Praetorians

Set at the height of the Roman Empire, when Julius Caesar reigned supreme, Praetorians puts players in the role of an up-and-coming Roman general, battling for supremacy against both the Egyptian and the Gaul armies. A real-time strategy game from Pyro Studios, the development team responsible for the Commandos series, Praetorians forsakes conventional base-building and resource-gathering, instead allowing players to focus on the art of war alone.

The single-player campaign sees players trudging through 24 missions that take place as far away as North Africa and the Middle East, as they help expand the might of Rome. By capturing villages -- the game's only resource -- players obtain a supply of new recruits that can be used to replenish their ranks.

Praetorians offers a range of different mission types. When not crushing the hapless enemy forces underfoot, players will find themselves defending strongholds from siege attacks, racing to the aid of allies, and even occasionally retreating from battle under the threat of increasing enemy numbers. Terrain also plays a vital role in determining the outcome of battle -- allowing players to hide particular troops in forests and tall grass, or position them on higher ground for an even greater advantage.

Multiplayer support is offered for up to eight, across both LAN and Internet connections, allowing players to command any of the three in-game factions (as opposed to the single-player campaign, in which only the Romans are playable). Away from the main mode of play, single players can also engage in once-off battles in the Skirmish mode.

For Windows.