Grant’s Most Anticipated Wargames of 2025!

I hope you don’t grow tired of these several list type posts that I do every single year! They always have different content and different games but their structure is generally the same. Several reasons for that include simplicity as I can just copy and paste some of the basics then supplement that with new thoughts or comments. Secondly, I keep things consistent so you know what to expect and the general outline and framework of the post. So, with that being said here goes. This “Most Anticipated Wargames” post is one of my favorite posts to write each year. Anticipation for the gaggle of games…that we may or may not see, due to production issues, shipping challenges, playtesting issues, supply chain issues, on our tables in 2025. In fact, in looking at my list of chosen games last year, just 1 of the 10 games highlighted were not released in 2024. That is really pretty damn good and I am actually proud of that effort! One other problem that seems to raise up is that there are always more games coming out than we can possibly cover and play but it is still fun to look ahead and play the “what if” game.

Each year since year 3 of the blog (having been started in 2016), I have posted this list highlighting my most anticipated wargames for the upcoming year. The list has grown each year with the first entry consisting of 11 games in 2018, then growing to 12 games in 2019 and 2020, ballooning to 18 games in 2021 and finally settling on just 10 games in 2022, 2023 and 2024. This year, I will focus on 11 games because I just couldn’t decide what game to remove to get it down to only 10! In case you missed my post from last year, you can read that here: Most Anticipated Wargames of 2024!

Once again the same as I did last year, I wanted to let you know that the games chosen for the list might not fit your definition of a wargame. I feel that historical and wargames are somewhat interchangeable because of the quote from Clausewitz “war is a mere continuation of policy with other means”. Wargames to me are a broad category not simply relegated to hexes, counters and a CRT. Don’t get me wrong. I really like hexes, counters and a CRT. But wargames can include none of these three things and be considered wargames to me. But that is probably a debate for another time. Once this post is shared, I expect variants of the following comments/questions:

Those aren’t wargames!

I am anticipating none of these because they don’t have hexes!

Where are the hexes (also counters? or CRT)?

What are you smoking Grant?

The COIN Series of games are not wargames!

I hate your blog!

You aren’t a REAL wargamer!

And a new one this past year was “Too many games with hexes! What is this, the 1970s???” (Thanks to Tim Densham from Catastrophe Games who said this jokingly!)

And many other and sundry responses. I don’t take those comments personally. I really don’t care if readers agree with my list or not as it truly is my list and I can do with it what I want. If you disagree with me that much, please let me know without being rude as I have feelings! But, I do like to hear your feedback in order to provide me with some ammunition for posts in the future. So, without further quibbling, onto the games!

Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World, 220-165 BCE from GMT Games

Get ready to get your Ancients on. Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World, 220-165 BCE covers the fifty five years roughly from the Third Syrian War and its famous battle of Raphia between Antiochos III and Ptolemy IV, to the Third Macedonian War and the battle of Pydna between Perseous of Macedon and the legions of Consul L. Aemilius Paullus, as well as the subsequent bizarre episode of the Circle of Popilius on the beach of Eleusis in Egypt. Players will lead the three leading Hellenistic kingdoms: the Ptolemies, Seleucids, and Macedon, guiding their dynasties through these tumultuous decades. Rome, Pergamon, and other major and minor powers of the age are handled by the game engine, with various degrees of influence possible for the three player kingdoms.  

I am very interested in this time period partly because I do like the designs of Morgane Gouyon-Rety whose Pendragon we have played multiple times and truly enjoyed. I consider her a friend, although we haven’t ever met, but just felt a nice connection as we talked about things as that game progressed through the design process.

From the game page we read the following:

Rather than a hand of cards, each player kingdom has a Court, with the king and his Friends represented by Leader Cards. Each Leader has from one to three Capabilities with assorted ratings among Campaign, Diplomacy, and Admin and is rated for his Loyalty, Intrigue, and, when earned, Renown. Many Leaders also boast Special Abilities, which range from military bonuses or diplomatic connections to unique actions only available to them.

