The best tabletop wargames ever!

[Fort]

Amazing how nobody has named Paths of Glory and/or Empires in Arms

Both excellent games.

 

[rdw5150]

Played them both. I much prefer WS&IM.

Agreed. Doug and I were just talking about this Saturday. I think that perhaps CA is a better more realistic simulation, but WSIM was much more fun in terms of excitement.

Peace

Roger

 

[CarlZog]

Star Fleet Battles and its grand strategy sibling, Federation & Empire.

If you like ASL, you may like SFB, despite it non-historical setting. It's a tactical battle game of very detailed individual ship management of very large, complex starships based on the original Star Trek. Each turn you tally how much energy you have available and allocate it out to propulsion, weaponry, defenses and other ship's systems (like tractor beams and transporters). Decisions about how to juggle the specific energy demands and timing requirements or the myriad systems, and second-guessing what you opponents are doing and when is the heart of the game. Like ASL, it demands attention to a lot of details and the occasional good bluff.

The setting is essentially Star Trek's original, unofficial, extended universe, designed by the game's publisher who took their cues from the original series at a time before any of the Trek movies or other TV shows were made. As a far-reaching galactic setting designed by wargamers, it's got lots of factions with diverse tech and politics, all slugging it out in galactic war.

Federation and Empire is the company's grand strategy game of galactic war in this setting. It's also a great game. The future history is very specific, and you often feel as though you're playing a historical game -- rewriting some "real" history. You manage economies, build fleets and establish defenses along the borders. Knowing which forces to build where, where to deploy them, and when and where to go on the offensive is at the heart of the game. Much like ASL, there's a core fanbase for this game that meets at a mini con of its own for a full day seven days just to play one campaign session of this. But it's well suited for PbEM, and has a lot of players on Cyberboard.

 

[rdw5150]

Hello!

My favorite system besides ASL is AH/MMP Great Campaigns of American Civil War. I love them.

I also really like Paths of Glory, but I think I like Triumph of Chaos better (a PoG Clone on Russian Civil War). Looks great on the table and it totally chaotic. Alas, the designer keeps messing with it endlessly and now (if it makes the pre order) there is a re-tweak of the re-tweak which will now have two maps (a bummer) and even more counters. I will probably pass.

I am also a huge Flat Top fan.

Twilight Struggle is also solid.

Peace

Roger

 

[rdw5150]

Star Fleet Battles and its grand strategy sibling, Federation & Empire.

If you like ASL, you may like SFB, despite it non-historical setting. It's a tactical battle game of very detailed individual ship management of very large, complex starships based on the original Star Trek. Each turn you tally how much energy you have available and allocate it out to propulsion, weaponry, defenses and other ship's systems (like tractor beams and transporters). Decisions about how to juggle the specific energy demands and timing requirements or the myriad systems, and second-guessing what you opponents are doing and when is the heart of the game. Like ASL, it demands attention to a lot of details and the occasional good bluff.

The setting is essentially Star Trek's original, unofficial, extended universe, designed by the game's publisher who took their cues from the original series at a time before any of the Trek movies or other TV shows were made. As a far-reaching galactic setting designed by wargamers, it's got lots of factions with diverse tech and politics, all slugging it out in galactic war.

Federation and Empire is the company's grand strategy game of galactic war in this setting. It's also a great game. The future history is very specific, and you often feel as though you're playing a historical game -- rewriting some "real" history. You manage economies, build fleets and establish defenses along the borders. Knowing which forces to build where, where to deploy them, and when and where to go on the offensive is at the heart of the game. Much like ASL, there's a core fanbase for this game that meets at a mini con of its own for a full day seven days just to play one campaign session of this. But it's well suited for PbEM, and has a lot of players on Cyberboard.

Tried a couple of time to learn SFB, too complicated (for an ASL player that is saying something). I did just pick up some Federation Commander (SFB "light" at only 100 pages instead of 300 or so). The lack of solid online play is its biggest draw back for me. No VASSAL sucks. Their live client gets so-so reviews and costs money.

