I love the holidays! Lots of time with family and friends, good food and fellowship and I love the opportunity to sit down at the gaming table and get some games in. I worked hard this month to find some really great games and was successful in finding a total of 24 games including 4 of those being offered on Kickstarter.
This month, we again have a sponsor for the Wargame Watch post in Capstone Games. They make a wide range of games and over the past few years have had some really great historical wargames including titles such as Watergate and Weimar: The Fight for Democracy both designed by Matthias Cramer, Fire & Stone: Siege of Vienna1683 designed by Robert DeLeskie and most recently Match of the Century designed by Paolo Mori. You can find out more information about Match of the Century by checking out the entry in the New Release section found below.
They have provided us with a special discount code that you can use to acquire a copy of Fire & Stone: Siege of Vienna1683 for a 40% discount. That discount code is TPAVienna. They also sell a very nice playmat for the game and you can purchase that on the site as well.
In case you are interested, we posted a video review on the game:
Pre-Order
1. Axis Empires: Ultimate Edition from Decision Games
This is a monster wargame! There is no doubting that with 4 full maps, 2,380 counters, 20 map variant overlay sheets, 500 Playing Cards making up 7 decks and 30 Player Aid Sheets. Axis Empires Ultimate Edition is a mishmash of some of their most population strategic level wargames covering the different theaters of WWII but also has some new content and expansions.
From the game page, we read the following:
If you’re a diehard World War II grognard, then Axis Empires Ultimate Edition is the game for you. It’s the final evolution of our popular series of strategic games on the global struggles of 1937 to 1945 and beyond. Inside this box are the newest editions of both Totaler Krieg (TK) and Dai Senso (DS). TK covers the war in Europe, while DS does the same for Asia and the Pacific. Each game is individually playable as a standalone event, or players can combine the two to cover all of World War II. Both TK and DS have been thoroughly updated and playtested for historicity, game balance, and ease of play. The maps, counters, and cards have been given a refreshing makeover to improve the look and feel of the game. Many new counters and 200 cards have been added to allow for more options.
But there’s more! This package also includes Schiffskrieg (SK), the long-awaited air and naval optional expansion for the AEsystem. For those who want more detail in handling air/naval operations, SK adds individual capital ships (down to the heavy cruiser level) and air wings to sortie and fight with.
Plus there’s Dice of Decision II (DoD), an expanded random campaign generator players can use to create endlessly fascinating alternate-history situations for their AE games. What if Germany had won the Great War? Or the Tsar still ruled over Russia? Or the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty failed to prevent a shipbuilding arms race? Or Japan’s 1931 invasion of Manchuria had unfolded differently? Or an aggressive France had chosen to occupy the Rhineland in 1937? All these possibilities—and many more—await your discovery with DoD.
This game is huge, really containing 2 games in one box with some additional expansions and content as mentioned on their website, and truly a monster wargame. I want it! Period. The price is daunting but if you want to get in on this you will have to pre-order to make your money stretch further as the retail price is estimated to be $320.00.
2. Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal from Renegade Game Studios
I have a real soft spot in my heart for Axis & Allies. This was a wargame that I grew up on playing with my brothers and friends and we always had a good time! As you may know, Renegade Games Studios acquired the license for Axis & Allies from Hasbro over the past year and they have been working on updating the various editions of the game. This month, I noticed that they were offering their Guadalcanal version up for pre-order.
From the game page, we read the following:
Japan occupies the Solomon Islands, interfering with Allied supply lines in the South Pacific. In a surprise attack, the Americans capture Guadalcanal and its invaluable airstrip. As the Imperial Navy struggles to regain and strengthen its hold on the Solomons, the U.S. must press its counterattack in order to seize control of the island chain.
Axis & Allies: Guadalcanal challenges 2 players to command fleets of ships, direct aircraft, and deploy ground forces in order to dominate the enemy in one of the crucial campaigns of World War II. This version contains updated miniature sculpts, Airstrip tokens, and rulebook containing answers to FAQ’s.
I am very excited about this one as we love the Pacific Theater of WWII. I am very glad to see they are upgrading the miniature sculpts and various tokens and this one should really feel like a new game. I have went ahead and pre-ordered a copy and am eagerly awaiting its arrival sometime in the 1st quarter of 2024.
We have yet to really play any version of the Operational Combat Series (OCS) from MMP. Ardwulf gave us a nice crash course into the system a few years ago at Buckeye Game Fest and I ended up buying OCS Smolensk but we have not gotten it to the table. But, this magazine game called Luzon: Race for Bataan really looks interesting and seems to be a bit of a smallish intro to the series so I am intrigued for sure.
From the game page, we read the following:
Operational Matters Volume 2 w/Luzon is a 40 page magazine focused on players new to Operational Combat Series games. The eight articles help players learn or even improve on their OCS knowledge. This also includes a set of six double-sided cardstock Reference Cards to help learning and experienced gamers as well. We’ve also included a small OCS game, Luzon: Race for Bataan, which is a low-density, quick-playing game.
Luzon: Race for Bataan covers the mobile campaign during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, from December 22, 1941, when the main Japanese forces landed in Lingayen Gulf, to January 7, 1942, when the U.S.-Philippine Army completed its retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. New designer Matsuura Yutaka has created a five-turn OCS mini-game that recreates this period of intense maneuvering. General Wainwright, commander of the North Luzon Force, conducted a brilliant retreat against the advancing Japanese blitzkrieg, and succeeded in getting a large number of troops to Bataan. In Luzon: Race for Bataan, the U.S.-Philippine Army must delay the Japanese advance and gather forces in the Bataan peninsula. As directed by Imperial General Headquarters, the Japanese priority is to capture Manila. However, if the U.S.-Philippine Army can be outmaneuvered, the Japanese could both occupy Manila and deal a devastating blow to the U.S.-Philippine Army. The game pits a small-but-elite Japanese force which must make fast progress against a larger, less-effective opponent.
