Last month’s Wargame Watch was super sized. But this month is simply gargantuan! I found way too many games that I wanted to share and tried my hardest to include them all. I found a total of 24 games with 3 of those being offered on Kickstarter and 1 on GameFound.

If you missed the May Wargame Watch, you can read that here at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2023/05/01/wargame-watch-whats-new-upcoming-may-2023/

Pre-Order

1. Gettysburg 1863 from Worthington Publishing Currently on Kickstarter

We have enjoyed Worthington Publishing’s Civil War Brigade Battle Series including games such as Antietam, Shiloh and their newest release that we have not played yet The Seven Days Battles. This series is really focused on playability and uses a fairly straightforward I-Go-You-Go system that just felt right. It feels like you spend time maneuvering your men into position, taking advantage of terrain, and then simply throw your stacks against the enemy time and time again until you find a weak spot or a hole that you can exploit.

From the Kickstarter page, we read the following:

Gettysburg 1863 is Volume IV in the Old School Wargames Civil War Brigade Battle Series. Gamers get to refight the historic and pivotal battle of Gettysburg in 1863 using a large mounted map board, large pieces, and a streamlined set of series rules that is just 8-12 pages long. The Battle Booklet will give you historical details, design, notes and 6 scenarios including:

• July 1 – Meeting Engagement
• July 1 – Take That Hill (Can Ewell take Culp’s Hill?) (one map)
• July 2 – The Fight for the Flanks
• July 2 – The Fight for Little Round Top (one map)
• July 3 – Lee’s Folly
• July 1 – July 4 (the full battle with an optional July 4th day for gamers)

The single day scenarios should take between 1 to 3 hours to play with the full battle taking 6 – 10 hours to play.

If you are interested in Gettysburg 1863 from Worthington Publishing, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1040417273/gettysburg-1863?ref=section-homepage-view-more-recommendations-p1

As of June 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $62,585 toward its $1,863 funding goal with 516 backers. The campaign will conclude on Saturday, June 3rd at 4:00pm EDT.

2. The Soft Underbelly, 1943-1945: World War II in the Southern Front from Dissimula Edizioni Currently on Kickstarter

A few years ago, Sergio Schiavi broke onto the scene with his new company called Dissimula Edizioni with their first Kickstarter called Radetsky’s March: The Hundred Hours Campaign and that game was then followed a few years later by From Salerno to Rome: World War II – The Italian Campaign, 1943-1944 and their third game called Give Us Victories: The Chancellorsville Campaign. Now, they have launched a very interesting looking introductory wargame on the invasion of Italy during World War II called The Soft Underbelly and it looks really good.

From the game page, we read the following:

At the end of 1942, with Operation Torch large American forces poured into the Western Mediterranean. In a short time, thanks to their efforts, Italy was ousted from the conflict and the Allies returned to their focus on the European Continent, definitively arresting the expansion of the Axis. This game allows you to recreate events which took place in the following months and years, between 1943 and 1945, when this area of the Mediterranean became the epicenter of some of the most bloody battles of WW2.

We posted an interview with the designer Sergio Schiavi and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2023/05/22/interview-with-sergio-schiavi-designer-of-the-soft-underbelly-1943-1945-from-dissimula-edizioni-currently-on-kickstarter/

If you are interested in The Soft Underbelly, 1943-1945 from Dissimula Edizioni, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/guv/the-soft-underbelly-1943-1945

As of June 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $6,701 toward its $5,236 funding goal with 195 backers. The campaign will conclude on Wednesday, June 7th at 3:17am EDT.

3. Kings of Rome from ACIES Edizioni Currently on Kickstarter

Any game that deals with Rome is a must buy for me! There is simply something about this time period and a game on the subject is always of great interest to me. Especially, when I find out that the designer is Enrico Acerbi who designed Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany, 1259-1261. This new game is called Kings of Rome and takes the game to the early founding of the city of Rome and its struggles against the neighboring powers to survive.

From the game page, we read the following:

The year is 753 BC. Near to the Tiber river a city is founded by the people that inhabited the neighboring hills. Its name will be Rome. 

In those first days of its millennial glory Rome was only a little village, merely struggling to survive. Since the beginning it’s very existence appeared in jeopardy. Founding the city close to the most important crossing of the river, in order to gain its control, instantly enraged the neighboring kingdoms: the Volsci, an ancient and proud civilization; the Aequi, a powerful nation, with strong militaristic traditions; the Sabini a rich, influential and powerful kingdom; the Samnites, people devoted to war. 

And the most important of all of them, the incredibly rich, powerful, extremely civilized, but yet merciless Etruscan confederation. Further away, but still close enough to be a menace, the Gauls and the Greeks (the Danai) heard about the new city and were worried.

Don’t let those humble beginnings fool you. Through hard and cruel times, after so many battles and wars, Rome shaped what it will one day become.

The players can control the political and military life of the newborn city, struggling to achieve supremacy over the other players and to survive to the multiple threats posed by hostiles neighbors, like the Samnites, Etruscans and so on.

The game comes with separate rules for solitaire and multiplayer play.

If you are interested in Kings of Rome from ACIES Edizioni, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kings-of-rome/kings-of-rome-0

As of June 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $8,805 toward its $5,404 funding goal with 125 backers. The campaign will conclude on Saturday, June 3rd at 10:11am EDT.

4. BCS Valley of Tears: The Yom Kippur War, 1973 from Multi-Man Publishing

Our first experience with the Battalion Combat Series was with Arracourt last year and we really enjoyed the nuances of the combat and movement and also really enjoyed the scale. The newest offering in the series is Valley of Tears depicting the entire 1973 Yom Kippur War. This one should be very interesting as it is very much focused on heavy tank combat and should be a really interesting take on the system.

