#bc the main point is. this assimilation into the life earth

[actuallywlccan]

Considering there are about half as many female dwarves as male ones and it's considered normal for most dwarves not to marry or have kids (including the female dwarves), the idea that gender would be a strict binary for them is pretty unlikely. While there do seem to be different norms for female dwarves (they're usually kept hidden in the dwarven homeland and are not included in many written records, even of genealogies), many gender differences don't seem to extend once dwarves actually do leave the mountains, since, when in non-dwarven spaces, female dwarves dress as and are mistaken for males by most non-dwarves to the point that it's a common misconception that there are no female dwarves at all.

And ok, it sounds familiar in a bad way that female dwarves aren't included in written records, but it's possible that this occurs because dwarves have private names that are only spoken between one another and public names which are used with non-dwarves. These names are so private that Tolkien only ever wrote a couple dwarven names in their original Khuzdul, so we don't know any major dwarf character's real name. They aren't even written on tombs (Durin's grave says Durin, which is his public name) so it's totally possible that female dwarves leave the dwarven homes so little that their public names aren't really a part of their identity, and are not used, even in genealogies, even tho they are seen as just as important as male dwarves within non-written culture. Half of those giant statues of famous dwarves could be female and us non-dwarves probably wouldn't realize it.

The name thing is a bit of a tangent, but my main point is that it's very possible (and in fact, highly likely) that tolkien's dwarves have a completely different concept of gender than other races in middle earth and definitely from western culture on real earth. It's possible that they only consider gender A Thing within their homes and outside of their homes they are all just Dwarves. Like a female dwarf could leave her home for one reason or another and live her life around humans/hobbits/elves the exact same way a male dwarf would with everyone she encounters believing her to be male. And she would likely never say anything bc she is already an outsider with a totally different culture which clearly prioritizes privacy and tradition over assimilation. OR maybe the dwarves have different genders depending on whether or not they get married/have kids/etc, so there could be 3 or 4 genders if not more. OR maybe there's three major genders of equal population, but two of the three are associated with male bodies. OR maybe that name thing wasn't just a tangent and gender is associated with whether you have a public name or not and whether you leave the mountains. OR maybe different Dwarven settlements have totally different ideas of gender.

Dwarven culture is hidden, even from the readers, way more than that of men, hobbits, and elves, so there's a ton of room to speculate and headcanon about dwarves, which can be really fun. The one thing that is not at all debatable is that dwarves do not have the same concept of gender that non-dwarves have, since things like feminine beards and normalized crossdressing (but is it really crossdressing in their culture or does it just seem like crossdressing to us) are clearly not a part of any other middle earth race's cultural practice. Remember, it is expected of female dwarves to present the same way as males outside of the homeland and it's not totally clear if they're actually trying to pretend to be male or if there's just a certain way dwarves present when outside of the home and we only think it relates to gender bc female dwarves are rarer and more protected so they don't leave as much, so we associate leaving the home with males, which we assume are all one gender which they may not be, and basically I LOVE IT.

Second tangent, but I fell in love with the dwarves because I wrote a 30 page paper in my freshman year of college abt how they're based on Jews (Tolkien said it himself so don't @ me) and as a real world Jew I feel a lot of kinship with these middle-earth jews (dwarves) and one of the things we have in common is that we both have a private culture and a public culture, and gender presentation is one part of our culture that is always Different, even in public. What I mean is, Jews and Dwarves both (usually and historically) use the language of whatever land they are in. So Turkish Jews speak Turkish, Spanish Jews speak Spanish, Russian Jews speak Russian, and Dwarves speak Westron (common speech portrayed as English) and occasionally Elvish. But we also have private languages (and names) which we use with one another, such as Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, etc. and dwarven Khuzdul. But in both the public and private culture of both Dwarves and Jews gender is one thing that we're just Not Normal about. I'm not at all an expert in Jewish gender practices, but Jewish masculinity is a Thing and has been historically different from goyische masculinity, at least in Western culture, and that difference has been used to discriminate against Jews A LOT, but is also something that has allowed us to see the world differently and is just, like, fine? like it's actually cool that our masculinity is different and yeah there's still sexism within our culture but gender is just one way Jews do our own thing, just like how we have our own languages and foods. (also please keep in mind these are generalizations and based in my own experience and research, which means it is Ashkenazi-centric).

All this to say that one of the things that makes Tolkien's Dwarves and Jews alike is that even in our public-facing culture, we don't do gender in the way that goyim/non-dwarves expect us to, which can lead to some harmful stereotypes (yes, dwarves are discriminated against) but also reminds us that gender is something we as people and communities create and are able to shape and make into what works best for us--AND THAT GOES FOR DWARVES TOO

CONCEPT: After being repeatedly misgendered by the dwarves you're traveling with, YOU (a human) summon the courage to explain that you're actually nonbinary. When they give you a blank stare, you start going into detail about what that means, what pronouns you prefer, how that all works. The dwarves are like "OH no, okay, we have that. Khuzdul doesn't actually have gendered pronouns at all and our genders are too plentiful and complicated to explain to outsiders. We communicate most of them through hair and beard styling. Yeah. I'm not a man. Right. Neither is he. Exactly. We just let humans gender us however because it's not like they're going to Get It anyway. No. Well you might! Ha! Probably not though. Let's get another ale."

