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Why Tactical?
05-20-2009, 02:05 AM,
#1
Why Tactical?
There are wide choices in Wargames on the market. Operational, tactical, hypothetical, historical.

Now, I'm going to admit that this was a subject of a thread on GameSquad brought up a long while ago when I was a SB newbie. One of the replies pretty much sums it up:


Quote:The thrill of holding your trigger while watching an enemy tank moving towards your positions.

Watching the sound of enemy artillery and waiting to see if they calculated the target hex accurately.

Silently watching enemy platoon coming into the killing field you deployed carefully. Trying to avoid your heart saying FIRE FIRE FIRE. No just wait one more turn.

Killing an enemy officer and pinning his squad with a sniper in the woods from 20 hexes. Redeploying the sniper and watching enemy throwing everything he has to the -now empty- hex the shot fired.

Tactical rules

O. Budak

What makes tactical level games so appealing to you?
Site Commander: Task Force Echo 4
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05-20-2009, 03:44 AM, (This post was last modified: 05-20-2009, 03:46 AM by barnacle bob.)
#2
RE: Why Tactical?
Logistics. I don't have to worry about keeping my troops supplied. :)

It's more personnel. I get a feeling of being closer to the action.

For me Oz sums it up very well.
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06-04-2009, 03:38 AM, (This post was last modified: 06-04-2009, 04:03 AM by Riley D. Smith.)
#3
RE: Why Tactical?
I have never been very good a playing operational scaled wargames. The only exception is the CS, which imo sort of bridges that gap between tactical and operational fairly well.

Tactical level is so much less vague to me. A much more intimate affair. For example, I have just started a new SBVN scenario where I am in charge of a battalion. I LOVE that size game. Controlling 3 companies of infantry on a search and destroy against the VC (although I DO wish I had at least a heavy weaps platoon attached which in this scenario I don't...ack!).

These troopers were dropped smack in the middle of "Indian Country" with nothing but their wits, their leaders, and their weapons. Terrain and tactics will make or break the day. What happens to individual squads actually MATTERS. In fact, on my first turn, one of my squads of 10 lost one man....of course it was the M-60 gunner. Now I have the choice....drop grenade launchers or LAW rockets to pick up the machine gun or leave it? That ONE man matters to his squad, which in turn matters to their platoon.

Lose that LtCol in charge of the battalion or one of your 3 company commanders and see how the complexion of the game changes. Leaders, even down to the platoon level, make a true difference. Lay back or move forward with your men? What quality is the leader? A? B? C? In the tactical world it MATTERS. Do you move up to that pinned squad to rally them (chancing the leader getting shot), or let them retreat, take the big "D" and lower morale, and try to rally them in a safer spot?

Tactical is more personal. Less worry about supply chain as the time length makes that not so much of an issue. The pace in tactical level is quicker as well which I like. I like my fights to develop fairly quickly with very defined objectives. Operational just covers too much ground for my limited grey matter.
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06-04-2009, 04:55 AM,
#4
RE: Why Tactical?
I enjoy tactical level simulations because I can mentally put myself on the ground and size up the situation much better on this scale than on the larger ones. I can visualize 40-80-120M out in my head better than a couple of miles.

SB you are intimate with the situations. You order a squad to advance, and they get hit with an immediate burst of MG fire. Men are down, and you wince as you check their status. Immediately you have to decide on the next course of action. Advance a second squad to assist, or pull back and plot another course. Defensively you need to temper your aggression with patience. One more hex and that squad will have a hail of lead flying on them. One more hex....

The fluidity of the battles is great, and it's what makes each and every one of those games different. You have to apply much different tactics from the Pacific series than you would in Europe, and really change things up if you're in Africa or Afghanistan. Each game presents a frame-shift and forces you to adapt your thinking, which I really like. Great stuff.

I have a copy of Middle East '67 and I just haven't been able to get a handle on it compared to SB.
Site Commander: Task Force Echo 4
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