From the game page, we read the following:

Valley of Tears is a Battalion Combat Series game depicting the entire 1973 Yom Kippur war from 6 Oct 73 until the ceasefire enforced by the Superpowers and the UN. As the culmination of over 20 years of research in consultation with world-class experts, Valley of Tears shows the Yom Kippur war at a level of detail not yet seen. For the first time ever, for example, the game’s maps were precisely drawn using actual tactical Israeli maps used during the war and include the official code names for hilly defensive positions in both battle areas.

Valley of Tears takes the BCS into a whole new level: that of post WW2 operations. For example, its dedicated air warfare system allows BCS players to not only pit F-4 Phantoms against MiG-21 Fishbeds in the contest for air superiority, but also assign the Front’s air units to execute SEAD and Deep Strike (both RAM and DOMINQUE) missions (to suppress the ever present SAM threat and attack enemy air bases/destroy enemy infrastructure, respectively) as well as the traditional (but more effective) BCS Close Air Support missions.

The game presents the largest tank battle since WWII, with the Cold War adversaries fighting a proxy war where the latest Centurion and Patton tanks faced off against T-62s following Soviet tactical doctrines.

Expecting to have to repeat the war’s of 1967 and 1956, the Israelis were confronted by the then-new and unexpected masses of Sagger missiles and RPG hand-held weapons. It’s your job to win the war, with or against, these new weapons and the much more effective and versatile air war to generate a win without taking excessive casualties making the win Pyrrhic.

If you are interested in BCS Valley of Tears: The Yom Kippur War, 1973 from Multi-Man Publishing, you can pre-order a copy for $120.00 from the Multi-Man Publishing website at the following link: https://mmpgamers.com/valley-of-tears-p-389

5. OCS Crimea: Conquest & Liberation from Multi-Man Publishing

Our exposure to the Operational Combat Series from Multi-Man Publishing has been limited to a 2 hour tutorial from Gary Mengle of Ardwulf’s Lair last year at Buckeye Game Fest. He showed us OCS Smolensk and we enjoyed every minute of our discussion. From that encounter, while at the World Board Gaming Championships, we purchased a new copy of OCS Smolensk and it still sits on our shelf. But that aside, the system looks really interesting if not a bit daunting. Recently, they announced a new edition called OCS Crimea and it is being promoted as a “low-counter density, small OCS game. There are 560 combat units, and one 22×34 map at a scale of 5-mile hex/3.5 days turn. Seven scenarios are included so players can start at different points in the action.” So this might be a good jumping off point for those interested.

From the game page, we read the following:

Crimea covers the series of campaigns in the Crimean Peninsula during the war on the Eastern Front. Several scenarios cover the period of Axis ascendancy during the period September 1941 – July 1942. The Soviet resurgence is represented by scenarios from September 1943 – May 1944. Crimea features a variety of engagements: Manstein’s initial invasion-on-a-shoestring, the surprise Soviet amphibious counteroffensive, the brilliantly successful Operation Trappenjagd offensive that ousted the Soviets from Crimea, Germany’s brutal assault on Sevastopol’s fortifications, the Soviet’s eviction of Axis forces from the Taman peninsula and landings in Crimea, and the final overwhelming Soviet reconquest. The game covers a longer period of the war than any previous OCS campaign, allowing players to experience increasing Russian capabilities and declining Axis fortunes.

The map area covers all of Crimea, the Taman peninsula as far east as Krimsk, and southern Ukraine from Kherson to Mariupol. A game which portrays such a lengthy time period over varied terrain includes many interesting features: Axis siege artillery (Dora included), the Soviet battleship Sevastopol, huge German Me-323 transports, Soviet torpedo bombers, and the Russian ability to cross the Sivash. Random events cover historical events such as the Axis aerial tramway over the Kerch Strait, German assault boats, partisan warfare, and a geological eruption called a “mud volcano.” Crimea can be played as a set of standalone scenarios or as an addition to the OCS game The Third Winter, where it considerably changes that game’s southern map boundary. The 1941-42 period was created by new designer Guy Wilde and the 1943-44 scenarios done by Tony Birkett.

If you are interested in OCS Crimea: Conquest & Liberation from Multi-Man Publishing, you can pre-order a copy for $74.25 from the Multi-Man Publishing website at the following link: https://mmpgamers.com/crimea-p-388

6. Napoleon’s End, 1814: Campaign in France, Part III from Operational Studies Group

Large Napoleonic wargames are always interesting. Operational Studies Group does some big games on the subject and their newest offering is called Napoleon’s End, 1814: Campaign in France, Part III and deals with four battles that happened on February 17-18, 1814.

From the game page, we read the following:

The first of the four battles occurred on the 17th and 18th of
February: Mormant took place 3 days after the Battle of
Vauchamps, covered in “La Patrie en Danger.” The last two
battles were fought in late-March: Arcis followed 8 days after
Reims, from “Napoleon Retreats.” With all three games you
can contemplate a 12-battle Grand Campaign.

Mormant A Fighting Rear Guard, 17 February. The French army under Napoleon began the counteroffensive
with an attack 50 km southeast of Paris, targeting a division
of Russian troops under Count Pahlen. His outnumbered force was enveloped and nearly destroyed, with a third of his men escaping. Later in the day, a French column encountered an
Austro-Bavarian rearguard at Valjouan. It was mauled by
French infantry and cavalry, before withdrawing behind the
Seine.

