Task Force Admiral News

[p]Note & credit: all the screenshots were provided by players on the game's discord. Big thanks to them![/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Current Status[/h2][p][/p][p]The first three days since the Early Access release have been stellar, exciting, and challenging. This update gives me the opportunity to thank all our players for their kind support during this critical moment. We did our best to be transparent. At times, for various reasons, this may not have been obvious, as it can be difficult to convey that kind of information outside of the news section.[/p][p]Most players, I believe, are adults who know what they’re buying. They understand that we’re attempting something fairly unique, with means that are what they are. If the whole team were in the same place, we’d probably be working out of a garage. Does that excuse everything? Certainly not. But it’s important to understand what kind of product one is committing to when buying into Early Access: it is about supporting us and our project with a premium, and in no way does it mean we can suddenly reach AAA levels of quality and development overnight.[/p][p]Early Access was also primarily a way to provide our early Kickstarter backers with the access they were promised within a reasonable timeframe. In the meantime, please keep in mind that you are playing a version that is incomplete and subject to regular changes. We greatly value the feedback you send our way, especially whenever you encounter major issues, whether gameplay- or system-related.[/p][p]At the end of the day, this is a handmade experience, crafted with all the care and attention you would expect from traditional artisans. That said, don’t buy it if you feel it’s not yet up to your expectations. We would rather have happy late players than disappointed early ones. We’re not going anywhere: a 10% discount will naturally return every few months during major events, so there’s no need to rush. Join us when you feel the state of development justifies the price. That’s perfectly fine. We hold no grudges, and we’re certainly not trying to force anything on anyone.[/p][p]Launch is, of course, a critical moment in the life of a project, so we are especially thankful to those of you who are enjoying the game and are willing to leave a positive review. We’re currently hovering on the edge of “Very Positive,” and if you want to help us, a few kind words in the review section can truly go a long way toward securing TFA’s future.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][h2]Improving Accessibility and Learning[/h2][p]One of the most consistent pieces of feedback we have received concerns the learning curve. This is a valid concern, and we acknowledge that onboarding can and should be improved.[/p][p]Several core systems are still undergoing refinement, which complicates the creation of long-lived instructional material. We have also observed that many questions raised by players concern features that already exist but are insufficiently documented or communicated. Improving clarity and accessibility is therefore a priority.[/p][p]Planned actions include:[/p]

• [p]The introduction of a video-based instructional layer, providing short, focused explanations of interface elements at each station.[/p]
• [p]These videos will form the basis for multilingual support, with the goal of enabling future interface localization.[/p]
• [p]Video scripts will be reused to build a structured knowledge base for the manual.[/p]
• [p]Manual development will continue in parallel.[/p]
• [p]Interactive tutorials will be introduced later, once all major systems are finalized, to ensure their long-term relevance and reliability.[/p]

[p]In addition, a centralized FAQ thread will be compiled on the General Discussions board, addressing the most common gameplay and technical questions. Community spaces on Steam and Discord remain valuable resources, and we are grateful to those who actively help others there.[/p][p]In the meantime there are a few very good videos out there. Allow us to particularly recommend this one from The Warsimmer, which despite its age covers all the basics you need to know about to have a clean, easy start.[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Weekly changelog[/h2][p]To avoid wasting space, here are the changes made to the game since the Early Access release. As you already know, the changelog is visible at game startup, but for clarity, we’re also listing it here. It will also be shared on Discord.[/p][p][/p][h3]29/01/2026[/h3]

• [p]Fixed carriers not retrieving aircraft despite being undamaged and having available deck space.[/p]
• [p]Improved torpedo bomber trajectory planning.[/p]
• [p]The TBD + Mk13 combination has been refined to reduce the risk of “aberrations” when finding an attack angle. Feedback, both good and bad, is welcome.[/p]
• [p]The ruler now also displays the bearing relative to true north.[/p]
• [p]Fixed bearings in contact reports.[/p]
• [p]Fixed incorrect radio messages.[/p]
• [p]Slightly increased TBD-1 range.[/p]
• [p]The TBD remains the limiting factor for strike missions, but now has a small range increase.[/p]
• [p]Reworked SOC-1 flight model.[/p]
• [p]The Seagull is now much less viable as a long-range naval search platform. Please be mindful of its limitations, especially speed. Proper mission types for US seaplanes will come in due time.[/p][p][/p]

