Online grid-based tactics
Fight on a grid, grow the units you like, and push them until they stall. Ascend past the wall or rebirth back to the start permanently stronger — then take the same roster somewhere harder: deeper campaigns, the Descent, or other players.
Free on Windows. No signup to start.
Roads, old woods, coast paths and ruined courts, against bandits, orcs, golems, the undead and worse. Objectives beyond killing everything — get a charge across hostile country, hold a gate until the horn, break an ambush before it closes.
Every round down pays more and asks more, and everything you earn you are carrying — not keeping — until you climb back out. Turn back with your spoils, or go one deeper.
Head to head against another player, both of you giving orders on the same grid.
Leave a party defending in the formation you chose, and other players raid it while you are offline. You raid theirs the same way.
Players and the world's own dangers on one field, where the other player is only half the problem.
Separate Elo ratings for raiding and for defending, and a board for how deep anyone has pushed the Descent. See where everyone stands.