Wikipedia
The Rebelstar games are a series of turn-based tactics video games designed by Julian Gollop. Rebelstar Raiders was published in 1984 by Red Shift for the ZX Spectrum. It was reworked in machine code as Rebelstar, published by Firebird in 1986. A sequel, Rebelstar II, was published in 1988 by Silverbird. Rebelstar, but not its sequel, was also adapted for the Amstrad CPC home computer.
Each title in the Rebelstar series is a science fiction-themed turn-based tactics game, in which each player controls an opposing squad of soldiers, using their individual action points for movement, attacking, and other activities. The playing area is top-down plan view, with units shown in profile. The games achieved critical acclaim, and form the beginning of a development history that led to the Laser Squad and X-COM series.
A spiritual successor titled Rebelstar: Tactical Command was developed by Gollop's Codo Technologies and released for the Game Boy Advance by Namco in 2005. Two more Namco projects, Rebelstar: Psionic Rebellion and Rebelstar 2: The Meklon Conspiracy, were cancelled.