Fritz
04-08-2003, 09:58 AM
I just have the demo, but have ordered the full commercial version. That is a tad generous on my part as I can probably get the military version for free. For under $30 it looks to be a good value.
from the website (http://www.battlefront.com/)
"TacOps 4 is the commercial version of “TacOpsCav 4”, an officially issued standard training device of the US Army. It is a simulation of contemporary and near-future tactical, ground, combat between United States (Army and Marine), Canadian, New Zealand/Australian and German forces versus various opposing forces (OPFOR), simulating the Former Soviet Union, China, North Korea etc. Various civilian units and paramilitary forces are also included.
TacOps 4 now supports massive multiplayer teamplay, by allowing up to 19 players or spectators (on up to 8 teams) and an umpire to connect and fight the same battle online via Internet or LAN (TCP/IP).
Most of the vehicles, unit organizations, and weapons utilized in today's world by these forces are present in the game. Some weapons and capabilities that are likely to be available over the next ten years are included as options, as well as some older organizations and weapons. The movement and interaction of infantry and armor units is treated with great detail. Supporting air and artillery activities are treated more conceptually.
The primary simulation focus of TacOps 4 is ground operations from the perspective of the battalion or regimental commander. You are a commander, not a gunner. Your control of weapons fire is limited to positioning your units with movement and disposition orders, setting minimum or maximum engagement ranges, and designating priority targets during the orders phase of a 60 second game turn. During the combat phase, your units will automatically choose their actual targets.
TacOps 4 is played in turns. Each turn consists of two phases: an orders phase and a combat phase. Each phase occurs simultaneously for all players. During the combat phase the units of all forces, under computer control, simultaneously carry out their orders for movement and combat in four, fifteen second pulses. You only observe during the combat phase; you can not give or change orders until the next orders phase. In addition, "fog of war" is simulated by showing enemy units (and friendly units from another team) only if they are in the line of sight and visual range of one of your team’s units. You may also choose to see all units at all times."
this is a WEGO game. both teams issue orders, and then the computer commits the orders. As it says above, you are not the gunner, so this is a game of command.
An interesting aspect of this game is it is not just "Blue on Red." There can be noncombatants or semi combatants in the mix.
The visuals are not interesting at all, but that is not at all what this simulation is about. For a guy like me this is a game, but for military professionals this is a training tool. One benifit of that is there is a large profresional user base, and a fair amount of good 3rd party scenarios and documentation available.
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Of some small interest, one study of the proposed "Medium Combat Brigade" used TacOps to simulate brigade operations with various proposed vehicles to get a sence of combat lethality and effectiveness.
from the website (http://www.battlefront.com/)
"TacOps 4 is the commercial version of “TacOpsCav 4”, an officially issued standard training device of the US Army. It is a simulation of contemporary and near-future tactical, ground, combat between United States (Army and Marine), Canadian, New Zealand/Australian and German forces versus various opposing forces (OPFOR), simulating the Former Soviet Union, China, North Korea etc. Various civilian units and paramilitary forces are also included.
TacOps 4 now supports massive multiplayer teamplay, by allowing up to 19 players or spectators (on up to 8 teams) and an umpire to connect and fight the same battle online via Internet or LAN (TCP/IP).
Most of the vehicles, unit organizations, and weapons utilized in today's world by these forces are present in the game. Some weapons and capabilities that are likely to be available over the next ten years are included as options, as well as some older organizations and weapons. The movement and interaction of infantry and armor units is treated with great detail. Supporting air and artillery activities are treated more conceptually.
The primary simulation focus of TacOps 4 is ground operations from the perspective of the battalion or regimental commander. You are a commander, not a gunner. Your control of weapons fire is limited to positioning your units with movement and disposition orders, setting minimum or maximum engagement ranges, and designating priority targets during the orders phase of a 60 second game turn. During the combat phase, your units will automatically choose their actual targets.
TacOps 4 is played in turns. Each turn consists of two phases: an orders phase and a combat phase. Each phase occurs simultaneously for all players. During the combat phase the units of all forces, under computer control, simultaneously carry out their orders for movement and combat in four, fifteen second pulses. You only observe during the combat phase; you can not give or change orders until the next orders phase. In addition, "fog of war" is simulated by showing enemy units (and friendly units from another team) only if they are in the line of sight and visual range of one of your team’s units. You may also choose to see all units at all times."
this is a WEGO game. both teams issue orders, and then the computer commits the orders. As it says above, you are not the gunner, so this is a game of command.
An interesting aspect of this game is it is not just "Blue on Red." There can be noncombatants or semi combatants in the mix.
The visuals are not interesting at all, but that is not at all what this simulation is about. For a guy like me this is a game, but for military professionals this is a training tool. One benifit of that is there is a large profresional user base, and a fair amount of good 3rd party scenarios and documentation available.
---------
Of some small interest, one study of the proposed "Medium Combat Brigade" used TacOps to simulate brigade operations with various proposed vehicles to get a sence of combat lethality and effectiveness.