Favorite wargames you don't actually have to play
Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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Although the idea may be an alien one for many denizens of BGG, wargamers are pretty familiar with the idea of having games you're pretty sure you won't play but still seem worth having. This is attributable to the fact that many wargamers aren't even primarily gamers, but rather people interested in history or military affairs. That's not to say that they don't want to play the game, when given the chance, because playing will bring out the full experience. But it does mean that playing is not the only, or even primary, reason for owning the game. What these games do have in common is deep research, often by subject matter experts, that can provide the kind of insight into a military event found in the best books. Usually the reason why they don't get played is the difficulty of finding someone else with the same level of passion for the particular topic. Any two gamers will probably be willing to play Lost Cities. Any two wargamers will probably be willing to play Hammer of the Scots. But to invest the time and effort needed to play This Hallowed Ground, for example, you need people are REALLY into the American Civil War, Nineteenth-century tactics and, probably, the Battle of Gettysburg. Most haven't been played enough to even get ranked on BGG.
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Board Game: 1914
[Average Rating:5.53 Overall Rank:6174]
Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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Perhaps the earliest example of this kind of game, 1914 was never considered a "gamer's game," but it did set the bar much higher for historical research and attention to realism. I remember being quite impressed as teenager, as this game opened my eyes to the myriad details of actual military operations.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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The entire game system is full of enormous, fascinating detail about aspects of World War II combat rarely, if ever addressed in wargames. But Chapter H! One can easily spend hours just reading the vehicle and ordnance notes. No tank is too obscure, or too rare, to deserve a spot and a counter. For the uninitiated who wonder why ASL has such a devoted following, perusal of Chapter H may start to explain it.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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The cards are full of fascinating information about th Civil War, well worth reading even if you don't get around to playing the game.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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A fairly detailed game system and a great map, combined with extensive and well-written historical notes make this a keeper for the history-minded gamer.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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A ground-breaking design providing a lot of insight into the campaign.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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This entire game system specializes in providing a huge number of scenarios covering every engagement, near engagement, possible engagement and quite a few impossible engagements in the years between 1898 and 1945.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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Perhaps the epitome of a "simulation" as opposed to a game. Not because it's unplayable, or poorly designed, because it is not. It's very well-designed and playable as well. But Harpoon4's design goal is capturing all the relevant details of modern naval warfare well enough to be predictive. Game-like considerations such as balance, fairness or even victory aren't even secondary, they are unimportant. Warfare is rarely fair, and in naval warfare especially, small margins of superiority are often decisive, so Harpoon4 doesn't concern itself with balanced scenarios. Whether depicting historical fights such as the Falklands or the Gulf of Tonkin or hypothetical battles the players are expected to make the best of what fate hands them, just as real naval officers do, and not whine about "fairness."
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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This game series is well-known for its beautiful maps. But the scenarios are interesting history, too.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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All sorts of interesting, odd and obscure tanks.
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10.
Board Game: Omaha
[Average Rating:7.08 Overall Rank:3185]
Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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The TCS games have great maps, interesting OBs and well-researched scenarios. Omaha is the most massive and amibitious in the series, allowing almost a "Saving Private Ryan" level of intensity in paper and cardboard.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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Still probably the most comprehensive treatment of the "Hail Mary" maneuver of the Gulf War in print, game or book.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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All of J.D. Webster's air games are chock full of information and detail that you can study for hours, even if you don't play.
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Seth Owen
United States
Norwich
Connecticut
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Huge map, regimental-level OB, lots of colorful touches (Jenny Wade, John Burns).
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David Seddon
United Kingdom
Congleton
Cheshire
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It's not that this one's particualrly gorgeous to look at, but I remember playing it ever so briefly and seeing it being played a lot at my school's wargame club in the 70's (see list below) and had to have it. I'm told that it's a REALLY good game, but I get so busy with gaming that it may be years before I get around to playing it.
Here's that List (it was out ages ago so may be worth revisiting/rating):
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listi...
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David Seddon
United Kingdom
Congleton
Cheshire
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Bought this not too long ago when GMT republished it. I know that I will play this one within the year, but it's a long one and I'm working my way up to it by playing Wilderness War next. Great game, I know and a classy looking product to boot!
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Tim Benjamin
United States
Los Alamos
New Mexico
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Europa, Europa, Europa! Even this smallest of Europa games is daunting to set up and play with any optimization and finesse.
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Mark Christopher
United States
Salem
Massachusetts
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I love collecting all the volumes of Ben Hull's "Musket & Pike Battle Series". I've played a few times, but most of my friends aren't crazy about the subject matter. However, the scholorship that goes into the design shows, not just in the designer's notes (including how to properly conduct a heavy infantry assault, IIRC), but also in that the choices you have to make in the game are similar to the ones faced by commanders at the time. If I never play these again (though I will, even if only solo. I'm slowly learning cyberboard, though), I'm still going to collect them all.
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Daniel Maramba
United States
Washington
Dist of Columbia
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I'm not much into naval games, but I really like the American Civil War, so I bought this one back when it was new. I've never regretted it. It has lots of everything: lots of ships, lots of scenarios (and a couple of campaigns), lots of detail. Don't ask me if the research is accurate, because I'm no expert; all I know is there's lots of it, and it's interesting. Ironclads deserves a place on any list of games worth owning even if you never play them.
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Ralph Reinert
United States
Seattle
Washington
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This game looks really great. Each player takes on the role of a major general in the Napoleonic wars, either Napoleon, Wellington or one of several others. Each side is given their objective. E.g. Prussian Player: "Your first plan was to start the offensive to catch the French before they are ready, but your headquarters modified this plan as the French were more ready than expected. Your main goal is now to protect your capital,Berlin, north-east of the map. The mean is your choice: beat the French corps one after the other, cut their line of communication, retreat toward north. You are in charge . . ."
Each side confers together to make their initial plans. Each general is then given counters represting his armies and a map of the region where expected battles will be fought and is then put in a place where he can not speak with any of the other players except by sending messages by horse mounted couriers (sending a note to the umpire who will pass it on to the recipient after an appropriate delay.)
Thus some of the problems faced by pre-electronic communication generals. But it does sound a real bear to organize.
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oystein eker
Norway
Unspecified
sola
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Almost all R.Berg`s games fits the list.
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Carl Herzog
United States
Providence
Rhode Island
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I own it. I played it head to head once (about 25 years ago). But I'll never get rid of it. Every once in a while I still take it out and wade through the details.
The design that went into this is phenomenal. SPI built a lot of huge monster games, but Air War has to be the most detailed simulation of all time -- modeling jet fighter combat on a second-by-second scale!
BGG mentions controversy over the accuracy of the planes' characteristics, but none of that hinders the game's mechanical accomplishment.
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Is it just me or does anyone else also notice that smell?
