Line #34 Main/TurnBasedStrategy


1	[[quoteright:700:[[VideoGame/FrontMission5 https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fm5_grid_map_battle.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:700:[[GeoEffects We got the high ground.]][[note]]Wanzers on a building roof/parking lot.[[/note]]]]
3
4	Turn-Based strategy games are a subgenre of [[StrategyGame strategy games]] which are generally wholly abstract, or a kind of military simulator. The players take command of a number of pieces or units, and then take turns manipulating them over a playing area usually marked with a rectangular or hexagonal grid. In each turn, player actions typically consist of some combination of moving a unit, [[TurnBasedCombat attacking an enemy unit]], or exploiting natural resources, most often by recruiting more units or building more fixed facilities. Typically, each unit can move, then undergo one other action per turn. Play typically concludes when some specific objective has been reached, especially the destruction of all enemy units (or all enemy structures,) though timed games are also common.
5
6	TBS games derive from traditional board games, [[{{Wargaming}} tabletop wargames]] like ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' and ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'', and the miniature tabletop battles used by real generals and historians to practice and conduct actual wars for millennia. Many computer TBS titles use similar grid maps, hit and damage systems, and unit balance concepts to their earlier dice-and-paper equivalents. Recreational miniature wargaming is, however, OlderThanTheyThink, with an early set of rules invented by ''Creator/HGWells'' for tin soldiers in 1900! Many ancient boardgames, including TabletopGame/{{Chess}} and TabletopGame/{{Go}}, are predecessors of this genre, making it at least OlderThanFeudalism, possibly OlderThanDirt.
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8	Today, TBS has lost popularity to RealTimeStrategy, which is essentially the same style of play without the turn structure, its main advantage being the ability to handle larger number of players and units without increasing the duration of any given match. Nonetheless, some players still prefer the turn-based structure (even if only for single-player games) because of its greater allowance for long-term strategizing and precise execution. A huge difference between the style of play in a RealTimeStrategy is that you have to think on your feet as much as you have to think ahead. In a TurnBasedStrategy, more emphasis is on thinking ahead and taking time to plot your moves and consider other possibilities.
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10	One compromise between TBS and RTS games is PausableRealtime, although it's still impractical in multiplayer. Another compromise is Simultaneous Turn Resolution, aka "WEGO"[[note]]a ShoehornedAcronym for We Each Give Orders opposed to the traditional and equally shoehorned IGOUGO (I Give Orders, [[XtremeKoolLetterz U]] Give Orders) [[/note]], in which players formulate and submit their orders for the turn at the same time, then all are resolved (executed) at the same time -- this gives more or less RealTimeWithPause where pauses are fixed. Another compromise is TurnBasedStrategyRealTimeCombat, where strategic gameplay is turn-based, but tactical engagements take place in RealTime.
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12	TBS games are also more common on handhelds than on set-tops. In fact, some normally realtime series have been converted to this genre for handheld installments. Turn based strategy stands up especially well to the limited computational muscle and controls of handhelds, not to mention that turns are suitable to spurts of frequently interrupted [[CasualVideoGame casual play]].
13
14	The major variation between sub-genres in TBS is the scale of its action, which spans everything from squad-level individual combat (which, owing to the lack or greatly simplified resource management and production, is known as TurnBasedTactics) through international conflicts all the way up to controlling whole worlds or galaxies. Larger-scale games often devolve from violent conflict into general competitive empire-building simulations with the possibility for non-violent victory, at which point they become so-called "FourX" (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) or “Grand Strategy” games.
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16	For tropes common to all strategy genres as a whole, see StrategyGameTropes.