Although monetary and human resources are essential to the ability of kings to wage wars and prosecute their policies, no action is possible in the game without being entrusted to an able and available Leader, and its success is determined by rolling against their appropriate rating.  
Because each Leader is limited in their number of activations each turn and the size of a court is better kept reasonably small to be manageable, players must be able to leverage their Leaders’ abilities and manage their ambitions and foibles in order to further the interests and future of their dynasty. Not only do Leaders have various abilities, they also present challenges in their personal loyalties and ambitions. Send this competent general too often to war, and his Renown may reduce his Loyalty to such a degree that he may consider rebelling against your rule. Pack your Court with too many gifted individuals, and you risk turning it into a hotbed of conflicting intrigue and ambitions of which you may lose control…  

You will be pleased to learn that the game isn’t just about the conflict and battles of the time but takes into account an aspect of kingdom and economic management. From the game page we read the following:

Thankfully, war is not the only way to advance your agenda, as kings can send diplomatic missions to sway the many cities in the game, or raise additional taxes to finance their war effort or hugely expensive public buildings. The relationships with most cities and tribes are another critical dimension of the game’s politics. Kingdoms have the option to impose garrisons or prefer a softer approach through alliances, with consequences both in terms of stability and tax revenues. Garrisons are more secure and allow full taxation but are deeply resented by all Greek cities and will at some point represent a potential casus belli with Rome once the Republic positions itself as the guarantor of the freedom of the Greeks…  

We posted a 2-part interview on the blog with the designer and you can read that at the following links: Part I – https://theplayersaid.com/2021/06/29/interview-with-morgane-gouyon-rety-designer-of-hubris-twilight-of-the-hellenistic-world-from-gmt-games-part-i/

Part II – https://theplayersaid.com/2023/04/17/interview-with-morgane-gouyon-rety-designer-of-hubris-twilight-of-the-hellenistic-world-from-gmt-games-part-ii/

If you are interested in Hubris: Twilight of the Hellenistic World, 220-165 BCE, you can pre-order a copy for $59.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-891-hubris-twilight-of-the-hellenistic-world.aspx

The game was recently reported as being in Final Art and Proofing which probably means this is a summer release.

Cross Bronx Expressway from GMT Games

The Irregular Conflicts Series from GMT Games is just a fantastic series that highlights non-traditional “war” in a framework similar to the COIN Series but that is considered COIN adjacent. In the September 2021 Monthly Update from GMT Games, the next offering in the Irregular Conflicts Series was announced which would really solidify the focus of the series being on conflict and not necessarily war. Cross Bronx Expressway is a game that looks at social issues in New York City, and more specifically the South Bronx, and how those issues and stances formed the world view of the time and effected those that the policies were intended to benefit. I am really interested in this game as I can see so many additional topics that could be given this same treatment to better help us understand our world.

From the game page, we read the following:

Cross Bronx Expressway is the third game in the Irregular Conflicts Series. It simulates the socio-economic processes of urban development, and the human costs that result, as a competitive city-builder with collective loss conditions. Players control one of three asymmetric factions working in the South Bronx between 1940 and 2000, pursuing their own goals while cooperating to keep the borough viable. Through a card driven sequence of play, they will work to solve the economic challenges facing the area by building infrastructure and organizations, forming coalitions, mitigating the multitude of issues facing the vulnerable population, and managing resources to stay out of debt. Cross Bronx Expressway offers an engaging way to learn about the recent history of American cities, as exemplified by Jane Jacobs’ pivotal work The Death and Life of Great American Cities, simulated through the case study of the South Bronx. Players will experience the conflicting incentives and complex factors shaping urban life and together determine the fate of the Bronx.

In my opinion, focusing on conflict that is not necessarily direct fighting is a very interesting and wide ranging way to deal with so many issues and troubles in our world today and also to bring these conflicts to the gaming table to foster better understanding into the motivations behind all sides involved and to experience some of the pains and difficulties that lead to these social issues.

During his 1980 Presidential campaign, California Governor Ronald Reagan took a tour of the South Bronx. As he walked the same streets that President Jimmy Carter had walked three years prior, what Reagan witnessed was a scene so devastating it caused him to remark that he had not “seen anything that looked like this since London after the blitz.” Cross Bronx Expressway is a game about the social and economic processes that created this scene in the South Bronx and the impacts they had on the local population during the second half of the 20th Century.

These six decades, from 1940 to 2000, witnessed many major events that shook the nation and the world, including the Second World War, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, an international recession in the 1970s, and economic recovery and increased globalization during the 1980s and 1990s. Less well known, but no less impactful for the people involved, were events in the Bronx during the same period, which underwent rapid growth and demographic change in the 1940s and 1970s, suffered through the debt crises that affected the whole of New York in the 1960s and 1970s, and struggled through the 1980s towards a recovery at the end of the 1990s. This is a game about navigating all these events as a local stakeholder in the South Bronx.

