Play Cohort - Fighting for Rome Online

Cohort: Fighting for Rome came out in 1991, developed by Impressions Games for MS-DOS. It was part of that wave of early 90s strategy games that asked a lot of players, with no hand-holding and a focus on thoughtful, deliberate play. You don't get flashy cutscenes or lengthy tutorials; you get a command line and the expectation that you'll figure it out.

You control a small group of Roman soldiers, moving them screen by screen across a strategic map to engage enemy forces. The main objective is to complete your mission, which usually means eliminating all opposition or seizing a key point. The signature mechanics are all about formation and positioning; you have to carefully arrange your men in a shield wall or a defensive square before combat begins. Once the fighting starts, it's a flurry of short, brutal engagements decided by your earlier choices. The pacing is slow and methodical, and the difficulty is punishing if you rush. Getting your tactics right and watching your cohort efficiently dismantle a disorganized enemy force is a quiet, satisfying kind of power.

Each game uses different controls, most DOS games use the keyboard arrows. Some will use the mouse , "Alt" ,"Enter" and "Space bar".