Field Combat

About

Field Combat is a 1985 arcade game mixing shooter action with light strategy. You pilot the Genesis, a combat ship that fires missiles as you navigate a battlefield filled with helicopters, infantry, and tanks. Playing as blue forces, you must eliminate red enemies while staying alive. A key twist is the ability to call in reinforcements by pressing two buttons at once, adding units to your army when needed. The Genesis also has a special weapon to absorb defeated enemies, converting them into usable troops. The game stands out for its simple but creative unit management and optional two-player co-op. Its blend of direct combat and resource gathering was rare for arcades in the mid-80s. Players who like tactile controls and quick strategy decisions might appreciate how it lets you shift from shooting to planning in seconds. Released on April Fools’ Day 1985, it’s a niche title with a quirky mechanic that feels ahead of its time.

Storyline

The object of the game is to make it all the way to the end of the battlefield using the Genesis; a warship that can fire off missiles. While the player controls the blue forces, the player must defeat the Red forces without dying in the process by either avoiding or shooting helicopters, infantrymen, and tanks. An interesting characteristic of the game is that it is possible to ask for reinforcements from an army, which the player possesses, by pressing both the A and B buttons at the same time. Whenever the player runs out of units to aid him in battle, he can use his special weapon to "absorb" the enemies and add them to his army.