A Wargamers Needful Things: Compass Games

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Indian Ocean Region

South China Sea: Volume II

Compass Games

Compass Games has succeeded once again in putting me on the horns of a dilemma. This is a wargame about possible warfare breaking out in approximately 2025. I am not the keenest grognard on hypothetical conflicts. I also like my sea battles resolved by large caliber guns, and not Tomahawk missiles. So, please bear with me through this review.

As was mentioned, the different hypothetical conflicts take place in 2025 in the region from the coast of Africa near Saudi Arabia to the Western coast of Thailand, and some of the island of Sumatra. This would include some hotspots such as the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aden, etc. This means that some of the fighting is bound to be about the sea lanes that Middle East oil can take from those areas to the Indian Ocean. This is part of the blurb from Compass games that can describe the area and the tensions throughout the region:

"Although advertised as purely commercial ventures, China’s “String of Pearls” (a series of key ports) across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) gives her the option to assert sea control of that theater, and for good reason. About 80% of the PRC’s oil transits the IOR before bottlenecking at the Strait of Malacca and then going on to terminate at ports in the PRC. Even a Gwadar-Kashgar oil pipeline, designed to bypass the full-length IOR route, would still require some initial sea transport, followed by a vulnerable off load, and couldn’t carry the full load anyway.

Therefore, in a modern interpretation of Mahan’s observations, China has used “legislative methods…monopoly…(and) prohibitory regulations” all via diplomacy to secure its oil-toting sea lanes throughout the IOR. Patient cultivation of relations with Pakistan over decades has delivered access to the updated, modern port at Gwadar, Pakistan. Buoyed by Chinese land leases and development projects, Maldivian President Yameen has drifted closer to China while his opposition looks to India. In Sri Lanka, China may have used “debt trap diplomacy” by forgiving debt to obtain certain rights to the port at Hambantota for 99-years. How ironic, after regaining Hong Kong, China is now using tactics reminiscent of Imperial British mercantilists to gain Ceylon! The confidential nature of certain aspects of these deals along with the close association of many Chinese firms to their military and government opens up the possibility of “dual use” facilities that might quickly transition from commercial to military applications."

This is the pertinent information about the game:

• Complexity: 7 out of 10

• Solitaire Suitability: 6 out of 10

• Time Scale: 1 turn = between 3 and 7 hours

• Map Scale: 1 hex = 45 nautical miles

• Unit Scale: aircraft squadrons, pairs of ships/subs, land battalions

• Players: Best with 2 players but can be played with up to 3 players, or solitaire

• Playing Time: 2-4 hours depending on scenario

Game Components:

• Three 22x 28” map sheets

• Three Countersheets totaling 390 3/4″ counters

• Deck of 39 political cards

• Two player aid cards

• Rule/scenario book

• Two Dice

• Box and Lid

Game Credits:

• Designer: John Gorkowski

• Artist: Christopher Moeller

This is Volume II of the South China Sea games. Here is a list of the Nations involved:

Asymmetric: Iran

Pakistan

Qatar

Somalia

Yemen

China: Peoples Republic of China (PRC)

The String of Pearls

Indo-Am: Bahrain

India

United States

Diego Garcia

Australia and Britain

Symmetric Bay States: Bangladesh

(Bay of Bengal) Myanmar

Sri-Lanka

Symmetric Gulf States: Djibouti

Oman

United Arab Emirates

Asymmetric States include Nations that rely heavily on unconventional strategies and tactics. Symmetric Bay States are interested in Chinese investments, but are leery of giving them too much political power over them (per the designer). Symmetric Gulf States have a long history of trading with the Western nations.

So, as you can see there is a ton of different conflicts that could arise between all of the different powers that are represented in the game. Political tensions are rampant in the area on both the land and sea.

The game box is not that heavy, but it does come with a good amount material in it. The three maps, as they should be by the game's name, are mostly water hexes, with some of the various land masses around the Indian Ocean. The Maps are well done, even though most of them are blue hexes. The land war is really supposed to take a backseat to the naval and air fighting anyway. The counters on the map are huge. This is to accommodate the equally large counters at 3/4". I want to say one thing about these counters right off the bat. Once the plastic that held them in place was cut, the counters all jumped off the sprues. There was no problem with the cutting of them. The counters all come with a small picture of the designated weapon, and also very large numbers for movement, stealth, and defense, etc. They also are color coded for Transport, Littoral, and Deep Sea. There is a large number of different types which is necessary because of the different nations and tons of different weapons. The Rulebook is in full color, and large type. The game rules are only twenty-one pages long. This is followed by six pages of Play Examples, and then comes the seven scenarios that come with the game. The game also comes with two hard laminated Player Aids sheets. The production value of the components are what I have come to expect from Compass Games.

Play is what you would expect from a game with weapons and munitions from 2025. The game adds extra depth by having some of the scenarios start with a 'Political Turn'. The political rules remind one of other cut throat games involving different nations trying to use political muscle to get what they want. The Political Turns are a combination of card play and negotiations. The Negotiation rules allow for up to a ten minute huddle for the different players to discuss their plans. There are never more than six Political Turns in a scenario, and sometimes there are less. Every time that the the Victory Track moves more than two or more spaces, the Peoples Republic of China must make an Armed Conflict die-roll. The die-roll is on a 1d6, and if it is a four or more then Armed Conflict erupts. The political aspect of the game is short but sweet, and does not really bog down play before the shooting starts.

