The 7 Years War: Frederick’s Gamble – Playtest Report

 I’m privileged to be Game Developer for The 7 years War: Frederick’s Gamble (henceforth referred to 7YW:FG).

This is a wonderful game based on the innovative and still ever popular card driven game engine from Designer Mark McLaughlin: The Napoleonic Wars.  If you’re familiar with TNW or its successor games, Wellington and/or Kutuzov; you’d have little difficulty getting into enjoying this debut Game Design effort by Greg Ticer.

The game’s title stems from Frederick the Great, King of Prussia’s 1756 land grab of the independent central European State of Saxony, right on his arch-rival Imperial Austria’s doorstep.  Frederick “gambled” he could get away with this annexation without triggering a general European War.  He failed, and when Austria was joined by its Ally France (Imperial Camp) and the Prussia had Ally Britain (Coalition Camp) with its mainland interests in Hanover/Hesse join the fray, that European War expanded into one of history’s first Global Conflicts.

To reflect the global nature of this conflagration, 7YW:FG has “mini-maps” off to the side of the main European theatre: one for North America and two areas of the Indian sub-continent.  These maps use a point-to-point map of “Duchies” similar to TNW.  An abstract “Naval Control Track” accommodates the war on the waters so players can concentrate on the exciting action ashore.

There are aspects of the game cards and rules which make this very much an Eighteenth Century rather than TNW Nineteenth Century gaming experience.  Future pieces within “InsideGMT” will provide more background and descriptions of what 7YW:FG has to offer. 

For now, with this article’s play test map before you along with your war gaming imagination, we hope you’ll enjoy this After Action Report of a 7 Years War: Frederick’s Gamble contest by the Metro Seattle Gamer guys play-test team, with yours truly supervising… somewhat akin to a line judge during a championship tennis match.  What makes this AAR unusual is the game starting as a two player contest, then, as more gents arrived at the club, growing to a 3 and then full 4 player version of the game.

Enjoy and feel free to pose questions interim to the next “InsideGMT” piece concerning this yet-to-be P-500 listed game. – Fred Schachter, Developer

7YWFG Map

Early Playtest Map for 7YW:FG     Note: For this and all images below, please click the image for better detail

Series Replay – Next War: India-Pakistan, Part 3

“Kashmir”, Game Turn 3

Game Turn 3 in this scenario is a “contested” turn; with much more limited movement/combat segments. In the Next War series turns are either “Initiative” turns (that have 3 move/attack cycles for the attacker and 2 move/attack cycles for the defender) or “Contested” turns that provide only 1 move/attack cycle for each side. These turns represent the need for both sides to sometimes slow combat operation in order to address logistical issues and plan for future operations.

Here in Kashmir, the Pakistan/China side has so far been stopped at the north end of the Kashmir valley. Airmobile and Airborne operations in the Indian rear area at the south end of the valley have met with limited success.

Before going into GT3, a quick note on the air situation. In the Next War series control of the air and fully taking advantage of your air assets is a critical part of the game. The air situation in “Kashmir” in GT3 is now basically even. In the “Standard Game” in the Next War series the air war is somewhat abstracted with “Air Points” being provided to both sides that can be used for fighter escort of Airmobile and Airborne missions as well as ground combat support. By comparing Air Points, the “Air Superiority Level” for each turn is set, which then determines the level of air defense threat to each side (less threat if you have superiority). In the first two turns of “Kashmir”, the Pakistan/China side has “Air Advantage”, which is the lowest level of air superiority. Still, that gives them the ability to move units by Paradrop and Airmobile movement with only limited risk of Air Defense Fire (at least in theory, although Mitch’s ADF dice have been hot). They also get a slight edge in Air Points to use in combat. In the “Advanced Game” scenarios players get much more detail (and work) to fight the air war, with individual air unit counters, SAM/AAA defense tracks, and a host of mission options including combat support, strike missions, and air-to-air combat.

The Campaign of 1777 – Liberty or Death: The American Insurrection

We’ve just added Liberty or Death to our P500 list today, so order away! 🙂 Liberty or Death P500 Page. Enjoy! – Gene

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Below is a narrative from a recent playtest of Liberty or Death at the Camp Pendleton Conflict Simulations Club here in San Diego.  I am indebted to my friends for taking the time on a Saturday to play the 1776 scenario (four Campaigns) and for giving me such great feedback (except for Tim, who kept prodding me about certain one sided markers in my prototype!)  Don’t worry, “Gentleman” Tim – they will be two sided after we are finished with production!

