Don't Prussia Your Luck (A Review of Leuthen: Frederick's Greatest Victory)

Warfare in the Age of Reason.  Now that’s a fun oxymoron!  I mean, what exactly about standing perfectly still, shoulder-to-shoulder, in well-dressed ranks trading volleys of musket fire sounds reasonable to you?  At any rate, the period receives little attention in war gaming.  Thus, one of the more brilliant military tacticians in history, Frederick der Grosse, is often ignored.  Too bad.  Because he didn’t get the moniker “Great” for nothing.  One of the ablest practitioners of “less is more,” he expanded his tiny nation threefold and created a new kingdom almost entirely through the use of the small, yet superb, army inherited from daddy.  Always outnumbered and strategically besieged, he nonetheless won victory after victory through decisive action and expert maneuvering with the best drilled and most disciplined troops on the continent.  Now you can fill his boots.  Or get kicked by them.

Besieged! (a review of Zulus on the Ramparts)

Things are looking grim for the small band of British soldiers at the fort at Rorke's Drift. Zulu forces have surrounded the fort and will soon overtake it. You are in command of the soldiers and the small stock of supplies available to them. Can you hold out until morning, when Lord Chelmsford's relief column should arrive with reinforcements?

Find out in Zulus on the Ramparts!

Still Red Dawn (A Review of Fortress America)

[Editors note: The following is a dual review, featuring opinions from our in-house war gamer @spielemitkinder, and the thematic space-loving @Futurewolfie.  Make sure to read both opinions to get a better overall picture of the game!] 

Wolverines!  It is America’s most desperate hour.  Beleaguered on three fronts, these United States struggle against an unthinkable invasion of the land of mom, apple pie, rock ‘n roll, and freedom.  Forget the TSA, high taxes, and Obamacare.  Lady Liberty’s very way of life threatens to vanish in the pages of history.  Will hordes of barbaric invaders sweep unopposed from sea to shining sea?  Or will guerrilla citizen-soldiers rise up through hill and dale to help their reeling army stem the tide until America’s massive lasers can blow the enemy back to the motherland, proving we really are the Home of the Brave?

Napoleon Complex (A Review of War & Peace)

"I saw the crown of France laying on the ground, so I picked it up with my sword." ~ Napoleon

It is said that the only man in history to have more works written about him than Napoleon is Jesus.  Appropriately enough for his God-sized ego, his times will forever be named after the little emperor who seized opportunity from turmoil and changed history forever through blood and steel.  An untold number of games have also covered the wars and battles of this era.  Recently, Worthington Games has offered a new title of grand, epic strategy covering the entire period from 1805 to Waterloo.  Will history repeat itself?  Choose your side to reenact this period which witnessed some of the greatest and most terrible military campaigns of all time.

All Under Control (A Guide to Area Control/Majority)

Who doesn't like to carve out their own little fiefdom, now and then?  Whether it's a man cave at home, a special project at the office, or a particular job in some organization, there's a satisfaction to be had in owning your own personal space or role. A sense of freedom knowing you're in control. Putting your own personal touch on something is rewarding, and it's nice to see the results of accomplishing that goal for which you've exerted so much effort and planning. Of course, this overarching element has always been endemic to hobby gaming, and there's one specific mechanic that has proven to be a natural fit in capturing that feeling.

New Birth of Freedom (an Interview with John Poniske)

John Poniske is a life-long gamer and has been designing his own games for almost fifteen years, with a wide variety of titles published, available on VASSAL, slated for preorder systems, or still in the works. Perhaps his most recognizable family game is Leaping Lemmings, and he also has published a children’s game, Hugs. The bulk of his production is in war gaming, with an eclectic mix of both familiar and unique subjects; from Civil War battles to Native American-Colonial conflicts to the Haitian slave revolts. As a teacher, John sees gaming as not only an engaging hobby, but as an opportunity to teach and educate. His reprint of Hearts and Minds: Vietnam 1965-1975 (Worthington Games) just successfully funded on Kickstarter. Currently his card-driven, politically minded, strategic Civil War game Lincoln’s War (Multi-Man Publishing) is on Kickstarter and is almost 70% funded with 22 days remaining. We asked John a few questions about this title, which has been long in the making, and he was gracious enough to talk with us.