Bayonets & Tomahawks Warpath Chronicles #11: Action Round Example

This is the Action Round example as it appears in the playbook, except for a few additions to facilitate understanding without a copy of the game. Rules reference numbers remain in the text to minimize editing. Enjoy!

Border Reivers Design Diaries #7-9: Play Cards, Hold Cards, and Summer Strategy Analysis

Compiled below you will find the seventh through ninth installments of an ongoing design diaries series from Border Reivers designer Ed Beach. (The previous installments can be found here.) He regularly publishes new design diaries and other updates on the “Reivers and Reformers” Facebook group, so if you would like to read those as they are released you can do so here. Enjoy! -Rachel

A New Wargamer’s Insights and Impressions from Commands and Colors: Ancients

Below is an article featuring Commands & Colors: Ancients insights and first impressions from first time player and InsideGMT contributor David Wiley of Cardboard Clash and Swords & Chit. You can also find this article on David’s blog. Enjoy! -Rachel

Seas of Thunder: Her Netherlands Majesty’s Ship De Ruyter

HNLMS DeRuyter was a Royal Netherlands Navy light cruiser built over the period of 1933-1935 being commissioned on October 3, 1936. She was named after Admiral Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, who was one of the most skilled admirals in the Dutch Navy during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.

She was set up as a flotilla leader and sent to the Dutch East Indies with two other cruisers. The reasoning behind the triad’s deployment was that with three cruisers in the theater, so far from the home nation, there would always be at least two operational ships to protect the Dutch interests.

The Barracks Emperors: Examining the Influence Cards Part 1 — Military Cards

The Barracks Emperors is a strategic trick-taking game that offers many new twists on the genre – see my earlier article here for more information on how the game is played. One twist is that every card played also grants the player a one-time special ability, in addition to the card’s inherent trick-taking potential based on its suit and value. This means that even when you’re playing a card that may not capture an Emperor for you by itself, you may be able to use the special ability to turn the tables on your opponents in a different way. Becoming familiar with what abilities are available in the game and how to use them is an important part of playing well.

In a deliberate nod back to our last game, Time of Crisis, we’ve adopted the same events used in that game and its expansion and designed reminiscent abilities for The Barracks Emperors.

This series of articles will examine all the influence cards in The Barracks Emperors, one suit at a time. In this article, part one of three, we begin with the Red suit. Just as in Time of Crisis, Red represents Military power and influence. All the special abilities tied to these cards represent battle effects and generally involve abilities to move, “defend”, and “attack” other cards.

(Note:  All art shown in this article is playtest art only.  It is not final.)

Border Reivers Design Diaries #4-6: Cattle & Sheep & Horses, Recruiting Wardens and Reivers, and The Political Game – Offices and Allied Families

Compiled below you will find the fourth through sixth installments of an ongoing design diaries series from Border Reivers designer Ed Beach. (The first three installments can be found in the previous article here.) He regularly publishes new design diaries and other updates on the “Reivers and Reformers” Facebook group, so if you would like to read those as they are released you can do so here. Enjoy! -Rachel

The Christian Kingdoms of Almoravid

We turn after our recent tour of Muslim al‑Andalus to the 11th-Century Spain of the Christians. Like the later Teutonic and Danish crusader states of the Levy & Campaign Series’ previous volume, Nevsky, the Christian lords featured in Almoravid seek to expand their realms at the expense of neighbors of a competing religion. Albert and Volko introduce us to these Christian kingdoms and counties along with their depictions and roles in the game. All game art in this article is playtest only and game details are provisional.