I really enjoy doing these monthly Wargame Watch features. I love doom scrolling through various wargaming Facebook groups looking for new games, perusing publishers sites or just getting on Consimworld’s site. But it also makes it very much worth it when I realized that publishers and designers have started reaching out to me to make sure their games are included. Pretty cool! This month, I found 17 games including 3 being offered on Kickstarter.

If you missed the June Wargame Watch, you can read that here at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2023/06/01/wargame-watch-whats-new-upcoming-june-2023/

Pre-Order

1. Burning Banners: Rage of the Witch Queen from Compass Games Currently on Kickstarter

While attending WBC in July 2022, we met up with a new designer named Christopher Moeller and discussed a few of his games, one called Brothers at War: 1862 from Compass Games, which has since been published and we played and reviewed the game, and another that he was still working on called Burning Banners. Burning Banners has now progressed and launched on Kickstarter a few weeks ago and funded within the first few hours. The game is a fantasy wargame that includes cards, special abilities and lots of scenarios for players to explore.

From the game page, we read the following:

Burning Banners: Rage of the Witch Queen is a fantasy campaign board game for two to six players. Fast-playing and intuitive, a whopping 29 scenarios range from short campaigns with 2 Kingdoms and one map to the entire 12-year war, in which 6 kingdoms battle over four hand-drawn, mounted map boards!

The rules include a quick-playing Basic Game to get your group into the action, as well as an Advanced Game to level up your challenge with Magic, Heroes, Monsters, and more! March 1” Armies and Heroes through huge, lovingly-detailed hexes as you explore the immersive world designed and illustrated by acclaimed fantasy artist Christopher Moeller. The wait is over!

The game is also beautifully illustrated and the hand drawn maps are truly special.

If you are interested in Burning Banners: Rage of the Witch Queen from Compass Games, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/compassgames/burning-banners

As of July 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $73,746 toward its $12,500 funding goal with 673 backers. The campaign will conclude on Thursday, July 13th at 8:00pm EDT.

2. The Halls of Montezuma: The Mexican-American War 1846-1848 from Fort Circle Games Currently on Kickstarter

During the summer of 2017, we were contacted by Kevin Bertram who was working on a card driven game focused on the Barbary Coast and the American intervention in that region called The Shores of Tripoli. Since that time, the game has been published and we covered it in various pieces including a Designer Interview with Kevin, several Event Card Spoiler Posts (Treaty of Peace and Amity/Assault on Tripoli and The Philadelphia Runs Aground/Storms) as well as a series of Action Point posts focused on game aspects such as the beautiful Game Map, the differences between the units of the United States and her Allies and Tripolitania and her Allies and the cards that drive the action and provide interesting Events that ground the game in history to name a few. Since that time, Fort Circle Games has been working on several other projects including a similar style Card Driven Game called The Halls of Montezuma that focuses on the war between the United States and Mexico from 1846-1848. The game is being designed by Kevin Bertram and Gilberto Lopez. A few weeks ago, the game came to Kickstarter and it looks really great!

From the game page, we read the following:

The Halls of Montezuma, designed by Kevin Bertram and Gilberto Lopez, tasks one or two players (or teams of players) to recreate this vital but overlooked part of American history. As the “American” player, you are the Polk Administration – working with Congress to pass treaties and your legislative agenda while prosecuting the war against Mexico. As the “Mexican” player, you control all of the forces opposing the Polk Administration – not only the Mexican government and Mexican army, but also the Whig Party, the nascent American anti-war movement, fierce Apache and Comanche warriors, and even Mother Nature in the form of bad weather and devastating diseases.

The game uses the two 27-card separate event decks system featured in The Shores of Tripoli,  but adds two separate 9-card political decks. The American Political deck features treaties – such as the Oregon Treaty with Great Britain and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – and legislation – such as the Ten Regiments Bill and the Wilmot Proviso. The Mexican Political deck features different Presidents – each with their own specific governing benefit – such as Mariano Paredes and Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. The game also has a 6-card deck with end of Turn events such as receiving reinforcements or the 1846 American midterm elections, and a 30-card “El Robot” deck for solitaire play.

