Björn Hansson
Sweden
Jakobsberg
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Disclaimer
This guide is aimed at people with just a little experience of wargames. To give them a glimpse of what OCS is all about. More experienced players will no doubt be able to find exceptions to some of the things I say, but my goal is not to write a complete guide to OCS, more to give an indication of what makes the system stand out. Feel free to add your thoughts on the game.
General
The Operational Combat System (OCS) is, as the name implies, an game system for simulating operational level warfare in the first half of the 20th century. The series rules and most of the games are designed by Dean Essig.
The games are played on classic hexagon maps with dual sided cardboard counters. The time scale is approximately 3½ days per turn. Each hex is about five miles in diameter and the units range from battalion to division - roughly stretching between 300-15000 men. Air units are composed of 20-40 aircraft per counter.
The data on each unit symbolises combat strength, action rating and movement. I.e. a 5-3-4 unit would have 5 in combat strength, 3 in action rating and 4 in movement. Action rating is an indicator of the unit’s training, experience, morale, cohesion etc. and ranges from 0 (very poor unit) to 5 (elite unit). Artillery has an additional number that indicates range of fire. Air units have two values. Air combat and Barrage strength.
OCS places its main emphasis on two aspects of warfare: logistics and mobility.
Logistics - An army marches on its stomach, Napoleon.
In OCS players are faced with one of the most troublesome facts in warfare: your supplies are limited. Major operations require huge amounts of resources - food, water, ammunition, fuel etc. You also need to have the means to deliver the supplies to every unit as the army advances.
There are two types of supply in OCS. Trace supply and Supply points. Trace supply is the type of supply found in most wargames. It is an abstraction of the supply network established by support units to deliver the daily needs to the units.
In OCS trace supply is only used for basic sustenance. The source of trace supplies usually reside off map. It enters the map via a rail line or a port. Units close to a town along the rail line or near the port is considered to be in trace supply. The trace supply network can be enlarged by the use of so called extenders (a network of transport vehicles) or by a headquarter unit. Any amount of units can be supplied within the trace supply network.
When it comes to combat OCS utilizes Supply points. One supply point equals approximately 1500 metric tons of supplies needed to fight the enemy. Every supply point can be divided into smaller units, called tokens. Four tokens equal one supply point. Supply points are physical counters present on the map.
As soon as a unit wants to move its motor vehicles, fire its artillery or engage in any type of combat it consumes supply points. Supply points are also consumed as food if a unit is outside the range of trace supply.
The amount of supply points available to the players each round depend on the historical conditions of the campaign. The games try to adhere to the historical conditions as far as possible.
Supply points usually enter the map the same way as trace supply, but in a more limited fashion. Each physical object (soldiers, artillery, supply points etc) that needs to be transported by rail or sea in OCS requires some sort of transportation. Each player will have a limited number of rail transport points or sea transport points. Again, these try to simulate to historical conditions as closely as possible. On top of that the player will have a number of truck/wagon units that can transport supply points from the port/railroad station to the frontline if the railhead is too far back. Unlike trace supply all of this happens physically on the map.
So, a commander in OCS not only has to think about where he is going to attack. He also needs to think about how much supply he has available and how he is going to get it there. This makes for a much more realistic approach to warfare.
Mobility
OCS really shines when it simulates mobile warfare. In a lot of wargames the frontline contains 99% of all units in the game. This of course is quite contradictory to how real war was fought. OCS forces the players to garrison key locations in rear areas and create a real defence in-depth to protect against enemy breakthroughs. The second line of defence is sometimes more important than the first one. How is this done?
In OCS players have the option of putting some of their units in reserve mode. Being in reserve mode means that the unit gives up most of its mobility in the regular movement phase and instead prepare for movement in a later phase during the turn. The amount of units you are able to put in reserve depends on the quality/doctrines of the army you are commanding and is regulated by the rules - again to simulate historical limitations.
Basically what this system means is that an army can attack to create a hole in the enemy frontline and then have its reserve units storm trough the gap and into the enemy’s rear. This in combination with the supply system, which allows players to transport supply using trucks and wagons deep into enemy territory, forces commanders to defend in-depth and to keep their own reserves ready to be able to react to enemy breakthroughs.
Why I like it?
