TacOps

TacOps is a turn-based wargame originally released in 1994. The game, developed by Major I.L. Holdridge, USMC (ret), details modern, hypothetical combat between U.S. troops versus the OPFOR who are armed with various equipment from across the globe. Later additions added units for the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand armies, and the US Marines.

TacOps
Developer(s)Major I.L. Holdridge, USMC (ret)
Publisher(s)Battlefront.com
Platform(s)Mac, Windows
Release1994
Genre(s)Turn-based wargame/simulation
Mode(s)Single player, Multiplayer, PBEM

The game is noted for its encyclopedic array of modern arms and units, and the detailing of the combat.

Gameplay

Instead of typical hex or square based movement, the forces move around without a grid. Players take turns giving orders and then watching the battles unfold on the map. Also, players cannot directly control where their troops fire, but rather control parameters such as fire zones, and range of engagement. The game is considered very realistic, and includes a database with information and photos for all of the units in the game.

Game play is divided into two phases. In the order phase time does not pass in the game and orders can be entered. During a combat phase these orders are executed and the player can only watch the results as 60 seconds of game time passes.

Order phase

During the order phase of a turn, when a player clicks on a unit its Order Box comes up. The player can order where the unit moves and, among other options, where it faces, whether it is exposed, and fire sector orders (with varying priorities).

Combat phase

After a player is satisfied with the orders they have given, they may move on to the combat phase. A combat phase represents 60 seconds, and is typically divided into four 15-second segments in which units fire and move.

History
  • 1994 TacOps for Macintosh v0. Arsenal Publishing.
  • 1996 TacOps for Windows v1. Arsenal Publishing.
  • 1998 TacOpsNZ v2. Custom version licensed to New Zealand Army. Avalon Hill Game Company.
  • 1998 TacOps Classic Edition v2. Avalon Hill Game Company.
  • 1998 TacOpsMC v2. Custom version licensed to US Marine Corps. Avalon Hill Game Company.
  • 1999 TacOpsCF v2 and v3. Custom versions licensed to Canadian Forces (Canadian Army). Battlefront.com.
  • 2000 TacOps v3. Battlefront.com.
  • 2000 TacOpsCav v3. Custom version licensed to US Army. Battlefront.com.
  • 2002 TacOpsCav v4. Custom version licensed to US Army. Battlefront.com.
  • 2002 TacOps v4. Battlefront.com.
  • 2003 TacOps ANZAC v4. Custom version licensed to Australian Army and New Zealand Army. Battlefront.com.
  • 2004 TacOps ANZAC v5. Custom version licensed to Australian Army and New Zealand Army. Battlefront.com.
  • 2003 TacOpsMC v4. Custom version licensed to US Marine Corps. Battlefront.com.
  • 2004 TacOpsMC v5. Custom version licensed to US Marine Corps. Battlefront.com.
  • 2006 TacOps v4.0.6 AH (Current patch level as of 1/10/2008)

Demo

A demo version was offered by Battlefront.com. The game disappeared from the online store in 2018.[1] The developer has failed to find a subsequent publisher.[2]

Reception

TacOps was a runner-up for Computer Game Entertainment's 1996 "Best War Game" prize, which ultimately went to Tigers on the Prowl 2. The editors summarized TacOps as "excellent".[3]

References
  1. Battlefront discussion accessed 20 Jan 2020
  2. Battlefront.com discussion accessed 20 Jan 2020
  3. Staff (July 1997). "The Computer Game Entertainment Awards 1996". Computer Game Entertainment (1): 54–58.
  • Battlefront.com, the initial publisher of TacOps games
  • the TacOps Wiki site
  • Electronic News Network - A CNN.com-like website for the "Global Thunder" MBX (gamed out with TacOps for land & Harpoon for sea) that provided immersive After Action Reports as well as some Intel for Redfor and Bluefor participants. Nine issues were released with the latter two containing video news reports. Note that some news stories mentioned were outside the realm of events in Global Thunder and simply featured to 'flesh out' the news site.
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