Abandonware DOS title

Turn-based tactical 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. 

Most popular turn-based tactics games

Heroes of Might and Magic
strategyDOS, Windows XP/98/95
X-COM: Ufo Defense
strategyDOS
101-invasion-normandy-05

101: The Airborne Invasion of Normandy

Windows XP/98/951998 Empire Interactive
5th-fleet-07

5th Fleet

DOS1994
a-line-in-the-sand-03

A Line in the Sand

DOS1992protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
age-of-wonders-09

Age of Wonders

Windows XP/98/951999protecteddemo Triumph Studios
age-of-wonder-2-05

Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's Throne

Windows XP/98/952002protecteddemo Triumph Studios
Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is a turn-based strategy game developed by Triumph Studios and published by Gathering of Developers. It was released in 2002 as a sequel to the original Age of Wonders. The game is set in a fantasy world where players take on the role of a leader, either as a wizard or a warlord, and compete for control of the...
arnhem-01

Arnhem: The Market Garden Operation

DOS1988 Cases Computer Simulations
battleausterlitz-2

Austerlitz 1805

DOS1989 Cornerstone Software
battle-for-normandy-02

Battle for Normandy

DOS1983protected Tactical Design Group
battleisle1-1

Battle Isle

DOS1991protected Blue Byte Software
battle-isle-2-01

Battle Isle 2200

DOS1994protected Blue Byte Software
battle-isle-93-03

Battle Isle 93: The Moon of Chromos

DOS1993 Blue Byte Software
battleantietam-1

Battle of Antietam

DOS1985protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
blitzardennes-2

Blitzkrieg: Battle at the Ardennes

DOS1990 Command Simulations
carrier-strike-south-pacific-04

Carrier Strike: South Pacific 1942-44

DOS1992protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
clash-of-steel-07

Clash of Steel

DOS1993protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
conflictvietnam-4

Conflict in Vietnam

DOS1986 MicroProse Software
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.
conflict-korea-05

Conflict: Korea

DOS1992protected SSI Strategic Simulations Inc.
crusade-in-europe-01

Crusade in Europe

DOS1985 MicroProse Software
decision_gettysburg-02

Decision at Gettysburg

DOS1990 TigLon Software
decision_desert-05

Decision in the Desert

DOS1985 MicroProse Software
decisive-civil-war-1-03

Decisive Battles of the American Civil War: Vol. 1

DOS1988 SSG Strategic Studies Group
decisive-civil-war-2-08

Decisive Battles of the American Civil War: Vol. 2

DOS1989 SSG Strategic Studies Group
decisive-civil-war-3-10

Decisive Battles of the American Civil War: Vol. 3

DOS1992 SSG Strategic Studies Group
decker-02

Decker

Windows 10/112002freeware
desert-rats-03

Desert Rats

DOS1986 Cases Computer Simulations
empire-deluxe-07

Empire Deluxe

DOSWindows 3.x1993 White Wolf Productions
Empire Deluxe is a classic turn-based strategy game that was originally released in the early 1990s. Developed by Mark Baldwin and Bob Rakowsky of White Wolf Productions and published by New World Computing, it is a successor to the game Empire, which was created by Walter Bright in the late 1970s. The game is set on a world map, where pl...
empire2-art-war-05

Empire II: The Art of War

DOSWindows XP/98/951995 White Wolf Productions
fantasy-empires-03

Fantasy Empires

DOS1993protected Silicon Knights