The reason I like OCS is because I feel it forces me to think in ways that are reminiscent of the line of thought of actual military commanders. It rightfully places the importance of logistics at the forefront of the gaming experience. I cannot attack everywhere at once. I must spend time building up supply dumps for major offensives. If I want to shift focus of my campaign it requires planning. Troops have to be transferred, transport units relocated etc. I also need to consider how I am going to follow up an offensive. Will my engineers be able to convert rail lines fast enough as I storm across the Russian steppes? I cannot just be bold and daring, I have to be rational and cool headed as well.
But I do find the resources I need for an offensive the system lets me do pretty much anything I want to. One of the best illustrations of this is to look at something I haven’t mentioned yet: the war in the sky.
Air units in OCS can do pretty much whatever you want them to. Your active fighters create a patrol zone over your troops; you can perform fighter sweeps to suppress the enemy; you can intercept incoming enemy units; you can hamper enemy movement through "trainbusting"; you can attack ports, ground units, air bases and ships; you can transport units and drop paratroopers or supply behind enemy lines.
The possibilities are, well not endless, but close enough! It allows me to pursue an entirely different strategy than my historical counterparts even though I am placed in the historical context with all its limitations.
The system has its flaws, but IMO it is without a doubt the best take on operational level warfare on the market right now.
[edit: added small part to the "mobility" chapter]
[edit2: changed picture size]
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Jim Haltom
United States
Chapin
South Carolina
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Excellent write-up. This really makes me want to get an OCS game and give this a whirl. Even though, there's no such thing as a whirl when it comes to systems this deep.
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Darrell Hanning
United States
Jacksonville
Florida
Love women in action movies and shows. It all started with Diana Rigg, in the Avengers.
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Excellent summary not only for those unfamiliar with OCS, but also those who are hazy on operational scope in general.
I'd say your article could be a substantial piece of some kind of "Wargames for Dummies" effort kept on BGG.
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Andreas Lundin
Sweden
Lund
-
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Excellent!
Quote: Each physical object (soldiers, artillery, supply points etc) that needs to be transported in OCS requires some sort of transportation.
Supply points are not consumed by horse cavalry though.
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Paolo Robino
Italy
Dueville
Vicenza
"I'm a Nay Saying worm beast!"
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Thumbs-up from an OCS wannabe-player like me as well. You should consider to put a medium or original operator after the ImageID numbers for better readability, like this:
[ ImageID=732951medium ]
[ ImageID=732952medium ]
(Leave out the spaces.)
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Le-Roy Karunaratne
United Kingdom
Guildford
Surrey
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I really like this and it makes me want to play Rommel in the Desert (my only OCS) but I wish I had a better one...
In fact, the reason I like OCS is the focus on logistics, and it sometimes interests me more than the actual fighting.
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Björn Hansson
Sweden
Jakobsberg
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lundinandreas wrote: Supply points are not consumed by horse cavalry though.
I clarfied the part of transportation to include the words "by rail or by sea".
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Björn Hansson
Sweden
Jakobsberg
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Paolo Robino wrote: Thumbs-up from an OCS wannabe-player like me as well. You should consider to put a medium or original operator after the ImageID numbers for better readability, like this:
[ ImageID=732951medium ]
[ ImageID=732952medium ]
(Leave out the spaces.)
Said and done.
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John Rodriguez
United States
Irving
Texas
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Excellent intro to OCS. Thanks!
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David Jackman
United States
Indianapolis
Indiana
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!!!!
Oh, how I wish you wouldn't tempt me so.
Ever since I have started with wargames, I have had my eye on OCS. Even as I played Paths of Glory, Eastfront, Europe Engulfed, Conflict of Heroes, ASLSK...My eyes still drift back here.
My favorite aspect of all of these games is supply. It is the main difference between Europe Engulfed and, say, Axis and Allies, and I feel it enhances conflict oriented games greatly.
It makes for MUCH more interesting situations - All of a sudden, there is a reason to yell "HOLD THE LINE!" as you know that one 2 step calvary just east of Leningrad is the only thing protecting the millions of citizens of the city from a slow, painful, death.
Frankly, I don't care THAT much about the history. I find it interesting, but I dont play wargames because they can be interactive textbooks. I like immersive games - It doesnt matter if the game immerses me in the Eastern Front of WWII or on Arrakis.
