This month has just been so very busy! I recently had COVID for the 2nd time and was out of commission for about 4 days but found time in between the fever dreams and coughing bouts to put together another jam packed edition of Wargame Watch. This month, I was able to find a total of 26 games either on pre-order, new release or on Crowdfunding. Of those games, there were 8 total on Crowdfunding platforms including 5 on Kickstarter and 3 on Gamefound. I hope you enjoy looking through the list this month!
Again this month, we have a sponsor for the Wargame Watch post in Blue Panther. Blue Panther mostly offers printing services as owner Steve Jones has worked hard to partner with several fantastic game companies including Hollandspiele, Catastrophe Games, White Dog Games, War Diary Magazine, Schutze Games, Red Sash Games, The Historical Game Company and recently Homegrown Design to produce their games and get them out to your tables. But they are not just a printer as they also produce and publish their own games through the Blue Panther label. Their newest releases have included Tattered Flags No. 01: Into the Whirlpool from designer Hermann Luttmann, Raider Drop Zone: A Game of MAN versus ALIEN and THE INVASION of PLANET KRAKEN from designer Keith Tracton and coming soon is The Pursuit of John Wilkes Booth from designer Wes Crawford.
We will highlight several of their games in this post, including those from their partners, but one that I wanted to bring special attention to is a very interesting and unique game that should be able to be purchased this month called The Pursuit of John Wilkes Booth designed by Wes Crawford. I was fortunate enough to be able to play this game while attending the World Boardgaming Championships this past July and after playing got a chance to sit down with Wes and discuss the design. Here is a link to that video interview:
I was also able to get Steve to give me their upcoming game releases and planned projects for the next several months and they have a lot going on there. Just keep in mind that all dates are tentative, with the exception of the November release schedule, so things could change a bit. Here is a list of those titles from Blue Panther and their publishing partners:
1). The Pursuit of John Wilkes Booth from Blue Panther
2). Conflict of Wills: Arabian Struggle from Catastrophe Games
3). Insurgent: Algeria from Catastrophe Games
4). A Game of Drones from Historic Wings (BP is making the upgrade kit)
5). Battle of Kandahar and Battle of Vinegar Hill from The Historical Game Company
6). FOREX2 from Hollandspiele
7). TEXAS 1836: The Alamo and San Jacinto (2 Games) from White Dog Games
Additional projects on the horizon and looking to 1st Quarter of 2025 include:
1). Rasputin 2nd Edition from Blue Panther (a reprint and update of a 2014 game by Bob West)
2). The Alamo by Joe Fernandez from Blue Panther
3). An as of yet untitled game designed by Hermann Luttmann about WWI utilizing the same system found in BP’s release Road to Revolution.
4). Oblique: Supply Lines of Frederick the Great from Hollandspiele by Amabel Holland
5). Bow and Blade (new edition) from Mike Nagel under his own imprint.
BP is also working on the second game in the Tattered Flags Series which will cover the Cornfield at Antietam and the second game using the same core rule system as Vive L’Empereur called The Battle of Borodino both by the prolific and innovative Hermann Luttmann with a little help from Ryan Heilman, Dave Shaw and BP’s expanded team.
Finally, a bit of a scoop given to The Player’s Aid by Steve himself:
Blue Panther LLC and a company that Scooby Doo might pronounce as “Rock-N-Road” Publishing (Lock ‘n Load Publishing) partnered to make two dozen of that company’s titles available again in print, as well as one or two unreleased titles. The first games to get the BP treatment will be Wake Island from Bill Molyneaux and Bougainville. These games are on the fast track and will probably be available before Thanksgiving.
1. The Pursuit of John Wilkes Booth from Blue Panther
A few years ago, while attending the WBC, I had the chance to meet Wes Crawford who was demoing his upcoming game Engine Thieves. He was a very nice guy and his game was pretty interesting as well. Since that time, he has another game ready to see the light of day in The Pursuit of John Wilkes Booth that will be published by Blue Panther. I had a chance to play the game solitaire (with Wes overseeing the game and giving me guidance and pointers) at this year’s WBC and had a really great time with it. Great little solo game with several other modes where the player uses resources like police and detectives to search for clues in the hunt for Lincoln’s assassin after the events at Ford’s Theater on the evening of April 14, 1865. There really is a lot to like with the way that clues are found and chits are blindly drawn to verify clues from a bag. There is also a great little movement mechanic with police and detectives to try to acquire more clues.
Prototype of the game board. Final graphics are in process.
The game also uses cards that represent the major actors in the game and give the player special actions, abilities and events that change the situation. The below card art is final and looks really good.
2. Tank Commander Print and Play from Print and Game Currently on Kickstarter
I have gained a greater appreciation for Print and Play games over the past year and have purchased and played quite a few of them. This month, I saw a new project that looked pretty interesting from a company that I am not familiar with called Tank Commander Print and Play from Print and Game.
From the game page, we read the following:
Tank Commander is an exciting board game that combines strategy and the unpredictability of dice rolls to simulate intense tank battles. Each player takes control of a powerful tank, with the objective of being the last one standing by eliminating rival tanks on a dynamic battlefield. With simple yet deep mechanics, Tank Commander offers fast-paced games full of tension, where tactical skill and luck combine in epic battles.
Tank Commander is a board game for 2 to 4 players who will face off in thrilling battles on a square board divided into grid spaces, simulating a battlefield.
Each player controls a unique tank, represented by an individual command board that details its capabilities and characteristics. The core of the game lies in dice-based activation; each turn, players roll a set of dice, and the results determine which features of their tank can be activated.
The different game modes ensure that each match is a new challenge, as it can be played in free-for-all (every player for themselves) or team-based formats.
The objective of the game is simple yet challenging: be the last surviving tank. Players must eliminate their rivals by strategically moving across the board and making the most of the actions allowed by their dice rolls. However, since activations are partially dependent on the luck of the dice, players must also quickly adapt to the unpredictable circumstances that arise during the game.
You’ll need to turn luck in your favor by choosing the best strategy to lead you to victory.
A pretty interesting looking little tactical tank combat game set in WWII and also at €4 ($5.00 US Dollars) a pretty good value. You can also get your hands on several of their earlier games through this campaign bundled together for €12 including Armored Assault, U-Boot Fighter and Age of Swords.
As of November 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $1,018 toward its $162 funding goal with 127backers. The campaign will conclude on Thursday, November 14th at 1:10pm EST.
