I gave it a try during the free weekend and liked it enough to pick it up to own permanently.

For the sale price at the very least it offers a fast engaging RTS type game where the real strategy lies in setting up your deck to beat the specifics challenges that each stage holds in store for you. Amusing civil war steampunk story and visuals just add to the charm as far as I'm concerned.

I've been playing Ironclad Tactics off and on for over a year. Only now, after earning every card, I realize that I forgot to write a review. It’s sort of a Plants VS Zombies game except that it’s Zombies VS Zombies, and the zombies are steampunk mechs.

The pace is realtime, but it moves slow enough to allow some thinking time for your next moves. Most of the challenge comes from building specialized decks to solve the puzzle that each level presents. Your AI opponent will have the upper hand with some new attack or defense and you’ll have to come up with a counter. Most of the time this results in a tense battle of planning, wits, and fortune. When you tweak a deck combo into working just right it feels great! Each new card opens up lots of tactical options and completing challenges for cards feels rewarding.

The civil war theme and story are awesome. I love the characters and animated comics that set up you journey across America. The in-game art and animation is beautiful. It’s easy to tell every unit apart and their abilities match the visuals. A robot with a jetpack files, dude with a shotgun has spread attack, and a flame thrower hits multiple targets. The music fits and is serviceable, but for me it’s one of the weakest points of the game. Something less traditional and more gutsy could have really helped some of the longer play sessions.

Each level starts by showing you 5 random cards from your deck of 20, so sometimes it feels like a lucky/unlucky start can make or break a win. If cards come out in just the wrong order it can kill a plan, but managing this problem is also part of the art of deck building. It improved a bit with the release of the first DLC where you can now spend 1 action point to ‘save’ a critical card for later.

The first DLC uses an army with a completely different and fun style of play. It’s satisfying playing as the boss enemies that were beating you down in the final levels and to understanding the logic behind how their robots transform. It also fills in missing parts of the story with more comics. The second DLC is very stripped down, but still provides new interesting abilities. Playing the ‘War’ mode, where you’re stuck with either French or Germany armies, varies the play styles just enough to keep things fresh.

After completing everything it feels like every inch of the design space has been explored. Not every ability or tactic is perfectly balanced, but there’s lots of viable strategies to solve each problem. That said, I haven’t played multiplayer which would be a much better gauge of balance. There’s not enough players to support random matchmaking and I don’t feel like it would be that fun against friends (even if they unlocked all the cards). I also haven’t tried the co-op mode, which is supported throughout the entire game.

If you liked Spacechem, you might like this. It’s about building machines, but stochastic machines rather than logical ones. If you loved Spacechem then definitely play this to support the awesome developers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWvKNef7yok

Ironclad Tactics is a fast paced real time strategy card game set in a fictitious civil war era featuring steam powered robot warriors. The game features lovely artwork offering charming and funny comic strip style cut scenes. The core gameplay is centered on constricting your deck of 20 cards consisting of various human and machine warriors along with weapons and perks you can apply in combat. You start the game with three randomly drawn cards and earn more cards upon one full cycle of the brief timer that counts as each turn, upon the completion of the turn you are also awarded an Action Point that you use to activate the cards from your hand. The main objective of each mission is to earn a set number of victory points that are obtained by one of your ironclad warrior robot troops successfully getting from one end of the battlefield to the other.

The fast paced nature of the game is both what makes the game shine and at the same time is its biggest hindrance, the fact that you have to make decisions so quickly eliminates the ability to really thoroughly strategize and plan out your next move as would a turn based strategy card game would, however this little bit of hectic fast paced chaos is what makes the game different from other card lane strategy games. Upon completion of the mission you are awarded with a new set of cards that have some unique twist or element that was the featured gimmick of the level.

The game does offer a fairly steep difficulty curve that can become frustrating at times but adds to the overall length and replay-ability of the game when you have to go back and rework a new deck to try to conquer your highly competent AI foe. The game perfectly combines the good of both a Trading card game and a card lane strategy game; it offers a lovely art style, interesting setting, and a very challenging level of difficulty

I like Ironclad Tactics, it is simple to learn, has great art style, and an interesting story. But above all it has fun gameplay! The story is told through an interesting comic style each mission, The story itself though I have got to say it kept me interested, maybe even more so than the gameplay. Each mission you chose to bring one of your decks and each of your decks has almost complete customizability. The biggest con I am having with the game is that alot of the missions end up with you just replaying them until you get the right deck build. This would be okay if the matches did not last so long. There is a great game to be made here, maybe some of the dlc can help improve ai/ missions? Either way I have got to say if you think this game looks interested and have money to spend I would tell you to go ahead and get it, only you can tell if you like it.

http://calmdowntom.com/review/ironclad-tactics-review-pc/

"When Ironclad Tactics was pitched to me as a ‘fast-paced, card-based tactics game’ set during the American Civil War, I have to admit, I was skeptical. Little did I know that it featured ROBOTS!"

Ironclad tactics is a fast paced turn-based tactics game based on card deck building. Since this description doesn't help, here is a slightly better one: the player chooses various soldiers and weapons from a consequent number of available ones. A card deck comprises 20 of these picks. Each deck has to be chosen carefully according to the needs of each mission. The battles consist of playing the cards (appearing in a random order) to send troops and give them equipment. They move automatically forward on the lanes they are deployed on, but the tactical possibilities are numerous with the ability to stop a unit, sometimes switch lanes, use weapons that target specific lanes, add a specific customization to a mecha and so on. The game seems like real time to the player, but the actions are conducted by the computer in quick, seamless turns.