[bumbleblurr]

you ever think abt how Transformers is similar to other alien scifi media such as the thing & body snatchers in a way. They're aliens that take forms to blend in on earth but what's mainly different, and dictates if this action is considered more malicious or not, is that some of them take forms that are living bodies while the others take forms of non living objects

[storycharacter]

3x21

Mmkay so I’ve got thoughts:

Overall, I really liked this ep. (I’m seeing that some of you guys decidedly did not, but  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯   what can I say I’m probably always going to like this show)

- Okay first, I’m really impressed with the writers and whoever created/greenlighted the gun control storyline- not because the conclusions they came to were groundbreaking (I, frankly, wish we could all get on the same page about this irl) but because I really didn’t expect a show like this to take such a clear stance on what is a very divisive issue. This is a show within the Arrowverse, where two of it’s heroes (Wild Dog & Diggle on Arrow) use handguns as their main weapons. Oliver uses a guns as well. And you’ve got other “heroes” like the Punisher on Netflix (who, yes, is an anti-hero) who uses guns extensively to exact his brand of justice. 

Gun violence seems to just generally be part of the fabric of these shows. And while Supergirl sometimes has more fantasy, what with aliens being on Earth 38, and the tech that Winn and Lena dream up- I still think it’s incredibly commendable that they said, “hey, you know what? we don’t need that for good storytelling.” (or, even better, “this is important and we’re going to address it on this platform.”)

For the amount of time they had, I think it was handled with impressive finesse. I would’ve liked to explore more of Lena’s point (she has a gun to defend herself against the many, many attempts on her life, used it when Corben came after her and ultimately saved Alex’s life) but, again, I get why they couldn’t (time). There was the potential for a really interesting discourse between she and James and even though we didn’t get to see that, I appreciated that they had a civil conversation where they realized they disagree but it was handled with maturity. (We could all follow that example, yeah?)

OH OH and, like @unnecessary-database brilliantly pointed out, the DEO actually has been changing- it would appear to be canon that they’re no longer holding random aliens without due process and so this step to non-lethal weaponry is in line with changes that have been happening in the background (prisoners, government oversight, etc.).  It also just practically makes a ton of sense: when you’ve got someone like Winn working for you, and access to alien tech, why NOT switch to non-lethal force? Alex clearly thought her alien weapon was better (although, she was also really excited about that stick, too,  so...)

Anyway, long ramble to say I was really impressed by how they handled this storyline and that they even did it at all.

- ok, JAMES. My man! How great is it to watch his character this season?? I’m so excited that he’s found his footing, his voice. Second season was rough for James but the writers are doing him justice now and Mehcad has been outstanding. Also how great is it to see him be more part of the DEO and interacting with J’onn??? (YOU get a Space Dad! and YOU get a Space Dad! EVERYBODY GETS A SPACE DAD!)

- J’onn put trackers on their weapons after Winn’s mom stole one. *eye roll* I lol’ed out loud bc it’s like they actually acknowledged how ludicrous that was. Oh DEO, you still have work to do. (Anyone else flashing back to all the people who waltz into STAR labs on the Flash and how the characters make fun of the lack of security?)

- Mon-el: guys, I ship Supercorp all the way, but I have to admit, he’s grown on me this season. Still unbearable at times but it’s not as painful now and I’m appreciative of that. 

- EVE TESSMACHER ok what is going on with Eve???? I love that she’s back and we’re getting more screen time but I’m also suspicious that she’s going to turn evil or something. Anytime a minor character gets pulled in and given more to do I assume the writers have ulterior motives... 

BUT I love that she’s uber smart and no one knew (except probably Kara, who found her and recommended her strongly to Cat and probably saw a lot of herself in her: brilliant, has the potential to do so much but also needs to pay the bills, capable of handling the crazy that is Catco). So whatever reason we’re getting more Eve, I love it. But also *side eye*

- Kara leaving “on assignment” lol classic Supes move.

- I thought the stuff in Argo was just okay. Moving the plot along and building suspense, and only kind of addressing all that Kara would be going through. But again, it’s a 45-minute show so I’m just watching Melissa’s face and reading all the emotion and turmoil and even though it’s not in the script, she’s selling me on the joy of reuniting with lost friends and family while also struggling to assimilate and process it all. 

So yeah- not a perfect episode but enjoyable and interesting for a lot of reasons.

[waynekelton]

The Best Turn Based Strategy Games on Android & iOS

This particular codex will train and challenge even the most avowed strategy enthusiasts with a maddening variety of scenarios and systems to learn and master from the world of turn-based strategy. Tactics, 4X, Puzzles... across all platforms and many different playstyles, there's a range of turn-based strategy games to celebrate in 2019.

We've reviewed a few titles recently that have moved to our list of the best war games, you should check them out!