3. Onoda from Salt & Pepper Games Coming to Gamefound November 7th
I am always on the lookout for an interesting and different type of historical game. And when that game is solitaire and allows the player to experience and gain insight into the life of a tragic figure then I am very interested. A few months ago, I came across this very interesting looking solitaire game designed by Francisco Gradaille called Onoda from Salt & Pepper Games. Onoda follows the tragic life of Hiroo Onoda who was a Japanese soldier who wouldn’t believe that Japan lost World War II and stayed at his post on the island of Lubang in the Philippines from 1945-1974 when he finally surrendered after a visit from his commanding officer. I have played this one several times and can say the game is very interesting, educational and also gives the player an opportunity to learn and gain insight into the life of this person who is remembered as an insane criminal and a story of tragedy.
From the game page, we read the following:
Recreate the experiences and adventures of soldier Hiroo Onoda during his stay on Lubang Island. Thirty years of adventures, danger, comical situations and tragic moments, life and death and, above all, a demonstration of the resilience of human beings in adverse conditions.
During 6 rounds of variable duration, you have to obtain a number of resources that will allow you to finish the turn without suffering penalties.
In each round, you will also undertake a mission, earning honor points for it. During your adventures you will experience some of the events that the real-life Onoda had during his stay in Lubang.
If you manage to overcome the 6 rounds without going insane due to paranoia or dying due to ill-health, it will be time to see if you will be recognized a hero or fade into oblivion.
Onoda will get different results depending on the amount of honor you have accumulated solving missions, keeping your comrades alive or your squad in good shape.
We have several pieces of content coming out over the next week or so including a written interview with the designer Francisco Gradaille and a few videos including the following full playthrough video at the following link:
I also did a full review video and you can watch that at the following link:
The Gamefound campaign is set to start as of Thursday, November 7th at 11:00am EST.
4. Rex Britannorum from Shakos Currently on Gamefound
A few years ago, we became familiar with a French publisher named Shakos and they make some very interesting games. At that time, we played a few smaller games, one called Saladin and the other Border States, and very much enjoyed the experience. We interviewed the designer of Border States named Stéphane Brachet and recently we caught wind of his new upcoming game from Shakos called Rex Britannorum and reached out to him to discuss it further. It is currently on Gamefound.
From the game page, we read the following:
In 55 and 54 BC, Julius Caesar landed in the south of the island of Britain, then known as Britannia. This was the first contact between Rome and the various British kingdoms. Numerous kings rallied to Caesar to survive, or to benefit from Rome’s protection against the hostility of other British tribes: these were the first client kingdoms. This system would develop over the next century, so that by the time of Claudius’ Roman invasion in AD 43, many client kingdoms were already well established.
Among these were the Regnenses, Brigantes and Iceni, who fought mercilessly for power. With Rome’s support, they all tried to obtain the title of King of the British, in Latin: Rex Britannorum.
Will you become the next Rex Britannorum? Rex Britannorum is a strategy game that can be played solo, with 2 or 3 players. Victory is achieved by occupying roads and cities in the different regions of Britannia displayed on the gameboard. Moreover, each player will have two personal objectives to complete, which will earn them additional victory points.
Commit your troops in the right place and at the right time to outplay your opponents. Resolution of battles is not random, so use your sense of strategy wisely to become the next Rex Britannorum.
This game looks very interesting and frankly anything Roman Empire is always welcome on my game table and I also am very much loving the art of the game.
As of November 1st, the Gamefound campaign has raised €7,317 ($7,953 in US Dollars) toward its €5,000 ($5,407 in US Dollars) funding goal with 135 backers. The campaign will conclude on Wednesday, November 13th at 2:00pm EST.
5. The Rock of Chickamauga from Flying Pig Games Currently on Kickstarter
We have very much enjoyed the American Civil War designs of Hermann Luttmann. A Most Fearful Sacrifice: The Three Days of Gettysburg was a fantastic game and was my game of the year in 2022! Since that initial release it has now sold out 2 full printings and I heard that it will be going back to Kickstarter later this year for a 3rd. The 2nd game in this new Black Swan Series is called The Rock of Chickamauga and is currently on Kickstarter.
From the game page, we read the following:
The Rock of Chickamauga, designed by the award-winning Hermann Luttmann, is the next thrilling installment in the Black Swan Series, following the highly acclaimed A Most Fearful Sacrifice. This scenario-driven, two-player war-game plunges players into the epic Battle of Chickamauga, fought in September 1863 in northern Georgia. Command the Union Army of the Cumberland, led by William Rosecrans, as it maneuvers south from Chattanooga to confront Braxton Bragg’s Confederate Army of Tennessee. The conflict unfolds dramatically along Chickamauga Creek, known ominously as the “River of Death”, where generals grapple with the chaos of battle. Featuring 15 square feet of meticulously detailed maps and Flying Pig Games’ renowned production quality, The Rock of Chickamauga offers high solitaire playability and promises an exhilarating and immersive wargaming experience unlike any other.
The battle along that “River of Death” was a confused affair with generals exercising little control over their formation’s movements. A true “soldier’s battle” and an engagement that the Black Swan System was designed to simulate. Based on the system used in A Most Fearful Sacrifice, and similar to The Devil’s to Pay and Hill of Death, The Rock of Chickamauga will have the usual high quality production value that Flying Pig Games is known for and will not only be a deeply challenging wargame but an innovative and immersive simulation as well.
As of November 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $93,383 toward its $20,000 funding goal with 693 backers. The campaign will conclude on Thursday, November 7th at 12:00pm EST.
6. The Epic Battle of Alesia from Worthington Publishing Coming to Kickstarter November 2nd
Another really interesting looking game focused on Ancient Rome is upcoming on Kickstarter from Worthington Publishing called The Epic Battle of Alesia.
From the game page, we read the following:
The Epic Battle of Alesia 52 BC is an old school classic hex and counter game that is designer Grant Wylie’s reimagining of the Avalon Hill title Caesar: Epic Battle of Alesia originally published in 1976.
The game allows players to refight Caesar’s epic battle fought against the Gaul in 52 B.C., on a roughly 34″ x 40″ hard mounted board. Borrowing many concepts from the Avalon Hill title, the concepts have been simplified and clarified to make a smooth playing game that is good for 2 or more players, and if you are a gamer who doesn’t mind playing both sides to the best of your ability, the game is very friendly.
The Kickstarter campaign is set to start as of Saturday, November 2nd at 12:00pm EST.
