A modern tactical game system for 6mm / 1:285 scale models, suitable for 10mm, using 1-model to 1-unit scale. Platoon engagements play in an hour, Battalion-sized conflicts in several hours.
In 2017, 5th Epoch Publishing launched a boxed game product called Box Battles: Cold War Evolution, which was developed since 2013. The original game system was first inspired by Scott Caldwell's Combined Ops, which many war gamers have enjoyed solely at Cons over the years. With Scott's blessing and due credit, we modified this and released a self-contained, GM-less, 2-player boxed set; within it was our game system rulebook for Battle Field Ops -
The original boxed set game came with some miniatures, but with only 4 Unit Cards for each side
By mid-2018, we learned that existing collectors of modern miniatures loved the game system and wanted only the rules and game components. We listened and adapted - and sold these components alone as the game was expanded. Players continued to improvise their own games with their own miniatures.
An air and amphibious attack in Denmark
A crossroads in Europe - World War II
Israeli forces at Golan Heights
Unknown Con game - playing improvised scenarios
By late 2021, we realized that before we could meet all the requests for more expansions, we needed to make some refinements to the game and the play materials. WHY? Because earnestly, we dislike selling multiple editions to customers – and so we needed to do one final overhaul to make sure our players had the best and most enjoyable materials we could imagine! We discontinued production - and here we are, 24 months later and ready to relaunch.
Research and consultation with military servicemen and -women from Enlisted to Senior Officers helped Battle Field Ops! become a great way to realistically simulate conflicts while maintaining good play speed at the game table. Platoon-sized engagements can be played in under an hour, and Battalion-sized conflicts in a matter of a few hours. The game system will comfortably handle Regimental or Brigade level conflicts over several 3-hour sessions when we have the luxury of keeping our beautifully prepared tables set up!
“Great one-to-one scale tactical simulation of the Cold War and beyond.”
David Wolff, SSG, 11B Infantry, US Army (Ret.)
“It is quite representative of the local battlefield. I can see this game easily being used as a training tool to teach effective tactics to unit commanders.”
Colonel Anthony Mancari, US Army, Reserves
“This game has the feel of a simulation, rather than an abstraction designed to be perfectly balanced, or play well’ “
Review by Norm Lunde, Yaah Magazine, Issue #13
Good reviews, and good commentary for improvement - We got to work!
"The game takes the real-life battlefield experience and puts it into a rule system. Troop movements, ambushes, artillery, morale…exactly how it really happens. Playing it brings back memories of deployment."
Matthew Mediatore, SSG, FO, JTAC, US Army (Ret.)
“…they got the optics right, they got the penetrations right, they got the movement right...it’s simple enough that you can teach someone in a short amount of time, yet the realism is there…”
Doug, 40+-year veteran miniatures gamer and Senior Officer, US Navy (Ret.)
During 2022 and 2023, we played our game at Cons with test materials, and continually took feedback. We solicited past customers and deep-divers as well as new gamers who played our sessions for the first time.
We changed the presentation of materials, marker counters, embedded calculations within tables and and reduced some math, and consolidated rules. We also made things even more accurate to actual real-world ballistics and events.
And we added lots of color! And finally, after that in-depth overhaul, this is what we are presenting -
