As discussed in the first part of this series, the framing for play in Solitaire TacOps: Ortona, both for standard scenarios and the open campaign, revolves around expanding allied control to clear the individual maps. In the last part of the series we saw this play out through an example using elements of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment to gain control of the first block on the Edge of Town map. While the playthrough visually showed and narratively told how this happened, some of the key mechanics involved were glossed over, specifically as it relates to the German opposition. In this article we will look at the game’s Contact markers, and how they dictate the behavior of the German forces to contest player control (see this article if you are interested in how the player actions work).

A quick note about the playtest art that I use for these articles. As designs move into the prototype and playtesting phase I tend to do the art myself with some level of detail that may seem complete. I do this to clarify the concepts that need to be captured by the art. This is so that I can visually communicate these concepts in a shorthand which is not reflective of what the final art will look like. Once we start moving toward final art we have lined up some wonderful historical consultants to ensure we get all of the details correct.

Opposition Tools

There are two types of pieces for the opposition in the game – unit counters and contact markers. Unit counters are similar to the player unit counters both in form and function (see this article for more details about the counters). On the map they represent groups of soldiers, their weapons and armor that can be directly engaged by player units, and will take actions of their own during the opposition phase of each turn. In many scenarios and throughout the campaign however, maps will start with no opposition unit counters. This is because rarely in these engagements was the exact disposition of the opposition known, let alone where units were located on the map. Instead players are expected to move through a fog of war to determine exactly where and what the concentration of opposition forces they must face. This is where the contact markers come into play.

Contact markers are placed in the center of megahexes with a stacking limit of two. They are placed on the map facedown so that only the side with the question mark is visible. The flip side of contact markers vary from blank markers that have no effect, to observation markers that indicate an incoming artillery barrage. For the historical scenarios, some information about the composition of the pool of these markers may be known, but their placement is always randomized so that the player does not know which effects will happen where.

Notably, only two types of contact markers place units on the map, and as such, it is important to not think of them as units themselves. Instead they represent the potential obstacles the player’s forces will have to contend with to gain territorial control. A megahex can only be controlled by a player if it has no contact markers.

Revealing Impacts

When Contact markers are revealed they immediately trigger their effect. They can be revealed in one of three ways. First if a megahex becomes overstacked by the placement of a third contact marker, the bottom marker in the stack is revealed. In the opposition initiative phase, if there are any contact markers in megahexes with player units, the contact markers are automatically revealed. Lastly, if a player gets a successful Work action to Search a megahex they can reveal the markers in that megahex.

The first two options effectively give the opposition the initiative for the reveal. Overstacked markers immediately interrupt activations disrupting the player’s OODA loop forcing them to reset and orient based on the impacts of the opposition actions. If there are a number of contact markers in megahexes with player units during the opposition phase it can give them a powerful turn of compounding effects that can be devastating to player progress. For the player to have any agency in dealing with these effects they must use the last option to actively work to search and clear them.

A successful Work action will provide the player with die roll modifiers before the markers are revealed. This preparation can give the advantage needed to avoid the Trap that the Germans have left behind, or see the reflection of the sniper’s scope right before they fire to avoid getting hit. If a marker places units, the Work modifiers mean that the player’s units are not surprised by the attempted ambush. Doing the Work is important because it’s the only way to gain these modifiers. Even Mixed result Work actions are helpful, because while they don’t immediately reveal the markers, they do provide modifiers that can also be used during the opposition’s initiative phase.

Placement and Movement

An essential part of how contact markers work is their placement and how they can move. Scenarios will typically start with a number of the contact markers placed on the map. Similarly in the campaign game players start with contact markers in the megahexes adjacent to their starting positions. New contact markers are placed on the map in two ways. The most frequent (and often most annoying) is on failed and mixed results from player resolve rolls. Additionally, during the posture step of the opposition initiative phase, more contact markers can be placed on the map.

The rule around where the markers are placed is always to an uncontrolled megahex, closest to a player unit in the current turn’s priority direction. At the start of each turn a Priority Direction is determined and marked on the dashboard. This is the direction (left right and center) the player will follow to not just place contact markers but to move markers and units. This means that each turn the opposition’s attention can shift, challenging the player’s plans. Additionally, some of the markers have Move actions on their flip side. This will move a contact marker from one megahex to another, causing problems in a different part of the map. Markers that reveal the Move effect will use the priority direction to move another contact marker on the map.

Because contact markers can only move or be placed in uncontrolled megahexes, it is very important for players to clear megahexes to take territorial control. If there is a hole in the player’s line, contact markers might be moved or placed in megahexes behind their forward positions. There is nothing more dangerous than the potential for enemy units to be found behind the forward lines. Because of this, as with much of the game, the player’s focus has to go between scales to manage the activities of a single megahex, but also understand how control across multiple megahexes impacts their sustainment and effectiveness in completing objectives.

Contested Lines

Returning to the playthrough from the previous article you now have the context to understand how the opposition is able to contest the Loyal Eddies attempt to extend their control into the edge of town.

From this you can see that the opposition has a very active role in challenging players. While some factors are known, the player can never be sure about their behavior. This is why it is important for players to build the skills needed to be able to respond effectively to any challenges they might face. One of the things I am most proud of with the design is that the use of the contact markers allows for the opposition to be both unpredictable and tactically realistic in a way that can exceed one’s expectations of even a human player. As amazing as it is to build and execute my own plans, seeing the opposition coordinate their own combined arms ambush always puts a smile on my face.

In the next entry we will see if the Loyal Eddies can take the initiative after the artillery strike, or if the Germans have a plan to stop them short of their objectives.

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