As you know, I love the COIN Series and have all of the volumes in my collection (with the exception of Cuba Libre). I love the theme of the games and the card assisted mechanic with faction interplay is just glorious. Anytime they announce a new volume, I am always excited. But, this month, my excitement has increased a few notches as there is not only a new COIN Series game but it now has gone off the historical rails and is dabbling in a Sci-Fi fictional setting, which I am all in on!

Speaking of the COIN Series. I first became acquainted with Morgane Gouyon-Rety as a result of her entry in the series Pendragon and our interviews that we conducted for the blog in 2016. I consider her a friend and haven’t ever met her but just felt a nice connection as we talked about things as that game progressed. She has also been working on a new game, not in the series, but a historical setting dealing with the successors of Alexander the Great called Hubris and it was also announced this month! I look forward to discussing the game with her in a series of interviews and inside looks and want to say congratulations!

Lots of good information this month in the update and I appreciate this email that I get each month and want to thank Gene and his crew for all of their hard work!

In case you missed the Monthly Update email, here is a link: https://mailchi.mp/1d43a6cba5ba/october-22-update-from-gmt-new-p500s-production-update-and-more

New P500’s

There were 3 new P500’s added this month including COIN Series Volume XIII Red Dust Rebellion, Great Battles of Julius Caesar Deluxe Edition and Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World. There also were several reprints added as well.

Great Battles of Julius Caesar Deluxe Edition

Two classic games in one package, similar to what was done with SPQR last year, Great Battles of Julius Caesar combines Caesar: The Civil Wars published in 1994 and Caesar: Conquest of Gaul published in 1996 and reprinted in 2006, into a single package along with the battles that were published as separate modules.

The scenario book features 20 different scenarios. That is a lot of game in one box. From the game page, we read the following:

The scenarios vary in size from four large battles using 1 1⁄2 game maps to six small battles on a half size map with the remainder using one full size map. In addition to the Roman on Roman contests, the battles showcase the Romans facing off against a colorful array of non-Roman opponents- the Numidians, Germans, various Gallic tribes, and the Hellenistic style armies of Pontus. The counter mix includes 43 distinct cohort style legions, a host of specialty type auxiliary units, numerous tribal infantry and cavalry units, and some old favorites from SPQR – Elephants, Chariots, and even the double sized Phalanx. Along with the typical set piece battles, several battles feature the use of fortifications, one an amphibious invasion Roman style, and one a full blown naval battle.

The original maps will be updated to the latest GMT graphics standard and have the same look and feel across all the battles. The set will include a “blank” map for use with the Cirta and Bay of Biscay scenarios and new map for the Nicopolis battle – no more drawing in trench lines. The counters will be updated to the latest production standards and will be similar in style to those in SPQR. Additional counters are included to minimize the need for counter substitutions in those battles featured in the originally published as modules.

If you are interested in Great Battles of Julius Caesar Deluxe Edition you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $69.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-892-great-battles-of-julius-caesar-deluxe-edition.aspx

Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World

Get ready to get your Ancients on. Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World covers the fifty five years from 220 to 165 BCE, i.e. roughly from the Third Syrian War and its famous battle of Raphia between Antiochos III and Ptolemy IV, to the Third Macedonian War and the battle of Pydna between Perseous of Macedon and the legions of Consul L. Aemilius Paullus, as well as the subsequent bizarre episode of the Circle of Popilius on the beach of Eleusis in Egypt. Players will lead the three leading Hellenistic kingdoms: the Ptolemies, Seleucids, and Macedon, guiding their dynasties through these tumultuous decades. Rome, Pergamon, and other major and minor powers of the age are handled by the game engine, with various degrees of influence possible for the three player kingdoms.  

From the game page we read the following:

Rather than a hand of cards, each player kingdom has a Court, with the king and his Friends represented by Leader Cards. Each Leader has from one to three Capabilities with assorted ratings among Campaign, Diplomacy, and Admin and is rated for his Loyalty, Intrigue, and, when earned, Renown. Many Leaders also boast Special Abilities, which range from military bonuses or diplomatic connections to unique actions only available to them.