From a budding wargamer, I want people to understand that Logistics ARE exciting, because it provides another target for military operations. More strategies, more to consider, more room for very CLEVER play, and more opportunities for battles that really MATTER.
Very good review. Now i just have to decide where my starting point in OCS is going to be...
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Björn Hansson
Sweden
Jakobsberg
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Saan wrote: It makes for MUCH more interesting situations - All of a sudden, there is a reason to yell "HOLD THE LINE!" as you know that one 2 step calvary just east of Leningrad is the only thing protecting the millions of citizens of the city from a slow, painful, death.
...
From a budding wargamer, I want people to understand that Logistics ARE exciting, because it provides another target for military operations. More strategies, more to consider, more room for very CLEVER play, and more opportunities for battles that really MATTER.
I agree completely. Well put.
Quote: Very good review. Now i just have to decide where my starting point in OCS is going to be...
Thanks. Of the games that are available right now I would definitely recommend Baltic Gap. It is a superb game with "only" two maps.
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Jay Moore
United States
Lake Saint Louis
Missouri
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Thanks for the review - I had no idea what OCS was, and I think it sounds interesting. Maybe someday I'll give one of these games a try.
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Arthur Dickie
United Kingdom
South Leverton
Nottinghamshire
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Do you think that to play OCS well it requires a degree of OCD?
[Mike Giggler (by e-mail) - I'm here all week.]
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Peter Martin
United States
Oceanside
California
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gnomus wrote: Do you think that to play OCS well it requires a degree of OCD?
Perhaps. It definitely doesn't hurt to have an anal-retentive streak when it comes to OCS! 
I played OCS for some time and never liked it. I discussed it with Colin Hunter in an email exchange some time ago and he did a wonderful job of putting my complaints into perspective. I just realize that OCS is not a system that I would enjoy but I can appreciate its appeal (thanks to Colin). If they ever come up with a one-map OCS game that can be played to completion over a weekend, I may try it again. I just don't have the time or space for anything more at this point in my life.
Good explanation of the system, tho'. I enjoyed it very much.
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Brian Gannon
United States
Indianapolis
Indiana
Get your stinking mouse-pointer off me!
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Really cool writeup, Bjorn. Any OCS discussion is good discussion in my opinion.
And I totally agree on logistics being fun especially in the context OCS. However, I can see why it would be off-putting to some gamers.
One way I tend to think of operational games is that the a lot designs give you just the steering wheel. You guide the units and its move and fight, move and fight, etc. The tempo of big operations aren't giving consideration.
OCS gives you the steering wheel, the gas pedal and the brake. And you'd better learn to use all three or you will destroy your armies. Of course, in order for this aspect of OCS to *really* shine you need to play loooong ass campaign games. And this can be another turn-off for people.
So OCS is not the be-all, end-all of wargaming (what is?) and is definitely not for everyone, but its far away the best at what it does.
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MAURO BORNIOLI
Italy
CAGLIARI
SARDEGNA
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Thumbs-up for the Trieste Division, the obsolete CR42 and the good MC202, SM79, SM82
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Neil Amoore
South Africa
Benoni
Gauteng
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Superb write up! There's no operational level syste out there at present that gives insight into the balancing act between supply/ mobility and combat effectiveness quite like OCS in my opinion. The subtlety and sophistication involved (Do I take that railway junction in the south so that I can get supplies and troops forward, or do I go for a flanking move and cut off my opponent's supply line?) is wonderful.
Besides, what other system lets you eat the horses that pull your artillery when the Russian winter descends??? Or has a travelling bordello?? Or... Or... 
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MAURO BORNIOLI
Italy
CAGLIARI
SARDEGNA
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n3ddy wrote: ...what other system lets you eat the horses that pull your artillery...
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Kev.
United States
Austin
Texas
TheBigBoard-Blog www.meshtime.com
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Bjorn,
I posted your article here:
http://meshtime.com/2011/09/02/the-gamers-ocs-intro-and-revi...
and
on Facebook in The Gamers Community page.
Anyone else who wants to be an admin and have full posting rights etc, drop me a note I will add you.
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TraceyLL
United States
Parker
Colorado
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The more reviews like this I read, the more I can't wait to finish reading the rules (4.0) and punch the counters and start playing.
Slow deep breath, slow deep breath.
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Posted Thu May 27, 2010 11:13 am