7. Cartagena 1741 from Universo Hispano Currently on Gamefound
Put this game in the interesting historical event that I don’t know much about category but also from the new publisher category. Universo Hispano is working hard to make this game have a fantastic table presence, with beautiful ship miniatures and other great components, as well as with having fantastic looking art.
From the game page, we read the following:
Cartagena 1741 is a strategy board game that simulates the defense of Cartagena de Indias in 1741. With Blas de Lezo and Viceroy Sebastian de Eslava in command of the Spanish troops and Edward Vernon and Thomas Wentworth commanding the largest English fleet in history until the Normandy landing, we will have a battle full of emotion, epic moments and strategy.
The objective of the game is to become the most famous hero, obtaining fame points for sinking ships, destroying fortresses or cannon batteries, defeating other heroes or taking Cartagena de Indias. Become the greatest hero in history and mint the coins that commemorate the history of your victory!
The game system recreates the days of battle in which the generals draw up a plan of action and send orders to their troops. Using cards, draw up your plan and execute the orders. In order of initiative, the troops carry out the actions they have received. Some actions are more immediate and need less preparation than others, so think carefully about the order and its consequences…
As of November 1st, the Gamefound campaign has raised €14,808 ($16,090 in US Dollars) toward its €34,000 ($36,924 in US Dollars) funding goal with 95 backers. The campaign will conclude on Saturday, November 30th at 5:59pm EST.
8. One-Page Bulge 2nd Edition – Special 80th Anniversary Edition from Lombardy Studios Currently on Kickstarter
About a month ago, I came across this pretty interesting looking project from the great mind of Dana Lombardy and Lombardy Studios with a reprint 2nd Edition of a famous game from years past. This project is One-Page Bulge 2nd Edition originally from Steve Jackson Games and is being given a deluxe upgrading of art and components, as well as some minor rules changes, to make an 80th anniversary edition that they can be proud of.
From the game page, we read the following:
Steve was already a respected game designer in 1980 when Moves Magazine posited the question, “Would it be possible to get all the rules for a wargame … onto both sides of an 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of paper?” Steve’s response was “Sure. Why not?”
The result was a fun, challenging and easy-to-learn regimental-scale game based on solid historical research.
One-Page Bulge 2nd Edition is being updated by Steve and fellow Hall of Fame wargame designer Dana Lombardy to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. They worked on Steve Jackson Games (SJG) projects together previously – Fire & Movement issue #31 with the game Kamikaze – and Dana had a cameo appearance in a Car Wars supplement.
OPB2 will be a solitaire and 2-player wargame that includes state-of-the-art graphics and the high-quality components that Steve and Dana’s fans have come to expect. Sample art, video back story discussions with Steve and Dana, and more will be posted before and during the Kickstarter campaign
As of November 1st, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $29,267 toward its $1,944 funding goal with 290 backers. The campaign will conclude on Thursday, November 14th at 8:30pm EST.
9. Vanguard: Normandy from Warlord Games Coming to Kickstarter November 4th
We don’t play a great deal of miniatures based wargames but when we do we always have a blast. We have played Flames of War a couple of times, both late and early World War II, and a few other systems but don’t have much experience with Warlord Games. Recently, I saw their upcoming project called Vanguard: Normandy and it looks to be a very playable system that will be sure to appeal to a lot of different gamers.
From the game page, we read the following:
With Vanguard: Normandy, we’ve designed a game that can be setup in 5 minutes or less.
Start by generating your battlefield using 9 sectors selected from 15 double-sided tiles. These tiles feature detailed, historically accurate illustrations of Normandy landscapes, including beaches, cathedrals, cities, forests, hills, and roads.
Next, select or randomly assign a mission and weather deck, adding even more variety to the game. Will your troops be storming a fog-shrouded town at dawn, or defending a hill under a scorching midday sun?
With 15 double-sided tiles included, there are thousands of possible battlefield combinations!
That’s it – you’re ready to play!
Choose Your Faction:
After setting up the battlefield, select your faction: the USA or Germany.
Each faction comes with fantastically detailed plastic unit tokens, designed to fit onto the 40mm hexes of the battlefield.
3-D Renders of a German Nebelwerfer, Machine Gun Team, HQ and Hanomag, to show but a few…
Track Your Army:
Your army’s resources, units, and battlefield control are managed on the Army Board, a streamlined console that not only tracks your units but also conveniently displays their rules and abilities.
Track your units, requisition and more with your Army Board.
Unlike traditional wargames, your army in Vanguard: Normandy evolves dynamically as the game progresses.
You’ll begin in control of 3 battlefield sectors, providing a modest income of ‘requisition’ and limited supply for unit recruitment.
As you conquer new sectors and spend requisition points, your available pool of units expands, allowing you to fill your Army Board with new, powerful units.
A selection of the Units you’ll be able to command once you’ve gathered enough requisition.
The scale and scope of this one is right up my alley as the minis don’t need to be painted and the setup and tear down allow you to play the game more than just admire it. Very much interested in this one!
The Kickstarter campaign is set to start as of Monday, November 4th.
10. Irregular Conflicts Series Volume 4: Echo from the Dark from GMT Games
In case you didn’t know, the Irregular Conflicts Series is a spin-off from the COIN Series and attempts to adapt the core mechanics to model different kinds of historical (and now non-historical) irregular conflicts beyond counterinsurgencies. The previous 3 announced volumes include Vijayanagara, which is a look at Medieval India and a struggle between the Delhi Sultanate, Bahmani Kingdom and Vijayanagara Empire, A Gest of Robin Hood which is an asymmetric fight between the forces of the Sheriff of Nottingham and Robin Hood and his Merry Men and Cross Bronx Expressway, which looks at the philosophical battle that raged between stakeholders in the 1970’s when the interstate cut through the city of New York. All of these games are based in history/myth and now we have a new volume that is a sci-fi epic called Echo from the Dark designed by Adam Blankinsop.
From the game page, we read the following:
Echo from the Dark is the fourth game in the Irregular Conflicts Series, depicting an interstellar struggle between divergent factions after humanity discovers a material that allows for faster-than-light travel and communication. Players will use this material to deploy unique technologies that shape their faction identity across the course of the game, meaning that every playthrough is a unique experience. As they expand across the galaxy, the human population will follow, providing new incentives and opportunities. Eventually, their visions for the future will prove to be irreconcilable: only one player will be able to determine the fate of humanity.
Highlights:
A highly variable setup: Choose from a selection of different factions to arrange on a modular map. As the game goes on, players will discover valuable Salt and dangerous anomalies that further change the texture of the map.