Luzon: Race for Bataan has a single 22″ x 34″ map, fewer than 50 combat units, and is played at a scale of 5-miles per hex and 3.5 days per turn. There is only one scenario, with an option for random changes which alter play each time. This looks very intro compared to what we have seen so I am in!
4. Stalingrad: Verdun on the Volga 2 from Against the Odds Magazine Currently on Kickstarter
I own several copies of Against the Odds Magazine and have always been impressed by the historical information provided as well as the quality of the games included inside. I have always wanted a copy of the class Stalingrad: Verdun on the Volga so when I saw that they were redoing it inside ATO Magazine, I was immediately interested.
From the game page, we read the following:
Now, Against the Odds Magazine has secured the rights to reprint the classic Stalingrad: Verdun on the Volga from its sister division Last Stand Games, with a situation every gamer knows, and a game engine most gamers have experienced…but both offered in a totally new, ATO Annual Magazine (ziplock) format, with a 60 page magazine included. (We’ll call it “SVoV” for short.)
With a setup time of less than 15 minutes, but a large, double map-board, players will have plenty of chances to try new approaches and come back for more. The original three very different scenario situations gave players the option to go for a game that might be complete in 3-4 hours or one that will probably take 8 hours, although there are VP checks along the way that could shorten things suddenly. We will keep the original scenarios, but stretch goals will add MORE! They can include a ‘training’ scenario (suitable for tournament play), plus scenarios that use only one or the other map (for times when you want a smaller footprint). And we can add a sweet scenario about probably the most famous “episode” from the whole Stalingrad city fight — “Operation Hubertus,” with full battalions of specially trained “assault engineers” brought in for a final effort to take the city.
It appears that that there is a lot of versatility in the new game including several different scenarios.
There is a five-turn “basic” game or “tournament” game. This is the most mobile, decision-filled, and fastest playing choice for players. The designer considers it the “core game” and the one most everyone will play, most of the time.
There is also a campaign game that may last 5, 10, or 15 turns, but with VP checks at the end of Turn 5, Turn 10, and Turn 15 that can bring things to a sudden end.
Last is a very historical option that simply mandates the Germans capture all the areas along the river, where players may agree to play through to an automatic German victory or the end of Turn 15, with no consideration of victory points.
As of January 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $14,57 toward its $6,000 funding goal with 203 backers. The campaign will conclude on Tuesday, January 16th at 10:06pm EST.
5. Paper Wars Magazine #105 from Compass Games including Ebb & Flow: The 1951 Communist Offensive Coming to Kickstarter January 5th
Paper Wars Magazine is a very solid wargaming magazine with great articles and always a very interesting game on a unique or lesser gamed subject. Such is the case with the newest issue that contains a game designed by Ty Bomba called Ebb & Flow: The 1951 Communist Offensive that is set in the Korean War.
From the game page, we read the following:
This issue features the complete game Ebb & Flow: The Chinese Fifth Phase Offensive in Korea, 22 April – 10 June 1951. At eight kilometers (five miles) per hex, 16 four-day turns (six of which will be operatively skipped during the build-up between Phases I and II of the overall Chicom offensive), and with divisions and brigades as units of maneuver, this game covers the culminating Chinese strategic offensive of the Korean War and the UN riposte to it.
Simple mechanics emphasize the importance of Communist artillery, infiltration, and, on the other side, US air power and exploitation. The Chinese goal is to break into Seoul or achieve a breakout to the deep south by moving one or more units off that map edge. The US player must hold and then counterattack to ensure the final front line at least approximates the historic result north of the old 38th parallel border.
Each large hex on the 34×22” map equals five miles (8 km) from side to opposite side. Each of the ten game turns represents 3.5 days. Individual playing pieces represent corps, divisions, brigades, regiments, and battalions, for a total of 176 large-size 5/8” NATO-style counters. The map covers all of central Korea across which the original campaign was fought. Both players are called on to attack and defend over the course of the game, and the winner is the one who best outperforms his historic counterpart. Designed for two players by Ty Bomba, with low-medium complexity, playable in 2-4 hours and easily adapted for solo-play.
6. Votes for Women 2nd Printing from Fort Circle Games Currently on Kickstarter
I love a good Card Driven Game and one that is election style is even better. Votes for Women is a card-driven game covering the American women’s suffrage movement from 1848-1920, culminating in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment. The game provides competitive, co-operative and solitaire play. Players can play cards for their events, discard cards to campaign in states, or discard cards to organize for suffrage.
From the Kickstarter page, we read the following:
We have been thrilled with the reception that Votes for Women has received! It has been named as one of the top games of 2023 by Polygon, Smithsonian magazine and Vulture (New York magazine), and the overall best game of 2023 by National Public Radio. Votes for Women won the coveted Summit Award for the board game “that most broadened the hobby through the ease of teaching, ease of play, uniqueness of topic, novelty of approach, and/or effectiveness as a historical game” and was nominated for both two Golden Geek Awards and a Charles S. Roberts Award.
The only problem? We have completely sold out of our first printing! Hence, a second printing is in order!
The game plays out over six turns: two turns in 1848-1890, two turns in 1890-1919, and two turns in 1919-1920 (during the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment). The Support player must get 36 U.S. states (out of 48) to ratify the Amendment before the Opposition player (or the Oppo-bot in the solitaire game) gets 13 states to reject the Nineteenth Amendment. Two players may also play co-operatively against the Oppo-bot.
