by RockyMountainNavy, 20 February 2025
Inspiration for writing on wargames sometimes comes from unusual places. Who would’a thunk I would be inspired to write about a science fiction wargame printed in the early 1980’s by a fellow Armchair Dragoon that is, how do we say, deeply steeped in Napoleonics. So it comes that today I am reminsicing on Helltank: Tactical Armored Combat—AD 2005-2040 designed by Phillip S. Kosnett and published in 1981 by Metagaming.
Micro gaming
Helltank is Microgame #19 in the Metagaming Microgame Series. The marketing of microgames was novel and quite welcome for a wargamer like myself who, as a middle-school student, had a very meager game budget. The concept was simple; for about $3 gamers could buy a small wargame. The game came either in a plastic sleeve or small box measuring roughly 4” x 7”. Contents were few; a rulebook, a map, and counters. I am not sure the boxes shipped with a die or not. The series started in 1977 with the famous Ogre by Steve Jackson. My copy of Helltank is an early plastic-wrapped version that has a 28-page rule book, a 12.25” x 14” map (only five colors!), and 126 counters (1/2”) printed on what is basically thin cereal box-like cardboard sheets.
Future thinking
Thematically, Helltank is a vision of armored warfare of the future; that is, from a 1981 perspective. The dedication on the front of the rule book thanks, “the authors of all the science-fiction combat stories he has read (especially David Drake)” (Helltank, p. 1) Considering the early Hammer’s Slammers stories appeared in Galaxy Magazine starting in 1974 and the first book was published in 1979 the recognition of Drake in a 1981 game shows the designer’s connection to the pulse of military science fiction of the day.
Much like the chapter interludes in Hammer’s Slammers describes the setting behind the stories the rules for Helltank start with a world-building narrative. While not strictly needed for play the narrative nonetheless sets the stage for the game and helps immerse players into the setting. Looking back on this “future-history” narrative shows many of the concerns of the Cold War and speculative thoughts on then-future warfare, some of which are still topical today:
- “Three major wars were fought in the 1990s. Each began with conventional combat, escalated to tactical nuclear warfare and then overnight into a game of higher stakes.”
- “The early 21st century was a time of constant minor wars and border skirmishes.”
- “When even a tiny two-man raider tank mounted enough punch to blow out a World War II Maginot Line fort, there was only one way to increase a vehicle’s survivability – give it speed.”
- “Brigades were organized for flexibility.”
- “Onboard computers made smaller crews more efficient, but experiments with computer-controlled vehicles failed.”
- “For three decades improvements in weaponry and protection paced each other with firepower always slightly ahead. Then in 2030 a decade of US, Brazilian, and Israeli experiments paid off.”
- “By 2040 the Helltank had proved itself the unquestioned king of the battlefield.”
- “But a king needs attendants. A Helltank’s beehive could be overwhelmed, its armor penetrated. A task force taking on a solitary Helltank would bleed but it might knock out its opponent. A Helltank screened by friendly light units was far more formidable. Combined arms was still the answer.” (Helltank, pp. 2-3)
Rule 14.0 UNIT NOTES in Helltank also adds world-building commentary when describing the various units in the game. Many different countries get a call-out particularly the US, Japan, the “British Imperial Army,” Israel, and Brazil. The world-view of the late 1970’s also appears again; for instance, in the description of the Air Cruiser that reads, “Like most early 21st century technology, magnetic lift was a Japanese development” (Helltank, p. 21).
The setting for Helltank is divided into three technological periods; a Basic Technological period (2005-2015), an Intermediate period (2015-2030), and an Advanced Technological period (2030-2040). These periods also conveniently map to the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced rules. They also play a role in the availability of units which will be discussed later.
Future design
Helltank designer Phil Kosnett praises fellow designers with, “The designer offers thanks to the designers of all the tactical armored game he has played (especially Jim Dunnigan)…” (Helltank, p. 1). Much of that inspiration is reflected in the design of Helltank. As Helltank describes itself:
Helltank is a tactical game of armored combat between 2005 and 2040, showing the effect of technological development on land warfare. Five scenarios are provided along with charts to help players devise their own. Each unit is a single vehicle or five-man infantry team. Each hexagon (“hex”) is 1000 meters across. Each turn represents 90 seconds to several minutes of real time (Helltank, p.3)
Every unit in Helltank, with the exception of the Helltanks (aka “Heavy Launch Tanks”) themselves, are described using four basic factors: Mobility Class, Type, Weapons Range, and Movement Allowance (Standard/Evasive). Most units mount only a single weapon though as technology progresses multi-weapon vehicles appear. Heavy Launch Tanks—Helltanks—are treated differently. Helltanks carry six weapons and have no Evasive movement. Whereas regular units are eliminated on a single hit Helltanks have instead 30 damage points with each hit whittling away a damage point.
