I want to add some new games to the mix.
The NationsThis came out around the same time when the settler series was very popular. It was released some months after settlers III anf eatured similiar gameplay. You play as one of three nations (Pimmons, Amazons and Sajiki) which have their own units, beuildings and resources. Your goal ist to make your nation great and either trade or fight with the other two nations. The game used some good mechanics. You started out with two carriers and one builder. In order to get new units and jobs you had to build houses (in different sizes for different amount of villagers). The villagers coudl then be send to one of the many trainign facilities and teached to one job or to a military unit. Buildign an new house didn't had an immidate effect, villagers had to be "attracted" to your nation. In order to do so you had to make the citizens happy. Give them luxury resources, food, entertainment buildings. It was a really good game with a good progression mechanic. It had a sequel that however tried to make somethign new and ruined the formular. one thing was that the villagers now were divided into male and female and that the male (female for the amazons) citizens were the only one you could train for jobs while the women were only there for breeding (which was also new instead of the old nomad attracting mechanic) and collecting berries. Wow, sexist.
Impossible CreaturesOh god, this game. It's so funny. The setting of the game features a new technology that allows to create new creatures out of multiple different animal genes. This basically means you could mix a skunk with a wolf and the animal would benefit from both. it could have the tail of the skunk and shoot the stinking liquid they are known for while still bite enemies with the head of the wolf. So in other words, you could create impossible creatures. Funny looking creatures.
The story centers around a war reporter that searches his father who invented this new technology. His father seems to be kidnapped or maybe even killed by some guy who wants the technology for himself.
Missions feature battles of your creatures with enemy creatures and in typical RTS manner you had to destro the enemy base. The good thing was the idea that you collect animal DNA (there are several animals hidden in the different maps) and then mix your own creatures with that. The player has freely the choice to mix two animals and change the appearance 8and stats) like he wants. The creatures get abilities depending on the animal parts used, some animals are more durable, some are stronger and some are faster but only on specific animal parts. For example speed is obviously determined with legs. In the later stages you could also assemble marine and flying creatures. Reall cool and hilarious game.
Yu-gi-oh Capsule Monster ColiseumThis may seem strange but yes, this is one of the best strategy games I've ever played. First i have to say, this is not the typical Yu-Gi-Oh card game. The Yu-Gi-Oh universe just serves as backround for characters and units.
Instead the game is a turn based tactic game, similiar to games like Final Fantasy Tactics. In this game you are participant of a gaming tournament that uses tiny capsule monsters for battles. In each fight you choose your capsules. Every palyer has also a base crystal. The goal ist to destroy the enemy crystal or to defeat all monsters. At the start of the battle you place your capsules around your crystal, your enemy does the same. In each round you get some resource points from your crystals, these points can be used to open a capsule and release the monster inside. As long as the monster is still in the capsule, it cannot do anything. Stronger monsters cost more resources and can therefor be summoned later int he game while weak monsters can be summoned in the firt round and be used for rush tactics. every monster has different elemental attributes, movement pattern and range, attack pattern and range and of course ty<pical stats like hp and attack damage. Most mosnters have also a special ability that can be used from time to time.
Besides the attributes of the monsters, you also have to watch the envorinment. every envoriment features special effects and like monsters an evnironment can have elemental attributes. This counts for both the entire map and the field your monster currently stands. Your creature can get either a benefit or disadvantage depending on its attribute. Positioning your monsters is very important in this game, as well as cornering your opponent. Your mosnter level also up after attacking or destroying enemy monsters. Some monsters may even evolve into new monsters when they reach a certain threshold or stand on a specific field. A special system in the game is fusion. Some special monsters can be combined for a bigger, stronger mosnter if they stand together and have a high level.
Between fights you could buy new monstrs int he shop but after each figth you could also select a monster of your opponent, increasing your collection.
I wish they would have made a reamke for pc or something like this but this will never happen.
