A clash of the titans in 'Legion Arena'.

In one game, you fight with swords and spears for the honour of Rome. In the other, sophisticated tanks and jets help you survive a nuclear holocaust.

Real-time strategy buffs are sure to have their grey cells tested to the max in Strategy First's 'Legion Arena' and 'Cuban Missile Crisis: The Aftermath' for the PC.

Developed by G5 Software, 'Cuban' take place after the Earth as we know it has been barbecued by a nuclear war. You see, the Cuban Missile Crisis didn't exactly turn out as it did in the history books. Neither John F. Kennedy nor Nikita Khrushchev backed down and saved faced. Missiles were launched. The world soon became an ashtray. It is up to you to pick up the pieces with the USSR, the Anglo-American Alliance, the Franco-German Alliance and China to choose from. You selection determines what storyline you begin with and your strengths and weaknesses.

'Cuban' is not just about moving your troops, completing objectives and seizing territory. There are bases to build, mine fields to set, bridges to construct and there is all that contaminated land to clean up too. Yech!

Before doing any of that though, you have to feed the intricacies of the game into your memory banks. There is a steep learning curve and be prepared to do lots of reading through the tutorial. Lots and lots of reading.

'Cuban' will certainly present a challenge to the novice strategy game player. This ain't 'Command and Conquer' of old, folks. For instance, just like in real life, your war machines need a constant supply of fuel and ammo. If either is choked up, your troops are sitting ducks on the battlefield. Luckily, you can save and restart missions just in case everything goes to hell and a hand basket.

While it is a great feeling to be in control of every aspect of your force, 'Cuban' is burdened with so much micromanaging that beginners may feel overwhelmed. Aficionados of this genre will feel right at home though as they are quite prepared to invest the time and labour required to advance.

'Legion Arena' on the other hand is a prime example of the notion that sometimes simple gameplay is what works best. Transported back to the age of the Roman Empire, you must work to expand the empire, quash rebellions and if all goes according to plan, become a monarch.

The gameplay itself is straightforward and compelling. You are presented with a scenario. You pick and position your troops accordingly. You are then transported to the battlefield where your warriors will execute the game plan. During combat, you can issue new commands to deal with the evolving events on the battlefield but you are limited by a fluctuating order metre. This forces you to choose your moves wisely.

You begin with an elementary yet diverse army of soldiers. Each division has their own unique characteristics. The Skirmishers are lightly armored, carry bows and javelins but stink worse than an ancient Roman toilet when it comes to hand to hand combat. The Light Calvary are horse-mounted warriors who can cross great distances quickly and stomp scores of enemies into the ground. All told, there are eight troops types that must be used appropriately if you are to achieve victory during the multi-faceted campaigns.

Moving the troops out in 'Cuban Missile Crisis'.

The battlefield terrain presented and positioning of the enemy forces are also major factors to consider. The aforementioned 'Calvary' can't negotiate forests very well and prefer open ground. Hills and scrub provide cover and a strategic advantage for Archers and Skirmishers.

After every successful battle you can improve your troops by using experience points to purchase new skills, buy enhanced armour and weapons or add new divisions to your militia. You can even change their appearances so you can tell which faction is which.

Since 'Legion Arena' is a no fuss, no muss set-up, it is easy to dive right into the action and commence with some gratifying war mongering. The downside of the painless arrangement is that the game has very little complexity. The cut-scenes are just plain voice-overs and the sound effects are meager and repetitive.

'Legion Arena' is an excellent starting point for a notable series if developers Slitherine can flesh things out to provide a more comprehensive experience.