. Hidden introduces , compelling players to engage in or to uncover opponents' intentions, which heightens tension and demands adaptive responses. Replayability arises from these elements, as variable outcomes, asymmetric setups, and hidden aspects allow for diverse playthroughs, with strong underlying mechanics enabling "limitless strategies" across repeated sessions. Strategy operates on multiple levels, contrasting —which encompasses overarching, long-term goals and meta-game positioning—with tactics, which focus on immediate, procedural execution to realize those plans. Cognitive demands are central, requiring to identify opportunities in complex systems, probability calculation to weigh uncertain events (as in chess's vast 10^120 possible games), and psychological bluffing to deceive opponents by exploiting biases or feigning intentions. Unlike arcade games, which prioritize quick reflexes and immediate reactions, reward deliberate analysis and patience.

Historical Development

Ancient and Medieval Origins

The earliest known strategy games emerged in ancient civilizations, with standing as one of the oldest documented examples from around 3100 BCE. Played on a board of 30 squares divided into three rows, Senet involved two players moving pawns using sticks or bones as dice, aiming to race opponents while navigating obstacles and blocking paths to reach the end. This race-and-block mechanic symbolized life's journey, evolving over time to incorporate religious connotations related to the afterlife by the New Kingdom period (c. 1550–1070 BCE). Senet was enjoyed across social classes, from pharaohs like , whose tomb contained game sets, to commoners, serving as both entertainment and a contemplative pastime. In ancient , the game of Go (known as weiqi) is traditionally dated to around 2500 BCE, with the earliest written reference in the 4th century BCE (). Featuring simple rules on a grid board where players placed black and white stones to control by surrounding empty areas and opponent pieces. Its depth arises from strategic and balance, allowing countless possible games despite minimal components. Go held cultural significance among elites, with legends attributing its invention to to teach his son discipline and foresight. Generals in ancient used it to hone , reflecting principles of territorial control and long-term planning central to warfare. The game's emphasis on harmony and made it a staple intellectual pursuit in scholarly and noble circles. By the CE, appeared in northern during the , recognized as the direct precursor to modern chess. This four-player (or two-team) game used pieces representing the four divisions of an ancient —infantry, , , and chariots—moved across an 8x8 board (or cloth grid) to simulate battlefield maneuvers, including captures and promotions. The two-player version focused on tactical positioning without dice, while the four-player variant () employed dice to introduce chance, but the core focused on tactical positioning and coordination. As a battle-simulation tool, chaturanga aided military strategists in visualizing troop movements and decision-making under pressure. It spread via trade routes to Persia by the 6th century, evolving into chatrang, and then to the Islamic world as following the Arab conquests in the , where it became a refined pursuit among scholars and caliphs. By the , reached through Moorish and Byzantine contacts, adapting to local cultures while retaining its strategic essence. These ancient and medieval strategy games played a vital role in their societies, functioning as tools for to develop foresight and , as seen in Go's tactical exercises and chaturanga's army simulations, while also serving as intellectual pastimes that fostered among elites and commoners alike. , for instance, provided reflective leisure amid daily life in . Their transmission along and Mediterranean trade routes not only disseminated rules and variants but also embedded strategic principles into diverse cultures. These origins laid foundational concepts for later abstract strategy games, emphasizing pure skill over chance.