Peace

Roger

 

[Honza]

Fascinating reading. Thanks everyone.

 

[CarlZog]

The lack of solid online play is its biggest draw back for me. No VASSAL sucks. Their live client gets so-so reviews and costs money.

Agreed. I subscribed to their online client for a year. The community of players there was small but very friendly. however I found the interface clunky as all hell. It was very frustrating.

The publisher keep a notoriously tight lid on distribution of stuff like open Vassal mods, fan-made materials, etc. Their license to use Star Trek stuff is a limited and bizarre little anachronism that has its roots in a time before Trek became the franchise it is now. But their whole business depends on it, so they militantly defend it against any remotely unauthorized use that could either take money from their pockets or give Paramount cause to challenge the license.

 

[rdw5150]

Agreed. I subscribed to their online client for a year. The community of players there was small but very friendly. however I found the interface clunky as all hell. It was very frustrating.

The publisher keep a notoriously tight lid on distribution of stuff like open Vassal mods, fan-made materials, etc. Their license to use Star Trek stuff is a limited and bizarre little anachronism that has its roots in a time before Trek became the franchise it is now. But their whole business depends on it, so they militantly defend it against any remotely unauthorized use that could either take money from their pockets or give Paramount cause to challenge the license.

No VASSAL module means I will not make the effort to learn SFB and spend (more) money. Lack of VASSAL module means I will not spend more money on Federation Commander products. The decisions is baffling to me. It is a bummer, I want to learn, play (either FC or SFC) and most importantly, spend money.

Are you still a member? How is the live play?

Peace

Roger

 

[witchbottles]

Avalon Hill's Turning Point: Stalingrad

GMT: A World At War

GMT: For the People

GMT: Downtown

GMT: Elusive Victory

SPIs Drive on Stalingrad

Avalon Hill:Wooden Ships and Iron Men

GDW: Assault / Chieftan / Boots and Saddles

Avalon Hill's Panzer Armee Afrika

SPI: Panzer Gruppe Guderian

Avalon Hill: Flattop

VG: Vietnam 1965-1975
VG: Hell's Highway

Avalon Hill: War and Peace

Avalon Hill: Victory in the Pacific

and you are doing yourself a grave dis- service if you never played the VG Ambush and Leatherneck solitaire series games.

KRL,

Jon H.

 

[CarlZog]

Lack of VASSAL module means I will not spend more money on Federation Commander products. The decisions is baffling to me. It is a bummer, I want to learn, play (either FC or SFC) and most importantly, spend money.

Are you still a member? How is the live play?

I'm not. I found the SFB Online community to be very active and supportive of new players, but it's a pretty small group and very focused on tournament duels between individual ships, which I was not as interested in.

The online play flows OK with players who have lots of experience with the online client, but I and other beginning players I've talked to found the UI to be very clunky, not intuitive at all, and particularly antiquated in its look and functionality.

 

[Paul M. Weir]

If you have an interest in OOP individual games, then I can thoroughly recommend SPI's October War and Fulda Gap and as witchbottles mentioned GDW's Assault series and VG's Hell's Highway.

 

[Bob Miller]

Hello Honza

If you want to learn a new multi player game(s) I'd be willing to teach you Here I Stand or Virgin Queen via email. When you think you are ready we can start a newbie game online via Cyberboard (or Vassel) and ACTS for the cards and dice. We can twist the world's most lovable hairy hippie Roger to play again, maybe Kevin Graves and even a few other ASLer's that post here to play a game. Games can last 1 month to 6 months depending on how quickly folks check for their turn, etc. Let me know.

 

[Honza]

Thanks for the offer Bob. All things considered I just don't have the time ATM. I'm still playing ASL solo and designing stuff when I've got the energy to do so and otherwise I'm decked by my tiredness. This thread is to give me ideas for the long term future. Right now I have more than enough to keep me going.

 

[Fort]

I've been wanting to learn Virgin Queen. If you have a spot drop me a PM.

