I was a bit caught off guard this past week when the GMT Games Monthly Update email came out. I didn’t actually see it until late in the day last Thursday and was unable to really get to take a look at it until later that evening. But, there was a lot of really great information contained within it and one thing that I wanted to point out was the type of games we have been seeing lately. GMT has started to include lots of a lighter style of wargames. This is not a bad thing in my eyes as the more playable games we have access to in the wargaming sphere the better as we continue to try and bring new acolytes into the fold. But they also continue to put out traditional hex and counter wargames which is also a good thing so this month there was a little bit of both.

This month there were two new P500 additions offered including Solitaire TacOps: Ortona and The Battle for Sicily. I love to see new and emerging topics and designers from GMT but as I mentioned I also am grateful that they are still trying to do traditional hex and counter wargames. There also was a reprint offered in Panzer Expansion #4: France 1940, 2nd Printing.

There was plenty of other information shared including updates on GMT One products, development updates, upcoming future P500 additions and absolutely stunning art samples.

In case you missed the Monthly Update email, here is a link: https://mailchi.mp/876768f162be/october-19-update-from-gmt-new-p500s-production-update-art-samples-and-more?

The really big announcement in the Monthly Update was the fact that GMT will be having a Fall Sale this year. The sale will start as of Monday, November 13th at 5:00am Pacific Standard Time and end as of Sunday, November 19th at 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Here is a bit more info from Gene on the sale:

As we did last year, we’ll send out a special Fall Sale email blast to all of the customers on our email list with all the details the week before the sale. And we’ll post links on our social media channels about a week in advance of the sale, so you’ll have plenty of time to prepare. For now, I can tell you that it will be very similar to past sales in structure and discount levels, with half off pricing based on the past year’s P500 orders. We’ll have final details for you the week before the sale.

I just want to warn you all to brace yourselves as you will see some amazing prices and you WILL BUY GAMES!

Onto another very touching point shared in the update. We all know who Mark Ruggeiro is and what he has been going through over the past year or so with his health. Here was a message from Gene as Mark was able to attend the recent Weekend at the Warehouse:

On Friday morning, I met three gamers from Northern California who were new to the event. After we talked for a minute, they said, “We’re friends of Mark Ruggeiro. We are here to support him.” I love that so much! For those of you who don’t know, Mark is a long-time gamer/friend and a huge “friend of GMT” who has been fighting stage 4 pancreatic cancer for a while now. Mark was with us for 4 1/2 days this time (he came in a day early!), for what he told me “is likely my last Weekend at the Warehouse.” We honored Mark this weekend, and I got to spend some really good time with him. He and those supportive friends, plus Leo Paulo and several more long-time friends and gamer pals of Mark played games together all weekend. Leo made a huge card (shown above) honoring Mark that we all wrote notes on and signed. It was a privilege for us to get to spend the weekend with someone who we admire so much, a man who has been a pillar of wargaming events in northern California and a strong supporter of the hobby as a whole for most of his adult life. Mark, you inspire us, my friend! Stay strong! Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Dammit, that is what this wargaming community is all about! Very touching and I am so glad to see this kind of support for Mark. I wish him the best and I know that you all do as well.

New P500’s

As shared above, there were two new P500 additions this month with one new reprint, including Solitaire TacOps: Ortona, which is a very cool looking concept, The Battle for Sicily, which is a very solid hex and counter game, and the reprint is Panzer Expansion #4: France 1940, 2nd Printing.

Solitaire TacOps: Ortona

I love a good tactical wargame! And when that tactical wargame is a solitaire game mores the better. And this one really looks interesting as it has a campaign system where you can play across 12 different scenarios and also uses a very interesting looking dice combat resolution system. I am also very intrigued by the phrase “where operational decisions meet tactical realities” and want to see how that works and what it looks like.

