So what’s going on with Fields of Fire Deluxe?

In October 2022, a draft of the new rulebook went online. This is due for another update once all the components are done to add new images along with a handful of new clarifications. The rulebook now contains all the base rules, with full explanations and examples, and should answer any question that comes up during play. However, that’s just the first step towards the new presentation of Fields of Fire.

The second step is the Starter Guide & Field Manual. Fields of Fire can be a tricky game to grasp, especially for players of other tactical wargames. The training course in this guide takes you through the basics of the game one step at a time and teaches you how to follow the sequence of play. The book also provides a series of examples and guidance for the various situations that the campaigns present; how to plan for an air assault, what to think about when setting up a defensive mission, a demonstration of between-mission reconstitution and replacements and so on. The main text is complete and it’s currently going through a series of checks, edits and design discussions to make sure it’s as user-friendly as possible.

The card decks remain mostly unchanged, though we’ve added a set of elevation cards for Heartbreak Ridge which will make setting up the missions a lot less fiddly.

The counters are currently being updated. We’ve added some of the QoL counters introduced in FoFII and there are various new ones like KATUSA units, command bunkers, Vietnam era HQ units, etc. We’ve also done some recolouring of units so the NKPA, NVA and VC aren’t all a single monolithic brown.

Each player aid has been updated and some new ones have been thrown in like Air Assault Planning charts, the main Activity Menu and the various other new reference charts from the new rulebook.

The final part that ties it all together is, of course, the Mission Books. They’ve been completely reformatted for ease of understanding, with all the information you need clearly indicated, including clarifications where we know players have needed support previously. In addition, each mission has been reconsidered, re-tested, and updated. Designer Ben Hull has also provided some new missions, and expanded the historical background notes which are now integrated into the mission briefings.

Added to that is a new stand-alone mission with some simplified rules and an example of play that you can just pick up and play without worrying about the campaign.

Each of the books will be available online as they are completed and will be included in both the Update Kit and the main Fields of Fire Deluxe box.

It’s been a long journey, but we’re approaching the final stretch. Fields of Fire Deluxe is far more than a “clarifications update”, it’s a whole new edition of the game, enhanced, improved, expanded, easier to approach, and yet, still very much the Fields of Fire that players around the world love. There’s a way to go yet, but we’re still hopeful to get it printed and onto your tables before the end of the year.

And then what happens? A long rest maybe, but then right back into the world of Fields of Fire. There’s a new Fields of Fire product about to be announced on P500. And there are lots more potential Fields of Fire products in the pipeline; we’ll be supporting new volumes and expansion packs from Ben and other new designers for the foreseeable future. Look out for playtesting announcements if you want to get involved with any of the new titles.

Andrew Stead, Colin Parsons

Fields of Fire Series Developers

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