Games - Turn-based tactics

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	Games - Turn-based tactics

Turn-based tactics is a sub-genre of turn-based strategy that's specifically used only in RPG's as an alternative to the traditional turn-based system. The system has been tailored to incorporate RPG characteristics. Notable games that have used turn-based tactics are Fire Emblem
, Front Mission
, and Final Fantasy Tactics which also incorporates the Conditional Turn-Based Battle System. The term "tactics" had not showed up until Final Fantasy Tactics was released, where it popularized the genre in the U.S., although games such as Shining Force have utilized the genre years beforehand.

The genre has its origins in tabletop role-playing games, where each player has time to decide his or her character's action. Turn-based tactics games generally feature no more than a dozen characters on either side of the battle (usually less).

Characteristics of turn-based tactics that are similar to turn-based strategy

A map is divided into a grid of squares or hexagons. The former is used due to its simplicity and easier to work with since the popularization of the isometric perspective, and later full 3D.
Normally there's only one action allowed, excluding moving the unit. Once an action is executed, the unit is considered to be "done".
There are two phases, or turns, the player phase, and enemy phase. During either phase, units on one team can move and attack the units of the opposing team. The phase ends when all units are done doing an action.
*Some games, such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Shining Force, only allow one character at a time to be moved. This allows for some characters to have turns more frequently than others.
Units can only move and attack at a certain range.
Units can be divided into classes, with specific strengths and weaknesses against each other.

Characteristics that make turn-based tactics different from turn-based strategy

The first three concepts of 4X
strategy (expand, explore, exploit) are eschewed in favor of a focus on battles (ie. exterminate). Many strategy games have a separate tactical element for determining the outcome of battles, although these are still usually on a much larger scale than exclusively tactical games.
RPG-like stats are incorporated, such as hit points, magic points, attack, defense, speed, and accuracy. Attacks may also have an "element". In Front Mission 3, attacks and armor were set up as the elemens of Impacting, Piercing, and Flame.
The units' stats are dynamic, constantly getting better the more they're used.
Unless the unit is temporarily in the player's party, equipment can be changed on all units.
Sometimes an AP (action point) system maybe incorporated. In this case, AP is used for moving and attacking. The farther the unit is moved and the more powerful the attack, generally the more AP is consumed.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Turn-based tactics ]

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