17
18	Compare StrategyRPG, which is this genre crossed with the EasternRPG.
19	----
20	[[index]]
21	!Eastern-style
22	* ''VideoGame/AdventuresToGo''
23	* ''VideoGame/AgainstTheMoon''
24	* ''VideoGame/AlchemistCode''
25	* ''VideoGame/AncientEmpires''
26	* ''VideoGame/AntiHero''
27	* ''VideoGame/AtlasReactor'' (of the WEGO variety)
28	* ''VideoGame/BattleForWesnoth'' (an open source PC game loosely inspired by the ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Monsters_(video_game) Master of Monsters]]'' series and ''VideoGame/{{Langrisser}}'')
29	* ''VideoGame/BattleMoonWars''
30	* ''VideoGame/BraveFrontier''
31	* ''VideoGame/CrystalWarriors''
32	* ''VideoGame/DarkDeity''
33	* ''VideoGame/DawnOfHeroes''
34	* ''VideoGame/DroneTactics''
35	* ''VideoGame/FedaTheEmblemOfJustice''
36	* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics''
37	* ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' (one of the codifiers for the eastern side of the genre; also a [[VideoGameLongRunners Long-Runner]])
38	* ''VideoGame/FrontMission''
39	** ''VideoGame/FrontMission1''
40	** ''VideoGame/FrontMission2''
41	** ''VideoGame/FrontMission3''
42	** ''VideoGame/FrontMission4''
43	** ''VideoGame/FrontMission5''
44	* ''VideoGame/GadgetTrial''
45	* ''VideoGame/GateKeepers''
46	* ''VideoGame/{{Gemfire}}''
47	* ''VideoGame/Genesis2009''
48	* ''VideoGame/GenjuuRyodan''
49	* ''VideoGame/GihrensGreed'' (a ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' turn-based strategy game set during the events of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'')
50	** ''VideoGame/ShinGihrensGreed''
51	* ''VideoGame/{{Gladius}}'' (an occidental example)
52	* ''VideoGame/GodzillaMonsterOfMonsters''
53	* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfJinYong''
54	* ''VideoGame/HeroesPhantasia''
55	* ''VideoGame/HeroicArmiesMarching''
56	* ''VideoGame/{{Highborn}}''
57	* ''VideoGame/KessenII''
58	* ''VideoGame/TheLastRemnant''
59	* ''VideoGame/LenEnCafeBookOfTheCafe''
60	* ''VideoGame/LordOfMagnaMaidenHeaven'' (but with elements of a BeatEmUp)
61	* ''VideoGame/{{Magi}}''
62	* ''VideoGame/MajinTensei'' (a spin-off of ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'')
63	** ''VideoGame/MajinTenseiIISpiralNemesis''
64	** ''VideoGame/{{Ronde}}''
65	* ''VideoGame/MemoirsOfABattleBrothel''
66	* ''VideoGame/MoeMoeNijiTaisen''
67	* ''VideoGame/MonsterLab''
68	* ''VideoGame/NamcoXCapcom''
69	** ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone''
70	* ''VideoGame/NaturalDoctrine''
71	* ''VideoGame/{{Nectaris}}''
72	* ''VideoGame/NintendoWars''
73	* ''VideoGame/NobunagasAmbition''
74	** ''VideoGame/PokemonConquest''
75	* ''VideoGame/OperationDarkness''
76	* ''VideoGame/Persona5Tactica'' (a sequel/spin-off to ''VideoGame/Persona5'', itself part of the ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' franchise)
77	* ''Piece of Wonder'' (also a VisualNovel, and the last game translated by Hirameki International)
78	* ''VideoGame/PitPeople''
79	* ''VideoGame/PowerDolls''
80	* ''VideoGame/RType Command''
81	* ''VideoGame/RimeBerta''
82	* ''VideoGame/RingOfRed''
83	* ''VideoGame/SaiyukiJourneyWest''
84	* ''VideoGame/SDGundamGGeneration''
85	* ''VideoGame/ShiningForce''
86	** ''VideoGame/ShiningForceII''
87	** ''VideoGame/ShiningForceIII''
88	* ''VideoGame/SpectralForce''
89	** ''VideoGame/SpectralSouls1''
90	** ''VideoGame/SpectralSoulsRessurrectionOfTheEtherealEmpires''
91	** ''VideoGame/BlazingSouls''
92	** ''VideoGame/SpectralForce3''
93	* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars''
94	* ''VideoGame/TacticsOgre'' (part of the ''VideoGame/OgreBattle'' franchise)
95	** ''VideoGame/TacticsOgreTheKnightOfLodis''
96	* ''VideoGame/TearRingSaga'' (a SpiritualSuccessor to ''Franchise/FireEmblem'' by ''FE'' creator Shouzou Kaga)
97	** ''VideoGame/BerwickSaga'' (a DistantSequel to ''[=TearRing=] Saga'' with gameplay mechanics that borrow less from ''Fire Emblem'')
98	* ''VisualNovel/TearsToTiara'' (the [[Platform/PlayStation3 PS3]] version)
99	** ''VideoGame/TearsToTiara2''
100	* ''VideoGame/TerraBattle''
101	* ''[[Anime/TokyoMajin Tokyo Majin Gakuen]]''
102	* ''VideoGame/TrapperKnightSharpshooterPrincess''
103	* ''VideoGame/TheUnholyWar'' (mixes this with MascotFighter, but without the mascots)