Modern Tabletop Era

The Modern Tabletop Era marked a period of innovation and commercialization in strategy games, particularly from the late 18th through the , as European developments shifted these games from informal pastimes to structured, widely accessible entertainments. In the 18th century, refinements to backgammon's rules were formalized by English writer , who published treatises standardizing gameplay mechanics such as the use of dice and movement rules, elevating the game from earlier variants and making it a staple in European salons. Similarly, checkers (draughts) saw the emergence of variants in Europe; the 10x10 board format with 20 pieces per player, known as international or Polish draughts, emerged during the 16th century. The 19th century continued this trend with further adaptations, as entered a "golden age" in , with increased popularity through printed rulebooks and competitive play, though full standardization awaited later codifications. variants proliferated, with English draughts evolving into more tactical forms emphasizing long-range captures, reflecting broader industrialization that encouraged printed rulebooks and competitive tournaments across Britain and . A pivotal advancement came in 1957 with the invention of by French filmmaker , originally titled La Conquête du Monde, which introduced global conquest mechanics on a divided into territories, where players amassed armies through dice-based combat and strategic alliances to dominate continents. This game revolutionized wargames by blending territorial expansion with probabilistic elements, making complex accessible to civilian audiences and selling millions worldwide after its U.S. release by in 1958. Parallel to such narrative-driven titles, abstract strategy games gained prominence, exemplified by Hex, invented in 1942 by Danish mathematician Piet Hein as "Polygon," a played on a hexagonal grid where players aim to link opposite sides, proving mathematically that the first player always wins on symmetric boards. This era also saw the foundational work in by American mathematician Charles Leonard Bouton, whose 1901 analysis of —a misère subtraction game using heaps of objects—introduced the concept of nimbers and the mex (minimum excludant) function, providing a rigorous framework for solving impartial games without chance, influencing subsequent abstract designs. Following , a boom in board games emerged, driven by the generation's interest in historical simulations and the founding of companies like in 1952, which popularized hex-grid wargames simulating battles such as D-Day with modular counters and terrain effects. , invented in 1954 by Allan B. Calhamer and commercially released in 1959, innovated by emphasizing negotiation phases among seven European powers vying for control in a pre- setting, where secret alliances and betrayals supplanted dice rolls for unit movement. This period also reflected the influence of military simulations on civilian games, as post-war declassified tactics from U.S. and Allied war rooms inspired board designs incorporating fog-of-war mechanics and supply line management, bridging professional exercises with hobbyist play. Publishing underwent a profound shift from homemade prototypes to mass production, epitomized by firms like —established in 1883—which scaled up and distribution to produce durable boards and components for titles like , transforming strategy games from niche crafts into household staples available in department stores across America and . By the late , these advancements paved the way for a transition to digital adaptations, where physical boards gave way to computerized interfaces.

Digital Expansion

The digital expansion of strategy games began in the 1970s with the advent of personal computing, marking a transition from analog roots to programmable electronic formats that enabled interactive simulations. One of the earliest examples is (1973), a text-based developed by Gregory Yob, where players navigate a cave system using logical deduction to avoid hazards and locate a hidden creature, introducing rudimentary mechanics through and spatial reasoning. This game exemplified how early computers allowed for strategic in uncertain environments, laying groundwork for more complex digital implementations. By the early 1990s, advancements in hardware and software propelled strategy games into broader accessibility, with Sid Meier's Civilization (1991) emerging as a landmark title that popularized the genre—encompassing explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate mechanics—through its turn-based empire-building simulation spanning human history. The 1990s saw a surge in the genre, driven by titles like StarCraft (1998) from , which refined (RTS) gameplay with balanced factions and , elevating the competitive depth of the format. Personal computing's proliferation, coupled with the internet's expansion, facilitated multiplayer modes, transforming solitary experiences into networked battles and fostering community-driven play. Entering the 21st century, strategy games adapted to new platforms, notably mobile devices, with (2012) by exemplifying models that combined base-building and clan-based warfare, attracting millions through asynchronous multiplayer. Concurrently, integration of enhanced single-player campaigns, enabling dynamic opponent behaviors and procedural content generation that deepened strategic replayability without relying solely on human opponents. Technological enablers like , which doubled counts roughly every two years to boost computational power, allowed for increasingly intricate simulations of economies, terrains, and conflicts that were infeasible in earlier eras. Post-2000, the rise of further amplified this growth, with strategy titles like StarCraft anchoring professional circuits and global tournaments that drew massive audiences. This evolution reflected a cultural shift from niche to mainstream entertainment, as digital strategy games permeated popular media and generated annual revenues surpassing $16 billion by 2022, with revenues reaching approximately $16.4 billion in 2024 and mobile strategy games generating $10.6 billion in the first half of 2025 alone, underscoring ongoing economic and social impact.

