Chris Crawford on Game Design

Results

Tanktics was the first commercial computer strategy wargame. While there were a number of games sold in 1978, all were simple affairs; none approached Tanktics in game depth or AI. This game was the state of the art in 1979, but when Avalon-Hill released the second edition just two years later, it was already obsolescent. Things were moving rapidly in those days. Even so, Tanktics was reasonably successful by the standards of its day. I think it sold some 10,000 units, good results in 1981. It had the bad luck to come out simultaneously with Eastern Front (1941) and so was lost in the excitement. But I am pleased with the overall result. As my first real game design, it came out well.