Although monetary and human resources are essential to the ability of kings to wage wars and prosecute their policies, no action is possible in the game without being entrusted to an able and available Leader, and its success is determined by rolling against their appropriate rating.  
Because each Leader is limited in their number of activations each turn and the size of a court is better kept reasonably small to be manageable, players must be able to leverage their Leaders’ abilities and manage their ambitions and foibles in order to further the interests and future of their dynasty. Not only do Leaders have various abilities, they also present challenges in their personal loyalties and ambitions. Send this competent general too often to war, and his Renown may reduce his Loyalty to such a degree that he may consider rebelling against your rule. Pack your Court with too many gifted individuals, and you risk turning it into a hotbed of conflicting intrigue and ambitions of which you may lose control…  

You will be pleased to learn that the game isn’t just about the conflict and battles of the time but takes into account an aspect of kingdom and economic management. From the game page we read the following:

Thankfully, war is not the only way to advance your agenda, as kings can send diplomatic missions to sway the many cities in the game, or raise additional taxes to finance their war effort or hugely expensive public buildings. The relationships with most cities and tribes are another critical dimension of the game’s politics. Kingdoms have the option to impose garrisons or prefer a softer approach through alliances, with consequences both in terms of stability and tax revenues. Garrisons are more secure and allow full taxation but are deeply resented by all Greek cities and will at some point represent a potential casus belli with Rome once the Republic positions itself as the guarantor of the freedom of the Greeks…  

I am very interested in this one and look forward to bringing you a written interview on the blog with Morgane about the inner working of the design.

If you are interested in Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $59.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-891-hubris-twilight-of-the-hellenistic-world.aspx

COIN Series Volume XIII Red Dust Rebellion

I have already said it in the opening, but I love the COIN Series. And I love that it is now being taken in a new direction with its first volume that is not based in history but has a Sci-Fi setting on the red planet. Red Dust Rebellion, designed by newcomer J. Carmichael tells the story of a future in which Mars has been colonized and forms its own government called the Martian Provisional Government. The game delves into the conflict of a fictitious Martian revolts of the 2250’s and the rise of Martian nationalism. Up to 4 players will take part in this game and control of the four factions.

From the game page we read the following about these factions:

The Martian Provisional Government (MG) believes it has the best interests of Mars at heart. Made up of bureaucrats appointed from Earth and locally-elected officials, they are walking a political tightrope of representing Earth interests while keeping the local population happy. They need the support of Martian locals to effectively administer the planet. The MG has the backing of Earth and access to their resources, but Earth is far away, and shipping is a time-consuming process, so they will need to manage their flow of resources carefully. They will rely on their sometimes-allies the Corporations to help stabilize Mars and protect against raids from the Church of the Reclaimer.  

Mars is the future for humanity, and with rampant climate change events on Earth, the push to further colonize and terraform Mars is growing. The Corporations (CORP) are Earth-controlled companies with vested interests in Mars. And while they have a bottomless amount of resources to commit to the conflict, they ultimately have to answer to their shareholders. This means that profits are their primary motivation. Replacing units costs money, so they want the Mars Government to fight their battles for them. The Corporations also wish to extend their infrastructure to ready the planet for eventual terraforming.   

Native-born Martian workers form the backbone of the Red Dust (RD) movement. The so-called “Dusters” demand a government for Martians, by Martians, without Earth interference, and they are willing to take it by force. Nominally a worker’s movement, the Dusters are an organized and determined force within the labyrinths of Mars and must rally the unions, guilds, and various popular assemblies to their cause to force the Earthers out and secure a free Mars for Martians.  

And finally, many look at the mistakes of old Earth and do not wish to repeat them. We have poisoned our home world and are planning on poisoning another. Human history is a process of making the same mistakes over and over again. These ideas have created The Church of the Reclaimer (CR). A post-humanist faith, they seek to adapt humanity to Mars, not the other way around.  And they are opposed to all terraforming and further colonization on Mars. While the moderates of the faith seek to block this progress using peaceful protest and political action, the more extreme elements are not above using violence to achieve their goals—a Mars returned to its natural state with human impact kept to an absolute minimum.   

Just in case you worry that the game is not well thought out and developed, there appears to be a whole lot of thought put into the challenges of such a conflict on a strange alien world. From the game page, we read the following:

A hostile world – Dust storms will appear and block access to different regions for extended periods of time. Fighting in the densely-populated labyrinths can end up damaging life-giving infrastructure. And the vast surface of the planet means forces can just disappear in the dust.   

