Warlords II

Warlords II is a turn-based fantasy strategy game built on a simple yet remarkably addictive foundation: the map is dotted with cities, each city produces a certain type of unit, and whoever controls more cities fields a bigger army. The player leads one of eight warring factions, from human knights through orcs to dark lords, and the goal is to gradually conquer the entire land. Production can be upgraded in every city, so a flimsy garrison grows into heavy infantry or even dragon riders after a few turns, and deciding where and what to invest in decides the whole match.

On top of plain conquest lie several layers that give the game its depth. Heroes are hired for gold, carry magic items, raise the combat value of the whole stack, and can set out to explore ruins and tombs where treasures and monsters alike await. Some cities and temples offer alliances with special creatures, other rulers can be talked into a truce or, conversely, provoked. Combat is resolved automatically based on the strength of both sides, the terrain, and the presence of heroes, so the game's center of gravity lies in movement across the map, guarding supply routes, and making sure conquered cities aren't left undefended. The whole system is clear enough that matches move quickly, yet varied enough that no two are alike.

Technically it was a restrained but very polished DOS game with a clear map, unit icons, and simple mouse control. It also shipped with a map and scenario editor, which spawned countless player-made worlds. Especially popular was the option to take turns on a single computer with multiple players, which turned Warlords II into a classic of gaming get-togethers. At the time it was hailed as one of the best turn-based strategy games of its era, and its legacy can be traced in later fantasy strategy titles. Today it can be recommended to anyone who wants to see what perfectly tuned minimalism looks like.