RTS games
Real-Time Strategy was a form of torture invented during the middle ages for punishing spies, traitors, and heretics. Due to the association of crucifixion with the death of Christ, medieval kings turned to RTS games as the supreme punishment for the worst among their subjects. Victims would suffer severe anxiety over micromanaging representative 'resources' and 'units' in order to defeat their opponent, often another person being punished. While the loser was usually burned at the stake, it was noted that even the person who won would succumb to madness, ranting and raving about "the meta" and "cheesing".
Over time, RTS games would lose popularity as the centralizing states in Europe attempted to reform and govern more humanely. Alongside slavery, the death penalty, and animal trials, RTS games would be considered ancient and irrational. The wooden pieces used to play them were displayed in museums alongside more-or-less factual exhibits such as guillotines and the iron maiden.
However, the dawn of the Computer Age brought a new interest in RTS games. The term, associated with feudal intrigue, was used to market the game Dune II as a cruel and ruthless battle over the fictional world of Arrakis. Today, there are countless computer games that follow the real-time strategy model, some of which the Members of RE ruthlessly subject other members of the community to, echoing the tyranny of ancient kings. No less cruel than the ancient method of torture, the staff have nevertheless decided to forgo burning at the stake as the punishment for people who lose. Instead, whoever loses a game is ruthlessly mocked in a Stronghold peasant accent. Along with map games, RTS games form one of the main activities on RE.
Stronghold
Stronghold is a series of medieval RTS games, starting with the first game's release in 2001. The most recent game in the series is Stronghold Crusader II, released in 2014. The most popular title in the series on RE is Stronghold 2, a fully 3D game from 2005. Despite the unbreakable balance of power that usually develops, its still enjoyed as a way to build a castle and try to lay siege other players. If you want to know a lot about the RE meta on Stronghold, you can read the language article and fill in the blanks.
Planetary Annihilation
Planteray Annihilation is the spiritual successor to the Total Annihilation series of RTSes, it's about economic management and mass production of units, but also includes special units where one can launch moons into planets and build death stars.
Planetary Annihilation: Titans
An Expansion to Planetary Annihilation where it included titans. Titans are a special unit where one could build large units that are able to do large attacks.
R.U.S.E.
R.U.S.E. was a 2010 casual RTS game set during World War two. RE typically played the Total War gamemode, in which technology improved over time. Since they usually played without a timelimit, R.U.S.E. games would usually drag on for way too long. Whenever someone suggested we play R.U.S.E, there was usually a collective 'no' or maybe a 'fuck you'.
Due to R.U.S.E being discontinued, the only way to obtain the game is to buy an old key off the internet and put it into Steam. The R.U.S.E. servers are now permanently down, making multiplayer impossible.
Company of Heroes
Company of Heroes 2 is a tactical World War II RTS game released in 2013. Tanks are really expensive but penal battalions are dirt cheap. During late 2021 the community got really burnt out on this game after playing it almost daily. I'd still be up to play it once in a while.
This game notably whitewashes the German Nazis while portraying the Soviet Union in an extreme negative light, similar in a way to Enemy at the Gates. For that reason it's banned in Russia.
Wargame
Wargame: Red Dragon is a 2014 RTS set during the cold war. As the name implies, its a wargame. The gameplay is some of those most realistic (Read: Hellish) of any strategy game played on RE. A solid grasp of combined arms doctrine is needed to make any progress against your enemies. Reconstruction Era will often get together for 3v3 Conquest matches, with a few experienced players and a few new players on each team.
