Task Force Games (1982, $4.95)
Designed by Daniel Campagne
Players 2
Playing 1 hour
Time Period Science Fiction
Scale Tactical
Turn 1 hour
Map not stated
Unit individual soldier, POW or vehicle

Components
Box 6"x9" ziplock bag
1 16 page rulebook
1 17"x22" unmounted mapsheet
5 4 die-cut counters

Counter Manifest
3 5 yellow Spikus counters
18 purple Confederation counters
1 white game turn counter

Task Force says

“The game recreates the escape of Confederation prisoners from the Spikus POW camp on Altassar, and the subsequent pursuit by Spikus soldiers. Various units, such as Trackers, Drystals, Recovery Wagons and Trip Nets are used as players perform in this tense game of escape and pursuit.”

The reviewer says

“This game has several things in its favor. First and foremost is its original premise ... The rules ... certainly seem to capture the flavor of a prison break ... Unfortunately, the bad things about Escape From Altassar outweigh the good ... I can’t recommend [it]. Although it has some interesting chrome, there’s nothing solid to hang it on. What begins as a nice premise degenerates into a turkey shoot. Task Force Games has done better in the past, and gamers have a right to expect something a bit more polished and refined.” Tony Watson in The Space Gamer Number 61.

Comments

In 1979, Task Force Games entered the market with a series of ziplock bagged Pocket Games. Most of the games shared several common features: 6”x9” rulebooks with cardstock covers, die-cut counters, and 17”x22” mapsheets. 22 Pocket Game titles were released before the line was dropped as unprofitable in 1983. Some of the Pocket Games went on to become enduring classics (namely Starfire and Star Fleet Battles), while others were rereleased as bookcase boxed games (Swordquest and Operation Pegasus). The Pocket Games were primarily based on science fiction or fantasy themes, although there were three historical titles in the series (Operation Pegasus, Prochorovka and Battlewagon).

Collector’s Notes

While the early Pocket Games were released in ziplocks, some of the later games were shrink wrapped with the ziplock storage bag folded inside the rulebook (anyone who has inserted a game into a snug fitting ziplock can probably hazard a guess as to why this change came about). Escape From Altassar is one of the Pocket Games that may be found in the shrink wrapped format.

The chances of tracking down a brand new copy of Escape From Altassar for a reasonable price are good. Stashes of old store stock Pocket Games seem to turn up for sale every so often. Don’t get too excited about mint copies as there seem to be quite a few out there selling for $5 or less. Boone lists low/high/average prices of 1/3/2.20 at auction and 5/12/7 for sale.

Other sci-fi Pocket Games from Task Force

Asteroid Zero-Four; Boarding Party;Cerberus; Checkpoint Omega; Intruder; Moon Base Clavius; Robots!; Starfire; Star Fleet Battles; Survival/The Barbarian; Ultra-Warrior; and The Warriors of Batak.

Introduction
Eagle Day Battle of Britain 1940
Eastern Front Tank Leader World War II
Eighth Air Force: Air War Over Europe, 1942-45
Escape From Altassar Sci-Fi POW
Europe Aflame World War II