1777 Pic 1
The game features Trevor “Swamp Fox” Wilcox as the Patriots, Trevor’s father “Gentleman” Tim Wilcox as the British, Pete “Cornplanter” Martin as the Indians, and Ken “The Comte” McMillan as the French.

It is the start of the 1777 Campaign; this is the second Campaign of the Medium Scenario.  The Patriots have done well building Opposition to the British government in the population.  They have been active in the Colonies Rabble-Rousing and building forts.  The forts will improve their ability to Rally Militia and Continentals.

Series Replay – Next War: India-Pakistan, Part 2

“Kashmir”, Game Turn 2

GT2 is another Initiative turn for the Pakistan/Chinese side in this scenario. GT3 is a Contested turn by SSR, and the Indians will have the initiative in GT4 by SSR, so the Paks/Chinese really need to push.   During initiative movement, the Paks move up more full-strength divisions into Baramula in an effort to attack south over the river line (in 4410). They bring up more units to surround the elite Indian mountain brigade in Bandipora (4610, another VP hex). However, due to hot Air Defense Fire dice rolls (there are air defense rolls against Airborne and Airmobile Movement representing SAMs, AAA, and aircraft) by the Indian side, three out of four Chinese airborne brigades get aborted back to Islamabad! That is a lot of combat power not in play. Here is the situation at the end of GT2 Initiative Movement Segment:

NWIP2-1

Creating World War 2.0: The Genesis of Cataclysm: A Second World War

We’re excited to be adding Cataclysm to our P500 list this coming week. This is the first of several planned articles by William and Scott to give you guys insight into what this game is all about. Enjoy! – Gene

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In the wargaming hobby, every war has to fit into a box. When it comes to World War II, the challenge can be a bit problematic. You can make the war fit, but only by leaving parts of it out. Or you can make a bigger game and put it in a bigger box.

Cataclysm takes neither approach. This game is unlike any World War II game you have played before. It is about grand strategy. You have to worry about politics, diplomacy and economics as well as air, naval and land warfare. And you will not have the benefit of hindsight.

The game begins in 1933, not 1939. France stands ten feet tall. Germany can barely stand. No player has vast armies and fleets at their command. They don’t exist yet. So how do you recreate the history of World War II? The answer is, “You might, but you might not.” A global war is possible, not definite. It can start in Poland, or elsewhere. It can happen earlier—or later—than 1939. It might not even involve the United States.

France1940

Series Replay – Next War: India-Pakistan

I’d like to add just a bit here to the background. But first, I’ll have Doug introduce himself:

DougBushBioPictureI have been a gamer since the mid-1980s, when I started with Squad Leader, which of course led to a long obsession with Advanced Squad Leader.  In college I was also a Harpoon fanatic, including gaming basically every naval combat from the Tom Clancy book Red Storm Rising.  However, my true gaming passion has always been modern ground combat games such as the GDW Assault and Third World War series, and detailed modern air simulations like GMT’s Downtown and Elusive Victory.  As a former US Army armor officer, I love games that model operational level maneuver and logistics.  Development of Next War: India-Pakistan is my first time doing the research and design work for a full game.  I live in Arlington, Virginia and work as a weapon program analyst for Congress.

 

Doug’s obvious passion for this particular patch of mud is obvious in the hard work he’s put into this project. He’s going to explain a little bit about how this project started, and, below, when says “run with the project”,  he really means “Doug did most of the work.” He has tirelessly labored to ensure that the map and Orders of Battle are as accurate as they can be, and, while we have certainly collaborated in order to ensure that any new rules or systems such as High Mountains, Mountain Units, and Nuclear Weapons work seamlessly within the overall framework of the series, this game is as much Doug’s as it is mine. I’m very pleased with the outcome, excited about getting this one to print, and I hope you enjoy Part 1 of this Series Replay covering the first game turn of the introductory scenario. – Mitch


Game Background

Next War: India Pakistan (NWIP) is the next game in development for the Next War series, following Next War: Korea (NWK) and Next War: Taiwan (NWT). In late 2013 I contacted Mitchell about the potential for a game in the series featuring a new India-Pakistan conflict. After looking at possible one-map configurations, we settled on a game that focuses on the “traditional” area of India-Pakistan conflict: the Indian states of Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. We assume potential intervention by China (allied with Pakistan), the United States (allied with India), and Russia (allied with India). We thought it was a good fit for the Next War series since both sides have very large, mechanized ground forces and modern air forces. And, in our view, a potential conflict between India and Pakistan is one of the more likely large-scale conventional conflicts in the future. Since Mitchell was focused on finishing NWT, he told me to run with the project to get things going. In a year’s time we have a near final map and counters, along with a solid draft of the Game Specific Rules (GSR). NWIP features six scenarios (three using the standard rules and three for the advanced rules). For this “series replay” we decided to test drive the introductory standard rules scenario: “Kashmir”. I will play the “non-Allied” attacking side with Pakistan and China while Mitch takes the defending “Allied” side with the Indian forces.