From the game page, we read the following:

In Solitaire TacOps: Ortona, you command this campaign over twelve scenarios, from south of the Moro River to the city of Ortona, which ultimately became the proving ground for modern urban warfare tactics. Operationally, you will have to manage a brigade of units and maintain the fighting effectiveness needed to take the town—not an easy task as the Germans are determined to stop you at any cost, fighting over every inch of ground.

Solitaire TacOps is a campaign system that simulates the battlefield space where operational decisions meet tactical realities. For Ortona, you start with a brigade of four infantry battalions, one armored regiment, an artillery battery, and an engineer company. These are represented on counters ranging from platoons to squads, with tank groups and artillery guns. Players will make operational decisions such as when and where to engage the enemy, which forces to use, and the type of support to provide them with. The scenarios are then played on hex maps that use a megahex activation system to manage the opposition.

An innovative dice system handles both player and opposition actions, providing a wide range of outcomes with fast resolution. This allows you to keep your focus on the map action and the narrative that emerges from play. The scenarios, which last from 30 to 90 minutes, will pull you in as you attempt to achieve objectives with the fewest losses. Each scenario can be played solitaire, with cooperative setups also available for some of the larger ones.

Now this one does need some graphics help but it is only a prototype at this point and I am sure over the next 2 years will have better looking counters and boards. But I am very hopeful with this one.

If you are interested in Solitaire TacOps: Ortona, you can pre-order a copy for $46.00 on the P500 game page at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1072-solitaire-tacops-ortona.aspx

The Battle for Sicily

Italian Theater games seem to be all the rage at the moment and frankly I am fine with that. This game is the heavy that I was referring to in the title of the post as it is good to see GMT still working with hex and counter designers to bring out heavy games each year. I have not played The Battle for Normandy, which is the first game in this system designed by Dan Holte and I am very interested in this one.

From the game page, we read the following:

The Battle for Sicily uses the base system from GMT’s The Battle for Normandy. The German Luftwaffe makes their presence known in this one, while the Allied player has post-invasion “end-around” landings available.

Along with the standard campaign game will be a 3-player “Monty vs. Patton vs. Axis” scenario, where the US & UK players will be competing for total victory, while still trying to maintain victory conditions over the Axis player.

If you are interested in The Battle for Sicily, you can pre-order a copy for $82.00 on the P500 game page at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-354-the-battle-for-sicily.aspx

Panzer Expansion #4: France 1940, 2nd Printing

You know my affinity for tactical games and small unit actions is always tactical and something that will gain my attention. But, that having been said, I have never played any Panzer Series games but I would like to rectify that with this offering.

From the game page, we read the following:

This expansion set includes the most significant French forces that saw action on the Western front in 1940. Also included are the German forces that invaded France and the Low Countries, flanked the Maginot Line, and finally pushed on into France. The playbook includes rules for special units, new optional rules for Staggered Initiative, Command Span, and others, 12 riveting scenarios (including 2 historical scenarios depicting the fierce battle for Stonne), and unit summaries for the French and German units.

In addition to all the other features included in this expansion, there are two new exciting extras: the Panzer Leader rules and the respective 7/8” Leader counters of various enlisted and commissioned ranks for all forces (French, German, US, British, and Soviet) and the unique hull and turret damage rules and the respective 5/8” counters.

Ownership of Expansions #1, #2, or #3 is not required to field the German forces; they are all here, including the STuG IIIA and Hs 123A-1 aircraft, which were not previously available. This expands on those German units included in the first three expansions—no unit IDs are duplicated. Combine the German units from all of the expansions to create customized scenarios on either the Western or Eastern Front.

The TOE’s booklet includes details for the French and German forces covering the 1940 period, including the five major divisions from the cavalry and infantry arms of the French Army, including the Mechanized Light Division (DLM – Division Légère Méchanique) and the Armored Division (DCR – Division Cuirassée de Réserve). German forces include panzer, motorized infantry and infantry divisions, as well as the Grossdeutschland (mot) Infantry Regiment.