Montereau The Seine and Yonne Bridges, 17-18 February. Napoleon approached a corps of Austrian and Württemberg troops. The Allied commander ordered a withdrawal, but 17 February saw his rear guards overrun or brushed aside. Ordered to hold Montereau until nightfall on the 18th, the Crown Prince of Württemberg posted a strong force on the north bank of the Seine. All morning the Allies stoutly held off a series of French attacks. However, the lines buckled in the afternoon and the troops routed toward the single bridge behind them. The French cavalry got among the fugitives, capturing the spans over both the Seine and Yonne Rivers, and seized Montereau. The Allied force suffered heavy losses and the defeat confirmed Schwarzenberg’s decision to continue the retreat to Troyes.

Arcis-sur-Aube Time Runs Out, 20-21 March. After his victory at Reims, Napoleon moved south to threaten
Schwarzenberg. The Austrian Generalissimo pulled his army back to Troyes and Arcis-sur-Aube. Napoleon arrived and attacked the town, but Schwarzenberg uncharacteristically advanced to fight it out rather than retreat again. The first day was inconclusive and Napoleon prepared to pursue a retreating enemy the next day. The French advance to high ground revealed up to 100,000 troops in battle array south of Arcis. Napoleon, massively outnumbered, ordered a retreat. By the time the Austrians discovered this, most of the French had
already disengaged and the Allied pursuit couldn’t stop them.

La Fère Champenois The Marshals Entrapped, 25 March. After pulling out of Arcis-sur-Aube, the Emperor’s eagles moved east, hoping to draw the Coalition armies away from Paris by threatening their supply lines; this desperate ploy failed in its intent. Meanwhile, Marmont and Mortier were marching to join Napoleon, with Blücher’s Army of Silesia hot on their tails. As the two marshals moved east out of Sezanne they unexpectedly collided with Schwarzenberg. Realizing they were marching into a trap, they turned back, and managed an orderly retreat until a violent rainstorm rendered their muskets unreliable. They were steadily driven back and completely routed by aggressive Coalition horsemen and gunners, suffering heavy casualties and the loss of most of their artillery. A nearby convoy, escorted by two French divisions of National Guards under Pacthod, were also
attacked and wiped out at Bannes. With the corps of Marmont and Mortier collapsing, the Allied assault on Paris was a foregone conclusion. The Battle of Paris followed on 30 March.

If you are interested in Napoleon’s End, 1814: Campaign in France, Part III, you can pre-order a copy for $98.00 from the from Operational Studies Group website at the following link: https://napoleongames.com/products/napoleons-end

7. David Thompson Games (Pavlov’s House, Castle Itter and Lanzerath Ridge) from Dan Verssen Games Currently on GameFound

The Valiant Defense Series of solitaire wargames designed by David Thompson and published by Dan Verssen Games are sublime! I simply love this series and own and have played all 4 volumes multiple times. My favorite is still Pavlov’s House, but Castle Itter, Soldiers in Postmen’s Uniforms and Lanzerath Ridge are all damn fine games. They are now reprinting Pavlov’s House, Castle Itter and Lanzerath Ridge.

From the game page, we read the following:

All of these games were designed to be solitaire from the ground up. All three of these games take place during some of the most exciting battles of WWII, and David did extensive research to get the details accurate.

All of these games are fully designed and ready to go to the printer!

Here is a link to our video review of the cooperative play of Pavlov’s House:

Here is a video on our review of Castle Itter:

And the first of 4 videos of a playthrough of the gorgeous Lanzerath Ridge:

If you are interested in the David Thompson Games offering (Pavlov’s House, Castle Itter and Lanzerath Ridge) on GameFound, you can back the project on the GameFound page at the following link: https://gamefound.com/projects/dan-verssen-games/david-thompson-games

As of June 1st, the GameFound campaign has raised $18,998 toward its $15,000 funding goal with 155 backers. The campaign will conclude on Tuesday, June 6th at 3:00pm EDT.

8. 1914: The World Undone Deluxe Edition from Conflict Simulations Limited

We have played several games from Conflict Simulations Limited and enjoyed them including At Villers Cottérêts: Mons 1914 and 1950: The Forgotten War. Ray is a very talented designer and I wanted to share these games with you.

From the game page, we read the following:

This is a boxed, deluxe edition of our 3 The World Undone Series games on early WWI. It will include East Prussia, Galicia, and Serbia along with extras not included in the stand-alone releases such as extra player aids, touched up maps and more all together in one package to simulate the Eastern Front up until the battle of Lodz.

For those who have already pre-ordered all 3 games, we will be offering an ‘Upgrade’ package at a reduced cost with all the components not included in the stand-alone versions.

If you are interested in 1914: The World Undone Deluxe Edition, you can pre-order a copy for $49.99 from the from Conflict Simulations Limited website at the following link: https://www.consimsltd.com/products/the-world-undone-deluxe-edition-eastern-front-pre-order

I have been told that the game is set to be released at the start of June 2023. When you purchase, please allow 2-6 weeks for delivery. There also was a note that the cover is currently just a draft and the final version is being touched up.

9. The Fate of All: Alexander’s III Campaign Against the Achaemenid Empire, 334-331 BCE from Thin Red Line Games

If you are a monster wargame fan then you are probably familiar with Thin Red Line Games and the genius behind the madness Fabrizio Vianello. They are a small but passionate publisher and my favorite thing about them is that Fabrizio speaks in his military jargon so fluently that it is such a thematic boost to the games they produce. We recently posted an interview covering their most recent Cold War Gone Hot game called Die Festung Hamburg and now they have a new Ancients game that was just put up on pre-order called The Fate of All: Alexander’s III Campaign Against the Achaemenid Empire, 334-331 BCE.

From the game page, we read the following:

Loosely inspired on SPI’s The Conquerors, The Fate of All is an operational/tactical simulation covering the first four years of the campaign led by Alexander the Great against the Achaemenid Empire ruled by Darius III.