Fort Circle has got it going on and each of their 2 releases to date have been just fantastic (The Shores of Tripoli and Votes for Women). The games are very playable, interesting and have some really great history included in them. This one looks really great and the art and graphic presentation is just stunning!

If you are interested in The Halls of Montezuma: The Mexican-American War 1846-1848 from Fort Circle Games, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fortcircle/the-halls-of-montezuma

As of July 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $43,866 toward its $15,000 funding goal with 600 backers. The campaign will conclude on Thursday, July 6th at 6:05pm EDT.

3. Unhappy King Charles from PHALANX

PHALANX does a really great job of taking well liked games and giving them an overhaul improving their components, sometimes upgrading to miniatures, and also adding new and updated mechanics or rules that have been house ruled for the game over the years. This is the case with Unhappy King Charles, which is getting a facelift and being offered on pre-order.

From the game page, we read the following:

Unhappy King Charles is a two-player game that allows players to influence the course of events and the outcome of battles. The game covers the period from 1642 to 1645, when King Charles I faced a rebellion led by his own Parliament. The game captures the political, military, and religious aspects of the war, as well as the personalities of the key leaders on both sides.

The game is card-driven: play a card for a historic event, or use it to take a range of actions. These include recruiting, placing political influence, raiding and – most important – activating Generals such as King Charles and Oliver Cromwell to move around the map, battle enemies, siege fortresses, and take control of areas.

This new edition is more than just a reprint though as PHALANX has taken time to really give the game a good makeover. These new elements include:

• Evocative and gorgeous new artwork that will immerse you in the war between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists!
• Standees for Generals and Local Notables that will bring these historical figures to life. You will alternatively be able to use the basic markers provided in the box if you prefer.
• A new approach to presenting the game’s point-to-point map and control of towns and fortresses, providing both a more evocative feel and additional game information.
• Individual General and faction cards that will allow you to easily reference each General’s level, army size capacity, and special rules.
• Tracks for monitoring control of key regions and economic infrastructures, and ongoing sieges, making it easier to read the current board state.
• A new player aid and rulebook layout, to make it easier to reference key rules.

If you are interested in Unhappy King Charles, you can pre-order a copy for €45.00 (approximately $49.00) from the PHALANX website at the following link: Unhappy King Charles returns – Pre-order your copy now! (phalanx.co.uk)

4. Field Commander: Robert E. Lee – A Civil War Solitaire Strategy Game from Dan Verssen Games Currently on Kickstarter

I have had various communications on social media with a fledgling designer named Vince Cooper over the past few years as he has embarked on a design odyssey for a few different wargames. Both he and I share an affinity for the designs of David Thompson and especially for the Valiant Defense Series. Through these online communications, I became aware of Vince’s first design called Field Commander: Robert E. Lee. I have played several of the games in the series including Field Commander: Alexander and Field Commander: Rommel and enjoyed them both. So my interest has been immediately sparked for this game.

From the game page, we read the following:

Field Commander – Robert E. Lee builds on the design and gameplay of Field Commander – Napoleon (currently ranked #97 in the Wargames category on BGG!!) to put the player firmly in control of the Army of Northern Virginia during the American Civil War, with the Union forces controlled by an AI.

The game includes 5 campaign and to keep the campaigns decision-heavy and focused on the critical aspects, some of the dates for the games noted may be different to the historical dates of a longer campaign. The campaigns include:

Seven Days Battles (June 25 – July 1, 1862)

Second Manassas (August 22 – August 30, 1862)

Antietam (September 14 – September 17, 1862)

Chancellorsville (April 30 – May 3, 1863)

Gettysburg (July 1 – July 3, 1863)

We also posted an interview with the designer Vince Cooper recently and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2023/07/03/interview-with-vince-cooper-designer-of-field-commander-robert-e-lee-a-civil-war-solitaire-strategy-game-from-dan-verssen-games-currently-on-kickstarter/

If you are interested in Field Commander: Robert E. Lee, you can back the project on the Kickstarter page at the following link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/danverssengames/dvg-field-commander-lee?fbclid=IwAR1y50lB5edwwlrZzHRt6NgajuSBtR8iv7r8_D5gBGq1TstASMKfqGOamGE

As of July 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $40,039 toward its $20,000 funding goal with 246 backers. The campaign will conclude on Sunday, July 23rd at 3:00pm EDT.