The unpredictable raiders – The CR does not use Resources or appear on the standard order of activation. Instead, they use a new system to the COIN series that allows them to interject and decide when they wish to act, allowing for less frequent but sudden moves.   

The Aldrin Cycler – Earth is a long way from Mars. Many COIN supplies and replacements will take a long time to get from Earth to Mars, forcing those factions to plan for the long term.  

Multiple battlefields – Red Dust Rebellion takes place across 3 major theaters on Mars: The Noctis Labyrinthus, The Hellas Basin, and Arabia Terra. Between these areas is the vast wilderness of Mars, largely unpopulated with barren wastes as vast as the total landmass of Earth.  

Satellite warfare – The COIN forces control a network of surveillance satellites, but there are rumors that some are equipped with mass drivers and orbital assault pods as well.    

Everything is connected – All of the major cities on Mars are connected by spaceports. If you control both locations, you can freely move forces back and forth, allowing for sudden changes in the complexion of each theatre.   

The Earth Governments (EG) form a 5th faction that maintains elite forces and an extensive satellite network. Control of the EG forces changes between the MG and CORP based on how much Earth trusts the Martian government to manage the rebellion.   

Here is an introduction video from the designer on the game:

If you are interested in COIN Series Volume XIII Red Dust Rebellion you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $66.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-893-red-dust-rebellion.aspx

Next War: Taiwan 2nd Printing

The Next War Series of wargames from GMT is very popular and also very large and detailed. We still have been able to get our copy of Next War: Korea to the table yet but one day we will. Now in its 2nd Printing, Next War: Taiwan is up for P500 and will be identical to the first printing with the exception of corrections to all known errata.

From the game page we read the following:

Next War: Taiwan, the next volume in GMT’s series of Next War games and the follow-on to Next War: Korea, allows players to fight a near future war in and around the island of Taiwan. In this sequel, the communist state of China, the PRC, has decided that its time to end the rhetoric and posturing and bring the breakaway republic back into the Socialist Harmonious Society.

If you are interested in Next War: Taiwan 2nd Printing you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $59.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-894-next-war-taiwan-2nd-printing.aspx

Panzer Expansion #3: Drive to the Rhine – The 2nd Front, 2nd Printing

World War II Western Front always gets my interest as the forces of the Americans and British push against the streel menace of the German army trying to push into Berlin and end the war. This one has lots of tanks and for those that love tanks, that is probably all you needed to hear.

From the game page we read the following:

Panzer Expansion #3 shifts the action to the Western Front where the US and British forces drive the beleaguered German units across Western Europe and into the very heart of Germany.

The Reference & Scenario book includes a host of new optional rules covering Suggested Initiative, Spot Removal, Delayed Reaction, Bocage Country, Defensive Fire, and many others including complete rules and reference tables for airborne and glider operations. A few new special units, like the Churchill Crocodile flamethrower tank, stoke up the action to a new level.

You will find no less than twelve versions of the Sherman tank in both US and British livery, Cromwell tanks, Hellcat, Jackson, and Achilles tank destroyers, Greyhound and Humber armored cars, anti-tank guns, four new aircraft and many others. The Germans are also well-represented with the Marder III, StuH 42, Jagdpanther, Jagdtiger, Hetzer (including the flamethrower version), SPWs, PSWs, and more.

The ten scenarios include seven historically based and three actual historical scenarios that cover a wide range of action on the Western Front between US, British, and German units including the two clashes between the British 7th Armoured Division, Panzer Lehr, and the SS Tiger tanks at Villers-Bocage.

If you are interested in Panzer Expansion #3: Drive to the Rhine – The 2nd Front 2nd Printing you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $55.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-895-panzer-exp-3-drive-to-the-rhine-the-2nd-front-2nd-printing.aspx

Charging & Shipping

The following information for Charging and Shipping was copied directly from the Update:

September Batch – Charged September 8th and was shipped in late September. It included two products:

1960: The Making of the President, 2nd Edition
All Bridges Burning

October Batch – GMT charged the following games on September 30th.  They are currently shipping to P500 customers now.

1918-1919: Storm in the West
A Time for Trumpets
Apocalypse Road
Caesar: Rome vs Gaul
Next War: Vietnam
Normandy ’44 Mounted Map

Next Charge. The next charge will be Wednesday, November 4th for these two items:

Fire in the Lake Tr’ung Bot Update Pack
The Last Hundred Yards Volume 2: Airborne Over Europe

GMT expects to ship these two items roughly November 20th.

