The best tabletop wargames ever!

[Abe]

I've really been enjoying MMP's Grand tactical Series over the last 12 months. Superb components, interesting chit pull mechanism. Small scenarios right up monster campaign games, for those with the time and space. The series really does highlight the terrain challenges a ta company level. Expensive, but worth every gaming penny.

Paul

Yeah, Dean Essig's stuff all seems pretty awesome. I'm starting with OCS as I understand it has the most refined rule set out of GTS, BCS and OCS. Tunisia 2 and Sicily are on their way, and we have plans to try and get DAK 2 to a (very big) table mid next year.

 

[Paul_RS]

The Greatest Day, covers the first week following the D-Day landings in the British and Canadian beaches, just playing through some of the scenarios now. Superb stuff. I've played OCS, TCS and SCS. OCS is my favourite out of the 3, followed by SCS and TCS is a distant third.

 

[Proff3RTR]

I've really been enjoying MMP's Grand tactical Series over the last 12 months. Superb components, interesting chit pull mechanism. Small scenarios right up monster campaign games, for those with the time and space. The series really does highlight the terrain challenges a ta company level. Expensive, but worth every gaming penny.

Paul

Certainly on my 'to buy' list, not sure when i can push that boat out though.

 

[Proff3RTR]

Yeah, Dean Essig's stuff all seems pretty awesome. I'm starting with OCS as I understand it has the most refined rule set out of GTS, BCS and OCS. Tunisia 2 and Sicily are on their way, and we have plans to try and get DAK 2 to a (very big) table mid next year.

OCS is fun,

I have played and own Hube's Pocket, Baltic Gap, Tunisia II & Sicilly II, I must also get hold of 'The Greatest Day' (GTS) it is a MUST buy I feel from what I have heard.

 

[Red2112]

Iam just starting my first SCS game...

I also have GD-42 (TCS), and The Mighty Endeavor (SCS) on the shelf. Tunisia II (OCS) is on my list and overall I like the systems that MMP put out. I would also like to get/try one of the two BCS system games. Someone mentioned "Downtown", I have Elusive Victory which I love, and one of the GMT´s "Next War" will end up on my shelf too.

I recently picked up on BGG Avalon Hill´s "Firepower" and West End Games "West Front Tank Leader", both have neat systems, I have a urge to try out for Firepower! Another fav is Avalons 1st. edition MBT and Tac-Air.

I think I like all my games, and future ones too

 

[Paul_RS]

Up Front - ASL the card game. Still my favourite.

Empire of the Sun (GMT) is also great - takes some learning though. Absolutely made for PBEM if you like that.

My next game system learning projects (along with ASL) are OCS (MMP) and Next War (GMT).

We are just getting into the Next War series. We started with India Pakistan and have so far played 4 scenarios, well, the first 2 scenarios twice, in reality. Neat system, particularly the built up area clearing rule. We used the optional supply rules to add a little bit more tension and to make us really think about how and where we moved. I thin the game will really come into its own with the advanced rules, but one step at a time for now.

Paul

 

[Paul_RS]

Had a major splurge on eBay over Christmas following the news that I wasn't losing my job after all

MMP- A Victory Lost, A Victory Denied
Legion Games- Demyansk Shield
Decision Games: Totaler Krieg and Dai Senso,
Compass Games: Proud Monster Deluxe
Except for the Decision games pair all are unpunched

Cheers

Paul

 

[stuh42asl]

Grognard Simulations Death Ride Kursk Series

 

[Proff3RTR]

Grognard Simulations Death Ride Kursk Series

Yep,

Gotta back that call, bin everything else, DRK is IT.

 

[hongkongwargamer]

Advanced
Squad
Leader

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I thought Ambush! was the right combination of playability and campiness. Great example of how to do a solitaire game right (compare to B-17: Queen of the Skies which had great subject material to work with but reduced the exercise to random die rolls and no real choices for the player to make).

 

[Gordon]

Unfortunately, when you're flying a B-17 in a formation, I'm not sure how many choices you actually HAVE. Shoot, don't shoot. ?

 

[Michael Dorosh]

Unfortunately, when you're flying a B-17 in a formation, I'm not sure how many choices you actually HAVE. Shoot, don't shoot. ?

Exactly. As a topic for a flight simulator game on PC - terrific. For a board game, not really - which didn't prevent me from playing several campaigns "back in the day." But I think it was one of the first purpose-built solitaire wargames (that I was aware of in any event) and it had more detail than the Intellivision game.... S&T published an Iwo Jima solitaire game around then as well, and even with the additional choices the player had, it was pretty much just a "bug hunt."

I'd say I was surprised that Ambush! never got more traction, but as I recall there were three follow on modules, a parallel series set in the Pacific, a two player version, and a tank-based version. I owned them all. And I think they flat out ran out of scenario ideas. Didn't help that the 2 player and tank-based versions were duds.

 

[Barking Monkey]

A couple I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you have a gang of friends to play multiplayer face to face games with, Circus Maximus (Avalon Hill version) and Divine Right (TSR). DR is gonna cost you dearly second hand though. Every year my old gaming buddies get together for a weekend and one of the highlights is the annual Circus Maximus game (I have an enlarged board and we use miniature chariots - whoever comes in last must use the pink "Chariot of Shame" the following year.)

At the other extreme, despite the opinions of others above I quite liked "B-17 QotS." I haven't played it in ages though. Compass games have a slew of solitaire titles that look vaguely similar I've been a little tempted by lately. Not to hijack the thread but I'd be curious to hear the opinion of anyone here that's tried them - they seem to rank well on BoardgameGeek.

