We all remember our first true love. They were special. There was a strong connection. You liked the same things, thought similarly and understood each other. And even after you parted, you would think about them and wonder where they were and what they were doing. I know this is starting out weird but I promise there is a point to this.

That is the way I feel about GMT Games. We started out playing their games. Games such as Twilight Struggle, Labyrinth, Wilderness War, Empire of the Sun and Churchill. We love those games still today and often talk about playing again soon even though we have played other publisher’s games. There is just something special about them. And each month, it’s like I get to reconnect with this great publisher and get introduced to new “first loves” through the Monthly Update.

In this Monthly update, my love and passion for all things World War II gets a huge kick in the pants as there are two new games being added to the P500 as well as news about the Combat Commander: Pacific reprint as well as all the Battle Packs, of which I own only Battle Pack #1 Paratroopers.

If you missed last month’s update post, here is a link: May Monthly Update Musings

If you didn’t get this month’s Monthly Update email, I have provided you with easy access here: https://mailchi.mp/761418c0ef27/june-21-update-from-gmt-new-p500s-production-updates-sneak-peeks-and-more

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New P500 Additions

This month there were three new P500 additions, and as mentioned before, two of those deal with World War II.

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Storm Over Asia: Prequel to A World At War

One game that we took a pass on recently on the P500 was A World at War. It wasn’t for a lack of interest on our part. It was simply because it intimidates us and we don’t have a place to leave a monster game like it set up as we play through it over a few months time.

I am now regretting that decision. Especially since a prequel was added to the P500 this month. From the game page we read the following:

Storm Over Asia is both a companion game to GMT’s A World at War and Gathering Storm, and is a game in its own right, with its own victory conditions. Starting in 1935, Japan, China, Britain, and Russia prepare for war without being sure of just what is coming. Japan must balance its expansion in China, an impending confrontation with the United States and Russia, and the impact of the Pacific theater in a global war. China, Britain, and Russia must try to resist immediate Japanese expansion, while at the same time laying the groundwork for the successful prosecution of war in the Pacific. These short-term and long-term goals will often be in conflict, and misjudgments in either direction may have dire consequences.

Considering A World at War is a monster, we now have a mini-monster that can prep you for an entry into that system along with A Gathering Storm which is also a prequel but focused on the European Theater. One other thing that is interesting to me is that the game explores several what ifs including the following which are listed on the game page:

Storm Over Asia allows players to explore what might have happened if:

  • Japan had prioritized naval expansion, even though it antagonized the United States.

  • Japanese admirals had focused on submarine warfare in the impending war with the Allies.

  • The Japanese had taken the American submarine warfare threat more seriously.

  • Japan had committed to jets, advanced submarines or rockets.

  • Synthetic oil technology had been developed by Japan.

  • Japan had developed a strategic bomber for to use against China … or Russia.

  • Japan had prepared for a direct attack on the Soviet Union, rather than first trying to eliminate the Chinese threat to is flank.

  • Nationalist China had defeated the Communists before Japan invaded.

  • Communist China had expanded its territorial base and armed forces.

  • The United Front had formed early, allowing China to confront Japanese aggression more effectively.

  • Australia and India had been better prepared for war, including by building Australian aircraft carriers or an Indian air force.

It also appears that Storm Over Asia may be played as a separate game in a single session, with its own victory conditions, and may be played alone or in tandem with Gathering Storm, the other pre-war game set in Europe. Storm Over Asia resembles Gathering Storm in many ways, and both games have a structure consistent with A World at War, allowing for a seamless transition to whatever alternate war the players planned – or stumbled into. There are many similarities between Storm Over Asia and Gathering Storm, and Gathering Storm players will have no difficulty in playing Storm Over Asia. I unfortunately have not played Gathering Storm so this won’t be my experience as I’ll have to learn the system from scratch. That’s alright though. I have Alexander in my corner and his amazing wargame rules learning superpower. I for one am always interested in a good looking Pacific Theater game and will most likely add this one to my growing P500 list.

If you are interested in Storm Over Asia, you can pre-order a copy from the GMT Games website for $72.00 from the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-774-storm-over-asia.aspx

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No Retreat! Battles: 1942

There are a few series that are iconic from GMT Games and when their name is mentioned your mind immediately goes to quality components, fantastic game play mechanics and interesting strategic choices. The COIN Series, EFS and No Retreat! to name a few. I own a 2nd printing deluxe edition copy of No Retreat! The Russian Front and I love it.