New P500’s on the Horizon

The last few months I sort of redeemed myself with the New P500’s on the Horizon segment as I had 3 out of 5 guesses correct in July, and 3 out of 5 again in August and 3 out of 5 in September. This month is not going to be as good for me but I think that I have maybe 2. Maybe!

Here is a brief tease for P500 additions lining up in the coming months. Note that this is not a comprehensive list, so I will switch these up a bit from month to month. Over the coming 1-6 months, I anticipate that we will add:

A new expansion for the GBACW series – I don’t have any information on this one.

A game that came out of the recent Consim Game Jam – there were so many great games that appeared from that event. My guess is the winner of the event Vijayanagara: City of Victory.

A game set in Ancient Rome – could this one be Mark Herman’s the Assassination of Julius Caesar that will cover the Roman Civil War period?

A game about post-cold war strategic competition – no guess at this point.

New expansions for C&C Medieval – I am not sure which period but I hope it gets us into the Crusades.

I know not great this month but my sources are unusually quiet right now. My guess is that Gene threatened everyone and they are now keeping their mouths shut!

Conclusion and Summary of My P500 Orders/Tracking

As I always tend to end these posts, I will post a summary of where my P500 games stand as of October 25th. 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 September 28th.

Bayonets & Tomahawks – 1,058 [+67 orders, made the cut!] – I love a good game about the French & Indian War. Read my interview with designer Marc Rodrigue about B&T! Getting really close now. At the printer with not shipping date. Here is a look at the final cover:

Plains Indian Wars – 523 [+4 orders, made the cut! thanks to a mystery donor] – 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. 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. How far this one has come. After being announced as being in danger of being removed from the P500 if orders didn’t pick up an anonymous donor has bought the remaining +/- 100 copies to get this one printed. Yeah! It will be headed to art soon.

A Time for Trumpets: The Battle of the Bulge, December 1944 – 1,244 [+81 orders, made the cut!] – I see that some got cold feet after hearing that it would be shipping soon. 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. Charging on September 30th and set to ship as of October 15th.

Flashpoint: South China Sea – 707 [+10 orders, made the cut!] – Another new entry in the Lunchtime 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. In the art department and shipping in approximately 5-9 months.

People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1983-1986 – 883 [+12 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. Nearing art department readiness. Developer Jason Carr gave an update on InsideGMT last month as they have revised the design. I might need to reach back out to Ken to discuss again in an interview.

Atlantic Chase – 1,182 [+17 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! At the printer with no shipping date yet. Here is a look at the final cover:

Expansion or Extinction: A Triumph & Tragedy Series Game – 647 [+12 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 2018 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 2019 which was really good. Nearing art department readiness.

Commands and Colors: Samurai Battles – 1,361 [+72 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 and Ancients recently and are really anticipating this title. At the printer with no shipping date yet. Here is a look at the final cover:

Storm Above the Reich – 769 [+19 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. In final art and next to get a printing slot. Should be shipping in 4-6 months. Here is a look at the final cover:

Dominant Species: Marine – 1,490 [+58 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! At the printer with no shipping date yet.

Next War: Vietnam – 1,080 [+69 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! Started shipping as of October 15th.

Rebel Fury: Five Battles from the Campaigns of Chancellorsville and Chickamauga – 812 [+4 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. Nearing art department readiness.

Clash of Sovereigns: The War of the Austrian Succession, 1740-48 – 644 [+21 orders, made the cut!] – 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. Nearing art department readiness.

Caesar: Rome VS Gaul, Gallic Wars 57-52 BC – 1,105 [+66 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! This game appeared on my Most Anticipated Wargames of 2020 list at #4 along with several other games on this post. Began shipping as of October 15th.

Banish the Snakes – 633 [+5 orders, made the cut!] – 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. We published an interview with designer Kevin McPartland a few months ago.

No Retreat! Battles: 1942 – 446 [+4 orders] – A game that looks at battles for an individual year during World War II. Game offers solitaire rules for a few of the included battles, of which there are 5 in this edition. We posted an interview with the designer Carl Paradis a few months ago.

COIN Series Volume XII China’s War: 1937-1941 – 1,253 [+18 orders, made the cut!] – Brian Train is back on the COIN wagon as he specializes in counterinsurgency. Love his other two games in the COIN Series (A Distant Plain and Colonial Twilight) and look forward to this one as I have always had a great interest in this part of World War II. We posted an interview with Brian Train late last year. Nearing art department readiness.

