Recently I had a quick out-patient procedure performed that had my mind consumed by other things than the blog and wargames. Being in that state of mind, I was not expecting the Monthly Update email to come out but late Friday afternoon I noticed it and was immediately teleported away from my temporary pain to my happy place! The update came with several new announcements, including 2 new 500’s added along with several reprints, a new series that is COIN adjacent but not COIN (If that makes any sense?) and a huge production update that shows lots of progress over the next several months as we all begin to distance ourselves from the pandemic.

In case you missed the Monthly Update email, here is a link: https://mailchi.mp/bd8c4bc78173/march-update-from-gmt-new-p500s-new-series-massive-production-update-and-more

One other thing. It is always very cool to see a post that we have on our blog or YouTube Channel appear in the Monthly Update. This month we posted an interview with Bill Byrne the developer for the upcoming Into the Woods: The Battle of Shiloh and Gene highlighted it in the top half of the email. This has driven well over 800 views of that interview since and we appreciate the traffic as well as the opportunity to cover these great games during the design and development process. I always tell designers that they should contact me by email at theplayersaid@gmail.com to get started on one of these interviews.

New P500’s

There were 2 new P500’s added including Battles for the Shenandoah: A Death Valley Expansion and the first game in a new Irregular Combat Series called Vijayanagara: The Deccan Empires of Medieval India, 1290-1398 as well as several reprints including Cuba Libre 4th Printing and Paths of Glory Deluxe Edition 2nd Printing.

Battles for the Shenandoah: A Death Valley Expansion

Great Battles of the American Civil War is a long tenured series that seems to have a great following. Anytime a new volume is introduced, it seems to shoot up the P500 list and makes the cut fairly quickly. Why is that? It could be the tension the game generates through its Fog of War mechanics. It also cold be the large number of tactical options a player may call upon. Some really like the scale and the map detail. And the system creates some wild swings of fortune and always create a compelling drama. This volume is not a new battle, but simply an expansion of the battles covered in Death Valley from 2019.

From the game page, we read the following about the four full battles that are included:

McDowell, May 8, 1862 McDowell is considered the first battle of Stonewall Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign. After his loss at Kernstown, Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson retreated up the Shenandoah Valley, finally stopping at Swift Run Gap to rebuild his army. By May of 1862, the threat from the north had diminished when two of the three Union divisions under General Nathaniel Banks were redeployed to support the Union advance on Richmond. However, there was another Union force, led by Brigadier General Robert H. Milroy, approaching the critical town of Staunton from the west. Jackson planned to drive the Union from the Shenandoah Valley and help relieve the pressure on Richmond by consolidating several scattered Confederate forces and defeating the two Union armies in detail. The first step was to move his army to join Brigadier General Edward “Alleghany” Johnson’s Army of the Northwest and defeat Milroy. The Confederate armies were consolidated on May 6 and begun advancing on Milroy’s Union force. Milroy retreated before them until May 8th, when he was reinforced with a brigade under Brigadier General Robert C. Schenck. That afternoon, the aggressive Milroy turned to attack the Confederate forces arriving on the heights overlooking the hamlet of McDowell.

2nd Winchester, June 13, 14, and 15, 1863 2nd Winchester is the battle that cleared the way for Robert E. Lee’s Gettysburg Campaign. In June of 1863, General Robert E. Lee finalized his plans for his second invasion of the north. The supply line was to be routed through the lower Shenandoah Valley, then primarily occupied by a Union garrison at Winchester with smaller garrisons at Berryville and Martinsburg. Lee assigned the task of clearing the Valley to Lieutenant General Richard S. Ewell, now in command of II Corps after Jackson’s death at Chancellorsville in May.

The Union garrison at Winchester consisted of the 8500 men of the 2nd Division, VIII Corps, commanded by Major General Robert H. Milroy. Milroy had made extensive improvements to the fortifications around Winchester and was confident that he could hold the position against anything the Confederates could throw at him. He was so confident that he ignored orders to abandon Winchester. On June 13, he discovered that Ewell had arrived.

Piedmont, June 5, 1864 Piedmont was the first Union victory in the Valley since Kernstown in 1862. The Confederate loss compelled Lee to send Lieutenant General Jubal Early’s II Corps to retake the Shenandoah Valley, effectively ending any hope Lee may have had for offensive operations around Richmond. After New Market, Union Major General Franz Sigel was replaced with the more aggressive Major General David Hunter, who made another move up the Valley with a larger and better organized army of 12,000 men. Hunter’s move caught the Confederates by surprise. Initially, the only opposition was a brigade of Confederate cavalry led by Brigadier General John D. Imboden. Every able-bodied man in the area was called to the Confederate colors, including miners and militia reservists. Two brigades of infantry under Brigadier General William E. “Grumble” Jones and a cavalry brigade led by Brigadier General John C. Vaughn were rushed by rail from the Trans-Allegheny Department. The combined Confederate force, commanded by Grumble Jones, numbered about 5000 men. On June 5th, the Confederate cavalry skirmished with the leading Union cavalry, delaying the Union advance long enough so that Grumble Jones could deploy his newly arrived troops and begin fortifying a new position near the hamlet of Piedmont. Hunter’s infantry arrived at this new line around noon.