But this No Retreat! Series is different. No longer focused on a single front or area of the conflict in World War II, this entry focuses on great battles in an entire year of the war. From the game page we read the following:

This new No Retreat! Series of games will each cover one year of the World War II conflict, starting with 1942. The series will ultimately consist of seven titles. In each game box you’ll get between three to six battles covering some of the most decisive encounters for that war year. 

In No Retreat! Battles, no more Russian, French, Italian, Polish, Western or African Fronts; you’ll get close and personal with smaller-scale engagements. Critical Battles like Iwo Jiwa, the Capture of Berlin in 1945, Battle of the Bulge, Kasserine Pass, Kursk, Casino, Tarawa, and dozens of others.

Another hallmark of the No Retreat! Series is low counter density and a generally small play area such as one map. This system generally is also low medium complexity and very understandable in their systems and sequence of play. One of the reasons I like the system so much.

The map will be small, usually half a regular GMT playing surface, and the counters just numerous enough to have a good game without been swamped by game pieces. The games will also be relatively quick playing, and fast to set-up. A good example of the size of a NR Battle game is the Crete bonus mini-game included in No Retreat! The African Front.

Another great feature of the series is that it is very solo friendly as some of the battles offered in each box will have specific solitaire-play rules when this it is deemed possible to offer gamers an interesting play experience and a challenging contest, using a special set of “Artificial Intelligence” order cards reacting to your moves and mistakes. Usually one or two solitaire titles will be included in each game.

Here is a list of the battles included and a bit about each of them from the game page:

Battle for Velikiye Luki: This Battle simulates the Soviet Offensive that  was executed against the Wehrmacht’s 3rd Panzer Army during the Winter Campaign of 1942-43; with the objective of liberating that city as part of Operation Mars. Called « The Little Stalingrad of the North » it saw a German Garrison desperately trying to break out of the embattled northern fortess. After a bloody see-saw battle, only a hundred defenders were able to escape. The variety of units fighting is quite bewildering : Ski troops, German Paratroopers, Panzers, Soviet Guard Divisions, rocket brigades, Estonian troops, Fortifications etc…

Battle for Stalingrad (Solitaire/Two-player): This Battle showcases the famous cityfight, one of the turning points of the war. The game will focus on the urban battle in and around Stalingrad. The Player will take command of the Axis forces assaulting the city; the game AI will control the Soviet defenders. Time is of the essence to achieve complete control of the city before winter! A hidden unit system will be used to simulate the low level of local battle intelligence and difficult terrain the attackers encountered battling through the blasted ruins of the city. The game can also be played two-player.

Battle for Gazala: This Battle covers the dramatic Afrika Korps counter-attack, lead by Rommel, against the prepared positions and minefields of the British 8th Army in North Africa, culminating in the capture of the Fortress of Tobruk and dramatic advance towards Egypt. Open desert terrain and quick movement abilities will make this a wild and woolly contest of will between the well-rained German Panzers plus their Italian Allies, and the British coalition troops of a dozen different nationalities. Special “Tactical” Event cards are used to put more detail into the battle strategies used by both sides’ units.

Battle for Guadalcanal: This Battle was the first major Allied offensive against the Forces of Imperial Japan. Surprised by the attack, the Japanese made three major attempts in 1942 to retake the position conquered by the US Marines around Henderson Field. A linked scenario will cover each attempt; Event card play can also influence the outcome of the seven major naval battles, but at a cost of precious resources and Victory Points. This is the first No Retreat! Game to cover the WW2 Pacific war, and effectively three games in one.

Battle for Dieppe (Solitaire): This small, quick-playing bonus Battle will put the player, controlling Canadian forces, against the insurmountable odds of gaining a foothold in the well-defended French town of Dieppe during one of the first Amphibious landing attempted by the Allies in Europe. The game AI will take gradual control of more and more German forces as time passes, so speed of execution of the mission is key. As with the Stalingrad game, the Enemy forces will be hidden at start, to be uncovered as the game advances.

