I am looking for the name of a 1990's Windows turn-based strategy game in space

Question

I'm looking for an old game. It probably ran on Windows 95 but maybe on Windows 3.11. As far as I can remember, it wasn't a DOS game. It might have been a free game from a magazine.

I remember the center of the screen was the space with the planets or ship we were currently managing. As far as remember the main screen couldn't be scrolled horizontal/vertical, but maybe when clicking on a planet or ship it recenter on it.

It was a strategy game in space, where you have star ships, crusaders to visit planets, manage productions on them, etc. Probably a bit of exploration too.

I think it was turn-based because I don't remember any particular movements on screens, just windows opening to manage what to produce / where to go. Sp we don't control any ship directly, but by clicking «go to that planet» on a list (if I remember well)

I m pretty sure some ship where called «Crusader» and maybe it looked like a

I have been looking for it for weeks but all the results I found are wrong.

Does this ring a bell to you?

Edit (to answer questions in comments):

About the interface, as far as remember it couldn't not be scrolled, but maybe when clicking on a planet or ship it recenter on it (similar to star trek USS Enterprise, but with only one motor, and 2D side-view only ).

This is not:

• Imperium Galactica or VGA planets (they seems too recent)
• not mentionned in the reddit comments
• Not Master of Orion (I, II, III), but maybe the interface was a little similar to the 3 (but it was in a window, under Windows OS)
• not Moonbase Commander
• not Ascendancy
• not «Spaceward Ho! » but seems very similar in terms of functionnality
• not Imperium Galactica

Answer 1

A fairly well-known game around that time was Stars!

Starting with a small fleet of ships and one or two planets, players develop their empires, meet other races and conquer the galaxy. Stars! games begin with race design, choosing one of 10 primary racial traits, a selection of lesser racial traits, habitability, growth, economic, and technology settings. The graphics are entirely 2D, and consist of the main map view and static pictures of planets, ship hulls and components. Battles consist of moving static icons around a grid. Because of the high level of micromanagement and diplomacy requirements, many games take place over months between players spread across the galaxy.

Players initially send scouts out to scan for suitable planets which later may be colonized and developed, enlarging the player's empire and providing additional resources. As a player's empire expands the player must balance the management of the population, minerals, research, and ship/infrastructure constructions. When other players' races are encountered, a variety of diplomacy options allow for alliances, trading mineral resources or technology, large-scale wars, and even the destruction of other races. If the random events game option is enabled, players will have to contend with (or take advantage of) the Mystery Trader, comet strikes, wormholes, and environmental changes.

It ran from Windows 3.1 onwards, although modern computers typically use DosBox to run it (and there's still a pretty thriving community). There's planetary production, discovery and exploitation of planets, and competition with the other alien races.

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Answer 2

It might be Star General:

• I played it on Windows 95
• It is turn based
• There is a planet view, where you could manage production of units
• There is a space view, where you could steer your ships to other planets/fight other ships

Answer 3

Space Crusade, perhaps? It follows slightly more with your description.