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Tanto Monta Design Diary #1: The Spanish Player (Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon)

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The year is 1470. Isabella of Castile is named heir to the throne of Castile after the Pacts of Guisando. However, she knows that her half-brother, King Henry IV, was displeased by Isabella’s marriage to Ferdinand of Aragon because they had not asked for Henry’s consent. In response he revokes the validity of these pacts and instead names his daughter Juana (nicknamed La Beltraneja) as heir. Now it’s Isabella’s turn to respond, stating the case for her marriage to Fernando II of Aragon and accusing her half-brother of perjury. Civil war looms — a fight for the throne of Castile between the supporters of Isabella and those of Juana. Isabella can count on the support of the Kingdom of Aragon while Juana is backed by Portugal.

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Drop Zone: Southern France Organization of Units – Part 3: The 1st Airborne Task Force (ABTF)

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During World War II, the US Army activated five Airborne Divisions (the 11th, 13th, 17th, 82nd and 101st) but only two (the 82nd and 101st) were available in Europe in August 1944, and none in the Mediterranean. So, as 7th US Army staff planned the airborne portion (Operation RUGBY) of the DRAGOON invasion, their request for an airborne division to support the amphibious landings could not be fulfilled. Instead, a division sized task force was formed from the smaller Allied airborne units already in the Mediterranean theater and independent units coming from the United States. The Task Force would ultimately include an American parachute regiment and three independent battalions (two parachute and one glider) and a British parachute brigade. The 1st Airborne Task Force was a unique, temporary organization.

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All Bridges Burning: Examples of Play to Keep the Doctor Away #4: March + Crackdown

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This is our fourth installment in a series of posts in which we go through all the commands and special activities of the newly released COIN Series game, All Bridges Burning, Volume X.

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Drop Zone: Southern France Organization – Part 2: Regiments and Brigades

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This is the second article on the organization of Allied and German units in Drop Zone: Southern France. Part 1 was a discussion of the organization of the Allied and German infantry from squad level moving up to battalion level. Part 2 will focus on regiment and brigade level organization.

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An Illustrated SpaceCorp: Ventures Solo Session Report: The Starfarers Era

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While sheltering-in-place during our present global circumstances, I had the privilege to playtest the upcoming expansion to SpaceCorp, titled SpaceCorp: Ventures. One of my favorite parts of the new game is the updated solo play options, especially the custom competition HQ! This article completes our solo play-through with New Nomads, as we head into the Starfarers Era.

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Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Coroticus

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In previous installments, I have described the “main characters” in Banish the Snakes: the historic people that players represent in their attempts to convert Ireland. But now I’m moving on to the “supporting cast” of historic characters, people who were notable in the history of the time and show up in the game on Event cards. The previous articles in this “supporting cast” series can be found here.

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Border Reivers Design Diary #17: Border Reivers With Less Than Four Players

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Below you will find the seventeenth and final installment of an ongoing design diaries series from Border Reivers designer Ed Beach. (The previous installments can be found here.) He regularly publishes design 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. Ed is also about to start a sample solo game of Border Reivers within the Reivers and Reformers Facebook group, so sign up for that group now if you want to contribute to the board of players competing against the new solo game system (or just watch the action). Enjoy! -Rachel

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All Bridges Burning: Examples of Play to Keep the Doctor Away #3 Terror + Foreign Relations

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This is our third installment in a series going through the commands and special activities of the newly released COIN Series game, All Bridges Burning, Volume X. If you would like to read the previous two installments, they can be found here.

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Drop Zone: Southern France Organization – Part 1: Infantry Units from Squad to Battalion Level

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This will be the first of many articles on the history of the campaign and design notes for Drop Zone: Southern France. We will begin with a discussion of the organization of the Allied and German armies in August 1944, beginning with the infantry from squad level moving up to battalion level.

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An Illustrated SpaceCorp: Ventures Solo Session Report: The Planeteers Era

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While sheltering-in-place during our present global circumstances, I had the privilege to playtest the upcoming expansion to SpaceCorp, titled SpaceCorp: Ventures. One of my favorite parts of the new game is the updated solo play options, especially the custom competition HQ! In this article, we take our player HQ, New Nomads, out of the inner solar system and see how we fare in the Planeteers Era!