Ironhold Tactics

Ironhold Tactics drops you in charge of a fortress under constant siege, and every turn is about positioning units on a hex grid to hold the line. It's slower and more thoughtful than most mobile strategy games, which is exactly why we liked it. There's no rush timer breathing down your neck.

Each unit type counters another, so building a balanced squad matters more than raw numbers. The terrain plays a huge role too: high ground gives range bonuses, chokepoints let a few archers hold off a crowd. Working out the perfect defensive formation for a tough wave is deeply satisfying.

The campaign structure keeps things varied with objectives beyond just survival, like escorting a convoy or holding a point for a set number of turns. The UI is a touch cramped on smaller phones, but on a tablet it shines.

What we liked

• Thoughtful, unhurried tactical combat
• Terrain that genuinely changes your plans
• Varied mission objectives