Introduction: Part 1 of this article took readers through an Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East (ACME) game’s setup through its Growth Phase; which includes deployment of each civilization’s disks upon the map. Those familiar with ACME’s predecessor, Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea’s (ACIS) Playbook example of play may observe similarities between that piece […]
Whew! After a long hiatus doing not much of anything productive, I have returned to impart more thoughts on Clash of Sovereigns. The first French Strategy article, posted some time back, covered the big picture on COS play for France. So, for round two, let’s drill down and focus on a notable sub-game in COS – “The
One of the great balancing devices in Seas of Thunder are the Axis raiders and their ability to force the Allies to defend even the most out-of-the-way backwater Sea Zones. The raider’s distant reach and their special abilities force the Allies to play defense across the entire globe. They are hard to hit, hard to
Seas of Thunder: Raiders – Shadows on the Sea Read Post »
Designer BlogsIntroduction I came to designer Gunnar Holmbäck’s The Weimar Republic with the resolve of a time traveller determined to change History, a resolve nurtured by a grandfather’s subscription to Berlin’s Die Rote Fahne (The Red Flag), German New Wave director Margarethe von Trotta’s film, Rosa Luxemburg (1986), the Weimar era novels of Alfred Doblin and,
Struggle for Power in The Weimar Republic: KPD Play by Play, 1919 to 1921 (Part 1) Read Post »
After Action ReportIntroduction: Those familiar with Ancient Civilizations of the Inner Sea’s (ACIS) Playbook example of a turn may observe similarities between that piece and this exposition. However, although both games share the same basic system, there are differences. For details, and links to material which explain game term references (for this article’s limitations can only allude to rulebook
Here is the final installment of my series of articles on the main characters in Banish the Snakes, who are called “saints” in the game. I hope you have enjoyed these short biographies. Perhaps they have brought some understanding to a little-known episode in world history.
Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Columba Read Post »
Designer Blogs, Inside the Game as HistoryIn the article below, first-time designer Fred Serval writes about the specific context and events of the Paris Commune. You can find part one of this series here. For more information on this game, see the December 2019 GMT Customer Update.
The Terrible Year Part 2: The Paris Commune Read Post »
Designer BlogsBelow is the sixth in a series of articles from Mark McLaughlin showcasing the 16 civilizations in Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East. You can find the first five articles in the series here.
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Akkadians Read Post »
Designer BlogsFirst-time designer Fred Serval writes about the historical context for his upcoming design on the Paris Commune… In 1872, Victor Hugo published a series of poems called L’Année Terrible (the Terrible Year), dealing with 3 significant events in the writer’s life: the fall of the Second Empire, the loss of his son, and the events
The Terrible Year Part 1: The Franco-Prussian War Read Post »
Designer BlogsSeas of Thunder is a game covering the global war on the high seas during World War 2. Scenario 1 covers the period between the start of the war and the invasion of France in 1940 and spans three game turns. France and Britain are pitted against the much smaller German fleet. At first blush,
War on the Raiders: A Strategic Look at Playing the Allies in Seas of Thunder Scenario 1 Read Post »
Designer Blogs