Scenario Introduction

“Kashmir” features a little bit of all the major features of the system, and is designed to help players get the feel for the Next War series in this theater. A glance at the map shows just how difficult the terrain is in this part of the world. The Kashmir valley is tucked in between towering mountain ranges to the north and south. These mountains are so high we added a new terrain type called “High Mountains” to the series (the white mountain hexes). Movement into those hexes, which represent ranges at/above 15,000 feet in most cases, is significantly restricted. Helicopters also can’t operate in those hexes. Then, inside the valley the terrain is still a challenge. There is a minor river, a large lake, and even some rice paddy hexes showing areas of intense agriculture. Basically, whatever one thinks “tank country” might be, this isn’t it.

The scenario depicts a Pakistani offensive into the Kashmir Valley, with significant Chinese support in the air and on the ground.   Players earn VP for enemy casualties during the game and at game end for possession of five victory hexes: (4409 (Baramula), 4610 (Bandipora), 4412 (Srinagar), 4214 (Anantnag), and the 4511 mountain hex). Here, Mitch and I agree to play without the optional supply rules for the standard game. A close-up of the terrain shows just how difficult it is (I added the red stars just to show the VP hexes, everything else is playtest map art):

NWIP1

Interview with Developer Ralph Shelton

Ludography

Operation Dauntless – Developer – P500

Pax Romana 2nd Edition – Developer – P500

Infidel – Developer

Blood & Roses – Developer

Red Winter – Rules Proofreader/Editor

Desert Falcons (GDW) – Playtester

Pax Romana 1st Edition – Playtester

Prussia’s Glory II – Playtester

Ralph, tell me a little about yourself?

I’m a data base architect for a consulting company.  It pays the bills and gives me the option to game.  I grew up in New Mexico and that’s where I met my wife Robin.  We moved to Seattle 15 years ago.

Ralph Shelton and wife Robin.

Ralph Shelton and wife Robin.

I’ve been gaming since I was around 12 so, back in 1980 or 1981.  I used to play a lot of Starfleet Battles with my buddies.  We played that and a lot of multi player games.

Enemy Coast Ahead: Evoking the Story

Jerry White has been attending our GMT Weekends at the Warehouse for many years now. A few years back, as I greeted him at one of the events, he mentioned that he had a game design that he wanted to show me. This happens a lot at GMT Weekends, and it’s kind of “hit and miss” as to whether the design is both  a) a good fit for GMT and b) in good enough shape to be ready for development. I had my doubts about whether a game covering a single historical mission would be something we could get enough orders for on P500. On the plus side, it was a solitaire game, which always helps sales, and Jerry is a very detail-oriented guy, so I went into that demo “wary but hopeful.”

What I found was a game featuring systems designed by an engineer that somehow worked together to quickly immerse the player in a tense, ever-evolving story. I kept looking for things I didn’t like (because that’s what we DO! 🙂 ), but I couldn’t really find any. I started to say “Wow, it’s pretty much ready for P500 now,” but before I could, Jerry said that he was still working on making the game better and would have something to show me in six months, at the next Weekend at the Warehouse event. So, I smiled, thought “I really like this guy,” and immediately put Enemy Coast Ahead into my “Future P500 Games” tracking spreadsheet. It was a beginning.

Six months later, the game WAS better, and it soon made its way to our P500 list, steadily rising and Making the Cut. Jerry supported the game online and proved to be excellent at handling customer questions and providing interesting historical perspectives and examples of play. Now, as the P500 process is coming to a close, I STILL “really like this guy!” Components for Enemy Coast Ahead are arriving in our warehouse now and over the coming week, and it should ship to our P500 customers right around the end of the month. So, to give you a sense of what this game is all about, here’s Jerry’s first post for InsideGMT. Like his game, this article displays the fingerprints of its creator: the “engineer with the heart of a storyteller.” I hope you like it! – Gene

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ecacoverJohn Steinbeck began the novel Cannery Row by explaining that flat worms are so delicate “that they are almost impossible to capture whole, for they break and tatter under the touch. You must let them ooze and crawl of their own will onto a knife blade and then lift them gently into your bottle.” That advice for writers, penned in 1945 just as the war was ending, applies well to game design. Enemy Coast Ahead (ECA) attempts to tell a story, just one of thousands, that could be told about the war.