Cross Bronx Expressway models this rich history as a competitive economic city builder with collective loss conditions. Three playable factions—Public, Private, and Community—attempt to save the city from the brink of bankruptcy and protect the Bronx’s vulnerable population throughout this tumultuous period, while also working to achieve their own conflicting objectives. The game progresses using a shared event deck, divided into decades. Each decade features a semi-random series of historical cards whose effects will always occur but can be manipulated by the players. The factions perform actions around these events in order to mitigate their effects, while hoping to tip the balance in their favor. Infrastructure will be built and sometimes demolished, coalitions formed and abandoned, populations housed and displaced, and the vulnerable encouraged and discarded, while each faction struggles to stay out of debt and achieve their own objectives. At the end of each decade, census numbers are tallied to determine which factions have achieved their objectives and at what cost. If they manage to keep the city afloat, each decade provides the players with new opportunities to transform the South Bronx according to their own vision, but if too many vulnerable people are lost or if the city goes bankrupt, everyone will lose. Can you cooperate better than the historical actors did and pull the South Bronx back from the brink of disaster?

Just a truly fascinating and mind bending look at things from a different perspective and opening up the wargaming world to this type of political/ideological warfare. I am really interested in this one and cannot wait to get it to the table.

We posted an interview on the blog with the designer Non-Breaking Space and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2022/01/17/interview-with-non-breaking-space-designer-of-cross-bronx-expressway-from-gmt-games/

Here also is a link to a promotional video on the game that really sparked my interest:

If you are interested in Cross Bronx Expressway, you can pre-order a copy for $55.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-953-cross-bronx-expressway.aspx

The game was recently reported as being in Final Art and Proofing which probably means this is a summer release.

Italy ’43 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. Since that time, we had heard rumors of his plans with the game to include a few additional volumes as the Allies moved north up the peninsula towards Rome. With the July 2024 Monthly Update, we got the next volume in the series called Italy ’43.

From the game page, we read the following:

Italy ’43 is a two-player game depicting the U.S. Fifth Army’s advance from Naples to the Gustav Line in 1943. The game (picking up where Salerno ’43 left off) covers the time period from October 2nd to December 31, 1943. Initially, the Allied advance moved quickly with the Fifth Army crossing the Volturno River on October 13th. But from then on, the Germans began to fight a stubborn delay action as they slowly withdrew to their prepared defense lines — The Barbara Line and then The Gustav Line. For the next two and a half months, the Allies advanced slowly north, fighting for practically every village and mountain top to even reach the Gustav Line. It was a grueling campaign known for the battles of San Pietro Infine, Monte Lungo, and Monte Camino.

Italy ’43 uses the exact same map and unit scale as Salerno ’43 and Normandy ’44. Italy ’43 uses the same game system used in Salerno ’43 with some modifications and rule improvements.

Italy ’43 includes four scenarios: Across the Volturno, The Barabara Line, The Mignano Gap, and the full Campaign Game.

As in other 19xx games, the rules include ZOC Bonds, Determined Defense, Extended Movement, and a straightforward CRT. New rules include: Construction of Defense Lines, Mountain units, and two new attack options: Prepared Offensives and Sustained Attacks.

Players will find the game and order of battle extremely useful in understanding what happened in this campaign. It allows players to experience and understand how a depleted German army was able to slow and then stop the Fifth Army at the Gustav Line.

Salerno ’43 was a well designed game that has a short scenario of 8 turns and a full campaign game of 22 turns. I think that this game is very good and will be one that you can play over and over again until you get the strategies down and can really stretch its legs at that point. But the game plays fast and furiously and was frankly a very good way to spend a Friday evening for 4 hours. If you are a fan of the ZOC Bond System, then this is a no brainer for you as it carries out that system well. If you are wanting to get into that system, this is probably the very best place to start. And as stated above, Italy ’43 is going to use the same system with some new and additional rules.

If you are interested in Italy ’43, you can pre-order a copy for $38.00 at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-1123-italy-43.aspx

The game was recently reported as being planned for Q2-Q3 2025 Tentative so I would guess it will be near the end of Q3 or September. Let’s hope as I love this ’40X Series of hex and counter goodness and can’t wait to play more of it!

COIN Series Volume XII China’s War: 1937-1941 from GMT Games

This one has been in the cooker for a while now. Since being announced in the August 2019 Monthly Update from GMT Games, this new addition to the COIN Series family has been stuck in neutral a bit as it is just being worked over and looked at. I am not necessarily concerned about the game but do want to play it so I hope that this prognostication is correct and this one sees the light of day later this year. in Volume XII China’s War: 1937-1941. I was excited about it as always, one being that I love the COIN Series and two that I have always found Brian’s designs to be very interesting and well done. Earlier this month, I contacted Brian and asked if he could squeeze me into his busy schedule for an interview and like the true kind and accommodating Canadian that he is he heartily agreed!