If you are interested in No Retreat! Battles, you can pre-order a copy from the GMT Games website for $50.00 from the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-773-no-retreat-battles-1942.aspx

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La Grande Battles Napoleonics: C&C Napoleonics Expansion #7

If you’ve been following our YouTube channel lately you see that we have been playing lots of Commands and Colors, dipping our toes in all the different iterations from Ancients to Medieval, Red Alert to Napoleonics. I’m here to tell you that my favorite has been Napoleonics and now it appears we have a new expansion.

La Grande Battles Napoleonics is the seventh expansion for GMT’s Commands & Colors: Napoleonics game system. The expansion features as many as 10 La Grande Battle scenarios, 10 EPIC engagements, and a number of standard-sized battles. The La Grande Battles battlefield is 11 hexes deep by 26 hexes wide, and there are two La Grande Battles mounted map boards (left and right) included in the expansion. The EPIC battlefield is 11 hexes deep by 20 hexes wide, which is almost double the size of the standard scenario battlefield of 9 hexes deep by 13 hexes wide. Two EPIC battlefield map sheets (left and right) are also included.

From the game page we read the following about what is included in the expansion:

Players will find a number of new units, including Polish French allies, British highlanders, KGL infantry and cavalry, plus all the unit blocks and rules needed when fielding these units in a battle. 

The expansion also includes a number of Leader of Honor blocks. Leader of Honor blocks have a portrait of the Napoleonic leader and were first mentioned in the Generals, Marshals & Tacticians expansion #5. A Leader of Honor orders more units when a “Take Command” Command card is played. Please note, the number of Leader of Honor blocks for the various Napoleonic nations will vary and are determined in scale with each Napoleonic Army’s field commander status history.

This expansion also presents new rules for Iconic Commanders that are recommended for all EPIC and La Grande Battle scenarios. For example: When Napoleon is in command, because of his excellent grasp and flow of a battle, after the play of a Scout Command card, the French player, when drawing two new Command cards, can keep both cards and discard one Command card from his hand. When Wellington is in command, because of his keen eye for terrain, the British player prior to the battle may redeploy up to 4 hexes of units. For example: One unit could redeploy up to 4 hexes or two units 2 hexes each or four units 1 hex each, etc. Other Napoleonic nations also have their own unique Iconic Commander rules.

You will also be pleased to know you will find that a scenario of EPIC Napoleonics will play out very well with just two players. It is highly recommended players give the EPIC scenarios a try, playing one on one. The only really bad point is that in order to get the most enjoyment out of the expansion, you will need to play using the Command card and Tactician card decks that were part of the Generals, Marshals & Tacticians expansion.

It is important to also note in order to play most EPIC Napoleonics scenarios, players will need a copy of the Commands & Colors: Napoleonics core game and many of its expansions (Spanish Army, Russian Army, Austrian Army, Prussian Army, Generals, Marshals & Tacticians, EP).

If you are interested in La Grande Battles Napoleonics, you can pre-order a copy from the GMT Games website for $59.00 from the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-772-commands-colors-napoleonics-exp-7-la-grande-battles.aspx

Combat Commander: Pacific and Battle Pack Reprints

We simply love Combat Commander. For its simplicity, it strategy and the card play is just fantastic and most importantly fun! It was out 1st entry into tactical gaming and we love it. We have both been waiting for a reprint of Combat Commander: Pacific for the past 4 years and thanks to the amazing penny pinching skills of Tony Curtis, GMT has found some funds to go ahead and do a reprint along with all of the Battle Packs as well. The games are currently in the art department now getting final tweaks, but they should be off to the printer rather quickly and we can all look forward to the ferocity and fearlessness of the Japanese.

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New P500’s on the Horizon

As I have said before, this is one of the my favorite parts of the Monthly Update, especially when I feel that I might have some idea about what the games are. Last month I got credit for 3.5 correct out of 5 so I’m pretty happy about that. This month I’m not feeling great about my chances of guessing correctly. I would be surprised if I get 1 correct but I’ll give it the old college try anyways!