Gameplay Mechanics

Decision-Making Processes

In strategy games, players often employ branching to evaluate potential outcomes from the current game state. A represents all possible moves and their consequences as a hierarchical structure, where each node denotes a decision point and branches illustrate alternative actions leading to varying results. This process allows players to anticipate sequences of plays, assessing risks and rewards to select the most advantageous path forward. For instance, in turn-based games, players mentally or systematically map out these branches to forecast how an opponent's responses might alter the board or resource distribution. Information asymmetry introduces challenges to , as players must operate with incomplete knowledge of the game state, such as through mechanisms like . In these scenarios, certain elements—opponent positions, hidden objectives, or unrevealed cards—remain obscured, compelling players to make inferences based on partial data and probabilistic estimates. This simulates real-world strategic environments where full visibility is rare, forcing reliance on , deduction, and bluffing to mitigate disadvantages. Effective handling of such enhances adaptability, as players adjust plans to account for potential surprises. Players balance heuristics and optimal play when navigating complex decisions, often approximating ideal strategies due to computational limits. Heuristics serve as practical shortcuts, such as prioritizing central control in abstract games or evaluating positional threats, to simplify evaluation without exhaustive analysis. In contrast, optimal play draws from concepts like the approach, where players assume adversaries will counter maximally and select moves that minimize the maximum possible loss, effectively searching the to guarantee the best worst-case outcome. This non-technical framework underpins advanced thinking in perfect-information games, though humans typically blend it with heuristics for efficiency. Adaptation to involves integrating , such as rolls or card draws, into strategic forecasts to build resilient plans. Players expected values across probable outcomes, diversifying actions to buffer against unfavorable results while capitalizing on lucky breaks. This probabilistic reasoning transforms volatility from a hindrance into a layer of depth, encouraging flexible strategies that evolve with each revelation. Such elements appear across game types, though abstract may minimize them to emphasize pure .

Resource and Conflict Management

In strategy games, resources form the foundational elements that players manage to achieve objectives, typically encompassing units, economic assets, and . Units represent or functional entities such as soldiers, workers, or vehicles that execute actions on the game board or digital map. Economic resources include abstract commodities like gold, food, or energy points, which fuel production and maintenance. denotes controlled spaces, such as hexes, regions, or bases, that generate ongoing benefits or strategic advantages. Players accumulate these resources through production mechanisms, where structures or actions generate yields over time, or via capture, involving direct confrontation to seize opponent-held assets. In video games, resource nodes on the map are harvested by specialized units, creating a continuous flow that demands vigilant oversight to outpace rivals. Board games often employ card draws or tile placements to simulate production, while capture might occur through area rules, where the player with the most influence in a zone claims its output. Conflict resolution in strategy games employs varied systems to adjudicate confrontations, balancing chance and . Combat mechanics frequently use hit points or damage values to track unit durability, where attackers subtract from defenders' health until elimination. systems introduce psychological factors, potentially routing units if losses mount or conditions worsen, adding layers of tactical . Area control mechanics resolve disputes by awarding dominance to the player exerting the greatest presence, often via token placement or influence markers, without direct elimination. These systems integrate with resources, as conflicts consume units or assets, enforcing strategic caution. Resource and conflict management inherently involve trade-offs, where allocating assets to one pursuit incurs opportunity costs in others. Players must weigh investing in defensive fortifications against territorial expansion, as bolstering defenses safeguards current holdings but delays aggressive growth. Economic buildup for unit production might forgo immediate combat advantages, creating windows for opponents to strike. These choices heighten strategic depth, compelling players to forecast long-term implications amid finite turns or real-time pressures. The scale of management varies across formats, from granular micro-management in video games—where players individually command dozens of units and monitor resource streams—to abstracted representations in board games, using tokens or cards to denote bulk quantities. In turn-based structures, this allows deliberate planning without simultaneous overload, though real-time variants demand rapid prioritization.