Rules are centred on the problems of army organisation, supply and morale. Armies must be organised in a balanced way or they will move slowly, cavalry must be assigned to foraging, raid, or reconnaissance, morale must be kept under control using glory or donations.

Political aspects are also a key element. Both sides will have to use money or threats to gain support and will face treason, revolts and dubious allies.

All the classical sources and several modern military-focused studies are being used during development. In particular, The Anabasis of Alexander by Arrianhas been chosen as the main and most reliable classical source for two reasons: Arrian based most of his writing on the now lost Ptolemy’s account of the campaign, and he was himself a military commander, thus having a better understanding of the problems and key facts of a military campaign.

The final goal is to give a realistic representation of ancient warfare, without strange salads of godly interventions, auguries and Homeric duels. In the end, players will find that the problems faced were similar to those encountered during the Napoleonic era or the American Civil War.

As is normally the case with Thin Red Line Games products, the maps are absolutely gorgeous and well done.

The four maps will cover Greece, part of the Balkans, Anatolia, Egypt and the Middle East up to Babylon. The scale is 30 km per hex with monthly turns.

The maps are designed using the latest archaeological studies and findings, but despite centuries of research several things are still only vaguely known: Some examples are the extension and path of the Persian Royal Roads, the location of several important cities and the exact route of Alexander’s Army. In these cases, the “most accepted theory” rule has been used.

If you are interested in The Fate of All: Alexander’s III Campaign Against the Achaemenid Empire, 334-331 BCE, you are encouraged by the designer Fabrizio Vianello to reserve a copy immediately by writing a Votive Tablet (email) to info@TRLGames.com!

Fabrizio also shares:

Cost? No idea yet. When? Somewhere in 2023 hopefully. More details to come…

10. Spearhead: The Balloon Goes Up! Volume I from GMT Games

I am going to say that I am really intrigued by this offering. A game focused on specific scenarios from the 1980’s to today simply sounds fascinating. The concept of a “situation-specific scenario book” also is very intriguing as that probably means these are smaller more intense engagements rather than just a long drawn out campaign style game, although it appears to have that included as well.

From the game page, we read the following:

The Balloon Goes Up! is a series which simulates hypothetical or actual armored warfare in Western Europe, the Middle East, and Asia from the mid 1980’s to the present day, all using a consistent core set of rules coupled with a situation-specific playbook that allows for a variety of situations to be portrayed. The first game in the series, Spearhead, represents a summer 1986 conflict between elements of the Soviet and East German armies and United States, West German, and French armies. The game emphasizes how long-range detection and firepower technologies dramatically increased the depth of the theater of operations in modern warfare. This “Deep Engagement” waged far behind the front lines can determine the outcome of a campaign even before the opposing ground forces truly come to grips. Players must learn how to fight and win the Deep Engagement to achieve overall victory, taking into account the different ways the forces of the two sides were prepared to fight.

Sounds very interesting to me. Armored warfare is something that has always been interesting to me and we have played a few modern tank games and they are always bring the juice for sure! I am very interested in what the scenario makeup might be and the game page offers the following insight.

Spearhead scenarios range from smaller battle scenarios that deal with specific situations, locations, and forces to larger campaign style scenarios that portray the wider battle between Warsaw Pact and NATO forces. Battle scenarios depict Warsaw Pact drives into the province of Hesse, with objectives of Kassel, the Fulda Gap, Frankfurt, and ultimately the Rhine River. Three different Campaign scenarios provide varied starting conditions for forces:

• A sudden Warsaw Pact attack disguised as a training exercise, the largest one ever seen by NATO intelligence. As a precaution, reserves in West Germany are mobilized and many NATO brigades are ordered to move out of garrison in accordance with Operational Plans. Suddenly, major Pact formations strike west across the Inner German Border with little to no warning.
• A coordinated all out “maximum effort” attack with three combined arms armies smashing through the Fulda Gap and driving to the Rhine River. NATO forces are caught with little or no warning, with only a few brigades moving out of barracks.
• A Warsaw Pact attack after a prolonged buildup and weeks of increasingly escalated tensions. Pact rear-echelon armies begin to move towards the front, and NATO quietly mobilizes reserves and moves additional forces into place.

The look of that map even transports me back to the 1980’s and I really like it. This series promises to be very interesting and should bring us a lot of Cold War Gone Hot modern warfare goodness!

If you are interested in Spearhead: The Balloon Goes Up! Volume I, you can pre-order a copy for $41.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1046-spearhead-the-balloon-goes-up-volume-i.aspx

11. Twilight Struggle: South Asian Monsoon from GMT Games

We all love Twilight Struggle….and you say you don’t, you really do but just want to be different! The game is phenomenal and has done very well for GMT Games with 8 Printings as well as an expansion and now a series of smaller geographically focused spin off games starting with Twilight Struggle: Red Sea – Conflict in the Horn of Africa. The most recent offering in this series is Twilight Struggle: South Asian Monsoon, that is focused on the South Asian Region including India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Taiwan, Burma and Indonesia.

From the game page, we read the following:

Twilight Struggle: South Asian Monsoon is a two-player, stand-alone, card-driven game that builds on the award-winning Twilight Struggle. While the United States and Soviet Union were locked in the Cold War, the South Asian region took on a new importance. As newly-independent countries formed out of the remains of crumbling European empires, each Superpower scrambled to establish influence with these fledgling nations. Some South Asian countries played the US and USSR against one another, seeking to maximize investment, aid, and military assistance in exchange for bases, political favors, and expressions of support. Some remained “non-aligned” and refused to join either bloc formally—which did not stop them from taking generous aid packages—and others sought the creation of a third bloc, aligned with China.

