I missed this game the first time around, and I'm glad GOG has given me a chance to correct that mistake. Ground Control is a fantastic RTS that is fun, action packed and deceptively complex. In many ways it reminds me of Lucas' Arts abortion of a game Star Wars: Force Commander. However, Ground Control gets everything right. There's no mineral collection, or action points, or base management whatsoever, so if you consider RTS gameplay to be frantically climbing a tech tree as quickly as possible, you'll likely be disappointed. Instead you're dropped into the action with a small force of highly specialized soldiers. The game requires you to use the specializations of those troops, the contours of the land, and your own creativity to beat back overwhelming enemy resistance.
In Ground Control, you get a selection of troops which you can customize. Do you want to go quick, mobile and hard hitting? You can do that. Do you want to go with heavy ground pounders supported by artillery? No problem. Do you want heavy air support? Add it. You're only limited to which troops you start with and the room you have on your drop ships. Each unit also has a selection of special abilities that are absolutely vital to success. Each unit is strong against specific other types of units, and weak against others, requiring you to carefully manage your forces on the ground. Each mission is varied, requiring you to simultaneously complete objectives and safeguard your own troops from harm. This forces you to be invested in your units. They aren't just little bits of cannon fodder that can be easily replaced, they are vital chess pieces in your overall strategy.
It's easy to pick up and play, with a helpful tutorial, so no frustrating learning curve to overcome. If like me, you missed this great title the first time around I recommend you give it a god You'll be gleefully marching past the wreckage of your enemies in no time.