Cool Spring, July 18, 1864 Cool Spring is a battle from Jubal Early’s 1864 Valley Campaign. During his retreat from the drive on Washington, Early moved into the Shenandoah Valley through Snicker’s Gap and crossed the Shenandoah River at Castleman’s Ferry. His Union pursuers, formations from VI Corps, XIX Corps, and the Army of West Virginia led by Major General Horatio G. Wright, were close behind. Brevet Major General George Crook, at the head of Wright’s column, was ordered to “cross if practicable and attack” with his Army of West Virginia. When a cavalry probe of Castleman’s Ferry was easily repulsed, it was decided to move downstream, cross the Shenandoah River at Island Ford, and then turn south to catch the Confederate defenders of Castleman’s Ferry in flank. Crook’s 1st Division, led by Colonel Joseph Thoburn, began the crossing in the middle of the afternoon after waiting for the lead division of VI Corps to arrive in support. The fords appeared to be lightly defended by the Confederates, but a captured skirmisher revealed that the divisions of Brigadier General Gabriel Wharton and Major General Robert Rodes were nearby. The lateness of the Union move surprised Early, but he had issued orders the night before to contest any Union crossing, and Wharton and Rodes were both moving within the hour.

As was the focus of the Death Valley design, this game reflects the development of the cavalry and the changes in infantry and artillery organization and tactics from 1862 through 1864.

If you are interested in Battles for the Shenandoah: A Death Valley Expansion, you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $55.00 at the following link:  https://www.gmtgames.com/p-919-battles-of-the-shenandoah-a-death-valley-expansion.aspx

Vijayanagara: The Deccan Empires of Medieval India, 1290-1398

As you know, I love the COIN Series and anything associated with it. This new game is not a COIN Series game but it shares some of the same elements. In Fall 2020, there was a game design contest held called Consim Game Jam where designers had to repurpose a COIN Series game and make a new playable game in about 48 hours! The game that won the competition was called Vijayanagara: The Deccan Empires of Medieval India, 1290-1398 The game is an asymmetric 1-3 player game depicting the epic, century-long rise and fall of medieval kingdoms in India over two dynastic periods.

Vijayanagara is also the first game in a new Irregular Conflicts Series. The Irregular Conflicts Series attempts to bring some of the mechanics of the COIN Series to conflicts that are just outside the Counterinsurgency-based model of COIN. If you want to better understand this new series, read the InsideGMT Blog post by Jason Carr at the following link: http://www.insidegmt.com/2021/03/what-is-the-irregular-conflicts-series/

From the game page, we read the following:

Vijayanagara is where…players will take on the asymmetric roles of the Delhi Sultanate, the Bahmani Kingdom, and the Vijayanagara Empire, navigating event cards and unique action menus as they contest to write themselves into medieval Indian history. Players will rally local amirs and rajas to their cause, construct epic temples, forts, and qasbahs, and battle for supremacy over the Deccan plateau.

And even if you have never played a COIN Series game, you don’t have to worry as this series uses similar mechanics and is designed to ease you into the genre.

Vijayanagara is intended for players new to asymmetric wargames and veteran COIN players alike. The factions have distinct capabilities and each is faced with different strategic decisions, offering a very high degree of replayability. The game is streamlined: all player actions and most rules are visible on the table on player aids and cards. Gameplay and turn order is organized around a deck of unique event cards. With each new card, factions have the option to carry out the event or to select from faction-specific Commands and special Decrees; Commands such as the Conscription of new troops, Governing in Tributary Provinces, and Migration to begin life anew, and Decrees ranging from Demanding Tribute, Conspiring with Delhi’s Governors to betray the Sultan, and forming new Alliances with minor regional powers.

I for one am very interested in this one and cannot wait to get more information as they work on the game. I will reach out to the design and development team and try to get an interview pretty quickly. I also would love to highlight some of the cards used in the game on the blog as we have done with other games in the past.