When the munitions start to fly is when most of us grognards really take notice in games, and this one is no exception. The lethality of modern munitions is quickly shown to the player who puts his forces in harm's way. The Air/Sea Engagement Sequence is this:

Anti-Air Strikes

Torpedo Strikes by Submarines

Anti-Ship Strikes

Anti-Submarine Strikes

Gun Strikes

Torpedo Strikes by Surface Units

Anti-Ground Strikes

This is then followed by the Ground Combat Phase.

The Military Turn Sequence of Play is:

Air Movement Phase - Default Order

Sea Movement Phase - Default Order

LACM (Land Attack Cruise Missile) Strikes Phase - Default Order

Air and Sea Combat Phase - Default Order by Engagement

Ground Movement Phase - Default Order

Administration Phase - Simultaneous

Military Negotiations Phase - Simultaneous

Once again Compass Games has dangled a carrot, or a truffle (the chocolate kind) before my eyes, and once again I jumped in where Angels fear to tread. As usual, some people have mixed views about the game system. I think they are missing the point of the game system. With twenty-one pages of rules this was not supposed to be a deep simulation of modern air/sea warfare. While the political side of the game adds a lot to the complete picture, once missiles start flying it is not a game that is hard to learn. I think the operative word is 'game' when trying to describe this game. Luckily we have no real idea of the deadliness of today's sea weapons (two first world navies having at it), and the survivability of those platforms. If a person is looking for a deep simulation that will have you looking at dozens of charts to check how deep one missile has penetrated through a given destroyers hull, please look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you are looking to play some quick scenarios of a game about modern warfare please take a look at this game. I enjoy the game for what it is, and do not judge it by what it really was not supposed to be. The game has also been manufactured in the good ole USA.

Thank you again Compass Games for letting me review one of your products. As a shout out to them, do not forget that they are having a gaming expo these five days 11/11-15 2021 at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Meriden Ct. I will hopefully be attending, possibly sans credit cards; this is still to be determined. I will be the one with the parrot and a wooden leg. They are also having a sale on their products right now until 1/25/22. I was lucky enough to pick up a copy of Kharkov Battles which looks to be very good.

Robert

Indian Ocean Region, South China Sea: Volume II:

Indian Ocean Region – Compass Games

Compass Games:

Compass Games – New Directions In Gaming

The Lamps Are Going Out

World War One: 2nd Edition

Compass Games

Let us first take a look at this bemedaled group photo on the cover.

"In May 1910, European royalty gathered in London for the funeral of King Edward VII. Among the mourners were nine reigning kings, who were photographed together in what very well may be the only photograph of nine reigning kings ever taken. Of the nine sovereigns pictured, four would be deposed and one assassinated.

Within five years, Britain and Belgium would be at war with Germany and Bulgaria. Only five of the nine monarchies represented in the photo still exist today.

Standing, from left to right: King Haakon VII of Norway, Tsar Ferdinand of the Bulgarians, King Manuel II of Portugal and the Algarve, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Prussia, King George I of the Hellenes and King Albert I of the Belgians.

Seated, from left to right: King Alfonso XIII of Spain, King George V of the United Kingdom, and King Frederick VIII of Denmark.

There are several family relations in that picture. For instance, Frederik VIII of Denmark (bottom right) was the father of Haakon VII of Norway (top left), while Wilhelm II of Germany (top, 3rd from the right) was the first cousin of both George V of the United Kingdom (bottom center), and Queen Maud of Norway who was wife to Haakon VII of Norway and sister to George V of the United Kingdom – which made Haakon VII of Norway and George V of the United Kingdom brothers-in-law.

George V of the United Kingdom’s and Queen Maud of Norway’s mother was incidentally Alexandra of Denmark, sister to Frederik VIII of Denmark. This means that Frederik VIII of Denmark was also the uncle of George V of the United Kingdom.

George was a grandson of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and the first cousin of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. The funeral of King Edward VII was the last time all of the great European monarchs would meet before the First World War, the same war that would end most of the monarchical lines of Europe for good. Imagine, they all knew a war was coming, all knew it was going to be between them."

Okay, now that you have ingested that blurb that would put an Ancestry.Com page to shame, here we go. The First World War, and its terrors, was for many years placed at the foot of Germany and Kaiser Wilhelm II. The event that really sparked it off was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary during a state visit to Sarajevo. With hindsight, and historians poring over records, we now know that the assassination was fostered by certain groups in the Kingdom of Serbia. However, many diplomats thought that this incident would blow over, just as many others did in the preceding years. Back to Germany, and whether it was totally responsible or not. Historians now are torn as to just who was to blame, or was any one nation more to blame than others. The astute Otto von Bismarck had said "One day the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans" He did however, also say "The Balkans are not worth the life of a single Pomeranian Grenadier." British Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey's quote "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time", is where the title of the game comes from. So, let us take a look and see what comes in the box:

1 22”x34” MOUNTED MAP

• 176 5/8” counters

• 100 Event Cards

• 20 Technology Cards

• 2 Player Aid sheets

• 1 Rules booklet

This is the information given about the game:

Product Information

• Complexity: Medium

• Solitaire suitability: High

• Time Scale: Seasonal turns

• Map Scale: Variable-Sized Areas

• Unit Scale: Field Armies

• Players: 2-4

• Playing Time: 4-6 hours

As mentioned, the map is mounted (something which is happening more and more on the release of games, instead of an upgrade that you can buy separately), so kudos to Compass Games for this. It is an area map, and not a hex one. The map has areas from Scotland to the Ottoman Empire and Moscow in Russia. There is also a box on the left of the map for the fighting in Africa. While Africa was really a sideshow to the whole war, it is a nice touch to include that part of the war. The map is colorful without being gaudy, and I can read everything on it even without my glasses. There are not many maps I can do that with now. The Rulebook, Design Notes, and Player Aid Sheet are all in full color. The rules themselves are twenty-six pages long. Added to it are Designer Notes, and an Extended Example of Play. There is a separate booklet that has the 2nd Edition Designer Notes, and a description of all 100 Event Cards. There are also descriptions of the eight Optional Cards. The Cards all have a separate actual photograph from World War I on them, along with their information. I believe that anything that adds to a player's immersion in a game is a nice touch. The 5/8" counters are great for old hands and eyes. They also come pre-corner clipped for those who it matters to. Seeing as I have never clipped my counters I do not know if that is a good or bad thing to you clippers out there. Even though this is a game about World War I, which usually means high stacks of counters, the scale of the game makes that a non-issue.

This is the Sequence of Play:

Faction Sequence of Play

Players execute these phases in sequence for the current

faction under their control.

A. Event Card Phase (5.0)

1. Rebuild Event Deck (Spring Turn only)

2. Draw Event Card

B. Movement Phase (6.0)

1. Move Armies, Artillery and Tanks

2. Redeploy Stosstruppen Marker (Germany only)

3. Move U-Boats (Germany Only)

4. Move Fleets (WA & Germany only)

C. Combat Phase (7.0)

1. Resolve Naval Combat (WA & Germany only)

2. Resolve Amphibious Invasions (WA only)

3. Resolve Ground, Guerilla & Beachhead Attacks

D. Production Phase (8.0)

1. Production Modifiers (8.2)

a. Check Blockade Box (WA & Germany only)

b. Resolve Events

c. Resolve U-Boat Attacks (Western Allies only)

d. Resolve U-Boat Attrition (Germany only)

e. Receive Transferred Production

2. Production Spending (8.3, by nation, least to most PP)

a. Refit Units

b. Raise New Units

c. Construct Trenches

d. Transfer Production

3. Technological Advances (8.4) (WA & Germany only)

a. Draw Bonus Technology Cards (by Event only)

b. Research Technology

c. Discard G1 Technology

E. Regroup Phase (9.0)

1. Determine Air Superiority (WA & Germany only)

2. Reset Heavy Artillery

'Lamps' plays out in seasonal turns. There are rules for the following Special Combat Units:

Tanks

Triple Entente Air Superiority

Western Allies Heavy Artillery

Western Allied Trenches

The U-Boat War is a big part of the game, and just like in history a very big plus and minus for the Central Powers. Unrestricted U-Boat Warfare can really help to tilt the USA to join the fray against the Central Powers. So the CP player must decide whether it is worth it in the long run. The collapse of Russia is just as large an event in the war as the USA joining in. This again shows how the game plays historically, without tying the players' hands. The capture of Berlin or Paris assures an Automatic Victory. Other than that Victory Points are added up by both sides at the end of the Fall 1918 turn to decide the winner.

The game rules are easy to digest, but it is not an easy game. It puts you in control of either the Entente or the Central Powers at the highest level. You control the destiny of your entire coalition, not just one country. The game is really meant to be two player, but it also plays well solo too. There are also rules to play it as a three or four player game. This is the 2nd edition, but according to the designer it is essentially the same. The game has had some tweaking done to it, and some cleaning up and clarification of certain aspects. Some of the event cards have also been changed. According to the designer, he really wanted to work on the Technology part of the game. Apparently, in the 1st edition, it was possible to have some strange play throughs as far as Technology each side can possibly get. In this edition the designer has made it easier for either side to catch up in Technology. There were apparently some games from the 1st edition that had technology very lop-sided on one side or the other, or at least the possibility of that happening in a game. The inclusion of the 'Rasputitsa' Card in the new edition helps to make the weather in Russia a much more potent and more of a monkey wrench to be thrown into either sides plans.

I was fully prepared to not really take a shine to the game. I am much more used to having a WWI game with huge stacks of counters that look like man made mountain ranges on a map. A game that plays from this vantage point and with not many areas on the map is not one that I would usually look for. I was very pleasantly surprised in the game and game play. It is a much deeper game than I was suspecting after opening up the box. The game gives each side's player a lot of options. Yes, it does have a meat grinder feel to it with the land war. I am not sure why some people have mentioned this. A World War I game is supposed to feel like a meat grinder. It is the nature of the beast, or at least should be.