Finally, this expansion includes the next 4 double-sided geomorphic mapboards, modeling the terrain found in the French countryside, including 2 historical maps depicting the terrain in and around Stonne. Add these to the geomorphic mapboards from Expansions #1, #2, & #3 for added play and many possible battle combinations.

The game also includes Leader Counters that are added to the game and they look to give some really interesting modifiers.

If you are interested in Panzer Expansion #4: France 1940, 2nd Printing, you can pre-order a copy for $45.00 on the P500 game page at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1070-panzer-expansion-4-france-1940-2nd-printing.aspx

Charging & Shipping

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

Shipping Now

Downfall

Downfall Mounted Maps + 3″ Box

Great Battles of Alexander, Expanded Deluxe Edition, 2nd Printing

Great Battles of Alexander: Tyrant Module

Sovereign of Discord: A Fire in the Lake Expansion

Next Charges/Shipments: The batch of games should arrive in the warehouse in a few weeks. We plan to charge for the following games on October 23rd and start shipping 7-10 days thereafter.

C&C Napoleonics Expansion 5: Generals, Marshals, and Tacticians, 2nd Printing

C&C Samurai Battles, 2nd Printing

Prime Minister

The Last Hundred Yards: The Russian Front

In addition to this shipping information, they provided the following production updates on several games:

Going to the Printer Later This Month/Early Next Month
A Gest of Robin Hood
Rebel Fury
For the People, 4th Printing
For the People, 4th Printing Mounted Map and 3″ Box

In Final Art and Proofing
C&C Ancients Expansion #5: Epic Ancients II, 2nd Printing
Clash of Sovereigns/Clash of Monarchs Double Sided Mounted Map
France ’40 2nd Edition
France ’40 Mounted Map
Labyrinth, The Awakening, 2nd Printing
Mr. President 2nd Edition
Mr. President 2nd Edition Update Kit
Normandy ’44 Mounted Map + 3″ Box

I feel overwhelmed with the amount of new games coming out each month and know that we are most definitely behind on our coverage of many GMT Games. I love the pace but just feel like right now I cannot keep up! We will get there though.

Joe Dewhurst also gave the following update on several projects that he is working on as developer.

Since you last heard from me, I’ve been hard at work on two main projects. The first of these is A Gest of Robin Hood, which has been making rapid progress through the art department and is now almost ready to be sent to the printer. At the time of writing, we are just waiting for the designer Fred Serval to finish writing his background notes for the playbook. Artist Chechu Nieto has just put the finishing touches on his beautiful illustration for the game’s box cover, which you see at left and in the Art Preview section above. GMT has really gone all out with the presentation of this game, and I’m sure that the final product is going to look amazing on the table.

The second project I’ve been working on is Red Dust Rebellion, which has required some further gameplay tweaks in addition to my work on the non-player system. Tweaks of this kind aren’t an unusual occurrence, and I’ve been very grateful for the assistance of a new wave of volunteer playtesters, all of whom have been very helpful in helping me refine the rules and make the game as great as it can be. We’re getting close to wrapping everything up now, and then Red Dust Rebellion will also be off to the printer.

Once I’m done with these two projects, I’ll be turning my attention to finishing up some more games, beginning with Cross Bronx Expressway and Baltic Empires, both of which have already started getting some art department attention (watch out for art previews from these in future newsletters). After that, I have Iron Storm, Bear Trap, and The Bell of Treason on my radar—all great games that just need a little more help on P500, so if any of these interest you, please consider spreading the word or placing an order. It’s been an exciting year so far for me and the projects I’m involved in, and it really feels like we are beginning to pick up steam! – Joe

New P500’s on the Horizon

One of the features that I have always enjoyed about these Monthly Updates has been the New P500’s on the Horizon where Gene Billingsley shares a few very cryptic comments about an upcoming project and we are supposed to somehow decipher his meaning from these “clues”.

