People's Tactics

People's Tactics is a freeware turn-based strategy game and scenario editor programmed by Victor Reijkersz, with graphics by Joshua Ross. The game is a free predecessor for the for-pay Advanced Tactics, but still available on the Advanced Tactics web site.

Gameplay
The game operates at an abstract tactical level and combines the features of empire-building and war games. This may make the game look daunting at first, but take heart, most of the game's complexities are handled behind the scenes and there are actually very few rules for you to take in to account.

Gameplay basically breaks down in to two distinct theaters: The home front and the front lines. On the home front, the player must decide which new technologies to pursue, decide which military units to place into production, hire and organize his officer-corps and form new combat units and headquarters. The front-lines sees the player making strategic decisions about the composition of his forces, managing supply lines, maneuvering his armies and formulating the tactics required to defeat his adversaries.

People's Tactics is a game that rewards patience and long-term planning. Solid, consistent victories cannot be achieved with overwhelming force alone, smart tactics are required to win. Enemy units must be isolated, supply lines cut and harbors blockaded if you wish to defeat a larger or equal sized opponent. A smart general will tailor his research and production to most benefit his master plan — producing a badly organized army, or being forced to disband and restructure often may prove fatal in a close-pitched battle.