Many years ago I used to own a game with turn based combat game play just like this but you were managing a team competing in a league, like a team gladiator type thing i think, and could buy better characters and equipment at the end of every match. I am racking my brains trying to think what the title was, does anyone happen to know?
(I think I owned the gold version but there was a free trial version that let you play a few rounds or something as well)