Here is a brief tease for P500 additions lining up in the coming months.Note that this is not a comprehensive list (nor will I preview EVERY game we have planned), so I will switch these up a bit from month to month. Over the coming 1-6 months, I anticipate that we will add:

  • A fast-playing American Revolution area control strategic game
  • A WWI economic competition game
  • A contemporary operational level wargame from Mark Herman and David Dockter – I know that Mark and David have been working on a Ukraine game.
  • A new Men of Iron series game

The other three games I have no information about but I am excited about an American Revolution Area Control Strategic Game. That is right in my wheel house! I am also very much interested in the WWI economic competition game. Sounds great!

Project Updates and Sample Art

One final thing that I wanted to share this month is all of the great sample art that has been shared as a part of the update on various games as they run up to production.

At the beginning of the update, they shared the final box back for the Irregular Conflicts Series game A Gest of Robin Hood designed by Fred Serval. I really love the stylized use of old scripts and fonts here to highlight that the game is from Medieval England and the green used is just very inviting and draws me in.

Also shared was the final cover for the game and it is simply stunning. There are a some great young designers rising in our hobby and I am particularly taken by Fred Serval whose first game Red Flag Over Paris came out at the tail end of 2021 and was a great step up in the Lunchtime Games Series from GMT Games. He now has designed a very interesting looking game set in literature and folklore in A Gest of Robin Hood: Insurrection in Nottingham Shire.

We posted an interview with him on the game and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2022/11/21/interview-with-fred-serval-designer-of-a-gest-of-robin-hood-insurrection-in-nottinghamshire-from-gmt-games/

One of the other new art samples they showed was the final cover for the upcoming The Weimar Republic and it is simply fantastic! I love the use of the German flag as a background and the title of the game just dominates the view in the center which I really love. I just think that this is a great example of a simple yet eye-catching cover!

We posted an interview with the designer on the game and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2020/07/20/interview-with-gunnar-holmback-designer-of-the-weimar-republic-from-gmt-games/

Next was the final cover for I, Napoleon, which is a solitaire design from Ted Raicer that allows the player to take on the role of a young Napoleon Bonaparte as you guide him through battles to see if you can do better. I love this cover and it seems to hit just right.

We posted an interview with the designer on the game and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2023/02/20/interview-with-ted-raicer-designer-of-i-napoleon-from-gmt-games/

Near the beginning of the update, the new look board for For the People was shown off illustrated by Terry Leeds and it looks fantastic! This one is just gorgeous and in true Leeds style the detail for the terrain is just amazing. This one will end up in a future Beautiful Boards of Wargaming! post.

I want to end this post by sharing our recent content on the blog and YouTube Channel for GMT Games products including reviews/interviews/unboxing videos:

Rules Overview and Introduction of Game Video – Vijayanagara: The Deccan Empires of Medieval India, 1290-1398 with Designer Saverio Spagnolie

After Game Thoughts and Discussion Video – Vijayanagara; The Deccan Empires of Medieval India, 1290-1398 with Designer Saverio Spagnolie

Video Review: Hellenes: Campaigns of the Peloponnesian War

September 2023 Monthly Debrief Video – Chit-Pull Games featuring several GMT Games titles including At Any Cost, The Dark Valley, The Dark Sands, The Dark Summer to name just a few

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea – Conflict in the Horn of Africa – Action Point 4

Twilight Struggle: Red Sea – Conflict in the Horn of Africa – Action Point 5

Order & Opportunity: Making of the Post-Cold War World Order – Event Card Spoilers with Designer V.P.J. Arponen – #91 Muammar Gaddafi

Order & Opportunity: Making of the Post-Cold War World Order – Event Card Spoilers with Designer V.P.J. Arponen – #43 Belt & Road Initiative/Dependencies Created

Best 3 Games with…The Feels! featuring Bomber Command

Please let me know what caught your interest from the update this month and what GMT Games products that you have been enjoying lately.

-Grant