Enjoy, and take your time digesting our top picks of the best turn-based games for Android, iPhone and iPad:

Community Suggestions & Recent Releases

We can't always review every game, and out of the ones we do, not all of them manage to claim a top spot in the list. Plus we're always getting input form our readers on what some of their favourite turn-based strategy games are. It'd be remiss of us if we didn't give them a small shout-out as well:

This is the Police 2

Squids Odyssey

Slay

Starbase Orion

UNIWAR

Shattered Plane

Mini Galax4y

Ticket to Earth (Review)

Publisher: Robot Circus Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

In hindsight, our original score of 5/5 was perhaps a bit ambitious. While an excellent turn-based strategy game, much of Ticket to Earth's appeal and potential rested on the assumption that Robot Circus would finish the final three chapters of the game. They certainly took their time, but nearly three years later Episode 4 was finally released as a free update in October 2019.

With a unique take on turn-based tactics, a genuinely engaging story and plenty of challenge to boot, now that Ticket it Earth is finally complete it definitely deserves your attention, and can be considered one of 2017's silent stunners. Now that it's complete, it might even be one of 2019's stunners as well!

Tharsis (Review)

Publisher: Choice Provisions Platforms: iPad Only Price: $7.99

While Tharsis takes a lot of inspiration from board games with dice-based allocation/drafting mechanics, it's very much a turn-based strategy experience through and through. As the player, you're in charge of a group of astronauts on their way to Mars, except everything's going wrong on the last hurdle and you need to manage your surviving team-members, dwinlding resources and a failing ship to the best of your abilities so that someone, at least, makes it all the way to the end. If that means you need eat someone along the way, then so be it.

The game is wonderfully brought to life with an excellent 3D engine, and the app plays smoothly on iPads (which might explain why it's only available for iPads!). Some might find the reliance on dice-rolls to get anything done frustrating at times, but it does feed into the sense of theatre created by the tension and dread as you pray that nothing else goes wrong on the ship as it is hastily patched back together. Imagine Apollo 13 except Tom Hanks ends up eating Bill Paxton - great stuff.

Feud (Review)

Publisher: Bearwaves Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: Free

In many ways Chess is the quintessential turn-based strategy game, and a classic that many people try and iterate on over the years. Some we've been fans of, others not so much, but Feud has impressed us the most so far. This free-to-play gem, instead of trying to be too clever or add in extra rules, instead trys to condense the Chess experience into a tied, closed-quarters tactical brawl.

A 4x4 board, with sixteen pieces (eight each side), leaves no room for manoeuvre, so planning your attacks, moves and exploitations is paramount. Matt was very impressed by this bite-sized take on the classic formula, and there's even cross-platform multiplayer (async) as well as pass-and-play. The only thing it's really missing is a ranked mode and some QoL touches - make sure you check it out!

Egypt: Old Kingdom (Review)

Publisher: Clarus Victoria Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

Clarus Victoria are back with a second entry in their turn-based strategy series based on different historical periods of Egypt. The first game focused on the prehistoric history of the area, while their new game focuses on the 'Old Kingdom' period, which last around 400 years ending around 2100 BC. Back then, the capital of the nation was Mephis and it is here that the player must work to try and build great periods and develop their civilisation.

Resource management is key, and then you must also try and assimilate the other Egyptian tribes through either diplomacy or warfare. It's a niche-style strategy game on a very niche topic, but a breath of fresh air and an excellent pick for those looking for something a little bit different.

Farabel (Review)

Publisher: Frogames Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $8.99

Given that there are so many ways you can design a turn-based tactics game, for something to come along with a genuinely interesting and clever twist is rare, and speaks to the highest levesl of creativity. Farabel's trick, such as it is, is to start you at the end. You being the story at the height of your power, having just emerged victorious from a long and bloody struggle with the Orcs. But to learn the tale, you have to go backwards in time.

With each level you complete, your forces actually get weaker as you make your way back to the beginning of the war. Within individual turn-based battles there's also some timey-wimey shenanigans your hero character can exploit, making for some devilishly flexible tactical solutions. There are thirteen scenarios in all as part of the main story, and beyond that you can participate in daily challenges, or build an army from scratch to take part in special modes, like survival. All round, it's excellent value for money, even being at the steeper end of the scale.

Euclidean Skies (Review)

Publisher: Miro Straka Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $4.99

This game would also fit right in on our Puzzles guide, but there's a healthy enough dose of turn-based tactical thinking that earns it a place on this list (that, and the five-star review it got). It's a significantly different game to its predecessor, and while it doesn't always work the raw ambition this game shows makes it all the more compelling. Even the art style is different - more vibrant and aggressive, it brings the world to life in a way that's unexpected, but also fantastic.

This is a must buy for fans of puzzle tactics games, and while some of the charm is lost in the shift away form Euclidean Land's simplicity, there's plenty of character in this boisterous new chapter.

Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind (Review)

Publisher: A Sharp LLC Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $9.99

Some strategy gamers will find Six Ages' blend of (sort of) forced immersion awful, where others will lap it up. Fans of King of Dragon Pass - which this serves as a spiritual sequel to - will already be familiar with it. They'll discover a smoother interface and a new setting in a new culture. Forgoing the traditional control and power fantasies of strategic empire-building is a hard habit to give up. But for those that can make the sacrifice, Six Ages holds a wealth of wonders few other games can match. It wants to tell you a tale of gods and humans, of mysteries and the mundane while still taxing your tactics. It's a bold goal and, while it doesn't always work, the narratives that it weaves are unlike anything else in gaming.

Darkest Dungeon (Review)

Publisher: Red Hook Studios Inc. Platforms:  iPad Price: $4.99

With each passing year since its conception and release, Darkest Dungeon recedes into annals of history, into the collective memory of unspeakable legends. In other words: a horrid, demanding and sublimely satisfying little game is fast becoming an all-time classic. Some have balked at the fine-tuning numbers behind its challenges (e.g. pre-Radiant days, the initial Crimson Court balancing), but in general the game’s ‘give-no-quarter’ philosophy has won a die-hard following that keeps coming back for more punishment. With the next expansion The Color of Madness slated to arrive later this year, this is a game whose vicious, compelling cycle will continue for a long time.

XCOM: Enemy Within (Review)

Publisher: 2K Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: $9.99

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is still the golden standard for turn-based tactical gameplay, so let’s take a moment to revisit why. Squad-based, knife’s edge combat constantly challenges commander’s ability to scrape victory from defeat. Players make overworld and between-scenario decisions for which soldiers to train and tech to pursue, every bit as decisive as the individual commands given to the squad members in the heat of battle. The game has its hallmark AAA production lustre and mankind-on-the-brink storyline, and these conventions work in its favour. Keep your squad intact, do the mission, save the world, piece by piece. The Enemy Within expansion content makes this turn-based strategy game even better.

The Battle for Polytopia (Review)

Publisher: Midjiwan AB Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: Free (additional Tribes as in-game DLC)

Polytopia takes the crown for best Civ-lite. If this sounds like damning with faint praise, it’s quite the opposite. Because civilization-building builds its challenges and satisfactions with a grand scope and timeframe in mind, trying to miniaturize this genre experience can go pear-shaped in several ways. In Polytopia, the tribes are separated by a single tech (with some glaring exceptions), and the map has been foreshortened to a grid of 256 squares. Units and tech are the same for everyone, but the simplicity of this means a shorter list of decisive, vexing choices. There is no diplomacy system, but victory is determined by points and not necessarily conquest. The game’s blocky, loose artstyle and easy interface make it an easy game to learn and hard to put down. Only just recently did the support for online multiplayer finally make its debut, and it is this latest change that elevates this title to a must-try.

Invisible Inc. (Review)

Publisher: Klei Entertainment Platforms: iPad Price: $4.99

The future came and went, (Invisibly) and it has been cruel to all but a select few supranational, extraterritorial megacorps. Your ragtag bunch of spies and specialists will scour the globe for intel and supplies so they can make one final run, wipe their identities from the omni-vigilant database and live off the grid in peace. Each run escalates if the agents are detected by the guards, cameras or drones, yet the stealth aspect of the game is only one kind of risk calculation among many. The game’s AP and power systems mean that even successful runs can be tight, and sometimes making a clean escape is a failure if the team did not steal enough resources. The game’s generous learning curve belies an experience in which knowledge can lead to perfect play and challenge runs for pacifist or no-item wins at even the most fiendish difficulty.

Imbroglio (Review)

Publisher: Michael Brough Platforms: iPad Price: $3.99

Imbroglio sounds like a mess; it is in the name. But of all Michael Brough’s excellent, sparse designs, this one has the most player-driven customization and controlled random inputs. Here is ample proof that roguelikes can offer as much strategic challenge as the best of classics. Each character has their own ability and weakness, and the 4x4 grid on which the game unfolds is filled with tiles doubling as weapons. Swiping towards an enemy will activate that tile and fire its ability, with every slain enemy adding experience to the weapon responsible.

The goal of the game is to collect treasure, which upon collection heals the character and causes the walls of the grid to change configuration. Enemies spawn quicker and quicker as the turn count increases, so the whole affair is a race against time to level-up the sixteen tiles while staying healthy and collecting treasure at a steady pace. It is accessible but with a glut of weapons and characters to unlock and the final challenge to beat, it will reward sustained interest and focused strategic approaches.

Hall of Fame

We like to keep these lists lean, so we can't feature all games at all time. Still, whether it's a classic we initially forgot about, or something that's been rotated out of the main list to give way for a newcomer, we want to make sure these past genre heroes are not forgotten.

Heroes of Flatlandia

Warbits

The Banner Saga

Chaos Reborn: Adventures

Templar Battleforce Elite

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions

Civilization 6

What would your list of the best turn-based strategy games on mobile look like? Let us know in the comments!