Fall of Saigon – 1,624 [+21 orders, made the cut!] – We love Fire in the Lake and this expansion delves into the period of the Vietnam War from 1972-1975 and really boils down to a play game with the US and VC involved but their role is minimized. We played the game at WBC and posted the following video with Mark Herman and Dan Pancaldi from No Enemies Here. We have also posted a written interview with co-designer Volko Ruhnke. Nearing art department readiness. We are working on a series of 12 Event Card spoilers for the game with the development team that will be posting on the blog over the next few months. Here are links to the first few in the series – #S11 Le Duan, #S2 War Powers Act, #S14 Four No’s, #S22 Resolution 21 and #S20 Delta Drought, #S42 “The War Has Begun Again”, #S33 Main Battle Tanks, #S74 Coup! Nixon Resigns, #S48 Ngo Quang Truong, #S69 Family Syndrome and #S49 The Final Dagger.

The Last Hundred Yards Volume 2: Airborne Over Europe – 850 [+40 orders, made the cut!] – a follow up to the hit The Last Hundred Yards focused on airborne troops. You can’t go wrong with that. We posted an interview with designer Mike Denson a few months ago. In transit from the printer to the warehouse and should ship in November. Here is the final cover:

Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East – 633 [+18 orders, made the cut!] – if you like a bit of chaos and some randomness in your lite civilization building games, then this series will be right up your alley. We have posted an interview with designers Mark McLaughlin and Christopher Vorder Bruegge. Nearing art department readiness.

Conquest & Consequence – 697 [+5 orders, made the cut!] – The Pacific Theater of World War II using the Triumph & Tragedy system. We love block wargames and this one is going to be good. We recently published an interview with designer Craig Besinque. Nearing art department readiness.

SpaceCorp: Ventures – 1,399 [+22 orders, made the cut!] – We really enjoyed the space exploration in SpaceCorp and this expansion will add unique enterprises via fourteen HQ mats, each putting a player in control of a different corporation, agency, or institution with its own capabilities and missions. I reached out to the designer John Butterfield for an interview and hope to have that in a few months. In final art and next to get a print slot. Shipping in 4-6 months.

The Weimar Republic – 1,092 [+25 orders, made the cut!] – we love CDGs and this one looks really interesting. The game focuses on the political struggle in interwar Germany. Four factions compete for dominance: the democratic Coalition, the Soviet-backed Communist Party, Hitler’s National Socialists, and the far-right Radical Conservatives. We posted an interview with the designer Gunnar Holmbäck a few months ago. Nearing art department readiness.

Red Flag Over Paris – 594 [+13 orders, made the cut!] – a game similar in style and mechanics to Fort Sumter but that deals with the Parisian revolutionaries taking control of the French Capital, leading to the beginning of the Paris Commune, a socialist and popular government that would rule the City of Light from March 18 to May 28, 1871. The tension escalates between the Commune and Versailles until the tragic events of the Bloody Week. We posted an interview with the designer Fred Serval last year. We also started a new series of event card spoilers called History Behind the Cars with the first entry being #1 Victor Hugo followed by #2 Les Cantinières, #3 Les Amis de l’Ordre,#4 Georges Clémenceau, #5 Otto Von Bismarck and #6 Louise Michel.

Congress of Vienna – 820 [+16 orders, made the cut!] – a diplomatic Strategy CDG for one to four players which is based on Churchill but that deals with the Napoleonic Wars and their end between 1813-1814. We posted an interview with designer Frank Esparrago last month. Here is a look at the most recent playtest map:

Into the Woods: The Battle of Shiloh – 981 [+13 orders, made the cut!] – The eighth installment of the Great Battles of the American Civil War (GBACW) series, which is an amazing accomplishment in this day of new systems and new games grabbing most of the attention. This one is a big game as it does include 1,120 counters and two huge 22″ x 34″ double sided maps along with 10 scenarios. I will be reaching out to the designer for an interview but hope that the developer Bill Byrne is involved as he did an interview with me covering Death Valley. In the art department and shipping in 5-9 months.