  • A new Lunchtime Series game – I don’t have an idea on this one at all. Whatever it is though, I love these games as they are smaller and play quickly.
  • A new strategic-level block game – I’ve been guessing this one the past few months but the clues have been just a bit off. This month though I think I’ve got it right. This is Conquest & Consequences which is Triumph & Tragedy in the Pacific Theater. Here is a picture of this one that I found on Facebook last month (sorry but it is a bit blurry):
  • A new 4-player CDG on a very interesting topic – Could this one be the prequel to Here I Stand called Tato Mota? Here is a picture I saw in the wild:
  • Something new for those of you who like WWI games – once again no idea.
  • A new GBoH series game – I think we are going into the Crusades with this one. That’s what I’m hoping for anyway.

That’s it! That’s all I’ve got. Gene won this month for sure.

Charging and Shipping

Shipping. The next P500 shipments will be in late July, when they’ll ship the following games:

Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea

Death Valley: Battles for the Shenandoah

Charging.  They will begin charging for Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea and Death Valley between July 10-15.

Both of these games look excellent and I’d get em now at the sweet P500 price.

Chad Jensen

Before I wrap this up, I wanted to share Gene’s comments about designer Chad Jenssen (such games as Combat Commander, Welcome to Centerville, Dominant Species and Fighting Formations). Here they are in their entirety unedited:

Most of you have probably heard already or read online that late last month, Chad Jensen was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. It’s not my place to share too many details, but it’s Stage 4 and very serious; he is in a battle for his life. Mary and I went up to Santa Rosa to visit him in the hospital recently, and he was very tired, but determined and in great spirits. As you might imagine, the combination of the cancer itself and what is by necessity a very aggressive treatment regimen is exhausting. But we got great news this week, as after his first two rounds of chemo and 26 days in the hospital, Chad got to go home! Of course, there is still a long road of chemo and treatment ahead, but we’re so happy to see Chad getting to get out of the hospital and be back in his own home, and wanted to share that with you. Here’s a pic from his Facebook page:

I want to encourage each of you to help and encourage Chad in whatever way you can as he fights this battle. So specifically, what can you do? Any of the following that you’d feel comfortable doing would be most helpful:

  • First, please join us in fervently praying for Chad and his recovery. Please share this with any prayer groups that you are a part of.
  • If you’d like to help defray some of their medical expenses, which are going to be significant, please consider donating through the GoFundMe account that has been set up for them – and share that link with others who might like to help. They’ve just met their original funding goal this week, but chemo and extended hospital stays are very expensive, so if you are able to help out, all your assistance is most appreciated.
  • Let Chad and Kai know of your concern and support.  If you’d like to send Chad a note of appreciation or encouragement, you can leave a note on the GoFundMe page or on Chad’s Facebook page, or for private email,  please send through Kai for now at kaijensen@gmtgames.com.

Thank you all so much for your kindness, consideration, and encouragement during this trying time. Chad and Kai are family to us. I know that they both really appreciate all of your prayers, donations, and encouragement – and the outpouring of love and appreciation that they’ve seen from the gaming community already.

Conclusion and Summary of My P500 Orders

As I always tend to end these posts, I will post a summary of where my 33 P500 games stand as of June 23rd. I routinely check the status of each of my games and also will show the change in orders as compared to the last time I wrote them down on May 28th.

