Top 13 Multiplayer RTS Games for the PC

Often referred to as one of the best PC games of 2006, Company of Heroes ties real-time strategy to a WWII setting with great results. The graphics are spectacular, the different factions are finely tuned, and the game allows you to make effective use of the terrain. The Gold Edition includes Opposing Fronts, the first expansion, which adds the British 2nd Army and the German Panzer Elite to the fray.

This game is the latest installment of Blizzard's award-winning Warcraft real-time strategy series. Although it was released in 2002, it's still one of the most widely played RTS games both online and in pro competitions. The Battle Chest version includes the original, Reign of Chaos, and the first expansion, Frozen Throne. Features include 3D graphics, roleplaying elements, and expanded multiplayer options for up to 12 players over Battle.net.

The original Dawn of War was a big hit with multiplayer RTS fans, but this didn't keep Relic from taking some chances in the sequel, Dawn of War II. Building bases has been dispensed with and replaced with RPG elements that allow you to highly customize certain units. The emphasis is on the tactical side of the battle rather than on resource gathering and base construction. You also have far fewer units at your disposal, so you have to deploy them wisely. Like World in Conflict, it's a different approach to RTS gameplay that won't appeal to everyone, and it's also a significant departure from the first Dawn of War.

Based on an alternate history of the Cold War, World in Conflict is a fast-paced RTS where NATO and Soviet forces battle over the west coast of America. In a fresh approach, they've forgone base-building completely, and you control a very limited number of units compared to most games of this kind, but this gives it a strong tactical component. Multiplayer features different player "classes," and requires a great deal of team coordination.

The Red Alert series, with their twisted alternate timelines, are perhaps the quirkiest games in the Command & Conquer franchise, which has never really aspired to any sort of realism. Red Alert 3 features a wealth of outlandish units, including war bears, shrink beams, mini-subs, and sci-fi ninjas. It also has a considerable amount of naval combat, and the single-player campaign also accommodates co-op play quite nicely. Voice chat is built-in, and you can skirmish with up to 6 players online.

Going back to its roots, Command & Conquer 3 revives the epic conflict between the Global Defense Initiative and the Brotherhood of Nod. There's a third side called the Scrin in the fray now, but you'll remember the Mammoth tanks and ion cannons from earlier games in the series. C&C3 has a good selection of multiplayer maps and Battlecast functionality, which makes spectating games very easy.

Best Way has released several ambitious WWII RTS games, and Men of War was added to the mix in 2009. Like their earlier games, they aim for a high degree of realism, and they forego the usual simplistic base-building system. Instead, attention is given to parts of battle that are often ignored in games of this kind, such as supplies of ammunition and fuel. Men of War also lets you take control of individual units in a shooter-like fashion, which makes tank engagements that much more fun. The game has a good selection of multiplayer modes, including co-op, although there is no way to include enemy AI in skirmishes, which can make finding a suitable match more difficult.

Dawn of War is a combination of fantasy and science fiction based on the famous Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game, beautifully rendered in 3D. There is a solid mix of units and none of the playable races have been given an overwhelming advantage. It is a nicely polished game with an active community, and Relic has released a steady stream of expansions for the title, including Winter Assault, Dark Crusade, and most recently, Soulstorm. The Platinum Edition comes with the Winter Assault and Dark Crusade expansions.

Described as the spiritual successor to Total Annihilation, Supreme Commander manages to scale up the RTS experience a few notches. The game supports an astounding number and variety of units, and the tech tree is similarly vast. A unique camera interface allows you zoom out to a tactical map that gives you a broad overview of the conflict. The maps can get truly enormous, resulting in battles that often go on for many hours. The Gold Edition includes the original game and the Forged Alliance expansion.

Excellent graphics, an historical setting, and the same solid RTS gameplay as its predecessors have made this title a best-seller. Persistent home cities add another dimension to the strategy, and there is a good matchmaking service for finding online games. The WarChiefs expansion, which brought playable Native American factions into the fray, was released in October of 2006 and is packaged with the Gold Edition. The most recent expansion, Asian Dynasties, is sold separately.