Here we are in the homestretch of the year coming down to the final quarter! As I probably say every year, I cannot believe it but it is true. We have a lot of great finds this month that will satiate our desire for the new and shiny games as well as those that we can think about and consider as they are just now being offered up on pre-order. This month I was able to find 21 new games to share with 3 of those being offered on Kickstarter and 1 on a new crowdfunding site called Verkami Creative Crowdfunding.
Again this month, we have a sponsor for the Wargame Watch post in Neva Wargames. Neva Wargames is a new publisher who has appeared on the scene earlier this year. When I started seeing their posts on Twitter and Facebook, I was immediately impressed with their interesting topic choices for their upcoming games as well as the fact that they are trying to make small footprint wargames that pack a punch. And the art is also very appealing and brings an aesthetically pleasing and attractive look to their games!
From their website, we read the following:
History unfolds in your hands! Embark on epic battles with Neva Wargames’ captivating titles. These bite-sized gems deliver immersive historical experiences, spanning across strategic, operational, and tactical levels within compact boxes. Travel back in time and conquer historical campaigns, from ancient clashes to modern skirmishes, wherever you roam.
Currently, they have 7 different titles in design and development and are preparing their first game called Sea & Steel: Columbus’ Voyages for a Gamefound campaign later this year, possibly in November or December. Sea & Steel: Columbus’ Voyages is a historical board game that immerses players in the tumultuous years following Columbus’s arrival in the Caribbean. Players take on the roles of either the Spanish conquistadors or the indigenous peoples, each with their own unique objectives and challenges. The game spans the period from 1492 to 1505, encompassing the four voyages of discovery led by Columbus and the subsequent Spanish colonization efforts. Players will use Event Cards to gain control in the 15 distinct Caribbean land areas. The game incorporates historical events and challenges, such as the construction of palisades, the search for gold, and the maintenance of Spanish ships. Players must carefully manage their resources, deploy their units effectively, and adapt their strategies to the ever-changing game state.
Several of their other titles look really intriguing as well including Spartacus: Rome Under Threat, Kursk: Rotmistrov’s Offensive, Jarama: The Battle for Madrid, Peking: 55 Days of Fury, Cid Campeador: Warlord and Rebellion & Punishment: War of the Alpujarras. I think that the 2 titles that are closest to production/crowdfunding include Sea & Steel: Columbus’ Voyages and Spartacus: Rome Under Threat.
I believe that they appear to be trying to do things the correct way with great looking games, quality components and they are putting the necessary time into playtesting and development of their games. I am very interested in keeping an eye on their games and hope to get at least a few of them to the table in 2025.
They also have a neat little program called Neva Frontline where you can submit votes for those in-development games that you are most interested in and they will focus on those titles. It is not a pre-order system but more of a voting system kind of like what is done for Against the Odds Magazine. Here is a link to Neva Frontline: https://nevawargames.com/product-category/neva-frontline/
You can also sign up for their monthly update emails on their website and here is a link to their September Update which gives a lot of good information about their game designs: https://nevawargames.com/2024/09/24/september-2024-update/
One additional unrelated item before we get to the new games. Bill Molyneaux does a charity calendar every year to support the various historical forts and parks around his neck of the woods in the Eastern United States. The 2025 Calendar is now up for sale at Blue Panther and costs just $15.00. This calendar is perfect for history buffs of the American Civil War and proceeds from the sale of the calendar will go to the Maryland Veterans Museum at Patriot Park. You can order a copy of the calendar from the following link: https://www.bluepantherllc.com/products/goobercalendar
1. In a Dark Wood C3 Module 4 The Hof Gap from Thin Red Line Games
If you are a monster wargame fan then you are probably familiar with Thin Red Line Games and the genius behind the madness Fabrizio Vianello. They are a small but passionate publisher and my favorite thing about them is that Fabrizio speaks in his military jargon so fluently that it is such a thematic boost to the games they produce. Last year, we posted an interview covering their most recent Cold War Gone Hot game called Die Festung Hamburg and now they have a new game in the C3 Series that was just put up on pre-order called In a Dark Wood C3 Module 4 The Hof Gap.
From the game page, we read the following:
At 0400 Zulu Time, July 24 1985, Warsaw Pact forces cross the Inner German Border and assault NATO positions in West Germany. The offensive against US VII Corps sector has a first echelon of eight Soviet and Czechoslovakian divisions, and three main objectives: Pin the NATO forces defending the area, inflict as much casualties as possible, and force CENTAG to commit some reserves to the defense of the sector.
Taking its roots from SPI’s Central Front and NATO: Division Commander, In a Dark Wood is the fourth module of the C3 Series, focused on Command, Control and Communication and pioneered by Less Than 60 Miles – one of the five nominees for the 2019 Charles Roberts Awards as Best Post-WW2, Cold War, & Hypothetical Era Board Wargame.
All the elements of modern mechanized warfare are covered: Chemical and Nuclear Weapons, Attack Helicopters, Engineers, Electronic Warfare, Counter-Battery Fire, Ribbon Bridges, Reconnaissance, Intelligence, Close Air Support coordination, and more.
Several typical wargame mechanics have been reinterpreted, and both sides must fight three equally dangerous foes: the enemy, their own plan and time. Even a simple action can quickly turn into a disaster when facing an opponent using more efficiently the real key to victory: the OODA Loop theorized by John Boyd in the early ‘80s and used today as the basis for several military doctrines.
Military doctrine, tactics and peculiarities for each side are represented, allowing a skilled commander to use his own strength points and exploit the enemy’s weak ones. Some examples are:
US VII Corps command problems due to its multinational structure.
West German Auftragstaktik (Mission-Type Orders), giving Bundeswehr a flexibility hardly obtained by other armies.
French incomplete integration into the wartime NATO structure.
Soviet Sappers, first-line assault units used to crack the toughest nuts.
Soviet Assault From March.
The abundant but partially outdated Czechoslovakian artillery.
Warsaw Pact Axis of Advance.
Warsaw Pact vulnerable supply network.
Moreover, this is the fourth module of the C3 Series, covering the whole NATO – Warsaw Pact conflict in Central Europe. Each module can be combined with the adjoining ones, covering up to the whole Central Front in a gigantic, unmanageable, mind-blowing campaign.
If you are interested in In a Dark Wood C3 Module 4 The Hof Gap, you can pre-order a copy for an as yet undetermined price by emailing Fabrizio at info@TRLGames.com.
2. Golden Age of Piracy: 1718 from Compass Games Currently on Kickstarter
I normally don’t highlight non-wargames in this Wargame Watch but this next game is just too juicy looking to not share. Do you love a good pirate game? With broadsides, boarding parties and booty? Well, you are not alone and there will soon be another great game on the market to quench that thirst for adventure with Golden Age of Piracy: 1718 designed by Joe Carter. I think that the best part about this game is that it is a solitaire game.