5. Imperial Fever from GMT Games

Since becoming a wargamer about 8 years ago (and I know that many don’t consider me a wargamer and that is fine by me), I have always been intrigued by historical wargames/games that are a hybrid between Euro games and wargames and attempt to create a bridge across which many new gamers can enter the great hobby of historical gaming through comforting mechanics and beautiful production. Games such as the COIN Series, Churchill, Twilight Struggle, Time of Crisis, 1960: Making of the President and Versailles all published by GMT Games, The Shores of Tripoli and Votes for Women from Fort Circle Games and the Undaunted Series from Osprey Games. Games that are great entry points to the hobby that allow the players to learn something about history and to gain an appreciation for historically themed games. There are more and more of these hybrid games coming out and I think it is great. Well, this new offering called Imperial Fever is being promoted as a deck building game and that is very intriguing to me.

From the game page, we read the following:

Imperial Fever is a deckbuilding game for three to four players that recreates the period between 1881 and 1915. Players will vie for world dominance as they take on the roles of the United Kingdom, France, the Central Empires (Germany and Austria-Hungary), and the Emergent Powers (the USA and Japan).

It appears that this game is trying to set the table for the outbreak of The Great War and focuses on the Imperialism that burned across the globe in the latter part of the 19th century. But the game is more than just deckbuilding as it uses many other mechanics such as area majority and set collection.

The game features a unique approach to this complex and important period of world history, including the following innovative aspects:

• A deckbuilding mechanism that will allow players to pursue different strategies.
• A variety of other mechanics, including area majority, push your luck, tug of war, technology tracks, and set collection.
• Competition between players in different areas: national prestige, military power, naval dominance, colonial expansion, and key strategic areas.
• International tensions that may culminate in the outbreak of the First World War.
• A wide range of political agendas that will allow players to choose among different paths to victory.
• A rich Event deck that poses additional challenges to players, ranging from international conflicts to political mishaps at home.
• The influence of non-player powers such as Russia, China, Holland, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal.
• The full game is playable in under four hours, once players are reasonably familiar with the rules.

I am very intrigued by this one and cannot wait to get more information about the design and have an interview with the designer.

If you are interested in Imperial Fever, you can pre-order a copy for $58.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1050-imperial-fever.aspx

6. Fields of Fire Volume III: The Parachute Regiment from GMT Games

Fields of Fire is a solitaire game system that gives players the challenge of commanding a rifle company between World War II and Present Day. The game is different from many tactical games in that it is diceless and card based. There are two decks used to play. The Terrain Deck is based on a specific region and is used to build a map for the various missions your company must perform.

Alexander loves this game and even has gone as far as getting designer Ben Hull’s autograph on his copies of the rulebooks. He gushes when he talks about it and really does enjoy playing the game. He also hunts down Ben Hull every year at WBC and spends what seems like hours with him. I have already chatted with him and he is very excited about this new volume.

From the game page, we read the following:

Fields of Fire Volume III sees the long awaited introduction of the British to Ben Hull’s masterpiece of tactical infantry command. From the burning streets of Arnhem to war-torn Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in this new, stand-alone volume from the team behind Fields of Fire Deluxe Edition, we follow the 2nd Battalion of The Parachute Regiment, commonly known as “2 PARA,” across over 60 years of military history.

As Britain’s elite Airborne Infantry, the Parachute Regiment are used as spearhead troops and are often inserted behind enemy lines, by parachute or in modern times by helicopter. Lightly equipped due to the nature of their insertion, they need all their training, resilience, and fighting spirit to survive until other units can fight their way to them.

Alexander is giddy as he is getting a game for his “people” and he cannot wait to play this one. So what is new in Volume III? The answer is lots! This volume is also designed by a newcomer in Colin Parsons and it will be interesting to see the new direction he takes the series. Speaking of new directions here is what is new in this volume.

