Comparison

Naval Tactics vs Hex Mechs

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Naval Tactics

Command wooden ships in tactical Age of Sail naval combat. Engage in turn-based battles on a hexagonal map, outmaneuvering opponents with strategic fleet configurations and historical missions. Compete against friends or AI in this immersive board game experience.

Highlights
  • Age of Sail naval combat
  • Hexagonal map with Fog of War
  • Online asynchronous multiplayer
  • Historical missions
  • Custom sandbox missions
  • Single player vs AI
  • Simultaneous turn-based gameplay
Features
Read full description

"Be prepared to spend hours commanding your ships into glorious victory or crushing defeat." - SlideToPlay.com "The AI regularly cleans my clock until it gleams." - PocketTactics.com Hoist your sails and load the cannons as you embark for adventure on the high seas! Can you defeat your friends and best your enemies to become the Admiral of the Fleet? Naval Tactics: Captains of the Spanish Main is set in the Golden Age of Sail, where stout ships of wood were crewed by even stouter men. Nations at peace and at war engaged in naval actions on the high seas. Naval Tactics brings the proud tradition of great naval board games such as Wooden Ships and Iron Men to iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. TACTICAL WAR BOARD GAME From the hexagonal playing field to the potentially game changing Captain's Cards, Naval Tactics is a board game to its very roots. To succeed you will need to take your time, think three moves ahead, and mind the weather gauge! ONLINE ASYNCHRONOUS MULTIPLAYER Powered by the online system used by Starbase Orion, enjoy one of the best multiplayer experiences on the App Store with asynchronous, turn-based matches, real-time chat, unlimited number of concurrent games, automated match-making, and more! TRUE NAVAL COMBAT Naval Tactics prides itself on striving to capture the spirit of traditional naval combat in board game form. Configure your fleet using a variety of ships, from nimble Naval Cutters to massive Ships of the Line. Should you disable an opponent with bar shot or blast through their hull with double shot? Enterprising Captains will need to understand their vessels, their armaments, how they sail in relation to the wind, and the advantages of naval formations to best their fellows on the high seas. BALANCED COMPETITIVE PLAY Combining just the right amount of variety while maintaining a balanced engagement, Naval Tactics sets the bar for multiplayer naval combat on iOS. Choose your Captain's Cards, configure your fleet, outfit your ships, and embark on glorious battles knowing you will have to outwit your opponent to claim victory. HISTORICAL MISSIONS One cannot have a naval combat game without paying respect to the many true heroes who have shown their bravery on the seas. Live the Battle of Flamborough Head, the Constitution vs Guerriere, or the struggle at Trincomalee. More historical missions will be added in future updates! FEATURE SUMMARY • Age of Sail Naval Combat and Tactics • Hexagonal Map with Fog of War • Custom (Sandbox) Missions • Historical Missions • Simultaneous Turn-based Gameplay • Single Player vs AI • Top-notch Online Multiplayer • Pass-and-Play Multiplayer GUARANTEED PRICING While it is quite common for apps to become “free for a day”, Naval Tactics is not one of those apps. The standard price for Naval Tactics is $7.99 USD; it will never run a “free for a day” campaign.

About

Hex Mechs

Engage in turn-based strategic combat across diverse worlds in this futuristic war game. Command various units, achieve diverse objectives like capturing points or annihilating enemies, and utilize tactical maneuvers to minimize losses.

Highlights
  • Turn-based strategy combat
  • Diverse unit types
  • Multiple campaign missions
  • Three distinct factions
  • Adjustable difficulty levels
  • Detailed combat analysis
  • Game Center achievements
Features
Read full description

