
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,518
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Flight Leader
- 2–8 players
- 30–180 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 1986

1987
Rules assistance for Tac Air
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Tac Air is a board game released in 1987 for 2–4 players, 120 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Gary C. Morgan and its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid.
(from the back of the box:) If the balloon goes up, this is how it will be! Armored fighting vehicles grinding forward below flashing helicopter blades under a tense sky filled with screaming jets and smoky missile trails. TAC AIR puts YOU in command in the most intense and technologically advanced combat environment on earth-Central Europe today. As NATO U.S. VII Corps commander, YOU are charged with the defense of the Hof Gap area. As the Warsaw Pact Central Group of Forces commander, YOUR forces must smash the NATO defenses and drive deep into West Germany. TAC AIR is a detailed look at the organization, equipment and capabilities of the modern frontline NATO and PACT forces based in Germany. • Graduated Scenario Sizes! Enjoy a choice of thirteen scenarios (separate games that can be played with these rules) that vary greatly in size and playing time; First. there are skirmishes Involving a few brigades or regiments and a handful of fighter-bombers that can be played on a portion of the mapboard in a few hours. Then, battles involving larger forces such as the United States 1 st Armored Division, the West German 12th Panzer Division, the Soviet 6th Guards Tank Division and a rich array of modern aircraft such as the American A-10, F-15, F-16 and F-111, the West German F-4 F and Alpha Jet, the Canadian CF-18 and the Soviet MiG-27, MiG-29 and Su-24. Last, but certainly not least, a long and massive conflict that covers the entire map. • Unique Game System! In TAC AIR, air operations are covered in detail: air-to-air combats, close-air support and interdiction missions with conventional or standoff weapons, "Wild Weasel" and electronic warfare missions, reconnaissance flights and deadly networks of surface-to-air missiles. Ground operations are not slighted either. There are ground combats between armored and mechanized units, helicopter gunships, paratroopers and airmobile forces, deadly artillery barrages and counterbattery fire, command control and supply considerations, electronic "jamming” and more. In short, a complete modern combined arms air-land battle! • Complex Concepts-Playable Mechanics! The four-page Basic Rules allow players to quickly start playing the game and mastering the system. Later, the Advanced and Optional Rules can be added as desired to allow players to choose the levels of complexity and detail that THEY enjoy. CONTENTS: Over 500 counters. A Colorful 22"x32" Mapboard. 1 Basic Rules Folder. 1 Battle Manual. 2 Game Cards. 2 Player Cards. 2 Organization Cards. Time Scale: Three hours per one game turn. Map Scale: One nautical mile per hex. Unit Scale: Battalions, batteries & aircraft flights. Players: Two or more (team play). Playing Time: From one to two hours and up, depending on scenario size and rules used. (BGG description:) Tac-Air is a turn based simulation of a "modern" NATO vs Warsaw Pact land and air war in Germany. "Designed by USAF Major Gary C. Morgan to depict modern air-land battle, complete with integrated air defense systems, detailed air mission planning, and Airspace Control considerations" - from the Designer Profile. Includes a user-friendly four-page Basic Rules folder (i. e. "quick start rules"), but the meat of the game is in the 26 page Advanced & Optional Rules book. Advanced rules introduce supply, command, engineering, "Wild Weasels", and a very detailed turn sequence. Optional Rules are modular, adding weather, electronic combat, mines, replacements, NBC rules, etc. Includes 12 scenarios ranging in size from a Cav regiment "covering force" to the entire VII Corps vs. the Pact Central Group of Forces. Re-implements: FEBA
Tac Air supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Tac Air is 120 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Tac Air for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Tac Air has a complexity rating of 3.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Tac Air belongs to these categories: Wargame, Modern Warfare, and Aviation / Flight. Its main mechanics are Hexagon Grid. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Tac Air are: Gary C. Morgan. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Tac Air as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.