104	* ''VideoGame/{{Utawarerumono}}'' (mixes this with VisualNovel)
105	** ''VideoGame/UtawarerumonoMaskOfDeception''
106	** ''VideoGame/UtawarerumonoMaskOfTruth''
107	* ''VideoGame/VandalHearts''
108	* ''VideoGame/VanguardBandits''
109	* ''VideoGame/VantageMaster''
110	* ''VideoGame/WannaSurvive''
111	* ''VideoGame/WrathUnleashed''
112	* ''VideoGame/TheWarOfEustrath''
113	* ''VideoGame/YggdraUnion''
114	** ''VideoGame/BlazeUnion''
115	** ''VideoGame/GloriaUnion''
116	* ''Franchise/YuGiOh''
117	** ''VideoGame/YuGiOhMonsterCapsuleBreedAndBattle''
118	** ''VideoGame/YuGiOhCapsuleMonsterColiseum''
119	** ''VideoGame/YuGiOhMonsterCapsuleGB''
120	** ''VideoGame/YuGiOhDungeonDiceMonsters''
121	* ''[[Franchise/{{Zoids}} Zoids Assault]]''
122	[[/index]]
123
124	[[index]]
125	!Western-style:
126	* ''VideoGame/AdvancedStrategicCommand''
127	* ''VideoGame/Afghanistan11''
128	* ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpires'' on the Platform/NintendoDS (unlike the main [[RealTimeStrategy RTS]] series on PC)
129	* ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders''
130	** ''Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's Throne''
131	** ''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' (a standalone {{expansion\|Pack}} to ''2'')
132	** ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders3''
133	** ''VideoGame/AgeOfWonders4''
134	* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersAlphaCentauri''
135	* ''VideoGame/{{Archon}}'' (has its turn-based portion serve as the frame to a series of arcade-style battles)
136	* ''VideoGame/AtlasReactor'' (a [[MultiplayerOnlineBattleArena MOBA]] based around Simultaneous Turn Resolution gameplay)
137	* ''VideoGame/BattleChess''
138	* ''VideoGame/BattleForWesnoth''
139	* ''VideoGame/BattleIsle''
140	* ''VideoGame/BattlefleetGothicLeviathan''
141	* ''VideoGame/BattlesOfPrinceOfPersia''
142	* ''VideoGame/BattlestarGalacticaDeadlock''
143	* ''VideoGame/BionicDues''
144	* ''VideoGame/BlockFive''
145	* ''VideoGame/BuzzAldrinRaceIntoSpace''.
146	* ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}''
147	** ''VideoGame/{{Freeciv}}''
148	** ''VideoGame/CivilizationCallToPower''
149	** ''VideoGame/CivilizationBeyondEarth''
150	* ''VideoGame/CivilWarGenerals''
151	* ''VideoGame/{{Colonization}}''
152	* ''VideoGame/ConflictMiddleEastPoliticalSimulator''
153	* ''VideoGame/ConquestOfElysium''
154	** ''VideoGame/ConquestOfElysium2''
155	* ''VideoGame/CrushCrumbleAndChomp''
156	* ''VideoGame/CyberStorm''
157	* ''VideoGame/DelveDeeper''
158	* ''TabletopGame/{{Diplomacy}}''
159	* ''VideoGame/{{Disciples}}''
160	* ''VideoGame/{{Dominions}}''
161	* ''VideoGame/{{Eador}}''
162	* ''VideoGame/ElementalWarOfMagic'' (intended partially as a SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic'')
163	* Walter Bright's 1977 ''[[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empire_(1977_video_game) Empire]]'' (quite possibly the first TBS game, influencing the entire genre)
164	* ''VideoGame/EndlessLegend''
165	* ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace''
166	** ''VideoGame/EndlessSpace2''
167	* ''VideoGame/EndWar'' (on handhelds, unlike its console/PC counterpart)
168	* ''Fallen Haven''
169	* ''VideoGame/FateOfTheWorld''
170	* ''VideoGame/FireAndManeuver'' (both in terms of its combat system and campaign maps)
171	* ''VideoGame/GalacticCivilizations''
172	* ''VideoGame/GhostControlInc''
173	* ''VideoGame/GraviteamTactics''
174	* ''VideoGame/HeroHoursContract''
175	* ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic''
176	* ''VideoGame/HeroicArmiesMarching''
177	* ''VideoGame/HexCommanderFantasyHeroes''
178	* ''VideoGame/{{Humankind}}''
179	* ''VideoGame/{{Ironcast}}'' (both in terms of its combat system and the overworld map)
180	* ''VideoGame/JonesInTheFastLane''
181	* ''VideoGame/KaijuWars''
182	* ''VideoGame/KingArthurTheRoleplayingWargame'' (has a World Map where manual combat is real-time)
183	* ''VideoGame/KingsBounty''
184	* ''VideoGame/TheLastFederation'' (its combat is turn-based and the real-time portion works like a turn-based one)
185	* ''VideoGame/TheLastSpell''
186	* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfAngels''
187	* ''VideoGame/{{Leylines}}''
188	* ''VideoGame/LibraryOfRuina''
189	* ''VideoGame/LimbusCompany''
190	* ''Videogame/LordsOfMagic''