From the game page, we read the following:
Golden Age of Piracy: 1718 is a solitaire, tactical-level, open-ended sandbox game by Joe Carter, being part wargame, part adventure game, and part RPG. As the captain of a pirate ship in the Caribbean during the year 1718, you will attempt to accumulate enough booty through illicit means in order to buy a King’s pardon and retire from a life of piracy before time runs out.
Ship-to-ship combat, boarding parties, and the search for buried treasure are to name but a few of the adventures that await you on your voyages.
But beware of lurking dangers such as the destructive Kraken or the haunting Ghost Ship, all the while you sail the crystal blue Caribbean waters in pursuit of infamy and fortune!
I am not sure about any of the elements of game play but there are crew mats, which to me signals that you will be building a crew that will have skills and weapons, there are also multiple ship mats so you might have the option of customizing or upgrading your ship and a pirate ship cargo mat so that means you will have options for what type of cargo you are spending your time and money on. I am totally in on this one!
As of October 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $36,179 toward its $2,500 funding goal with 487 backers. The campaign will conclude on Wednesday, October 2nd at 10:00am EDT.
3. Operation Biting by Matt White Currently on Kickstarter
A few years ago, we posted an interview with Matt White, who is a very talented graphic artist and budding game designer, that focused on his artistic talents and love of tanks. He has since designed several very interesting small scale wargamers, with his most recent series being a World War II tactical wargame series for 1-2 players pitting the British Airborne versus the German Wehrmacht called Until the Bitter End. He then designed the next entry in this series called Until the Bitter End – US Airborne and then Until the Bitter End – Tanks. His most recent offering is called Operation Biting and is a Print n Play solitaire wargame focused on the British Airborne in a daring raid to steal secret radar plans from the Germans called the Bruneval Raid.
From the game page, we read the following:
In Operation Biting, you are in command of a group of British Airborne on a daring raid in enemy-occupied France to steal some new top secret radar. Also known as the Bruneval Raid the radar is defended by an enemy garrison, set against a snow laden cliff top. You must lead your squads, after their parachute drop, across the cliff tops and engage the enemy. On finding the radar you must then take the critical parts before escaping off the cliff tops to the beach below before being rescued by the Royal Navy.
There are several main ingredients to this game:
As the player you have very difficult decisions to make – you have several simultaneous objectives with having to contend with the both the German forces you know about and those you do not.
Lady luck plays a part, as with any military operation but your decisions and tactics are crucial, especially in how you maximise your squads and hold back the German forces. The game is not static – as you move through the map to your objectives you will be hounded by the German forces for all directions.
Getting the radar parts and getting to the beach and holding at the beach is nerve racking as you await the Navy to make good your escape, all the while being assaulted by the German defences. You must choose to what extent a fighting rear guard should be used at the cost of getting all your squads off the beach.
As of October 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $2,607 toward its modest $93 funding goal with 125 backers. The campaign will conclude on Wednesday, October 2nd at 1:44pm EDT.
4. ’65: Squad Battles in the Jungles of Vietnam 2nd Edition from Flying Pig Games Currently on Kickstarter
Several years ago, Alexander and I played ’65 when it was originally released on Kickstarter. For a look at all the various bits and pieces in the box we made an unboxing video that shows all of the KS stretch goals as well that can be picked up, of which there were many! I’m always impressed by Mark Walker’s games because he packs so much in the box, and your hard earned cash can take you really far. The rules themselves are pretty light for a squad level tactical game, especially a Vietnam game with all of the potential complexities from that war. That made ’65 quite accessible and I’d recommend it for those looking to enter the tactical side of the hobby, as well as those who are looking for a game that is high on the fun side, and low on the dreary sense of impending doom when you lose side.
Recently, Flying Pig Games launched a 2nd Edition Kickstarter campaign for the game and it looks like they have made some improvements.
From the game page, we read the following:
Fast, furious, and fun! A squad-level, tactical game, ’65 recounts the early battles of the Vietnam War, from Ia Drang to Operation Starlight, and most everything between. The large and beautiful counters (1″ to 1.375″ square) represent squads, Leaders, Heroes, Snipers, M-48 and Pt-76 tanks, and more.
As these units’ commander you will move and fight over three geomorphic game boards as you try to best your opponent in one of eight, nail-biting historical scenarios. The game is card-driven, using a system similar to Flying Pig’s Night of Man and ’85 Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires, which adds a sense of delicious uncertainty to the play. “Can I advance my sappers or does the enemy have a fire card he’s just waiting to play?” Furthermore, the cards simplify the game, containing much of the data needed to play. You won’t spend the afternoon with your head in a rule book when you play ’65. This is a game created by gamers for gamers to play.
So how does it play? The game turn is divided into a variable number of player impulses. At the start of each of their impulses, the players load their their hand with four cards. You may play a card, sometimes more, in each impulse.
The cards are used to activate units to move, fire, assault, and accomplish special tasks, such as fire 40mm grenades, rally a squad, lay smoke, throw a satchel charge (watch out for those VC and NVA Sappers!). Special cards, such as Panic or Sustained Fire, can also enhance a unit’s attacks.
For example, you can play a Move action on an American Rifle squad to move it to the limit of its movement allowance, or use a Fire action to fire the same squad at an VC team of Sappers. It’s not, however, all about you. Your opponent will often have a chance to react to your actions, or at least mitigate their effects. Of course the game includes Opportunity Fire (if the unit is eligible and the player has a Fire card), and you can disrupt the enemies’ best laid plans with a Light Wounds card that saves your Hero from elimination.
Each turn continues until the designated number of end turn cards have been drawn. Players then choose one card from their hand to keep, the administrative markers are removed from the board, and a new hand is dealt to each player. The players use that new hand, or the card kept from the previous turn, to bid for initiative in the new turn, and it all starts again.
What Makes ’65 Different?
We believe ’65 is a unique game. The art is immersive. Certainly that isn’t unique today, but we feel ’65 is one heck of a good-looking game. The card mechanic is also unique, adding a subtle layer of strategy to the tactical decisions gamers face in any squad-level game. We love the “Power” system. Action cards that state “Power” can be used to activate special capabilities on many units. We use this to provide smoke-laying, portray a squad with 40mm grenades or the NVA’s ability to ambush their enemy. Additionally, The simple anti-armor mechanic is different for this type of game. Count the distance in hexes, adjust for the firing weapon’s accuracy modifier, and draw a card. If the To Hit number is greater than the range, you hit. No fuss, little muss, We think these mechanics that make ’65 a title that war gamers will want in their collection.