In the year 2523, a large wormhole opened up on the outer limits of Jupiter's orbit. E-CON's Navy stationed on Jupiter's moon Titan were the first to witness as the vast Insectron horde spewed out of the rift torn upon in the Solar System. Battle across various worlds in this futuristic turn-based strategy game. Utilise a vast array of units to defeat your foes while minimising losses. Mission are varied and challenging and include objectives such as capturing an objective, defending a base and, of course, annihilating the enemy! Key Game Features ● 6 Mission Tutorial ● 4 Mission 'Earth' Campaign ● 8 Mission ‘Convex' Campaign. ● 3 Factions - Earth, Martians (Humans) and Aliens, ● Three classes of unit quality – Normal, Skilled and Expert. ● Three Difficulty Levels - Casual, Standard and Hard. ● Detailed Combat Analysis. ● Map zoom ● Flank Attacks ● Strategic Movement ● Game Centre Achievements and Leaderboards. ● iCloud Saves. Purchasable Extra Content: ● 8 Mission ‘Mars' Campaign. ● 8 Mission ‘Nova II' Campaign. About the Factions: ** Earth: Earth Coalition of Nations (E-CON) ** The last of human society on Earth after the Insectron Horde separated Earth from its colonies and devastated the population on Earth. The last bastion of hope for Earth, E-CON operates out of vast militarised caverns and tries it's utmost to find a way to wrestle control of Earth back from the Insectron invaders. ** Aliens: Insectron ** The basis for all Insectron 'life' are two substances believed to be based on highly advanced nanomachines. The first substance, labelled 'Xenoaqua', is a quicksilver like substance which hardens to create Insectron structures and armour. It is highly adaptable and will self-repair by absorbing more liquid Xenoaqua. The second substance is 'Xenophy', a purple liquid, said to have the consistency of thick syrup. Xenophy is thought to be the 'brains' inside the Insectron machines and the most vulnerable to damage. It is unknown if the Insectron think with a' hivemind' or if they feel individuality, but both there is evidence to support both claims. The Insectrons follow a pack mentality to the point they seem to share their perceptions on the battlefield almost instantaneously, they also display fear and self-survival when in danger. ** Martians: The Holy Gravidus Republic (HGR) ** Humans first settled on Mars midway into the 22nd century. Isolated for hundreds of years, the Colony on Mars grew into a religious order. While Earth burned for decades, the Insectron horde sent a much smaller force to occupy Mars; and while the Martians and Insectrons clashed, the Martian people were left relatively unhindered in their progress. Waiting for the perfect moment, the HTR have unleashed the full potential of their technology, wiping aside the Insectron occupation force. They now have their eyes set upon Earth, to reap revenge. Find us on Facebook – facebook.com/HexWar Follow us on Twitter - @HexWarGames Game Forum - hexwar.com/forums Thank you for supporting our games! © 2016 HexWar Games Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Screenshots

Naval Tactics4 screens
Hex Mechs4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Naval Tactics at 4.2 against Hex Mechs's 3.6. Naval Tactics also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 55%) and ratings volume (38 vs 8). Hex Mechs's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 24 months) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Naval Tactics costs $4.99 and Hex Mechs $2.99 up front. Naval Tactics sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hex Mechs sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Naval Tactics holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 38 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Naval Tactics's written reviews are positive against 55% of Hex Mechs's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Naval Tactics ships an update every 24 months, Hex Mechs weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Naval Tactics versus Hex Mechs: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNaval TacticsHex Mechs
Price$4.99$2.99 — better
Rating4.2 (38 ratings) — better3.6 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews78.3% of reviews — better54.5% of reviews
Number of ratings38 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 24 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.29.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB429 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperChimera Software, LLCHunted Cow Studios Ltd.

Customer experience

Naval Tactics

All ratings38 ratings
Positive81.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.4%
Written reviews46 reviews
Positive78.3%
Neutral4.3%
Negative17.4%

Hex Mechs

All ratings8 ratings
Positive62.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative37.5%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative45.5%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Naval Tactics

One-time1
  • Captain Arena Entry$0.99
2 purchases

Hex Mechs

One-time2
  • Mars Campaign$1.99
  • Nova Campaign.$1.99

Questions

Is Naval Tactics free?
Naval Tactics costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Hex Mechs free?
Hex Mechs costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Naval Tactics or Hex Mechs?
Naval Tactics is rated higher. Naval Tactics averages 4.2 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while Hex Mechs averages 3.6 from 8 ratings.
Do Naval Tactics or Hex Mechs have ads?
Neither Naval Tactics nor Hex Mechs shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Naval Tactics or Hex Mechs?
Naval Tactics ships an update every 24 months, and Hex Mechs weekly. Most recently, Naval Tactics was updated on October 23, 2026 and Hex Mechs on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons