Heh.
I have started playing again Titans of Steel Last week, trying new veterna-level compaigns.
I don't think a lot of people played or even heard about this game. All I can say about it - it is the Dominion 2 of turnbased sci-fi strategy.
The depth of this game is amazing, but ne aware that the learning curve is steep as an Everest. Dom2 learining curve is kindergarden compared to that one. ;( UI in partuclar seem very convulted in first, until you really dig how the gaem work. Than you start thinking of its UI as a brilliant.
The main obstacle to learn is that it is neither turnbased not realtime game, belonging instead to unique subgenre. It is neither "I Go You Go", or "We Go" (lime in Combat Missions) system. It created new subgenre of turn based games by itself.
Everything is happening in the same time BUT it is happening in time-segemrts (seconds). It feels like turnbased game but not quite, and because everything is happenign at the same time - shooting, movement, etc, it takes some time to get used to the idea, since it play very doffent from other turn based games.
Frankly I never was a fan of mechwarrior-types univerce, giant robots, etc. But the game hooked even me, and hooked me good. It has strong RPG elements in addition to very deep strategy, the cusotimization level of both giant robots and thier "jockeys" (drivers) is amazing, and the AI is extremely smart and totally brutal (without cheating!)
Basicly if you like turnbased hardcore strategy(even if you don't care about mechwarriors, like I don't), you have to try that game. The commercial Version called "Titans of Steel:The Warring Suns", it is enchanced Version of freeware game, with several compaigns. Make sure to download all the patches, the user guides/tables from the forum. And kiss your social life good bye for week or two - that game is addictive as hell.
Regards,
Stormbinder