TacOps

---

title: "TacOps" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1994-video-games", "battlefront.com-games", "classic-mac-os-games", "computer-wargames", "multiplayer-and-single-player-video-games", "video-games-developed-in-the-united-states", "windows-games"] description: "1994 video game" topic_path: "technology/operating-systems" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TacOps" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1994 video game ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox video game"]

Field	Value
title	TacOps
image	TacOps video game cover.jpeg
developer	Major I.L. Holdridge, USMC (ret)
publisher	Battlefront.com
released	1994(macOS)
1996(Windows)
genre	Turn-based wargame/simulation
modes	Single player, Multiplayer, PBEM
platforms	macOS, Windows
::

| title = TacOps | image = TacOps video game cover.jpeg | developer = Major I.L. Holdridge, USMC (ret) | publisher = Battlefront.com | designer = | engine = | released = 1994(macOS) 1996(Windows) | genre = Turn-based wargame/simulation | modes = Single player, Multiplayer, PBEM | platforms = macOS, Windows |caption = |alt = TacOps is a turn-based wargame originally released in 1994. The game, developed by Major I.L. Holdridge, USMC (ret), details modern, hypothetical combat between U.S. troops versus the OPFOR who are armed with various equipment from across the globe. Later additions added units for the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand armies, and the US Marines.

The game is noted for its encyclopedic array of modern arms and units, and the detailing of the combat.

Gameplay

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/TacOpsInGame.png" caption="screenshot from the game"] ::

Instead of typical hex or square based movement, the forces move around without a grid. Players take turns giving orders and then watching the battles unfold on the map. Also, players cannot directly control where their troops fire, but rather control parameters such as fire zones, and range of engagement. The game is considered very realistic, and includes a database with information and photos for all of the units in the game.

Game play is divided into two phases. In the order phase time does not pass in the game and orders can be entered. During a combat phase these orders are executed and the player can only watch the results as 60 seconds of game time passes.

Order phase

During the order phase of a turn, when a player clicks on a unit its Order Box comes up. The player can order where the unit moves and, among other options, where it faces, whether it is exposed, and fire sector orders (with varying priorities).

Combat phase

After a player is satisfied with the orders they have given, they may move on to the combat phase. A combat phase represents 60 seconds, and is typically divided into four 15-second segments in which units fire and move.

Reception

|rev1=PC Gamer |rev1Score=90% TacOps was a runner-up for Computer Game Entertainments 1996 "Best War Game" prize, which ultimately went to Tigers on the Prowl 2. The editors summarized TacOps as "excellent".

Games Domain said "TacOps is a solid implementation of a modern tactical wargame".

References

References

1. "The TacOps Information Page".
2. Dunkin, Alan. (January 26, 1998). "War Games Update".
3. Trotter, William. (July 1996). "TacOps".
4. Staff. (July 1997). "The ''Computer Game Entertainment'' Awards 1996". Computer Game Entertainment.
5. Pettersson, Thomas. "TacOps".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::