I think that most gamers see this game and think that it is just GMT repackaging Twilight Struggle to make more money. But, that is definitely not the case as this game is definitely loaded with new mechanics and new cards and events.

Twilight Struggle: South Asian Monsoon adds new mechanisms to the tried-and-true Twilight Struggle formula to account for the fluid and unpredictable politics of South Asia during the Cold War. Newly Independent Countries appear during the game, and players must prepare for their arrival while not knowing in exactly what order they will declare independence. Some Countries will join the Non-Aligned Movement and force Superpowers to remove influence each turn. Instead of competing in the Space Race, South Asian Monsoon finds Superpowers backing one or more of the Chinese factions vying to ascend to power upon Mao’s death, with benefits available to each power if they are willing to reveal who they have supported.

Finally, the game includes a full solitaire system, which is based on the system used in Twilight Struggle: Red Sea. This system can replace either the US or Soviet player and provides a difficult and unique challenge. Finally, one more note on the game and its differences in the series.

While Twilight Struggle: Red Sea was a simpler Twilight Struggle experience, Twilight Struggle: South Asian Monsoon is a more complex experience. With a playtime of 90-120 minutes, South Asian Monsoon is shorter than a full game of Twilight Struggle, while introducing new mechanisms to depict unique aspects of the Cold War in South Asia.

If you are interested in Twilight Struggle: South Asian Monsoon, you can pre-order a copy for $44.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1044-twilight-struggle-south-asian-monsoon.aspx

12. Wilderness War: The French & Indian War 4th Printing from GMT Games

One of my fondest memories of our wargaming journey was our initial experience with the full campaign game of Wilderness War from GMT Games. We were 2 very inexperienced wargamers and we slogged through a 9-hour marathon play over a few days that ended in a 0-0 tie of all things. That’s right, the game ended in a tie, even though we both had a card in hand, but I was unable to use mine to activate Levis, which was my only potential point scoring force, and Alexander’s forces were in too tenuous a position or too wounded to risk an open battle for VP’s.

You would think that this would have turned us off to the game but on the contrary it made me fall in love with asymmetric wargames and the Card Driven Game mechanic with its use of Action Points and events to wage war on the North American continent. The end score of our game really followed the tension of the game, and the blunders on the side of the British that counter balanced their various successes.

Wilderness War is a classic and it is now being offered on its 4th Printing. We purchased a 3rd Printing copy in 2016 which had a mounted map board.

From the game page, we read the following:

Wilderness War takes two players into the French & Indian War, 1755-1760, the climactic struggle between France and Britain for control of North America. It uses strategy cards and a point-to-point map similar to GMT’s award winning For the People and Paths of Glory. Players maneuver and fight over a map stretching from Northern Virginia to Canada. As the leader of French or British forces in North America, you will need to defend your frontier, raid your enemy’s frontier, build fortification networks through the harsh wilderness, recruit Indian allies, besiege forts and fortresses, and deal with events occurring in Europe that are above and beyond your control.

If you are interested in Wilderness War: The French & Indian War 4th Printing, you can pre-order a copy for $42.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1045-wilderness-war-4th-printing.aspx

13. Normandy ’44 Mounted Map + 3″ Box from GMT Games

One of my complaints about wargames is that sometimes once you put your counters into a nice tray after punching and clipping them, you can never fit the whole thing back in the box. This is especially true when those games come in a 2″ box and also have thick mounted map boards. One of the offerings this month is a step in the right direction to fix this problem with a new Mounted Map for Normandy ’44 as well as a larger 3″ box to put it all in.

From the game page, we read the following:

Based on customer requests, we are offering another print run of the mounted map for Mark Simonitch’s Normandy ’44. This time, we’re adding a 3″ box to the package for those of you who want a larger box to accommodate the mounted map. Enjoy!

If you are interested in Normandy ’44 Mounted Map + 3″ Box, you can pre-order a copy for $21.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1048-normandy-44-mounted-map-3-box.aspx

14. Clash of Sovereigns/Clash of Monarchs Double Sided Mounted Map from GMT Games

Following along with the theme of accessorizing your games, and upgrading them to improve the gaming and the storage experience, GMT offered a new double sided mounted mapboard for two of their games including Clash of Monarchs (2008) and the newly released Clash of Sovereigns both CDG’s designed by Bob Kalinowski, one covering the Seven Year’s War and the other the War of Austrian Succession.

I am a bit surprised by this as Clash of Sovereigns was just released a few months back and I am wondering why they simply couldn’t add the mounted map board to the game at that time? Was it due to logistics issues? Printing problems? Who knows but the cool thing is that this is a double sided map board and frankly it looks so freaking sweet!

From the game page, we read the following:

This double-sided mounted map includes a new map for Clash of Monarchs  (see below) on one side and the map for Clash of Sovereigns on the other. Plus, you get a terrific P500 discount!

If you are interested in Clash of Sovereigns/Clash of Monarchs Double Sided Mounted Map, you can pre-order a copy for $14.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1049-clash-of-sovereignsclash-of-monarchs-mounted-map.aspx

15. Custom Dice Set for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics from GMT Games

The final bling offered by GMT this month was a custom dice set for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics. If you didn’t know, this is my favorite volume in the Commands & Colors Series because the combat is just so varied with many different types of units available for players to use. We are definitely considering buying a few sets of these to make our gaming experience that much better.

From the game page, we read the following:

We ordered a limited number (400) of these sets of dice that come in the new Commands & Colors: Napoleonics. If you’d like an extra set of dice, get them while they last!

