After a month of voting, PC Gamer readers have picked the best RTS unit of all time
PC Gamer completed a month-long voting tournament to determine the greatest real-time strategy unit of all time, with readers selecting from 16 iconic units across classic RTS franchises. The tournament consisted of four rounds of voting, narrowing the field down to a finals matchup between Age of Empires’ Priest and Command and Conquer: Red Alert’s Mammoth Tank—a contest that pitted organized religious power against Soviet military might.
The Priest emerged as the ultimate victor, claiming the title of best RTS unit ever. The tournament eliminated several other notable contenders during the voting process, including the Warcraft Peon, which the article’s author particularly lamented being knocked out in an early round when it lost to Rise of Legends’ Glass Dragon. Another controversial elimination was Red Alert 2’s Dolphin unit, which fell to the eventual champion Priest before the finals.
The community voting event highlighted the enduring cultural significance of these classic real-time strategy games and their memorable unit designs, which continue to resonate with PC gamers decades after their original releases. The tournament sparked nostalgia and debate among the gaming community about the most impactful and iconic units that defined the RTS genre.