Types

Abstract Strategy

Abstract strategy games constitute a genre of tabletop strategy games that eschew thematic narratives, historical simulations, or fictional elements in favor of pure logical and geometric mechanics. They are characterized by , where all game states and possible moves are fully visible to players; symmetric rules and initial positions that ensure fairness without ; and the complete absence of chance or , making outcomes dependent solely on strategic decisions. These traits align with impartial games in , often played by two opponents on simple boards or grids. Key examples illustrate the genre's range from simplicity to complexity. , one of the most basic, originated in around 1300 BCE and involves players alternating symbols on a 3x3 grid to achieve three in a row. , featuring ancient variants from the Mesopotamian city of predating 1400 BCE, requires capturing opponents' pieces by jumping over them on an 8x8 board. Connect Four, a commercial success from the 1970s, was invented by Howard Wexler and released by in 1974, challenging players to connect four discs vertically, horizontally, or diagonally in a vertical grid. , also known as Reversi, dates to 1883 when it was independently claimed by English inventors and John W. Mollett, and centers on encircling and flipping opponents' discs on an 8x8 board. The mathematical foundations of abstract strategy games lie in , which analyzes optimal play in deterministic environments. exemplifies this, as Charles L. Bouton provided its complete theory in 1901, demonstrating that winning strategies emerge from balancing heaps using binary digital sums (XOR operations) in zero-sum impartial games, allowing players to force victories from any non-terminal position. Such analyses reveal solved endgames and strategic equilibria, underscoring the games' intellectual rigor. The enduring appeal of abstract strategy games stems from their unlimited skill ceiling, where repeated play unveils deeper tactics without dilution by luck, fostering pure competition and personal improvement. This focus on mastery supports organized tournaments, notably the Mind Sports Olympiad, founded in 1997, which hosts world championships for abstract games to celebrate their strategic purity and global participation.

Wargames

Wargames are strategy games that simulate military conflicts, either historical or hypothetical, focusing on tactical and operational aspects of warfare. Their origins trace back to the early 19th century with Kriegsspiel, a training tool developed for the Prussian army. In 1812, Georg Leopold von Reisswitz presented his wargame prototype to King Frederick William III of Prussia, who sponsored its introduction as a professional conflict simulation to improve officer training in an era of post-Napoleonic military reform. Officially adopted in 1824, Kriegsspiel used topographic maps, wooden blocks for units, and dice to resolve combats, emphasizing realistic decision-making under uncertainty. Civilian adaptations emerged in the mid-20th century, transforming military exercises into recreational board games. The pivotal example is Gettysburg (1958), published by and designed by Charles S. Roberts, which recreated the American Civil War's using a grid-based map and cardboard counters to represent Union and Confederate forces. This game marked the birth of the commercial wargaming hobby, adapting Prussian-style simulations for non-military audiences by simplifying rules while retaining strategic depth, and it sold successfully despite initial production challenges, inspiring an industry that reached nearly $1 million in sales by 1961. Core mechanics in wargames revolve around spatial representation and combat resolution to model warfare's complexities. Hexagonal grids, standardized since the 1950s in titles like Tactics II, divide maps into uniform spaces that facilitate balanced movement and line-of-sight calculations across varied terrain. Units are depicted by counters with printed stats, including attack and defense values that determine combat strength; these are compared on a combat results table (CRT) to yield outcomes like retreats or eliminations based on odds ratios, such as 3:1 favoring the attacker. Fog of war simulates incomplete information through mechanisms like hidden counters, umpires, or double-blind setups, forcing players to make decisions without full enemy visibility. Variants of wargames diverge primarily between board-based and miniatures formats, each emphasizing different levels of detail and portability. Board-based wargames, often using hex-and-counter systems, include Advanced Squad Leader (1985) by Avalon Hill (later Multi-Man Publishing), a modular tactical simulation of World War II battles at the squad level, featuring over 75 geomorphic mapboards, detailed vehicle and leader rules, and scenarios up to battalion scale. In contrast, miniatures wargames employ three-dimensional figures on free-form terrain; Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader (1987), created by Rick Priestley for Games Workshop, launched this sci-fi variant with customizable armies of infantry, vehicles, and aliens, using dice rolls for shooting, assault, and morale to resolve dynamic, narrative-driven battles. The evolution of wargames accelerated after the , with the hobby reflecting broader societal introspection on conflict. Post-1975 designs occasionally incorporated anti-war themes, portraying quagmires and political costs to underscore war's futility, as seen in simulations critiquing prolonged engagements. By the late , hex-and-counter became the modern standard for operational-scale board wargames, offering scalable rules for historical accuracy and replayability through variable setups and expansions.

