RTS/Action hybrid games.

[Sketch]

So with the recent article about the new Total War standalone game, specifically the part where you can take command of a gun emplacement, and join in the battle, it got me wishing for more games with this kind of thing. Are there/have there been any RTS/strategy games where you can get stuck in when you want? It's something that's always appealed to me but I've never really been sure of what games to try. Dungeon Keeper is one of the few games I remember doing it on and that was awesome, but something with the large scale of the Total War games, or other RTS appeals to me. So yeah.

[Danny252]

Dangerous Waters allows you to fly/drive/crash all the vehicles. Another that comes to mind is OpFlash/Arma(2)'s "Capture the Island" MP missions - though unless you're actually the team commander, you don't get much strategy.

[c-Row]

Battlezone, Urban Assault and Uprising all mixed RTS base building (and a bit of commanding your units, depending on the game) and FPS action with the emphasis on the latter. I would love to see another Uprising game...

[Anthile]

Well, most of these type of games are multiplayer, for obvious reasons. However, there's games like Battlezone, Hostile Waters, Urban Assault and maybe Sacrifice or Overlord.

[Wizardry]

RTS tends to equal action strategy anyway. At least StarCraft does.

[Sketch]

Cheers chaps, I've seen Battlezone crop up a few times, so I shall have to investigate that further. I was looking at that Rise of Nations game too, but I don't think it's suppose to be all that good. Sacrifice looks pretty good too. I wish, there was a Command and Conquer game that did this, a mix between Renegade and the RTS games would be awesome.

[Aspect]

Battlestations: Pacific? Maybe other games in the series, but that's the only one I've played
wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlestations:_Pacific

[Chevy]

I was looking at that Rise of Nations game too, but I don't think it's suppose to be all that good.

Well that was a weird game to bring up.
Rise of Nations is awesome, but it's a straight up RTS, like Age of Empires.

[Bhazor]

Hostile Waters is probably the best larger scale hybrid I've played.

But I'll also give a mention to Giants: Citizen Kabuto which had bizzare little RTS sections snuck in. In a similar vein Tim Schafer's Brutal Legend also broke into unexpected RTSing when you least expect it.

Another one I'd recommend is the Brothers In Arms series. Maybe a bit linear for a real strategy game but the extra dimension still works brilliantly in building the drama and excitement.

[Berzee]

But I'll also give a mention to Giants: Citizen Kabuto which had bizzare little RTS sections snuck in. In a similar vein Tim Schafer's Brutal Legend also broke into unexpected RTSing when you least expect it.

By far the weirdest game to include an RTS section, that I ever played, was Final Fantasy 7.

Can't think of any games in the style you're looking for that haven't been mentioned, unfortunately. (I'm behind the times, though, on RTSes).

[Wizardry]

Oh and I recommend Battlezone. It's an interesting game and quite deep.

[Heliocentric]

RTS tends to equal action strategy anyway. At least StarCraft does.

Peasant, you are in my domain now, Starcraft isn't action, its procedure.

Yes it happens very fast, but a receptionist typing is fast, that doesn't make it an action game... Unless they are playing Typing of the Dead I guess. Starcraft is busywork, predetermined motor function with bursts of creative freedom which are afforded by its "real time tactics"(if you insist). Action is more reacting to events, less something you can plan click by click for maximum efficiency.

I assume he means third person action games which are mixed with strategic elements
Hostile waters, Battlezone(2 is easier to get in), Sacrifice, or Pikmin
But, don't ignore 1st and 3rd person games with strategic elements.
Natural Selection(2 isnt fit to play yet), Splinter Cell Chaos theory: Versus, Empires (HL2 mod), Nuclear dawn,

Well that was a weird game to bring up.
Rise of Nations is awesome, but it's a straight up RTS, like Age of Empires.

I think he means Rise & Fall: Civilizations at War

Another one I'd recommend is the Brothers In Arms series. Maybe a bit linear for a real strategy game but the extra dimension still works brilliantly in building the drama and excitement.

Earned in Blood and the slightly lesser prequel Road to hill 30 are magnificent games, earned in bloods pacing expects you to have played road to 30 first, but if you want to jump right in at the best content (including coop) then get earned in blood,

[Wizardry]

Yes it happens very fast, but a receptionist typing is fast, that doesn't make it an action game... Unless they are playing Typing of the Dead I guess. Starcraft is busywork, predetermined motor function with bursts of creative freedom which are afforded by its "real time tactics"(if you insist). Action is more reacting to events, less something you can plan click by click for maximum efficiency.

