Abandonware DOS title

The most popular turn-based tactics games

Turn-based tactical video games are a genre of strategy games where gameplay is divided into turns, during which players take sequential actions with their units or characters. In turn-based tactical games, players typically control a group of units, such as soldiers, heroes, or specialized characters, and navigate them across a grid-based map or environment. Each turn, players can move their units, attack enemies, use special abilities, or perform other actions within the game's mechanics and rules.

The turn-based nature of these games allows players to carefully consider their options and plan their moves strategically, taking into account factors like terrain, unit strengths and weaknesses, and the overall objectives of the game. Typically, the outcome of battles or encounters is determined by a combination of factors such as unit statistics, positioning, and sometimes random chance. Some well-known examples of turn-based tactical games include the XCOM series, Heroes of Might and Magic series, Final Fantasy Tactics, and Jagged Alliance. 

mcarthur-war-02

MacArthur's War

DOS1990 SSG Strategic Studies Group
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Battle Isle

DOS1991protected Blue Byte Software
Turns out war is a lot tidier when it’s turn-based. Battle Isle (1991) gives you neat little hexagons to move your units on, like a very angry board game. It’s got strategy, sci-fi flair, and just enough AI ruthlessnes...
renegade-legion-interceptor-01

Renegade Legion Interceptor

DOS1990protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
battle-for-normandy-02

Battle for Normandy

DOS1983protected Tactical Design Group
Released in 1983, Battle for Normandy plays less like a game and more like a history book that came alive, donned a helmet, and asked for a coffee. This is wargaming at its purest: grid maps, unit stats, and more abbreviations tha...
pacific-general-03

Pacific General

Windows XP/98/951997protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
conflict-europe-07

Conflict: Europe

DOS1989 Personal Software Services
Conflict Europe is an abandoned turn-based top-down strategy game set in Europe. The game was developed by Personal Software Services and released by Mirrorsoft in 1989 for DOS, Amiga and Atari ST.
joan-of-arc-03

Joan of Arc

DOS1989 Chip
crusade-in-europe-01

Crusade in Europe

DOS1985 MicroProse Software
pattonvsrommel-splash

Patton vs. Rommel

DOS1987 Electronic Arts
decisive-civil-war-2-08

Decisive Battles of the American Civil War: Vol. 2

DOS1989 SSG Strategic Studies Group
decker-02

Decker

Windows 10/112002freeware
battleausterlitz-2

Austerlitz 1805

DOS1989 Cornerstone Software
ufo2000-03

UFO 2000

Windows 10/11Linux2004freeware
arnhem-01

Arnhem: The Market Garden Operation

DOS1988 Cases Computer Simulations
Arnhem is the kind of wargame where you spend more time reading hex maps than shooting anything. It’s all about recreating Operation Market Garden — you know, that WWII battle where everything went spectacularly sidewa...
gulf-strike-04

Gulf Strike

DOS1986 Microcomputer Games Inc.
clash-of-steel-07

Clash of Steel

DOS1993protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
knights-of-the-desert-03

Knights of the Desert

DOS1983protected Tactical Design Group
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Laser Squad

DOS1992 Target Games Limited
Laser Squad is an abandoned turn-based strategy/tactical game designed by Julian Gollop (the mind behind the X-COM series). Laser Squad was developed by Target Games Limited and released by MicroLeague Multimedia in 1992 for DOS a...
kampfgruppe-05

Kampfgruppe

DOS1987protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
firezone-04

Firezone

DOS1988 Arcadia Systems
vulcan-04

Vulcan: The Tunisian Campaign

DOS1988 Cases Computer Simulations
la-grande-armee-03

La Grande Armee

DOS1991 SDJ Enterprises
conflict-korea-05

Conflict: Korea

DOS1992protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
blitzardennes-2

Blitzkrieg: Battle at the Ardennes

DOS1990 Command Simulations
In Blitzkrieg: Battle at the Ardennes, you’re not just playing a wargame — you’re being handed a clipboard, a stack of orders, and a freezing cold battlefield in 1944. This 1990 DOS title lets you relive one of W...
mechwar-2

Mech War

DOS1992
frontline-v14-01

Frontline

DOS1990 Cases Computer Simulations
operation-market-garden-01

Operation Market Garden

DOS1985protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
nectaris-splash

Nectaris

DOS1995 Hudson soft
decision_gettysburg-02

Decision at Gettysburg

DOS1990 TigLon Software
mech-brigade-03

Mech Brigade

DOS1987protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.