Thank you very much Compass Games for letting me put 'The Lamps Are Going Out' through its paces. Please take a look at their whole line of games, especially the games based on the 'No Peace Without Spain' design. I have all of them and they are excellent, and there are more on the way.

Robert

The Lamps Are Going Out:

The Lamps are Going Out: World War 1, 2nd Edition – Compass Games

Compass games:

Compass Games – New Directions In Gaming

No Peace Without Spain:

No Peace Without Spain – Compass Games

St-Lo: Normandy 1944 The Breakout Begins

War Drum Games & Quarterdeck International

Once again with a wargame, I find my history synapses at a loss. I was always more interested in the fighting for Caen during the Normandy Campaign. Oh, I have played many tactical battles about the American Hedgerow Campaign, but I have to admit I only know the history of the actual American breakout and and end run at a cursory level. This is, however, a very good thing. I would be very surprised if many grognards are not like me in this aspect. We acquire or get ready to play a game about a period or campaign that our knowledge is not up to snuff on. Then we grab every resource we can get our hands on to read up on it. This does not mean that we watch certain TV channels about it. One of them is a fanciful landing spot for aliens. The other should change its name to the Nazi memorabilia channel, but I digress. This is one of the salient points about wargames, even if we do not play them. They give us a chance to see exactly what the forces of both sides were faced with at the moment. In truth though, a wargame is a game/simulation and was meant to be played. So let us see how St. Lo measures up on both the game and historical levels. This is what comes with the game:

One 22" x 34" Mounted Map

400 die-cut playing pieces

One US Division Display Sheet

One US Artillery Display Sheet

One German Division Display Sheet

One German Artillery Display Sheet

Rules Book

Charts and Tables

One six-sided die

The first thing we have to describe is the map. It is mounted, but that just tells half the story. It seems to be twice the thickness of other mounted maps. It will be able to deal with years of gaming. The terrain on the map is mostly the same. This is not the map's fault. This is hedgerow hell. There are a few villages throughout the map, but the most important features are the higher terrain. The higher terrain allows either side to use its artillery. The colors of the map fit the area nicely. The counters are large at 9/16" and come pre-rounded. So, you counter clippers can have a break with these. The Rule Book is twenty-eight pages long. All of the headings for the rules 1.0 or 5.0 etc. have excellent little historical reports and information at the start of them. For the history lover these little blurbs are worth the cost of the game alone. The Rule Book is in full color. It also comes with examples of play. The six Player Aid sheets are laminated. This is a great touch. I do not let food or anything near my games, but some people like to live life dangerously. The information on the sheets are pretty much self-explanatory. All of the Player Aid sheets are in English. The game pieces have been manufactured to the highest standard.

The English version of the game is in full English

The Sequence of Play is:

Weather Phase

Reinforcement Phase

Initiative Phase

Asset Phase (Does not take place on Turn 1)

Operations Phase

Recovery Phase

Artillery Rally Phase

Headquarters Phase

The Player Notes and Historical notes are both well worth the read. The Player Notes start out as this for both sides:

German

"You must except that the Americans assault will push you back. But remember, the American victory objectives are far behind your initial line., and the victory conditions require only that you hold those objectives for eight days. So you must plan to trade space for time. Back up and build strongholds. and cause the Americans as much frustration as you can. The game system offers you a number of subtle ways to do so."

American

"Tactically, try to drive deep and fragment the German Line. Your artillery, if it has good observation can be a shocking deadly weapon against retreating German units. Beware of letting small German units slip behind your lines. Usually, the best attack procedure is first to pin or disrupt the defender with barrage fire, and then to hit him with a deliberate or intensive attack. If you have achieved a high combat ratio, you can save time and also surprise the German player by omitting the barrage."

The game is full of tactical flavor and rules representing:

Barrage Fire

Hasty attack

Engineers

Headquarters

Rally

Recon (US)

Entrenching

Zones of Control

The game is different than most other wargames on this scale, especially in the way that it handles Assets.

The game play for both sides is as historic as it comes. The high ground on the map (which there isn't much of), becomes the main area of fighting between the Germans and the Americans. The high ground in this game, like reality, means that you can see the enemy and use your artillery and other assets against the enemy. Historically the American artillery was its premier force in WWII. It was able to rain death and destruction upon the Axis forces whenever given the chance. The Germans in the game are as usual for 1944-45 goal is to hang on longer than they did in reality. Playing as the Germans, you will be ground down turn after turn. You will need to play the game like you are playing Poker and know when to cut and run. The American forces will grind you down. Playing as the Americans, do exactly as was done in 1944 in this battle. Use your artillery to smash the Germans into a pulp, instead of charging headlong and losing your infantry in a blood bath. Playing as the Americans, you only have eight turns to win the game. There are no German Victory Points. Victory is determined by how many Victory Points the American player can amass. The American player gets eight points for having a unit with a line of supply in one of the St-Lo hexes. He must also try to capture as many German Depot hexes on the East side of the map as he can. Three of the Depot hexes are on the map edge one or two hexes from St-Lo, and are worth two points apiece. The others are spread out over the map, and are worth one point apiece. In the games that I have played, victory has come down to the wire. Twenty-one or higher points means a Decisive US victory. Eight to ten points gives you a marginal German victory. The German player has to fight like Jersey Joe Walcott. Always retreat, but make the other player pay for each hex, and hit back hard when the opportunity arises.

