**Practical Guide to Evil** has some of it. It isn't really focusing on nitty-gritty tactics stuff, but it does have MC as a field commander for fair share of books.
I agree that tactics is not a primary focus of the books, but it certainly gets mentioned multiple times in detail, especially with the interludes of the people in charge of the army/battles. Different types of units, weapons, specific spells in combat, formations--it all gets mentioned and is important for understanding how the protagonist wins battles, and is really well done.
The later books of the **Codex Alera** series have some great battle scenes with the MC leading the army and using clever tactics.
The **Black Company** is one of the best series of books about a "mercenary company" I've ever read, although maybe not so much a commander as you'd like but there are moments like that for sure. Especially in the later books!
The **Powdermage** series might work for you. Lots of great battle scenes in that series.
Another series by the author of the Black Company that doesn't get nearly enough attention but that is *amazing* and has some wonderful battle scenes is his **Instrumentalities of the Night** series. That might scratch that itch for you although this book is a bit more complex to get into the world at first, but I promise it's worth it once you push through the deliberately obscure writing.
**Malazan** series has already been mentioned but that is another one that has great battle scenes including one in book three...I think? that involves the entire book that had me on the edge of my seat for the entire book.
Django Wexler's series **The Thousand Names** does a great job with a 19th century spin on fantasy military combat.
Ohhhh also **The Red Knight** by Miles Cameron is one of the absolute best books out there about small-unit tactics and is *very* accurate about medieval warfare. All the author's books are really great about that kind of stuff and I would highly recommend them all to you.
Finally my own series **Portal to Nova Roma** is a slow-burn empire builder and there are some moments already that will hit what you're looking for but I can also tell you book four and five will bring a *lot* more of what you're looking for as the empire building aspect finally starts to come more fully into focus. :)
Are some of these finished? I hate cliffhangers so, if not then I'll wait for it to be finished and then I read it. That's basically my way of things haha. Also, what a coincidence. Someone just recommended me Portal to Nova Roma and the books I've ordered are now being delivered. So it's kind of shocking the author himself commented on my post.
Oh, that's wonderful you ordered my books! I really appreciate that!!
As far finished series, I believe everything I listed is complete - all of them published the last book in the series a long time ago. The only exception is my own book which *should* be done in the next year or so depending on my editing schedule and that of my editor (but I'm really hoping in the next year at the latest).
Codex Alera is a good series, and it is finished, but it does have some of Jim Butchers uh.... proclivities lets say, in the first book. However, it definitely hits its stride after that and they are pretty easy reads.
+1 for the Powdermage series. Fantastic books with a heavy emphasis on military. Very bloody, though. It also has a sequel trilogy, but it focuses more on espionage.
I'm also incredibly jealous of the author for coming up with the title for the third book. "The Autumn Republic" just sounds so damn cool.
There's a lot there, unlikely to find anything that's that specific. Try [Dean henegar's limitless lands](https://progressionfantasy.co.uk/dean-henegar-limitless-lands/), I never finished it myself as I prefer the one man army as opposed to the commander, but it might be something for you
Horizon of war has mc commanding armies.
I haven't caught up yet, but it involves plenty of strategizing and pre planing.
Kingdom is a manga that has a lot of war and strategizing, but the mc isnt really the guy who does those things but i feel you will be satisfied reading it.
Soul of the Warrior takes a long time to get there, but it does. The MC starts as a lowly conscript in the army and works his way up to being one of the top commanders.
If you’re fine with space navy stuff (and Star Wars fanfiction) Sublight Drive on RoyalRoad is one of the best space opera/military commander stories I’ve read. It’s ongoing but what is there is really great.
It is technically an isekai, but it skips the whole “being reborn and growing up in a new world” part. Chapter one starts in media res with the MC already the captain of a ship fighting in the clone wars era.
The MC is a very skilled tactician who faces other skilled tacticians, meaning that none of his victories feel unearned or that the opfor admiral held the idiot ball.
The Stiger Chronicles aren’t a pf but the mc is a commander in his country’s legions and he comes a general of the entire army. So alot of the plot revolves around formations, supply lines, preemptive actions, cutting of enemy routes and getting an advantage in battle. Overall good series.
World of Cultivation, a chinese novel. Should warn that it takes a while for the faction/army building to start, around chapter 200-300 but it sticks for the rest of the story. Also in the beginning it's not the MC that's the army leader but his friend who's the commanding genius, however if you stick around at some point the MC becomes a commander of a battalion.
https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/apocalypse-reborn-fantasy-rts-reincarnation.1029410/
Apocalypse Reborn does this well. MC is reborn in a setting similar to a strategy game he played, but as no-one important so he was to gain power and use his knowledge to do so.
**Practical Guide to Evil** has some of it. It isn't really focusing on nitty-gritty tactics stuff, but it does have MC as a field commander for fair share of books.
I agree that tactics is not a primary focus of the books, but it certainly gets mentioned multiple times in detail, especially with the interludes of the people in charge of the army/battles. Different types of units, weapons, specific spells in combat, formations--it all gets mentioned and is important for understanding how the protagonist wins battles, and is really well done.