This game is just fantastic and we enjoyed it greatly! From it deep and rich historical connection to the fantastic production that is becoming common place for Fort Circle Games, this one is a winner and we cannot recommend it any more highly.
As of January 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $48,499 toward its $5,000 funding goal with 478 backers. The campaign will conclude on Thursday, January 25th at 7:32pm EST.
7. 2nd Russo-Ukrainian War 2022-? Volume 1: Miracle on the Dnipro 2022 from GMT Games
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 and that is fine. With that being said, with the events in Ukraine over the past 2 years, it is just a matter of time before we get several of these designs (this being the 2nd I am aware of with the other being 2022: Ukrainefrom Conflict Simulations Limited). The situation in Ukraine is a study in modern warfare and I for one am glad that this game is coming to light. Plus, Mark Herman is one of my favorite designers and I am excited to see what he can do with a modern war.
From the game page, we read the following:
Defiance: 2nd Russo-Ukrainian War 2022-? Volume 1: Miracle on the Dnipro 2022 (“Defiance”) covers the initial 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine with the Kyiv and Chernihiv campaigns from February 24, 2022 to roughly April 1, 2022. Defiance builds upon Victory Games’ (Mark Herman’s) Flashpoint Golan (1991), adds a strategic political component, and updates the system for modern multi-domain warfare/the expanded revolution in military affairs (eRMA). At its core, Defiance is a game where players pull chits, activate a formation, and conduct movement & combat while hopefully avoiding enemy detection & response. HQ’s figure prominently in the game with support, electronic, and combat enhancement capabilities.
I like that Mark is using one of his systems from the past and bringing it up to current trends with a new strategic political component. I also really like that the game is chit pull.
A game turn has three phases: Strategic, Operational, and Logistics.
During the Strategic Phase, players draw one of three random SitRep cards that move four political tracks (Zelenskyy, NATO, Lukashenko, and Putin Tracks) and provide bonuses/penalties for players that accomplish (or fail to accomplish) specific tasks. Logistics points are generated and utilized to purchase HQ chits (which activate formations), logistics supply, and replacement points and improve readiness/muster troops. A Cup of Chaos is constructed which includes purchased HQ chits, a Berg random events chit, bonus chits, and chits that cause the turn to end. Supply is determined (and checked upon a unit activating). Supply states include offensive, full, partial, and out of supply. Russians have a significant challenge, given their dependency upon railroads. Finally, turn strike assets (aircraft, helicopters, drones, and long range strike weapons) are generated.
Russian operational thrusts near Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy through the first week of the 2022 invasion…Russian advance lines & underlying map by @Nrg8ooo During the Operational Phase, players activate HQs and units from that formation to conduct movement and combat (either meeting engagement or set piece battles) during two activation segments (movement and exploitation). Each HQ may draw upon capabilities (support assets) that may be employed to assist friendly operations or thwart enemy efforts. Combat considers primarily troop quality and die roll modifiers (drm’s) for terrain, supply, and combat support (air and artillery). A Troop Quality check is made. If the result is higher than a unit’s TQ (troop quality), that unit suffers a reduction in morale (normal, disorganized, broken, cadre). Depending upon which side or sides suffer morale reductions, battle outcome is determined: Standoff, Repulse, Retreat, Stalemate.
During the Logistics Phase, players conduct reorganization (units recover a morale level if they reorganized the entire turn), spend replacement markers (that were purchased during the Strategic Phase) to recover morale levels/replenish ammunition, and conduct a few other odds and ends.
I am very much interested in this one and can’t wait to find out more. This has been a polarizing and very interesting look at warfare today and we have all learned many lessons about how things will be in the future. I also liked that Mark shared this text message conversation between him and some of his friends on the day that war started.
8. Combat Commander Battle Pack #9: Island Hopping from GMT Games
I have played all of the Combat Commander family of games including Europe, Mediterranean and Pacific as well as plenty of the Battle Packs. I also recently acquired a copy of Resistance and need to get it to the table. I really absolutely love the narrative that the game creates. I love the cards and how they are used for combat, there are no dice in CC in case you didn’t know, for activations and events. The system is just full of chaos and fun. I was very pleased when I heard that there were some new Combat Commander products upcoming and now the first has been revealed with Combat Commander Battle Pack #9: Island Hopping designed by Mark Yoshikawa.
From the game page, we read the following:
Lack of supplies, disease, and skirmishes at night were common in the Pacific. Combating the tropical setting as well as an enemy determined to battle to the last man, fighting on the islands was completely different than in Europe. The thousand-yard stare was a common trait among the fighting troops in the Pacific due to the strain of these conditions. This Battle Pack represents the hardships facing the men on both sides of the fluctuating front line.
Focusing on situations where the US Army and Marines commonly battled the entrenched Japanese Imperial forces, this Battle Pack highlights engagements on Attu Island (where the first Banzai charge took place), Tarawa, and Guam (where the famous incident of Gen. Smith relieving Gen. Smith took place), among others. The Japanese were experts at night actions, so a number of them are included in this set to illustrate their deadly proficiency.
After reading the intro paragraph, I became even more excited as the designer seems to really be taking into consideration the many challenges of the soldiers and how that fit into the style of fighting in the Pacific. I am very interested to see how this one comes out.