Highlights – What’s New in Volume III

• When the company radios fail, make do with more uniquely British options like bugles.
• Use unique British weaponry such as PIAT anti-tank weapons during WWII and vehicles like Scorpions and WMIK in the more modern theatres of the Falklands and Afghanistan.
• Urban Defensive missions! Fight amongst rubble and fires, and try to hold on to your pocket by whatever means necessary as the enemy attacks utilizing a completely new urban offensive enemy hierarchy chart.
• Experience the constraints of modern day combat as you try to determine whether groups of people and incoming vehicles are hostile or merely civilians going about their lives.
• Collapsing buildings, an enemy helicopter attack, special forces, mine-sweeping duties, night assaults, and much, much more!

If you are interested in Fields of Fire Volume III The Parachute Regiment, you can pre-order a copy for $87.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1051-fields-of-fire-volume-iii-the-parachute-regiment.aspx

7. American Revolution Tri-Pack 2nd Printing from GMT Games

After owning this one for a few years, we finally got it to the table a few summers ago and played the Brandywine game. I really like tactical feeling games and this one is definitely in that genre as you are moving smaller typically regimental unit counters around the board. The Battles of the American Revolution Series is a long standing and well respected series of hex and counter wargames that portray specific American Revolutionary War battles. The series is designed by Mark Miklos and is published by GMT Games and there are a total of 10 Volumes in the series with the most recent release the Battle of White Plains. The Tri-Pack offering brings three of the most famous games from the system to gamers as many of them have been long out of print and very hard to get.

From the page page, we read the following:

In order to get several of the popular Battles of the American Revolution Series games back in print, we are offering an American Revolution Tri-Pack. This all-in-one boxed package is composed of new editions of the flagship games in the series: Saratoga, the long-out-of-print Brandywine, and Guilford/Eutaw Springs. As you’ll note, there are considerable additions and changes from the original games, as designer Mark Miklos has endeavored to create and update the finest version of these games that we’ve produced to date. Plus, the package includes double-sided mounted maps for all four battles!

The best thing about the Tri-Pack is that the package is a huge value as there are 3 full games, mounted mapboards and tons of counters. The price for the 2nd Printing is a complete steal and is well worth the cost.

Here is a look at our unboxing video to get a better look at the package:

We also shared our thoughts about the game and how it plays in our video review:

If you are interested in the American Revolution Tri-Pack 2nd Printing, you can pre-order a copy for $51.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1052-american-revolution-tri-pack-2nd-printing.aspx

8. Road to Independence: The American Revolution, 1775-1783 from Blue Panther

Its that time of year – Independence Day! I love the 4th of July for many reasons. For the day off of work, for the fireworks but mostly because of the freedom that was purchased for me and my family. I am a student of the American Revolutionary War and it is one of my favorite gaming topics and I have played many games on the topic! But a new game is always welcomed! While at Buckeye Game Fest in April this year, we got a quick look at a new strategic level American Revolution wargame called Road to Independence from Blue Panther.

From the game page, we read the following:

Road to Independence is the first in the series of important conflicts in American history. It is set in a casual yet historically-based manner. In this games, two players take the sides of the British and the American forces, vying for control over the Thirteen Colonies.

The game not only includes the Eastern seaboard, but also the conflict in the Wilderness territory. This “theater” is rarely covered in games on this conflict. Both players will fight for control of important locations using specially made dice that represent the various enemies and allies. These combatants include British men, American soldiers, Native American allies, militia units, and the French and Spanish allies.

Each player also has their own deck of Event Cards that will allow special events and actions to occur. This level of unpredictability ensures that no two games will play the same way.

You will also notice that the game includes custom battle dice and they look juicy! I am really excited to give this one a play!

If you are interested in Road to Independence: The American Revolution, 1775-1783, you can order a copy (the price has not been posted yet) from the Blue Panther website at the following link: https://www.bluepantherllc.com/products/copy-of-dawn-of-battle-coming-soon

9. Libertadores del Sur: The Wars for South American Independence 1809-1824 Volume 1 from Legion Wargames

Legion Wargames never disappoints with their focus on lesser gamed historical battles. They also do a great job with their components and always find great designers to work with them. Such appears to be the case with a new game being offered called Libertadores del Sur: The Wars for South American Independence 1809-1824 Volume 1.