From the game page, we read the following:

July 8, 1937: a nighttime skirmish at the Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing erupts into an invasion and occupation of China by the Imperial Japanese Army that would not end until 1945. Western sources call it the “Second Sino-Japanese War”; in China, it is the “War of Resistance”; and in Japan, it is blandly referred to as “the China Incident.”

China’s War: 1937-1941 examines the first five years of the conflict, when China stood alone against the Japanese Empire. Each player takes the role of a Faction seeking to attack or defend the Republic of China: the aggressive Japanese, the harried Government (represented by the Guomindang party), the rebellious Chinese Communist Party, or the unruly, fractious Warlords who are obedient when convenient but have their eye on gaining state power. Using military, political, and economic actions and exploiting various events, players build and maneuver forces to influence or control the population, extract resources, or otherwise achieve their Faction’s aims. A deck of cards regulates turn order, events, victory checks, and other processes. The rules can run non-player Factions, enabling solitaire, 2-player, or multi-player games.

There’s so much that I’m curious about with this one. So many questions that I have about the factions, their motivations and their play styles. We typically think of World War II as a conventional war with tanks and planes and bombs but there was plenty of irregular fighting in the Pacific Theater of Operations and in China and CBI Theater. I am very much looking forward to this becoming a reality on my table.

We posted an interview on the blog with the designer Brian Train and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2019/12/30/interview-with-brian-train-designer-of-coin-series-volume-xii-chinas-war-1937-1941-from-gmt-games/

If you are interested in China’s War: 1937-1941, you can pre-order a copy for $55.00 from the GMT Games website at the following link: https://www.gmtgames.com/p-830-chinas-war-1937-1941.aspx

The game was recently reported as being planned for Q2-Q3 2025 Tentative so I would guess it will be near the end of Q3 or September. Let’s hope as I love the COIN Series and am very interested in this addition to the system.

Roma Victrix: Campaigns of the Roman World from Compass Games

Ancient Rome is a period that I have always had an interest in and have loved to game. I feel like I am always on the lookout for a good Roman game and have found tons of good ones over the years. A few years ago, this new game called Roma Victrix: Campaigns of the Roman World from Compass Games was announced and I immediately sat up to pay attention. After looking it over a bit, I was convinced that this one offered a good take on Romany combat and it was added to my list. Roma Victrix is a grand strategic, moderate complexity wargame for 1 to 6 players, covering the time period ranging from 218 BC to 533 AD in twenty separate historical and hypothetical scenarios.

From the game page, we read the following:

Roma Victrix is a game which endeavors to re-create the conflicts between Rome and her neighbors to achieve and maintain that dominance. A simple interactive sequence of play guides each player through the process of revenue collection, recruiting and maintaining military forces, conducting land and naval operations, diplomacy, field battles and sieges. Special rules are included to emphasize the importance and effects of leadership, cavalry superiority, mobility and attrition. Random events are also represented, adding an element of unpredictability to even the best laid plans and the likelihood that no scenario will ever play the same.

Seventeen historical scenarios range from the 2^nd Punic War through the attempted reconquest of the lost Western territories by Justinian in the mid-6^th century A.D.  The rivalries of the later Republic, the Year of the Four Emperors, Imperial expansion and civil war, the Parthian and Persian frontier, the upheaval of the third century and the Germanic invasions are all represented. Three hypothetical scenarios are also included in which players can create their own history. Of the twenty scenarios in Roma Victrix, two are ideally suited for solitaire play.

After more research on the game when the Kickstarter was live, I became more interested in the work put in by the designer and read the following:

Roma Victrix features four different infantry units (Legions, Heavy Infantry, Auxilia, and Barbarian Infantry) there is only one generic Cavalry unit. This variant introduces Heavy Cavalry (HC) into the counter-mix. Heavy Cavalry units represent heavily armored cavalrymen equipped with swords and heavy lances while existing Cavalry (CAV) units represent medium and lightly armored cavalrymen commonly equipped with swords, javelins, and bows.

Heavy Cavalry units have 4 Combat Strength Points (CSPs) at full strength, and 2 Combat Strength Points at reduced strength. Creating a full-strength Heavy Cavalry unit costs 5 Revenue Points. Rebuilding a reduced-strength Heavy Cavalry Unit cost 3 Revenue Points.

If using this mechanic, players will use the following list to determine the ratio of Heavy Cavalry (HC) and Cavalry (CAV) units for select Major Powers. Take the total number of a Major Power’s starting force of Cavalry units and replace them with the percentages of HC and CAV units as shown below:

I don’t know about you but I like what I see. Anytime we are talking about managing your economy, recruiting and maintaining armies and include negotiations, you immediately have my interest. I backed this one on Kickstarter in December 2024 and know that it will be fulfilling over the next month or so.

