Overlord

Plot

You are The Overlord - one of several, depending on the game.  With the help of your minions and your spells, your goal is to impose your will on the territories surrounding your Dark Tower.

Minions

Games in the Overlord franchise play somewhat similarly to games in the Pikmin franchise. You control your horde of minions.  Send them forward, or "sweep" them, and they will react based on what you send them towards.  If you send them towards turnstiles, they will turn it, to open a door or gate. Send them towards enemies or breakable items, and they will attack (gleefully shouting "DESTROY!" as they do).  They will return to you with any potions or gold they find, while  weapons or armor, they will keep for themselves, to increase their attack and defensive power. Of the four types of minions (see details below), these items will be visible on the Browns only, but they affect Reds, Greens and Blues as well, though to a lesser degree.
  
In addition to sending and sweeping, you can place your minions on a guard marker, represented by a flag. Minions on a guard marker will stay put until you recall them, but they will attack any enemies that approach the marker. Guard markers can be moved directly, which is useful for defending a choke point, but -- since minions automatically return if you stop sweeping them -- is also necessary for certain puzzles which require precise timing.

Brown Minions

Browns are your melee fighters, and make up the bulk of your horde.  They have no immunities, but do have better defense and more direct attack power than the other types.
 

Red Minions

Reds serve as ranged fighters, throwing fireballs at enemies, which have a change to light them on fire.  They are immune to fire, and can extinguish burning objects.  Reds are much more aggressive when placed on a guard marker. A common tactic is to place them on a marker on high ground, out of direct danger.
 

Green Minions

Greens are stealth fighters.  While they are stronger than Reds or Blues, they are weaker than Browns, and while they are somewhat effective in a direct fight, it is more effective to sweep them behind enemies so they can use their backstab attack.  Placing them on a guard marker causes them to turn nearly invisible, which is useful for setting up ambushes.  Greens are immune to poison.
 

Blue Minions

Blue minions are extremely weak, and should never be used as melee fighters -- at least against creatures that can fight back.  Their primary purpose is as priests: they can revive fallen minions.  They are also the only minions that can swim.