From the game page, we read the following:

Libertadores del Sur is a two-player military simulation wargame of the Southern Theater of the Latin American Wars for Independence. The Patriot player controls the Argentine Ruling Directory forces and various federated and allied forces, while the Royalist player controls Spanish Regular Army, trained Loyalist South American forces and militia units. Several other historical armed factions contend for each player’s attention when formulating strategy, from a land grabbing Portuguese-Brazilian Imperialist army, to local guerrilla units, breakaway Federal Republics, and a native Incan Rebellion in the Andes Highlands. Each player will face similar daunting logistical and political challenges as they attempt to impose their military will on their opponents over a vast theater of operations spanning Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and parts Bolivia & Brazil.

Libertadores del Sur is an operational level simulation with a point to point card driven game system. Each turn represents one year’s campaigning season. The players have a chance to raise and reorganize new forces prior to beginning operations, and reset their sides’ morale, depending on how many provinces they control. During the Operations phase, players take turns playing cards causing historical events and/or activate forces to move and attack. Operations continue until the player’s run out of cards, or run out of morale. When operations end, the players have a chance to consolidate political control over provinces where they drove out enemy forces, and combat units fall back to controlled areas. There are three scenarios allowing the players to start at different points of the campaign. The 1810 scenario starts with the first of the local juntas establishing themselves in response to Napoleon’s invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. The 1814 scenario begins with Argentine General San Martin superseding Argentine General Belgrano, and the Patriots attempting to recover from various strategic set-backs. The 1817 scenario is a mini-game covering only the liberation of Chile.

If you are interested in Libertadores del Sur: The Wars for South American Independence 1809-1824 Volume 1, you can pre-order a copy for $50.00 from the Legion Wargames website at the following link: https://www.legionwargames.com/legion_LIB.html#

New Release

1. Battles for Canada Volume 5: A Steadfast and Violent Affair: The Battle of Lundy’s Lane, July 25, 1814 from High Flying Dice Games

Following the first 4 volumes in the Battles for Canada Series, A Steadfast and Violent Affair: The Battle of Lundy’s Lane, July 25, 1814, was the Battle of Lundy’s Lane, also known as the Battle of Niagara, during the War of 1812, and was between an invading American army and a British and Canadian army near present-day Niagara Falls, Ontario. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the war and one of the deadliest battles fought in Canada, with approximately 1,720 casualties including 258 killed.

From the game page, we read the following:

A Steadfast and Violent Affair: The Battle of Lundy’s Lane, July 25, 1814 is an introductory level wargame. It is part of the Battles for Canada Series of games that portray famous battles fought for control of that country during the War of 1812.

Each hex is approximately 50 yards across, a regular or militia infantry unit is 250-350 men, First Nation and Dragoon units are 80 to 100 men, and artillery units represent 2 or 3 guns. A turn represents one hour of time.

Players use a standard deck of playing cards (a custom series card set is available from the publisher) to activate their units. A six-sided die is used to resolve combats (assault and fire) as well as other game events.

If you are interested in A Steadfast and Violent Affair: The Battle of Lundy’s Lane, July 25, 1814, you can order a copy for $15.95 from the High Flying Dice Games website at the following link: http://www.hfdgames.com/lundy.html

2. A Most Fearful Sacrifice: The Three Days of Gettysburg 2nd Edition from Flying Pig Games

Over the past few years, Hermann Luttmann has released a new series of games using a new system similar to his famous Blind Swords System to model combat in the American Civil War. The first game with this new focus was The Devil’s to Pay!: The First Day at Gettysburg from Tiny Battle Publishing.

Now comes this big game, which will take a look at the entire 3 days of the Battle of Gettysburg called A Most Fearful Sacrifice. The 1st Printing was sold out and Flying Pig Games did a 2nd Edition Kickstarter campaign in November last year. That game is now ready for purchase.