Eurogames

Eurogames, also known as German-style games, originated in Germany following World War II, with the genre gaining popularity in the 1970s and 1980s through family-oriented designs emphasizing strategy and accessibility. The American game Acquire (1964) significantly influenced the style by introducing stock market mechanics and indirect competition, prefiguring key Eurogame elements despite its non-European origins. The genre exploded in the 1990s, propelled by Klaus Teuber's The Settlers of Catan (1995), which popularized resource trading and modular board setups, selling millions and reshaping global board game expectations. Characteristic of Eurogames is their focus on balanced, accessible gameplay with limited direct conflict, where players compete indirectly through scarcity rather than elimination or attacks. Common include engine-building, in which players construct efficient systems for generation and point accumulation, and variable player powers that introduce without overwhelming . Playtimes typically range from 30 to 120 minutes, making them suitable for casual sessions while rewarding strategic depth. Prominent examples include Ticket to Ride (2004), designed by , which features route-building across maps as players claim train connections to fulfill destination tickets. Another is Agricola (2007) by , a worker placement game where players manage farms by assigning family members to actions like plowing fields or gathering food, balancing expansion with survival needs. The global impact of Eurogames is evident at the SPIEL Essen fair, held annually in since 1983, which has grown into the world's largest convention, attracting a record 220,000 attendees in 2025 and showcasing thousands of new titles. Eurogames dominate rankings on platforms like , with heavy and mid-weight titles occupying much of the top 200, reflecting their enduring appeal and design influence. In contrast to American "Ameritrash" games, which prioritize thematic immersion, luck, and direct player conflict, Eurogames emphasize elegant mechanics and strategic optimization.

Simulations

Simulation strategy games emphasize modeling complex real-world systems, such as economies or ecosystems, through abstracted mechanics that prioritize systemic interactions over direct confrontation. These games often simulate business dynamics, as seen in Monopoly (1935), where players engage in property acquisition, rent collection, and financial risk management to mimic capitalist enterprise, though elements of chance like dice rolls introduce variability beyond pure strategy. Similarly, ecological simulations like Evolution (2014) by North Star Games task players with adapting species traits to compete for limited food resources in a dynamic environment, reflecting natural selection and population pressures. Core mechanics in these simulations capture real-world phenomena like market fluctuations and chain reactions, fostering interconnected decision-making. For instance, Power Grid (2004) by Rio Grande Games involves auctioning for power plants and resources, where players build networks to supply cities with , simulating supply-demand as fuel costs rise with demand and infrastructure choices trigger cascading efficiency effects. These elements often overlap with resource management systems but extend toward realistic modeling of long-term systemic outcomes. The depth of simulations arises from emergent complexity, where simple rules generate unpredictable, multifaceted scenarios that mirror real-life intricacies. This property makes them valuable in education; for example, cooperative pandemic simulations like Pandemic (2008) teach epidemiology by having players coordinate to contain disease outbreaks, illustrating global health response challenges through chain-reaction mechanics. Variants incorporate role-playing elements in grand strategy contexts, such as Twilight Imperium (1997) by Fantasy Flight Games, where players negotiate alliances and enact political agendas as interstellar factions, blending simulation with narrative-driven empire-building.