We posted an interview on the blog with the designer Paul Kallio and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2022/05/23/interview-with-paul-kallio-designer-of-roma-victrix-campaigns-of-the-roman-world-from-compass-games/

If you are interested in Roma Victrix: Campaigns of the Roman World, you can pre-order a copy for $79.00 from the Compass Games website at the following link: https://www.compassgames.com/product/roma-victrix/?sfw=pass1738005784

See above but the Kickstarter campaign finished in December 2024 and typically Compass delivers games in 6-10 weeks after conclusion of the campaigns so I would expect this on my table in March at the latest.

Pontiac’s War: Frontier Rebellion, 1763-1766 from Compass Games

Here at TPA we love John Poniske and his great card driven wargames. He is simply a very solid designer who puts a lot of thought into not only the OOB’s and maps for his games but tries very hard to integrate the challenges of the period, including politics, events and other difficult to model elements. Our only problem has been the rules as sometimes they are not as clear as we would hope, But with that being said, his newest game, that we got a chance to see while at WBC in 2019 and shot a video interview with him about the game, is Pontiac’s War: Frontier Rebellion, 1763-1766 from Compass Games

From the game page, we read the following:

Pontiac’s War: Frontier Rebellion, 1763-1766 followed on the heels of the French and Indian War which ended in 1763. Thanks to Indian resentment over the French surrender of their lands and the harsh policies of General Jeffery Amherst, governor-general of British North America, 20+ Indian nations rose up under the charismatic leadership of the Ottawa sachem, Pontiac and the Lenape Holy Man, Neolin. When the powder-smoke cleared, 450 British soldiers and countless Indians had lost their lives. Two thousand settlers were either killed or captured and 4000 more had been displaced. Moreover, Britain’s foreign conflicts had put the Crown 140 million £ in debt. These expenses led directly to a series of unpopular taxes in North America which in turn led directly to another uprising, our colonial revolution.

Pontiac’s War attempts to recreate the reaction of Indian leaders to British mishandling of frontier politics and the impending colonial crisis it presaged. Building on the point-to-point system and loose Indian alliances used in King Philip’s War and Blood on the Ohio, this design expands frontier conflict using Battle cards to introduce combat chaos, British expenditure on troops, Uncertain Indian Armssupply, siege rules, the capture of prisoners, French interference and trader influence.

The game offers five short introductory scenarios (15-30 minutes), three one-year campaign scenarios (2 hours), and one three-year grand campaign (5-6 hours). Although not a solitaire design, it is solitaire friendly. Players will appreciate the high-production quality of the components which includes a MOUNTED game map and large, 5/8″ size punch-out counters.

John had another release a few years ago about the newly formed United States of America and their wars with the Native Americans after the end of the Revolutionary War called Blood on the Ohio and it appears that this game is using some of those same design elements while adding some new rules on sieges.

We posted an interview on the blog with the designer John Poniske and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2020/01/20/interview-with-john-poniske-designer-of-pontiacs-uprising-1763-1766-from-compass-games/

If you are interested in Pontiac’s War: Frontier Rebellion, 1763-1766, you can order a copy for $89.00 from the Compass Games website at the following link: https://www.compassgames.com/product/pontiacs-war-frontier-rebellion-1763-1766/

See above but the Kickstarter campaign finished in October 2024 and typically Compass delivers games in 6-10 weeks after conclusion of the campaigns so I would expect this on my table in early February.

Battle Commander: Volume I – Napoleon’s Italian Campaigns from Sound of Drums

I have been following this project for the past year and it had a very successful Gamefound campaign in November 2024. I just really like the way the game looks to be laid out and executed and frankly anything designed by Carl Paradis has been good such as the No Retreat Series. Another tactical Napoleonics game sounds like something that I am very much in need of and am hotly anticipating this title. Battle Commander: Napoleon’s Italian Campaigns is at the Brigade/Division scale, is supposedly very playable, with no downtime or complex computations or mechanics. Because it is being published by Sound of Drums, the package will be super-deluxe, using a very large box, allowing the 2-sided mounted maps to be folded only once, game pieces will be painted-on wood blocks of different shapes, so no annoying stickers to apply, you’ll have a couple dozen blocks per side in a game, often less. Also, no dice, almost no markers, and the emphasis is on the gameplay!

