I pretty frequently provide game recommendations to folks looking for different things in TTRPGs, and recently I've received a few requests for games that are "tactical", making it clear that OSR games like Mork Borg and Into the Odd are not really tactical enough. I'm looking for what people would be looking for in a tactical game - is it a game that cares about positioning? A game with extensive combat rules? A game with oodles of special abilities?
What does it mean for you if a game is 'tactical'?
For me, it means more options for the fighter than "Which weapon do I attack with, and am I in range?"
The One Ring 1e: the four stances make for a strong tactical choice despite the lack of physical mapping... you balance your character's weapon, armor and to-hit chances against the similar effect upon hostiles' hit chances and damage. Each stance also has a special move, which can only be done in that stance. (Some of us added a second to some of them; my notes include my own 2 and somoene else's two, so there are 2 per stance) Using those specials, tho'? always a risk. Plus, the choice to suck it up and keep ready, or roll with it but sacrifice next round's attack...
The Fantasy Trip (TFT) (and GURPS, also) instead has ranges and facings, that make the movement a significant part of the game. Tactical in the more literal sense that a reenactor might think tactics, as opposed to a boardgamer. But it also has a touch of that second; as injuries come in, ST drops, and it may be advantageous to switch weapons.
Classic
Tunnels and Trolls, (anything from 1st to 5.5th), without reading the examples of play, has the singularly least tactical combat out there... each side rolls and totals their weapons dice as a side, lower total takes the difference in damage, distributed as evenly as possible. YAWN... but once you read the examples, and see the stunting that is intended, the nature of your stunts makes the game highly tactical, as does using the idea that a melee round might see 2 or more "combats" in the same space, where one is Side A charcters 1-3 vs Side B characters a-d, and side A characters 4 and 5 are ganged up on the tanky Mr E... so you're resolving stunts to either include or exclude someone, or to shift a few points of damage, and so on... and then, as with TFT, you can change weapons in combat; if it's whiffy, due to damage less than minimum armor in the group, it may be worth it to lose a few points of Strength for a round or two by using that too-heavy weapon... then switching to the lighter one later in... so you can get the initial punch in to swing the odds. Run as intended, lots of choices that make a difference. It's just many dismiss it before getting to the bits about stunts.
Twilight:2000 4e (the current one from Free League) makes some wince when they find out it's 10m hexes... but with modern weapons, they're really quite appropriate when you consider the amount of vehicular and rifle combat happening. Facing doesn't get tracked for people, but it does for vehicles, and switching weapons has been a fraught choice for several players. Cover matters, a lot, and the colorful terrain maps provided make it a delight for old-school map-and-counter wargamers and newbs alike. Oh, and the boxed set comes with nice counters for those same said maps. We added some (thanks again to the provider) nifty 1:180 scale minis of the BTR-60 and some US and Russian tanks. (Before next time, I need to do some M-111's - since I have bought a 3d printer since then.) I am tempted to make me some 1:160 scale infantry figs...
FFG
Legend of the Five Rings fifth edition. Not very tactical in the military sense, but it has a lot to its personal combat that makes for a lot of tactical thinking needed. Sure, facing is only minimally addressed, and range is relatively abstract... but the tactics involve a lot of "which ring/stance do I use this round? Which dice to keep - the safe but possibly ineffective, or the high stress explosives that may put the opponent down in one mighty blow, but drop me into exhaustion?" Not to mention that the bushi (warriors) have just as many and just as interesting talents to pick from as the shugenja (somewhere between cleric and wizard). The Shinobi have good choices, too. So do the Monks. Even the courtiers get a few combat abilities, but they excell in the non-combat techniques. So also the Artisans... It feels very tactical with moderately experienced characters.
Different kinds of tactical.
Different playstyles.
So, when someone asks for a recommend of a tactical RPG, ask which kind of tactics? Facings and maps? Lots of decisions that matter? Resource Management in Combat?