Tank Duel Expansion #1: North Africa – 793 [+20 orders, made the cut!] – Tank Duel moves to the North African desert with new terrain and desert rules and allows you to take on the role of the Germans, using their Panzer III’s and IV’s or the British in their Churchill’s, Valentine’s, Matilda’s and Crusader’s. Nearing art department readiness.

Tank Duel Tank Pack #1 – 783 [+14 orders, made the cut!] – 8 new tanks added to the Tank Duel system including KV-1’s, T-26, M3 Lee’s and Puma’s. Nearing art department readiness.

Almoravid – 795 [+20 orders, made the cut!] – Volume II in the Levy & Campaign Series that focuses on 11th century Spain and the battle between the Moors and Christians. We posted an interview with designer Volko Ruhnke a few months ago. Nearing art department readiness.

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea – Conflict in the Horn of Africa – 1,399 [+30 orders, made the cut!] – follow up to Twilight Struggle but this time focused in East Africa, the Arabian Gulf, and the vital sea lanes stretching between them. Nearing art department readiness.

Pacific War – 2,041 [+47 orders, made the cut!] – Pacific War is a strategic wargame that takes you from the attack on Pearl Harbor to the climatic summer of 1945…from Australia to China…from Burma to Hawaii…from the defense of Wake Island through the invasion of Guadalcanal culminating in the desperate battles to defend the Japanese Home Islands. A super sized deluxe remake of the classic game from 1985. Nearing art department readiness.

Border Reivers – 612 [+28 orders, made the cut!] – made by the designer of Here I Stand and Virgin Queen, this CDG is a bit different as it uses meeples. Each player rules over one of the Marches as leader of one of the six major riding families of the border: Grey, Fenwick, Dacre, Maxwell, Kerr, or Hume. Your goal is to increase the wealth and fame of your clan throughout the reigns of Henry and Elizabeth to end the century as the most famous Border Reiver of all time. Players gain VP’s from successful combats, amassing large herds of livestock, and by elevating their Notoriety above the other players in the regions of the map.

Salerno ’43 – 1,208 [+75 orders, made the cut!] – the next operational World War II game from Mark Simonitch begins a new three game series that covers the Allied invasion of Italy.

Drop Zone: Southern France – 183 [+15 orders] – Dan Fournie takes us into a block wargame focused on airborne operations in France after D-Day. We will be reaching out to him soon for an interview.

The Last Hundred Yards Volume 3: The Solomon Islands – 446 [+41 orders] – the 3rd volume in this amazing tactical series that focuses on the Solomon Islands.

Unconditional Surrender: Western Campaigns – 432 [+33 orders] – this game is kind of a light introductory version of the Unconditional Surrender system that focuses on the Western Front of World War II.

Tanto Monta: The Rise of Ferdinand and Isabella – 568 [+265, made the cut!] – covers the period from 1470 to 1516, the height of the Age of Discovery and the years leading immediately into the period covered by Here I Stand: Wars of the Reformation, 1517-1555. 

Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World – 303 orders

COIN Series Volume XIII Red Dust Rebellion – 878 orders, made the cut on the first day!

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

Unboxing Video: Labyrinth: The Forever War, 2015-?

Video Review: Men of Iron Tri-Pack

Unboxing Video: Great Battles of the American Civil War: Twin Peaks

Unboxing Video: Storm Over Asia: Prequel to A World At War

Imperial Struggle: The Global Rivalry – Britain and France 1697-1789 – Action Point 5

Fall of Saigon: A Fire in the Lake Expansion – Event Card Spoilers with Co-Developers Jason Carr and Stephen Rangazas – #S48 Ngo Quang Truong

Fall of Saigon: A Fire in the Lake Expansion – Event Card Spoilers with Co-Developers Jason Carr and Stephen Rangazas – #S69 Family Syndrome

Fall of Saigon: A Fire in the Lake Expansion – Event Card Spoilers with Co-Developers Jason Carr and Stephen Rangazas – #S49 The Final Dagger

Another month in the books and another great slate of games for us to dream about playing. I am very excited for two of the new P500’s (Red Dust Rebellion and Hubris) and cannot wait to get both of them. We are going to be really busy with these new games that are shipping over the next 3 months. If I am correct I count almost 10 new titles! I am not sure I have enough time to get to all of them before the end of the year but we will definitely make a dent.

I wanted to thank Gene and GMT Games for what they do and for how they do it. We should all be so lucky to have such a great game making factory in our lives.

-Grant