The Best RTS Games for Beginners and How to Start

30 October 2025

So, you're thinking about diving into RTS games, huh? Real-Time Strategy might sound like a genre reserved for esports veterans with lightning reflexes and 10,000 hours of micromanagement under their belt, but that’s a myth. The truth? Anyone can get into RTS games, and once you get over the first hill, it's one of the most rewarding genres out there. It’s like chess, but the board is always moving and your opponent is building an army while you're wondering if you remembered to train peasants.

Let's not sugarcoat it—the learning curve can seem steep. But with the right starting points and a good mindset, you'll be smashing bases, managing resources, and shouting "Rush B!" (Wrong game, but you get the point) in no time.

In this guide, I’ll break down the best RTS games for beginners, explain what makes each of them noob-friendly, and give you some practical tips on how to get started without rage-quitting five minutes in.

🎮 What Is an RTS Game Anyway?

RTS stands for Real-Time Strategy. That means you're not taking turns—everything's happening all at once. Unlike turn-based games where you can sip coffee while thinking five moves ahead, RTS games make you act, think, and adapt on the fly. You build bases, control units, gather resources, and obliterate your enemies, all in real time.

Sounds intense? It can be. But it can also be fun as hell once you find your groove.

💥 Why Choose RTS Games?

A lot of people skip RTS games because they hear things like "too complicated" or "too fast-paced." But let’s debunk that.

- Strategic Thinking: RTS games sharpen your mind. They're like mental gyms.
- Fast Reflexes? Optional: You don’t need esports-level APM (actions per minute). Strategy beats speed.
- Endless Variety: Sci-fi, fantasy, historical warfare—you name it. There’s an RTS for every taste.
- Ultimate Satisfaction: Few things beat the rush of outsmarting an opponent and seeing your army crush everything in its path.

So don't let fear hold you back. You’re not too slow, too old, or too new. Everyone starts somewhere.

🧠 What to Look for in Beginner RTS Games

Before you jump into a game, make sure it checks a few boxes:

- Simple UI: You don’t want to need a NASA degree just to build a barracks.
- Good Tutorials: A solid learning mode is gold for beginners.
- Forgiving Gameplay: You’ll make mistakes. The game shouldn’t punish every one of them.
- Active Community: Trust me, forums and YouTube guides become your best friends.
- Single-Player Option: Multiplayer can wait. Get your feet wet first.

🏆 The Best RTS Games for Beginners and How to Start

Let’s get to what you came for. Here’s a breakdown of the top RTS games that are perfect for newbies, plus how to get started with each.

🛡️ 1. Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition

Why It’s Great for Beginners:
Timeless, accessible, and fun. AoE II is the granddaddy of RTS games and the perfect intro to the genre. The Definitive Edition comes with upgraded graphics, improved AI, and refined mechanics. Plus, the campaigns are legendary.

Getting Started Tips:
- Start with the William Wallace campaign—it’s basically a fancy tutorial.
- Focus on building a strong economy. More villagers = more resources.
- Play against AI first—set difficulty to “Easy” and practice managing your base.

Pro Tip: Don’t rush into battles. RTS games are about economy as much as combat.

🤖 2. StarCraft II

Why It’s Great for Beginners:
It’s free. Yep, let that sink in. This sci-fi juggernaut is free to play and packed with polished content. There’s also a fantastic story mode and three super-diverse factions (Terran, Protoss, Zerg).

Getting Started Tips:
- Choose one race and stick with it while learning.
- Use "Casual" mode to slow the game and reduce pressure.
- Use the "Vs AI Co-op" mode with a friend or random partner.

Pro Tip: Build more units than you think you need. Then build more.

🏰 3. Northgard

Why It’s Great for Beginners:
If Age of Empires feels too traditional and StarCraft too fast-paced, Northgard hits the sweet spot. Set in Norse mythology, it combines RTS with elements of survival and city-building. It’s slower, forgiving, and beautifully simplified.

Getting Started Tips:
- Play the campaign to learn faction mechanics.
- Economy management is crucial—winter can wreck you if you're not prepared.
- Explore slowly, expand carefully.

Pro Tip: Don’t underestimate the weather. Winter in Northgard will slap you.

🧟 4. They Are Billions

Why It’s Great for Beginners:
It’s different. This game blends base-building RTS with zombie horde survival. You’re not fighting other players—you’re just trying to survive wave after wave of the undead.

Getting Started Tips:
- Start on easier maps with less aggressive zombie populations.
- Defend choke points and build layers of walls.
- Build slowly and methodically.

Pro Tip: Build two things: economy and defenses. Neglect one, and you’re toast.

⚔️ 5. Company of Heroes 2

Why It’s Great for Beginners:
WWII theme? Check. Tactical gameplay? Check. Awesome graphics? Check. CoH2 emphasizes small squad tactics over massive battles, making it more manageable for newcomers.

Getting Started Tips:
- Use cover—seriously, it can make or break engagements.
- Play through the campaign—it’s a solid tutorial woven into an epic story.
- Don’t spread your troops too thin. Stick together.

Pro Tip: Timing and positioning > brute force.

⚙️ How to Actually Start Playing RTS Games Without Losing Your Mind

Knowing the best games is just half the battle. The other half is mindset and approach. Let’s break it down.

🔄 1. Play Single-Player First

Look, jumping into online matches might sound exciting, but unless you want a soul-crushing defeat five minutes in, stick to single-player until you’re confident.

📚 2. Watch Tutorials and Streamers

YouTube is your best friend. Watching people play and explain their moves is like getting free coaching. Streamers also show you how to recover from mistakes, which is gold.

🔄 3. Learn Hotkeys (Slowly)

Don’t try to memorize everything. Start with the basics: build unit, build building, attack. Gradually add more as you get comfortable. Trust me, this one pays off HUGE.

⏱️ 4. Practice, But Keep It Chill

RTS games can be stressful if you treat every match like a championship final. Relax. Play a game or two, review what went wrong, and enjoy the process. You’ll get better.

🤝 5. Join Newbie-Friendly Communities

Forums and Discord servers often have beginner rooms or leagues. You’ll find people just like you—struggling, learning, and occasionally wiping out whole armies by accident.

💡 Common Beginner Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Yup, we’ve all made them. Here’s the usual suspects and how to dodge them like Neo:

- Not Building Enough Units: If you have 5 troops and the enemy has 50, guess what happens? Build more.
- Neglecting Economy: Can’t build an army with no resources. Always be expanding your economy.
- Turtling Too Hard: Defense is good, but don’t just sit there. Pressure matters.
- Panicking: Stay calm. Even when your base is on fire. Panicking only makes things worse.
- Ignoring the Mini-map: That little box? That’s your best friend. Glance at it constantly.

🔚 Final Thoughts

Look, getting into RTS games takes some effort, yeah. But once you get the basics down, it's like riding a bike—only the bike is a tank, and it’s crushing enemy bases. The key is to take it slow, enjoy the process, and don’t expect perfection. None of us started as pros, and you won’t either. And that’s perfectly okay.

So grab a beginner-friendly title from the list, fire it up, and get ready to command like a legend-in-training. You’re gonna make mistakes, you’re gonna lose some games, but you’ll also have a blast. And soon enough, you'll look back and laugh at your peasant-hording, wall-overbuilding, unit-spamming early days.

The battlefield is waiting. Time to make your move.