In today’s article, I wish to discuss the context around designing A Fading Star as an ongoing conflict. The game covers a pivotal period of the Somali Civil War (2007-2014), which one could term “the golden age of Al-Shabaab.” But since I started working on the game and researching this topic, the situation that stemmed […]
A Fading Star #3: On Designing a Game About an Ongoing Conflict Read Post »
Designer Blogs
As seen on TV, or at least in the movie Kingdom of Heaven, the Leper King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem was a striking figure in a silver mask to hide his leprosy. There is no evidence that Baldwin IV wore a mask, though he suffered from disfigurement of his face and limbs as his disease
Men of Iron Historical Look – Battle of Montgisard 25 November 1177 Read Post »
Designer Blogs, Inside the Game as History
This is the second in a series of InsideGMT articles from Paul Hellyer about his board game Tsar, currently on GMT’s P500. You can view the first article here. As part of Nicholas II’s coronation in 1896, the Tsarist regime planned an event to placate the common people of Moscow: a giveaway of food, kvass,
Historical Events in Tsar Read Post »
Designer Blogs
As our play testing of “Infernal Machine” continues apace, it is interesting to see how our teaching scenarios can be tinkered with to make sure they are providing much-needed information on game play and hints on strategy, as well as have some fun with the game system. Scenario Ten has the Player fill the shoes
The Tale of the “Spectre” – “Infernal Machine’s” Scenario Ten from a ‘Northern Aspect’ Read Post »
Designer Blogs
Introduction by Congress of Vienna Assistant Designer/Editor, Fred Schachter – For those unaware, to familiarize this InsideGMT audience of what designer Frank Esparrago created with his fun and exciting Congress of Vienna game, available via GMT Games; InsideGMT has presented articles including a “Strategies for” series… (think of the old Avalon Hill General magazine’s “Perfect
Congress of Vienna Goes Electric, 2025 Edition (with VASSAL!) Read Post »
Designer Blogs
Some weeks ago, an enterprising YouTuber, Andrew Choong, with his delightful British accent, posted several videos singing eloquent praise of GMT’s Rebel Raiders on the High Seas: a seminal game of the American Civil War at sea and the major rivers of North America by Mark McLaughlin (Mark and I enjoyably teamed together on several
Rebel Raiders Still Lives! Read Post »
Designer Blogs
Many of you told us how much you appreciated us giving you a Buyer’s guide to our 2024 Fall Sale, so as we approach our Special Spring Sale that starts on Tuesday, April 1, Rachel and I have updated this Buyer’s Guide to try to give you some of that information to help out with
2025 Spring Sale Buyer’s Guide Read Post »
The Inside View
Note: All of the images depicting game components in this article show early concept or playtest art. A Time to Plant. It was 18(!!) years ago that Chad and I started talking about designing a Combat Commander: Vietnam game together. Of course, Chad was the master crafter of Combat Commander and knew the CC design
For Everything There is a Season: The Origin Story of Combat Commander: Vietnam Read Post »
The Inside View
Since Exia and GMT announced the digital adaptation of Mr. President, players have often observed that a lot has happened since 2020 (the end of the era Mr. President covers). Mr. President covers a recent time period, well within living memory, and all but the youngest players will vividly remember many of the real-life crises
Contemporary Conflicts in Mr. President Read Post »
Digital Versions of our Games
Below you will find Part Two in Brian Asklev’s “The Women of Baltic Empires” two-part article series. In the first part of this article he looked at Marie Louise Gonzaga and and Sophia Alekseyevna and you can read that here. -Rachel Queen Christina (1626-1689) Christina became Queen of Sweden as a young child, upon the
The Women of Baltic Empires: Part Two Read Post »
Designer Blogs