A shifting population: At this scale, population grows, moves, and declines over time, encouraging factions to consider the longer-term ramifications of their actions.
Technology: Every round reveals a new technology that can be researched to shape each faction over the course of the game.
Unique non-player opposition: Aliens, artificial intelligence, and disease form some of the possible opposition factions that each act through their own special system.
Streamlined sequence of play: Every faction may act on every round, with smaller actions allowing a player better initiative in the next round. Player factions all have access to the same basic actions and can use researched Technology no matter what action they take.
Echo from the Dark is a streamlined take on the COIN/ICS formula, where each faction acts on every turn and the event deck is replaced with 48 unique Technologies for them to research. Setup is quick and easy, with a modular map and eight factions to choose from, providing a new experience every game.
All factions have the same set of actions available to them at the beginning of the game, plus a unique special bonus action that uses Salt. All factions have the same set of forces, the same collection of population markers, and the same way of choosing and paying for actions. They also have the same access to Technology, gated only by presence on the map.
This is a lot more to read about the game but it looks so very interesting and I have been following its design over the past year or so after seeing a few pictures of the game in action at Circle Con put on by Fort Circle Games (which we are hoping to attend in 2025!)
If you are interested in Irregular Conflicts Series Volume 4: Echo from the Dark, you can pre-order a copy for $85.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1144-echo-from-the-dark.aspx
11. Labyrinth: The Rise of Al-Qaeda, 1993-2001 from GMT Games
We love Labyrinth and have played each of the expansions many times. We love it and I am very much interested in this new expansion, which is a prequel of sorts called The Rise of Al-Qaeda, 1993-2001. Labyrinth: The War on Terror, 2001-? is just such as juicy and amazing asymmetrical Card Driven Game that pits the mighty and powerful United States military and all of its various antiterrorist agencies against the Jihadists in the Middle East whose sole goal is to spread terror, sow the seeds of deceit and ultimately destroy Western civilization.
From the game page, we read the following:
Labyrinth: The Rise of Al-Qaeda, 1993 – 2001 is the third expansion for Volko Ruhnke’s acclaimed Labyrinth: The War on Terror, 2001 – ?, a 1-2 player card-driven boardgame depicting the geopolitical struggle in the Middle East between revolutionary Islamists (mostly Salafist) on the one hand (represented by the “Jihadist” player) and the US-led West plus their supported regimes on the other (represented by the “Coalition” player).
This is the prequel to the original game, but it builds on the more sophisticated mechanics provided by its first sequel, Labyrinth: The Awakening. The Rise of Al-Qaeda requires ownership of Labyrinth to play, but it is a full expansion in its own right—you don’t need a copy of Awakening. It can be played with the base game alone to provide a satisfying experience, but it’s also possible to use it as part of a “campaign” spanning all of the expansions.
I very much enjoy this conapt of a large campaign merging all of the various expansions together in a large ongoing game. I can see Alexander and I spending an entire weekend playing this and just can’t wait!
The Rise of Al-Qaeda takes the series back in time to cover the period following the World Trade Center bombing, mere weeks into Bill Clinton’s first term, and invites players to compare the dynamics of this earlier period. Despite some obvious differences in how the US fought against Islamist terrorism in the 1990s, the Labyrinth series mechanics are a perfect fit for the era given their strategic, geopolitical scope.
As a series, Labyrinth has always been about the bigger picture—as much a game about the insurgencies that have raged across an unstable region as combating terrorism per se. With hindsight, this is not surprising: we can now see that an ambiguity between counterterrorism and counterinsurgency lay at the heart of Bush Jr’s “Global War on Terror,” and also that Russia and China have faced a similar blurring of boundaries in their conflicts with Islamist groups.
As such, The Rise of Al-Qaeda uses the same rules, victory conditions, map, components, and charts as the other games in the series not because the system has forced this as a constraint on the design, but because the existing ruleset fits the period so well: the Coalition player seeks to wipe the Jihadists’ cells off the map, establish Good Governance in enough countries, and secure more Resources than the Jihadist. The Jihadist player still wins by securing a sufficient Resource base, reducing enough of the region to Poor Governance, or by mounting a major terror attack on the US homeland.
The operations of both sides followed similar patterns—the Coalition will still Disrupt cells, and the Jihadist player will still place Plots and carry out Jihads. “Regime Change” may be a phrase for the future, but the US military is actively nation-building in Somalia, Bosnia, and Kosovo and very recently deployed to defeat Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. It’s harder to achieve the Posture needed to overthrow an Islamist Rule, and the world won’t be as ready to accept such a Hard power approach, but it remains possible in extremis.
I do think that there have been a lot changes to the game and you don’t need to worry about it feeling the same there are new dynamics included from the era. As with the other expansions, The Rise of Al-Qaeda provides players with new Event Cards and rules relevant to the period covered, as well as several new components that expand its strategic model.
In The Rise of Al-Qaeda, the Coalition player still represents the US-led West but one operating much more through the United Nations than American unilateralism. The “Global War on Terror” track remains a key mechanic and still represents the Coalition’s ability to work multilaterally in pursuit of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts. The Coalition player still has to navigate between “Hard” and “Soft” power strategies but will face the challenge of operating in a predominantly “Soft” power world whilst the US military is committed in Bosnia and Somalia.
The Jihadist player still represents a disparate, international movement of revolutionary Islamists but one not yet symbolically united behind the leadership of Bin Laden’s Al-Qaeda. Alongside their internationally mobile cells, the Jihadist player will have to work with local guerrilla pieces—which can’t move but will contribute to Civil Wars and “Jihad” operations.
The result is a set of modifications giving players a new experience with the Labyrinth system, appropriate to the different era of the 1990s. More than this, though, several of the new systems can readily be brought “forward” in time, into the later games, should players wish.
Sometimes a game is designed that creates a new experience. Creates a new paradigm about what games can be and how they can help you experience a historical situation. A few years ago, I, Napoleon from GMT Games was announced and it was marketed as a historical role-playing game. Not with polyhedral dice, magic and dragons but more as a “choose your own adventure” style of game where you could make choices about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte as he made his way to infamy from his humble beginnings as an artillery officer, to staging a coup d’état in 1799 and becoming First Consul and then to dominating much of Europe and being crowned as Emperor of the French Empire. This was the promise of I, Napoleon and I was very much intrigued by the concept but more importantly about how this game planned to do just that.
