Modern Spearhead

Modern Spearhead simulates operational-level land warfare from the Cold War to modern conflicts. Instead of controlling individual soldiers or tanks, players act as brigade, divisional, or corps commanders. Each base represents a platoon, focusing on command, control, and army doctrine.

How the Game Works

Scale and Organization: The game is typically played with 6mm or 3mm scale miniatures mounted on standardized 30mm square bases. Each base represents an entire platoon. One full game turn allows players to maneuver entire battalions and brigades across the tabletop.
Command & Control Focus: True to its WWII-era predecessor designed by Arty Conliffe, Modern Spearhead abstracts the minutiae of individual weapon ballistics. Your primary focus is on planning, issuing formation orders (e.g., Attack, Defend, March), allocating scarce support assets (like artillery and air support), and knowing when to commit your reserves.
Doctrine and Training: The rules heavily emphasize army doctrine. It is assumed that your subordinate battalion, company, and platoon commanders know how to fight; your job is to get them to the right place and ensure they are following your operational plan.
Tactical Realities: The ruleset factors in modern warfare realities like electronic warfare, night-vision equipment, surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and sophisticated armor, challenging players to coordinate combined arms.

Core Mechanics

Order Chits: Players write down orders or use chits to dictate what their formations are trying to accomplish, mimicking the fog of war and the friction of trying to change tactical plans on the fly.
Streamlined Combat: Combat resolves quickly using standard dice systems to determine attrition and suppression, reflecting how modern firepower degrades a unit’s ability to operate rather than just destroying it model-by-model.