There are 10-12 new scenarios in the Battle Pack as well as including four new maps which give us another airfield and a new invasion beach, as well as beaches on Tarawa and Wake Island. There also will be some terrain new to the Pacific game including things like coral, sea wall, and trenches and a new weapon (AMTRAK). Here are a list of the scenarios:
M15 – “Enemy on Island – Issue Still in Doubt” Following their defeat a few weeks prior, Japanese forces invade Wake Island with superior forces and off-shore support, determined to retake the island; 27 December 1941.
M16 – “Blood Like Wine” Set on Attu Island, this engagement was the first use of what became known as the Banzai Charge when the unsupplied, unreinforced Japanese garrison conducted a last-ditch attack against American forces on the island; 29 May 1943.
M17 – “Bloody Tarawa” The most fortified atoll the American forces would face, this first American offensive was part of Operation Galvanic; 20 November 1943.
M18 – “Long Night Into Dawn” Set on Saipan Island, having secured the beachhead, US Marines dig in to withstand the overnight Japanese counterattacks; 16 June 1944.
M19 – “Mount Tapotchau” Set on Saipan Island, in attempting to clear the mountain, the difference between Army and Marine tactics came to a head, resulting in the famous incident when Gen. Smith relieved Gen. Smith; 23 June 1944.
M20 – “Seven Lives to Repay Our Country” Set on Saipan Island, this is one of the largest Banzai Charges of the war; 7 July 1944.
M21 – “Army Landing – Guam” Set on Agat Beach, Guam; 21 July 1944.
M22 – “Long Night into Day” Set on Guam following the beach landing, the Marines prepared defenses for the night as Japanese forces were preparing to infiltrate the American lines looking to find a weakness; 25 July 1944.
M23 – “Island is Declared Secure?” Set on Tinian Island, the US Marines had declared the island secure the previous day and then faced a last-ditch attack by the remaining Japanese forces; 2 August 1944.
M24 – “Tanks??” Set on Peleliu Island, in one of the few tank attacks in the Pacific, US Marines are caught off guard as the Japanese counterattack across the airfield; 15 September 1944.
Two additional scenarios are being considered which feature engagements on Okinawa.
The Island Hopping Battle Pack is NOT a stand-alone game and will require ownership of the Combat Commander: Pacific boxed game in order to be played.
9. Atlantic Chase: The Kriegsmarine Against the Home Fleet, 1939-1942 3rd Printing from GMT Games
When I first saw Atlantic Chase offered on the P500 a few years ago, I immediately thought about Ticket to Ride as the game uses small matchstick style blocks to represent trajectories of ships as they travel from port to port on the map. The game is really very colorful and immediately drew my interest. Now it is going on its 3rd Printing and that should tell you all you need to know about the game.
From the game page, we read the following:
Atlantic Chase simulates the naval campaigns fought in the North Atlantic between the surface fleets of the Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine between 1939 and 1942. It utilizes a system of trajectories to model the fog of war that bedeviled the commands during this period. Just as the pins and strings adorning Churchill’s wall represented the course of the ships underway, players arrange trajectory lines across the shared game board, each line representing a task force’s path of travel. Without resorting to dummy blocks, hidden movement, or a double-blind system requiring a referee or computer, players experience the uncertainty endemic to this period of naval warfare. This system also has the benefit of allowing the game to be played solitaire, and to be played quickly.
The German player’s task is clear: sever Britain’s lifeline to its overseas colonies and allies. All hangs on the fate of convoys. Ultimately, success or failure in Atlantic Chase will hinge on the Kriegsmarine’s ability to breakout into the Atlantic and find convoys while frustrating British attempts to catch his raiders. The game chronicles the development of the Royal Navy’s strategy to contain the German fleet by pitting players against each other in five successive operations that comprise a Campaign Game. Seven additional scenarios treat specific historical actions, including a Sink the Bismarck scenario, a PQ17 scenario, and the Channel Dash. The game features battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, convoys, and pocket battleships, while U-boats, elusive armed merchant raiders, and air assets play an important role too. Operations during the Campaign Game and stand-alone historical scenarios each take 1-2 hours to play.
A game that sits solidly on my shelf of shame but that deserves much better is Normandy ’44 designed by the incomparable Mark Simonitch. This game is a very playable 1 mapper that covers the whole of the D-Day landings in France during WWII. It uses the same ’40X System that we have loved in Holland ’44, Stalingrad ’42 and most recently Salerno ’43. And when a game gets its 4th Printing, you know that it is good!
From the game page, we read the following:
Normandy ’44 is a 2, 3, or 4-player regimental level game of the D-Day landings on June 6th and the battles that raged in Normandy for the next 21 days. During this crucial period, the Germans had their only chance to push back the Allied invasion before the preponderance of Allied men and material made the outcome certain. During this period, the U.S. 1st Army fought across the Cotentin Peninsula and captured the major port of Cherbourg while British forces took on the bulk of of the German panzer divisions near Caen.
Each turn represents 1 day. Each hex represents 3.8 kilometers (or 2.3 miles). Most units are regiments or brigades, though most of the armor units are represented as battalions.
The game uses a simplified Ardennes ’44 system: Move, Fight, and Reserve Movement. All non-tank battalion units are rated for Troop Quality, while all armor units have a Tank Rating. In each battle, these ratings are used to provide shifts for either the attacker or defender. Other important shifts are provided by air power, naval support, artillery, and/or Tiger tanks.
The game includes a 22 turn Campaign game, a 7-turn Tournament Scenario that focuses on the Allies linking up the beaches, and a scenario covering the battle in the peninsula and the capture of Cherbourg. In addition, there are rules for allowing 3 or even 4 players to play the game.