If you are interested in Vijayanagara: The Deccan Empires of Medieval India, 1290-1398, you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $54.00 at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-918-vijayanagara-the-deccan-empires-of-medieval-india-1290-1398.aspx

Cuba Libre: Castro’s Insurgency, 1957-1958 4th Printing

Any time a game is in its 4th Printing that should tell you something right there. The game is interesting. The game is fun to play. The game teaches some really great history. Well, in the case of Cuba Libre, all of the before are true and then some. The 2nd game in the COIN Series, Cuba Libre is the smallest of the series in map spaces although All Bridges Burning comes close. This game is usually put forward as a good starting point for the series for new players and we would wholeheartedly agree with that, although I would say even above that is that you should have a passion and interest in the history first and foremost.

From the game page, we read the following:

Following up on GMT Games’ Andean Abyss, the COIN Series next volume, Cuba Libre, takes 1 to 4 players into the Cuban Revolution.  Castro’s Marxist “26 July Movement” must expand from its bases in the Sierra Maestra mountains to fight its way to Havana. Meanwhile, anti-communist student groups, urban guerrillas, and ex-patriots try to de-stabilize the Batista regime from inside and out, while trying not to pave the way for a new dictatorship under Castro. Batista’s Government must maintain steam to counter the twin insurgency, while managing two benefactors:  its fragile US Alliance and its corrupting Syndicate skim. And in the midst of the turmoil, Meyer Lansky and his Syndicate bosses will jockey to keep their Cuban gangster paradise alive. Cuba Libre will be easy to learn for Andean Abyss players—both volumes share the same innovative COIN system. Like Volume I, Cuba Libre is equally playable solitaire or by multiple players up to 4—and with a shorter time to completion than Andean Abyss. But Cuba Libre’s situation and strategic challenges will be new. 

If you are interested in Cuba Libre: Castro’s Insurgency, 1957-1958 4th Printing, you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $49.00 at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-920-cuba-libre-4th-printing.aspx

Paths of Glory Deluxe Edition 2nd Printing

This game is still on our Shelf of Shame! I know that is preposterous and we should be embarrassed but we have just not been able to get to it….quite yet! But, soon I promise as we set some goals for the year to play some older games and shoot video reviews in 2021. This is one of those that we committed to.

From the game page, we read the following:

Paths of Glory, designed by six-time Charles S. Roberts Award winner, Ted Raicer, allows players to step into the shoes of the monarchs and marshals who triumphed and bungled from 1914 to 1918. As the Central Powers you must use the advantage of interior lines and the fighting skill of the Imperial German Army to win your rightful “Place in the Sun.” As the Entente Powers (Allies) you must bring your greater numbers to bear to put an end to German militarism and ensure this is “The War to End All Wars.” Both players will find their generalship and strategic abilities put to the test as Paths of Glory‘s innovative game systems let you recreate all the dramatic events of World War I.

If you are interested in Paths of Glory Deluxe Edition 2nd Printing, you can pre-order a copy on the P500 game page for $50.00 at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-921-paths-of-glory-deluxe-edition-2nd-printing.aspx

New P500’s on the Horizon

The past few months I have done ok with my guesses for the New P500’s on the Horizon segment, with last month being the exception as I only got one correct! This month is going to be better for me as I think that I have 2….at least!

Here is a brief tease for P500 additions lining up in the coming months. This month’s new Battles for the Shenandoah is the game referred to in last month’s clue of “A new GBACW expansion for Death Valley,” and Vijayanagara was teased last month as “Game #1 in our new Irregular Conflicts Series, set in India.” Note that this is not a comprehensive list (nor will I preview EVERY game we have planned), 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 game from Sekigahara designer Matt Calkins – unfortunately I have no guess on this one. I will say that Matt Calkins is very good at games, as he has won multiple game tournaments at WBC in the past so I am looking forward to this one whatever it might be.

A new solo game from Jerry White and a co-designer – man any Jerry White design is always fantastic but I am not sure what is upcoming from him. I have nothing on this one.

New WWII Operational content from Mark Simonitch – this is the continuation of Mark Simonitch’s Italy series with the 2nd game in the series called Italy ’43 The Gustav Line. Here is a picture of the map:

A new Battles of the American Revolution series game – I previously mentioned White Plains.

A power politics game set in Ancient Rome – when I hear this one, especially around the infamous Ides of March, I think of Mark Herman’s Assassination of Julius Caesar that will cover the Roman Civil War period.

So I think that I got at least 2 this time around, with an outside chance at 3 correct? Gene? I need to get busy and do some more research and also pump my channels for more information if I am going to continue in this futile attempt to guess these upcoming games.