[h3]31/01/2026[/h3]

• [p]Fixed spotting bug placing aircraft over the edge of the deck. Please test several strike configurations in-game.[/p]
• [p]Fixed planes getting stuck on Midway’s runway. This mainly occurred during second strikes. Feedback welcome.[/p]
• [p]Fixed missions disappearing from the AIR panel when a carrier is destroyed. Yorktown can now sink — but its air group will live on![/p]
• [p]Pilots will now redirect to the closest available carrier from another Task Force or to an airbase if their original carrier (or fleet) is unavailable. This is an important change and needs testing. Note that rerouting to Midway currently means you’ll lose control of the squadron once they land for the remainder of the scenario, though Midway will make good use of them.[/p]

[p]If you ever see the message “WARNING, mission inserted into the wrong airbase!” in the radio panel, please report it and tell us what actions led to it.[/p][p][/p][p]We remain committed to fixing the game as we go, but obviously contents will have to start coming in so that we can move to our next scenario ideas. One in particular involves Saratoga (in her June refit), Ryujo and Junyo, and we can't wait for them to be completed so that you might have new toys to play with - or against. We'll keep you updated ASAP about these ones![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p]Again, thank you all for following us and giving Task Force Admiral a chance. It's still quite the journey ahead, but we'll be happy to spend that time in your good company. Welcome aboard, and let's get serious![/p][p][/p][p]With love,[/p][p]The TFA Team[/p]

[p][/p][p]Dear supporters,[/p][p][/p][p]Like Nagumo at Midway (but hopefully with better reviews overall), Task Force Admiral's release will unfortunately be delayed by a few hours at 3 PM EST if my conversion is right (or, after that, next window in 24 hours) due to some hiccups connected to the internal validation of the package on the platform. That sucks, but we won't remain idle and we'll get a few bugs corrected in the meantime. Each minute is precious.[/p][p]Until then, the demo is still active.[/p][p]By the way, here's our roadmap again, for those who have missed it.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Apologies again,[/p][p]Thank you for your kind understanding and your patience! And cheers.[/p][p][/p][p]With all our love,[/p][p]The Team[/p]

[p]Dear players,[/p][p]We’re about to embark on a long-planned journey. With less than 24 hours to go before Task Force Admiral enters Early Access, we wanted to take a moment to clarify what you’ll get on day one, what lies ahead in the coming months, and what this final day before launch means for the demo. This is the point of no return![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]Early Access: State of the Game & Roadmap[/h2][h3]A word about Early Access[/h3][p]Early Access means buying into an evolving piece of software.[/p][p]Systems will change. Content will expand. Balance will shift. Some features will be refined, others reworked, and a few may take longer than initially expected. Save compatibility is not guaranteed.[/p][p]If you’re unsure whether this development model is for you, it may be wiser to wait. Task Force Admiral will still be available later. Feel free to join us when you'll know for sure that you'll be happy with what the game has to offer, that is all that counts for us![/p][p]At any rate, here's the pricing at Early Access launch[/p]

• [p]Base price: $39.99 USD[/p]
• [p]10% launch discount[/p]
• [p]Optional bundles with other MicroProse titles (including ones you may already own) [/p][p][/p]

[h3]What’s included at Early Access launch (January 2026 build)[/h3][p]At the moment Early Access opens, Task Force Admiral will already provide a playable operational experience that includes:[/p]

• [p]Coral Sea scenario & variant (May 8)[/p]
• [p]Midway scenario & variant (June 4)[/p]
• [p]Coral Sea battle generator set (the Midway one will follow shortly, right now it is emulated by having the Midway task forces being included to the Coral Sea environment)[/p]
• [p]Playable fighters, savegames, and TacView integration[/p]

[p][/p][p]This is what we deem a solid foundation meant to be replayed often, and discussed openly. We plan to expand this ASAP with the following:[/p]

