Category Archives: Designer Blogs

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Resisting Revolution: The United States

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At the beginning of 1959 United States companies owned about 40 percent of the Cuban sugar lands—almost all the cattle ranches—90 percent of the mines and mineral concessions—80 percent of the utilities—practically all the oil industry—and supplied two-thirds of Cuba’s imports.

John F. Kennedy, October 1960
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Cuius Regio: Campaign Game Summary / Example of Play

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Cuius Regio is an operational level wargame depicting the military activities of the Thirty Years War.  This is a summary of activity in the first two turns of a Campaign game from one of our teaching games with our playtest group.  While this is not a detailed explanation of the rules, but it does provide a description of the flow of the game and the basics of how the game works.

NOTE: The Map art depicted in this article is almost final (pending a few minor corrections), but the counter art is not. This game was played online using Vassal.

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Why Levy & Campaign: Ancients?

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Here the designer of Epipolae: The Athenian Expedition in Sicily, 415-413 BCE (P500), presents his thoughts on why the Levy & Campaign system works well for ancient settings. (All images are public domain from the Illustrated History of the World, 1881.)

Levy & Campaign

The Levy & Campaign (L&C) series of games was designed from the ground-up to model operational-level medieval military campaigns. This includes some modeling of the feudal system of Lords and vassals, obligations and fealty, and organization and service. [1]

Key features in the series include each turn of the game consisting of a Levy phase and a Campaign phase. Each Levy phase is used to muster allies, vassals, capabilities, transportation, and supplies. Each Campaign phase allows players to plan and command the movement and various actions of their Lords and armies, subject to the logistical constraints of the previous Levy phase(s). Each game board has two features: a calendar and a map. The calendar serves as a turn record track that is used to track the availability and service of various Lords and vassals. Each map is point-to-point, where Locales are connected by Ways, which control movement and supply routes. Victory conditions vary, but can be achieved through conquering strongholds, defeating enemies in battle, and ravaging and plundering. [1]

Key Features

  • Levy Phase – mustering allies, vassals, capabilities, transportation, and supplies.
  • Campaign Phase – plan and command Lords and armies subject to logistical constraints.
  • Calendar – track availability and service of Lords and vassals.
  • Map – control movement and supply routes.
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(Not So) Minor Powers in Imperial Fever

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Imperial Fever is a game of Great Power competition in the period 1880-1914. However, the term “Great Power” is difficult to define and open to discussion. The four players in the game take on the roles of the United Kingdom, France, the Central Empires (which for game purposes comprise Germany and Austria-Hungary), and the Emergent Powers (which include the United States and Japan). However, there are other powers, both in Europe and outside Europe, that were very active or important in this period. Russia, Italy and most certainly China come to mind. On the other hand, other powers such as Spain, Portugal, or the Netherlands, had been major imperial actors until very recently and were still active in the international stage. Even Leopold II, the king of a small and recent country like Belgium, secured an important if notorious role in the colonial race starting in the 1880s.

The role of all these international actors is not neglected in Imperial Fever, even if they do not appear as player factions. The aim of this article is to explain and analyse how Imperial Fever incorporates their actions and influence.

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Resisting Revolution: The Resistance

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The new Cuban government that came to power in 1959 was initially very popular, replacing the Batista dictatorship with an apparently moderate liberal regime, and with ambitious plans to stamp out political corruption, to enact land, labor, and education reforms, and to normalize relationships with important trade partners like the United States. However, as Castro and his allies began to strengthen their grip on power and expand the scope of their economic reforms, resistance began to grow, including not only wealthy landowners but also revolutionary veterans concerned by the political direction of the new regime. The Resistance faction in Resisting Revolution represents a loose coalition of urban political opposition, clandestine rural cells, and a guerrilla insurgency in the central Escambray Mountains, united by their commitment to overthrowing Castro but without much popular support or organized structure. In this article I will outline some key features of the Resistance faction and their new menu of Operations and Special Activities. 

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What’s Coming Next in the Battles of the American Revolution Series?

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Update from Dave Stiffler:

Dave Stiffler and Mark Miklos

Small Battles of the American Revolution: There are many interesting American Revolution battles that are simply too small for the Battles of the American Revolution series scale (200 yards/hex, 100 men/strength point and 1 hour/turn). That’s why I’m pleased to report that Bruno Sinigaglio is designing the first “Small Battles of the American Revolution” game!

In the Small BoAR series, the base scale will be 25 yards/hex, 12 men/strength point and roughly 7.5 minutes/turn. At this scale individual units are identified as carrying predominately muskets or rifles, and all infantry units will be able to fire (something that is abstracted at the current BoAR scale).  Fire results are also more granular with results such as “reform”, “recoil” and “shattered” now possible.  At this scale, cavalry will have the ability to charge, and players will be able to put cavalry in reserve during movement and then to charge!  