In summary, this is an absolutely great game that plays very historically, and the components are first rate. Thank you very much Quarterdeck International for letting me review this game. Apparently, Compass Games is now selling St-Lo instead of Quarterdeck International. Please check out the other many fine products on QI's site. They carry a great assortment of hard to find European and Asian wargames. Also look at the great line of games that Compass Games is now selling.

Robert

Quarterdeck International:

Quarterdeck International

Compass Games:

Compass Games – New Directions In Gaming

St-Lo: Normandy 1944 The Breakout Begins:

Joseph Balkoski’s St-Lô – Compass Games

Brotherhood & Unity

War in Bosnia and Herzegovina 1992-1995

Compass Games

I believe Compass Games is four out of four, for sending me games about pieces of history I know very little. I had small children and had started a new job just when this war broke out. Although I know the bare minimum about the fighting, I do know the history or the area. So, that gives me at least a leg up in my research about the war.

The Balkans have been a hotbed of European history since the Roman Empire was still intact. Many of us are aware that the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) into the Austrian-Hungarian Empire was the match that lit the fuse that started World War I. Thirty years before the war Otto von Bismarck had exclaimed "It will be some damn fool thing in the Balkans that sets it off.", referring to the start of the next European war. Winston Churchill made the statement "The Balkans produce more history than they can consume.". The problems in the Balkans are numerous, but the two main ones are ethnic and religious. The three ethnic groups that live in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosniaks, Serbians, and Croatians. Bosniaks tend to be Muslim, Serbians tend to be Orthodox Christians, and Croatians are usually Catholic. The Ottoman empire ruled the area for hundreds of years, which is why Islam has a foothold there. We have seen throughout history how religious and ethnic diversity in a small area can cause bloodshed. The creation of Yugoslavia after World War I did not alleviate any of the long standing issues. World War II saw the different ethnic groups on different sides of the partisan war in Yugoslavia. With the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1990-1992 the fuse was once again lit. This is from the Designer's Short History of BiH:

"The war was characterized by bitter fighting, indiscriminate
shelling of cities and towns, ethnic cleansing and systematic
mass rape – mainly perpetrated by Serbian, and to a lesser
extent by Croat and Bosniak forces. Events such as the Siege
of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre later became tragic
reminders of a conflict that should not have been fought in
the first place.
The Serbs were initially militarily superior due to the
weapons and resources provided by the ex-Yugoslav Army
(JNA), but they eventually lost momentum as the Bosniaks
and Croats created an alliance. As a result of the Serbian
atrocities committed at Srebrenica and Markale, NATO air
forces intervened in 1995 with Operation Deliberate Force
targeting the positions of the Army of the Republika Srpska.
The war was brought to an end after the peace negotiations
held in Dayton, Ohio and signing of the General Framework
Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina in Paris on
14 December 1995.
It is presumed that more than 100.000 people died, and more
than 2 million people were displaced."

This is the write up from Compass Games:

Complexity: 5 out of 10
Solitaire suitability: 5 out of 10
Time Scale: 1 year per turn, 2 months per action round
Map Scale: Point-to-point strategic level
Unit Scale: Brigades
Number of Players: 2 to 3
Suitability for Solitaire: Medium
Average Time to Play: 2 to 3 hours

This is what comes with the game:

1 22"x34" Mounted Map
260 9/16" Counters
96 Strategy cards (in 3 decks: Serbian, Croatian and Bosniak)
3 Player aid cards
1 Rulebook
1 Ten-sided die
1 Box and lid set

I have been buying and reviewing Compass Games for about three years now. I have seen some older remarks about the components of their games. If at one time they left something to be desired, that ship has long sailed. The games I have from them all have wonderfully manufactured components. This game is no exception. The map is especially thick and well done. The colors are vibrant and it is easy to read, with every table etc. that you need to play on it. It is a point to point movement game. The map also has an inset to deal with the fighting for Sarajevo. Does that city's name ring a bell? If not for a driver's wrong turn in that city, what might the 20th century history have been? But I digress. The counters are large at a size of 9/16". They are mostly plain, and use NATO symbols for the units. There are both standard and elite units in the mix. For control counters, there are either the separate areas' flags or heraldic symbols. These lend a nice change from the otherwise plain unit counters. The three decks, one each for Serbian, Bosniak, and Croatian player, each have the heraldic sign on the back. Each of the cards are very easy to read, and are also easy to understand how to use them. There is only one double-sided Player Aid, three of them, one for each player. The Player Aid is in full color and easy to read. The rulebook is setup a little different than most. It goes through the different game concepts in the beginning pages, along with the breakdown of what's what on the cards and counters. This takes up pages one through nine. The Game Setup and Sequence of Play start on page ten and run until page nineteen. Then you have two pages on how to play with only two players. The rule book continues with two variants and then goes into the Designer's Short History of BiH. Pages twenty-three to twenty-eight have notes on the cards of all three decks. Next is a large bibliography; thank you, I needed it. It also comes with an index, and a two page spread of both counter sheets back and front, just in case. As I said, the components are all what you would expect from a Compass Games effort.