Micromanaging a bunch of zerglings is a type of action gameplay. Deny it all you want.

[Okami]

Micromanaging a bunch of zerglings is a type of action gameplay. Deny it all you want.

Yes, timing, reaction and precision is a large part of SC type RTS games, so it could be argued that there's a certain action component to these games, but I don't think that's what Woundedbum meant.


On topic: The Kingdom Under Fire games on the old Xbox feature a mix of Hack'n'Slash action rpg and RTS gameplay. You control a couple of regiments, which you can cycle through in 3rd person view and set waypoints on a minimap and also directly control your general (who's accompanied by a regimant who'll follow him wherever he goes) who has the standard 3rd person action gameplay moves (light, heavy attack, block, special moves). The games looked pretty good for old Xbox games (if you like the Korean graphic style and don't mind a lot of jiggly boobs on your elf units) , you could upgrade and buy units between battles and the battles themselves usually had interesting objectives.

Sadly, the game was also incredibly hard, micromanaging you units was a pain in the ass, the music was atrocious (think Dynasty Warriors heavy metal soundtrack just worse) and the story was... hard to follow?

[Grizzly]

There's also Rainbow Six, the older versions of the game involve planning an assault beforehand and then executing it as the squad leader. The amount of action you get to see depends entirely on your tactical capabilities.

timing, reaction and precision

Tactics are all about timing and reaction and precision in any battle... I don't think it defines any genre.

[SirKicksalot]

I suppose Warhammer: Mark of Chaos counts. A very atmospheric Total War clone in which you control hero units that can engage in duels. It's fun when they clash and their troops make a circle around them. Also there are some missions where you control only heroes.

[Bhazor]

On topic: The Kingdom Under Fire games on the old Xbox feature a mix of Hack'n'Slash action rpg and RTS gameplay. You control a couple of regiments, which you can cycle through in 3rd person view and set waypoints on a minimap and also directly control your general (who's accompanied by a regimant who'll follow him wherever he goes) who has the standard 3rd person action gameplay moves (light, heavy attack, block, special moves). The games looked pretty good for old Xbox games (if you like the Korean graphic style and don't mind a lot of jiggly boobs on your elf units) , you could upgrade and buy units between battles and the battles themselves usually had interesting objectives.

Oh how could I forget KuF? One of my favourite games of the last gen and the new one is probably my most anticipated piece of vapourware. Despite it's many problems no other game has managed to get the feel of medieval battle so well. The mud, the blood, the yelling, the bodies flying etc. It makes the Total War games seem cold and remote in comparison. Even the music can be forgiven as though it doesn't fit the presentation it does fit the mood and adds a nice layer of GRAWWWW when it picks up in the bigger battles.

(Yes that is the actual music for the game. )

I'd highly recommend Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes to anyone with one of them EggBox 720s lying about. Though the newest one is basically a crap Dynasty clone.

[Sketch]

Thanks for all your suggestions guys, investigating them all!

Ah yeah, I meant Rise & Fall, not Rise of Nations. Woops. And yes, Wizardry may be may be technically corrects, it's not what I meant. Hostile Waters looks pretty fun too and the Brother in Arms games look fantastic, I thoroughly enjoyed Hells Highway (pretty gruesome headshots). As for Kingdom Under Fire, I remember watching my friend play it years ago, and he raved about how good it was, thanks for reminding me, I really hope they're backward compatible with my 360. Oh and by the way a closed beta for Kingdom Under Fire 2, started at the tail end of last year, and there's a relatively new trailer:

[Feldspar]

Isn't the Carrier Command reboot/remake going approach this territory?

I remember the section in Giants: Citizen Kabuto, I got the feeling they tried to make 3 different games there but due to a problem in the birthing tank they ended up with conjoined triplets, and no matter how much fun intercourse with multiple women is, sooner or later you're going to say to yourself: "These girls all share the same digestive tract, quite what am I doing here?"

[Bungle]

This isn't the answer you're looking for, but Valve describes Dota 2 as an "Action RTS." So it technically fits your description, even though it doesn't.