Real-Time Strategy Video Games

Real-time strategy (RTS) video games constitute a subgenre of strategy games in which players construct bases, harvest resources, and direct military units in a continuous, unpaused environment, emphasizing simultaneous actions and rapid execution. This format demands multitasking across , unit production, and combat engagement, distinguishing it from turn-based counterparts by requiring real-time reflexes and decision-making. Evolving from earlier tabletop wargames, the genre gained prominence through digital innovations that enabled persistent gameplay flow. , released in 1992 by , is widely regarded as the originator of the modern RTS genre, introducing foundational mechanics like automated resource collection via harvesters and structured base-building campaigns set on the planet . Key titles in the genre exemplify its diversity and enduring appeal. , developed by and released in 1997, infused RTS gameplay with a historical theme, enabling players to guide civilizations from the through technological advancements in campaigns drawn from ancient world events. , launched by in 2010, solidified the genre's dominance, featuring three asymmetrically balanced races—Terran (mechanized humans), (swarming insects), and Protoss (advanced aliens)—each with unique units and strategies that foster competitive depth and frequent balance patches. More recent entries include (2024) by Frost Giant Studios, which emphasizes competitive multiplayer and AI advancements in a sci-fi setting. Players in RTS games encounter significant challenges, including the management of aggressive "rushes," where opponents launch early invasions to disrupt economic buildup, necessitating swift defensive responses and unit . This "micro" control—positioning individual units for optimal —contrasts with "macro" oversight of and expansion, often leading to high-pressure scenarios that test multitasking under time constraints. Hybrid subgenres have emerged, such as multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs), which draw from RTS roots by adapting real-time unit control and lane-based objectives into hero-centric formats, as seen in titles like modded from Warcraft III. From a technical standpoint, RTS games rely on sophisticated algorithms, such as A*, to navigate units around dynamic obstacles and terrain in large-scale battles involving hundreds of entities. Unit AI systems further enhance gameplay by simulating behaviors like formation movement and threat prioritization, though they must balance computational efficiency with realistic responsiveness in real-time environments. The achieved peak popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, coinciding with blockbuster releases like and series expansions that captured widespread critical and commercial acclaim.

Turn-Based Strategy Video Games

Turn-based strategy video games emphasize discrete turns in which players alternate actions, enabling deliberate planning and analysis in multifaceted scenarios without the urgency of continuous play. This structure fosters deep strategic engagement, as players can meticulously evaluate options, forecast outcomes, and refine tactics at their own pace, appealing to those who prioritize intellectual depth over reflexive decision-making. A seminal example is the Civilization series, which debuted in 1991 and pioneered the 4X subgenre—encompassing exploration, expansion, exploitation, and extermination—where players guide civilizations through historical eras via turn-based commands on resource management, diplomacy, and conquest, including its successor Civilization VII (2025), which features dynamic civilization shifts across ages. The series' core appeal lies in its allowance for unhurried empire-building, allowing players to ponder long-term strategies like technological advancement or territorial growth without time constraints. Other notable titles include Heroes of Might and Magic (1995), a turn-based strategy game blending RPG elements such as hero progression and unit recruitment with tactical map conquests. Similarly, XCOM: Enemy Unknown (2012) focuses on tactical squad-based combat, where players command elite soldiers in turn-based missions against alien threats, emphasizing positioning, cover, and risk assessment in high-stakes encounters. Subtypes within turn-based strategy video games include simulations, such as (2016), which immerses players in World War II-era through managing national economies, military production, and global alliances on a grand scale. Innovations like asynchronous multiplayer have enhanced accessibility, permitting players to take turns at their convenience rather than synchronously; for instance, (2016) supports this via its "Play by Cloud" feature, enabling ongoing games across sessions without requiring simultaneous participation. Game design in this genre often incorporates save states to facilitate experimentation and recovery from errors, a natural fit for turn-based pacing that encourages iterative playtesting of strategies. Robust modding communities further extend longevity, with platforms like Steam Workshop hosting thousands of user-created expansions for titles such as , including new civilizations, maps, and mechanics that deepen replayability. Post-2010, these mechanics have influenced mobile adaptations, spawning titles like (2017), which adapts console-style for touch interfaces and episodic play. This format parallels the structured turns of traditional board games, promoting thoughtful contention among participants.

