One possible failing of the game side of TacOps was the limiting choice of scenarios. Some people said that it would be nice to have some meeting engagements, or U.S. assaults. Well, it looks like your prayers have been answered, because a scenario disk was recently released by Arsenal. It has six new maps, including 1 small size wooded map with a fenced camp in the centre, 3 medium sized desert maps, 1 large desert map with industrial facilities, and 1 large European heavily wooded and industrialised map.

There are also 16 differently named scenarios - with variants the total scenario count on the add on disk is 49. Only three of the scenarios use a map from the original game - the rest use one of the new maps. In general, the new scenarios provide more complex victory conditions (i.e. multi step victory conditions) and more in the way of meeting engagements and US forces in the attack than did the scenarios in the original box.

For those warmongers out there, there are also two "monster" scenarios provided for the true TacOps fanatic. See the descriptions below for Task Force Mizokami and Task Force Nankervis.

The following are descriptions for each of the new scenarios, as described by Major Holdridge (the TacOps author), who gave me his kind permission to reproduce them here.

Task Force Anderson - Meeting engagement, both sides must seize the same objective, USMC Light Armoured Infantry Battalion vs. an OPFOR reinforced Motorised Rifle Battalion (BMP). 60 minutes. Uses old Map01.

Task Force Arsenault - Meeting engagement, both sides must seize the same objective, US Army battalion sized Task Force vs. OPFOR reinforced Motorised Rifle Battalion (BMP). Uses a new, large, industrialised and heavily wooded map. Battle starts with both forces nose to nose and with their scouts already firing at each other. US and OPFOR always begin the game from the same, "locked" setup. Uses new, large, industrialised and heavily wooded map. 60 minutes.

Task Force Fenwick - US raid, US Army Air Assault Battalion in a heliborne, punitive raid against a company sized terrorist training camp with later defence against a reinforcing battalion. US must enter and clear 5 small objectives, occupy one of them for 20 minutes, and then extract at least 50 percent of the original force in the face of steadily increasing OPFOR reinforcements. Features US sniper and recon teams that can be secretly set up anywhere on the map. Uses a new medium sized, moderately wooded map. 60 minutes.

Task Force Davis - Desert battle. US point defence, first one then two US Army Armoured Cavalry Troops must hold three key bridges deep in enemy territory against an attacking OPFOR Motorised Rifle Battalion (BMP). Uses a new medium sized, desert map, heavily mazed with wadis. 60 minutes.

Task Force Hoeft (8 variants) - Desert battle. Meeting engagement leading to US defence. A US Army battalion sized Task Force (balanced Armour and Mech. Infantry) vs. advancing OPFOR Motorised Rifle Regiment. US starts from off the West edge of map and must first find the OPFOR columns. Eight variants. Uses new, large, industrialised desert map. 120 minutes.

Task Force Hurley (2 variants) - Desert battle. US must seize, clear, and occupy a crossroads town plus exit some of its force off East edge of map. US Army battalion-sized, mechanised task force vs. first a company and then an OPFOR Tank Battalion. Features an inclement weather visibility limit (heat shimmer in this case) of 2000 meters for both eye and thermal sighting. Uses a new medium sized, desert map with a central town, a couple of long wadis, and an Iraqi style sand berm.

Task Force Kaye (8 variants) - Meeting engagement leading to US defence. A US Marine Mechanised Battalion Task Force vs. advancing OPFOR Motorised Rifle Regiment. US starts from off the West edge of map and must first find the OPFOR columns. Eight variants. Uses new, large, industrialised and heavily wooded map. 120 minutes.

Team Kelley (8 variants) - US nightmare. Outnumbered ten to one, a heavily attrited US tank heavy company team must retreat 25% of its force off the map while delaying an OPFOR Motorised Rifle Regiment for two hours. Uses new, large, industrialised and heavily wooded map. Provided mainly as a novelty exercise for play vs. the AI/computer opponent. 120 minutes.

Task Force Marks - Similar to Task Force Fenwick but with a US Marine Corps Expeditionary Brigade.

Task Force Mizokami (3 variants) - "Monster" four hour scenario. US Brigade consisting of an Armoured Cavalry Regiment and two Airborne Battalions (Air Assault) vs. two and a half OPFOR Regiments. Starts with an air assault by two US battalions to clear five scattered objectives in a valley defended by numerous small light infantry units. Action builds with the arrival an hour later of an OPFOR Motorised Rifle Battalion and gets intense at the two hour point with the simultaneous entry of the US Armoured Cavalry regiment and two OPFOR Motorised Rifle Regiments. Features helos that can lift vehicles and a southern map edge entry point for the US forces. Uses new, large, industrialised and heavily wooded map. 240 minutes (4 hours).

Task Force Moody (8 variants) - Same as Task Force Kaye except that the US force is a US Army battalion sized Task Force with balanced armour and mech. infantry companies. 120 minutes.

Task Force Nankervis (3 variants) - Same as Task Force Mizokami (the Monster scenario) except that the US force is a US Marine Corps Brigade consisting of two mechanised Rifle Battalions and two heliborne Rifle Battalions. 240 minutes (4 hours).

Task Force Peterjohn - quasi historical Desert Storm battle. "What if" the Iraqis had attacked into Saudi Arabia during the first two weeks of the air campaign? 2-8 Cav Battalion moves to defend Hafar al Batin against an advancing Iraqi reinforced Tank Brigade. Features an inclement weather visibility limit (sandstorms in this case) of 2000 meters for both eye and thermal sighting. 60 minutes.

Task Force Taylor - Meeting engagement, similar to Task Force Anderson but with a USMC Rifle Battalion (Mech.)(+). 60 minutes.

Task Force Tomlinson - Meeting engagement, similar to Task Force Anderson but with a US Army Mechanised Infantry Battalion. 60 minutes.

Task Force Zientek - Meeting engagement, similar to Task Force Arsenault but with a US Marine Corps Battalion Task Force (Mech.). 60 minutes.

Included with the scenario disk is a handy scenario guide in windows help file format, which not only details the new scenarios, but also the old ones. Each description includes a map of the battlefield, current situation, missions, and an order of battle. It makes a very handy reference guide when you just want to browse through the scenarios.

This isn't really a proper review as it isn`t a game in itself, and it doesn`t actually affect existing gameplay at all so it doesn't have a rating, but if you enjoy TacOps, then I highly recommend you get your hands on this as quickly as possible!

Tim Still (tcs@cix.compulink.co.uk)