The first game in the series will be Cowpens, which lends itself perfectly to this smaller scale. This game introduces a new unit type (Skirmishers) and terrain features (cane brake and “gentle slope”).  Research on this battle has been extensive, including a day-long visit to the battlefield by Bruno, developer Dave Stiffler, and BoAR series designer Mark Miklos.  The result is what might be the most historically accurate Cowpens battle map ever produced. 

Other Small BoAR designs in progress are the Battles of Hubbardton and Bennington by Curtiss Fyock and Cooch’s Bridge by Rob “Cappy” McCracken.

Update from Mark Miklos:

Battles of the American Revolution: Volume 11

The Battle of Green Spring Plantation

I am hard at work designing volume 11 in the Battles of the American Revolution series, The Battle of Green Spring Plantation.  Fought in Tidewater Virginia in July 1781, this battle was the immediate prelude to Yorktown and represents Cornwallis’ last victory during the American Revolution. 

British forces had been rampaging virtually unchecked in Virginia until General Clinton, expecting a Franco-American attack against New York City, requested Cornwallis send him reinforcements.  As ordered, Cornwallis moved his army from Williamsburg, VA to Jamestown Ferry on the James River, intent upon crossing over to Portsmouth.

Shadowing the British in Virginia were the Marquis de Lafayette, Baron von Steuben, and “Mad” Anthony Wayne.  Their combined forces of crack light infantry, Pennsylvania Line, and Virginia militia remained just out of reach.  Deceived by British “deserters” and run-away slaves into thinking the British had already crossed the bulk of their forces over the river and that only a rear guard remained holding the ferry, the impetuous Lafayette, and the equally impetuous Wayne, rushed ahead to defeat this exposed element of the British force in detail.  Little did they know that Cornwallis had laid a trap into which the Americans obligingly fell.  Only the heroics of Wayne and his Pennsylvanians prevented disaster.

The Battle of Green Spring Plantation will feature a historical scenario and a campaign game.  Very little new chrome will be added to the core series rules in this volume although rules for skirmishers, who played a key role in springing the British trap, are being developed.  Counter density will approximate that of Saratoga. 

The sketch map, reflecting on-site and archival research, is complete as is the British Order of Battle.  American Order of Battle and Exclusive Rules are being written as this goes to press.  We anticipate Green Spring Plantation to be ready for P-500 in 2024.

-Mark Miklos

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Fields of Fire Volume 3: The Parachute Regiment, Episode 3 – Afghanistan

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Note: All images are of playtest art and not final. All image credits: Craig Allen, 4 PARA.

Volume 3 of Fields of Fire brings three campaigns featuring The British Army – the Battle of Arnhem in 1944, the Falklands War in 1982, and Helmand Province, Afghanistan in 2008.

[links to previous InsideGMT articles: Episode 1 – Arnhem and Episode 2 – Falklands]

Episode 3 – Afghanistan

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Resisting Revolution: The Government

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In the early hours of January 1st, 1959, Cuban president Fulgencio Batista fled into exile, ending nearly a decade of dictatorial rule in Cuba. The 26th of July Movement immediately began to seize control, and a week later Fidel Castro arrived triumphantly in Havana, having completed a victorious march along the whole length of the island. In Resisting Revolution, the new Government faction begins in a strong but fragile position, seeking to consolidate their popular support and rebuild the war-ravaged Cuban economy. In this article I will outline some key features of the Government faction and their new menu of Operations and Special Activities. 

Camilo Cienfuegos and Fidel Castro arrive in Havana
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The Newport Skirmish: Notes and Thoughts from SDHistCon East 2023

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SDHistCon East, 2023

U.S. Naval War College Museum

Newport, Rhode Island

The Newport Skirmish: Notes and Thoughts

First, I want to thank Dave Stiffler for filming and posting these videos:

Miklos Rhode Island Part 1 https://youtu.be/lJFeMXD8N4A

Miklos Rhode Island Part 2 https://youtu.be/7_hE-28q01Y

Miklos Rhode Island Part 3 https://youtu.be/chADvoWGAu8

Miklos Rhode Island Part 4 https://youtu.be/WkoXVLtJuQ0

Miklos Turkey Hill Part 1 https://youtu.be/ez4_81EPR5o

Miklos Turkey Hill Part 2 https://youtu.be/kBCE0b7ToJA

Miklos Turkey Hill Part 3 https://youtu.be/eznRIkCSLfw

I didn’t know he was doing that. I occasionally saw him pointing his phone at me but assumed he was taking some still shots.  I hope you enjoy hearing the story as much as I enjoyed telling it.