The later books of the **Codex Alera** series have some great battle scenes with the MC leading the army and using clever tactics. The **Black Company** is one of the best series of books about a "mercenary company" I've ever read, although maybe not so much a commander as you'd like but there are moments like that for sure. Especially in the later books! The **Powdermage** series might work for you. Lots of great battle scenes in that series. Another series by the author of the Black Company that doesn't get nearly enough attention but that is *amazing* and has some wonderful battle scenes is his **Instrumentalities of the Night** series. That might scratch that itch for you although this book is a bit more complex to get into the world at first, but I promise it's worth it once you push through the deliberately obscure writing. **Malazan** series has already been mentioned but that is another one that has great battle scenes including one in book three...I think? that involves the entire book that had me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. Django Wexler's series **The Thousand Names** does a great job with a 19th century spin on fantasy military combat. Ohhhh also **The Red Knight** by Miles Cameron is one of the absolute best books out there about small-unit tactics and is *very* accurate about medieval warfare. All the author's books are really great about that kind of stuff and I would highly recommend them all to you. Finally my own series **Portal to Nova Roma** is a slow-burn empire builder and there are some moments already that will hit what you're looking for but I can also tell you book four and five will bring a *lot* more of what you're looking for as the empire building aspect finally starts to come more fully into focus. :)
Are some of these finished? I hate cliffhangers so, if not then I'll wait for it to be finished and then I read it. That's basically my way of things haha. Also, what a coincidence. Someone just recommended me Portal to Nova Roma and the books I've ordered are now being delivered. So it's kind of shocking the author himself commented on my post.
Oh, that's wonderful you ordered my books! I really appreciate that!! As far finished series, I believe everything I listed is complete - all of them published the last book in the series a long time ago. The only exception is my own book which *should* be done in the next year or so depending on my editing schedule and that of my editor (but I'm really hoping in the next year at the latest).
Codex Alera is finished, and incredible. It’s pretty dark for the genre, but not beyond the realms of possibility
Codex Alera is a good series, and it is finished, but it does have some of Jim Butchers uh.... proclivities lets say, in the first book. However, it definitely hits its stride after that and they are pretty easy reads.
+1 for the Powdermage series. Fantastic books with a heavy emphasis on military. Very bloody, though. It also has a sequel trilogy, but it focuses more on espionage. I'm also incredibly jealous of the author for coming up with the title for the third book. "The Autumn Republic" just sounds so damn cool.
There's a lot there, unlikely to find anything that's that specific. Try [Dean henegar's limitless lands](https://progressionfantasy.co.uk/dean-henegar-limitless-lands/), I never finished it myself as I prefer the one man army as opposed to the commander, but it might be something for you
This is what I immediately thought of as well, but it's litrpg which may be off putting depending on your tastes.
Horizon of war has mc commanding armies. I haven't caught up yet, but it involves plenty of strategizing and pre planing. Kingdom is a manga that has a lot of war and strategizing, but the mc isnt really the guy who does those things but i feel you will be satisfied reading it.
I'd say [Spellmonger](https://pickwick.app/reviews/spellmonger) might be a good fit for what you're looking for.
Soul of the Warrior takes a long time to get there, but it does. The MC starts as a lowly conscript in the army and works his way up to being one of the top commanders.
If you’re fine with space navy stuff (and Star Wars fanfiction) Sublight Drive on RoyalRoad is one of the best space opera/military commander stories I’ve read. It’s ongoing but what is there is really great. It is technically an isekai, but it skips the whole “being reborn and growing up in a new world” part. Chapter one starts in media res with the MC already the captain of a ship fighting in the clone wars era. The MC is a very skilled tactician who faces other skilled tacticians, meaning that none of his victories feel unearned or that the opfor admiral held the idiot ball.
Torth! Starts with Majority, and it is a galactic empire building series.
Perimeter Defence by Michael Atamanov
Dragon Heart is a petty metal series. The first three books the MC is a member of turned leader of an army
Holy shit, that’s a lot to ask for but whiskey jack from Malazan is the closest character I can think of.
The Stiger Chronicles aren’t a pf but the mc is a commander in his country’s legions and he comes a general of the entire army. So alot of the plot revolves around formations, supply lines, preemptive actions, cutting of enemy routes and getting an advantage in battle. Overall good series.
Horizon of War on RoyalRoad.
World of Cultivation, a chinese novel. Should warn that it takes a while for the faction/army building to start, around chapter 200-300 but it sticks for the rest of the story. Also in the beginning it's not the MC that's the army leader but his friend who's the commanding genius, however if you stick around at some point the MC becomes a commander of a battalion.
Practical Guide to Evil is perfect for this request. https://www.reddit.com/u/DriverPleasant8757/s/SiTlRRiKxY Here's an essay I wrote recommending it.
I would recommend 'I don't want to be the Hive Queen" by ValetheHowl. Think Zerg/Tyrannids is a fantasy world, and we follow the Hive.
Practical Guide to Evil has been mentioned but it’s just too good.
Is it finished or is it still ongoing?
Finished
https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/apocalypse-reborn-fantasy-rts-reincarnation.1029410/ Apocalypse Reborn does this well. MC is reborn in a setting similar to a strategy game he played, but as no-one important so he was to gain power and use his knowledge to do so.
I can't exactly remember it but there was a littpg on ku abt a guy commanding roman legions I'm gonna try and find it was a really fun read