The battles themselves are real-time.

The actual campaign side of things is turn-based, sure, but that's just managing your cities and moving units around the world map and the likes.
Quote Originally Posted by Dan
Don't think so, they seemed to be pretty real time on that TV show that used to be on BBC2 that used the engine the game was based on!
I loved Time Commanders.

On a random note, I recreated 300 using Total War. Made myself an army of 300 Spartan Hoplites, then had hordes and hordes and hordes come at me in a small pass (actually it was on a bridge but oh well, the effect is still the same) elephants and all. Naturally I slaughtered them!