Tank Commander: The Eastern Front Edition (Collectible Cardgame)

Tank Commander

The Eastern Front Edition
(Collectible Cardgame)

Uli Blennemann

For the few of you who haven't seen or heard about it (shame on you!), Tank Commander is a collectible cardgame that brings armored warfare on the Eastern Front during World War 2 to your tabletop in a simple yet exciting way. The whole Eastern Front Edition encompasses 164 different cards.

Of them, more than 80 (!) are different Soviet and German tank types, from little T-60s and PzKw IIs to mighty JS-2s and Jagdtigers. In addition, you'll find AT-guns, infantry squads, equipment cards (e.g. a Panzerfaust or an Anti-Tank Mine), terrain, and special events like an Air Strike, a Tank Ace, or a Nebelwerfer Barrage. The Tank Commander cards are packaged in Playing Decks of 60 cards. Each player needs a Playing Deck to play.

Let me tell you what Tank Commander is not: it isn't a detailed tactical wargame or study; if you are interested in this type of game, stick with the TCS or ASL. However, Tank Commander has the advantage that you are able to learn the rules in 15 minutes (and explain them to another player in 3), set up a match in another 5, and play several games in an evening. Moreover, you do not need a lot of space to enjoy Tank Commander.

The mechanics are very simple: you move your tanks, infantry, and AT-guns over positions (marked by terrain cards) on the table and fire at enemy units in the same or adjacent positions. A typical player's turn does not take longer than a mi nu te to complete: you are allowed to do only one of four things: move up to three cards from a single position (they may move to different positions), fire with just a single card, play an "instant" Panzerfaust, a Flamethower or an Anticard (e.g. an Air Strike) or draw a new card from your drawing deck.

While the mechanics are very simple, there is a fair amount of decision making involved: Is it now a good opportunity to move to a better position? Shall I fire? Is my hand (the reserve) so poor that I desperately need a new card? Or is it now the moment to place a deadly Stuka Air Strike aided by the infamous Tank Buster HansUlrich Rudel (another Tank Commander card) on the enemy tank concentration in the open?

Of course, there is more in Tank Commander: "interrupt" cards that let the non-phasing player interrupt (surprise, surprise) the other player's turn (e.g. a Minefield card dropped on moving enemy tanks); and firing involves the armor penetration rating of the firer and the armor protection rating of the target at either short or long range.

Following are some play tips for successful "tankies": As the name suggests, the emphasis of Tank Commander is on AFVs. However, infantry surely has its place in the game, too. In fact, when attacking or defending it is best to occupy your positions with a "realistic" combined-arms force of both tanks and infantry / cavalry.

When infantry has additional equipment cards like a Tank Mine, it is especially useful. You may only fire at infantry from an adjacent position when it is in the open. Furthermore, tanks can only engage infantry in a melee with their intrinsic MGs, which have a low hit chance.

Therefore, while powerful tanks might be able to blow opposing tanks out of the way and clear a position, they have trouble eliminating infantry.

In scenarios where you are able to buy your own forces, a lot of players do not want to expend their valuable points on seemingly unexciting cards like "woods," "balkas," or "villages." In my opinion, this is a big mistake.

Terrain cards are actually very cheap and most useful. Not only do they protect--to varying degrees--the cards occupying the position in question, they also slow down cards which may move two positions per turn (most tanks).

Some players avoid melees. They believe it is better to fire at short or long range at the enemy because you cannot be harmed in this way. In addition, they fear a melee because at this close range antitank fire automatically strikes the weaker flank or rear of a tank, making a kill much more probable.

However, the turn sequence of Tank Commander dictates that you can only fire with a single card per turn--and you can't move at the same time--so it is impossible to kill more than a single enemy unit per turn in this way.

If you accept your own losses, amelee is the single most powerful action in Tank Commander. First, you may move with up to three cards from a single position (a standard movement action), then all your units (again, up to three) may fire. Only by using melees will you be able to win TC matches.

Infantry may mount on trucks and armored personal carriers to move faster across the battlefield. However, the added danger of losing the infantry squad plus the truck plus any equipment card(s) of the infantry with a single hit against the truck does not seem to make the mounting option an attractive one.

If you want to "simulate" a part of the Battle of Kursk, for example though, trucks are indeed a useful tool for the attacker. "Simulating" Kursk would mean that German player has his usual two rows of positions but that the Red Army player has perhaps five or six rows of defensive positions. Here a truck is very useful for transporting infantry faster to the front line.

The first expansion for Tank Commander will feature the Western Desert and forces from Great Britain, the USA, Free and Vichy French troops, Germany, and Italy. Moreover, typical desert and Tunisian terrain will be included. There is also a "Mirage" (no connection to Magic!) and a Rommel card in the set.

Common Cards

(60 total):

Rare Cards

(51 cards):

Uncommon Cards

(52 cards):

Ultra Rare Card

(1 card)

Tank Repair Shop