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Block Wargames with big map(s), semi-complex, high fun factor
Justin Gortner
United States
Absecon
New Jersey
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Recommend
6
Hi there,

I'm looking to get a block war game, but I'm not sure which. I have never played them, but I'm an experienced gamer.

Please feel free to add block wargames that
- can be played with 2 players (option for more is okay)
- can be played in under 6 - 8 hours
- uses blocks
- bonus if it uses hexes too (no required)
- can be purchased somewhere
- NOT a historical simulation (players control fate)
- complex but fun! (not so complex its mindnumming

Thanks so much!
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Posted Thu Sep 29, 2005 4:42 pm
1. Board Game: Europe Engulfed [Average Rating:7.78 Overall Rank:120]
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Justin Gortner
United States
Absecon
New Jersey
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This game would be perfect if it didn't take sooo long to play!
Bill Eldard
United States
Unspecified
Virginia
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I haven't played it, though I've seen it played. Is it not a historical simulation?
Noel
United States
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This has shorter scenarios than simply the 'big one'.
I love this one.

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This IS the one. If you can find another player whom you don't mind spending large blocks of time with, I'd go with this. It's not too hard to record the units' positions... takes about a half hour to clean up, and then re-set up again later.

There are only so many ways to do WW2 Europe, but this is my favorite...
2. Board Game: East Front [Average Rating:5.50 Unranked]
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Steve B.
United States
Salt Lake City
Utah
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Probably the king of them all. Add Volga Front to it and you have a pretty big map. Has scenarios that can play within your time frame.
Steve B.
United States
Salt Lake City
Utah
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Um, wrong East Front. Delete this entry if you want. I'm talking about the Colombia Games East Front.
John Brier
United States
Gainesville
Florida
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I just ordered this as my first block wargame. That is unless you count Bonaparte at Marengo as a block wargame, which, by the way, is another game you should look into.
Bill Eldard
United States
Unspecified
Virginia
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I would consider EastFront a histortical simulation. Maybe we have different definitions.
3. Board Game: Rommel in the Desert [Average Rating:7.72 Overall Rank:173]
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OMG They Killed Kenny
Canada
Toronto
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This one might be a good starting point.
Dan Poole
United States
Goldsboro
North Carolina
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My vote would be this one. This is fairly complex, though less so than Eastfront (which is really cool). I also agree that it is worth checking out Boneparte at Marengo.
Peter Stubner
United States
Englewood
Colorado
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Even though the map seems big, it is not big enough.
4. Board Game: EastFront [Average Rating:7.85 Overall Rank:182]
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OMG They Killed Kenny
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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This the the 'Eastfront' mentioned previously.
Neil Carr
United States
South Burlington
Vermont
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Yep, this is the one to get. The system is great, with lots of tension for bother players in regard to their decision making, but not fiddily. Definitely get the Volga Front map extension.

The system itself is great, but beyond that the historical scenerio (which is open ended, you can even start with a different order of battle and placement) is just naturally a great one to play. It's a real slugathon where there germans start out pounding the russians back and back, but eventually the russians build up some steam and can hit back, so both players get the satisfaction of laying some good blows.

Once you become experienced and want to teach it to a new player then you can give them the Germans so that they have a satisfying learning game against your better experience.
Noel
United States
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This is a great game. Lots of different scenarios and you will enjoy learning it as your skill progresses.
Jocke Persson
Sweden
Stockholm
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Agree with previous posters. Even better than EE IMO.
Alan Kaiser
United States
Aurora
Colorado
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There is supposed to be an upcoming update to the Front series rules. I saw on Chris Ferrall's website that he played using the beta rules for the update and compared the game to EE. Sounded interesting and might be worth looking into if you're interested.
5. Board Game: War of 1812 [Average Rating:7.07 Overall Rank:648]
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OMG They Killed Kenny
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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If you are interested in earlier periods of history, there's this...
Bill Eldard
United States
Unspecified
Virginia
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There are no hexes, but there certainly is a lot more fre-play.
Bill Eldard
United States
Unspecified
Virginia
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There are no hexes, but there certainly is a lot more free-play.
David G. Cox Esq.
Australia
Lighthouse Beach
NSW
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patron070809
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I've played many block games over a long period of time - as a general rule I find that point-to-point movement and area movement seems to work really well with blocks - my experiences with hexes and blocks have been very disappointing.
6. Board Game: Quebec 1759 [Average Rating:7.03 Overall Rank:672]
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OMG They Killed Kenny
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Ontario
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.. and this....
7. Board Game: Hammer of the Scots [Average Rating:7.74 Overall Rank:48]
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OMG They Killed Kenny
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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... and this ...
Noel
United States
Unspecified
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This is a fun, quick game. I played it until I was really sick of it and I'm tempted by Crusader Rex.
The root of all evil... but you can call me cookie.
United States
Gainesville
Florida
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patron05060708
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Super fun game...super I tell you.
David K.
United States
Unspecified
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patron0405
Certainly and entertaining wargame, but I wouldn't say this has a "big" map.
8. Board Game: Napoleon: The Waterloo Campaign, 1815 [Average Rating:7.31 Overall Rank:321]
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OMG They Killed Kenny
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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... and of course, have to include Nappy...
9. Board Game: Pacific Victory [Average Rating:6.87 Overall Rank:1027]
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OMG They Killed Kenny
Canada
Toronto
Ontario
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Back to WWII, in the Pacific this time ...
Noel
United States
Unspecified
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This is pretty good, but it wasn't good enough to keep.
10. Board Game: Victoria Cross [Average Rating:7.26 Overall Rank:1089]
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Noel
United States
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This is a fun game that only plays in a couple of hours.
Mark Christopher
United States
Salem
Massachusetts
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I played this for the first time recently. What great fun! Even getting wiped out as the British, the tension was great. :)
11. Board Game: Bobby Lee [Average Rating:6.90 Overall Rank:1257]
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Kent Reuber
United States
San Mateo
California
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Bobby Lee and Sam Grant can be combined. There are options to combine the two games using 4 players.

Remember that almost all the Columbia Games rules are online at their web site. You can check things out before investing your money.
12. Board Game: Sam Grant [Average Rating:6.45 Overall Rank:2551]
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Kent Reuber
United States
San Mateo
California
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3 comments [Hide]
David Bohnenberger
United States
Swarthmore
Pennsylvania
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patron050608
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Quote:
- NOT a historical simulation (players control fate)


I'm not sure what you mean by this. The only "Block Wargames" I know of that aren't even supposed to be "Historical Simulations" are Victory and Wizard Kings.
John Brier
United States
Gainesville
Florida
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David;

I think he is simply saying that the game shouldn't be so strongly bent on simulation that it curtails the gameplay significantly. Of course this is a somewhat vague parameter, but from my limited knowledge of wargames there does seem to be a distinction that's drawn between those that are heavy on recreation at the expense of gameplay and those that are more GAMES with interesting strategic and tactical decisions.
Justin Gortner
United States
Absecon
New Jersey
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Hi,

Yes sorry about the ambiguity!

As far as the NOT a historical simulation parameter: I just don't want the game to be staged or weighted to one side that always wins.

I probably should have just said, a balanced game with all outcomes possible.

Thanks again in advance for all your help. These geeklists really help me to purchase correctly!!!

JustinG
of South NJ
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