• [p]New Coral Sea & Midway variants[/p]
• [p]New carriers (Saratoga, Ryūjō, Junyō)[/p]
• [p]A complete Japanese Midway Order of Battle (that's a lot of ships...)[/p]
• [p]An original 1940 “Early War” Midway variant with older air groups and aircraft models.[/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h3]Short-term plans for the next six months[/h3][p]Over this half of the 2026, development will focus on expanding content, refining systems, and reacting directly to player feedback. Planned additions include:[/p][p]Gameplay[/p]

• [p]Debugging & fixes based on community feedback[/p]
• [p]New Strike, Search, and Seaplane mission options[/p]
• [p]Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz battle sets[/p]

[p]Graphics & Sound[/p]

• [p]Combat chatter for aircraft & ships (so that it looks more like our new trailer ^^)[/p]
• [p]Static and animated crew[/p]
• [p]New music tracks[/p]

[p]Other Features[/p]

• [p]Guadalcanal, Rabaul & Port Moresby bases[/p]
• [p]Localizations: Deutsch, 中文, español, français[/p]
• [p]A functional scenario editor (yay - I know you want that, but making it properly will still require a bit more time, apologies)[/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][p]Further down the line (beyond this initial window), development will continue toward refined surface combat, submarines, search & rescue, extended direct gunnery control, additional locations (Wake Island, Mandates), a complete manual and historical supplement, interactive tutorials, in-game replay cinematic tools, and campaign modes.[/p][p]Besides, we are particularly, painfully aware of the need for a proper documentation and a well-thought interactive learning curve. This is complicated, considering that functions are still being implemented (quite the issue for localization, as you can guess). We will try to find ways to improve that ASAP, so as to give you all a better experience.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h2]The Demo Is Retiring (for Now)[/h2][p]These are the last 24 hours to download and try the Task Force Admiral demo.[/p][p]As the game enters Early Access, it will evolve rapidly. Maintaining a separate demo branch would require time and attention better spent improving the main game - remember, we're just one computer guy at the end of the day, and that requires focus. For that reason, the demo will be retired when Early Access goes live tomorrow (countdown on the store page).[/p][p]From then on, the “trial” experience will fall under standard Steam conditions.[/p][p]We strongly encourage you to try the demo today if you haven’t already:[/p]

• [p]Check hardware compatibility[/p]
• [p]Get a feel for the pacing, tone, and command philosophy[/p]
• [p]Decide whether this is the kind of game you wanted to grow alongside[/p]

[p]The demo will return whenever possible, updated to reflect meaningful additions or milestones during Early Access. In the meantime, neat trick: note that if you really love it and don't want to commit to TFA's EA just yet, even after it is disabled, you will be able to access it by directly launching the executable in your installation folder.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Tomorrow, Task Force Admiral leaves the pier for its trials, after a long building and fitting phase, and all thanks to you and your support throughout the years. From that moment on, development has a change of nature - but it will remain a shared voyage, all the way up to the "commissioning" of this beast. See you on the bridge for this first cruise![/p][p][/p][p]With Love,[/p][p][/p][p]The TFA Team[/p]

[p]Dear fans,[/p][p][/p][p]As promised, the demo has now been released. We pushed it out a little quickly so that you could enjoy it during the final days of the New Year break. As a result, you may encounter a few minor issues here and there, but nothing game-breaking so far. We’ll begin providing technical support on Monday.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Ahead of its Early Access release coming in Q1 2026, Task Force Admiral’s demo lets you take command of Task Force 17 during its showdown against Carrier Division 5 in the Coral Sea, in May 1942. Will you prevail and save Port Moresby, or will Shokaku and Zuikaku prolong Japan’s supremacy over the Southern Seas? [/p][p][/p][p]This new version of the demo includes the following features: [/p][p]• Two single scenarios (one historical, one variant with a new guest). [/p][p]• A functional Battle Generator using the scenarios’ assets. [/p][p]• Take control of your friendly fighters in 1st- and 3rd-person view to defend the skies over your Task Force! [/p][p]• Compatibility with Tacview to review and assess your accomplishments. [/p][p]• Updated gameplay and graphics. [/p][p][/p][p]If you have issues, either post about them in the dedicated channel on discord or feel free to share them in this dedicated discussion room. [/p][p]Good luck, Admirals. Happy New Year, Best Wishes of Good Health — and stay sharp: on to the decisive year![/p][p][/p][p]The TFA Team[/p][p][/p][p][/p]

