Slitherine

I was first a bit unimpressed with Battlesector, because the Blood Angels Campaign got me bored real fast. But pvp is a dream come true. It has everything I want from tactical pbem:

Variety

Even with only 46 units so far, I´d probably never run out of ideas for army building. The units are both unique and well balanced against each other, so each game I have a new idea to try.

Short and to the Point

The average game lasts 7 turns, so can be finished in a week with 1 turn/day. No drag. I am not really into games that take weeks or even months to finish.

Pure Skill

The spread of random outcomes in fire and melee is too small to decide a battle. You have also little to fear from the scissors/stone/panzer dilemma, if you build a fairly balanced force. Skill decides every game, all the time.

Every Little Thing Matters

Battlesector rewards careful play. You can´t simply lose a couple figures here or there by negligence and expect it not to influence the outcome. Every unit and every action matters! Interesting decisions constantly.

Units and Terrain Look Great, Good Voice Acting

What I usually care least about, but together with the fantastic gameplay it´s the icing on the cake!

Oh man, agreed - the voice acting is really good: "WEe are the walls! WE are the guns!"

It seems to me that PvP is pretty much the whole point of this game.

Exterminus is flawed as a game mode, though imo. With two experienced players it seems that Playing defensively is advantageous, which leads to very long games, with little action and an inevitable victor shortly after action does take place. Typically ending in one side conceding. As once you get on top it's compounding.

Strategic command and the hold the center ground modes are far superior, more tactical, more action, faster and tend to be competitive till the end.

I've only played with Tyranids and blood angels, but it seems to me that Tyranids are far superior. The only solid build that seems to stand up to them is a pure BA mech build. Which is a shame because it means 2/3rd of the BA roster you just never select.