"Tactica tactics" Topic

I've recently been introduced to Tactica. In both games I've played flank charges featured heavily and decisively. I've no argument with that in principle, but in many cases the flank charges were just 'glancing blows' where unit A was just able to brush the flank of unit B with one of its front corners. Had it been B's move, B could have done the same to A. It's a long time since I've played Ancients of any sort, but this didn't quite feel right…

I would recommend Might of Arms with the proviso that you limit heavily armored cavalry to one unit dismounting…

Good rules and good fun.

Personally I play Field of Glory but it isn't everyone's cup of tea, especially on this board. Have heard good things about Impetus and you can download the basic system for free.

If you don't mind a bit more complexity, Field of Glory are the way to go in my opinion. They are releasing a V 2 very soon if they haven't already. They tweaked a few things and added in some mechanisms from FoG Renaissance, which is a good thing. I actually don't agree with all of the changes but I can live with them. I think update to v2 are free to current owners. The other negative is that there are a lot of list books but you really don't need them. You just need the ones that have your armies in them…. ;-)

Dont leave a flank open. Any ancient battle where one side left its flank open usually meant a loss for that side.

Tactica rules are extremely outdated by today's standards. Army compositions are always the same, deployment is always the same. Huge armies with tiny proportion lost ends the game. That whole clipping thing is just adds to the reasons why Tactica is played by so few people. One doesn't need to know the history, one does need to know Tactica mechanics.

All of arty's rules emphasises the vulnerability of the flank.

It is as much moral as fighting based.

so while you may only see a small figure to figure contact, it counts in order to emhpasises the deciciveness of this form of attack.

whether you like it or not is a matter of taste, but once you accept that in arty's rules, the game is won or lost on the flanks, you get a good game using armies and tactics which work on that basis.

I and my friends have been using these rules for years! We enjoy them and did some changes to them.. We are waiting for Tactica 2 to come out! Also in ANY wargame and any period you must protect your flanks or lose!! Mike Adams

Also with these rules you better know your history or troop type!!!!! Mike Adams

"Army compositions are always the same, deployment is always the same."

If you play it that way you would be correct. Of course there is absolutely no reason to do so unless you like repetition.

For what it's worth, Tactica 2 has changed the mechanism so that there's a halfway-house between a normal combat and a full flank or rear attack. Basically, it's an angled attack that gains bonus dice but doesn't disorder your opponent. Another thing the new edition fixes is the specified army compositions and the rigid deployments. There are still limitations, especially when compared with many other rulesets out there, but they are no longer so strict.

Incidentally, Arty Conliffe has mentioned just recently on the Tactica Yahoo Group that he's hoping for a publication date of April 2012 or thereabouts.

Charge and roll high.

Well I have to support Legion 1950 on his thoughts. We have played Tactica since it came out. As for the army restrictions, we fixed that right away by creating our own points sytem and this has allowed us to play massive games with 4 to 6 players in under 4 hours (I am talking about 700 to 900 figures). We enjoy the rules and they have never lost their appeal.
As for Tactica 2, don't hold your breath.
Greg

AMEN!!!!! Mike Adams