[p][/p][h3]Dear Friends, [/h3][h3]Dear Fans,[/h3][p]Welcome back to our December SITREP! New stuff spotted ahead, fasten your seat belts and let's dive into this serious business.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Hope you’re having a great holiday season right now. We are taking a short break for a few days to spend some time with our loved ones too, which gives me the opportunity to provide you with some news.[/p][p]First, the important stuff: the Demo is about to return![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]THE DEMO[/h2][p]We will re-release the Demo next week. It will contain the original content, along with an extra scenario (a variant of the base scenario "Of Cranes & Patriots"). New objects featured in said scenario will be available in the mission generator too.[/p][p]The real added value isn't really found in the scenario itself—it is more a matter of providing you with the latest gameplay options and GUI improvements made over the last six months. The most obvious change is the ability to jump into the cockpit of one of your F4F fighters at any time, whether it is involved in a Combat Air Patrol or on escort duty for a strike. Those who were disappointed they couldn't influence the outcome of a tactical battle will now be able to get directly involved, and try to prevent your carrier from taking that extra bomb or torpedo in the face. Obviously, it’s all optional, so it will not change your core game experience. Access this feature at your own discretion.[/p][p][/p][p]Apart from that, improvements also include Tacview support. We will introduce a full library of 3D models over time so that you can survey the battle properly without having to come across the odd jet fighter placeholder. It's not a huge priority right now, but it’s good enough to allow you to dissect the events and understand where things went right—and when they went wrong. The free version is enough, of course.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]THE PROGRESS[/h2][p]Most of our time over the last few weeks has been dedicated to the construction of Midway Island, AI routines for bombardment, the corresponding special effects, etc. Basically, we want to release the game with Midway fully operational. Once that is the case, we’ll have honed our skills and will be able to build the other bases with a little less friction overall—but until then, it’s a demanding job at the center of our immediate priorities.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]As you can guess, fleshing out the Kido Butai is also part of this deal. We went the extra mile with the Kongo sisters, who are getting special treatment to reflect their diversity—which is not only about aesthetics, but also implies changes to their light armament, among other things. New other smaller combatants have joined the roster too, and will ensure that Task Force Admiral will provide the Combined Fleet with an array of assets that has rarely been seen in 3D until today.[/p][p][/p][p] [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h2]WHAT’S NEXT[/h2][p]And, yes of course, the release proper—well, we’ll make no mystery of it. It is set for the end of January, possibly early February if things don’t go 100% according to plan (but we hope to meet the deadline in good order). It will be a bit bare-bones perhaps for those who have played the demo extensively, but Midway should be absolutely playable, possibly with half a dozen or so scenarios and variants making the best use of available objects and settings. We aren't promising something revolutionary immediately, but the goal is to provide our Kickstarter backers with access to the game within a reasonable timeframe, and we’ll keep building from then on. Obviously, early access means that there’s still much work to be done, but we’re getting to the point where it’s more generic work than fundamental work, considering the game mechanics and stability seem strong enough to us.[/p][p]At any rate, those who might harbor any doubt are welcome to try the demo before buying, or keep the demo as long as needed even after deactivation, until they consider our pricing fair.[/p][p]Said pricing is not going to be "hardcore wargame" premium. Something closer to what you had with Sea Power. The final call will be made at the time of release, based on immediate business considerations. We do hope, though, that the presence of a demo will help ensure that everybody knows well in advance what they’re getting, so that no misunderstanding sours our relationship with future newcomers to our fanbase.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]At any rate, we wish a Merry Christmas—and Happy New Year—to you all, our dearest friends. Stay around, it’s getting closer, and we mean it! If you want to be kept 100% updated, don’t forget to follow us on Discord, or on one of our multiple platforms (X, Facebook, Reddit, YouTube Community - links are available below at the bottom of this page or on the Store Page) where all important news is also forwarded—or drop us a message in the Steam general discussions section![/p][p]See you in the skies above the South Pacific sometime next week,[/p][p]Best, & Cheers![/p][p][/p][p][/p]