11. Simple GBoH 2nd Edition 2nd Printing from GMT Games
The Great Battles of History Series is awesome! Designed by the duo of Richard Berg and Mark Herman, the series covers lots of different characters and battles across the Ancient world. But, the series is very complex and crunchy and I know that the first time we played, we found it a bit daunting. Never fear though, as there is a rules set called Simple GBoH and it makes it much more approachable and ultimately more playable.
From the game page, we read the following:
Simple Great Battles of History (Simple GBoH) allows gamers to recreate the significant battles of the ancient Western world covered by GMT’s Great Battles of History (GBoH) Series. Simple GBoH is designed for players who want a faster, less die-roll-heavy version of the GBoHSystem, while retaining as much of the historical flavor and insight of the original rules. These rules and its companion playbook cover all the battles published in Deluxe Great Battles of Alexander, SPQR, Caesar: The Civil Wars, Caesar: Conquest of Gaul, Cataphract, and all their related modules. The battles presented in C3i are published in the Simple GBoH Battle Manual.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This rules book is self-contained; you do not need the original GBoH rulebooks to play this version…although the former does contain interesting Design and Historical notes. Most of the rules and mechanics which are part and parcel of all previous GBoHSeries land battles have either been changed or are not here anymore.
So what has been updated or changed in this 2nd Printing edition you ask? Here you go:
Simple Great Battles of History 2nd Edition Highlights
The ZOC Rules were modified to address some odd-looking situations that can arise during play and to simplify the rules language. ZOC effects have been aligned with the standard game. Shock is now mandatory for active units that have enemy units in their ZOC; being in an enemy ZOC is not relevant.
An In-Command unit may leave a hex adjacent to an enemy unit but cannot move adjacent to an enemy unit during that Player Turn. Out-of-Command units are pinned to the hex they are in if adjacent to an enemy unit but may change facing.
Two-hex units may Reverse Face in reaction to enemy movement in a similar manner to single-hex units, albeit with a higher cost of failure.
Offensive Javelin Missile Fire is limited to H&R Tactics and defensive (reaction) Javelin Missile Fire as Return Fire against H&R Javelin fire only.
Elephant Screens are now active in Reaction Fire.
The Elephant Rampage DR generated by a Missile hit has been removed; Elephant units incur 2 Hits instead (as do Chariot units). Elephants do not Retreat from Shock but instead incur 2 Hits.
Weapons System Matrix reworked to better reflect the results from the standard game tables. Certain types (Archers, etc.) are no longer Shock capable.
Shock Resolution & Results: Hits and Moving DRMs have been eliminated along with the Reduction result.
Mounted maps are pretty awesome! Why? Well, when you play with paper maps, they are harder to lie flat and you most likely will have to use a piece of heavy plexiglass to flatten them out which will lead to a ton of glare on your beautiful gaming pictures. They also last longer and can take a bit more abuse than conventional paper maps. So, for one of the more eclectic and large games on WWII out there, A World at War, having 4 of these mounted mapboards would be awesome.
From the game page, we read the following:
A set of 4 mounted maps for A World at War (2 for Europe, 2 for Pacific).
13. Rommel’s War from Worthington Publishing on Kickstarter January 1st
In 2023, I played and really enjoyed a small block wargame designed by Derek Croxton called Archie’s War. Admittedly I only played the solitaire mode and never got around to taking out the 2-player game but it was interesting, with simple to understand and well laid out rules and was pretty fun. Now, Derek is again working with Worthington Publishing to bring another block wargame to us set in the deserts of North Africa during World War II called Rommel’s War.
From the Kickstarter game page, we read the following:
Rommel’s War is a 2 player game about the first year of the World War II in the deserts of North Africa, from March to December of 1941. One player takes the role of Rommel in command of Axis forces, and the other player takes the role of the British commanders (Wavell and Auchinleck).
The game only has 8 pages of rules and a playing time of 1 hour so you will be picking the sand from your shorts in no time in this exciting, fast paced game of decision in the desert.
If you back the game in the first 24 hours, you will get your copy shipped to you in February 2024.
1. Napoleon’s Eagles 2: The Hundred Days from Compass Games
We have had a good experience with games from designer Christopher Moeller and really want to get more into Napoleonics so Napoleon’s Eagles 2: The Hundred Days from Compass Games was of great interest to me. I ordered a copy a few weeks ago and am very impressed with its simplicity and fun mechanics that should make for a nice beer and pretzels vibe on the gaming table.
From the game page, we read the following:
Napoleon’s Eagles: The Hundred Days is the second game by designer Christopher Moeller in a series aiming to cover all of the great battles of the Napoleonic Era. Following Napoleon’s Eagles: Storm in the East, The Hundred Days covers the Emperor Napoleon’s Belgian campaign in 1815: four battles that culminated in one of the most famous conflicts in history, Waterloo.
Featured are the final four battles of the Napoleonic age: Quatre Bras and Ligny (June 16, 1815), and Waterloo and Wavre (June 18, 1815). Two campaign games allow the battles of the 16th and 18th to be played together, as well as a grand campaign that combines all four battles.
While there are multiple scenarios presented in the game, each with its own special rules and conditions for victory, most battles are won by inflicting nine demoralizations on an opponent’s army, before they do the same to you. Combat is a back and forth affair, using specially designed decks of playing cards. Combat is simple, fast and straightforward, but has a number of subtle wrinkles that you’ll discover during play. Combat units, featuring glorious period artwork, represent infantry and cavalry formations, massed artillery formations, and those leaders operating at the highest levels (Wing and Army command).