As you probably know, normally Ted Raicer designs hard core hex and counter wargames such as The Dark Valley: East Front Campaign, 1941-45, The Dark Sands: War in North Africa, 1940-42 and The Dark Summer: Normandy ,1944. These games are fantastic experiences that are true wargames. But, he also has an eclectic side to him and has designed one of the classic card driven games on the subject of World War I in Paths of Glory. So when I heard that he was designing this interesting looking card based historical role-playing game the first thought that came to my mind was “How is he going to accomplish this feat?” And recently, I was finally able to get the game to the table for a few plays and I want to let you know that this one is good. I am not good at it, and still haven’t really made it past First Consul, but I have enjoyed what it is doing.
From the game page, we read the following:
I, Napoleon is a solitaire historical role-playing card game in which you step into the boots of Captain Buonoparte (as he still was) in the year 1793. Louis XVI has just gone to the guillotine, the brothers Robespierre control the destiny of France, and all Europe has joined French Royalists to take down France, end the Revolution, and restore peace and safety for the hereditary principles that have underlain society for 1,000 years.
As an ambitious but unknown young artillery officer, who speaks French with a Corsican accent, you would seem to be an unlikely agent of destiny. Can you harness a brilliant mind, titanic energies, and a sometimes terrifying charisma to leave your mark on history? Or will you die a minor footnote in the story of France?
In I, Napoleon, your fate lies in 220 beautifully illustrated cards, divided into three decks: Commander, First Consul, and Emperor. Overlaying a map of early 19th Century Europe are a series of Card Boxes, where you play out the events of your life and career, along with various tracks and tables to record the yearly passage of time and the events affecting yourself and France. The choices you make with the cards you are dealt will determine success or failure. You will have to manage politics, military campaigns, diplomacy, and the domestic well-being of the French while pursuing the Glory that lures you on. You will also have to manage your family, your wives, your mistresses, and your children, legitimate and otherwise.
Your path may lead you from the Americas to the Near East, from Spain to Russia, from a throne to exile. You will be the target of assassins, coups, and coalitions. You will deal with bad harvests and plague, face Wellington and Nelson, Kutuzov and Blucher. You will rely on—and perhaps be betrayed by—the slippery Talleyrand and unleash the secret policemen Fouche on your opponents. As you progress, your options will increase, along with the stakes.
Lead your men into battle and risk an early end to your life? Sail to Egypt or Ireland? Sell Louisiana or send an army to hold it? Marry a Habsburg or a Romanov? Create the Duchy of Warsaw or revive the Kingdom of Poland? Invade Russia or try to pacify the Tsar? Every choice will affect your legacy.
But there is not one version of a life here, but many. Every game will provide a different narrative, based on both luck of the draw and the decisions you make. In addition, you can start the game as a Commander, as First Consul, or as Emperor, each with its own starting situation and challenges. The story is yours to discover, and the decisions you make may just change the course of history.
I have played the game and have very much enjoyed it. It is not perfect, and takes a bit of patience as you have to continually build the deck by adding and removing cards each year, but is very interesting.
13. Skies Above Britain, 2nd Printing from GMT Games
After we played Skies Above the Reich in 2018 we both were hooked on this system and looked forward to the next volume in the series Storm Above the Reich. The next volume in the series from Jerry White, now teamed with Gina Willis, that uses the system to cover the Battle of Britain from the Allies perspective as the player now controls a Royal Air Force squadron of Hurricanes and Spitfires fighting off the Luftwaffe as they attempt to bomb southeast England.
From the game page we read the following:
Skies Above Britain is a solitaire game depicting a Royal Air Force squadron of Hurricanes or Spitfires waging a desperate effort to disrupt and destroy German daylight bombing raids over southeast England in the summer of 1940. The player’s individual aircraft—each represented by a stickered block—must locate the incoming raid, intercept it, and evade or defeat swarms of escorting German fighters that usually outnumber you and whose pilots have superior experience and tactics. The game simulates the dogfighting and fighter-vs.-bomber action at an individual aircraft level using a card-assisted system that simulates key tactical decision-making without losing the feel of fast-paced aerial combat. A player can fly scenarios representing an individual patrol or use the patrol generator to create an endless variety of realistic individual patrols, multi-patrol campaigns, or larger campaigns covering the entire Battle of Britain. Each patrol will take a half hour or more to play, while a campaign can last anywhere between 6 and 28 patrols.
14. Battalion: War of the Ancients from Osprey Games
Osprey Games always does a fantastic job with their games. Including art, game play and presentation, they really do a high quality product and have worked with many of our hobbies best designers including David Thompson and now Paolo Mori and Francesco Sirocchi with their new design called Battalion: War of the Ancients. They also have commissioned the great art stylings of Roland McDonald and this always makes a great experience.
From the game page, we read the following:
Assemble your armies and maintain order in this dynamic tile-based wargame, inspired by epic battles from ancient history.
Take charge of the formidable Roman legions and their allies. Command the powerful crossbowmen of the Han dynasty as they traverse unfamiliar deserts. Steer the renowned Greco-Bactrian cavalry, and fight for every oasis. Direct Hannibal’s diverse array of mercenaries, elephants, and the Sacred Band of Carthage.
To lead is to walk the tightrope. Choose a faction, consider its ranks, assemble them into units and, as they fight, carefully balance their orders and sustain your forces in the field. The unique traits of each rank tile will make your units stronger, but combine too many and your units will become unwieldy.
Battalion: War of the Ancients is an accessible two or four-player game. Command a wide range of units from four playable historical factions, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Employ faction-specific tactics cards to outmaneuver your opponents. Compose your unique forces with rigor. Judge the tempo of battle with precision. Seize victory for your people!
15. Chaco: Bolivia vs. Paraguay, 1932-35 from Compass Games
A rarely gamed wargame topic and Frank Chadwick found all together in one beautiful package? Sign me up as Compass Games has put Chaco: Bolivia vs. Paraguay, 1932-25 up for pre-order this month.
From the game page, we read the following:
Chaco is an updated yet faithful remake of the Game Designers’ Workshop game released in 1973. Covering the Chaco War fought between Bolivia and Paraguay at the Strategic/Operational level, the game gives players an insight into a costly, pre-WWII conflict that helped shape the present-day borders in South America.
The game map represents part of the Gran Chaco region of South America, a semi-arid lowland region thought to contain oil and disputed by the nations it spans. 2-3 players simulate the latest territorial disputes in six-month turns over ten-mile hexes of wild terrain.