The Best Turn Based Strategy Games on Android & iOS published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[waynekelton]

The Best Turn Based Strategy Games on Android, iPhone & iPad 2019

This particular codex will train and challenge even the most avowed strategy enthusiasts with a maddening variety of scenarios and systems to learn and master from the world of turn-based strategy. Tactics, 4X, Puzzles... across all platforms and many different playstyles, there's a range of turn-based strategy games to celebrate in 2019.

We've reviewed a few titles recently that have moved to our list of the best war games, you should check them out!

Enjoy, and take your time digesting our top picks of the best turn-based games for Android, iPhone and iPad:

Community Suggestions & Recent Releases

We can't always review every game, and out of the ones we do, not all of them manage to claim a top spot in the list. Plus we're always getting input form our readers on what some of their favourite turn-based strategy games are. It'd be remiss of us if we didn't give them a small shout-out as well:

Squids Odyssey

Slay

Starbase Orion

UNIWAR

Shattered Plane

Mini Galax4y

Tharsis (Review)

Publisher: Choice Provisions Platforms: iPad Only Price: $7.99

While Tharsis takes a lot of inspiration from board games with dice-based allocation/drafting mechanics, it's very much a turn-based strategy experience through and through. As the player, you're in charge of a group of astronauts on their way to Mars, except everything's going wrong on the last hurdle and you need to manage your surviving team-members, dwinlding resources and a failing ship to the best of your abilities so that someone, at least, makes it all the way to the end. If that means you need eat someone along the way, then so be it.

The game is wonderfully brought to life with an excellent 3D engine, and the app plays smoothly on iPads (which might explain why it's only available for iPads!). Some might find the reliance on dice-rolls to get anything done frustrating at times, but it does feed into the sense of theatre created by the tension and dread as you pray that nothing else goes wrong on the ship as it is hastily patched back together. Imagine Apollo 13 except Tom Hanks ends up eating Bill Paxton - great stuff.

Feud (Review)

Publisher: Bearwaves Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: Free

In many ways Chess is the quintessential turn-based strategy game, and a classic that many people try and iterate on over the years. Some we've been fans of, others not so much, but Feud has impressed us the most so far. This free-to-play gem, instead of trying to be too clever or add in extra rules, instead trys to condense the Chess experience into a tied, closed-quarters tactical brawl.

A 4x4 board, with sixteen pieces (eight each side), leaves no room for manoeuvre, so planning your attacks, moves and exploitations is paramount. Matt was very impressed by this bite-sized take on the classic formula, and there's even cross-platform multiplayer (async) as well as pass-and-play. The only thing it's really missing is a ranked mode and some QoL touches - make sure you check it out!

Egypt: Old Kingdom (Review)

Publisher: Clarus Victoria Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

Clarus Victoria are back with a second entry in their turn-based strategy series based on different historical periods of Egypt. The first game focused on the prehistoric history of the area, while their new game focuses on the 'Old Kingdom' period, which last around 400 years ending around 2100 BC. Back then, the capital of the nation was Mephis and it is here that the player must work to try and build great periods and develop their civilisation.

Resource management is key, and then you must also try and assimilate the other Egyptian tribes through either diplomacy or warfare. It's a niche-style strategy game on a very niche topic, but a breath of fresh air and an excellent pick for those looking for something a little bit different.

Ticket to Earth (Review)

Publisher: Robot Circus Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

In hindsight, our original score of 5/5 was perhaps a bit ambitious. While an excellent turn-based strategy game, much of Ticket to Earth's appeal and potential lay on the assumption that Robot Circus would finish the final three chapters of the game. One could argue they're taking their time, but 20 months on and players have finally gotten Episode 3, and the promise TtE made to players all those years ago is almost complete.

With a unique take on turn-based tactics, a genuinely engaging story and plenty of challenge to boot, now that Ticket it Earth is 75% complete it definitely deserves your attention, and can be considered one of 2017's silent stunners. It shot itself in the foot, for sure, but time has proved early adopters right in the end.

Farabel (Review)

Publisher: Frogames Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $8.99

Given that there are so many ways you can design a turn-based tactics game, for something to come along with a genuinely interesting and clever twist is rare, and speaks to the highest levesl of creativity. Farabel's trick, such as it is, is to start you at the end. You being the story at the height of your power, having just emerged victorious from a long and bloody struggle with the Orcs. But to learn the tale, you have to go backwards in time.

With each level you complete, your forces actually get weaker as you make your way back to the beginning of the war. Within individual turn-based battles there's also some timey-wimey shenanigans your hero character can exploit, making for some devilishly flexible tactical solutions. There are thirteen scenarios in all as part of the main story, and beyond that you can participate in daily challenges, or build an army from scratch to take part in special modes, like survival. All round, it's excellent value for money, even being at the steeper end of the scale.

Euclidean Skies (Review)

Publisher: Miro Straka Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $4.99

This game would also fit right in on our Puzzles guide, but there's a healthy enough dose of turn-based tactical thinking that earns it a place on this list (that, and the five-star review it got). It's a significantly different game to its predecessor, and while it doesn't always work the raw ambition this game shows makes it all the more compelling. Even the art style is different - more vibrant and aggressive, it brings the world to life in a way that's unexpected, but also fantastic.