If you are interested in Custom Dice Set for Commands & Colors: Napoleonics, you can order a copy for $15.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1047-commands-colors-napoleonics-custom-dice.aspx

Keep in mind that they only have 400 sets of these custom dice though so you are going to have to act fast or they will be gone! Don’t miss out on this golden opportunity to truly pimp out your game. You will regret your inaction afterward!

16. 2022: Ukraine from Conflict Simulations Limited

I know that many designers and publishers have a strict “no current ongoing war designs allowed” policy. I also understand that not all games are for all gamers. With that being said, I saw recently a new pre-order being offered from Conflict Simulations Limited covering the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian War called 2022: Ukraine.

From the game page, we read the following:

The latest module our Procedural Combat Series (PCS) tackles the first year of the Russo-Ukrainian war in 2022. A complete and fully researched OOB is included featuring specialized and unique assets such as Drones, HIMARS, Patriot Missiles and more.

2022 goes out of its way to simulate the first year of the conflict through, thoughtful and brutally honest mechanics, such as lower quality Russian units having a chance of committing atrocities during attacks against towns and cities which in turn triggers a roll for Western assistance. While Russian forces enjoy a greater quantity of units, a surprise first turn, superior air and missile assets, they are fairly tied to their railway logistics and units cannot function at full capacity unless occupying or adjacent to a friendly railhead.

2022 was developed alongside students at McGill university who also developed their own game on the situation . The design notes include a catalog of currently identified war crimes along with the units accused of performing them. 15% of sales upon release will be sent to relief efforts inside the country, ill be coming up with a group of organizations and asking customers to vote for which one to send the money to.

If you are interested in 2022: Ukraine, you can pre-order a copy for $74.99 from the Conflict Simulations Limited website at the following link: https://www.consimsltd.com/products/2022-ukraine-pre-order

New Release

1. Desert Storm: The Hundred Hour War from Accurate Simulations

A few weeks ago, I became aware of a newer company called Accurate Simulations. I visited their website and found out that they had a new game that came out in early May called Desert Storm: The Hundred Hour War designed by Eric Harvey. I purchased a copy and am in the process of unboxing the game and getting it clipped and ready to play soon but it looks amazing. It covers the 1990-1991 Gulf War. It was the shortest war in history that simultaneously spanned two decades.

From the game page, we read the following:

Desert Storm: The Hundred Hour War simulates the 1991 Persian Gulf War as a military conflict and also as a political contest prior to and during Operation Desert Storm. Better yet, the rules allow alternative Iraqi strategies that may have theoretically disrupted the Coalition invasion, but similarly allows for alternative Coalition strategies…which includes the possibility of a Coalition advance to Baghdad to remove Saddam Hussein from power. Highly researched and accurate, this game is a complete presentation of the Persian Gulf War on the land, in the air, and sea.

One thing that I would say about this game and Accurate Simulations is that this product is excellent quality and the concepts are really interesting looking. I am glad to see a new publisher put out such a high quality product for their first games. Always very impressive!

If you are interested in Desert Storm: The Hundred Hour War, you can order a copy for $64.00 from the Accurate Simulations website at the following link: https://www.accuratesimulations.com/?product=ancient-war-sample-product-2-copy

2. Border Reivers: Anglo-Scottish Border Raids, 1513-1603 from GMT Games

Ed Beach usually designs games that use the CDG mechanic and that allow a lot of gamers to get in on the action. Games like Here I Stand and Virgin Queen allow up to 6 players and it appears that this new game Border Reivers allows 4-6 players although 2 and 3-player versions are also supported (where each player leads both an English and a Scottish family). But, this game is not similar to the others I mentioned. Not even close! It seems to incorporate some elements of a Euro and uses Meeples of sheep and cows (which frankly I am totally fine with).

From the game page, we read the following:

In Border Reivers, 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 VPs from successful combats, amassing large herds of livestock, and by elevating their Notoriety above the other players in the regions of the map.

Here is a fairly detailed summary of the the different seasons and how it works:

In Summer, players build their strength through a card-drafting system that lets you strengthen your March for the winter raids that follow. Players build fortified peel defense towers, garrison old castles, and build walls around their farmhouses (creating “bastles”) to guard against enemy raids. At the same time, you recruit famous reivers and wardens to your cause and ally with the most notorious clans of the time (including the infamous Elliotts, Scotts, Johnstones, and Armstrongs). And don’t forget to buy the favor of the most powerful office holders, whether it be the Bishop of Carlisle, the Keeper of Liddesdale, or the mighty Lord Warden of the Marches.

As the air cools and Fall arrives, players commit their defensive assets to the map to prepare for the raids and feuds that are soon to follow. At this time a set of events drawn from the history of the region are chosen, presenting the players with short-term opportunities that may gain them an advantage. Events include the battles of Flodden Field and Solway Moss, Henry VIII’s Rough Wooing to try and force a marriage alliance, Mary Queen of Scots’ tour of the Scottish borders, and the Catholic Rising of the North.

To initiate Winter combats, players select one of their Target cards to secretly designate their intended combat activity. Options include launching a Raid to steal precious livestock, joining their national army as light cavalry forces in one of the historical Battles, or representing their family against a specific target player with whom you have a Feud or Gaolbreak attempt that needs to be prosecuted. Careful play of cards that were drafted during the Summer can help these combats break favorably for your clan.

At last, Spring arrives and the raiding ceases. It’s time to count points and sing of the heroic exploits just witnessed. And on the final turn, that’s exactly what happens—players cash in one or more of the Border Ballad cards for extra VP, especially if the ballad aligns with the strategic path they have followed throughout the game. Which ballad will commemorate your deeds on the Border? May you fare better than Johnny Armstrong, the subject of the famous ballad “Armstrong’s Goodnight,” that captures the spirit of the Reivers.