References

  1. https://gamestudies.org/1801/articles/simon_dor
  2. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0299819
  3. https://www.kinephanos.ca/2014/real-time-strategy/
  4. https://www.metmuseum.org/essays/board-games-from-ancient-egypt-and-the-near-east
  5. https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/content/did-you-know-traditional-strategy-games-along-silk-roads-chess
  6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191886916308832
  7. https://www.redbull.com/us-en/history-of-strategy-games
  8. https://starborne.com/post/a-brief-history-of-strategy-games
  9. https://www.kathleenmercury.com/what-is-a-strategy-game.html
  10. https://en.gamefa.com/2857/strategy-in-video-games-strategy-video-games/
  11. https://www.etymonline.com/word/strategy
  12. https://www.oed.com/dictionary/strategy-game_n
  13. https://gomagic.org/abstract-strategy-games/
  14. https://finlaw.in/blog/game-of-skill-vs-game-of-chance-key-differences-explained
  15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377628555_The_Strategy_Game_A_Scientific_View
  16. https://www.rpg.net/columns/elements/elements5.phtml
  17. https://uu.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1975321/FULLTEXT01.pdf
  18. https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/gaming/video-game-genres/strategy-games/
  19. https://www.metmuseum.org/perspectives/ancient-egypt-board-games
  20. https://www.britannica.com/topic/go-game
  21. https://uschinatoday.org/features/2016/06/06/the-game-of-go-ancient-applications-and-contemporary-connotations/
  22. https://www.britgo.org/intro/history
  23. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2793/the-history-of-chess/
  24. https://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2017/3/27/next-war-wargaming-the-changing-character-of-competition-and-conflict
  25. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/queens-gambit-how-lewis-chessmen-won-world-over
  26. http://edmondhoyle.blogspot.com/2012/10/eighteenth-century-backgammon-literature.html
  27. https://mindsports.nl/index.php/on-the-evolution-of-draughts-variants/history
  28. https://luxegammon.com/mastering-the-past-a-brief-history-of-backgammon/
  29. https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/risk/
  30. https://www.firstversions.com/2017/01/risk.html
  31. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/GameofHex.html
  32. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.4169/college.math.j.45.5.358
  33. https://warfarehistorynetwork.com/article/military-board-games/
  34. http://www.dipwiki.com/index.php?title=Diplomacy
  35. https://corvusbelli.com/en/press-room/blog/games-evolution
  36. https://if50.substack.com/p/1973-hunt-the-wumpus
  37. https://game-ace.com/blog/ai-in-game-development/
  38. https://entertainment.ie/trending/why-arent-real-time-strategy-games-a-thing-anymore-335071/
  39. https://textbooks.whatcom.edu/mediaandculture/chapter/10-2-the-evolution-of-electronic-games/
  40. https://www.exitlag.com/blog/history-clash-of-clans-release-evolution/
  41. https://arxiv.org/html/2304.13269v4
  42. https://ojs.stanford.edu/ojs/index.php/intersect/article/download/2046/1422/7838
  43. https://championlounge.co.uk/the-rise-of-esports-a-decade-of-transformation-and-triumph/
  44. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/strategy-games-market/
  45. https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/strategy-games-global-market-report
  46. https://www.pocketgamer.biz/strategy-games-surge-as-rpg-revenue-tumbles-h1-2025s-top-genres-revealed/
  47. https://wikis.nyu.edu/download/attachments/100635493/RulesofPlay.Ch19.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1569962199178&api=v2
  48. https://ludology.co/asymmetric-information/
  49. https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/courses/soco/projects/2003-04/intelligent-search/minimax.html
  50. https://people.inf.ethz.ch/basin/pubs/cg-98.pdf
  51. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/how-randomness-contributes-to-strategic-thinking
  52. https://invogames.com/blog/what-is-real-time-strategy-games/
  53. https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262240451/rules-of-play/
  54. https://waywardstrategy.com/2014/12/18/random-thoughts-on-resource-management-in-rts/
  55. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/a-look-at-combat-phases-in-rts-games
  56. https://islaythedragon.com/guides/all-under-control-a-guide-to-area-controlmajority/