As of October 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $45,493 toward its $12,000 funding goal with 357 backers. The campaign will conclude on Thursday, October 3rd at 12:00pm EDT.
5. The Great War Volume III: Caporetto 1917 from Europa Simulazioni
Monster WWI games are a bit of a unicorn! I know they exist but I have yet to play one or really even own one. Well, that statement is not necessarily totally true as I have played Gallipoli, 1915: Churchill’s Greatest Gamble from GMT Games. But recently, thanks to the ever energetic Mark Ruggiero I saw this upcoming title on the Battle of Caporetto called Caporetto 1917 from Europa Simulazioni.
From the game page, we read the following:
After Strafexpedition 1916, and Gorizia 1916, the third chapter is added to The Great War Series: Caporetto 1917. Caporetto 1917 proposes the rules of the system in their updated version, to recreate, at battalion and company level, the most famous, tragic and controversial event of the Great War on the Italian Front.
The third volume of the series proposes, in turns of 12 hours each, the first four decisive days of the battle of Caporetto, in four scenarios:
1. The historical battle: The complete battle in the first four days, with the historical disposition of the Italian Army, in which the two players are both attacking and defending, respectively manoeuvering one wing of each side: attacking with an Austro-German wing, defending with the Italian one opposite the opponent. Each player, or team of players, will have to reach their goals faster than the opponent.
2. The battle that might have been: The battle as it might have been if the Italians had been better prepared. The clash is between the Italian player, who can arrange his troops more carefully and respond more quickly to the enemy manoeuvres, and the Austro-German player, however stronger, who must break through against a prepared enemy.
3. The Battle of Cividale: The final phase of the breakthrough on the Italian right flank. A short scenario, to learn the system, or commit a little time.
4. The Fall of Monte Maggiore: The final phase of the breakthrough on the Italian left flank. This is also a short and undemanding scenario.
This one looks to be a very big (monster?) wargame with 1,400 counters but only a single 22×34″ map with a second smaller reduced map of the Tolmin beachhead. I am very much intrigued by this one and am going to put a pre-order in straight away.
If you are interested in Caporetto 1917, you can pre-order a copy for € 59.00 ($65.59 in US Dollars) from the Europa Simulazioni website at the following link: Europa Simulazioni (italianwars.net)
This game is currently at the printer and they are saying that it could be shipping in mid to late October so act fast!
6. Small Battles of the American Revolution, Volume I: The Battle of Cowpens from GMT Games
While attending the World Boardgaming Championships this past July, I was able to meet up with Dave Stiffler (acting as Developer on the project) and Bruno Sinigaglio who is the designer to get an early look at the upcoming debut release in the Small BoAR Series called The Battle of Cowpens.
I didn’t get any pictures because they didn’t have the components along to show but learned a lot about the design and how it changes the Battles of the American Revolution Series from GMT Games. First off, the scale is the major difference as it is 1/8th of the scale used in the normal series. This means 25 yard hexes and 2-3 men per counter. They also have included both rifle fire and musket fire which is a change as musket fire is simply an abstracted part of the close combat mechanic in BoAR. They also have added some new mechanics to account better for things like morale and being shaken or even shattered.
I have known about this game for a few months, actually nearly a year or so, but am very excited to see this one added to the P500 and hope that the reception is great and that the game does well because I would like to see more small battles covered in future volumes.
From the game page, we read the following:
Two critical battles were considered turning points in the American Revolutionary War: the Battle of Saratoga in New York and the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina. The Battle of Cowpens was a catalyst to a series of events that led eventually to the surrender of the British at Yorktown. Small BoAR Volume I, The Battle of Cowpens, puts players directly into the milieu of this decisive contest.
The goal of the Small BoAR design concept is to include small yet critical battles that otherwise do not fit the scale of the historically simulating and highly successful Battles of the American Revolution (BoAR) system designed by Mark Miklos. This new system, aptly termed Small Battles of the American Revolution (Small BoAR), was designed by Bruno Sinigaglio working closely with Mark Miklos to preserve the continuity and popularity of the original Battles of the American Revolution game system.
Although extremely important to the history of the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Cowpens involved slightly over 1000 participants per side. In the Battles of the American Revolution system, which represents 100 men per strength point, this would equate to only ten or so combat factors per side. The scale for the battle of Cowpens, on the other hand, is 12 men per strength point, or one-eighth that of the BoAR system. The map scale is also correspondingly reduced to 25 yards per hex from the BoAR scale of 200 yards per hex. The time scale is approximately four minutes per turn as compared with one hour per turn in BoAR.
I think that one of the best parts of this new series, aside from the size and scope of the battles covered being smaller, is that they have not just rested on their laurels and reproduced the BoAR System but have added new mechanics and elements to better deal with these battles and to model the smaller scale battles.
Although Army Morale, the game-within-the-game in BoAR, is faithfully preserved in Small BoAR, and the Small BoAR sequence of play resembles that of BoAR and will look familiar to anyone who has played games in the original series, certain novel elements appropriate to the new scaling have been added. These include:
The ability to designate cavalry units in reserve
Artillery Fire conducted both offensively and defensively
Simultaneous ranged musket Fire as a complement to ranged rifle fire
A Cavalry Reserve Phase where units designated in Reserve may charge after the normal Close Combat Phase
And Opportunity Card Management
As mentioned earlier, I had the honor of sitting down with Bruno Sinigaglio and Dave Stiffler to discuss this new series and The Battle of Cowpens. Here is a link to that video interview:
If you are interested in Small Battles of the American Revolution, Volume I: The Battle of Cowpens, you can pre-order a copy for $48.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1140-the-battle-of-cowpens.aspx
7. Twilight Struggle 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Edition from GMT Games
As if you don’t know but Twilight Struggle is a 2-player game simulating the forty-five year ideological struggle known as the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States which can be played in 2-3 hours. The entire world is the stage on which these two countries “fight” to make the world safe for their own ideologies and way of life. The game starts right after the end of World War II in the midst of the ruins of Europe as the two new “superpowers” of the world squabble over what is left and ends in 1989, when only the United States remained standing.
I remember my first impressions of Twilight Struggle was that it needed some graphic design improvements and the game just didn’t grab me visually but that was all erased the first time we played as the topic and the mechanics just really spoke to me. This game was our gateway to the CDG mechanic and I still have a real soft spot in my heart for it. Well, this month I got my wish and this new edition of TS with upgraded art is now on the P500.
