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Columbia Blockgames Listed Chronologically
John Owen
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This is the first in a series of lists that I hope to create that will cover every block game in existence at this moment. There are lists available right now that have to do with block games, some of them even claiming to be definitive, but, in most of these lists, there is a lack of a clear organizing principle.

If you're wondering why anyone would care about blockgames, you can check out my earlier list here:
Development of a Blockgamer - http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/17248

In this list, I intend to present a chronological listing (according to year published) of every Columbia block game (they have printed a few non-block games that I am not concerned with here) that exists (excluding expansions), with some comments lifted straight from the descriptions here on the 'Geek. I'm using the 'Geek's descriptions here instead of my own original comments because I haven't even played 1/10 of these games yet (though I'm aching to do so!). Additionally, it should be noted that I'm not giving Gamma Two Games their own list, but I've included here their block games that have been reprinted by Columbia.

I hope this will be a useful tool for anyone considering purchasing/playing Columbia games.
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Posted On: 2006-12-04 19:29:26
Edited On: 2006-12-04 19:29:26

1. Quebec 1759 [Average Rating:7.01 Overall Rank:584]
John Owen
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Published 1972 (originally published by Gamma Two Games)

"Quebec 1759 is a small, simple and short war game covering the conflict between the British and the French in Canada during the Seven Years War. The game comes with a gorgeous map drawn in the style of the period. Movement is conducted via a point-to-point system following the roads and towns in the area around Quebec. The game comes with handfuls of blocks to represent the British and French units."
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Posted On: 2006-12-04 17:55:39
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Alex Henderson
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Funny thing is, these games evoked very little positive comment among wargamers in 1972-3. I bought Quebec, War of 1812, & Napoleon and enjoyed them, but they were guilty pleasures - light fluff a "real" wargamer wouldn't bother with. With the publication of Rommel in the Desert, the light bulbs started to switch on ...
2. War of 1812 [Average Rating:7.14 Overall Rank:536]
John Owen
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Published 1973 (originally published by Gamma Two Games)

"War of 1812 Depicts the American-British struggle for control of the Great Lakes 1812-14. The roles of navies, infantry and cavalry are depicted."
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Posted On: 2006-12-04 17:55:39
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3. Napoleon - The Waterloo Campaign, 1815 [Average Rating:7.34 Overall Rank:266]
John Owen
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Published 1974 (originally published by Gamma Two Games, then Avalon Hill)

On June 18, 1815, one of the most decisive battles in military history was fought in Belgian fields twenty miles southeast of Brussels. Within a short 100 days, Napoléon, former emperor of France, had returned from exile on the island of Elba, again seized power, quickly assembled an army, and marched to defeat the dispersed British and Prussian armies now preparing to invade France. Napoléon can be played by two or three players. With three, the allied side has two players, one British and one Prussian, and some special rules apply.
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Posted On: 2006-12-04 18:45:27
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Paul Glenn
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I have the AH version and love it.
Chris Farrell
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There are actually two significantly different editions of this game.

There is the "first edition" that was published under the Gamma Two label, and then reprinted by Avalon Hill (the versions are identical, although the Avalon Hill version has IMHO a slightly higher production standard).

There is then the "third edition" which is currently published by Columbia Games, which is actually a surprisingly different beast.

The first edition is a much sparer, sharper game, that plays more quickly and is pretty unforgiving.

The third edition has almost doubled the block count, to make the units in the game correspond more directly to historical units (the units in the 1st edition were abstract). There are also significant changes in how the combined arms effects work: cavalry is significantly more powerful than it was in the first edition.

The games are clearly strongly related, as they share almost all the same rules. But they play rather differently.
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4. Rommel in the Desert [Average Rating:7.81 Overall Rank:145]
John Owen
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Published 1984

"Rommel in the Desert is a pre-"Front" game touching on the conflict between the British and Germans in North Africa during WWII. A game of maneuver, each side has to move with precision and know when to strike, since a cut in supply spells disaster for either side. The supply system is card driven. The game comes with a well painted map of North Africa and 100 wooden blocks to represent the British and Germans."
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Posted On: 2006-12-04 17:55:39
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Jeremy Carlson
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060708
I didn't realize this game was that old. I played my first wargame about 3 months ago (Crusader Rex), which then led to my second (Hammer of the Scots). This one really interests me, as I'm a huge fan of Rommel. I've heard a lot of great things about this game.

How much more, if any, complicated is this over CR or HotS?
Poochie D
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Quote:
I didn't realize this game was that old. I played my first wargame about 3 months ago (Crusader Rex), which then led to my second (Hammer of the Scots). This one really interests me, as I'm a huge fan of Rommel. I've heard a lot of great things about this game.

How much more, if any, complicated is this over CR or HotS?

It's more complicated, but not significantly so. Most of the additional complexity arises from the way supply networks work, something that's missing from the Jerry Taylor games. There are more rules in the basic system of Rommel, but on the other hand there are less "chrome" rules than in Hammer.
Bernd Caspers
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This game is even older, my first edition copy states "copyright 1982 the game preserve".
Although 1984 is actually there first time Columbia Games published RotD (second edition).
John Kula
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This was, I believe, the Game Preserve's one and only published game, first published in 1982 (1,200 copies) and then reprinted that same year. GP's rules were not quite as clear or as organized as Columbia's, which isn't saying much as Columbia's weren't all that well done. GP's map wasn't as colourful as Columbia's. But GP used yellow blocks for supply, which I preferred, rather than Columbia's cost-effective cards. The designer was Craig Besingue.
5. EastFront [Average Rating:7.99 Overall Rank:129]
John Owen
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Published 1991

"EastFront details the conflict between Germany and the Soviet Union during WWII. Players have to contend with production, supply, command control and weather to try and break the other sides' lines. Several scenarios cover every major point of the war. The game comes with a fantastic detailed map of Eastern Europe and Russia printed on card and many wooden blocks for the units. This is one section of the complete EuroFront series that covers the entire European conflict of WWII."
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Posted On: 2006-12-04 18:45:27
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6. WestFront [Average Rating:6.93 Overall Rank:1179]