  57. https://waywardstrategy.com/2018/03/28/the-cost-of-combat-in-strategy-games/
  58. https://www.leagueofgamemakers.com/game-elements-resources/
  59. https://www.abstractgames.org/abstractdefinition.html
  60. https://kanare-abstract.com/en/pages/abstract-games
  61. https://www.outdoorgames-n-sports.ca/the-fascinating-history-of-tic-tac-toe/
  62. https://checkers.online/magazine/history/draughts-origins
  63. https://drimify.com/en/resources/connecting-dots-connect-four-history/
  64. https://www.britishothello.org/othello-history
  65. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1967631
  66. https://mindsportsolympiad.com/about/
  67. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0968344519855104
  68. https://brill.com/view/journals/vulc/4/1/article-p52_3.pdf
  69. https://www.historynet.com/how-gettysburg-inspired-modern-war-gaming/
  70. https://www.meeplemountain.com/top-six/top-6-hex-and-counter-wargames/
  71. https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/papers/2008/P7511.pdf
  72. https://mmpgamers.com/advanced-squad-leader-c-2
  73. http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2012/09/retrospective-warhammer-40000-rogue.html
  74. https://warontherocks.com/2024/09/the-wargames-that-prophesized-americas-defeat-in-vietnam/
  75. https://www.goonhammer.com/the-games-of-our-fathers-why-you-should-play-hex-and-counter-wargames/
  76. https://meeplescorner.co.uk/blogs/boardgame-glossary/what-makes-a-board-game-a-eurogame
  77. https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/311318/euro-and-german-style-games-over-the-decades-histo
  78. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2023/04/klaus-teuber-made-catan-and-it-changed-the-worlds-expectations-for-board-games/
  79. https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-man-who-built-catan
  80. https://tickettocarcassonne.com/an-introduction-to-eurogames/
  81. https://www.gaminglib.com/blogs/news/eurogames-vs-amerigames
  82. https://www.gaminglib.com/blogs/news/what-are-eurogames
  83. https://www.dicebreaker.com/games/ticket-to-ride/how-to/how-to-play-ticket-to-ride
  84. https://www.meeplemountain.com/reviews/agricola/
  85. https://www.spiel-essen.de/en/press?view=article&id=304&catid=12
  86. https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/361595/bgg-is-dominated-by-eurogames-or-is-it-a-look-at-w
  87. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1137828.pdf
  88. https://www.northstargames.com/products/evolution
  89. https://www.riograndegames.com/games/power-grid-first-edition/
  90. https://mthagaman.com/assets/pdf/2015.PandemicLesson.pdf
  91. https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/11/15/meet-the-creator/
  92. https://www.g2a.com/news/features/the-evolution-of-dune-games-from-rts-origins-to-modern-strategy/
  93. https://www.wired.com/story/age-of-empires-iv-real-time-strategy-games-history/
  94. https://variety.com/2018/gaming/features/starcraft-ii-esports-history-1202873246/
  95. https://simonhalliday.com/2019/09/04/starcraft-ii-a-study-in-asymmetrical-design/
  96. https://stormgate.frostgiant.com/
  97. https://cdn.aaai.org/AAAI/2008/AAAI08-208.pdf
  98. https://videogametourism.at/content/demystifying-mobas-history-speed
  99. http://www.cs.mun.ca/~dchurchill/publications/pdf/ecgg15_chapter-rts_ai.pdf
  100. https://www.vgchartz.com/article/436831/history-of-real-time-strategy-the-peak-1999-2003/
  101. https://weplayretro.games/turn-based-games/
  102. https://chillplacegaming.com/turn-based-vs-real-time-strategy-games-which-one-suits-you-best/
  103. https://civilization.2k.com/
  104. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Civilization-computer-game-series
  105. https://civilization.2k.com/civ-vii/
  106. https://www.mobygames.com/game/668/heroes-of-might-and-magic/
  107. https://mightandmagic.fandom.com/wiki/Heroes_of_Might_and_Magic:_A_Strategic_Quest
  108. https://2k.com/games/xcom/enemy-unknown/
  109. https://store.steampowered.com/app/200510/XCOM_Enemy_Unknown/
  110. https://store.steampowered.com/app/394360/Hearts_of_Iron_IV/
  111. https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/games/hearts-of-iron-iv/about
  112. https://gaming.stackexchange.com/questions/289165/civilization-vi-asynchronous-multiplayer-aka-pitboss
  113. https://steamcommunity.com/app/289070/workshop/
  114. https://plarium.com/en/blog/turn-based-mobile-games/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.