From the game page, we read the following comments and a bit about the history of Twilight Struggle on the new offering:
“Twilight Struggle is my all-time favorite game. It is a brilliant first design by the team of Jason Matthews and Ananda Gupta. It takes the card-driven genre of games like We The People, Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage, and Wilderness War to its highest peak. Every game is different and the game gets better and better as you become more familiar with the individual cards. You are surprised as hidden combos are revealed game after game. Every turn is filled with tension as you try to figure out the best way to play the hand of cards you’ve been dealt. Gaming simply doesn’t get any better than this”. – Alan R. Moon
That quote from legendary designer Alan Moon, spoken not long after Twilight Struggle was released in 2005, helped sell out the game’s first print run and introduced thousands of gamers to Twilight Struggle. Fortunately, they mostly shared Alan’s opinion of the game and they told their friends. Soon, a groundswell of play and support for the game ran rampant across the gaming community as tens of thousands of players immersed themselves in the tense competition and compelling storytelling of Twilight Struggle. As a result, Twilight Struggle was the #1 ranked game on BGG for over five years, something no other game has achieved.
Soon there was a digital version of the game for Steam and tablets, introducing hundreds of thousands of additional gamers to GMT’s most commercially and critically successful all-time game and supporting a total of twelve sold-out versions of the boardgame. And over those years, the awards rolled in, reflecting the joy and challenge that Twilight Struggle brought to so many gamers: BGG Golden Geek Game of the Year, IGA Game of the Year, Charles Roberts Awards, and more.
Then, in the summer of 2024 at its Origins convention, GAMA (Game Manufacturers of America) bestowed on Twilight Struggle its most prestigious award, inducting Twilight Struggle into the GAMA Hall of Fame. Designers Ananda Gupta and Jason Matthews attended the awards ceremony and jointly accepted the honor on their behalf and for all of the Twilight Struggle team at GMT.
As we now approach the 20th anniversary of the game’s release, and in light of the recent Hall of Fame honor, we are thrilled to announce a new edition of our most successful game. We invite you to check out Twilight Struggle 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Edition.
So what exactly is new and different about this edition:
Twilight Struggle 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Edition adds even more beauty and play options to the original game. Here are some of the additions you’ll see in this new Edition:
A brand new game box by the incomparable Terry Leeds
A double sided map with a new Terry Leeds map on the front and the familiar Deluxe Edition Mark Simonitch map on the back
The Turn Zero and Alternative Space Race variants included.
A new alt-history scenario, “Red Sun Rising” with new cards.
A collection of promotional cards including the Kickstarter Promo Packs #1 and #2 and a selection of promo cards from foreign editions of Twilight Struggle
A background booklet including retrospective essays from the designers
We cannot think of a better way to commemorate the Cold War, this vital piece of world history, than with our freshest and richest version of Twilight Struggle to date.
Here is a comment from Gene found at the beginning of the Update about this game offering:
We’re really proud of Jason and Ananda and what they and their brilliant game have meant to GMT over these past 20 years—and for all of the TS team that helped to make their design vision a reality. And we’re so honored and really happy that Twilight Struggle was inducted into the GAMA Hall of Fame at Origins this past summer. That is a rare honor. So, to celebrate both the 20th Anniversary of Twilight Struggle and it’s HoF induction, we are adding a new Twilight Struggle 20th Anniversary Hall of Fame Edition to our P500 list this month. As you can see from the artwork, this is a beautiful new edition, featuring a new box and mounted map from Terry Leeds (with the Mark Simonitch map on the back side) as well as all new card fronts (we’re keeping the backs standard so there’s no problem mixing in cards from other versions). It’s also chock-full of a lot of new or hard-to-find play value, with a new scenario and a variety of cards and other game add-ons all in one new package.
With the recent advances in art and production, I have often longed for GMT to retouch some of their best games and give them the art and components that they deserve. It looks like this might be the first step in that direction and I would argue there are other great games that deserve a similar treatment including Here I Stand, Labyrinth, Wilderness War and others.
8. Salerno ’43: The Allied Invasion of Italy, September 1943, 2nd Printing from GMT Games
As you know, we have really enjoyed our plays of games designed by Mark Simonitch, including Holland ’44, Stalingrad ’42, Caesar: Rome vs. Gaul and most recently North Africa ’41. He has an amazing ability to boil down all the elements involved and come out with a very playable simulation of the historical event. A few years ago, his focus on the Italian campaigns of WWII started with his game called Salerno ’43, which covers the Allied invasion of mainland Italy in September 1943. We really liked our plays of Salerno ’43 and have been very much looking forward to the other games in this promised trilogy that will take us to the end of the war in Italy in May 1945 with the capture of Mussolini.
But, in the meantime, Salerno ’43 has sold well and they are now offering a 2nd Printing for those that missed the game the first time around.
From the game page, we read the following:
Salerno ‘43 is a regiment/brigade-level game on the Allied invasion of mainland Italy in September 1943. Two British and two American divisions land in the Bay of Salerno defended by the full strength 16th Panzer Division, which is soon reinforced by five other German mechanized divisions. For 8 days the survival of the beachhead is in doubt, and emergency measures are taken to reinforce the beachhead with the 82nd Airborne Division. With their counter-attack stopped and the British Eighth Army approaching from the south, the Germans withdraw their left flank to avoid being trapped. However, their right flank stubbornly holds back the British from pushing north to Naples.
Salerno ’43 uses the exact same map, unit, and time scales as Normandy ’44, providing an excellent way to compare these two invasions. Salerno ’43 uses a modified Normandy ’44 game system. With a smaller size, the game is easier to learn and play than its predecessor.
Salerno ’43 includes two scenarios: an 8-turn Invasion Scenario and a 24-turn Campaign Game. In the Campaign Game, the Allies must exit the north map edge by the end of September 1943. The Germans must delay the Allies to give time for the construction of the Gustav Line further north. The 8-turn scenario can be finished in an afternoon.
If you are interested in Salerno ’43: The Allied Invasion of Italy, September 1943, 2nd Printing, you can pre-order a copy for $35.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1136-salerno-43-2nd-printing.aspx
9. The Plum Island Horror, 3rd Printing from GMT Games
Man this is such a good game! Not a wargame I understand but an amazing game. While attending Buckeye Game Fest earlier this year, we had a great opportunity to play a 4-player game of The Plum Island Horror from GMT Games with designer Hermann Luttmann and ID Jester (Kirk) from the War Room YouTube. If you aren’t aware, The Plum Island Horror is a cooperative game that focuses on 6 unique factions which represent the various groups that populate Plum Island fighting against an outbreak of “zombies” called Horrors. Each faction has their own strengths and weaknesses, and the cooperative system forces players to work together and use their abilities wisely to stay alive and perform lots of different tasks like repair damaged bridges to ease movement, evacuate civilians for points and protect key areas against the continually spawning hordes of Horrors that will keep coming and move down various tracks.