From the game page, we read the following:

A Most Fearful Sacrifice is an epic two-player wargame with over 15 square feet of playing area and 526 playing pieces depicting the fighting that occurred during all three days of this decisive clash. The game utilizes a new ACW operating system called the Black Swan System, which is closely related to the popular Blind Swords System first introduced in the game The Devil’s To Pay! by Tiny Battle Publishing. This version of the system is specifically designed to handle larger-scale battles yet keep rules overhead low.

One of the reasons for the development of the system was to allow for larger scale games with lots of units to be more playable and to cut down on the time it takes to play. I know that some of you are groaning at this but to me this is a good innovation that will get larger games back to the table for additional plays. How is this shortening of the game done with out taking out units and formations? The elimination of chit pull.

Players can simulate huge encounters in a reasonable amount of playing time. This is accomplished in one way through the use of card draws rather than chit pulls. Also, players will trigger activations by Corps instead of by lower-level formations but they still have tactical decision-making choices by needing to determine which Divisions get activation priority. Though at a grander scale, this system maintains a tactical feel about it and still emphasizes the three “FOW’s” of war … the Fortunes of War, the Friction of War and the Fog of War. Players will be challenged to deal with a constantly developing battle situation, never quite sure of what the Gods of War will throw at them, and thus they must always be prepared to deal with historically realistic “Black Swan” events. 

We played the game and absolutely loved it. It was engaging, very interesting with how the chit pull activation works in tandem with the cards and also beautiful to look at. We also shot a first impressions video:

We also posted an interview with the designer prior to the 1st Kickstarter and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2021/04/06/interview-with-hermann-luttmann-designer-of-a-most-fearful-sacrifice-the-three-days-of-gettysburg-from-flying-pig-games-coming-to-kickstarter-today/

If you are interested in A Most Fearful Sacrifice: The Three Days of Gettysburg 2nd Edition you can order a copy for $135.00 from the Flying Pig Games website at the following link: https://flyingpiggames.com/products/a-most-fearful-sacrifice

3. People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1981-1986 from GMT Games

No secret that I love the COIN Series. I am a big fan of the asymmetric design and also of the way that the volumes in the series have addressed many different aspects of the conflict depicted, including the focus on terror, warfare, economics, politics and of course, the people affected. It seems like an age ago when People Power was announced as a smaller game, designed for 1-3 players akin to the likes of Cuba Libre with a fast play time is a welcome addition to the series that will act as a gateway game for others to experience and enjoy the series. 

From the game page, we read the following:

People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1983-1986 is volume XI of the highly-praised and popular COIN Series originally designed by Volko Ruhnke. People Power features three separate factions, instead of the customary four. 

• The first faction is the Government, symbolized by the personal rule of Ferdinand Marcos, his wife Imelda, and his political cronies and military forces. 
• Second are the NPA. Inspired by successful Marxist revolutions in China, Cuba and Nicaragua, these insurgents sought a national uprising from both the urban and rural populace and desired to replace the Marcos government with their own brand of autonomy.
• The third and final faction is the non-violent Reformers, embodied by Aquino’s widow, Corazon. She, along with her allies and supporters in that moment of tragedy, revived a platform of social justice and unrelenting momentum that would irrevocably change the Philippine political landscape immeasurably.

For players new to the COIN Series, or for those looking to teach the the series to their friends, People Power will serve as an excellent introductory game. Aiming for a 2 hour playtime and accessible complexity, People Power utilizes many of the basic COIN Series mechanics in new and familiar ways. The 22″ x 17″ map aids in introducing the game to a new player, as it presents only two types of terrain – Cities and Countrysides (where the latter amalgamates the rural settings of the island nation as well as much lightly-habitable terrain of jungles and mountains). Don’t let the fast play and basic systems fool you, though. There are still plenty of strategic puzzles and inter-player backstabbing to be had! Also, People Power includes a new feature for the COIN Series – a Key Personality mini-hand procedure that represents the effectiveness of various generals and power brokers adding a new dimension to player actions and decisions.  

We have played the game once and I am going to reserve my opinion at this point because we really need to give it another try.

If you are interested in People Power: Insurgency in the Philippines, 1983-1986, you can order a copy for $70.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-689-people-power-insurgency-in-the-philippines-1981-1986.aspx

4. Iskra: Spark of Victory from Three Crowns Games

This entry is really my new game new company offering as I have never played a Three Crowns Games product. But it looks to be an interesting topic and a great looking package.

