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OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games?

 
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OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/30/2011 8:21:25 PM   
Chad Harrison


Posts: 1395
Joined: 4/2/2003
From: Boise, ID - USA
Status: offline 		Hi all

I have been looking to get back into board strategy games, and finally feel like I might have some time to do so. I know of a lot of titles made in the 70's, 80's and 90's that I would be interesting in getting - but hesitate to pay excessive amounts for them on Ebay and such.

Can anyone recommend some good, high quality, polished and detailed strategy games that are still in print - or atleast can still be purchased new for a reasonable price? I prefer operational, but enjoy tactical and strategic also. I prefer WWII, but can enjoy any age. Detail and realism is more important to me than scale and age - would you expect anything else from a WitP player?

Are there any consistently good publishers that are still putting out good games?

All I know of are MMP (still have all my ASL/SL stuff) and GMT. Have never tried GMT - any reviews from WitP players?

Thanks in advance.

Chad
Post #: 1
RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/30/2011 8:34:49 PM   
sprior


Posts: 8596
Joined: 6/18/2002
From: Portsmouth, UK
Status: offline 		Clash of Arms, Multi Man Publishing and GMT are good places to start.

Look at Consimworld.com too for advice, reviews and gossip. And boardgamegeek.com.

< Message edited by sprior -- 12/30/2011 8:36:37 PM >

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/30/2011 8:51:56 PM   
jeffk3510


Posts: 4132
Joined: 12/3/2007
From: Kansas
Status: offline 		Boardgamegeek.com or whatever that site is called is a great place to start.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/30/2011 9:06:01 PM   
Schanilec

 

Posts: 4040
Joined: 6/12/2010
From: Grand Forks, ND
Status: offline 		Also try search grognards & SPI

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/30/2011 9:07:03 PM   
Schanilec

 

Posts: 4040
Joined: 6/12/2010
From: Grand Forks, ND
Status: offline 		...or SPI Wrecking Yard.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/30/2011 9:23:42 PM   
rjopel

 

Posts: 614
Joined: 12/19/2007
From: Charlottesville, VA, USA
Status: offline 		I recommend Federation and Empire. A Grand Strategic and Operational game from the Star Fleet Battles (Star Trek) Universe. http://www.starfleetgames.com/federationandempire.shtml

Disclaimer: I and Nashvilen are staff members for this game.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/30/2011 11:32:12 PM   
Justus2


Posts: 729
Joined: 11/12/2011
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: rjopel

I recommend Federation and Empire. A Grand Strategic and Operational game from the Star Fleet Battles (Star Trek) Universe. http://www.starfleetgames.com/federationandempire.shtml

Disclaimer: I and Nashvilen are staff members for this game.


It's funny you bring that up, I played that years ago, and as I started into WITP that was one of the first games to come to mind! I just looked at the site, glad to see it is still active. I spent countless hours on Star Fleet Battles in college (probably should have counted as a second major), and played quite a bit for the first few years after (late 80s-early 90s), but as my normal opponents moved away, and we started having kids etc, that was one of the things to get shelved.

Fed&Empire was a great strategic boardgame as I remember it, I will have to read up on the expansions etc since then.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/31/2011 12:27:05 AM   
Reg


Posts: 2787
Joined: 5/26/2000
From: NSW, Australia
Status: offline
Don't forget other good publishers such as Decision Games (who have most of the old SPI titles including Strategy & Tactics Magazine), Compass Games, Avalanche Press, Sierra Madre Games (for some way out but excellent titles), Columbia Games - and they are just some of the major players. Google the titles to find their websites or just look them up on Boardgame geek to see their product lines.

They are always saying that board gaming is dying but judging by the number of companies in the market it can't be true....



< Message edited by Reg -- 12/31/2011 5:43:42 AM >

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/31/2011 5:06:05 AM   
bradfordkay

 

Posts: 8683
Joined: 3/24/2002
From: Olympia, WA
Status: offline 		Avalanche Press' Great War At Sea series is pretty good. Picture a Victory Games "Fleet" series game based in WWI. 