I wish I could boast that as a designer I have done what Steinbeck advised: “to open the page and to let the stories crawl in by themselves.” But a game is not a novel, and yet, it manages to tell stories nonetheless. A good historical simulation has the potential to evoke the time that it depicts, as well as the events that took place. ECA is intended to evoke the RAF raid on Germany’s dams in May of 1943, and it does so not by a linear narration of events but with a decision tree.

Games inherently allow stories to happen. They unfurl before a player, but that player is not a passive audience. He moves the story along by engaging with it. Perhaps it is this engagement, unique in these type of games, that allows the story to “be set down alive,” to borrow again from Steinbeck.  A game can tell a story in ways no other medium can match.

Triumph and Tragedy: Outside the Box

I guess it’s been six or seven years now since I got a call from Rick Young asking me if we’d be interested in publishing games from a proven block game designer. I was a little hesitant, as we didn’t have many block games in the line back then, although Rick and Jesse had done a great job with Europe Engulfed and Asia Engulfed, both block games that were very successful for us. But when I learned the name of the designer who was asking, my own interest skyrocketed. Although he’d never done a game for us, I certainly knew the design work of Craig Besinque. In my mind, he was the “king of block game design.” My response was of course really reserved, something along the lines of “Craig has a game for us? Heck yeah!!!” So let’s just say I was “pretty excited” to get an opportunity to work with him.

Even though Craig was “new” to GMT, a bunch of our insiders knew him and some had worked with him before, so the working relationship was pretty smooth from the beginning. And then he and Joel Toppen gave us this beautiful re-creation of the Peloponnesian War that was elegant in its simplicity, yet dripping with historical flavor, game tension, and replayability. Hellenes is a game I REALLY like, so I couldn’t wait to see what Craig wanted to do next, but then again I didn’t really care that much which topic he chose. I knew we’d get a thoughtful, insightful, and elegant game.

I was a little surprised that he chose a 3-player WWII game, as I kinda thought we had plenty of WWII games in the hobby. But then I looked closer and saw that it’s a REALLY different take on the WWII period, and in some ways you wouldn’t even call it a WWII game. But I was right about the “thoughtful, insightful, and elegant” part. Triumph and Tragedy is that, in spades.

I hope you guys share in my excitement that we have Craig Besinque designing games for GMT, and that you’ll join me in welcoming him to the blog, as this is his first design post to InsideGMT. And I hope you enjoy this inside look at Triumph and Tragedy. Here’s Craig! – Gene

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I find GMT’s embrace of “different” games like Leaping Lemmings, Mr. President and Thunder Alley an exciting development. While innovative new designs on more well-covered themes are also introducing creative new ideas, I for one am glad to see a broadening of game topics.

Triumph and Tragedy (TnT) was conceived as a different look at the most well-covered wargame topic of all: World War 2.  Basically, it is a block game with cards and an area map.

Fall 1945

Hitler’s Reich: A First Look Inside The “War” Deck

Hitler's Reich Banner 3

Conflict in Hitler’s Reich: A Card Conquest System Game, henceforth referred to as Hitler’s Reich,  is resolved much like the classic card game “War” – but with dice and event cards added in.    The principal deck has four suits, but instead of Spades, Clubs, Diamonds and Hearts, the suits are Iron Crosses, Fasces, Soviet Russian Red Stars and American/British etc. White Stars.    The first two suits plus a Double Agent (the “Joker”) make up the Axis deck.  The other two suits plus a Double Agent make up the Allied deck.  The cards range in value from 1 (the “Ace”) to 13 (the “King”).   Players are dealt a number of cards from their deck equal to their economic power – which is referred to as “Hand Size.”   The Axis begin the game with Eight Cards, the Allies with Six. In addition, the Axis initial draw is “seeded” with more of the higher ranking cards to show their initial advantage at the start of the game – which begins during the Spring of 1941, just before the Axis invaded the Balkans and Rommel went to North Africa.