So as you can tell, this one is a bit of a different game but I think it looks really interesting.

We published an interview with the designer Ed Beach on the blog and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2022/10/10/interview-with-ed-beach-designer-of-border-reivers-anglo-scottish-border-raids-1513-1603-from-gmt-games/

If you are interested in Border Reivers: Anglo-Scottish Border Raids, 1513-1603, you can order a copy for $89.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-866-border-reivers.aspx

3. The Great Pacific War: The Second World War in the Pacific, 1937-1945 from Avalanche Press

As you know, we love Pacific Theater of World War II games and have played some really big and great ones. The Great Pacific War from Avalanche Press caught my eye recently. The game is nothing fancy but it is big with 3 full maps, over 500 counters and markers multiple scenarios.

From the game page, we read the following:

Great Pacific War is Avalanche Press’ strategic-level game of the War in the Pacific. The game covers the entire war from December 1941 through 1946 and includes the forces of all participants. Players are placed in the positions of the commanders of the Japanese, British, Soviet and American forces in World War Two.

Great Pacific War includes five scenarios for the Great Pacific War and three scenarios for the linked Second World War. One of the Great Pacific War scenarios covers a possible 1931 conflict between Japan and America as postulated by the British journalist Hector Bywater in his book of the same title.

If you are interested in The Great Pacific War: The Second World War in the Pacific, 1937-1945, you can order a copy for $59.99 from the Avalanche Press website at the following link: http://www.avalanchepress.com/gameGPW.php

4. We are Coming, Nineveh! from Nuts! Publishing

This one just came up on my radar thanks to a message from Metal Rat on Board Game Geek. And Brian Train is involved in the project as developer. To date, I have not heard much about it….if at all! But, it looks pretty interesting and gives me a Nights of Fire: Battle for Budapest from Mighty Boards type of vibe.

From the game page, we read the following:

We Are Coming, Nineveh! is a tactical/operational-level game of the Iraqi government campaign to liberate the western area of the city of Mosul from the forces of Daesh between 19 February and 9 July 2017. This was one of the largest and most difficult urban operations of the post-WWII era, and marked a major defeat for Daesh and its so-called “Islamic State.” The game is thus able to combine low complexity (and hence be accessible to even neophyte wargamers) with a rich and detailed treatment of this important battle.

Unlike most wargames where there is a single measure for victory or loss, We Are Coming, Nineveh! assesses three key aspects of the campaign: the speed at which the operation is completed, the casualties suffered by Iraqi government forces, and the collateral damage done to Mosul. One might outperform the historical case, capturing the Old City faster—but at a terrible civilian cost.

The game uses blocks to represent the units on the board and they have a lot unique symbols and numbers to track the strength of the units. This keeps the blocks hidden from your opponent and really creates a lot of doubt and uncertainty about the outcome of battles.

The use of blocks maintains uncertainty and the “fog of war.” The game combines a simple, intuitive, but highly effective system for movement and combat with a number of innovative game elements:

• Before the operation starts, players choose a number of special capability cards—reflecting their planning and preparations for this long-awaited battle. Should Iraqi government forces deploy large amounts of air and artillery support, or might this cause excessive destruction in Iraq’s second largest city? Should they bring in additional ground forces, or invest in better training for those they have? What about the volunteer Shi’ite militias of the Popular Mobilization Forces—will these be used in the largely Sunni city? Will Daesh invest in more and larger improvised explosive devices? Will they pre-position bomb factories and arms caches, or perhaps a media production facility to publicize their accomplishments? What surprises might they have in store: home-made drones, primitive chemical weapons, or a network of tunnels under the city? No two games will be the same.

• During each turn, event cards can be triggered at any time by either player. Some of these indicate the growing collateral damage done to the city and its people. Others generate tactical vignettes. Troops can get lost in the maze of small streets, communications can break down, and commanders can be faced with difficult moral and operational choices.

If you are interested in We are Coming, Nineveh!, you can order a copy for 65.00€ (about $70.00) from the Nuts! Publishing website at the following link: https://www.nutspublishing.com/eshop/nineveh-en

5. Saigon 75 from Nuts! Publishing

Saigon 75 was on Kickstarter in August of 2019 and we played a prototype copy of the game and did a preview video. That was a long time ago but it has finally arrived! Saigon 75 is an introductory wargame with simple rules and a fast play time of 60 minutes, which simulates the strategic struggle between North and South Vietnam from summer 1973 to spring 1975.

From the game page, we read the following:

The game is designed to highlight the differences between the numerous and mighty North Vietnamese divisions and the Rangers/Marines/Parachutists and other units of the South Vietnamese. US air power, air lifts and desertion are also featured, with the use of event cards that give key abilities when they are most needed or that punish one side or the other at the wrong time. There is a solo mode but I have not been able to find details on it as of yet.

Here is our preview video on the game. We had a good time playing it and enjoyed lots of the elements including the desertion table, combat system and cards. Lots of interesting mechanics that have to be managed to play the game well. The game is a bit one sided, favoring the NVA with their many forces and superior dice, but the ARVN can win the game through shrewd choices, key offensives and some luck. If you lose as the ARVN, you can simply turn around and play as the NVA and after two hours can have enjoyed two plays of a solid wargame.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PzUi9wbQD3U%3Fversion%3D3%26rel%3D1%26showsearch%3D0%26showinfo%3D1%26iv_load_policy%3D1%26fs%3D1%26hl%3Den%26autohide%3D2%26wmode%3Dtransparent

If you are interested in Saigon 75, you can order a copy for 62.00€ (about $67.00) from the Nuts! Publishing website at the following link: https://www.nutspublishing.com/eshop/saigon75-en

6. Battle of Waterberg (Ohamakari) Game from The Historical War Game Company, LLC

We have played a few of the games from The Historical War Game Company from designer Steve Kling and they are designed as nice little introductory wargames with low counter density, great looking maps and easy to learn and understand rules. We described them as games you could play with your dad over a holiday or be used to introduce a friend to wargaming. These games are also print on demand and are printed and shipped by Blue Panther LLC once you buy them. They will take about 10 days to get to you.