191	* ''VideoGame/TheLordsOfMidnight'' (first two games only)
192	* ''VideoGame/LostFrontier''
193	* ''VideoGame/MakingHistory'' (which combines this with Grand Strategy)
194	* ''VideoGame/MarchOfWar''
195	* ''VideoGame/MassiveChalice''
196	* ''VideoGame/MasterOfMagic'' (spin-off of the FourX ''VideoGame/MasterOfOrion'' series)
197	* ''VideoGame/MasterOfMonsters''
198	* ''VideoGame/MAXMechanizedAssaultAndExploration''
199	* ''VideoGame/MoonBaseCommander''
200	* ''VideoGame/MordheimCityOfTheDamned''
201	* ''VideoGame/MotherOfAllBattles''
202	* ''VideoGame/{{MULE}}''
203	* ''VideoGame/NoGreaterGlory''
204	* ''VideoGame/{{Oasis\|2005}}''
205	* ''VideoGame/ThePerfectGeneral'' series
206	* The ''VideoGame/PanzerGeneral'' series (plus spin-offs like ''Allied'', ''Star'', etc…)
207	** ''VideoGame/FantasyGeneral''[[/index]]
208	** SSI's first and third ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' games (''Final Liberation'' & ''Rites of War''), made using the same engines as the ''Panzer General'' series[[index]]
209	* ''VideoGame/{{Prismata}}''
210	* ''VideoGame/{{Ravenmark}}''
211	* ''{{VideoGame/Redshirt}}''
212	* ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'' (the campaign mode's RiskStyleMap works this way, switching to RealTimeStrategy when battle is joined)
213	* ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheWhiteSun''
214	* ''VideoGame/Roadwar2000''
215	* ''VideoGame/RogueStateRevolution''
216	* ''VideoGame/RomanceOfTheThreeKingdomsKoei''
217	* ''VideoGame/SanctuaryRPG''
218	* ''VideoGame/ShadowEmpire''
219	* ''Shardpunk: Verminfall''
220	* ''VideoGame/ShatteredUnion''
221	* ''VideoGame/SidMeiersStarships''
222	* ''VideoGame/{{Slay}}''
223	* ''VideoGame/SoliumInfernum''
224	* ''VideoGame/SongsOfConquest''
225	* ''VideoGame/SpaceEmpires''
226	* ''VideoGame/SpacewardHo''
227	* ''VideoGame/SpellForceConquestOfEo''
228	* ''VideoGame/StarControl'' (the first game's Full Game mode)
229	* ''VideoGame/StarDynasties''
230	* ''VideoGame/Stars1995''
231	* The ''VideoGame/StarTrekTextGame'' (possibly the first, from 1971)
232	* ''VideoGame/SwordOfTheStars''
233	* ''VideoGame/{{Taipan}}''
234	* ''VideoGame/TenMinuteSpaceStrategy''
235	* ''VideoGame/ThatWhichSleeps''
236	* ''VideoGame/TheaTheAwakening''
237	* ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' (an interesting hybrid, with a continent-scale strategic turn-based game that jumps to Plausible Realtime battles for resolving conflicts between opposing armies)
238	** ''VideoGame/ShogunTotalWar''
239	** ''VideoGame/MedievalTotalWar''
240	** ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar''
241	*** ''VideoGame/TheFourthAgeTotalWar'' (a [[GameMod mod]] set in [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Middle-earth]])
242	** ''VideoGame/MedievalIITotalWar''
243	*** ''VideoGame/DivideAndConquer'' (an extensive ''VideoGame/ThirdAgeTotalWar'' sub-mod)
244	*** ''VideoGame/{{Thera}}'' (a campaign and conversion mod)
245	*** ''VideoGame/ThirdAgeTotalWar'' (a total conversion mod set in [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Middle-earth]])
246	** ''VideoGame/EmpireTotalWar''
247	** ''VideoGame/NapoleonTotalWar''
248	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarShogun2''
249	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarRomeII''
250	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarAttila''
251	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammer''
252	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerII''
253	** ''VideoGame/ThronesOfBritanniaATotalWarSaga''
254	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarThreeKingdoms''
255	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarWarhammerIII''
256	** ''VideoGame/TotalWarPharaoh''
257	* ''VideoGame/UFOAfterblank''
258	* ''VideoGame/UnityOfCommand''
259	* ''VideoGame/VGAPlanets''
260	* ''VideoGame/{{Wargroove}}''
261	** ''VideoGame/Wargroove2''
262	* ''VideoGame/{{Warlords}}''
263	* ''VideoGame/{{Warzone}}'' (formerly known as ''Warlight'')
264	* ''[[VideoGame/WingCommander Wing Commander Armada]]'' (which combines this with [[SimulationGame simulated space combat]])
265	* ''VideoGame/WizardsAndWarlords''
266	* ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEndersTheFistOfMars''
267	[[/index]]

Context Main / TurnBasedStrategy