The crux of the game engine will be ( 1 ) the deck of event cards, that will also take care of all the combat results and other dice functions, and ( 2 ), the cube-pull mechanism, that will manage player unit activations, but also turn end, when combat and rally happens, and other similar game happenstances. It’s all a very granular affair. The whole package has a definite “Kriegspiel” look, with all the graphics done in a contemporary Napoleonic style, with a very different way of maneuvering units on the field of battle compared to other Napoleonic games.

From the game page, we read the following:

Battle Commander intends to recreate historical 18th-19th century battles. It features a fresh framework focused on providing two key aspects: command decision and maximum playability.

In Volume I, you act as Army Commander in a series of six dramatic Battles fought during Napoleon’s two Italian campaigns. Volume II will cover engagements of the Second and Third Coalitions, including Austerlitz and the Battle of the Pyramids.

In Battle Commander, you struggle against the chaos of battle, making meaningful high-level decisions, not micro-managing your troops: that’s your colonels’ job! Good card play is paramount for Battle success, but make no mistake: this is not a card-driven, but a card enhanced game.

Cube-pull activation is used to manage game phases (movement, combat, rally, card draws etc.), and cards for the interactive combat system and events, allowing for a myriad of possibilities and solitaire-friendly gaming. No dice, no complex odds counting, no markers, no play downtimes, no sure thing!

A persona card represents each Commander, his specific abilities and your Army’s resources; the all-important Subordinate Leaders are integrated in an innovative multi-role card system.

Morale and troop skill are a core mechanic: demoralizing the enemy goes a long way towards winning the fight, with Armies slowly degrading in performance, until the breaking point! Casualties are managed effortlessly, and a correct “Battlefield Look” maintained at all times. With a game piece count similar to Chess, you’ll be able to assess your going in one quick “coup d’oeuil”.

This one looks to be interesting! And Carl Paradis is a very good designer as we have played lots of his No Retreat! Series games and enjoyed them.

We posted an interview on the blog with the designer Carl Paradis and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2024/07/17/interview-with-carl-paradis-designer-of-battle-commander-volume-i-napoleons-italian-campaigns-from-sound-of-drums-coming-to-gamefound-july-20th/

If you are interested in Battle Commander Volume I: Napoleon’s Italian Campaigns, you can check out the project on the Gamefound page at the following link: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/sound-of-drums-gmbh/battle-commander-volume-i

I am probably the least sure about this one making it out this year but I am holding out hope as it just looks really good.

Valiant Defense Series Volume V: Guadalcanal: The Battle for Henderson Field, Oct 23-26, 1942 from Dan Verssen Games

The Valiant Defense Series originally designed by David Thompson has been one of my favorite solitaire wargame series of the past 8 years. Each of the volumes in the game address very specific situations and always have a very interesting take with fun mechanics, great art and fantastic production. The torch for the series though appears to be passing to a new designer in Vincent Cooper. He has been working on Guadalcanal: The Battle for Henderson Field, Oct 23-26 1942 for the past few years and it had a successful Kickstarter campaign in July 2024.

I am having a little bid of difficulty finding copy on the game but had used the following from the designer Vincent Cooper in the past in a Wargame Watch post:

This all started about 3 1/2 years ago when I first played Pavlov’s House. I say played. I ‘played’ the game for about 10 minutes…and then I sat there in stunned disbelief at how a game could be sooooo good!!!! By the time I finished there were two very clear ideas for games fully formed. I contacted DVG to see if there was any interest and they put me in touch with David Thompson. I didn’t hold much hope. There was no reason for him to trust his IP to me, a person he didn’t know.

But I gave it a try and David, it turns out, is one of the nicest people you can ever come into contact with. After some back and forth, the idea for Guadalcanal – The Battle for Henderson Field was born (not, in fact, one of the original ideas, but we’ll see what the future holds for them…).

The game has been through various stages of development and now stands ready to KS!!  I will be giving more details in the future about the various variant play options, but have no fear: This will keep you scratching your head looking for the right decision for MONTHS!!

Art by the supremely talented Nils Johansson   

Thank you to all the play testers, and in particular Glenn Saunders, Shane Freshwater and Martin Fenwick Charlesworth   Much more to come from out design team in the near future!!!

We posted an interview on the blog with the designer Vincent Cooper and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2024/07/29/interview-with-vince-cooper-designer-of-valiant-defense-series-volume-v-guadalcanal-the-battle-for-henderson-field-oct-23-26-1942-from-dan-verssen-games-coming-to-kickstarter-july-30th/

If you are interested in Valiant Defense Series Volume V: Guadalcanal: The Battle for Henderson Field, Oct 23-26, 1942, you can pre-order the game for $60.00 on Backerkit at the following link: https://dvg-valiant-defense-guadalcanal.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders?ref=bk_preorder_collection

The most recent update on this one’s progress says that art is now finishing up. To me, this is normally the last stage in the process and probably means we will see this in the fall this year.

