In this InsideGMT article, I’ll give some historical comments on a few (but not all) of the strategy cards. I want to unpack the events and people at play behind these cards so you can better appreciate what they represent. But this is a high-level overview of the historical background, and detail here is sacrificed […]
Cards in Bear Trap (Part II of II): Historical Notes on the Strategy Cards Read Post »
Designer BlogsBy Ed Ostermeyer, Master Engineer (Grade 2) Hello, and good day to you, young Inventor. Our using the Inventor’s Vade Mecum today will work a miracle of modern industrial science. No, we will not recreate the alchemist’s dream of turning base metal into gold. Instead, we will transform paper into iron: turning your machine shop’s
Introduction Line of sight has always been a problematic issue with tactical games, and certainly, Great Battles of the American Civil War games are no different. Everyone has different spatial reasoning skills, and as Richard Berg said more than once, there is no rule that all will understand – whether simple or complicated. Add to
“Seeing” Into the Woods Read Post »
Designer BlogsIn this article I will explain how warfare is handled in Baltic Empires, both in terms of how the battle mechanics themselves work (which is quite simple), but also the bigger economic aspects of warfare during the period (1558-1721) and how these are represented in the game. The Powers in Baltic Empires each have access
Warfare in Baltic Empires Read Post »
Designer BlogsBelow you will find another fantastic article from Clio’s Board Games, this time discussing Franklin D. Roosevelt through the lens of GMT’s Cataclysm. You can also find this article on Clio’s blog. Enjoy! -Rachel
Franklin D. Roosevelt Through the Lens of Cataclysm Read Post »
Inside the Game as HistoryBy Ed Ostermeyer, Master Engineer (Grade 2) Good day again to you, young Inventor. Since our last meeting, your mind must be a-whirl with ideas and plans to make your undersea weapon of war a reality. Let’s temper that reality by understanding that, though you may indeed be the One With The Idea, it will
Playing the Commands & Colors games with a consecutive, chronologically or geographically connected set of scenarios is what I love! And this is exactly what I am doing with Samurai Battles – the latest installment in the series. Today I will have a very interesting battle – Anegawa 1570 AD – which features 3 set-ups: main battle
Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles Session Report – Anegawa 1570 AD Read Post »
After Action ReportIn past InsideGMT articles, we looked at the gameplay in Bear Trap and provided a simple combat example. Part of the asymmetry in Bear Trap emerges from the way the cards work. And so, in this InsideGMT article, I’ll explain how the how the different cards work as well as look at the force pools
Cards in Bear Trap (Part I of II): Card Types, Force Pools, & Deck Composition Read Post »
Designer BlogsHistorical Introduction If there was a lull during the first day at Shiloh, it occurred between 11 AM and noon. The Army of Mississippi, led by Albert Sidney Johnston and Pierre Beauregard, had dislodged the Army of the Tennessee’s three forward divisions that morning, seizing their camps and sending thousands of blue-clads running for the safety
The fall of Cortona has put the Guelphs on top, putting the ball in Siena’s court in this closing episode of Volko’s test replay of Levy & Campaign Volume III. All art shown here is playtest only, and game rules featured remain provisional. Siena’s army stood by, a short march off at Asinalunga, as the Guelphs
Cavallata per Cortona – INFERNO Scenario Replay, Part 6 Read Post »
Designer Blogs, Examples of Play