This might seem complicated on paper, but in-game it works very intuitively so that the player can fully focus on choices and tactical decisions. And the fast speed allows for the battles not to drag on, they even trigger a lot of adrenaline as the player has to think fast and is always kept on the edge. The gameplay is really good and works well in these half fast-paced half-slowed down conditions.

However, where this game also really shines is in the level design. Usually strategy games can be repetitive as the players figure out their favorite strategy and repeat it to go through every mission. In Ironcland Tactics, each mission is different with the levels having a specific gimmick and the enemy deploying specific troops. While at first it can seem overwhelming if using the deck that was tailored for the previous level, this actually relates more to a puzzle game where the player has to figure out a well suited tactic to win. Card decks thus have to be customized specifically for every mission. So even if some might consider this very challenging when they don't know yet which strategy to use, I find it brilliant. It completely prevents the game from feeling repetitive with a single formula repeated ad nauseam, and keeps me thinking on how to tackle each new battle and makes me feel great for figuring out new strategies. Although, even if I mentioned a puzzle game inspiration, this game is not as static and mind taxing as a puzzle game, it remains very dynamic.

The story missions are linked through nicely made comics, reinforcing the feeling that overall this game has been carefully crafted. Additionally, the story can be played in online Coop as the players fight together and have to coordinate their strategy (forget it if you are not on voice communication, good communication seems pretty much required to succeed without making stupid mistakes - well these mistakes still happen on voice communication and can be hilarious, such as when one player decides to give a speed boost to a unit from the second player who decided that it should strategically hold position). And if you want to get revenge on your teammate for a mistake, there is always the possibility for 1 vs 1 to settle things non peacefully. Also of note, some missions can add a nice twist to the 1 vs 1 multiplayer such as the possibility for one of the two players to use a boss deck.

This game bears the "Tactics" subtitle perfectly well. I am very glad I discovered it in my Steam Library during its free week-end and gave it a curious try, otherwise I would never have known that this game is so good and keeps me so entertained while keeping my brain active.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdrzRJ6iY38&list=UU7_-PLIhjsEBwIQXqKxmNpA

Ironclad Tactics is a lane defense game with cards. It is a top down style
tactical game that relays its story in a comic book fashion. You gain cards
by completing missions, challenges, and increasing difficulty.

The cards are organized a bit haphazardly, making it difficult to build
a deck. There are filters, but the way they are laid out makes it a
bit confusing
as you build your collection.

The missions aren't too complicated, but the game has increasing
difficulty and challenges that promote replayability. The object is to get
your cards (or players) accross the board, on a turn by turn basis, and to
defeat the enemy cards. There is a luck element into what kind of enemy will
appear and in what lane, and what cards you will have availble from your
collection. This randomization may appeal to some players, but the way the
cards interact does slow the lane defense experience. In the same vein, those
who are used to card games may be disillusioned by the tactical strategy that
is necessary to the more quicker paced lane defense mechanic.

I can recommend this game, but I strongly recommend that you are aware
of the hybrid card/lane defense elements so as not to expect all of one element
or too much of the other.

This is a summary of what I talk about in the video, I am a YT'er not a Blogger
Thanks for your viewership and support for more videos check click here.

http://www.youtube.com/user/SocioPyscho

Achievement Hunters, this game has 1 achievement and takes 15 minutes to unlock. Buy it! :D:

The game is ok but, in my opinion, it should have been Turned-Based. Make it in real time is a mistake. You end up sending units hastily to the front and when you want to react it's too late. It's a pity, because I like the setting and the comic style.

It's not bad game. It worths a little of your attention to see if the game's author's ideas will suit you.

Good sides:
1. nice comic plot is involving USA's history;
2. fun ironclads;
3. cards (moves, special moves) gathering and their employyment in next mission.

Neutral sides:
1. Music, i hoped to hear some more interesting time. Nice music for a "nightgame" with ironclads is 51+% of game/
2. DLCs, as I can see a full plot and missions can be obtained for a tiny steam "contribution". :)

Don't let the looks, or the steam punk setting fool you. This game is FUN. I logged in today and saw it was on my game dash for a limited time, and I have to say I'm glad I installed and played.

If you have the patience for strategy, give it a try. Espically because it's FREE, and this game is more than worth the price.
Turns out the game is less than $4 right now.

SOLD!

It's a good game, i like the card collecting and the story.

The game makes you respond fast, so strategy can be tough :P

Very Interesting.

Not bad retro tactics good

I like it.

i love it!its very fun!

interesting stratagy game
enjoyed playing the little bit i was able to

This game is real strategy. It is fast and hard. You can build you deck from cards you collect and fight with enemies in amazing story with comic. There is a co-op and multiplaier, but there is not enough players so no one plaies the onliene skirmish. But I think if comunity of this game gets to higher level it could change. I recomend this game, buy it you are not going to be disappointed if you are strategy game fan. Fast turns strong enemies and quick tactical thinking makes
the game awesome.

I think that it is a good game overall, although it gets sorta repetative after awhile and can get stressfull if you fail many times, but once you figure it out i think it is good.

Very adictive , good to dive into when you have a few minutes to spare , got that just one more go quality.