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 12/31/2011 9:25:19 PM   
nashvillen


Posts: 3836
Joined: 7/3/2006
From: Christiana, TN
Status: offline 		As rjopel said, Federation & Empire is a good grand strategy game. I also have found the Operational Combat Series by Multiman Publishing to be good. They have a great game on the Burma conflict in 1944.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/1/2012 2:16:10 AM   
Zigurat666


Posts: 374
Joined: 9/26/2008
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: sprior

Clash of Arms, Multi Man Publishing and GMT are good places to start.

Look at Consimworld.com too for advice, reviews and gossip. And boardgamegeek.com.



+1 for Clash of Arms
Excellent Ancients games

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/1/2012 2:22:53 AM   
Mike Solli


Posts: 15792
Joined: 10/18/2000
From: the flight deck of the Zuikaku
Status: offline 		The Gamers series as mentioned above. Operational Combat series, Tactical Combat Series and Regimental Sub-Series are all wonderful.

Clash of Arms Napoleonic series are great. Been playing that series since it was first owned by Marshal Enterprises 30+ years ago.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/2/2012 6:04:39 AM   
CaptBeefheart


Posts: 2301
Joined: 7/4/2003
From: Seoul, Korea
Status: offline 		Must be nice having enough floor or table space to do boardgames. With as many moves as I've done and living in small, medium and large spaces over the years, but mostly small, I gave up my boardgames about 20 years ago.

That said, it might be cool to pick up a beer & pretzels game that could be done in 2-3 hours.

Cheers,
CC

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/2/2012 1:54:50 PM   
Chad Harrison


Posts: 1395
Joined: 4/2/2003
From: Boise, ID - USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for all the replies everyone. Plenty to look after now.

Back in the 80's/early 90's I had two boardgames that covered the entire Pacific War. Really loved them. I have since lost them. So . . .

Can anyone recommend a board game that shares the similar scope of WitP and covers the war? Or perhaps a single campaign (ie. Cartwheel, Marianas, ect.)? Naval actions?

Again, specific recommendations are most welcomed.

Thanks again

Chad

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Post #: 14
RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/2/2012 2:19:15 PM   
dr.hal


Posts: 3335
Joined: 6/3/2006
From: Covington LA via Montreal!
Status: offline 		Victory Games' "War in the Pacific" IIRC, that's what started me off on this whole pacific thing. A VERY detailed board game for its time, rated 10 out of 10 by folks. See Grognards mentioned above. It is a site I always have bookmarked. Really intense reviews of materials.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/2/2012 2:20:51 PM   
dr.hal


Posts: 3335
Joined: 6/3/2006
From: Covington LA via Montreal!
Status: offline 		Oh and I also have an untouched Pacific War game published in Japan, which I think is much like the Victory Games board game. It does have instructions in English, very interesting stuff....

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Post #: 16
RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/2/2012 8:26:36 PM   
WITPPL


Posts: 290
Joined: 8/5/2009
Status: offline 		GMT has some great hardcore but very well tohught out games. My favorite is Barbarossa: East Front Series. You can try this one for a great operational east front game for sure.

www.Boardgamegeek.com is the modernplace to go. Everything is there including the largest community of wargamers on our planet.



< Message edited by WITPPL -- 1/2/2012 8:29:39 PM >

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/2/2012 10:23:11 PM   
Houtje

 

Posts: 172
Joined: 6/19/2006
From: Netherlands
Status: offline 		Dr.Hal, I think you mean 'Pacific War' from GMT Games, designed by Mark Herman? That is an excellent game that does indeed cover the entire war, Chad, with a focus on operations, so it might just be what you are looking for. In fact, Mark Herman is preparing a new edition (to be published by Multiman Publishing), but it might take a while before being available (as in, more than a year from now). It's usually available on Ebay though.

'War in the Pacific' was published by SPI (IIRC) and was a monstergame, which became an even bigger monster when a new edition was published by Decision Games. 9000+ counters, 7 large maps, etc. etc. Very expensive, but it's the only game that begins to approach WITPAE's level of detail. WITPAE is playable though, War in the Pacific not so much - though some have done so.

'Empire of the Sun' is a card-driven strategic game on the pacific war, also by Mark Herman for GMT. It's very popular - as one can see on Boardgamegeek and consimworld.

SPI also brought out 'WWII: Pacific theater of operations' which was, I believe, also republished by Decision games, as 'Advanced Pacific theater of operations'. I never played that, as yet.

Cheers,
Houtje

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/2/2012 10:39:12 PM   
jeffk3510


Posts: 4132
Joined: 12/3/2007
From: Kansas
Status: offline 		World in Flames would accomplish that I am guessing.

