I recently tried to remember an old RTS from the late 90s, and I finally found it.
It got me thinking about how unique its gameplay loop was compared to the giants of that era, like Warcraft II or Age of Empires.
Instead of the usual land-grabbing and infantry training, Ancient Conquest threw you straight into the naval-focused RTS experience.
One of the most interesting things - battles. You can equip your ship in different ways.
Several could only be with soldiers, so you can easily board enemy ships. Or you can put several catapults with a balista. Or you can do a balance.
Resources are limited on the map, so you don't have enough chances to build a heavy and expensive army.
There are also many upgrades for your naval army and your bases.
Overall, it's a really good game with good mechanics and scenarios.