In late 2019, we hosted a 3-part series on an upcoming game called The Troubles: Shadow War in Northern Ireland 1964-1998. Through that process I came to appreciate the designer Hugh O’Donnell’s take on this difficult conflict and really felt he was going about dealing with the nature of this bloody war as tactfully as possible as well as simultaneously providing some enlightenment and understanding about some of the salient issues.
Here are links to those three posts:
Part 1 – Uncomfortable questions about a game on this subject
Part 2 – Look at the map and the process behind it’s creation and genesis of events
Part 3 – Design progress to date and what “victory” looks like?
After those posts were received well, we asked Hugh if he would be interested in doing a series of Event Card spoilers for the game. The game is not yet published but has finished playtesting and gone through near final art so we are getting closer.
*Please keep in mind that the artwork and layout of these cards is not yet finalized (although they are getting close).
#156 M-60 MG’s; M-16 Rifles – Harrison Network USA
In the year that saw President Jimmy Carter deliver a speech stating that the American Government would support efforts to install a government in Northern Ireland that represented both Nationalist and Unionist interests, arms were stolen from a US Army depot and were subsequently smuggled by ship to Ireland by the Harrison Arms Network. The arms are believed to have come from Lebanon. In 1977, a total of six M60 machine guns and around 100 M16 rifles are stolen from a U.S. Army base and shipped to Ireland. Between 1973 and 1978, 500,000 rounds of 5.56×45mm NATO ammunition stolen from the US Marine base are successfully sent to the IRA.
A portion of President Carter’s statement reads:
It is natural that Americans are deeply concerned about the continuing conflict and violence in Northern Ireland. We know the overwhelming majority of the people there reject the bomb and the bullet. The United States wholeheartedly supports peaceful means for finding a just solution that involves both parts of the community of Northern Ireland .and protects human rights and guarantees freedom from discrimination–a solution that the people in Northern Ireland, as well as the Governments of Great Britain and Ireland can support. Violence cannot resolve Northern Ireland’s problems; it only increases them and solves nothing.
We hope that all those engaged in violence will renounce this course and commit themselves to peaceful pursuit of legitimate goals. The path of reconciliation, cooperation, and peace is the only course that can end the human suffering and lead to a better future for all the people of Northern Ireland. I ask all Americans to refrain from supporting with financial or other aid organizations whose involvement, direct or indirect, in this violence delays the day when the people of Northern Ireland can live and work together in harmony, free from fear. Federal law enforcement agencies will continue to apprehend and prosecute any who violate U.S. laws in this regard.
U.S. Government policy on the Northern Ireland issue has long been one of impartiality, and that is how it will remain. We support the establishment of a form of government in Northern Ireland which will command widespread acceptance throughout ‘both parts of the community. However, we have no intention of telling the parties how this might be achieved. The only permanent solution will come from the people who live there. There are no solutions that outsiders can impose.
As you can see with these cards that focus on the Harrison Arms Network, the card’s benefits typically revolve around increasing IRA Resources in the game to allow for further operations.
You can catch up on the series to date by following these links:
#24 RTÉ Television Centre Attack
#103 General Election 1974 & #130 Labour Government: No Confidence
#20 People’s Democracy March: Burntollet
#108 Dublin and Monaghan Bombings
Triple Feature including #166 Shergar, #169 Don Tidey Kidnapping and #154 Ben Dunne Kidnapping
#31b Bernadette Devlin Elected
#35 Prime Minister Terence O’Neill Resigns
#105R Enoch Powell’s Last Stand
#93 M-16’s and AR-15’s – Harrison Arms Network USA
As always thank you Hugh for this great insight into the history behind the game and the issues. One of the things that draws me to these irregular counter insurgency games is the learning of something about history and this game is going to shed some really interesting light on the subject for many who do not know much about the details.
We also posted an interview with Hugh on our blog and you can read that at the following link: https://theplayersaid.com/2021/08/02/interview-with-hugh-odonnell-designer-of-the-troubles-shadow-war-in-northern-ireland-1964-1998-from-compass-games/
If you are interested in The Troubles: Shadow War in Northern Ireland 1964-1998, you can pre-order a copy for $85.00 from the Compass Games website at the following link: https://www.compassgames.com/product/the-troubles-shadow-war-in-northern-ireland-pay-later/?sfw=pass1718299181
-Grant
The Players' Aid 