Charging and Shipping

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

Here’s a look at the current and near-future charging and shipping:

Shipped:
Dominant Species: Marine
Imperial Struggle, 2nd Printing

Shipping Now (will probably finish within a week or so): Atlantic Chase, Bayonets & Tomahawks and Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles
3-Game Update Kit (Imperial Struggle, Versailles 1919, All Bridges Burning)

The next charge will be roughly April 15-20th, for the following two items:
1846, 2nd Printing
SpaceCorp:Ventures

So remember, get those orders in soon before these games ship so that you can take advantage of the P500 price that they usually hold while shipping the games. This is sometimes 30-40% off the retail prices.

Conclusion and Summary of the P500 Games on my watch list:

As I always tend to end these posts, I will post a summary of where the P500 games I have an interest in stand as of March 23rd. I routinely check the status of each of these games and also will show the change in orders as compared to the last time I wrote them down on February 25th.

Plains Indian Wars – 572 [+22 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 in late 2019 if orders didn’t pick up an anonymous donor bought the remaining +/- 100 copies to get this one printed. In Final Art and Next to Get a Print Slot: Tentative Shipping approximately 4-6 months. Here is a look at the near final cards:

Flashpoint: South China Sea – 771 [+22 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: Anticipated Shipping 5-9 months. Here is a look at the near final map:

People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1983-1986 – 948 [+9 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. Developer Jason Carr gave an update on InsideGMT a few months ago as they have revised the design. I might need to reach back out to Ken to discuss again in an interview. Nearing art department readiness.

Expansion or Extinction: A Triumph & Tragedy Series Game – 657 [+3 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.

Storm Above the Reich – 884 [+26 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. At the Printer with mid April shipping from the Factory; Approximate Ship Date to customers Mid-late May.

Rebel Fury: Five Battles from the Campaigns of Chancellorsville and Chickamauga – 849 [+6 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.

Banish the Snakes – 694 [+16 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 last year.

No Retreat! Battles: 1942 – 458 [+5 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. I am not really sure why this one is not doing better on the pre-order front. Great designer, interesting topic and 5 different battles in a box. We posted an interview with the designer Carl Paradis last year.

COIN Series Volume XII China’s War: 1937-1941 – 1,358 [+19 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 last year. Nearing art department readiness.

Fall of Saigon – 1,737 [+24 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. In the art department and shipping in approximately 5-9 months. We just finished up a series of 12 Event Card spoilers for the game with the development team. Here are links to the posts: #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, #S49 The Final Dagger and #S75 Coup! Saigon Stands Alone.

Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East – 704 [+23 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. In the art department and shipping in approximately 5-9 months.

Conquest & Consequence – 766 [+13 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. In Final Art and Next to Get a Print Slot: Tentative Shipping approximately 4-6 months. Here is a look at some final counters and markers:

SpaceCorp: Ventures – 1,656 [+49 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. We posted an interview with the designer John Butterfield and it has been very well received. At the Printer: Late March shipping from the Factory to us; Approximate Ship Date to customers late April/Early May.

The Weimar Republic – 1,202 [+18 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 earlier this year. Nearing art department readiness.

Red Flag Over Paris – 709 [+43 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, #6 Louise Michel, #7 Walery Wroblewski and #8 Adolphe Thiers. In Final Art and Next to Get a Print Slot: Tentative Shipping approximately 4-6 months

Congress of Vienna – 924 [+12 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 year.

Into the Woods: The Battle of Shiloh – 1,070 [+34 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. We posted an interview with the game developer Bill Byrne on the blog this month. In the Art Department: Anticipated Shipping 5-9 months.

Tank Duel Expansion #1: North Africa – 889 [+25 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. Going to the Printer by End of March. Here is a look at the final cover:

Tank Duel Tank Pack #1 – 883 [+22 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. Going to the Printer by End of March.

Almoravid – 965 [+49 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 last year. In the Art Department: Anticipated Shipping 5-9 months. Here is a look at a near final map:

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea – Conflict in the Horn of Africa – 1,598 [+26 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: The Struggle Against Japan, 1941-1945 – 2,286 [+61 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. In the Art Department: Anticipated Shipping 5-9 months.

Border Reivers: Anglo-Scottish Border Raids, 1513-1603 – 687 [+2 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 – 1,446 [+48 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. In the Art Department: Anticipated Shipping 5-9 months

The Last Hundred Yards Volume 3: The Solomon Islands – 594 [+23 orders, made the cut!] – the 3rd volume in this amazing tactical series that focuses on the Solomon Islands.

Unconditional Surrender: Western Campaigns – 515 [+14 orders, made the cut!] – 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 – 736 [+24, made the cut!] – a CDG that 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. We have an interview back from the designer Carlos Diaz Narvaez and it should be posting on the blog in April.

Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World – 625 [+35 orders, made the cut!] – 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. We will be reaching out to the designer Morgane Gouyon-Rety soon for an interview.

COIN Series Volume XIII Red Dust Rebellion – 1,594 [+91 orders, made the cut on the first day!] – the first COIN Series game not focused in history as this one tells the story of the Martian revolts of the 2250’s and the rise of Martian nationalism. I will be reaching out to the designer J. Carmichael for an interview soon. Nearing art department readiness. Here is a look at near final art for an event card called 24 Hour News Cycle:

And also an event called The Security of Mars:

Commands and Colors Medieval: Expansion 1 Crusades Mid-Eastern Battles 1 – 855 [+58 orders, made the cut!] – the C&C Medieval that should have been which is focused on the Crusades.

Skies Above Britain – 709 [+43 orders, made the cut!] – a solitaire game depicting a Royal Air Force squadron of Hurricanes or Spitfires waging a desperate effort to disrupt and destroy German daylight bombing raids over southeast England in the summer of 1940. 

Space Empires 4X: All Good Things Expansion – 1,293 [+96 orders, made the cut!] –  the third and final expansion in the Space Empires Series. It is designed to complete the game and add even more replayability and options.

Wolfpack: The North Atlantic Convoy Struggles October 1941-March 1943 – 674 [+54 orders, made the cut!] – a tactical, historical game depicting the struggles between the German submarine Wolfpacks and the allied merchant convoys of WWII set in the vast North Atlantic from late 1941 to early 1943.

In the Shadows: French Resistance 1943-1944 – 441 [+46 orders] – 1-2 player Lunchtime Series game about the French Resistance during World War II from 1943-1944. I have reached out to the three designers (Joe Schmidt, Chris Bennett and Dan Bullock) and am currently working on an interview with them.

Prime Minister – 538 [+85 orders, made the cut!] – strategy game covering the Victorian Politics where players take on the role of the Prime Minister.

CDG Solo System – 1,646 [+270 orders, made the cut!] – a specific system developed by Stuka Joe to play certain card driven games from GMT solitaire.

Hannibal’s Revenge – 214 [+100 orders] – the second in the Card Conquest game series in which players recreate epic military contests of history in short, comparatively simple, easy-to-learn but hard-to-master games. This volume covers the titanic wars between Rome and Carthage.

Fields of Fire: The Bulge Campaign – 624 [+309 orders, made the cut!] – The proven solitaire tactical level game system now follows the 9th Infantry Regiment “Manchus,” 2nd Infantry Division as they faced three weeks of intense combat from December 13th, 1944 to January 8th, 1945 as part of the Battle of the Bulge.

Mons, 1914: The Mad Minutes – 247 [+127 orders] – the second game in the Rifle and Spade Series, first used in Gallipoli, 1915: Churchill’s Greatest Gamble focused on the battle of Mons between the BEF and Germans. The series rules have been completely overhauled to speed play and ease learning.

Vietnam: 1965-1975, GMT Edition – 734 [+383 orders, made the cut!] – the quintessential grand operational Vietnam game that has been lovingly made into a GMT offering with updated rules and components.

Battles for the Shenandoah: A Death Valley Expansion – 535 orders, made the cut!

Vijayanagara: The Deccan Empires of Medieval India, 1290-1398 – 323 orders

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:

Empire of the Sun: Basic Training Episode 1 – Card Anatomy

Empire of the Sun: Basic Training Episode 2 – Counter Anatomy

Top 10 Wargames of 2020 Video featuring GMT Games such as Caesar: Rome vs. Gaul, All Bridges Burning, Imperial Struggle and Men of Iron: Tripack

History Behind the Cards – Red Flag Over Paris Card #8 Adolphe Thiers

Interview with Bill Byrne Developer for Into the Woods: The Battle of Shiloh

Grant’s Top 10 Wargames of 2020! List (blog)

The next 3 months will be very busy for us here at TPA with 8 new games being shipped. We just received Dominant Species: Marine and Atlantic Chase and we will be getting those to the table over the next 30 days…hopefully! We love these updates because there is always something new and interesting coming down the pike. Both of the new P500’s this month look delectable and I am really interested in getting to know this new Irregular Conflicts Series. One other thing. We are also both getting immunized in the next 30 days and are hoping to get to some conventions yet this year including WBC, if it happens, possibly Origins and GenCon in the fall and we would love to make it out to the proposed GMT West in October! I am going to plan on that and let Alexander try to stop me. I really hope we can meet some of you at one of those gatherings, if they still happen, and get some gaming in. Until next month, enjoy the games!

-Grant