We played a new scenario that is being playtested for the upcoming expansion called The Governor’s Decree Scenario. We had to protect specific locations on the board and also use civilians to attempt to do well enough to get the Governor reelected. We started off really roughly with several very bad events that spawned lots of Horrors as well as murder hornets and poison rats but we worked together well and held the horse back to bring our score to zero VP which was enough to win the scenario. Man this game was a lot of fun and was really interesting. It had everything you want in a cooperative survival based game. Tough choices, bad events and really challenging game play. This was our first play and I can’t wait to get it back to the table.
From the game page, we read the following:
The Plum Island Horror is a 1 to 4 player game featuring cooperative play that combines tactical-level unit management with a tower-defense style survival mechanic. Each player will control one of six unique factions which represent the various groups that populate Plum Island. Each of these Factions has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the system encourages you to optimize for the group’s strengths and marginalize its weaknesses. Players must coordinate with one another, and the resulting synergy will hopefully be enough to successfully evacuate a city under siege and contain the horrific outbreak that threatens to spread beyond the island itself. If the players can succeed, they will win together, and the world will most likely be none the wiser to the averted crisis. If not, they will lose together and share the blame equally for failing humankind.
The Plum Island Horror features a variable turn order system accomplished by drawing Turn Order Cubes from a bag made up of four faction-activation cubes, three Horror-activation cubes, and one “Impending Doom” cube. When a player’s activation cube is drawn, they may move each of their units and then select actions to perform. If a Horrors Cube is drawn, the players must Spawn and Activate a number of Horrors units depending on a Fate Card draw. With the Impending Doom Cube, an Event Card is drawn and immediately resolved. There are always eight Turn Order Cubes in the Turn Order Bag regardless of the player count. For the solo mode, the player will simply play the 2-player version and control both Factions. The 2-player mode has each player controlling one Faction. However, each player also has two faction-activation cubes in the bag (two for each faction). In the 3-player game, each player plays one Faction, but there is a “Wild” faction-activation cube added to the bag; when it’s drawn, the players must decide which faction will take the extra activation. Finally, in the 4-player game, each player controls one Faction that receives one Turn Order Cube.
10. Napoleonic Battles in the Peninsula (Batallas Napoleonicas En La Peninsula) from Draco Ideas Currently on Verkami Creative Crowdfunding
Solitaire games are all the rage now! I am very much happy with that statement and love to see publishers putting out smaller, less costly solitaire wargames. Recently, I came across a new offering from Draco Ideas that is a solitaire book wargame that has some counters, possibly even miniatures and custom dice as purchase options called Napoleonic Battles in the Peninsula (Batallas Napoleonicas En La Peninsula). This one looks fantastic!
From the game page, we read the following:
Welcome to Napoleonic Battles in the Peninsula (Batallas Napoleonicas En La Peninsula). A solitaire gamebook set during the battles of the War of Independence.
You will be in charge of units of very different sizes, from hundreds to thousands of men under your command, seeking to achieve victory by controlling key objectives in such emblematic battles as La Coruña or Talavera. Napoleonic Battles in the Peninsula offers you 20 battles to play alone, which you can enjoy commanding the troops of each faction, with the Spanish, Portuguese and British allies, against the French. This way, you can play the Battle of Talavera, for example, as Sir Arthur Wellesley or as Marshal Soult.
Solo game.
You can also enjoy it in a 1v1 version, using the same rules for both players with a minor adjustment to the battle settings.
20 scenarios with emblematic battles during the War of Independence.
Achieve victory by eliminating all enemy forces or by completing the specific objective indicated in each scenario.
Each scenario features a hexagonal grid map and instructions for deploying player and AI units and their behavior.
Units display a number with their combat strength, which along with the unit type, its target and terrain modifiers, will attack with more or less dice.
There are 4 types of units : infantry, cavalry, commander and artillery, each with their own characteristics.
Terrain influences combat, altering the number of dice rolled.
Includes a simple line of sight system.
AI management is very agile. Each scenario tells us where they deploy and how their units behave according to their type.
There also is an option to get customized dice as well as a set of 77 miniature soldiers to use rather than counters. These minis just look really great with infantry, cavalry and artillery units represented.
1. Advanced Squad Leader Arnhem 2024 from Multi-Man Publishing
For those of you out there that are addicted to Advanced Squad Leader and building your every growing collection, here is an opportunity to get a unique module on one of the most interesting campaigns of WWII in Operation Market-Garden. This is a module that was used at a recent ASL Tournament being held in Arnhem, Netherlands.
From the game page, we read the following:
Advanced Squad Leader Arnhem 2024 is a scenario pack that features four new scenarios covering actions between British and German forces around Arnhem during Operation MARKET GARDEN in September 1944. ASL Arnhem 2024 will be released at the Arnhem ASL Tournament held September 12-15, 2024.
ASL Arnhem 2024 contains four ASL scenarios:
AR1 Broken Column – 8.5 turns, 17 September 1944, near Oosterbeek,The Netherlands
AR2 Sheep In Wolf’s Clothing – 6 turns, 18 September 1944, GinkelHeath, The Netherlands
AR3 Bricks In Flames – 5.5 turns, 18 September 1944, Renkum, The Netherlands
AR4 The Overlook – 5.5 turns, 21 September 1944, Oosterbeek, The Netherlands
Just for your information, the proceeds from the sale of this pack will benefit the Airborne Museum at Hartenstein and the Airborne Museum at the Bridge.
If you are interested in ASL Arnhem 2024, you can order a copy for $10.00 from the Multi-Man Publishing website at the following link: https://mmpgamers.com/asl-arnhem-2024-p-416
2. Victory at Sea, Original 1992 Edition from Compass Games
I was once told that a true wargame has to involve naval action. And games with naval action have always been pretty interesting in my opinion. Compass Games continues to roll out updated editions of these classic wargames from the 70’s and 80’s and their most recent offering is Victory at Sea designed by John Edwards.
From the game page, we read the following:
Victory at Sea, Original 1992 Edition is a strategic level game developed from Jedko’s popular naval game, War at Sea. This two-player game refights the Battle of the Atlantic in every detail. This is a game of Grand Strategy with each player assuming the role of an Admiral of the Fleet and trying to control the sea areas that are important to his nation’s interests. The rules are easy to learn, and yet require cunning strategies to achieve ultimate victory. An ideal wargame for beginner’s, Victory at Sea also serves as a fast-playing, tense contest for experience gamers.
