Well, first off, as a general answer to the thread title: virtual. Exclusively virtual.

I generally enjoy games that go beyond the usual rock-paper-scissors mechanic and make you leverage other battlefield factors such as terrain, weather and so on.

Secondly, I tend to favor real time strategies over turn based ones, although the latter are typically more balanced and give the AI less chances to cheat or outdo you at micro-management. If I had to say why, I guess it would be because of that sense of urgency and chaos that mimics what is realistically present in a conflict of this nature. War is never like chess, more like making the best of a terrible situation and dealing with things that are outside of your control.

Ironically, I'm not a big fan of Total War kind of games and the only true RTT I can stand are the Close Combat games, for some reason. But these concepts are generally applicable.

For example, you can have a space/4X type of RTS such as Sins of a Solar Empire which has capital ship abilities that are sometimes vastly negated or rendered unusable in certain nebulae (magnetic storms, if memory serves). Setting up a trap/ambush or doing a faint to get the said ships in those areas and then pounding them with the ordinance they are most vulnerable to really scratches that battle commander/strategist itch. So does bringing in hyperspace inhibitors and cutting off their desperate attempts at retreating.