Ironhold Legions

Ironhold Legions is a real-time strategy game trimmed down for a phone screen, and it makes smart cuts. You command squads across a few lanes, decide where to commit reserves, and react as the enemy pushes. There's no fiddly base micro, just constant tough calls about where your strength should be.

What sold me was the counter system. Spearmen wreck cavalry, archers melt slow units, and getting the read wrong loses you a lane fast. That means you're always watching the whole board, not just spamming your favourite unit.

The campaign ramps thoughtfully and the optional skirmishes give you room to experiment. Battles rarely drag past a few minutes, which suits how people actually play on mobile.

What we liked

• Sharp rock-paper-scissors unit counters
• Matches short enough for a commute
• Campaign teaches without holding your hand