  1. 1989: Dawn of Freedom 2nd Printing – 366 [+9 orders] – Only 134 more orders…feels like it might as well be 1,000. I have heard and read that this game is amazing, and with the popularity of CDGs, this is another quality offering!  Please help me move this one along. Maybe this is one that GMT will reprint even if it doesn’t make the 500 goal but gets really close. Maybe! Please.
  2. The Hunters 3rd Printing – 1,210 [+13 orders, made the cut!] WWII submarine warfare with the vaunted U-Boats! The game is imminently ready to go to the printer. I have also had my eye on the follow-up to this game The Hunted but have yet to pull the trigger on that one. We published an interview with designer Gregory M. Smith 3 months ago. In final art awaiting a printing slot. Should ship in 3-5 months.
  3. Navajo Wars 2nd Printing – 626 [+18 orders] I love stories and games about Native Americans. When I was a kid I read dozens of history books on Native Americans. Read my interview with Joel Toppen about Navajo Wars and Comanchería. I am eagerly awaiting this game as I have simply fallen in love with Comanchería. Made the cut several months ago and is currently in the art department being finalized. Looks like Joel Toppen has a final preproduction copy and has been playing it and posting some really great pictures on his Facebook and Twitter page.
  4. Bayonets & Tomahawks – 853 [-6 orders, made the cut!] – I love a good game about the French & Indian War. Read my interview with designer Marc Rodrigue about B&T! Currently in the art department with an anticipated ship date of 5-9 months. They have said that the box cover art will be from John Buxton and I recommend you go check out his stuff as it is simply fantastic while the component art is by Marc Rodrigue himself. A designer pulling double duty. Currently in the art department and should ship in the next 5-9 months.
  5. Imperial Struggle – 3,092 [+29 orders, made the cut on 1st day!] A game depicting the rivalry between France and Britain in the 18th century. I have reached out to designer Ananda Gupta for an interview and we just haven’t been able to get connected. Nearing art department readiness but it is far off I think. My guess is this one is a 2020 release.
  6. Roads to Leningrad 2nd Printing – 172 [+3 orders] – This game is medium complexity and has high suitability for solitaire. Also, this is the 2nd edition and they are fixing some of the rules, updating the map and player aides (full color) and also there are 528 counters! I love counters and this game has 528. Read my interview with designer Vance von Borries. Game was saved from P500 purgatory last year! Thanks for all who ordered. Maybe it is time that I start looking for this one some other way. Vance’s games are amazing and we have really enjoyed our plays of Demyansk Shield from Legion Wargames.
  7. Tank Duel: Enemy in the Crosshairs – 1,009 [+38 orders, made the cut!] Tank on tank combat in World War II for up to 8 players! Panzers, T34’s, what more could you want in a game? Posted an interview with the designer Mike Bertucelli and his developer Jason Carr on July 30, 2018 if you are interested in learning more. At the printer but no official ship date.
  8. Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea –1,477 [+31 orders, made the cut!] A fantastic looking abstracted game of civilization building in the Mediterranean designed by Mark McLaughlin and Christopher Vorder Bruegge. This game is sure to be a winner! Read my interview with Mark McLaughlin and Christopher Vorder Bruegge. The game charges in mid July and will be shipping in late July. Here is a look at the final cover:
  9. Plains Indian Wars – 340 [+3 orders] – A great game that looks at the inevitable wars between the expanding United States and the proud Native American tribes of the west. Read our interview on the game with John Poniske. Please give this one a look as I can definitely say that John knows his stuff and is a very thoughtful designer, taking great care to design a playable game that teaches us something. We posted a few videos on this one to help push it on up toward the P500 goal. Review video and How to Play video. Please give this one a hard look as it really was an interesting and fun light Euro style wargame.
  10. A Time for Trumpets: The Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 – 862 [+5 orders, made the cut!] – A monster wargame covering the Battle of the Bulge (5 maps and 1,600 counters). This design seems to take many familiar elements from other designs and adds some new shiny things to spice it up. I’m really interested to see the different colors used for the various formation/HQs as this one purports to include the entire rainbow. Congrats to Bruno on making the cut so quickly. Here is our interview with Bruno for your reading pleasure. Currently in the art department and should be shipping over the next 5-9 months.