Their newest release includes an interesting subject on the Battle of Waterberg in 1905.

From the game page, we read the following:

August 11, 1904. The Herero forces have gathered near the Waterberg Mountains, far away from the German supply trains. The thick thorn bushes provide a natural defense. The Germans plan to attack from several different sides of the Herero camp to annihilate the Hereros once and for all. The Hereros have other plans: to ambush the Germans and exploit their numerical superiority. The stage is set…

The game takes about 90 minutes to play. One player commands the German forces and the other player commands the various Herero forces. Cards vary the game play.

If you are interested in Battle of Waterberg (Ohamakari) Game, you can order a copy for $40.00 from the Blue Panther website at the following link: https://www.bluepantherllc.com/products/battle-of-waterberg

7. Less Than 60 Miles – C3 Module 1 The Fulda Gap 2nd Echelon from Thin Red Line Games

Cold War Gone Hot games are well….hot right now and this one is the game that started it all for Thin Red Line Games but now they have a 2nd Echelon (2nd Printing) they are offering but it is not just a straight reprint but has some new rules and other changes to improve game play and bring it more in the line with the later modules released in the C3 Series.

From the game page, we read the following:

This 2nd Echelon is more an update than a simple reprint. Here’s a summary of the main changes:

• Rules updated with the most recent changes introduced by The Dogs of War and Die Festung Hamburg.
• Counters with the most used Posture on the back side, minimizing the need for Posture markers.
• Revised NATO OOB, representing West German III Corps as a separate high-level Command.
• Revised mobilisation rules for West German Teilaktiv battalions and Heimatschutz brigades.
• Update of several US battalion designations, more exactly pinning the transition from the Combat Arms Regimental System to the US Army Regimental System.
• Several changes to the Warsaw Pact OOB, from Soviet Army-level independent tank regiments to East German pure tank regiments.
• An expanded Field Manual 02-002 Battlefield Operations, covering Operational Procedures and Operational Planning. Start reading it immediately, before it’s too late.

If you are interested in Less Than 60 Miles – C3 Module 1 The Fulda Gap 2nd Echelon, you can order a copy for 91.50€ ($98.00) from the Thin Red Line Games website at the following link: https://trlgames.com/prodotto/less-than-60-miles-2nd-echelon/

8. The Barracks Emperors from GMT Games

From the dual designer team of Brad Johnson and Wray Ferrell who brought us Time of Crisis and its expansion The Age of Iron and Rust comes a fast-playing strategy card game that looks pretty interesting. The game takes place in the same historical time period as Time of Crisis, which is Rome’s Imperial Crisis of the 3rd Century A.D. This game appears to have a target audience as a family or couples card game that seems pretty simple yet interesting enough to give a fair amount of replayability.

From the game page, we read the following:

The Barracks Emperors is a strategy card game set against the backdrop of the Roman Crisis of the Third Century, during which at least 45 different men made a claim to the throne of the Roman Empire.  In this game, 1-4 players represent prominent political factions attempting to gain control over the men who would be Emperors of Rome.  Players deploy the influence available to them (represented by the cards in their hands) to claim imperial reigns (represented by the historical Emperor cards arrayed on the board.)   But they must be very careful, because politics is a complex game, and sometimes attempting to exert your influence necessitates aiding someone else in their own plots.  Play your cards cleverly to captureEmperors and score the most points to win.

The game is designed as a trick-taking game with a bit of a twist. And Brad and Wray have definitely done well with card games. From the game page we get the following clarification on how it’s different:

All 13 tricks are available for play simultaneously, in an interlocking grid that forces you to balance the value of every card you play against the value that same card may have for another player on a different trick.  Plus, every card grants you an additional special ability that you might be able to use to spring a surprise on your unwitting opponents.

The game has the following features:

• Historical emperors, co-emperors, pretenders, and even Gallic Emperors who broke away from Rome during the Crisis of the Third Century are all represented as individual cards in the game, each with interesting facts about the rise and demise of the man depicted.
• For fans of Time of Crisis and The Age of Iron and Rust, you will find some of the concepts and flavor from that deck-building wargame, adapted in this all new standalone game. You don’t need Time of Crisis to play The Barracks Emperors, but you’ll recognize Influence Cards such as Praetorian Guard, Foederati, and Pretender, now used in an entirely new way.
• An innovative card drafting mechanic adds an extra layer of strategy to how you play your cards while also mitigating the luck that would come with being dealt a full hand of cards at the start of each round.
• This game is designed for 4 players, but also includes options for 2 or 3 players, plus an easy-to-play solitaire adaptation for the solo player.

We published an interview with the design team and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2019/10/14/interview-with-wray-ferrell-brad-johnson-designers-of-the-barracks-emperors-from-gmt-games/

I don’t know that this is a game that Alexander and I will get into but I’m keeping an open mind as I like card games, especially those I can play with my wife, and I enjoy the history of the Roman Empire.

If you are interested in The Barracks Emperors, you can order a copy from the GMT Games website for $34.00 from the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-757-the-barracks-emperors.aspx

As usual, thanks for reading along and sticking with me this month. I am very excited about a lot of these games and really look forward to playing them. Please let me know if you know of a new pre-order game, Kickstarter or new release that I missed.

-Grant