WWII UNKNOWN LEVEL RULES:
MODERN LAND WARFARE:
Tractics

Out of Print
Brief Description

Mike Reese (mikereese@compuserve.com)
designer of Tractics, writes:
Tractics WW2/Modern Rules are out of print and have been since approximately 1977. TSR and Mike Reese (actually, Donald S. Lowry and Mike Reese) had the copyright in 1971. Publishing rights went from Don (Guidon Games) to TSR when that company folded and TSR started under Gary Gygax and company. TSR printed about 5-6000 full sets (one of which is sitting here at my computer).

Gary made big at TSR and then sold his share. I have no idea what happened to Don nor to Leon Tucker.

As to me, I have been using WRG1925-50 which our gaming group modified quite a bit, and then CD2 and Spearhead rules. The Tractics set is in a drawer of my computer desk since I have always intended to input it and then update it, most likely dropping the modern portion and sticking to the WW2 part. Still pretty good as a skirmish/role playing set of rules.

Haven't played Tractics for years, although I still remember the rules more than one would suspect. Is there any interest out there in them???

Period World War II and Modern
Scale
Ground Scale Unknown
Time Scale Unknown
Figure Scale Unknown
Miniature Scales Unknown
Basing Unknown
Contents Unknown
Designers Mike Reese (mikereese@compuserve.com), Leon Tucker, Gary Gygax
Publisher Published in the 1970's by Tactical Studies Rules

What You Think

Gary Grimes (gary@ggrimes.demon.co.uk)
I first played Tractics many years ago, when I still had a full head of hair. The principal drawback to Tractics is the very thing I enjoy the most, which is the detail. This is overcome by experience, since the more you play them the better you learn them. I have modified the rules a bit by adding bits of a set of rules called Soldat (which are also very good) to give Tractics a better squad & platoon level feel. By updating the vehicle and weapon charts, I have been able to use the rules for everything from Spanish Civil War to Bosnia. I would like to see the rules updated and reprinted - however, from a marketing standpoint, the current trend of sacrificing detail for "playability" would prevent them from selling well. These are truly rules for the fanatic.
Byron Rocher (byronr@bellsouth.net)

You should check out Battalions in Crisis published by Phoenix Military Simulations. I do not know if they are the exact same rules or an evolution of those rules, but from what I know they are the closest available. The game store in town recommended it, because he said he played it and Tractics and he swears it's the same old game.

Kimball W. Kelsey (kwkelsey@aeneas.net)

I, for one, would like to see the old Tractics rules brought back as a computer assisted rules set (IBM compatible), that could monitor a whole battle or be used as a solo opponent.

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Online Resources

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Last Updates
5 April 1999comments by Gary Grimes
30 January 1999page first published
Comments or corrections?