PC gamers in the mid-to-late 90s apparently started turning up their noses at turn-based strategy games in favour of the new hotness of the Command & Conquers and Warcrafts of the day
A review of X-Com Apocalypse from the time:
"to be honest, the new real-time combat is so good I really can't see why anyone would want to play the much slower (and often infuriating) turn-based tactical game"
:kitty-cri-screm:
spoiler
That's like preferring Diablo over Fallout
Yeah if you're playing against the computer it's not nearly as fun because either the AI is too good/cheating like you say or the AI is artificially bad to allow you to win.
RTS, in my old man opinion, is far superior when playing a person of similar skill level