  11. Death Valley: Battles for the Shenandoah – 1,048 [+35 orders, made the cut!] – I love the gallantry and the tactics used by Stonewall Jackson during the American Civil War and in this game you get to re-enact all of his major victories in the Shenandoah Valley of 1862 and while he died at Chancellorsville in 1863, the game covers Confederate victories in 1864 as well. I posted an interview with the game developer William Byrne in February 2018. The game charges in mid July and will be shipping in late July. Here is a look at the final cover:
  12. All Bridges Burning: Red Revolt and White Guard in Finland, 1917-1918 – 1,153 [+27 orders, made the cut! in the first month] – Here is a link to an InsideGMT article that describes the game: https://t.co/TPCssBT76U I also posted an interview with designer VPJ Arponen last year. Really excited about this 3-player COIN Series game. We also worked with Vez on a series of posts where we are spoiling several Event Cards from the game along with Vez’s comments on the history behind the card, what they do, how they are best used by the factions and other neat elements. Here are our posts for the cards: #3 November Revolution in Russia, #8 General Strike, #9 Declaration of Finnish Independence, #27 The Reds Launch a Major Offensive, #43 Rough Justice, #45 Finland’s Fate Hangs in Balance, #24 Red Revolt!, #25 Disarming Russian Garrisons,#11 Weapons from Russia? and #30 Meetings in the Catacomb. They are working on art and it is supposed to ship over the next 5-9 months.
  13. Flashpoint: South China Sea – 554 [+4 orders, made the cut!] – Another new entry in the “Lunch Hour” game series that was announced last year and for which the first entry is Fort Sumter. The South China Sea is a source of great concern for the West and this game looks at the struggle between China and the rest of the world over influence and control in this contested quadrant of the world. We were lucky enough to meet up with the designer Harold Buchanan at GenCon 2018 and got to play and shoot a video interview on the game.
  14. People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1983-1986 – 731 [+11 orders, made the cut!] – Volume XI in the COIN Series, this game is another introductory level game set in the Marcos years in the Philippines. New additions, such as key personality cards and an Election Cycle, are sure to make this game a unique addition to the series. Here is our interview with designer Kenneth Tee. We also posted the first few cards in our series of Event Card spoilers for the game including #51 Aquino Dead, #31 The First Lady, #12 Another Beirut, #72 Rolly Kintanar, #9 Call for Unity, and #53 Alejo Santos to give you some more historical and game play background into the design.
  15. Beneath the Med: Italian Submarines at War, 1940-1943 – 713 [+6 orders, made the cut!] – A follow on to the The Hunters Series, this game takes you into the Mediterranean Sea during World War II to battle beneath the waves as the Italians. Designer Gregory M. Smith knows solo sub games and this one looks fantastic. Here is our interview with Gregory and it is a really good looking game.
  16. Atlantic Chase – 936 [+15 orders, made the cut!] – Simulates the naval campaigns fought in the North Atlantic between the surface fleets of the Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine between 1939 and 1942. It utilizes a system of trajectories to model the fog of war that bedeviled the commands during this period. This leads to my affectionate nickname for the game “Ticket to Ride: North Atlantic” as you will see lines of ships on the map much like the lines of trains in that game. Alexander posted an interview with Jerry White last year that you should read. Great looking game! Nearing art department readiness but no shipping date yet.
  17. Versailles 1919 – 1,030 [+18 orders, made the cut!] – This game is designed as a more accessible and easy to learn version than Churchill but still will generate significant interest from wargamers who have enjoyed Mark’s other creations in this area. Also, the game will have a solitaire system included. We attended WBC in July 2018 and were able to play a full game of Versailles 1919 with Mark Herman and did the following video interview with him. Great game by the way! Nearing art department readiness.
  18. Stalingrad ’42 – 1,401 [+36 orders, made the cut!] – Not surprising that this game made the cut so quickly. After playing The U.S. Civil War a few years ago, and most recently Holland ’44, I was hooked on any game designed by Mark Simonitch. He simply has a real talent for making these huge operational level games that don’t feel overly complex. He also uses some really interesting mechanics, such as the ZOC Bond and Infiltration, really well that make for some very interesting decision points and create an experience for players that I have not necessarily seen in other designs. The game is at the art department and should ship in 3-5 months. Here is a look at the final components:
  19. Expansion or Extinction: A Triumph & Tragedy Series Game – 505 [+7 orders, made the cut!] – If you liked Triumph & Tragedy, you will like this game…only it is in space! We were fortunate enough to play a game at WBC with the designer Stuart Pierce and also shot this video interview with him. We also posted a written interview with him on our blog in February which was really good.
