ROME: TOTAL WAR

I hear people complaining of a learning curve (I don't even really consider myself decent) so:

Before anything build up your economy. Remember to go to overview and click automanage taxed. Ally with as many nations as possible, alliances are only a weak paper shield to delay an imminent war. Try to go after lands you can defend easily, rivers, mountains, etc are easy place to defend. Go after RICH lands. Greece is a prime place to start. The lands of Selucia and the Nile settlements are rich. In fact Asia is the richest place. Play as the Brutii first. Carthage is OK and one may expand to Egypt as the Scipii. Europe is horrible as the Julii.

I like to pitch battles and let the enemy come to me, especially when I have artillery, and even more, an hill advantage to further augment my artillery and archer's range. Bridges are also a fine place to camp, especially when you are a Phalanx wielding nation.

I do think that Rome Total War could get a bit easy though. None of the single player tactics would work online.

I actually dug Barbarian Invasion A LOT. It really taught me how important the Rhine river was. If I was to play it again as Western Rome, I would have made my empire Pagan. Oh man, how challenging and fun it was to allow certain cities to riot and externminating the populac for their property and easier conversion to Christianity. Defending against the Vandals. Defending and expanding against and towards the Eastern Roman empire (treachorous traitors...)

Age of Empires 2 is really good. It is medieval themed, and resembles Command and Conquer games in gameplay.

Medieval 2: Total War is my other recommendation. it is more strategically sound than AOE and therefore makes you think more. Also is more historically accurate in it's gameplay. Also a lot more fun than AOE or any other strategy game I can think of from that era.

That being said, my highest recommendation for an RTS is World In Conflict, but that is 20th century based, so that does not match your requirement.

Empire Earth
Just because nobody mentioned it.

Yes.

Age of Empires II + The Conquerors; Age of Mythology + The Titans. Populous: The Beginning is another great one.

If you wanted something new, sorry, I don't really PC game any more

Ugh, please don't persuade people to buy AoE3. It's sad that that's the last Age game Ensemble ever made

ALL OF THEM

Red Alert series
Empire Earth
Age of Mythology
Rise of Nations
Total War series

All great

Rise of Nations and Total War is great. I've only play Shogun Total War though.

Empire Earth I