Real-time Strategy

[icycalm]

I've started writing all the key RTS reviews, and I am going to need 100% verified unit limits. I vaguely remember that in Dune II it was about 40, then maybe double that for C&C and WarCraft II, then if I am not mistaken 200 in Age of Empires I and II (but you had to hack an .ini file to max that out), and possibly StarCraft as well (which is NOT a key RTS, but which I am forced to review anyway, instead of ignoring it as it deserves, because everyone else seems to think that it is), then several thousand in those Strategy First/CDV titles published in the early- to mid-2000s (Cossacks, American Conquest, etc. -- though I never actually played these games enough to see those numbers with my own eyes, hence why I am still hesitant to believe them), and from what I hear about 700 to 800 in SupCom 1 (with a considerably lower limit in its sequel).

And in Halo Wars it is 40 or at best 50 lol!

The only major title of the golden age of the genre I haven't played is TA, and I am downloading it right now.

But, these rough numbers are not going to do for the actual reviews, so please pitch in if you know any actual numbers. It would also be nice if you can find links as solid reference, but if you are sure about what you are saying I'll take your word as a starting point.

[icycalm]

And let's clear this up once and for all: the Total War series is not RTS -- at least not the first one that I played (Shogun: Total War). I don't know if they changed the format later on, but the first game at least is turn-based strategy with real-time tactical battles -- which is a very different format from the RTS, which integrates the strategy into the real-time tactics.

[icycalm]

I would also be interested in the unit limits of contemporary RTSes (I don't say "modern" because they are most likely not -- "retro" seems to be a better term for them, from what I've seen), like Dawn of War and Company of Heroes.

[icycalm]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Annihilation

Total Annihilation was one of the first RTS games to point the way towards battlefields with hundreds and thousands of units. Previous games could field a 100 units. However, Total Annihilation initially permitted 200 units per side which was later patched to 500 and then to 5,000 units per side.

lol now I really have to play this game, though the review will of course be based on the original limit.

Still, the patched numbers can be used to trash games released after it.

[Joshua]

I can confirm that all the Total War games have kept the format you described. I've played the most recent one.

The Conquerors expansion for Age of Empires II went up to 200 units without any .ini editing required, but I assume you're looking for the unit limit for the original. I haven't played the game without the Conquerors expansion, but as luck would have it I have both CDs right here...

... And it appears that the original, unexpanded version also allows you to set the population cap to 200. Wikipedia says as much as well, citing the game's manual (which I do not have with me).

[Joshua]

http://aok.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/aokc ... 4,6390,all

Forum posts from 2003. The .ini editing must have been necessary for the scenario editor in AoE2:AoK, but these people are saying that in standard type games it goes up to 200.

[ray]

Supreme Commander has a cap of 1000, but buildings count towards that number. I don't have Supreme Commander 2 installed, but I believe its cap is 500, and I don't remember if that includes buildings as well.