From the game page, we read the following:

Iskra depicts the Soviet 4th Sinjavino Offensive (or second Battle of Ladoga), the Soviet attempt to relieve Leningrad. On 12 January 1943 Stalin gave the order: “War Game No 5 may commence”. This was the start signal for Operation Iskra (Spark), conducted by the Red Army’s Leningrad Front, Volkhov Front and the Baltic Fleet with the aim of creating a land connection to Leningrad and thereby lifting the combined German-Finnish siege. After fierce fighting in 30cm of snow at -30 to -40 degrees Celsius, Soviet forces linked up on 18 January and by 21 January, the front line had stabilized. -After numerous attacks on the German bottleneck at Ladoga, desperately trying to close the gap between the Volkhov Front, commanded by General Kirill Meretskov and the Leningrad Front, under General Leonid Govorov’s command, Soviet muster for a new assault. Confident after the great victories at Stalingrad and Velikye-Luki, the Soviets, once and for all, try to closethe gap and relief Leningrad after being besieged for over 900 days. The German 26th Army Corps, commanded by General Ernst von Leysner, supported by General Carl Hilpert’s 54th Army Corps, found themselves in a meatgrinder.

This one looks like a solid wargame and I am really interested.

If you are interested in Iskra: Spark of Victory, you can order a copy for 42,50 € (approximately $46.00) from the Three Crowns Games website at the following link: https://www.threecrownsgames.com/product-page/iskra

5. 12 Hours at Maleme: The German Airborne Landings on Crete, May 20, 1941 from SNAFU Design

Over the past couple of years, I have become acquainted with a newer Spanish wargame publisher called SNAFU Design. I first interviewed one of their partners and designer Marc Fiqueras in early 2021 on his new game called Ambon: Burning Sun & Little Seagulls. We next interviewed the incomparable Javier Romero for his design with SNAFU called Santander ’37. Then back to Marc with his Equatorial Clash game. These games are very cool and cover lesser gamed subjects so these are right up my alley. Recently, I saw where a newer designer named Ivan Prat was doing a new design for SNAFU in their Small Battles Series called 12 Hours of Maleme that takes a look at the German Airborne landings on Crete during World War II.

From the game page, we read the following:

12 Hours at Maleme is a two-player wargame simulating the battle for the control of Maleme airfield, that took place on May 20, 1941 between the 1st Air Landing Assault Regiment from the German 7th Air Division and the 22nd New Zealand Infantry Battalion from the 2nd New Zealand Division.

We do have an interview coming out later this month with the design Ivan Prat on this one and it does look to be very interesting.

If you are interested in 12 Hours at Maleme: German Airborne Landings at Crete, May 20, 1941, you can order a copy for 26,00 € (approximately $28.35) from the SNAFU Designs website at the following link: https://snafustore.com/en/second-world-war/1511-12-hours-at-maleme.html

6. D-Day at Omaha Beach 5th Printing from Decision Games

Good solitaire wargames are a joy. And when they have a solid system and a good designer, typically this means they will become popular and spawn many volumes. Such is the case with the D-Day at Series from Decision Games and recently I saw where they were offering a 5th Printing of D-Day at Omaha Beach.

From the game page, we read the following:

D-Day at Omaha Beach 5th Printing recreates America’s most bloody and heroic day of World War II. In this solitaire game from the designer of the solo classics RAF and Ambush, you control the forces of the US 1st and 29th Divisions landing under fire on the Normandy shore, and struggling desperately to establish a viable beachhead. The game is also great for two players playing cooperatively, each controlling one US division.

US units include assault infantry, amphibious tanks, artillery, engineers and HQs. The game system controls the hidden German defenders in Widerstandsnest resistance points on the bluffs overlooking the beaches. US forces that manage to break through the deadly coastal defenses and reach the high ground must then contend with German mobile reinforcements in the bewildering hedgerows of Normandy’s bocage. An innovative diceless combat system highlights unknown enemy deployments and the importance of utilizing the right weapons and tactics.

