About Theater of Operations World at War (formerly Combat Operations

[Asid]

Welcome!

The fate of the free world rests on your shoulders



This game is not on the market yet, however it is currently under development. Who likes operational level games? Who has a favorite tactical computer game/boardgame/miniatures that would enjoy having a campaign system? Who would like to be part of a command staff and coordinate your efforts with other players? All these things can be accomplished with Theater of Operations.

A Highly Realistic Operational Level War Game from an Indie Developer

WWII Operational Level Combat Multiplayer Computer War Game Turn-Based We-go Style


Matt McCoppin
Columbus, OH


My education and military experience have combined with my lifelong hobby of war gaming to give me the confidence to create this game. I have been strategy war gaming since I was 5 years old playing against my older brother and cousins. Many different historical time periods interest me such as classical antiquity, the Middle Ages, Napoleonic, and 1980’s Cold War through modern day. However, World War II holds a special place with me. The sheer magnitude and scope of the conflict captures my imagination. Perhaps what makes it most special is hearing first hand accounts of the war from all my uncles and several close family friends. After getting married I found out that I now had relatives on both sides of the conflict (a German tank commander among others). It is with their memory that I want to make this game the best simulation that I possibly can.

Team members

•   Matt McCoppin - the ringleader

•   Ben Bricker

•   Lincoln Stanley

•   David Hazlett

•   Mitchell Arthur

•   Mike Nichols

•   John Rose


Official site: http://www.buckeyebg.com/


https://twitter.com/BuckeyeBG

[Asid]

What are the game’s core features?

•   Operational level combat as the Allies or Axis in the European Theater of Operations
•   PC/Mac (mobile platforms planned for future release)
•   We-go style turn based play (explained below)
•   A detailed combat resolution system
•   Scenarios can be small (a few kilometers of land) to huge (thousands of kilometers of land)
•   Scenario editor to allow user created scenarios
•   Typical unit size: battalion, some company-sized
•   Accurately depicted units based on actual tables of organization
•   Players can organize powerful battle groups of units to perform assigned tasks
•   Artillery units can perform missions to interdict enemy units and movement, counter-battery, and battlefield support
•   Engineer units can bridge rivers, lay mines, clear mines, and fortify units
•   Limitations due to command and control (or lack thereof)
•   Fatigue, casualty levels, unit cohesion, supply levels, equipment levels, and more are tracked for every unit
•   Detailed supply system to create real life limitations to commanders
•   Various terrain and weather impacts
•   Fog of war

[Asid]

Does this game have any atypical features for this genre?

•   Multiplayer (1 to 8 players (possibly more) may be included in each scenario)
•   Players are assigned command roles in each scenario
•   Theater of Operations: World at War (TOWW) will allow players to manually resolve tactical battles on their own using whatever system they want (other computer games, miniature battles, board games) and manually input the battle results back into the game
•   Expand the game scope to your preferred time and place by selecting only the DLC you want

[Asid]

Is this Theater of Operation's first public exposure?

Theater of Operations was originally called Combat Operations and “premiered” August 24 at Real and Simulated Wars. Check out the writeup which includes a small After Action Report describing game play: http://kriegsimulation.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/introducing-combat-operations-new_24.html

As a result of all the discussion generated from our “premier” we were mentioned at Rock, Paper, Shotgun too: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/08/28/the-flare-path-more-from-the-web/

Feel free to go to our website at www.buckeyebg.com and see more about us and the project. Currently the website is a work in progress, but more information and content will be continually added.

[Asid]

What scenarios will the game cover?

The base game will contain scenarios in Normandy, Italy, and Eastern Front in the summer of 1944.

[Asid]

What’s the core gameplay like?



Players take command of powerful Axis or Allied forces (primarily but not limited to German, US, British and Commonwealth, and Soviet troops) and re-write history. A great amount of detail and analysis has been included to help simulate military operations in mid-1944. Players are rewarded for carefully planning their actions and taking calculated risks. Players will have to deal with real life limiting factors such as terrain, weather, fatigue, supply, time and space planning factors, and random SNAFU’s to name just a few.



CO will allow additional players on a given side to be assigned roles as subordinate commanders down to the regimental level (MAYBE the battalion level depending on development). For example, if a player is commanding a corps sized force that contains two divisions of troops, then additional players may be assigned roles as division commanders, and/or regimental commanders (for a typical US corps, this would be 9 total role assignments). Subordinate commanders are only responsible for the troops under their command. There is no hard limit to the number of roles a given player may be assigned. There will also be flexibility to allow role reassignment after the game has started.



Play will be scenario based with each side attempting to meet their assigned victory conditions. Scenarios can range in size from a small regimental engagement all the way to commanding multiple corps of troops and everything in between. Scenarios can last a few hours to weeks covering a few kilometers or thousands of kilometers of land. Game map granularity will be 100 meter “tiles” which will allow dynamic unit movement and placement at the operational level.The game will also include a scenario editor that will allow players to create their own scenarios.

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What is “We-go” style gameplay?

We-go style means there are 2 phases to each turn: Orders Phase and Action Phase. During the Orders Phase, players simultaneously issue new orders to their units while the game action is paused. Once all players have completed issuing orders the Action Phase commences. During the Action Phase players may only watch as units attempt to execute their orders until the turn ends and a new Orders Phase begins. Staff reports will be provided to help summarize key events during the previous Action Phase.

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How customizable is Theater of Operations: World at War?



•   TOWW allows for fully dynamic campaigns for players who enjoy tactical level games
•   TOWW players have the option for battles to be played out using other tactical level games, OR the TOWW battle resolution system can be used to quickly determine battle results
•   Tactical level gamers are not obligated to be an active player in a TOWW scenario. Tactical level gamers can be part of a pool of “drop-in” players assigned to fight out tactical battles that develop in TOWW as real-life circumstances permit. Example: Alan and Scott want to play a TOWW scenario. Matt and Stacy aren’t available to play a TOWW scenario, but they are willing to play out some of the tactical level battles that develop in the scenario. When a battle develops in TOWW Alan and Scott give Matt and Stacy the battle info so they can fight the battle out. Once they are done with the battle, Matt and Stacy give the results back to Alan and Scott to input back in to TOWW.
•   The ability to have “drop-in” players allows for a virtual unlimited number of participants to take part in a campaign
•   There are many more exciting possibilities, just use your imagination!

[Asid]

This will also be single player