The Allied player, although possessing a mighty armada of English and American ships, faces a difficult task. The Kreigsmarine’s powerful battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz present a formidable threat. Control of the Mediterranean must be wrested from an elusive Italian fleet. Vital convoys have to be protected from stalking U-Boats and audacious German surface raiders. Oilers in the Atlantic allow ships such as the Graf Spee to elude pursuit whilst harassing Allied vessels. The Axis player has a small fleet by comparison to the Allies, but a shrewd strategy can exhaust his opponent and win the war.
Victory at Sea allows you to recreate every major aspect of the naval war. The game mechanics include Admirals, port repair facilities, the invasion of France, U-Boat technology, surface raiders & oilers, the British Home Fleet, critical hits & damage control, limited intelligence, airpower, mines, and convoys. Components include a colorful mounted mapboard and 117 large counters representing all major German, Italian, British, American and Russian capital ships of the European theater.
3. Rifle Squad US at Omaha Beach: A Solitaire Wargame from Mike Lambo Solitaire Book Games
A few months ago, I gave this system a try and I very much enjoyed my experience with Lone Sherman: The Pacific. Mike Lambo has created a system of simple tactical level solitaire book wargames that have done very well over the past couple years and have many devotees. The newest volume is Rifle Squad US at Omaha Beach and is available on Amazon for purchase.
From the game page, we read the following:
The D-Day landings took place on June 6th, 1944. Taking Omaha beach was the responsibility of US soldiers. The main objective was to secure a beachhead five miles inland and to link Gold beach with Utah beach. Just over half the German defenders were battle hardened combat soldiers, and were generally positioned in strongpoints along the coast. In Rifle Squad US at Omaha Beach, the player will take control of a single Rifle Squad consisting of 12 men. The exploits of the Squad can be played out in a Campaign across 3 Missions, chosen at random on each playthrough. The first Mission will consist of a beach landing, the second Mission will require the soldiers to push inland and the third Mission will require them to take the final Objective for victory. Injured soldiers, unless healed by the medic, will be ineffective for the remainder of the Mission, but will recover for the next Mission. Soldiers killed in action in any Mission will be unavailable for the rest of the Campaign.
The aim of this game is to present a set of clear and easy to read rules, beautiful Mission Maps and clear, useful game counters. Individual Missions within a Campaign can be played in around an hour or so, and each one should provide endless replayability.
This game is a solitaire wargame. You play the game, and the enemy is controlled by the game. Ideally, you will need 9 standard six-sided dice, although the number of dice needed can easily be reduced simply by rolling fewer dice several times as required. It is highly recommended that the counters provided on the final page of the game are used to play this game. Simply stick them to card and cut them out. A video demonstrating how generally to do this can be found on the Mike Lambo Solitaire Book Games YouTube channel.
I have very much enjoyed this system and haver ordered this game and can’t wait to give it a try to see how it differs. Just be aware that this is a solitaire book wargame and you will have to cut out the counters and various markers to play the game so get ready for some arts and crafts time.
If you are interested in Rifle Squad US at Omaha Beach: A Solitaire Wargame from Mike Lambo Solitaire Book Games, you can order a copy for $22.99 from Amazon at the following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGX1YPTJ
4. Save Afghanistan, Comrade! from Fortress Games
In late 2021, I came across a new WWII solitaire bombing campaign game called 20th Air Force: A Solitaire Game of the Strategic Bombing Campaign against Japan: 1944-1945 while perusing the internet from a newer company called Fortress Games. I played it and really enjoyed the interesting mechanics and systems used. Since that time, they have released a few additional solitaire games and now they are doing reprints of those games but are adding better more upgraded components including a box and mounted mapboards. One such game is Save Afghanistan, Comrade!
From the game page, we read the following:
It is December, 1979. Hafizullah Amin, a dedicated communist, leads Afghanistan ineffectually. In Moscow, his Soviet handlers at the Politburo chafe under what they see as his failure to unify what may be an increasingly unravelling national unity. Leonid Brezhnev, the aging Party Secretary, has been slowly but certainly convinced by the hawks on the Politburo that, absent decisive Russian action, Afghanistan will fall from the Soviet orbit.
In what they see as a likely short and decisive “regime change” action, the Politburo signs an order on December 15th directing Soviet forces to deploy throughout Afghanistan under the guise of assisting Amin, while the elite Spetsnaz plan to storm Amin’s palace outside Kabul and liquidate him. In good order and according to plan, Soviet forces occupy bases throughout the country and on December 27, 1979, Amin’s palace is stormed and he is shot dead (then grenaded for good measure) and replaced by pliant Soviet puppet Babrak Karmal. Soviet casualties in the assault are acceptable in what is viewed as a tremendous success. That view, they would learn, could not have been further from the truth.
Welcome to the Great Game, Cold War version. Save Afghanistan, Comrade! pits you as the Soviets and the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against the rebellious Mujahadeen for dominance in Afghanistan. Can you defeat them and create a stable and lasting communist Afghan nation on the USSR’s southern border? Or will you, like Brezhnev’s Soviet Union, find the Mujahadeen to be a stubborn and ultimately indomitable enemy? You begin in December 1979. Amin is dead, Karmal in power, but unexpectedly the Afghan army and security forces have essentially dissolved.
COMRADE: REESTABLISH ORDER, CRUSH MUJAHADEEN RESISTANCE, AND REBUILD THE AFGHAN POLICE AND ARMY!!!
A large inventory of Save Afghanistan, Comrade! is on a ship to Los Angeles and should arrive in our warehouse in October, 2024! So, we are now making the game available on “backorder” in the USA (see “BUY it! U.S.A.” below).
The NEW boxed version comes in a 11.5″ x 9″ x 2″ book case box, with a MOUNTED GAME BOARD and cool new optional rules! Select the “USA” option below, you’ll be taken to a “backorder” option and the game will ship to you as top priority when inventory arrives.
5. Mud & Blood: The Campaign of Lodz 1914 from Three Crowns Games
About a year ago or so, I came across a great looking little game publisher in Three Crowns Games and their at the time new game Iskra:Spark of Victory. We did an interview with the designer of that game Stefan Ekström and the product was really a great looking little game. They now have a new offering that is ready to ship called Mud & Blood: The Campaign of Lodz 1914 designed by Stefan Ekstöm and Jan Larsson.