The game can be played as either a two-player or a three-player one. As a two-player, one player plays the Serbian forces, with the other player having control of both the Bosniaks and Croatians. In the three player game each player gets one of the sides of the conflict to play. This is the Sequence of Play:

Game Sequence: The game is played in turns, each
of which is subdivided into phases. Game Phases are played
in the following order:
1. Start of Turn Phase
Players draw cards, place reinforcements, and deploy
Foreign Units.
2. Action Phase
Players successively play cards to perform actions. This
phase ends when all cards have been played.
3. End of Turn Phase
Players check if Victory Conditions have been met, and
advance the Game Turn marker.
Order of Play: Each Game Phase is played in the
following order:
• Turns 1-2: Serbian -> Croat -> Bosniak
• Turns 3-4: Bosniak -> Croat -> Serbian

The normal game only has four turns to it. You can play a variant that extends the game by adding cards to everyone's deck, or you can play the variant 'Fight to the End' in which you just keep playing turns until someone surrenders or is defeated. Which player goes when each turn is set up in the rules. I did not try it yet, but I wonder if a die roll for who goes when will unbalance the game. It might give it a longer life on your table with not knowing where you are in the turn sequence, or it is possible that it was looked at in testing and was found not to work. The game itself, although dealing with anything but a straight up war, has many of the rules we are used to such as: stacking, movement, and reinforcement. The Serbian player starts out in a very strong position and can try to roll over his opponents in the first turns. However, this is where Foreign Attitude and NATO come in. If you are doing too well, you might just have to deal with some Thunderbolts and other air assets of NATO on your tail. This goes for all the players. So, like any good wargame, Brotherhood & Unity is a juggling game. If I am on a streak of good luck, do I keep pushing it, or sit back and dig in? The Foreign Attitude part of the game makes it that much harder to keep all the balls in the air. With a play time of two to three hours, it is perfect for game night and also doesn't need to take up the table except for those hours. As long as the cat or dog doesn't get involved, everyone should have space and time for the game. Thank you Compass Games for allowing me to review another winner from your stable. The game is extremely well produced and judging by other peoples comments they find the game just as enjoyable as I do.

My apologies to the designer. I tried numerous times to find out how to put a caron above a C.

Robert

Compass Games:

https://www.compassgames.com/

Brotherhood & Unity:

https://www.compassgames.com/brotherhood-unity.html

Traders of the Air

Compass games

Once again, Compass Games has done it to me. They have sent me a Euro game that is set in a Steampunk world. What, may I ask, is Steampunk? I have heard the word and I believe I have played a little bit in a computer game that was based on a pseudo steampunk world. So, off I go to gather more information on this here thing steampunk thing. Next up, a Euro game? I am a wargamer who is hidebound in many ways. I kind of swore I would never sully my hands with a Euro game. Well, now I am sullied. You can teach an old dog new tricks, as long as you pull hard enough on the leash and there are treats in the end (I have a rescue dog that one of its traits is listed as willful. I think it is a perfect match for me.) So, where Compass leads me with the leash I shall follow, although a bit begrudgingly.

As an aside: "Steampunk is a retrofuturistic subgenre of Science Fiction or science fantasy that incorporates technology and aesthetic designs inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery".

The game is for 2-4 players who represent steampunk guild traders on a far away planet. You buy and sell goods between different cities propelled on a flying steamship. You must also setup guild contracts at the different cities. To put it simply, you are trying to make the most money and establish as many guild contracts as possible to win. So, it is Capitalism in a pseudo 19th century world somewhere in the universe.

This is what comes with the game:

Two game boards (backprinted on a single "sheet")

Eight guild mats (four of them backprinted)

One steamship

60 guild contract discs (15 each in four player colors)

22 sky dollar cardboard "coins"

78 cardboard goods markers

Two bags

One cardboard "compass" (used only for the variant)

Two rules booklets (English and German)

One start player marker

The components are the usual well done fare by Compass Games. The double-sided mounted map is sturdy and colorful, with enough room for all the players' markers etc. One side is easier to play than the other, and is recommended for your first games. The following are the different kinds of markers:

The Steamship and Start Player Marker

The Guild Contracts

The Goods Markers

The Sky Dollars

The above are either wooden colored chits or thick cardboard ones. Each player also gets a Guild Mat. There are eight generic mats, and on the back of each is a named Guild that has some enhancement to playing that Guild. The Rulebook is eight pages long and is in full color. It is filled with examples of gameplay. The rules are slightly more involved than Monopoly, so you will be up and playing in no time. Once you have the basic game down pat, you can add the named Guild Mats into play for a more interesting game. There is also an option to use a Compass Marker at the beginning of the game. This will decide if the steamship movement arrows to all of the cities follow the normal ones on the boards, or are reversed. Just a little something to make the game a little harder once you have learned it.