  20. Men of Iron Tri-Pack – 686 [+25 orders, made the cut!] – This Men of Iron Series is a look at battles in medieval times involving men-at-arms, knights, longbowman, etc. The Tri-Pack includes the first three games in the Men of Iron Series: Men of Iron, Infidel, and Blood & Roses, with the Battle of Agincourt thrown in for good measure from C3i Magazine #22. This system is very interesting and we are definitely intrigued as our play of The Battle of Wakefield was very interesting.
  21. Commands and Colors: Samurai Battles – 946 [+39 orders, made the cut!] – A reprint of a former game that looks amazing as I love any type of game focused on feudal Japan. We have been playing lots of C&C Napoleonics recently and are really anticipating this title.
  22. Storm Above the Reich – 565 [+4 orders, made the cut!] – A follow up effort to the wildly successful Skies Above the Reich. A solo game focused on depicting a Luftwaffe squadron of Fw190s struggling to deter and destroy the relentless daylight raids over Germany during World War II.
  23. Dominant Species: Marine – 917 [+17 orders, made the cut!] – If you like Dominant Species, and I sure do, you are bound to love this take on the genre as marine life fights it out beneath the primordial waves! Nearing art department readiness but no shipping date.
  24. Next War: Vietnam – 683 [+15 orders, made the cut!] – The fifth game in the Next War Series this game returns the action to Asia and the powderkeg surrounding the South China Sea. This time the Chinese don’t intend a limited, punitive expedition; they intend to squash the burgeoning threat from their southern border once and for all and prove, through force of arms, that the South China Sea is theirs. I can’t wait to slug it out in and above the jungles of Vietnam!
  25. Hunt for Blackbeard – 412 [+13 orders] – The Hunt for Blackbeard pits two players against one another as hunter and hunted in a fast-moving game of detection, deception, and confrontation. Volko makes a great game and this one is great but in 30-45 minutes. We posted an interview with designer Volko Ruhnke in June.
  26. Battle Line, Medieval Edition – 1,010 [+31 orders, made the cut!] – The classic card game with some new rules and new art. Should be a fun one to play! In art and should be shipping in next 3-5 months.
  27. Rebel Fury: Five Battles from the Campaigns of Chancellorsville and Chickamauga – 540 [+28 orders, made the cut!] – We really enjoyed Mark Herman’s Gettysburg game found in C3i Magazine #32 and when I heard about Rebel Fury, I jumped on it immediately. Low complexity system with some really great elements to simulate fighting in the American Civil War.
  28. Clash of Sovereigns: The War of the Austrian Succession, 1740-48 – 448 [+9 orders] – As I have said we love CDG’s and this one is on a different subject than we are used to. Very intrigued by this one and have added it to my P500 for now. Need more info though.
  29. Caesar: Rome VS Gaul, Gallic Wars 57-52 BC – 596 [+36 orders, made the cut!] – Caesar: Rome vs. Gaul is a fast-playing, easy-to-learn, two-player card-driven game on Caesar’s conquest of Gaul. One player plays Caesar as he attempts to gain wealth and fame in Gallia at the expense of the Gauls. The other player controls all the independent tribes of Gaul as they slowly awake to the peril of Roman conquest. This one looks great!
  30. Banish the Snakes – 349 [+21 orders] – a cooperative game that simulates Ireland in the 5th century, while the Roman Empire was collapsing in the west and Ireland was turning to the Christian religion. Players represent Saints Patrick and others (up to six of you) who set out to convert the pagans on the island. You must work as a team to convert the people of Ireland before the barbarians completely overwhelm Britain. We love good and interesting cooperative games.
  31. Labyrinth: The Forever War, 2015-? – 890 [+240 orders, made the cut!] – 1-2 player card-driven boardgame simulating at the strategic level the ongoing bid by Islamist extremists to impose their brand of religious rule on the Muslim world. We love Labyrinth and this is simply more goodness. Reached out to the designer and we are working on an interview.
  32. Storm Over Asia – 114 orders
  33. No Retreat! Battles: 1942 – 125 orders

I also wanted to include at the end of this post our reviews/interviews/unboxings of recent GMT games that we have played and enjoyed:

Unboxing Commands & Colors: Medieval

Unboxing Fields of Fire 2: With the Old Breed

Video Review Commands & Colors: Medieval

Unboxing Gandhi: The Decolonization of British India, 1917-1947

Action Point 1 – Time of Crisis: The Age of Iron & Rust

Action Point 2 – Time of Crisis: The Age of Iron & Rust

Interview with Volko Ruhnke Designer of Hunt for Blackbeard

Thanks again for all of your support in consuming our content on the blog and YouTube. It was great fun to get to meet several of you while we were at Origins (Bill Simoni, James Herbert, Dean B., Sean Roberts, Ryan & Neil Addleman, Pete M., Gary Ardwulf, Jeff Kayati, Jim and Brant with Armchair Dragoons, Katie Aidley) and we look forward to seeing many more of you at WBC, GenCon and Buckeye Games Fest.

-Grant