Making strategy games work on a phone

Strategy on a phone sounds awkward, and real-time strategy mostly is. Tiny units and fat fingers don't mix. But turn-based strategy is a different story and arguably a perfect fit.

Because you take one deliberate move at a time, screen size stops being a problem. Ironline Command is a good example: it hands you a hex map and all the time in the world, so you plan a move at a red light and finish the turn later.

The offline angle helps too. A long strategy match can span a whole commute, and you never want a dropped connection wiping your progress. Local-only games sidestep that entirely.

My tip for newcomers: start on the smallest map available. Learning the systems on a sprawling campaign is overwhelming. A tight skirmish teaches you the rules fast.