The core rules for Helltank take up a mere nine pages of the rule book. Four other pages are set aside for Examples of Play with another four pages used for Scenarios. Tables take up a further four pages. The turn sequence is very direct. To start, both players roll for Initiative to determine first player. In Initiative order players then go through an alternating Sequential Execution Phase where each player activates a unit to perform one of seven “tasks” which are some combination of Move and/or Fire. Units that move are subject to opportunity fire (“OpFire”) from enemy units.
Fire combat in Helltank requires the use of a Combat Results Table (CRT). Unlike many CRTs that wargamers of today are likely familiar with the Helltank CRT is a cross-reference table of the Firing Unit and Target Unit. The intersection of the table shows the number that must be rolled (equal to or less) on a single d6. Modifiers to the to-hit number are few and mostly come from terrain and unit type. A single hit eliminates any unit except for Helltanks. When a Helltank is hit players consult the HLTANK HITS table to determine the number of damage points scored. There is also a chance that certain hits can Helltank disable weapons or even cause a critical hit that instantly destroys the Helltank. The game mechanisms reinforce the world-building narrative: Helltanks are very dangerous but not invincible.
The five Helltank scenarios are also interesting in that forces are not defined—instead players are given a “budget” with which to buy different units. The “UNIT COST/AVAILABILITY” table shows the cost of units across different five-year epochs. For example, a basic Tank (T) costs 5 million USD in 2005-2010 (Period A) but if buying in 2035-2040 (Period G) it costs only 3 million USD. The table also serves as a technology limit; some weapons like a Multi-Turret Tank (MTT) are not available until Period C or 2015. The first Helltank (HLtank) does not appear until 2030 or Period F.
The UNIT COST/AVAILABILITY table in Helltank was the key to the success of the game in my gaming group back in the day. With this table we had a multitude of gaming possibilities limited perhaps only by the number of counters in the game. Even that did not hold us back; I recall buying blank countersheets and each of us using color pens to draw our own units. In 1982 we were overjoyed when Microgame #22 released. Helltank Destroyer extended the timeline to 2050 and provided new and exciting unit types. For myself, the addition of amphibious units in particular helped “round out” the Helltank series making it our go-to game for quick-play future warfare.
From the past to tomorrow in today
Looking back, Helltank was perhaps the perfect game for young grognard-wannabes like myself. For a relatively inexpensive investment the game delivered near-endless replayability. The background was interesting and intersected with the popular literature of the day not only in books (Hammer’s Slammers or the BOLO series) but also in movies (remember the machines in Terminator?). The game mechanisms in Helltank are also not as dated as one might think; the alternating play avoids the worst of the “I-Go, U-Go” issues inherent in that mechanism. The use of look-up tables vice odds avoided even basic math. While the components of Helltank look somewhat amateurish from today’s perspective with a very desktop publishing look to the rule book, crude graphics on counters, and simple maps, the fact is the game design itself is very solid.
Phil who?
The designer of Helltank, Phillip S. Kosnett, is another unsung hero of the wargaming world. With ten wargames to his credit, Helltank Destroyer was his last. But that does not mean Kosnett dropped out of the world. Here is the BoardGameGeek bio for Ambassador Phillip S. Kosnett:
Philip S. Kosnett is an American career diplomat who designed and developed historical and science fiction-themed conflict simulation games for Jagdpanther, SPI, and Metagaming in the 1970s and 1980s, while a high school and college student.
Ambassador Kosnett left federal service in 2021 following a decades-long State Department career focused on international security cooperation, political-military affairs, and post-conflict reconciliation and reconstruction. His senior leadership assignments included Ambassador to Kosovo (2018-2021) and Deputy Chief of Mission/Charge d’Affaires (deputy/acting ambassador) in Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Iceland. He also served in political, political-military, and economic-commercial positions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, The Netherlands, Japan, and Turkey, and in policy and operational jobs in Washington.
In late 2021 Kosnett announced a return to boardgame design. (BoardGameGeek Designer Profile)
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