Summary
Tactics and strategy have been a part of tabletop gaming for a long time, specifically in war games. Although the terms strategy and tactics are often used in conjunction with each other, it could be argued that some games are more tactical than they are strategic. Most games revolve aroundplayers learning the rules of the gameand forming a strategy based on those rules, but it could be argued that tactics are much more specific to organization and smaller, more specific movements of player-controlled units.
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This is often how the “turn-based tactics” genre of video games is defined, and is the definition on which this list is based. Although miniature war games likeWarhammer: 40,000are prime examples of tactics games (though one could argue large war games such asWarhammer: 40kcontain more strategy than tactics), miniatures games aren’t for everyone, so this topic aims to include a variety of regular tabletop games and miniatures games alike.
8Warhammer 40k: Kill Team
The world ofWarhammer: 40khas been around for decades now, and the hobby can be hard for newcomers to break into,primarily due to the cost, and secondarily due to the sheer amount of models that need to be built and painted just to be able to play.
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Warhammer 40k: Kill Team, however, is Games Workshop’s solution to this problem, giving newcomers an easier way to get into the hobby and veterans a way to test out other factions or flex their creative skills by putting more effort into the construction of their squads. InKill Team, players don’t actually field that many units, so instead of trying to build and paint hundreds of units as fast as possible, players can take their time to customize each member of theirKill Team.
7Eclipse: Second Dawn For The Galaxy
This big-box sci-fi game offers 4X grand strategy on the tabletop, but unlike the similar game,Twilight Imperium,Eclipseis more focused on itsship-to-ship combat, and the upgrading, customization, and counter-plays surrounding it.
Some players may argue thatEclipseisn’t a tactics game, and while it’s true that at its heart it’s certainlya grand strategy experience, the game’s constant back-and-forth technology race and explosive combat that swings to and fro throughout each game makeEclipsea grounded, tactical game under its broad strategy surface. Furthermore, the positioning and movements of player ships are extremely important to player success. With all this said,Eclipseis a complex game that contains a lot of grand strategy and economic mechanics, soEclipsemight not be for players looking for purely tactical combat games.
6Memoir ‘44
This modern classic war game is a great addition to anyone’s board game collection as a whole, let alone as a tactics game.Memoir ‘44does contain a heavy amount of strategy, as players use the game’s “Command Cards” to issue orders to their troops across the center and flanks of the hexagonal board, but the movements and battles of the game are highly tactical.
InMemoir ‘44, the organization and movements of each troop are extremely important, specifically the positioning of each unit, due to the importance of terrain in the game’s combat. What’s especially great aboutMemoir ‘44is that units (made up of several individual miniatures) don’t lose power as they lose troops, meaning that one lonely soldier can hold their position if they’re lucky with their dice rolls, which can create high moments of drama on the table. Overall,Memoir ‘44is a great choice for players looking for a fine balance of broad strategy and tactical gameplay.
5Small World
Originally released back in 2009,Small Worldis a modern classic that is still in print at the time of writing.Small Worldhas players control various whacky fantasy races, spreading them across the board as quickly and efficiently as they can, battling over strategic locations, and trying to earn as much money/points as possible.
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WhileSmall Worldis a strategy war game, players will spend a lot of the game agonizing over where and when to move their units, how many to move, and when to enter combat. When units are lost inSmall World, they don’t come back in most cases, meaning each unit is of the utmost importance to a race’s survival.Small Worldis a unique experience that will have players thinking tactically throughout its tight playtime.
4BattleTech
This decades-old miniatures skirmish game has players controlling 1-4 Mechs on average, making each battle a personal and intimate affair in which every move, every decision, matters. Because of the low miniature count,BattleTechis extremely quick to get into, but its rules are notoriously dense and unapproachable.
BattleTechdiffers itself from other miniatures war games with its skirmish-style gameplay and heavy details. The system supports heat generation (which players have to manage), as well as the ability to hit different parts of the Mechs. There’s a lot to manage inBattleTech, and the customization options are plenty. For fans of Mechs that don’t mind taking the time to learn a detailed combat system,BattleTechis worth a look.
3Root
One of the most popular war games on Board Game Geek at the time of writing,Rootisan asymmetric gameabout factions of woodland creatures vying for control over a forest. Each faction has its unique twist, but the core gameplay revolves around taking territory and wiping out enemy units with tactical movements and card plays.
Rootis a thematic game that has a great visual style, and the tactical gameplay of amassing armies and moving them through the various “Clearings” is especially unique due to the asymmetric nature of the factions, meaning that tactics change depending on who the players are controlling. The only faction that doesn’t play particularly tactically is the “Vagabond,” a single unit that goes on its own quests, helping and hindering various factions throughout the game. It’s arguably better, though, when the Vagabond is only used in games with higher player counts, as the inclusion of the Vagabond in a four-player game, for example, adds an extra layer of tactics as fans attempt to play around the Vagabond’s movements.
2Hive
This highly portable game is as tactical as it is tactile.Hiveis a game that can be played on any flat surface and doesn’t require a board. In fact,Hiveis made up of several hexagonal tiles that are played by either player throughout the game. Each of these tiles has unique powers that enable players to change the game up in various ways to achieve their goal: surround the enemy’s Queen tile.
Hiveisa lot like Chess, in the sense that there are a lot of pieces that do different things and require players to think ahead and think tactically about every move. However, unlike Chess,Hiveis a lot more accessible and doesn’t bring with it the frustrating formalities that steer most people away from Chess. Furthermore, the fact thatHivecan be played anywhere, so long as players have a flat surface, makes it one of the best portable tactics games on the market.
1Undaunted: Normandy
TheUndauntedseries of deck-building war games from publisher Osprey Games has several boxes that act as standalone experiences.Undaunted: Normandy, however, is probably the best place to start due to its affordable and accessible nature.
InUndaunted, players build and customize a deck of troops and use them in conjunction with their troop tokens on a grid-based board made up of various tiles to battle for control over territories and objectives. The game comes with several pre-made scenarios for players to fight through, but the game can also be played in one-off sessions, making it a great skirmish game. There’s plenty of tactical gameplay inUndaunted, from its tactical deck-building to its ruthless combat, making ita great choice for fans of the WW2 theme. Furthermore, there’s also a big-box “Legacy” version of the game, titledUndaunted: Stalingrad, for those who want a grander experience.