Chicago ’68 from The Dietz Foundation

As you know, I do love me a good Card Driven Game. I love the mechanic because it allows for the designer to keep a game going while using cards that incorporate special rules that fit a historical situation but also to be able to use bits of the history itself to teach the players about the topic. Last year, I caught wind that The Dietz Foundation was working with a new designer named Yoni Goldstein on his first game called Chicago ’68 and the game had a successful Kickstarter last summer. Chicago ’68 deals with the Democratic National Convention riots of 1968 in Chicago and sees players taking on the role of either the Establishment or the Demonstrators in a fast-paced game of street battles and political maneuvers. I reached out to Yoni and he was more than willing to discuss the game with me and also work on a series of Event Card spoiler posts in a run up to the Kickstarter campaign that is set to launch on August 6th.

From the game page, we read the following:

Chicago ’68 pits revolutionary spectacle against civil order at the Democratic National Convention riots of 1968. Players take the role of either the Establishment or the Demonstrators in this fast-paced game of street battles and political maneuvers. Each side plays from two asymmetric decks of action cards. The Establishment positions tactical forces and police platoons to co-ordinate mass arrests while working the convention floor. The Demonstrators, on the other hand, can pivot from direct clashes to radical street theater; their tactics can be reactive and unpredictable, allowing for wild cat-and-mouse chases and mischief-making across the tear-gassed avenues of groovy downtown Chicago.

In more detail, the game is played over five rounds, with two rounds representing a single day (daytime and nighttime). Each side takes turns playing cards from two decks of action cards. The first deck represents the leadership committees. For the Establishment, this is the Mayor’s office, and for the Demonstrators, this is the Yippies. These decks are primarily focused on building/activating card splays and manipulating the board state. The Mayor faction can access the policy tableau with the mandate action, which include activating undercover agents, authorizing tear gas, redeploying the National Guard, and more.

Then both sides alternate playing action cards from their rank-and-file decks: The National Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (MOBE) on one side, and the Chicago Police Department on the other. These actions are largely moving and confronting units on the map and claiming strategic positions. The Demonstrators may build and activate their street theater splay, which is a set of location specific one-time “mini-objectives” with unique, combinatorial powers.

At the end of every round, a delegate commits a vote to either side. Demonstrators grow in number, the mayor is allocated funds, and whoever controls a majority of critical city areas is awarded exposure points.

Chicago ’68 supports 1-4 players in solo, competitive, co-operative, and team play modes. Game duration is 45 minutes per player, with the typical two player duel lasting 60-90 mins.

We posted an interview on the blog with the designer Yoni Goldstein and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2024/07/22/interview-with-yoni-goldstein-designer-of-chicago-68-from-the-dietz-foundation-coming-to-kickstarter-august-6th/

We also have hosted a series of Event Card Spoilers and you can read those at the following links:

Card #1 – Police Action Card: Mass Arrest

Card #2 – Mob Chaos Card: “A stiff west wind…”

Card #3 – Supplementary Police Action Card: Flame-Throwers

Card #4 – Street Theater Card: The Battle of Michigan Ave

Card #5 – Tactics Card: Mob Payoffs

Card #6: Street Theater Card: Improvised Barricades

Card #7: Street Theater Cards: Jean and Allen & Allen Ginsberg OMM Chant

If you are interested in Chicago ’68, you can pre-order a copy for $68.00 from The Dietz Foundation website at the following link: https://dietzfoundation.org/product/chicago68/

The last update we were given said that the files were completed and had been sent away to the factory for production of a sample in December 2024. They also shared that they thought the game would be delivering by the end of March 2025 so it won’t be long now.

Imperial Borders – The Congress of Vienna from Nightingale Games

Put this game in the expensive, overproduced, huge, Ameritrashy wargame section if you are looking for a categorization of what it is but Imperials Borders: The Congress of Vienna from Nightingale Games is designed by Larry Harris (he of Axis & Allies fame) and is somewhat of an alternative history game that includes a system of written orders that is really very cool as we played this system with War Room a few years ago. The game is being offered on Kickstarter and is a bit pricey but will be even more in retail if you don’t jump on the bandwagon now.

From the game page, we read the following:

Imperial Borders – The Congress of Vienna is an alternative historical board game designed by Larry Harris (designer of Axis & Allies) that lasts about 4 to 6 hours.