Event cards keep the action flowing and the rules simple, while controlling German strategy and introducing extensive historical detail. The game includes amphibious landings, German artillery and rocket barrages, US naval bombardment, tides, engineer operations, and intangibles such as US leadership under fire and the initiative of the American GIs.

Really love the AI in this system and the diceless combat and the reliance on cards for most actions is also very well done to create an interactive, interesting and tense play experience.

If you are interested in D-Day at Omaha Beach 5th Printing, you can order a copy for $100.00 from the Decision Games website at the following link: https://shop.decisiongames.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=1018%2D23&CartID=1

7. Grand Havoc: Perryville 1862 from Revolution Games

Revolution Games has some really great offerings in their catalogs and they have a whole line of American Civil War games using the Blind Swords System pioneered by Hermann Luttmann. The newest offering in the line is called Grand Havoc: Perryville 1862 and is designed by Jeff Grossman.

From the game page, we read the following:

A Blind Swords System game on the American Civil War Battle of Perryville (Kentucky) in 1862. The Blind Swords System uses chit pulls and activation rolls to simulate the command confusion and difficulty of coordinating 19th century armies. Additionally, each turn a number of events can impact the ability of armies to carry out their plans. The basic units are regiments of infantry or cavalry and batteries of artillery which are rated for size, armament, and cohesion/morale.

Perryville was a short fierce battle between Buell’s Army of the Ohio and Bragg’s Army of the Tennessee. While Bragg thought he was facing only a small portion of the Army of the Ohio, he was in fact confronting almost its entirety. Buell thought he was facing all of Bragg’s Army and possibly even Kirby Smith’s Army of Kentucky. Instead Buell was facing only about 2/3 of Bragg’s army.

After an early morning skirmish, both armies assembled on the battlefield just northwest of the crossroads of Perryville. What had been planned as a flanking attack against the Union II Corps instead turned into a frontal assault on the newly arrived Union I Corps, half of which consisted of new recruits. Despite a ferocious battle raging about two miles from his headquarters, Buell was unaware of the Confederate attack and was astonished that one of his corps had been smashed by the vicious assault. Only a few brigades were sent to assist the beleaguered I Corps and the Confederates claimed a tactical victory.

If you are interested in Grand Havoc: Perryville 1862, you can order a copy for $60.00 from the Revolution Games website at the following link: https://stores.revolutiongames.us/grand-havoc-perryville-1862-boxed-edition/

8. Eagles in the Sky from Revolution Games

Aerial wargames are always one of my favorites! And one that is set during The Great War is that much more of a bonus. Eagles in the Sky is a 2-player card game that really looks interesting.

From the game page, we ready the following:

Eagles in the Sky is a 2-player card-based game on plane to plane warfare during the last year and a half of the First World War. Players each command a “flight” of 1 to 6 aircraft during any of several types of missions, including Patrols, photo recon and even balloon busting.

The game includes all of the major types of aircraft active on the Western Front in that period, including the Fokker triplane, Sopwith Camel, SPAD XIII and Fokker DVII.

Eagles in the Sky may be played in one of two ways: individual engagements or campaigns, in which the players control “squadrons” and complete 5 days of missions, taking into account losses, pilot fatigue and the requirements of higher headquarters. 

Each engagement is 8 turns long, and each turn except for the first begins with a random event. These can add or subtract aircraft from the engagement , cause flak fire or other effects. The players then determine who has the initiative and draw a hand of cards based on the number of scouts (fighters) in their flight and the ratings of the flight leader. They then (beginning with the player with initiative) alternate playing cards to activate their aircraft. Activations can be Targeted against another plane or ground target or Untargeted (things like clearing gun jams). When targeting another aircraft the target can play a card in response. Depending on the planes’ ratings and the cards played one aircraft may gain Position over another, which allows it to attack. Attacks are resolved by drawing a card and checking the combat portion of that card to see if the attack succeeds and how much damage it does.

If you are interested in Eagles in the Sky, you can pre-order a copy for $70.00 from the Revolution Games website at the following link: https://stores.revolutiongames.us/eagles-in-the-sky/

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