This is a must buy for fans of puzzle tactics games, and while some of the charm is lost in the shift away form Euclidean Land's simplicity, there's plenty of character in this boisterous new chapter.

Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind (Review)

Publisher: A Sharp LLC Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $9.99

Some strategy gamers will find Six Ages' blend of (sort of) forced immersion awful, where others will lap it up. Fans of King of Dragon Pass - which this serves as a spiritual sequel to - will already be familiar with it. They'll discover a smoother interface and a new setting in a new culture. Forgoing the traditional control and power fantasies of strategic empire-building is a hard habit to give up. But for those that can make the sacrifice, Six Ages holds a wealth of wonders few other games can match. It wants to tell you a tale of gods and humans, of mysteries and the mundane while still taxing your tactics. It's a bold goal and, while it doesn't always work, the narratives that it weaves are unlike anything else in gaming.

Darkest Dungeon (Review)

Publisher: Red Hook Studios Inc. Platforms:  iPad Price: $4.99

With each passing year since its conception and release, Darkest Dungeon recedes into annals of history, into the collective memory of unspeakable legends. In other words: a horrid, demanding and sublimely satisfying little game is fast becoming an all-time classic. Some have balked at the fine-tuning numbers behind its challenges (e.g. pre-Radiant days, the initial Crimson Court balancing), but in general the game’s ‘give-no-quarter’ philosophy has won a die-hard following that keeps coming back for more punishment. With the next expansion The Color of Madness slated to arrive later this year, this is a game whose vicious, compelling cycle will continue for a long time.

XCOM: Enemy Within (Review)

Publisher: 2K Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: $9.99

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is still the golden standard for turn-based tactical gameplay, so let’s take a moment to revisit why. Squad-based, knife’s edge combat constantly challenges commander’s ability to scrape victory from defeat. Players make overworld and between-scenario decisions for which soldiers to train and tech to pursue, every bit as decisive as the individual commands given to the squad members in the heat of battle. The game has its hallmark AAA production lustre and mankind-on-the-brink storyline, and these conventions work in its favour. Keep your squad intact, do the mission, save the world, piece by piece. The Enemy Within expansion content makes this turn-based strategy game even better.

The Battle for Polytopia (Review)

Publisher: Midjiwan AB Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: Free (additional Tribes as in-game DLC)

Polytopia takes the crown for best Civ-lite. If this sounds like damning with faint praise, it’s quite the opposite. Because civilization-building builds its challenges and satisfactions with a grand scope and timeframe in mind, trying to miniaturize this genre experience can go pear-shaped in several ways. In Polytopia, the tribes are separated by a single tech (with some glaring exceptions), and the map has been foreshortened to a grid of 256 squares. Units and tech are the same for everyone, but the simplicity of this means a shorter list of decisive, vexing choices. There is no diplomacy system, but victory is determined by points and not necessarily conquest. The game’s blocky, loose artstyle and easy interface make it an easy game to learn and hard to put down. Only just recently did the support for online multiplayer finally make its debut, and it is this latest change that elevates this title to a must-try.

Invisible Inc. (Review)

Publisher: Klei Entertainment Platforms: iPad Price: $4.99

The future came and went, (Invisibly) and it has been cruel to all but a select few supranational, extraterritorial megacorps. Your ragtag bunch of spies and specialists will scour the globe for intel and supplies so they can make one final run, wipe their identities from the omni-vigilant database and live off the grid in peace. Each run escalates if the agents are detected by the guards, cameras or drones, yet the stealth aspect of the game is only one kind of risk calculation among many. The game’s AP and power systems mean that even successful runs can be tight, and sometimes making a clean escape is a failure if the team did not steal enough resources. The game’s generous learning curve belies an experience in which knowledge can lead to perfect play and challenge runs for pacifist or no-item wins at even the most fiendish difficulty.

Imbroglio (Review)

Publisher: Michael Brough Platforms: iPad Price: $3.99

Imbroglio sounds like a mess; it is in the name. But of all Michael Brough’s excellent, sparse designs, this one has the most player-driven customization and controlled random inputs. Here is ample proof that roguelikes can offer as much strategic challenge as the best of classics. Each character has their own ability and weakness, and the 4x4 grid on which the game unfolds is filled with tiles doubling as weapons. Swiping towards an enemy will activate that tile and fire its ability, with every slain enemy adding experience to the weapon responsible.

The goal of the game is to collect treasure, which upon collection heals the character and causes the walls of the grid to change configuration. Enemies spawn quicker and quicker as the turn count increases, so the whole affair is a race against time to level-up the sixteen tiles while staying healthy and collecting treasure at a steady pace. It is accessible but with a glut of weapons and characters to unlock and the final challenge to beat, it will reward sustained interest and focused strategic approaches.

Hall of Fame

We like to keep these lists lean, so we can't feature all games at all time. Still, whether it's a classic we initially forgot about, or something that's been rotated out of the main list to give way for a newcomer, we want to make sure these past genre heroes are not forgotten.