The basic game primarily uses infantry forces in historical dispositions to portray the conflict accurately. However, as a technologically advanced war (the first to include large-scale aerial warfare in the Americas), the game also includes a set of optional rules called Gran Chaco that highlight some of these innovations and the strategic choices players may have faced. Though historically, many of these innovations were not used to any actual effect, they were available to the belligerents and are now available to you. With several historical and hypothetical scenarios and many optional rules players can choose to implement, Chaco promises hours of unique gameplay and customizability.
I have not played a lot (if any really) games on The Russo-Japanese War. It is just not that common of a game topic and I have not had a chance. But, as a part of this most recent Pre-Order Palooza from Compass Games they have added The Russo-Japanese War remake to the offerings on the topic.
From the game page, we read the following:
The Russo-Japanese War is a faithful remake of the original Game Designers Workshop, Tsushima and Port Arthur designs. This box includes both individual games and everything needed to play the combined game covering the entire war. With upgrades to the artwork and the inclusion of official errata, The Russo-Japanese War is another classic reborn by Compass Games.
The Russo-Japanese War lasted from 1904 to 1905 between the Russian and Japanese Empires over both sides’ imperial ambitions for Manchuria and the Korean Empire. In Port Arthur, the emphasis is on the surprise Japanese attack on the Russians at the start of the war, and the focus is on land combat, while Tsushima centers on the decisive naval battle that sealed Russia’s fate and focuses on sea combat. Setting the stage for the Japanese Empire’s rise and contributing to Russian unrest, this conflict had global consequences. With three ways to play, this game has something for everyone!
17. Guadalcanal Diary: The Battle for Henderson Fieldfrom Compass Games
There are few campaigns during the Pacific Theater of World War II that capture the true essence of fierce fighting found in this theater. Guadalcanal was one of those turning point moments as well for the war as if Henderson Field had been lost and the Americans unable to kick the Japanese out of the Solomon Islands, this war might have drug on for another year or more claiming even more lives amongst the civilian population and combatants.
From the game page, we read the following:
Japan attacked the Allied powers on 7 December 1941 and ran rampant across the Pacific Ocean and Asia for six months. But in August of 1942, the Allies would finally strike back. On 7 August, ships appeared off the coast of a small island in the Solomons called Guadalcanal to disgorge troops of the United States Marine Corps. Guadalcanal Diary: The Battle for Henderson Field allows you to recreate the Guadalcanal campaign from the initial landings in August 1942 until the end of November, when the Japanese were all but finished.
You have command of all the major units that fought in the campaign across ground, sea, and air. As the Allied player, you have everything that can be cobbled together to take the airfield on Guadalcanal and hold it. You need to maximize force but be cautious enough to withhold forces to fend off the Japanese counterattacks. As the Japanese player, you must use what forces you have to defeat the Allies before they become too powerful.
Guadalcanal Diary is the first in a series of games that will cover at a tactical and operational level the fight for the Southwest Pacific Area. This game covers the initial Allied landings on Guadalcanal until the end of November 1942, when effective resistance by the Japanese ended. Tactical combat on the ground can be combined with operational-level combat in the air and on the seas to make a comprehensive simulation of the Guadalcanal campaign.
I am very much liking the look of the graphics with this one. They appear to be computer generated and they have a specific look and feel that just seems to fit in my mind.
18. World War 3: 1989, East Asia Front from Compass Games
Cold War Gone Hot is always going to be a popular topic in our hobby. With the success of the Deluxe Designer’s Signature Edition of Third World War by Frank Chadwick over the past few years, they have made this smaller geographically focused game called World War 3: 1989, East Asia Front. I really am intrigued by this one and it looks really interesting.
From the game page, we read the following:
1989: Worsening tension in East Asia brings old adversaries closer to war. Europe stands on the brink of Armageddon. Destabilization in the Persian Gulf causes regimes to teeter on the brink of collapse.
Besides the tension between the alliances of NATO and the Warsaw Pact in Europe and the destabilization in the Persian Gulf, a third superpower—the People’s Republic of China—begins saber-rattling in East Asia. Although East Asia has remained relatively conflict-free since the end of the Korean War, tensions in the region have tended toward becoming a veritable powder keg. A series of incidents along the Chinese/Soviet border, along with continued hostilities along the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea, has the world on edge.
Will East Asia be the spark to start the firestorm that is World War 3?
In the mid-1980’s, Game Designers’ Workshop (GDW) published the original Third World War Series by Frank Chadwick as four separate games – The Third World War (subtitled Battle for Germany), Southern Front, Arctic Front, and the Persian Gulf.
In 2022, the series was reborn by Compass Games as The Third World War, Designer Signature Edition, which combined the four original games into one box with enhancements to improve the gaming experience.
World War 3: 1989, East Asia Front expands the theaters involved in the battles of the Third World War. This two-to-four-player game covers a potential land war in the Far East at the end of the 1980s. Two players can play the four smaller scenarios, which use fewer game maps and cover East Asia’s sub-theaters – Korea, Hokkaido, Manchuria, and Taiwan.
Players can play the East Asia Front scenario, which combines all the sub-theaters into one theater-wide battle with up to four players.
Several additions to the series have been made in World War 3: 1989, East Asia Front, to capture some nuances of war in this region. Some of those additions include:
Tension Game – the Battle forEast Asia full campaign calls for the play of tension cards, which cover the events leading up to the outbreak of World War 3. These events occur through the play of cards and operations on the map due to the tension.
Industrial Areas – this new terrain type represents a conglomeration of smaller municipalities combined with manufacturing industries. These areas can influence hostile military movements as a conglomeration, along with defensive troops.
Mega Cities – these cities are so massive and dense that they essentially fill an entire hex. They have a hugely complex web of highways, streets, and alleys intertwined with various building types and sizes. While these cities won’t affect combat any more than a major city, because of their sheer size, they affect movement. (Mega Cities have a population of over 5 million in the metropolitan area.)
Railroads and rail transport – given the vast distances covered and the lack of an extensive road network in the theater, railroads are a key component of providing supply and facilitating the movement of troops.
Fortifications – the Soviets have Fortified Zone units throughout East Asia located at potential conflict with their adversaries, often consisting of outdated equipment. In contrast, the Chinese have built-in defensive positions along the Soviet border.
Front Supply Heads – were used by the Soviets to extend their supply lines via railroads.
Since the game has minimal hidden information, a player can play East Asia Front well solitaire, playing on all sides.
I think that there are certain topics that always generate interest and demand our focus as wargamers. Gladiators is one of those topics and a few years ago, we sat down with Gregory M. Smith while at WBC to play and discuss several of his games including this new one fresh out on pre-order called Gladiators: Blood & Glory from Compass Games.