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Post #: 19
RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/3/2012 4:01:05 AM   
Chad Harrison


Posts: 1395
Joined: 4/2/2003
From: Boise, ID - USA
Status: offline 		Thanks for the replies all. Plenty to chew on here.

Chad

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/3/2012 1:52:14 PM   
Ketza


Posts: 2227
Joined: 1/14/2007
From: Columbia, Maryland
Status: offline 		If you ever get a chance to go to Historicon in Lancaster, PA around July there are a ton of publishers there with the latest games as well as a huge yardsale where there are thousands of old board games for sale.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/6/2012 5:56:55 AM   
gradenko2k

 

Posts: 935
Joined: 12/27/2010
Status: offline 		Any recommendations for good solitaire boardgames? I like B-17 Queen of the Skies a lot, but I can't find anything else that's similar through my browsings of boardgamegeek.

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Post #: 22
RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/6/2012 10:46:00 AM   
Reg


Posts: 2787
Joined: 5/26/2000
From: NSW, Australia
Status: offline
Silent War (with IJN expansion)



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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/6/2012 1:23:04 PM   
morganbj


Posts: 3634
Joined: 8/12/2007
From: Mosquito Bite, Texas
Status: offline 		Anybody who wants board games PM me with what you're looking for. I have several hundred from Victory SPI, S&T, etc. that I need to dispose of before I head to the happy hexagon hunting grounds. And E-bay is a pain in the wazoo.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/6/2012 4:06:32 PM   
Schanilec

 

Posts: 4040
Joined: 6/12/2010
From: Grand Forks, ND
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: bjmorgan

Anybody who wants board games PM me with what you're looking for. I have several hundred from Victory SPI, S&T, etc. that I need to dispose of before I head to the happy hexagon hunting grounds. And E-bay is a pain in the wazoo.


Do you have SPI's 'Destruction of Army Group Center' and/or 'Operation Olympic'?

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/6/2012 4:12:56 PM   
mdiehl

 

Posts: 5998
Joined: 10/21/2000
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quote:

Dr.Hal, I think you mean 'Pacific War' from GMT Games, designed by Mark Herman?


That was by Victory Games not GMT.



One that is new and supposed to be very good is Dai Senso by Decision Games.


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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/6/2012 11:11:49 PM   
Houtje

 

Posts: 172
Joined: 6/19/2006
From: Netherlands
Status: offline 		Ah yes, mdiehl, you're right, of course. And I didn't know Dai Senso, thanks for the tip.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/6/2012 11:54:48 PM   
bradfordkay

 

Posts: 8683
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From: Olympia, WA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: gradenko_2000

Any recommendations for good solitaire boardgames? I like B-17 Queen of the Skies a lot, but I can't find anything else that's similar through my browsings of boardgamegeek.



See if you can find old copies of either Tokyo Express or Carrier by Victory Games. Both are solitaire games based upon naval battles around the Solomons, and so are of interest to WITP fans.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/7/2012 11:19:34 PM   
mdiehl

 

Posts: 5998
Joined: 10/21/2000
Status: offline 		If you enjoyed Flat Top but wanted something with a little more complexity I can strongly recommend Rising Sun Simulations "Carrier Battles" (comes with "The Iron Samurai" -- a set of surface action rules). It was a one hit wonder for a game company in Seattle, if I remember right, and it is hard to come by. But it's definitely a plus if you want something like Flat Top on steroids.

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RE: OT: Whose still making good *board* strategy games? - 1/8/2012 12:30:36 AM   
Wolfe1759


Posts: 798
Joined: 1/20/2008
From: Shropshire, UK
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: mdiehl

quote:

Dr.Hal, I think you mean 'Pacific War' from GMT Games, designed by Mark Herman?


That was by Victory Games not GMT.



One that is new and supposed to be very good is Dai Senso by Decision Games.



Mark Herman followed Pacific War with his GMT game Empire of the Sun - in the designer notes for EotS he says he designed the game as a follow up to PW because PW was effectively unplayable as a campaign game.

The Japanese designed game Fire in the Sky, by Tetsuya Nakamura with its English language edition published by MMP is probably my most played and is very good for solitaire play (i.e. no hidden forces, cards etc.)


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