Heroes of Flatlandia

Warbits

The Banner Saga

Chaos Reborn: Adventures

Templar Battleforce Elite

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions

Civilization 6

What would your list of the best turn-based strategy games on mobile look like? Let us know in the comments!

The Best Turn Based Strategy Games on Android, iPhone & iPad 2019 published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[waynekelton]

The Best Turn Based Strategy Games on Android, iPhone & iPad

This particular codex will train and challenge even the most avowed strategy enthusiasts with a maddening variety of scenarios and systems to learn and master from the world of turn-based strategy. Tactics, 4X, Puzzles... across all platforms and many different playstyles, there's a range of turn-based strategy games to celebrate in 2019.

We've reviewed a few titles recently that have moved to our list of the best war games, you should check them out!

Enjoy, and take your time digesting our top picks of the best turn-based games for Android, iPhone and iPad:

Community Suggestions & Recent Releases

We can't always review every game, and out of the ones we do, not all of them manage to claim a top spot in the list. Plus we're always getting input form our readers on what some of their favourite turn-based strategy games are. It'd be remiss of us if we didn't give them a small shout-out as well:

Squids Odyssey

Slay

Starbase Orion

UNIWAR

Egypt: Old Kingdom (Review)

Publisher: Clarus Victoria Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

Clarus Victoria are back with a second entry in their turn-based strategy series based on different historical periods of Egypt. The first game focused on the prehistoric history of the area, while their new game focuses on the 'Old Kingdom' period, which last around 400 years ending around 2100 BC. Back then, the capital of the nation was Mephis and it is here that the player must work to try and build great periods and develop their civilisation.

Resource management is key, and then you must also try and assimilate the other Egyptian tribes through either diplomacy or warfare. It's a niche-style strategy game on a very niche topic, but a breath of fresh air and an excellent pick for those looking for something a little bit different.

Heroes of Flatlandia (Review)

Publisher: Martin Klement/Highland Studio Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $1.99

The newest entry to the list is an excellent indie title that aspires to be a 'Lite' Heroes of Might & Magic types experience. It's still got some ways to go - it's a bit rough around the edges at the moment, the combination of tactical depth and characterful army/race compositions means there's still plenty of game to get you by.

The AI is especially good, and puts up a significant challenge. It will zero in on your weakest units and exploit holes in your defenses. You will have to play carefully if you're pitting two evenly-matched armies against one another and can expect heavy casualties. Given there's no zone-of-control here, pay special attention to quick units that can dart between your lines and threaten your weaker backline. The lack of online multiplayer is one of the game's few genuine drawbacks, but you can engage in local pass-and-play multiplayer if you're with friends.

Ticket to Earth (Review)

Publisher: Robot Circus Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $4.99

In hindsight, our original score of 5/5 was perhaps a bit ambitious. While an excellent turn-based strategy game, much of Ticket to Earth's appeal and potential lay on the assumption that Robot Circus would finish the final three chapters of the game. One could argue they're taking their time, but 20 months on and players have finally gotten Episode 3, and the promise TtE made to players all those years ago is almost complete.

With a unique take on turn-based tactics, a genuinely engaging story and plenty of challenge to boot, now that Ticket it Earth is 75% complete it definitely deserves your attention, and can be considered one of 2017's silent stunners. It shot itself in the foot, for sure, but time has proved early adopters right in the end.

Farabel (Review)

Publisher: Frogames Platforms: iOS Universal, Android Price: $8.99

Given that there are so many ways you can design a turn-based tactics game, for something to come along with a genuinely interesting and clever twist is rare, and speaks to the highest levesl of creativity. Farabel's trick, such as it is, is to start you at the end. You being the story at the height of your power, having just emerged victorious from a long and bloody struggle with the Orcs. But to learn the tale, you have to go backwards in time.

With each level you complete, your forces actually get weaker as you make your way back to the beginning of the war. Within individual turn-based battles there's also some timey-wimey shenanigans your hero character can exploit, making for some devilishly flexible tactical solutions. There are thirteen scenarios in all as part of the main story, and beyond that you can participate in daily challenges, or build an army from scratch to take part in special modes, like survival. All round, it's excellent value for money, even being at the steeper end of the scale.

Euclidean Skies (Review)

Publisher: Miro Straka Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $4.99

This game would also fit right in on our Puzzles guide, but there's a healthy enough dose of turn-based tactical thinking that earns it a place on this list (that, and the five-star review it got). It's a significantly different game to its predecessor, and while it doesn't always work the raw ambition this game shows makes it all the more compelling. Even the art style is different - more vibrant and aggressive, it brings the world to life in a way that's unexpected, but also fantastic.

This is a must buy for fans of puzzle tactics games, and while some of the charm is lost in the shift away form Euclidean Land's simplicity, there's plenty of character in this boisterous new chapter.

Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind (Review)

Publisher: A Sharp LLC Platforms: iOS Universal Price: $9.99

Some strategy gamers will find Six Ages' blend of (sort of) forced immersion awful, where others will lap it up. Fans of King of Dragon Pass - which this serves as a spiritual sequel to - will already be familiar with it. They'll discover a smoother interface and a new setting in a new culture. Forgoing the traditional control and power fantasies of strategic empire-building is a hard habit to give up. But for those that can make the sacrifice, Six Ages holds a wealth of wonders few other games can match. It wants to tell you a tale of gods and humans, of mysteries and the mundane while still taxing your tactics. It's a bold goal and, while it doesn't always work, the narratives that it weaves are unlike anything else in gaming.

Darkest Dungeon (Review)

Publisher: Red Hook Studios Inc. Platforms:  iPad Price: $4.99

With each passing year since its conception and release, Darkest Dungeon recedes into annals of history, into the collective memory of unspeakable legends. In other words: a horrid, demanding and sublimely satisfying little game is fast becoming an all-time classic. Some have balked at the fine-tuning numbers behind its challenges (e.g. pre-Radiant days, the initial Crimson Court balancing), but in general the game’s ‘give-no-quarter’ philosophy has won a die-hard following that keeps coming back for more punishment. With the next expansion The Color of Madness slated to arrive later this year, this is a game whose vicious, compelling cycle will continue for a long time.

XCOM: Enemy Within (Review)

Publisher: 2K Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: $9.99

XCOM: Enemy Unknown is still the golden standard for turn-based tactical gameplay, so let’s take a moment to revisit why. Squad-based, knife’s edge combat constantly challenges commander’s ability to scrape victory from defeat. Players make overworld and between-scenario decisions for which soldiers to train and tech to pursue, every bit as decisive as the individual commands given to the squad members in the heat of battle. The game has its hallmark AAA production lustre and mankind-on-the-brink storyline, and these conventions work in its favour. Keep your squad intact, do the mission, save the world, piece by piece. The Enemy Within expansion content makes this turn-based strategy game even better.

The Battle for Polytopia (Review)

Publisher: Midjiwan AB Platforms:  iOS Universal, Android Price: Free (additional Tribes as in-game DLC)

Polytopia takes the crown for best Civ-lite. If this sounds like damning with faint praise, it’s quite the opposite. Because civilization-building builds its challenges and satisfactions with a grand scope and timeframe in mind, trying to miniaturize this genre experience can go pear-shaped in several ways. In Polytopia, the tribes are separated by a single tech (with some glaring exceptions), and the map has been foreshortened to a grid of 256 squares. Units and tech are the same for everyone, but the simplicity of this means a shorter list of decisive, vexing choices. There is no diplomacy system, but victory is determined by points and not necessarily conquest. The game’s blocky, loose artstyle and easy interface make it an easy game to learn and hard to put down. Only just recently did the support for online multiplayer finally make its debut, and it is this latest change that elevates this title to a must-try.

Invisible Inc. (Review)

Publisher: Klei Entertainment Platforms: iPad Price: $4.99

The future came and went, (Invisibly) and it has been cruel to all but a select few supranational, extraterritorial megacorps. Your ragtag bunch of spies and specialists will scour the globe for intel and supplies so they can make one final run, wipe their identities from the omni-vigilant database and live off the grid in peace. Each run escalates if the agents are detected by the guards, cameras or drones, yet the stealth aspect of the game is only one kind of risk calculation among many. The game’s AP and power systems mean that even successful runs can be tight, and sometimes making a clean escape is a failure if the team did not steal enough resources. The game’s generous learning curve belies an experience in which knowledge can lead to perfect play and challenge runs for pacifist or no-item wins at even the most fiendish difficulty.

Imbroglio (Review)

Publisher: Michael Brough Platforms: iPad Price: $3.99

Imbroglio sounds like a mess; it is in the name. But of all Michael Brough’s excellent, sparse designs, this one has the most player-driven customization and controlled random inputs. Here is ample proof that roguelikes can offer as much strategic challenge as the best of classics. Each character has their own ability and weakness, and the 4x4 grid on which the game unfolds is filled with tiles doubling as weapons. Swiping towards an enemy will activate that tile and fire its ability, with every slain enemy adding experience to the weapon responsible.

The goal of the game is to collect treasure, which upon collection heals the character and causes the walls of the grid to change configuration. Enemies spawn quicker and quicker as the turn count increases, so the whole affair is a race against time to level-up the sixteen tiles while staying healthy and collecting treasure at a steady pace. It is accessible but with a glut of weapons and characters to unlock and the final challenge to beat, it will reward sustained interest and focused strategic approaches.

Hall of Fame

We like to keep these lists lean, so we can't feature all games at all time. Still, whether it's a classic we initially forgot about, or something that's been rotated out of the main list to give way for a newcomer, we want to make sure these past genre heroes are not forgotten.

Warbits

The Banner Saga

Chaos Reborn: Adventures

Templar Battleforce Elite

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions

Civilization 6

What would your list of the best turn-based strategy games on mobile look like? Let us know in the comments!

The Best Turn Based Strategy Games on Android, iPhone & iPad published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/