 

[rreinesch]

Honza, if it's a lot of counters in a great game, then I would recommend you get your hands on a copy of Avalon Hill's The Longest Day (as long as you implement a house rule where the Americans must get at least 3 beachheads on Omaha Beach to continue on with the Campaign game). Outside of ASL it is still my favorite wargame of all time.

Would also recommend AH's Flat Top, and if you ever get the chance to play it double blind with a referee, that is really intense. Did that one weekend in college and I still vividly remember it all these years later.

Rick

 

[rdw5150]

Hello Honza

If you want to learn a new multi player game(s) I'd be willing to teach you Here I Stand or Virgin Queen via email. When you think you are ready we can start a newbie game online via Cyberboard (or Vassel) and ACTS for the cards and dice. We can twist the world's most lovable hairy hippie Roger to play again, maybe Kevin Graves and even a few other ASLer's that post here to play a game. Games can last 1 month to 6 months depending on how quickly folks check for their turn, etc. Let me know.

I'd be interested. Twas a fun game.

Peace

Roger

 

[Fort]

Honza, if it's a lot of counters in a great game, then I would recommend you get your hands on a copy of Avalon Hill's The Longest Day (as long as you implement a house rule where the Americans must get at least 3 beachheads on Omaha Beach to continue on with the Campaign game). Outside of ASL it is still my favorite wargame of all time.

Would also recommend AH's Flat Top, and if you ever get the chance to play it double blind with a referee, that is really intense. Did that one weekend in college and I still vividly remember it all these years later.

Rick

Need to increase allies supply as well.

 

[Honza]

I would recommend you get your hands on a copy of Avalon Hill's The Longest Day
Rick

I'm going to buy MMPs Day of Days. Is it similar?

 

[thedrake]

Honza,

Day of Days is a good choice,as would be GMT Battle for Normandy (which is more complex but quite fun.) Also maybe look at SCS game It Never Snows (Market Garden game.)

Second Paul Weir's recommendation of GMT Great Battles of History series--Alexander and SPQR are a blast to play.

ASL is still the best wargame but it is good to expand one's horizons--hope you find one or two others you enjoy.

 

[RevJJ]

Star Fleet Battles and its grand strategy sibling, Federation & Empire.

If you like ASL, you may like SFB, despite it non-historical setting. It's a tactical battle game of very detailed individual ship management of very large, complex starships based on the original Star Trek. Each turn you tally how much energy you have available and allocate it out to propulsion, weaponry, defenses and other ship's systems (like tractor beams and transporters). Decisions about how to juggle the specific energy demands and timing requirements or the myriad systems, and second-guessing what you opponents are doing and when is the heart of the game. Like ASL, it demands attention to a lot of details and the occasional good bluff.

The setting is essentially Star Trek's original, unofficial, extended universe, designed by the game's publisher who took their cues from the original series at a time before any of the Trek movies or other TV shows were made. As a far-reaching galactic setting designed by wargamers, it's got lots of factions with diverse tech and politics, all slugging it out in galactic war.

Federation and Empire is the company's grand strategy game of galactic war in this setting. It's also a great game. The future history is very specific, and you often feel as though you're playing a historical game -- rewriting some "real" history. You manage economies, build fleets and establish defenses along the borders. Knowing which forces to build where, where to deploy them, and when and where to go on the offensive is at the heart of the game. Much like ASL, there's a core fanbase for this game that meets at a mini con of its own for a full day seven days just to play one campaign session of this. But it's well suited for PbEM, and has a lot of players on Cyberboard.

SFB is a fun game especially with miniatures. Complicated to say the least but there's a lot of cool stuff you can do from transporter bombs to wild weasels, to the dreaded Gorn anchor (latching on to your opponents ship with a tractor beam and then unloading on it with plasma torpedoes), drone packs, ECM/ECCM, yada yada. I always loved playing the Orion Pirates with their ability to double their engine output giving you more energy (at a price) for the turn. The Tholians with their energy web, cloaking, starbases, ... it's all good stuff.