PC Gamer crowns the greatest RTS unit of all time through democratic tournament

PC Gamer has revived its look at the greatest units in real-time strategy games, but this time the decision rests with players. The publication created a 16-unit single-elimination tournament and opened voting to determine which RTS unit deserves the title of all-time best.

The tournament features units spanning decades of strategy gaming. Competitors include the Peon from Warcraft 3, described as the unsung hero of the Horde despite constant mistreatment. The Peon may avoid combat, but PC Gamer's editors note that workers are too valuable to waste in battle. Their role building structures and gathering resources proves essential to any Horde strategy.

Other notable entrants include StarCraft 2's High Templar, valued for its Psionic Storm ability that devastates enemy armies with area-of-effect damage. The unit proved game-changing for competitive players transitioning from simple army compositions to more sophisticated unit combinations. The Mammoth Tank from Command and Conquer: Red Alert represents Soviet strength, described as implacably costly and slow but capable of winning entire campaigns alone.

The bracket includes unconventional choices. Age of Empires 2's Petard is a suicide unit designed entirely to destroy buildings by hurling itself at structures. The Rohirrim from Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle-earth operates as a heavily armored cavalry unit that players could enhance and position into devastating formations.

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War contributes the Psyker, a powerful caster with a unique drawback. The unit risks dying whenever it uses its most powerful abilities through the "Perils of the Warp" mechanic, representing the danger of tapping into the setting's chaotic Warp.

The Pride of Hiigara from Homeworld 2 serves dual purposes as both unit and base. The massive Mothership can carry an entire fleet inside itself and produce capital ships, combining mobility in Homeworld 2 with limited direct combat capabilities but unmatched utility.

PC Gamer editors debated unit qualities across multiple criteria. The publication framed "best" as subjective, allowing voters to choose based on combat effectiveness, visual design, mechanical innovation, or simply personal preference.

The tournament uses randomized matchups across two days of voting per round. After the first round concludes, victorious units advance to quarter-finals the following week. PC Gamer selected one version of units appearing across multiple games, choosing Warcraft 3's Peon over versions from the original Warcraft or Warcraft 2.

The publication also runs a concurrent tournament determining the greatest first-person shooter game mode, inviting players to vote on categories ranging from battle royale to prop hunt.