Tank! (wargame)

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Tank!, subtitled Armored Combat in the 20th Century, is a two-player board wargame from 1974 by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI). It recreates tank-versus-tank and tank-versus-infantry battles set from World War II to the mid-20th century. The game uses generic counters showing silhouettes and a similarly generic map whose terrain colors vary by scenario. It uses a simultaneous action system: each unit chooses one action per turn (move, attack, or pause), players secretly write their choices, then reveal and execute them. A game turn consists of all the combined phases for both players.

The original release includes 13 scenarios and statistics for 18 tanks and three anti-tank guns. An expansion adds more tanks, rules, and scenarios. Tank! was designed by Jim Dunnigan and first appeared as a free pull-out in Strategy & Tactics issue 44 (May–June 1974), with graphic design by Redmond A. Simonsen, and later as a boxed set with expanded content.

In a 1976 SPI popularity poll, Tank! finished 102nd among wargames. Critics described it as a solid tactical game with versatile terrain representation. Its complexity sits between Tobruk and PanzerBlitz, and the map can be read as three different terrain types. Some reviewers praised its focus on armored warfare and the potential for experimentation, while others criticized the map and felt infantry rules were weak or less useful.

Because the map and counters encourage house rules, many magazines published new scenarios and variants. For example, JagdPanther suggested adding air support and paratroopers, and Phoenix proposed rule revisions to improve play. Overall, Tank! is remembered as an armor-centered game that invites modification and exploration.