🚀 go-pugleaf

well Herzog Zwei, the first major RTS game, was played with a console
control pad, not a mouse, and you could only control one unit at a
time, but that does not mean Herzog Zwei wasn't an RTS.

I will agree though, that RTS games are more tactical than strategic.

Herzog Zwei was different in that, you actually were one of the units
in battle. you carried your forces to where ever they needed to be.
you fought with them, not just commanded them.

there ARE actually many PC gamers / RTS gamers that know, realize and
accept that Herzog Zwei was the real starting point for all RTS games,
including Dune 2.  while Dune 2 was different, and while Westwood had
defined their own style of RTS game which many followed, I think even
Westwood has acknowledged that Herzog Zwei was the inspiration for
thier first RTS games, Dune 2 and C&C.

With Herzog Zwei, its 4 megabits of ROM and the limited processing
capabilities of the Sega MegaDrive - Genesis hardware, each side could
have a max of 50 units made, placed on the map.  100 units max between
the two sides. (red and blue).  even then, with 100 units (even 70-90)
there was slowdown.   the Genesis was only using a 7.6 Mhz 68000
processor and a very limited VDP (video display processor) that could
handle a limited number of objects on screen at once.  IBM PCs with
386s or 486s were far more powerful.