I ordered a copy a few weeks ago and one of the things that I like about the Napoleon’s Eagles Series is that the games are entirely card based and include no dice, no counters and no maps, allowing players to recreate the largest battles of the era in an evening. This is definitely unique and I cannot wait to give this one a go. If it is good, I will have to hunt down a copy of Storm in the East.
2. Russia Besieged Deluxe Edition: Finnish Expansion from Compass Games
I do not own nor have I ever played Russia Besieged. I have become much more of a fan of East Front games and yes they are extremely popular in our hobby. This month Compass Games will be shipping the Finnish Expansion for the Deluxe Edition of Russia Besieged.
From the game page, we read the following:
The Finnish Expansion is an extensive package expands and complements Russia Besieged Deluxe Edition (ownership of this game is required), the finest Corps/Army level treatments of the fighting on the Eastern Front in World War II. This expansion completes the entire Eastern Front experience by adding a map that covers Finland from Helsinki, Leningrad, Archangel, Petsamo and Murmansk. As an added bonus, included in this package is an historical Battle of Kursk scenario.
The Rules Book includes a 16 page Historical Study that delves into the history of aggression against Finland by the Soviet Union leading up to the Winter War and eventually, Finland’s entry as an Ally of Germany in what was called the Continuation War. Finland’s only interest in joining Germany was to regain the territory taken from them by the Soviet Union including land and bases in Karelia and mines in the northern region near the Barents Sea. A gallery of photographs is also included, used with permission from the Finnish Military Photography Archives, providing a unique perspective on the combatants, terrain and fighting conditions in the region.
We truly enjoy Card Driven Games and will always play them. We also enjoy historical games, not just wargames, and if you match history with CDG how can you go wrong? New in the CDG world is the very cool and different Match of the Century from Capstone Games designed by Paolo Mori, who brought us the fantastic Blitzkrieg!: World War II in 20 Minutes and Caesar!: Seize Rome in 20 Minutes both from PSC Games. This one takes a look at the 1972 World Chess Championship match between the American player Bobby Fischer and the Soviet player Boris Spassky.
From the game page, we read the following:
In the summer of 1972, the final match of the World Chess Championship in Reykjavik saw the ultimate showdown: American Bobby Fischer challenged the reigning world champion, Boris Spassky from the Soviet Union. Touted by the media as the most important sporting event of the Cold War, an incomparable thriller unfolded…and now, you are right in the middle of it.
In Match of the Century, you play one another over a series of games, just as in a real championship match. However, here each game lasts only a few short and intense turns, so every decision counts in pulling off the win. As you play cards with unique effects from your asymmetric decks, each of you manipulates the mental endurance of the other and the outcome of each quick game, but weigh your options carefully because only by giving up the advantage can you use the effects of your cards.
Match of the Century is the spiritual successor to the award-winning Watergate.
This one is a very sharp looking little CDG and I am very excited about it! It uses actually chess pieces in the game as you use your cards to make moves, not actually play a real chess game but maneuvering for control and points. We just got a copy and are going to be giving it a play very soon.
4. Pike & Piquet: The 30 Years WarPrint and Play from Conflict Simulations Limited
We have played several games from CSL and truly have enjoyed them. Ray Weiss is not everyone’s cup of tea but he has a beautiful game design mind and I enjoy his games. This month, he has a new game out that is a Print and Play product covering the 30 Years War called Pike & Piquet: The 30 Years War.
From the game page, we read the following:
Pike & Piquet is a print and play sandbox-style area control wargame covering the 30 Years War, using the ancient card game of Piquet in order to facilitate the player interactions.
Pike & Piquet is the first in an experiment of ours, where we offer games in the print and play format and if they reach 200 orders, we then print a physical version with the purchase of the Print and Play version acting as a discount towards the printed edition.
The game is heavily inspired by Fred Serval’s A Very Civil Whist, some of the AGEOD PC wargames along with some lighter wargames like 1812 and 1785.
5. Path of Alexander2nd Edition Print and Play from Conflict Simulations Limited
I am not that familiar with the Roll & Write genre of games. I have never owned nor played one but when one is offered that is on a historical subject, especially about one of the great military minds in history, I am all of a sudden intrigued. CSL has produced a new 2nd Edition of their Path of Alexander Roll & Write game and it is available for purchase as a Print and Play package.
From the game page, we read the following:
Back in 2020, I designed and released a limited edition special roll and write solitaire game called Path of Alexander which followed Alexander the Great and his journey through Asia. Admittedly, the game was incredibly difficult when released and suffered from a few balance issues. Those have since been fixed as the player now earns Movement Factors every turn along with a number of other mechanical improvements. Path of Alexander is now available again in a new and improved edition, currently the only version available is digital but I’m working on getting a physical package together.
6. Sekigahara 1600: Battles of the Sengoku Jidai from Serious Historical Games
Last year, I became aware of a new French publisher called Serious Historical Games and one of the games in particular caught my eye in Nagashino 1575 & Shizugatake 1583: Battles of the Sengoku Jidai. We purchased a copy and played it and really enjoyed the system, including the combat, the gorgeous cover and the fantastic counter graphics. That same publisher has ready to ship a new volume in the Age of the Warring States Series called Sekigahara 1600.
From the game page, we read the following:
Sekigahara 1600 is Volume II of a series dedicated to the battles of the Sengoku Jidai (Volume I is Nagashino 1575 & Shizugatake 1583). The game is in a box containing a beautiful one-sided zone map (47 x 31.5 inch), 432 beautifully illustrated counters by Pascal Da Silva (0.7 x 0.7 inch), 16 page rulebook – 8 in French and 8 in English, 16 page scenarios (all the big battle, main battle, around Sekigahara battle), examples and historical notes and map, one player aid in each language. The scale is 300m per zone, 45 minutes per game turn and 500 men per counter. A game lasts 3–6 hours and is ideally for 2 or 4 players. The complexity is low to average.