From the game page, we read the following:
After the disastrous defeat at Tannenberg in August 1914, Russia redeemed itself by defeating the Austrians in Galicia as well as the Germans in the Ivangorod-Warsaw campaign. Now having proved being able to fight and defeat the Germans, the Emperor Tsar Nikolai, still honoring the agreement with France, wanted to take the battlefield back in to Germany again. This time aiming directly to the heartland of Germany. Silesia. Hindenburg, the German commander of the Eastern Front had other plans. Through timely and accurate intelligence, Hindenburg knew exactly what was in the making, and a plan took form to repeat his crushing victory at the Battle of Tannenberg, by hitting the Russian flank as it moved into Silesia. By yet another masterpiece in logistical planning and execution, the Germans managed to move the reinforced Ninth Army under the command of the later legendary General August von Makensen by 80 trains per day in less than 10 days to a position outside Thorn in order to attack the advancing Russian steamrollers’ right flank.
The Battle of Lodz was to become one of the largest and most complex battles of the maneuver-period of World War 1. Deep operations, flank maneuvers and encirclements under harsh winter conditions made command and control chaotic. Mud & Blood recreates this setting making it a perfect re-encounter battle where both players need to carefully plan their moves in order not to create a disaster.
If you are interested in Mud & Blood: The Campaign of Lodz 1914, you can order a copy for 45,00 € ($50.16 in US Dollars) from the Three Crowns Games website at the following link: https://www.threecrownsgames.com/product-page/mud-blood
6. Bombs Away! Print ‘n Play from Black Cat Wargames on Wargame Vault
This month in the category of interesting looking print and play solitaire wargame is a new one I found on Wargame Vault called Bombs Away! from Black Cat Wargames. The game is designed by Joe Carter and has several available expansions that you can add on.
From the game page, we read the following:
Bombs Away! is a tactical-level, narrative-style solitaire wargame using a tables-based game engine simulating the USAAF 8th Air Force precision daylight bombing campaign against Germany during 1942-1945.
As the pilot of a United States Army Air Force B-17 heavy bomber during 1942-1945, your ultimate goal is to complete either 25 or 35 bombing missions inside Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, while at the same time bringing your aircraft and crew home safely. It won’t be easy, but England, America, and all of occupied Europe are depending on you. Don’t let them down!
With most of the rules integrated into the tables, there is practically no learning curve or rules memorization. And with detailed damage modeling, fuel management, numerous crewmen skills, mission weather effects, random events, and a multitude of table modifiers, Bombs Away! offers memorable experiences and high replay value. Are you up to the challenge of suriving a tour of duty?
7. In Harm’s Way: Battles in the Dutch East Indies, 1942 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. Their newest offering is a naval game called In Harm’s Way: Battles in the Dutch East Indies, 1942.
From the game page, we read the following:
In Harm’s Way portrays four famous naval battles fought in early months of WWII for control of the Dutch East Indies (Badung Strait, Balikpapan, Sunda Strait and Java Sea). Although severely out numbered by the Japanese, the American, British, Dutch and Australian (ABDA) naval units fought valiantly, earning their places in naval history. Players will be challenged to do as well, or better, than their historical counter parts.
Each copy of In Harm’s Way is composed of the following:
• One 11 by 17 inch map with game record keeping tracks • 170 unmounted, double-sided units • Four sets of rules (one for each game, each of 5 or 6 pages)
Naval units represent one vessel, and hex side and turn length varies for each of the four games. Player’s use a standard deck of playing cards (a custom card set is available from the publisher) to activate units and six-sided die to resolve combats. The game is designed by Paul Rohrbaugh and features graphics by Bruce Yearian.
If you are interested in In Harm’s Way: Battles in the Dutch East Indies, 1942 from High Flying Dice Games, you can order a copy for $18.95 from the High Flying Dice Games website at the following link: https://www.hfdgames.com/ihw.html
8. Breaking the Chains 2.0:War in the South China Sea from Compass Games
Compass Games has another naval focused wargame ready to go and it is a future war look at the South China Sea with a 2nd Edition of Breaking the Chains designed by John Gorkowski.
From the game page, we read the following:
Breaking the Chains2.0 simulates a hypothetical, albeit very plausible, future military conflict over the South and East China Seas around the year 2020. This new 2.0 edition features a MOUNTED map, upgraded counters, and updates for incorporating errata, colorized rules book, new Designer Notes and FAQ, and four new scenarios.
Conflicting claims of sovereignty have roiled those “near seas” since the Cold War. After decades of patient diplomacy, Beijing’s new navy could offer military options for finally asserting sovereignty over prizes within the First Island Chain – that string of islands which runs from the Ryukus south through Taiwan, the Philippines and then curls back to the mainland via Malaysia. BtC presumes that China comes to blows with a Southeast Asian country in a conflict that could expand to possibly include: Australia, India, Japan, the United States as well as a variety of Southeast Asian nations. However, beyond China and one South East Asian nation, the exact composition of opposing coalitions is not predetermined but rather a function of the decisions players make as the game unfolds.
Two or more people play BtC with two reference cards, dice, and about 350 counters on a 22″ X 34″ map where each hex spans about 70 nautical miles (80 land miles) and each turn represents one day of real time. Players alternate maneuvering air, ground and naval units for up to 14 nations to resolve battles with a universal “strike” mechanism that applies across all types of combat; missile defense capabilities are central to survival. Air units represent from 30-90 aircraft each, most ground units are regiments, and naval units are small groups of surface ships/submarines or individual aircraft carriers. Specialized chit play simulates black ops, cyber warfare and various political developments.
9. Comanchería: The Rise and Fall of the Comanche Empire, 2nd Printing from GMT Games
I really love the system used in these solitaire First Nation wargames created by Joel Toppen. My first introduction to the series was Comanchería, which is the 2nd game in the series, and I really enjoyed the system and how intelligent the AI was as I lost my first 3 or 4 plays. But I kept at it and finally won the game and now have moved on to play the longer game and have won it, although I have been steamrolled several times. This one had a 2nd Printing added a few years ago and it is finally ready for shipping and I would recommend that you get this one as it is really good.
From the game page, we read the following:
Comanchería: The Rise and Fall of the Comanche Empire is Joel Toppen’s second game design which tells the story of the First Nations people of North America. Like Navajo Wars, Comanchería is a SOLITAIRE game in which the player plays the role of the Numunuu, the Comanche people.
Using mechanics similar to Navajo Wars, Comanchería challenges the player to conquer and control the southern plains of North America. It won’t be easy, however! Aggressive northern tribes like the Osage, Pawnee, Cheyenne, and Arapahoes will challenge your dominance of the hunting grounds. The colony of New Mexico has expansionist ambitions from the west. To the south lies Mexico and its new colony of Texas. And to the east lies the greatest threat of all: the United States of America.
Heavily outnumbered by the colonial powers, you will need to use your superior mobility and tactical prowess to conquer and then maintain your empire against a relentless tide of hostile encroachment. Along the way you will witness historical events like the opening of the Santa Fé Trail, the Indian Removal Act, the founding of the Texas Republic, and the American Civil War from an entirely fresh perspective: through the eyes of the Lords of the Southern Plains?
