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Grand Old Games (Part 1): Rare and Well Done
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I am fairly new to BGG but I have been a gamer most of my life and a collector for quite a while. My collection is focused on Wargames and Strategy games from the 1880s to 1950 and I now have over 80 games from that period. I have slowly been adding them to the BGG database and figured I'd pause every so often and share the new additions via a Geeklist. It's an interesting piece of gaming history. While the games are all fairly rare they also represent a broad range of quality of presentation and depth of play. The first set I wanted to get out to folks is probably my most rare, and most interesting. The presentation (map and/or playing pieces) really sets this group apart from the rest of my collection. I hope you enjoy them....
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Posted Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:24 pm
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1.
Board Game: Waterloo
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
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The first two games are appetizers. Waterloo (1895) and the following game (Kriegspiel Junior) are the only two games on the list that aren't complete (no rules or pieces) but the map presentations are amazing.
Waterloo's map is lacquered onto a wooden board 14"x21" that acts as the top of the game box. The game is over 100 years old and the board still has a vibrant color and is very playable...
I have a line on the rules and hope to have details on game play in the near future.
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Kriegspiel Junior (1915) is larger than Waterloo (16"x22") and again the version I have is just the map lacquered on a board (no box, rules or pieces).
The map is more detailed than Waterloo with more points, the addition of fortresses, a river and with the same clarity and detail that shows so well on the Waterloo map.
I would love to know how this game plays....
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The last of the very early games, War Tactics - Can Britain be Invaded (~1917) is special because of of what it brings to the player at such an early stage in strategy/war gaming.
The detailed map, multiple unit types with different abilities and special rules make for an extremely advanced game for its day.
The rules allow for amphibious invasions and bombing raids in a Grand Strategy game created in or around 1915. An amazing accomplishment.
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The rest of the games are from the WWII era and I thought I'd bookend this group with my favorites.
Strumpionere (late 1930s) is one of the tops of my list because of the components. The game supplies 4 identical triangular maps that form a square game board when put together. The goal is a wooden bunker that sits on the spot where all four maps come together.
The pieces are painted flats of German Pioneers with different implements and the detail of each is excellent. The game play is simple but with the pieces and the map its really special.
I have only seen one copy of this in all my years of collecting. A spectacular box and game set.
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5.
Board Game: Empires
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
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Empires (1940) is a true Grand Strategy game. Conquer the world one colony at a time. Even though its a point to point movement game, it's a definite forerunner of Risk in terms of game play mechanics. Key elements include:
* Collecting territories on the map to build an Empire
* Collect resources from the territories which are turned in 3:1 for armaments (a bonus is gained for having all territories in a region)
* Defeat the other players in wars using the armaments to claim territories from them
Not sure if the creators of Risk every saw this game but it sure has some similarities.
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Battle at Sea (1940) has it all, a roll up vinyl map, metal miniatures, destroyers that can lay smoke screens, cool dice and a log book of ships.
Players move along a path on the map attacking enemy ships when in gunnery range using the special embossed dice to roll hits. The victor is the one that sunk the most tonnage.
I have only ever seen this game one time and while the map is getting a bit rough around the edges (its was rolled up for 60 years) its still one of the most compelling pieces in my collection.
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7.
Board Game: GHQ
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
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GHQ (1940) is simple but like all interesting games its full of choices. The pieces and game map are much more modern than the usual 1940 games.
The map is bright, multicolored and very detailed. The pieces are wooden with different shapes for armor, motorized and infantry corps and they all have a National Flag attached... Each unit type has a different movement and defense with support being key.
Very playable, even now.
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8.
Board Game: Diplomacy
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
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A favorite of mine based on the pieces, the map and the background.
Diplomacy came out in 1939 and after the Germans attacked Poland people wouldn't buy a game with the Nazi Flag on the gameboard. The makers began including an alternate set of Russian and German Flags to replace the offending one on the game board (see the additional picture I included in the Diplomacy record of the database).
Again this game has a lot of choices based on the map board, playing pieces and the addition of special cards to the basic game play. It's all about collecting territories to grow your empire through diplomatic means.
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9.
Board Game: Dog Fight
[Average Rating:8.00 Unranked]
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Dog-Fight (1942) - gotta love a game that requires you to set up the board in wooden holders so that it stands erect in the form of a triangle and supports the game's metal planes in little slits on the mapboard (check out the picture under the game's image section).
Dog-Fight has miniature fighters, bombers and Anti-Aircraft weapons and is effective in giving the feel of flying a squadron even if it isn't quite true 3 D.
Not as rare as some of the games in my collection, its presentation easily puts it in the top tier.
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Bomber's Aloft (1941) is another bombing game that has a unique way of presenting the game pieces. Each plane is placed nose first in the appropriate elevation slot of a metal holder (elevation is determined at the beginning and changes during game play). The players move around a circle bombing as many targets as possible and getting shot at by AA fire.
The rules say that up to 7 players can play the game in less than 30 minutes. I haven't tried that yet.
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11.
Board Game: Dictator
[Average Rating:0.00 Unranked]
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For many collectors Dictator (1939) is the ultimate game. It includes over half a pound of lead miniatures and has a great presentation in terms of components. The lead battleships, planes, subs, and aviators are easily broken so its hard to find the game in one piece...
The game play was fairly deep for its time with cards (coup and revolt) affecting game play as well as a map that was timely including areas that were key in the events of the period.
The game play mechanism is simple but effective (movement around a game circle with spaces that add or take away armaments, cards or money). The goal is to gather resources via conquest of the 3 colonies on the map.
Dictator is the last game of my first Geeklist and hopefully you find this small part of the history of strategy and wargames as interesting as I do. If you have any questions about the games let me know.
I hope to have another group in the database shortly with a focus on things like second tier publishers (Corey games, E.E. Fairchild, and All-Fair Games). I also have a fair number of games produced in Germany (both before and during WWII) that I will be adding.
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Posted Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:46 am