We were blessed with good weather.  As late as the night before, we were concerned that we might have to cancel because of the threat of thunderstorms in the middle of the day.  Overcast and damp when we started, and it was sunny when we finished as you can plainly see in the final video installments.

We were so fortunate to have several members of the local battlefield restoration committee at Butts Hill Fort where we began our tour.  They added granular detail to the story and led small groups around the fieldworks.  They were prepping for a Centennial celebration the next day which was just plain good luck for us.  They were very gracious, and I know our folks were grateful for that added experience.

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Illusions of Glory 2nd Edition: Return to the WW1 Eastern Front

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New rules for Illusions of Glory 2nd Edition are available for your view.  (Go to this link).  The rules have been clarified with respect to:

  • Troop Quality Penalties: reductions in Troop Quality for incurring unit losses and using Reinforcement Cards have been reduced so that reinforcement step reductions should not occur until 1916, as is historically accurate.
  • Allocating Unit Losses: the player taking fire must apply as much of the Loss Number as possible to his units (using guidelines instead of scripted procedures), cannot take fewer losses than is required to absorb the entire Loss Number, and units cannot take more losses than is required by the Loss Number.
  • Out-Of-Supply Effects: a unit that is Out-Of-Supply can move by just 1 Movement Factor; can be activated for attack but cannot participate in a combined attack with supplied units; cannot use Combat Cards; cannot use Strategic Redeployment; cannot receive Replacement Points; cannot build Trenches (but can use existing Trenches); cannot be used to make Flank Attacks; and is reduced to a Combat Factor of 1.
  • Diminished Supply Effects: units that can only trace a supply line to Supply Sources of other friendly nations can activate for movement or attack at a cost of 1 additional Operations Point, cannot use Strategic Redeployment, and cannot receive Replacement Points.
  • Building Trenches: any nationality may attempt to build a Trench in a Clear space; only German, Austro-Hungarian, Italian, and Serbian units may attempt to build a Trench in a Mountain space; only one trench building attempt may be made per space in an Action Round; and entrenching is attempted by rolling a die.
  • Retreats After Combat: every defending unit forced to end its retreat in an overstacked friendly space is reduced by one step and continues retreating to the nearest friendly-controlled space or region where it will not overstack; and defending units in Forests, Mountains, or Swamps can reduce a two-space retreat by one space by taking a step loss from any of those units, but a one-space retreat normally cannot be halted.
  • Destruction Versus Permanent Elimination: reduced-strength units that take another step reduction are destroyed and go into the Replaceable Units Box, but units are permanently eliminated and removed from the game if destroyed by combat when Out-Of-Supply, if reduced-strength while Out-Of-Supply during the Attrition Phase, or if forced to retreat into or through a space that contains enemy units, an unbesieged enemy Fort, or an Uprising Unit.
  • Choosing Movement or Disassembly: a unit can move or assemble/disassemble in the same Action Round, but not both.  (Similarly, a unit can be used to move or entrench in the same Action Round, but not both.)
  • Reserve Box Uses: Small Combat Units (divisions) in the Replaceable Units Box that are rebuilt go immediately into the Reserve Box; they can use Strategic Redeployment to go from the Reserve Box onto the mapboard; or they can use Strategic Redeployment to go from the mapboard into the Reserve Box.
  • Movement Into Neutral Nations:  units that move or retreat into neutral nations are immediately interned to the Replaceable Units Box, except that Serbian and Montenegran units in neutral Albania are not interned until the end of the Action Phase and may use Strategic Redeployment to leave neutral Albanian ports.
  • Deployment Of Uprising Units: If a nation’s National Will marker has reached National Demoralization by Step 1 of the Rebellion/Revolution Phase, the opposing player can immediately place 2 of that nation’s Uprising Units in separate spaces and/or regions of that nation without cost.
  • Playing a Strategy Card: If a Strategy Card cannot be played for its Event, it can still be played for its War Status Points.
  • Treaty of Brest-Litovsk: When the Victory Points marker reaches the “26” space on the General Records Track, the Allied Powers can play the “Treaty of Brest-Litovsk” card and, when the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk takes effect: all Russian units are removed from the gameboard and are replaced with Russian control markers; other units cannot move into Russian-controlled spaces and regions within Russia; units can attack Russian Uprising Units and take control of spaces or regions that they occupy; all German Large Combat Units (corps) outside of Germany immediately go into the Brandenburg region. After that, one German unit in the Brandenburg region can be moved in each following Action Round.