I played the hell out of Star Fleet Battles when I was young, though some aspects of it bugged me. I remember attending a panel talk at Origins one year when the ADB guys were dumping on ASL for being unrealistic b/c the Soviet squads were the same in '45 as in '41 and thinking to myself "you publish a space game where all the ships operate in two dimensions and you're throwing mud at literally anybody else for being unrealistic?"

 

[Grumblejones]

Can you recommend what you feel is or are the best wargames ever? I'm thinking of expanding my game collection and would like some recommendations.

I recommend AD&D; but of course most of you will be very familiar with that. I've also bought the 5th edition D&D set, but have not played it yet.

AD&D...there is no other version...

 

[MAS01]

A couple I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you have a gang of friends to play multiplayer face to face games with, Circus Maximus (Avalon Hill version) and Divine Right (TSR). DR is gonna cost you dearly second hand though. Every year my old gaming buddies get together for a weekend and one of the highlights is the annual Circus Maximus game (I have an enlarged board and we use miniature chariots - whoever comes in last must use the pink "Chariot of Shame" the following year.)

At the other extreme, despite the opinions of others above I quite liked "B-17 QotS." I haven't played it in ages though. Compass games have a slew of solitaire titles that look vaguely similar I've been a little tempted by lately. Not to hijack the thread but I'd be curious to hear the opinion of anyone here that's tried them - they seem to rank well on BoardgameGeek.

I played the hell out of Star Fleet Battles when I was young, though some aspects of it bugged me. I remember attending a panel talk at Origins one year when the ADB guys were dumping on ASL for being unrealistic b/c the Soviet squads were the same in '45 as in '41 and thinking to myself "you publish a space game where all the ships operate in two dimensions and you're throwing mud at literally anybody else for being unrealistic?"

Legion Wargames publishes both Target for Today and Target for Tonight. Today is basically an update of B17:QotS. Tonight is the British version. Tonight is very different, as if you are located by a German nightfighter, they do everything they can to hang on to you. If you remember, in B17, the German fighters made slashing attacks and moved on. The nightfighters keep coming at you.

Both Compass Games and GMT publish a variety of games primarily designed by Gregory M Smith. They are a narrative-style solitaire game that tells a story of a submarine or day/night fighters over a campaign period. Pretty immersive as you tend to get attached to the crew/individual. Compass is printing a WWI fighter game designed by Greg that I am waiting for.

Hope this helps,


Mark

 

[igycrctl]

A couple I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you have a gang of friends to play multiplayer face to face games with, Circus Maximus (Avalon Hill version) and Divine Right (TSR). DR is gonna cost you dearly second hand though. Every year my old gaming buddies get together for a weekend and one of the highlights is the annual Circus Maximus game (I have an enlarged board and we use miniature chariots - whoever comes in last must use the pink "Chariot of Shame" the following year.)

At the other extreme, despite the opinions of others above I quite liked "B-17 QotS." I haven't played it in ages though. Compass games have a slew of solitaire titles that look vaguely similar I've been a little tempted by lately. Not to hijack the thread but I'd be curious to hear the opinion of anyone here that's tried them - they seem to rank well on BoardgameGeek.

I played the hell out of Star Fleet Battles when I was young, though some aspects of it bugged me. I remember attending a panel talk at Origins one year when the ADB guys were dumping on ASL for being unrealistic b/c the Soviet squads were the same in '45 as in '41 and thinking to myself "you publish a space game where all the ships operate in two dimensions and you're throwing mud at literally anybody else for being unrealistic?"

I loved Star Fleet Battles! I’m still looking for someone near me who plays.

 

[Red2112]

Will be playing GDW´s Assault with a friend on Vassal soon. It´s my If I could only play one game.

 

[fenyan]

When I was last in a non-ASL gaming group, we gravitated towards simpler systems that still were good simulations.

Check Your 6!--tactical air combat based on the Blue Max movement system. Had some great battles with boxes of B-17s and interceptors and escorts. Found ourselves using historical tactics (high cover; zoom and boom Wildcats vs. Zeroes, finger four formations etc.). This is a miniatures rules set but you can play with counters from any air game and a hexgrid.

It is Warm Work--has a sheet of ships you cut out, but really a minatures rules set. We played Trafalgar in under five hours. It lacks in details but gets the big picture. I think it's a few bucks at Wargame Vault, same place you get the recent ASL publications.

Solomon Sea by Markus Stumptner--unfortunately hard to find. Double-blind carrier battles--think of Flat Top streamlined into a playable package. Command Magazine's Victory at Midway, which is more available second-hand, was the inspiration.

 

[The Purist]

MMP's Battalion Combat Series has three interesting battles so far. The first and easiest is "Baptism by Fire" (Kasserine). I have seen that played but not played it.

Last Blitzkrieg I own and have set up. It'game as one can imagine. Doing the Ardennes Offisive at the Battalion level would be. I also have Blazing Chariots which has a very large map covering the desert battles of Operation Crusader in Nov-Dec 41.

The sytem has bit of a learning curv but after a few turns thing move along well. My only complaint is that the artillery units are abstracted into arty points. As such they can only be used by the attacker which has serious implications for the defender, who in both larger games used artillery to break up attacks (especially in the Ardennes).

In "Last Blitzkrieg" I did far more damage with the Germans than should have been possible and by destroying American units, it makes using the American Arty point e3ffrectively very difficult.