This is the Sequence of Play:

Income (every player gets three Sky Dollars each turn)

Replenish Goods Markers (At the cost of one Sky Dollar)

Actions (Move the Steamship, Purchase Goods, Setup Guild Contracts)

Taxes and Tolls (You can make as many Sky Dollars as you can each turn, however at the end of the turn no player can have more than three Sky Dollars, or three Goods Markers)

As usual with something new, I was prepared not to like the game at all. I decided to bite the bullet and involve the family in playing the game. Normally when I mention playing a game (wargame), they roll their collective eyes or head for the hills. With this game they hesitantly looked at it, and checked it out like it was an alien artifact. Keeping with the dog theme, they were just sniffing it to see if it was a treat or something with a hidden pill in it. With the rules, we were playing in no time at all. It is a game where that tired phrase "easy to learn hard to master" hits the nail right on the head. It is true that I was not creating a Russian breakthrough or trying to stop one. However, the game is fun. Everyone has their own idea of what fun is. This game is able to bring the word into its barest meaning. With simple rules and lots of replay value, it is a fun game for the family or friends. This is also a good game for when the people at game night have become a little jaded over rulebooks etc. The Taxes and Tolls sequence is almost a reset of the game each turn. This means that every player is in the running until the very end. You do not have one player that is amassing a fortune, and even though the game is half over you know who will win.

Every player is on the one Steamship. So, another key to good play is to move the Steamship at the end of your turn to a city that does not help your opponents. The Steamship can only move certain ways to each city. The routes you can take are shown on the board. Guild Contracts are worth a lot at the end of the game, especially if you have more than any other player in that city. The Player is always torn between using their contract, and losing it, or keeping it on the board. The choices for each player during each turn are almost endless. This is because, like Chess, the player has to be thinking what his opponent will be doing, or trying to do, after your turn. Then you also have to be thinking about what you will be trying to do during your next turn. It is very possible to make the wrong choice of actions, and then hamstring yourself on your next turn. The game retails right now for $39. For the components and the replayability of the game that is a steal.

Thank you once again Compass Games for pulling me out of my safe space and making me revaluate my thinking on games. This is a great fun and easy game for everyone to enjoy, even for crotchety old curmudgeons like me.

Robert

Compass games:

https://www.compassgames.com/

Traders of the Air:

https://www.compassgames.com/traders-of-the-air.html

Stellar Horizons

Compass Games

I received a massive box from Compass games last month. For those of you not now into weightlifting, the box is heavy enough to start doing a home regimen. It is filled to the brim with everything you need to play this game. Once again, Compass has put me on the horns of a dilemma. I do not know much at all about the science and history of space exploration. I lived through the space race etc. so I know a smattering of things about it, but it is something that never interested me enough to really read up on it. So as usual with games, I have not only had to learn how to play the game, but also had to read up on the history behind it. I guess we will have to start checking out this leviathan.

This is some of the information about the game from Compass games:

"Stellar Horizons is a "build your own space program" game where you will lead one of seven Earth Factions to explore and develop our solar system. Designed by a real-life space engineer with a PhD in long-duration spaceflight from MIT, Stellar Horizons is intended to be a plausible representation of the first steps of humanity towards the stars between 2030 and 2169, with each turn representing a year of time. You control your Faction’s space program, outposts, and fleets spanning across the solar system, although you will also have some influence over your Faction’s politics back home on Earth as space development becomes more important.

Movement is based on real physics. You move from orbit to orbit, or conduct long range transfers to move between planetary systems like Earth, Mars, or Jupiter. As you send out robotic explorers and crewed vehicles to explore the solar system, they bring back valuable data to further your scientific research. Technologies are intended to represent plausible extrapolations of existing development during the next 150 years: there are no transporters or warp drive, but you will be able to develop rockets powered by fusion and even anti-matter. In the engineering and biology domains, you'll eventually be able to construct space elevators and put your crews into safe hibernation for long journeys.

You'll have access to a wide variety of robot explorers and crewed ships. These range from tiny probes intended to merely take photographs as you fly past Jupiter, to giant destroyers, cruisers, and battleships which ply the space lanes with peaceful or hostile intentions. New ship types become available as you gain access to better technology over the course of the game."

This is what comes in the big hefty box:

1 Rulebook

20 Punchboards containing:
• 231 Units – 33 for each faction
• 1 Invader
• 30 Mission markers
• 2 Turn markers – 1 Year and 1 Decade
• 8 Asteroid markers
• 12 Signs of Life/Life markers
• 12 Pirate markers
• 15 Helio Transfer markers
• 27 Trade markers
• 90 Numbers – numbered 1 through 9
• 182 Faction markers
• 30 Damage markers
• 100 Settlement markers
• 130 Installation markers – 21 each of Supply Stations, Spaceports, Mining Stations, Refineries, and Research Stations, and 25 Defense Works
• 40 Politics markers
• 40 Victory point markers
• 108 Technology number markers for Engineering, Physics, and Biology – in denominations of 1,2,3, and 5
• 21 Technology bank markers – 3 for each faction
• 2 Large Planet tiles – e.g. Jupiter
• 2 Medium Planet tiles – e.g. Neptune
• 8 Small Planet tiles – e.g. Earth and Alpha Centauri
• 24 Satellite/Moon tiles – e.g. Hygeia-Palas and Triton
• 1 Deep Space Astronomy tile
• 54 World Cards
• 29 Currency Coins in denominations of 1,2,5,10, and 25 Billion
• 393 Resource markers – 131 each of Ore, Fuel, and Supplies in denominations of 1,2,5,10, and 25
4 Punchboards containing the 7 Player Faction boards and the Policy Tree
1 Punchboard containing the Tracks board
1 Technology Tree on a mounted board
7 Player Aids containing the various charts and tables needed to play and the Solar System and Space diagram
7 Rule summary booklets
1 Percentile die and 3 ten-sided dice
1 Box and lid set