These games are good little wargames with some really fantastic graphics and high production values. We are always interested in lesser gamed topics and the Battles of the Sengoku Jidai is a period that we haven’t played that many games on.
If you are interested, we did a first impressions video for Nagashino 1575 & Shizugatake 1583 to give you an idea about how the system works:
Errata is a fact of life with all publishers and all games! No matter what, a mistake will always slip through and cause us gamers a bit of angst. This is where GMT Games stands head and shoulders above the competition though as they admit to their mistakes and more importantly try to make them right. We have seen this time and time again. So they have a solution for errata found on counters in their new games this year that makes a lot of sense and makes it economically very easy to acquire: a replacement countersheet.
From the game page, we read the following:
We have long wanted to offer a yearly Replacement countersheet that gets errata counters for all of our games into your hands as inexpensively as possible. And we have listened to many of you who don’t want to buy an additional magazine just for the counters. I think we have a solution that most, if not all of you are going to like.
We are happy to announce today that we have created a 2023 Replacement Countersheet that includes all of the counter updates that we and the designers know of as errata for games from 2022 and several from 2023. Tony and I have discussed how best to get these counters to any of you who want them, and we have decided to let you basically “opt in” to getting them so we know exactly who wants them. So we’re setting it up like a P500 item—except that it’s already approved to print. We just need to know how many of you want the item.
We’re doing everything we can on the “budgeting” side to absorb as much of the cost as possible on this countersheet. So the price for this item will be $6 for US customers and $16 for non-US customers. Note that the cost INCLUDES shipping. Clearly, we’re supplementing most of the cost on these, which we think is only fair, in that these counters represent mostly errata that we missed when we produced the games the counters belong to.
While attending the World Boardgaming Championships this past year, we had the chance to interview many designers about their current and upcoming projects. One designer that Alexander always seeks out is Ben Hull who has designed such games as Fields of Fire, This Accursed Civil War and Sweden Fights On. At WBC, Ben discussed his new Bayonet & Musket Series and the first game called Banish All Their Fears and we were both very intrigued with the subject and the approach of the design.
You can check out our interview with Ben Hull at the following link:
From the game page, we read the following:
The development of the flintlock musket and socket bayonet was one of the great revolutions of military technology. Early flintlocks appeared as far back as 1610; by the 1670’s they were found more frequently in infantry arsenals, and their superiority over the slower, more cumbersome matchlock led to their adoption by western European militaries by 1695. The parallel invention of the socket bayonet, which attached to the exterior end of the barrel and allowed the musket to be fired with fixed bayonet, saw the end of the pike as anything except a badge of rank for NCO’s. The foot soldier had thus completed his long journey from the ancient deliverer of shock to the modern bearer of firepower.
The Bayonet & Musket Series will cover the period of the War of the League of Augsburg, 1688-1697, and the War of the Spanish Succession, 1702-1714. In western Europe, the figure of the great King of France, Louis XIV, dominated the scene, leading a newly united and energetic France to expand and secure its frontiers into Germany, Spain, northern Italy, and the Spanish Netherlands, a course which ran into the natural opposition of Great Britain, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Dutch United Provinces.
Larger national armies, reinforced by a multitude of German allies and hired troops, far exceeded anything seen before in Europe; the battles of Steenkirk (1692) and Malplaquet (1709) were the largest fought on the continent before the coming of Napoleon. Great generals emerged on both sides– for the French, the Duke of Luxembourg and the Duke of Berwick and the Marquis du Vauban, one of the greatest of all military engineers. Against them came the Imperial Prince Eugene of Savoy, and the finest commander of the age, the Duke of Marlborough.
The game will focus on 2 battles that significant:
Neerwinden, July 29, 1693, War of the League of Augsburg. Outnumbered and thoroughly out-maneuvered by the French army under the Duke of Luxembourg, British King William III refuses to retreat his Allied army over the river to his rear and instead elects to defend a stout breastwork line strongly anchored on fortified villages. Luxembourg has the cream of the French army at his command, and sees an opportunity to break the enemy defenses and possibly destroy the Allied army.
Blenheim, August 13, 1704, War of the Spanish Succession. Facing defeat in Spain, northern Italy, and along the Rhine, the Duke of Marlborough leads his Allied army deep into Bavaria and threatens to remove that key French ally from the war. The French respond by sending an army under Marshal Tallard that links up with the Bavarians under Elector Max Emmanuel and stands to face Marlborough near the village of Blenheim on the banks of the Danube.
9. Tanto Monta:The Rise of Ferdinand and Isabella from GMT Games
We have played Here I Stand several times, with our most recent play being a full 6-player game this past spring, and it is just special. The card driven mechanic simply makes the game and it really is a bit of a sandbox as you can win in various and sundry ways. Tanto Monta is a prequel to Here I Stand that takes place between 1470 and 1516 and looks really good and partially at least a new experience.
From the game page, we read the following:
Tanto Monta: The Rise of Ferdinand and Isabella covers the period from 1470 to 1516, the height of the Age of Discovery and the years leading immediately into the period covered by Here I Stand: Wars of the Reformation, 1517-1555. The game opens with Isabella’s disputed ascension to the throne of Castile, a position contested by a Portuguese-backed faction supporting Joanna La Beltraneja. Ferdinand’s possessions are similarly threatened by Aragon’s ongoing civil war against forces from the Principality of Catalonia, a faction often supported by France. How can these young Catholic Monarchs possibly deal with both these crises while still pursuing their agendas to unite their two kingdoms into a single Spanish realm, subjugate the Canary Islands, and finish the reconquest of Granada?