From the game page, we read the following:
Few stories have captured the imagination as strongly as the use of gladiatorial combat in ancient Rome. For centuries it served as entertainment for the masses, serving a similar purpose as modern sports today, albeit in a more barbaric fashion. For the gladiators themselves, it was a harsh way of life in a harsh world – but with the potential to rise above the status of being a slave, and possibly win freedom …
Gladiators: Blood & Glory is a 2-player or solitaire game that places you in charge of running a Ludus – a Roman gladiator training school. You will make all the training, equipping, and logistical decisions a Lanista would make, and make the tactical decisions for your gladiators as they attempt to survive the Arena.
You will start with a stable of two gladiators, but will be afforded the opportunity to bid on more at auction to increase your numbers (or to replace losses). Training and managing finances will be key in your ability to field gladiators who have a chance to win in fights to the death. As time progresses and gladiators survive, they may use the experience gained in the arena and in training to improve their odds of success by purchasing skills. Victories help to narrate the player’s eventual goal – to have gladiators survive the arena and earn their freedom.
The gameplay moves quickly, with matches in the arena involving back-and-forth combat with a deck of cards. However, the tactical fighting in the Arena is just one aspect of the game, as players will also train, purchase supplies, gladiators, and weapons, and plan for future games. Additionally, players may wager denarii (Roman money) on matches in an attempt to build up their available funds. Optional rules include fighting against wild beasts such as tigers and cheetahs.
The game includes six of the major types of gladiators who saw combat in the arena:
Murmillo (short sword, large shield)
Dimachaerus (two swords)
Retiarius (trident and net)
Hoplomachus (spear and small shield)
Thraex (hooked sword)
Secutor (variant of Murmillo)
While the name of the game has changed slightly from its original Blood & Sand name, here is a link to our video interview with Greg at WBC in 2022:
1. Dog Boats: Battle of the Narrow Seas from Compass Games
Solitaire narrative-driven solo games are very good but you have to understand what the games are. They use charts and lots of dice rolling to simulate the patrols or operations of the controlled forces. One of the newest offerings in the genre is Dog Boats: Battle of the Narrow Sea from Compass Games designed by Joe Carter.
From the game page, we read the following:
Dog Boats: Battle of the Narrow Seas is a solitaire, tactical-level, narrative-driven wargame. You, as Commander, will lead a squadron of 4 Royal Navy gunboats or torpedo boats on night missions against German Kriegsmarine forces in the English Channel during 1943-1944.
Dog Boats covers the months from June 1943 to June 1944. Based in either Plymouth or Lowestoft (England), your primary goal is to intercept and sink as many Kriegsmarine merchant ships and tankers as possible. But that’s easier said than done, as Luftwaffe air patrols and Kriegsmarine warship patrols will do their best to stop you, along with determined Kriegsmarine convoy escorts.
Occasionally, you may be assigned a special mission, such as minelaying or commando team insertions along the French coast. Other hazards you and your squadron will likely face are bad weather with heavy seas, plus a variety of random events.
Dog Boats models two playable Royal Navy boat types- the heavily-armed Fairmile D gun boat, and the sleek Vosper 72’ torpedo boat. Up to 15 individual boat crewmen or crews may be injured or killed during missions, but if they do survive long enough, their skills will improve. The game also models individual boat equipment and components, such as wireless, engines, cannons, bilge pumps, etc. These components may be damaged or destroyed, perhaps forcing your boat squadron to break off the patrol early or maybe even disabling one of your boats in the heat of battle. Also modeled is boat squadron management, allowing you to manage boat assignments and repairs.
As a Royal Navy gunboat or torpedo boat squadron commander, your ultimate goal is to survive for up to 12 months of the war while at the same time sinking as many Kriegsmarine ships as possible without suffering too many squadron losses yourself. But be careful- play recklessly and lose too many boats, and you may find yourself relieved of command or even court-martialed! But perform well, and you will earn well-deserved medals, having the satisfaction of knowing you successfully served your country well.
Dog Boats is designed to be detailed yet remain accessible to even new players with no prior wargaming experience. Gameplay has been greatly streamlined by avoiding the need to memorize many complicated rules, yet it still retains a certain level of content, detail, and unpredictability which add to replayability. Most patrols can be completed within 20-30 minutes, with the occasional 1-hour patrol. The option to play quicker Short and Medium campaign games of 4 or 8 months is also included. Are you ready to serve for Queen and country?
2. Hayfoot! Strawfoot!: Tactical Combat in the American Civil War from Homegrown Designs
Good looking games on the American Civil War have become much more welcome on our table over the past few years with Alexander’s current fetish with the topic, both on the gaming table and in his personal readings. This month, I was introduced to a new to me company called Homegrown Designs who has a partnership with Blue Panther. Their newest offering is called Hayfoot! Strawfoot!: Tactical Combat in the American Civil War. The coolest part of this design is that it is a tactical system and I have not played that many ACW games at this level.
From the game page, we read the following:
Hayfoot! Strawfoot! concentrates exclusively on the First Battle of Bull Run. Three scenarios comprise the Introductory Games, each a critical turning point in the battle:
“There Stands Jackson Like a Stone Wall” simulates the opening hours of the battle and challenges the CS player to hold terrain critical for Jackson’s counterattack
“Strike for the Green Graves” presents the opening assault on Henry House Hill by 3 regiments in Porter’s brigade (it might be best to play this scenario first).
“We Will Give Them the Bayonet” is the battle at critical mass; here Jackson launches his attack against the unsupported Union artillery on Henry House Hill.
The full game features the entire day’s battle, from the first shot to the last Yankee straggler. Will Stonewall save the day? Only the players and Lady Fortuna will tell…
If you are interested in Hayfoot! Strawfoot!: Tactical Combat in the American Civil War, you can order a copy for $60.00 from the Blue Panther website at the following link: https://www.bluepantherllc.com/products/hayfootstrawfoot
3. Fairfax’s Revenge: The Battle of Langport, July 19, 1645 from High Flying Dice Games
Small format wargames on lesser games subjects are always welcome at my table. High Flying Dice Games seems to specialize in these type of games and this month they have another very interesting looking game in The English Civil War Series designed by Roberto Chiavani called Fairfax’s Revenge: The Battle of Langport, July 10, 1645.