"and a partridge in a pear tree"

Stellar Horizons is a game of space exploration and colonization for two to seven players. You will be in charge of the space program for one of seven Earth factions. These are:

Asia
China
Europe
Japan
North America
Russia
South America-Africa

Each faction has its strengths and weaknesses. There is a short, but good breakdown of them on page twenty-nine of the rulebook.

The game plays out the years 2030-2169, in one year game turns. The game begins with the current level of technology, and then builds to an advanced Star Trek future. This means that the game play relies on the technologies that are based on our current knowledge of physics. You will play on tiles that represent planets, asteroids, moons etc. Exploration will kick start your further endeavors to the stars. The game comes with both co-operative and competitive scenarios that last around one hour. Stellar Horizons also comes with a grand campaign that can be played in a day or longer. The campaign can be played solo as well. This is always a great addition to games, especially now. During your exploration you will deal with all sorts of problems, among them: severe radiation, severe atmospheres, and any other problems you can think of when exploring space. The game is not just one of science and exploration. In a twist that I have not seen in a boardgame like this, it also includes combat between fleets of the different factions. In one more twist, it also adds SPACE PIRATES! to your list of problems. The warfare part of the game reminds me of carrier battles in the Pacific. The main part of the build up to combat is searching out your enemy.

The components are really a sight to behold. They are also of thick cardboard, like a mounted map. The pictures of the components do not do them justice. Holding and looking at the ones in this game is like the difference between a paperback and a limited edition leather bound book. I must caution you to be careful about handling the pieces of the game. They want to jump right out of their places on the sheets. You do not have to fight or worry about needing a pair of scissors or an exacto knife with these. They are like the proverbial lemmings near a cliff (yes, I know it is a wive's tale). The planet pieces are beautiful to look at. In fact, for someone who is very into our nearby space, it is worthwhile to buy the game for the visuals and the information with it, and forget about the game. Opening up the box reminds me of opening up my first monster boardgame so many years ago. The sheer amount of components might put you on your guard. However, I can assure you that even though your house will be overrun with pieces from Stellar horizons, the rules are not really that difficult to follow.

The rules in the rulebook itself are twenty-one pages long. The next page is a listing of the events that can happen. Then there are two pages of scenarios, seven in all. There is a half-page of optional rules. Three and a half pages of play examples come after that. The last two pages are a picture of the Technology Tree, Policy Tree, and then the Combat Table is on the back page.

The proverbial tech tree that is present in every space exploration game:

This is a simplified Sequence of Play:

Each yearly game turn is divided into phases, which are subdivided into steps. Each phase/step is completed in initiative order.

1. Economic Phase (only every decade starting in 2040)

• Collect politics markers & roll for events
• Roll for initiative (simultaneous)
• Diplomacy (in reverse initiative order)
• Earth & base production
• Resource transportation
• Assign bases, pirates, asteroids, & trade markers
• Develop technologies in reverse initiative order)
• Settlement growth
• Policy step in reverse initiative order)
2. Build & Service Phase

• Build and service ships (in reverse initiative order)
3. Movement Phase

• Drop all ships in transfer boxes (simultaneous)
• Movement (order by initiative choice)
4. Combat Phase

• Space combat
5. Exploration Phase

• Explore (with depletion: mission, world card, search for life, politics marker); check for malfunction/recall
• Produce with Crew Vehicles
6. Trade & Base Construction

• Trade with bases
• Build & expand bases
• End of game check
• Advance turn marker

While every single step is quite simple, there is a lot to consider in a game turn of Stellar Horizons!

So, now we come to the the big question. Sure the game is big, bad and beautiful, but can you actually play it, and is it enjoyable to do so? To sum it up in one word: YES! Like some other great games before it, this game has done something that I believe all great games have to be able to do. That is, the player has to become so immersed in the game, that he feels compelled to read about the actual events and or possibilities the game portrays. In this the game has taken me from absolute novice about space exploration to someone who can actually now have a semi-intelligent conversation about it. If a game is able to do that, it should always be listed as a great game. When a game is not only able to give the player information and make him thirsty for more, but also give you a truly excellent gaming experience, then you know that the game is firing on all cylinders.

Thank you Compass Games for allowing me to once again step out of my comfort zone, instead of commanding a Sherman or Tiger to blast off into space. Below will be links to not only the game, but also the rules. Wargamers, you owe it to yourself to widen your horizons and fill your heads with even more information, useful or otherwise.