PREMISE – What if the Congress of Vienna failed to establish peace? 2 to 6 players control the major nations of Europe during the aftermath of war with Napoleon. Establish a dominating presence of power and wealth through clever diplomacy and strategic warfare…

THE HEART OF THE GAME – Establish a dominating presence of power and wealth through clever diplomacy and strategic warfare…Plotting, scheming, deal-making, and backstabbing are fundamental to winning the game. The timing of exactly when to make your play for domination of Europe is a most challenging dilemma.

HOW TO WIN – Each Nation’s final score is their sum of Prestige points gained gradually over the entire game and the value of all their controlled Territories and Elite Forces in the last Game Round. The highest total score wins the game.

END GAME – Starting in the 5th Game Round, the Congress of Vienna convenes. A blind vote is held as to whether to settle for peace or to continue the conflict. Each subsequent Game Round the results are weighted more heavily towards peace.

This game is very highly produced, with hundreds of plastic miniature units (including infantry, cavalry, artillery and ships of the line) and an absolutely huge and stunning looking board. This one is for sure going to become a game we play at conventions and with large groups of friends. We backed the game and are very much looking forward to playing it!

If you are interested in Imperial Borders: The Congress of Vienna, you can follow along as the game near production on the Nightingale Games website at the following link (I cannot find where you can late pledge this one): https://www.nightingale-games.com/imperial-borders

With a quick look at their website, it appears that they are readying the game for delivery and then retail sale this summer. You will want to keep your eye out on that page to get information and lean more about the game.

New Cold War from VUCA Simulations

While attending the World Boardgaming Championships this past July, I was able to get a play in of an upcoming CDG called New Cold War from VUCA Simulations designed by Andoni Orive and Igor Plaza. The first thing to note about this one is the real high quality graphics and production of this game. We were taught the game by Patrick and Julius with VUCA Simulations who were here from Germany for Consimworld Expo and then WBC. They are really great energetic young men and it was awesome to play this game with them watching over us.

The game is based on the most important geopolitical events covering the period of 1989 to 2019. Each of the players is one of the 4 major modern powers including Russia, China, the US, and the EU in their fight for the new world order. The game is semi-cooperative but there is individual victory. Think Twilight Struggle for 1-4 players that plays in 3 hours.

From the game page, we read the following:

New Cold War is a 1 to 4 player geopolitics game that takes place between 1989 and 2019. Each player will manage the strategy of one of the great powers fighting to settle the new world order: US, EU, Russia and China. The first phases of the game will provoke a confrontation between the Western bloc and the Chinese-Russian alliance, but victory will be achieved individually. This will be marked by an agenda of hidden objectives that each power must achieve in order to win. New Cold War uses a Card-Driven game mechanic through the 135 most relevant historical events that have taken place during the 30 years in which the game takes place.

This one is a real winner! The game play is deep and you have to consider a lot of different parts as you go through your turn but the interaction is very interesting and dynamic. The game is like Twilight Struggle but is definitely on steroids. I am very much looking forward to this one and it is multi-player so you can get 3 friends together and have a fantastic 4-player game.

We have hosted a series of Event Card Spoilers on the blog on the game written by the designers and you can check those posts out at the following links:

Card #7: 1st Decade Deck – The Tibetan Conflict

Card #105: 3rd Decade Deck – Annexation of Crimea

Card #82: 1st Decade Deck – Warsaw Pact Dissolved

Card #134: 3rd Decade Deck – Rise of the Far Right

Card #41: 2nd Decade Deck – Afghanistan and Iraq Wars

Card #25: 3rd Decade Deck – Xi Jinping

Card #61: 1st Decade Deck – UNSC Presidency

Card #30: 1st Decade Deck – Gulf Monarchies

Card #63: 1st Decade Deck – Counter-Insurgency

Card #64: 1st Decade Deck – War Lords

If you are interested in New Cold War, 1989-2019, you can pre-order a copy for $68.00 from the VUCA Simulations website at the following link: https://vucasims.com/collections/coming-soon/products/new-cold-war

On the VUCA Simulations website, it states that this game will be published in Q1 of 2025. I am hoping that it correct and I will be getting this one to the table shortly after!

Whew! I am wiped out now. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this list (I know I had a good time writing it!) and I hope that you have a good financing plan to purchase all the gaming goodness coming soon. Let me know what games you are looking forward to in 2025 as I always like to hear your thoughts. With so many good games upcoming it is really hard to cover them all! A few others that I am keenly awaiting but didn’t highlight here are In the Shadows from GMT Games, The Troubles from Compass Games (if it is going to make it this year) and Iwo Jima: Hell on Earth and Sea & Steel: Columbus’s Voyages both from Neva Wargames.

-Grant