This is just a fun game to play on the tablet. Tower defense, resource management, and tech trees all scratch that nerdy itch. It can be hard enough to require your attention while fighting enemies, but once you complete a sector, you can build more stuff just for fun. It’s a stress free way of enjoying the game mechanics without needing to worry about survival, and it’s a lot more pleasant than I would have thought.
Mindustry
Tower defense and factory-building hybrid with real-time strategy elements.
Open-source (Java) game combining tower defense and factory-building mechanics. Players construct production chains to extract resources, process materials, and defend against waves of enemies. Features campaign mode and multiplayer cooperative gameplay.