From the game page, we read the following:
Goring had occupied a strong rearguard posi9otion to the cover the withdrawal of his artillery and baggage. His main force held a ridge running north to south. In front of the ridge was a marshy valley occupied by a stream and only a single narrow lane lined with trees and hedges ran across the stream via a ford, and up the ridge. Goring placed two light guns in a position to fire down the lane and two raw regiments of Welsh foot soldiers in the hedges. Three bodies of horse waited at the top of the ridge. Fairfax was prepared to rely on the superior morale of his cavalry to cover Goring’s position.
The Battle of Langport was a minor battle, fought in the aftermath of the New Model Army’s victory at Naseby. Its historical importance is as the confirmations of the no turning back, no resurrection for the King and his armies. The debacle suffering by Goring’s army, the largest force still in the field for the King at the time, was more from the morale point of view than the number of losses, but morale counted. It was also a revenge for the Parliamentarian commander, Fairfax, for the defeat suffered at the hands of Goring a couple of years before.
If you are interested in Fairfax’s Revenge: The Battle of Langport, July 19, 1645, you can order a copy for $16.95 from the High Flying Dice Games website at the following link: https://www.hfdgames.com/ecw9.html
4. Operation Bøllebank: The Relief of Tango-2, Bosnia and Herzegovinia, April 29, 1994 from SNAFU Design
Over the past couple of years, I have become acquainted with a newer Spanish wargame publisher called SNAFU Design. I first interviewed one of their partners and designer Marc Fiqueras in early 2021 on his new game called Ambon: Burning Sun & Little Seagulls. We next interviewed the incomparable Javier Romero for his design with SNAFU called Santander ’37. Then back to Marc with his Equatorial Clash game, and then Ivan Prat with 12 Hours at Maleme and then Nicola Saggini with Nothing Left to Bomb. These games are very cool and cover lesser gamed subjects so these are right up my alley. Recently, I became aware of a new design from SNAFU in their Small Battles Series called Operation Bøllebank: The Relief of Tango-2, Bosnia and Herzegovinia, April 29, 1994 designed by Nicola Saggini.
From the game page, we read the following:
Operation Bøllebank is a solitaire game that depicts the events of the night between 29th and 30th April 1994, when a UN armored task force of tanks and APC’s from DANSQN2 engaged Bosnian-Serb forces around the town of Kalesija, near the border between Bosnia and Serbia. The Player will control the UN forces, while the game system drives the opposition.
I am very much anticipating this one as I have never played a solitaire game on the Bosnia and Herzegovinia conflict during the Serbian War.
5. Master and Commander: Quick-Play Napoleonic Naval Combat from White Dog Games
I do enjoy a good naval combat game. They are so very different from the games that we normally play but always a blast. This month, White Dog Games offered a new edition of their classic game Master and Commander: Quick-Play Napoleonic Naval Combat with some new components and scenarios.
From the game page, we read the following:
Master and Commander is a simulation of Napoleonic naval combat. Simple rules are employed for fast play while still retaining the essence of Napoleonic naval combat. Players can chose to play an historical scenario, a “free purchase” battle or a duel. In a free purchase game, each player starts with 50 Ship Purchase Points and spends those points to build a fleet. A ship costs an amount equal to its Fire Power value. For play variety, players can set up coastal terrain with Fort and Shore Battery markers along map edges. Players determine the wind direction before the game begins. Three historical scenarios are included in the game box. A scenario book of twenty-three additional historical naval combat scenarios for the American War of Independence is available for free download in the link below. Scenarios and games can be between one or two ships per side or between fleets of ships. This is an upgrade of the classic WDG game with new counter and marker art, new design features and historical scenarios by Peter Schutze.
If you are interested in Master and Commander: Quick-Play Napoleonic Naval Combat, you can order a copy for $53.00 from the White Dog Games website at the following link: https://www.whitedoggames.com/master-and-commander
6. Close The Atlantic – World War Three from Michael Raymond
I have recently gotten into more Print and Play wargames. I was initially a bit concerned about the arts and craft time that would be necessary to print out, cut out, mount and prepare the game to play. I just don’t have a lot of extra time and would rather be playing games than preparing them for play. I saw a new title on Wargame Vault a few months ago called Close the Atlantic – World War Three designed by Michael Raymond that takes a look at convoy operations in a future World War III. The game now can be purchased in a printed version which is very nice from Blue Panther.
From the game page, we read the following:
This is a game of modern naval combat; the focus is mainly on Convoy operations. Additional scenarios introduce rules for battle in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean. Ground battle is abstracted, although air and missile strikes against the front lines are introduced in the third scenario.
The three scenarios can be combined to depict a full WW3 war all across Europe.
Map and counters are included in the rules book. Die-cut counters and full sized map are available. Contact the publisher for details.
The time-frame of the game is NOW, 21st Century, beginning in April to September, as decided by a D6 die roll. October brings increased chances of hurricanes which will seriously hamper operations. Turns are weekly, beginning with the first week of the month decided by the die roll.
The game abstracts the technical details for various equipment types. Counters represent 1 unit (like a submarine) or many (up to 100 aircraft) or a group of ships. Numeric counters are provided to slip under counters to indicate the count during engagements. For instance, a count of missiles fired.
7. Wolfpack: The North Atlantic Convoy Struggles October 1941-March 1943 from GMT Games
Mike Bertucelli designed a good one in Tank Duel from 2019 and we have enjoyed our plays of that game. This Wolfpack game has been rumored for a while and I have seen various images on the internet over the past year or so and have been very interested in the final product.
From the game page, we read the following:
Wolfpack is a tactical, historical game depicting the struggles between the German submarine Wolfpacks and the allied merchant convoys of WWII. The gameis set in the vast North Atlantic from late 1941 to early 1943. Wolfpack is a 1-4 player solitaire/team game. When playing solo, the player will command 2 – 4 submarines. In a team game, players will command 1 – 2 submarines depending on the number of players. The convoy merchant ships and escorts will be controlled by an AI system. In Wolfpack, players will assume the role of a German WWII submarine commander. Players will need to work together to achieve victory.
The game also includes a campaign system where players will track the progress of their crews during the campaign, linking multiple patrols together to gain as much experience as possible. The more tons of allied merchant ships that are sunk, the more experience points players will have to spend on improvements to their crew’s performance.
If you are interested in Wolfpack: The North Atlantic Convoy Struggles October 1941-March 1943, you can order a copy for $79.00 ($52.00 if you get your order in before it is ready to ship) from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-896-wolfpack.aspx
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 Blue Panther!
The Players' Aid 