Here are a few Action Point posts I wrote several years ago that will give you insight into how the game plays and some of the mechanics:
GMT Games will be charging for this title in mid-October with shipping to follow after.
10. Holland ’44: Operation Market-Garden, September 1944 2nd Printing from GMT Games
Alexander and I both loved Holland ’44. I loved it so much that I included it at #8 on my Top 10 Wargames Released in 2017 list (was that really 7 years ago?). Holland ’44 is a fantastic ballet of mechanics that creates a very interesting and extremely challenging game for both the Allies, who are racing up Hell’s Highway to take three key bridges to enable an invasion over the Rhine River and into Germany proper, ending the war by December 1944, and the Germans who are desperately trying to prevent the Allies from reaching their goals through the use of explosives to blow bridges, and trying their best to envelope and eradicate the 1st Airborne desperately trying to capture Arnhem Bridge until the cavalry in the form of XXX Corps can arrive.
From the game page, we read the following:
Holland ’44 is a two-player game depicting the Allies’ combined ground and airborne attack in the Netherlands during WWII, which was code named Operation Market-Garden.
The game starts with the airborne landings on September 17th and continues until September 23rd. The Allied player must rush his ground forces forward as fast as possible to relieve his beleaguered airborne divisions and capture a bridge across the Rhine. Each day has three turns—two daylight turns representing 6 hours each and one night turn representing 12 hours. The total length of the game is 20 turns. A short scenario covering the first critical 10 turns is included. The scale of the map is 2 kilometers per hex and covers the battlefield from the Belgium border to Arnhem. The map also includes the area where the British 8th Corps fought on the right flank of 30th Corps.
Most units in Holland ‘44 are battalions, but some company size units are included. Holland ’44 uses a system very similar to Ardennes ‘44. It is basically a simple move-fight, I-go then u-go game. If you have played Ardennes ‘44 or Normandy ‘44, you will have no trouble learning the game. Rules such as ZOC Bonds, Determined Defense, Extended Movement, and Traffic Markers all make their reappearance. Due to the terrain of the Netherlands, special attention was given to river crossings, bridge building, and fighting in the flat polder terrain.
If you are interested in Holland ’44: Operation Market-Garden, September 1944 2nd Printing, you can order a copy for $60.00 (but if you hurry you can still get the P500 discount price before they charge of $40.00) from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-938-holland-44-2nd-edition.aspx
GMT Games will be charging for this title in mid-October with shipping to follow after.
11. Long Century Operations Series: Risorgimento from Conflict Simulations Limited
Ray Weiss with Conflict Simulations Limited is a bit of a lightning rod for some interesting things but he is a good designer and he always comes up with interesting looking games. This new Long Century Operations Series deals with various battles in the Second War of Italian Independence and this one focuses on Risorgimento.
This game is intended to be a standalone variant of the campaign game for the Solferino Quad.
From the game page, we read the following:
This is the newest/latest version of the game engine I introduced years ago with 1870 – The War Against the Empire. It is an operational system focusing on command, resource management and force projection. This game includes 2 scenarios, one covering the 1859 campaign and the other shorter scenario covering the campaign starting at Magenta.
ATTN: This is a standalone variant of the campaign game included in the Solferino Quad – this option is meant to be more affordable for those only interested in the campaign and not the individual battles. Now Shipping.
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.
Finally, thanks once again to this month’s sponsor Neva Wargames!
It’s nice that Twilight Struggle is getting a new paint job and it’s a game that I enjoy playing every day on my iPad, but…
The better strategic game about the Cold War is 2 Minutes to Midnight (and it deserves more attention). The integration of espionage, tachnology development, and global financial activites against a backdrop of a potential nuclear weapons crisis is just more involved and engaging than the (now) somewhat pedantic card play in TS.
I think that your point is valid but the 2 Minutes to Midnight designer had the advantage of being able to use TS as a model and then expand upon it. I think that TS was a game ahead of its time a bit and other games have copied that formula but added more flavor and bits to it to better reflect the situation. I still play TS on my computer weekly and still enjoy it. I have played 2 Minutes to Midnight and also enjoy it and need to play it some more to get more comfortable with it.
Thank you Grant — always learn something new from your blog posts. The Boxer Rebellion game from Neva is now on my radar, as is 2 Minutes to Midnight (I P500’d the TS edition as well as Italy ’43, RDR, et al). And now I am looking at Bill’s new calendar!
Awesome post, love seeing what coming up in war games.
Speaking of which, did you see that Italia 1917-1918: A Farewell to Arms (Nuts! Publishing) just released the same-ish battle as The Great War Volume III: Caporetto 1917 from Europa Simulazioni. Are guys going to try out both? Be very curious to hear how they differ, which one is more playable.
The Players' Aid 
Wow thank you so much Bill
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
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No problem Bill. You are welcome and I hope the calendar sales go well.
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It’s nice that Twilight Struggle is getting a new paint job and it’s a game that I enjoy playing every day on my iPad, but…
The better strategic game about the Cold War is 2 Minutes to Midnight (and it deserves more attention). The integration of espionage, tachnology development, and global financial activites against a backdrop of a potential nuclear weapons crisis is just more involved and engaging than the (now) somewhat pedantic card play in TS.
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I think that your point is valid but the 2 Minutes to Midnight designer had the advantage of being able to use TS as a model and then expand upon it. I think that TS was a game ahead of its time a bit and other games have copied that formula but added more flavor and bits to it to better reflect the situation. I still play TS on my computer weekly and still enjoy it. I have played 2 Minutes to Midnight and also enjoy it and need to play it some more to get more comfortable with it.
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Point taken. It’s just that 2MTM has sooo much more under the hood. And somehow has well balanced, assymetrical game play, too.
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Thank you Grant — always learn something new from your blog posts. The Boxer Rebellion game from Neva is now on my radar, as is 2 Minutes to Midnight (I P500’d the TS edition as well as Italy ’43, RDR, et al). And now I am looking at Bill’s new calendar!
Cheers!
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I am glad to hear. Thanks.
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Hi Grant,
Awesome post, love seeing what coming up in war games.
Speaking of which, did you see that Italia 1917-1918: A Farewell to Arms (Nuts! Publishing) just released the same-ish battle as The Great War Volume III: Caporetto 1917 from Europa Simulazioni. Are guys going to try out both? Be very curious to hear how they differ, which one is more playable.
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We are considering it. We have a copy of Italia 1917-1918: A Farewell to Arms and just need to get a copy of Caporetto.
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