Most WW2 rules systems fail to convince because they try to achieve too much. Claims such as "Experience the thrill of Divisional Command" usually means "Experience the drudgery of playing every platoon and tank commander in the Division". I`m delighted to say that Nick Mitchell and Chris Pringle have given us something refreshingly different in Tac:WWII, a 44 page set of brigade level rules intended for use with microtanks, but will translate to other scales. The rules are based around using brigade sized formations such as a regimental combat team or kampfgruppe, with the company/squadron of several platoons/troops acting as the lowest maneouvre element. Turns are 15-20 minutes and ground scale is 1cm:40m or 24cm:1km. The emphasis of play is on doctrinal and qualitive differences between the armies engaged. The authors here recognise that an action between British and German forces in France 1940, is a completely different challenge to that which presented itself in 1944. Whereas in many rules of a similar genre the changes are no more than gun size and armour thickness. I was instantly attracted to the fact that units must operate in a choice of modes throughout the game - March / Bold Attack / Deliberate Attack (DA) / Default (DT) / Defence / Prepared Defence. Modes dictate the number of actions that are available to a unit and how well they`ll respond to the enemy. The following example is taken directly from the rules, which also shows how the combat system works : A troop (element) of Panzer II in DA mode encounters a troop of Matilda II dithering in DT at 15cm range. In Fire phase B, the Panzer II`s fire : armed with 20mm cannon, at range up to 20cm they have "n" value of 9 against a hard (armoured) target. The Panzers roll a 9 exactly. However the Matilda`s armour class 2 causes -2 from the roll, taking it down to 7 : "no effect". In Phase C the Matilda`s return fire . . but miss . . . in Phase D the Panzers get to fire again, and hit witha result of N. The Matilda`s have been neutralised : perhaps one has lost a track, another it`s commander and the third vehicle is trying to help the crews of the other two. Tac:WWII is supported by four Campaign Supplements : "Fall Weiss": Poland 1939, Hungary`s "Fast Corps" 1941, The Russo-Finnish Winter War 1939-40 and Eastern Front 1944 (volume 1). Each having between 8 and 12 historical scenarios, a mini-campaign, TOE`s and data charts for AFV`s, guns and troops involved. I was very impressed with these and think they will compliment any rules you currently use. To sum up Tac:WWII - Why be Leutnant Schmidt, Krause, Herzog etc, when you can be Rommel? Tac:WWII £ 8 / Supplements £ 5 each available from Irregular Miniatures A4 booklet, 2 laminated A4 reference sheets and a sheet of counters £ 8 from Irregular Miiatures Back to The Gauntlet No. 16 Table of Contents Back to The Gauntlet List of Issues Back to Master Magazine List © Copyright 1999 by Craig Martelle Publications This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com