The game pits four different powers against each other including Spain, Portugal, the various Muslim Kingdoms and France. From the game page we read the following:
The game retains many of the game systems from Here I Stand and Virgin Queen, as turns start with each player being dealt a hand of cards from the shared deck to supplement their Home Cards, which provide unique actions for each major and secondary power. After diplomatic negotiations and spring preparations have concluded, players play these cards as events or operations to conduct military, political, or exploration actions to maximize their victory point gains. At the end of each turn, armies winter, royal marriages take place, and—unless there is a winner—the game resets in preparation for the start of the next turn.
Never fear. The game isn’t totally the same as there are various new features that have been included to create a new experience.
Tanto Monta introduces several innovations to the game series. The land combat system is enriched with the addition of explicit siege artillery units and cavalry units for all major powers, which can try to turn the tide in battle by making a dedicated cavalry charge. The spring phase is also extended to include play of Headline Events, chances to use a powerful hand to score bonus VP and sneak in an extra event card play before the turn is fully underway. Finally, the enhanced Exploration Map systems depict the arrival of Vasco Da Gama in India and Christopher Columbus in America and include explicit rolls to try and navigate into the Terra Incognita.
10. Norman Conquests: Men of Iron Volume V from GMT Games
In 2020, we finally discovered the Men of IronSeries by playing the Men of Iron Tri-Pack, which is a large boxed game that includes the first three games in the Men of Iron Series from GMT Games including which includes Men of Iron:Infidel and Blood & Roses, plus the Battle of Agincourt from C3i Magazine #22. This box was huge and heavy and is probably one of the greatest values in wargaming as there are three games and the box is packed full to the brim with counters, maps and player aids. We really enjoyed our foray into the series and would love to continue playing the rest of the other scenarios. But now there is even more of this series coming with Norman Conquests which deals with the conflicts of the Normans and their successors from 1053-1265.
From the game page, we read the following:
The Normans, and their successors, had a large impact on history. Normans, from Nortmann (northman), were originally Viking raiders that settled in what would now be northern France. Normans gained territory as far away as southern Italy and Sicily, and modern day Syria. They were Crusaders, they were Kings, they were princes, and they were scoundrels. They began as raiders from the north that fought on foot and transformed themselves into Dukes, Kings, and princes that fought from horseback.
How many games include a battle with a Papal army? Very few, so Norman Conquests visits Italy and the Norman Count of Apulia fighting with, and capturing, the Pope. Stretching the definition to include the Norwegian King Harald (III) Hardrada (undoubtedly a northman) and his invasion of England allows us to include all three battles for the throne of England in 1066, including the most famous Norman William the Conqueror and his invasion of England. Next we catch up with two sons of William I, the Duke of Normandy and the King of England, feuding over his lands years after his death. We end with the Baron’s War between William I’s great-great-great-grandson Henry III and his barons who were led by Simon de Montfort.
11. La Vallee de la Mort: The Battles of Na San and Dien Bien Phu from High Flying Dice Games
I love lesser gamed subjects. It is always nice to play something unique and interesting while learning new parts of history. High Flying Dice Games does this exceptionally well as they have made their living on doing lesser (or even totally) unknow battles in their small games. Such is the case with La Vallee de la Mort: The Battles of Na San and Dien Bien Phu. Not that we don’t know the historic battle for Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam but there are not a glut of games on the subject out there.
From the game page, we read the following:
La Vallee de la Mort: The Battles of Na San and Dien Bien Phu is a new edition of the games published by The Microgame Design Group and Against the Odds. This new edition has the two games on Na San and Dien Bien Phu, as well as ones on Operations Albatross and Condor all in one package. It also incorporates all of the accumulated addenda from the earlier editions into all of the relevant components.
This package is a fantastic value as it has 3 games in one and the art on the maps looks to be really nice.
If you are interested in La Vallee de la Mort: The Battles of Na San and Dien Bien Phu, you can order a copy for $29.95 from the High Flying Dice Games website at the following link: https://www.hfdgames.com/DBP.html
As usual, thanks so much for reading along and sticking with me this month as I navigated through the many websites and game pages looking for new and interesting games to share. 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.
Finally, thanks once again to this month’s sponsor Capstone Games!
Match of the Century: A game about a game. Hmmm.
Though I haven’t played Watergate yet, it certainly seemed to be a well-received game. I will be looking to read or watch more coverage about this new game.
Another good write-up. Happy New Year. I love CC and the Resistance module is one of my favorites. I ordered the BP#9 but I have to admit that I have not played much of the Pacific. Normandy 44 has become a personal favorite. Keep up the good work and have a great 2024.
The Players' Aid 
Match of the Century: A game about a game. Hmmm.
Though I haven’t played Watergate yet, it certainly seemed to be a well-received game. I will be looking to read or watch more coverage about this new game.
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Another good write-up. Happy New Year. I love CC and the Resistance module is one of my favorites. I ordered the BP#9 but I have to admit that I have not played much of the Pacific. Normandy 44 has become a personal favorite. Keep up the good work and have a great 2024.
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Thanks Jerry! Happy New Year to you as well.
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Happy New Year!
Great article, thanks!
Too bad, shipping from Capstone to Europe is $100
I wanted to order Siege of Vienna, but the shipping cost is just insane.
Cheers,
Kris
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A terrific write-up Grant, I am impressed with the variety of games presented here, you are a true gaming ambassador!
This truly is a great time for this wonderful hobby of ours.
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