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  Red Strike Air, Land and Naval Combat in Europe 1989 by Vuca Simulations  When we last picked up Wolfram von Eschenbach's magnum opus,...

Red Strike by Vuca Simulations Part 1 Red Strike by Vuca Simulations Part 1

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

Europe




 Red Strike


Air, Land and Naval Combat in Europe 1989


by


Vuca Simulations






 When we last picked up Wolfram von Eschenbach's magnum opus, Parzival was wandering through the forest of other wargames looking for the Grail. According to the tale, he stopped at the castle of Vuca Simulations and spoke to the fisherman. Did Parzival find the Grail or was this just another false lead from Klingsor? Read on to see.

 This is from Vuca Simulations about the 'history' of the game:

Red Strike is a war game simulating a hypothetical clash between NATO and Warsaw Pact (WP) armed forces in Summer 1989. It covers operational land, air and sea warfare in Central Europe and the Northern Atlantic, while also keeping an eye on the strategic situation around the world.

Red Strike is a highly interactive game. Its detection and interception mechanisms allow for simultaneous actions and reactions from both sides. Having to constantly monitor the battlefield minimizes player downtime and maximizes their ability to recreate a very fluid “What if“ representation of a Cold War gone hot. The mechanisms can seem complex at first but will soon become second nature.

The rules that make Red Strike so interactive, also make it perfect for team play. Players can divide responsibilities between air, ground and possibly naval forces. The ground forces could be split by army/front or corps.

The crucial naval/air war over the North Atlantic can be played either as a standalone game, or as part of the Campaign Scenarios. As would have happened historically, its impact on the battlefield in Germany can be decisive; the interception and sinking of convoys carrying supplies and reinforcements making the difference between success and failure.

The greatest feature of this game is that it perfectly embodies the theory of the "Depth-Three-dimensional" combat theory of the Soviet Union in the 1980s and the "Air-Land Battle" theory of the US military."


The game in some of its glory


 I had thought that Vuca Simulations 1914 Nach Paris was the pinnacle of wargaming in both playing and artwork. Now along comes Red Strike and I have to eat my words. All you have to do is to check out the box. Like all of Vuca Simulations games it is a work of art all by itself. However, the size and heft of the game put it in another category. It is one of the few wargames where I am stumped as far as where to begin. The game is so big that it is only the second game I have reviewed in eight years that needs a two-part review. 


 This is what comes with the game:


24 Counter Sheets 3/4"!!!

82 Cards in two Decks

2 Operations Maps 46" x  34" Combined

1 Strategic Map 27" x 15"

24 Setup Sheets

2 16 page Player Aid Booklets

10 Air Base Sheets

5 Scenario Sheets (1-32"x 18", 1- 16"x 18", 3- page size)

1 56 page Rulebook

ADN  (pad ) sheet block 16 pages

2x10 sided die



This is a close shot of one of the Airbase Player Aids


 I have to add what is below so that you can see exactly what has gone into the designing of this game. How many games have a bibliography or one that is two pages long! This is straight from the designer Mr. Yes Rettel. If a game has had a longer time in design and incorporated more research, I would like to see it.


"Red Strike is based on the games Gulf Strike and Aegean Strike and uses many of the same mechanics. Mark Herman designed the Strike games as detailed, complex simulations. Red Strike, like its predecessors, is not for the fainthearted.

The game comes with this Rule Book and the Scenario Book. The Rule Book covers the entire game system and the Scenario Book contains everything needed to set up the game


Other games I took as reference to design this game:

G-SOF-G (S&T 220), NATO: The Next War in Europe (VG), 3

rd

Fleet (VG), The Next War (SPI) and

above all the “Next War” series from GMT.


Internet links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_nuclear_explosions

https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/


BIBLIOGRAPHY

General / Cold War

Bidwell, Shelford—World War 3 A Military Projection Founded on Today’s Facts, Greenwich

House, 1983

Bishop, Chris—Firepower Air Warfare, Orbis Publishing, 1999

Cockburn, Andrew—The Threat, Scherz, 1983

Crawford, Steve—Kriegsschiffe und Flugzeugträger, Gondrom, 2000

Donald, David—Modern Battlefield Warplanes, AIRtime Publishing, 1994

Dunnigan, James F. and Bay, Austin—A Quick and Dirty Guide to War, Quill, 1991

Dunnigan, James F.—How To Make War, revised edition Quill, 1988

Edited by Vojtech Mastny, Sven G. Holtsmark and Andreas Wenger—War Plans and Alliances

in the Cold War—Threat Perceptions in the East and West, Routledge, 2006

Epstein, Joshua M.—Conventional Force Reductions, The Brookings Institution, 1990

Faringdon, Hugh—Strategic Geography—NATO, the Warsaw Pact and the Superpowers, 2

nd

ed, Routledge, 1989

Friedman, Norman—The Fifty Year War, Naval Institute Press, 2000

Gaddis, John Lewis—The Cold War A New History, Penguin Books, 2005

Gunston, Bill and Hewish, Mark and Sweetman, Bill and Wheeler, Barry C and Taylor John

W.R—Air Forces of the World, Salamander Books, 1979

House, Jonathan M.—A Military History of the Cold War 1944-1962, University of Oklahoma

Press, 2012

Isaacs, Jeremy and Downing, Taylor—Cold War, Bantam Press, 1998

Jeschonnek, Friedrich and Riedel, Dieter and Durie, William—Alliierte in Berlin 1945-1994,

Berliner Wissenschaftsverlag, 2007

Krüger, Dieter—Am Abgrund?, Parzellers Buchverlag, 2013

Krüger, Dieter (Hrsg.)—Schlachtfeld Fulda Gap, Parzellers Buchverlag, 2017

La Guerre de demain, Tallandier, 1983

La paix surarmée Pour la Science, 1979-1987 (french edition of Scientific American)

La Stratégie Mondiale Bordas, 1985 (french edition of Atlas of Global Strategy, ed.Gra

-

ham Speake)

Leonhard, Robert—The Art of Maneuver, Maneuver-warfare Theory and AirLand Battle,

Ballantine Books, 1991

Miller, David and Foss, Christopher F.—Modern Land Combat, Salamander Books, 1987

Price, Alfred—Air Battle—Central Europe, Free Press, 1986

Stöver, Bernd—Der Kalte Krieg, C.H.Beck, 2007

Ware, Pat—Cold War Operations Manual, Haynes Publishing, 2016

Watts, Anthony J.—Jane’s Warship Recognition Guide ,HarperCollins, 2006

Winchester, Jim—Military Aircraft of the Cold War, Grange Books, 2006

World Air Power, Vol.1, Spring 1990, Aerospace Publishing Limited

World Air Power, Vol.2, Summer 1990, Aerospace Publishing Limited

World Air Power, Vol.3, Autumn/Fall 1990, Aerospace Publishing Limited

Zaloga, Steven J.—Duel 18 - M1 Abrams vs. T-72 Ural, Osprey, 2009

NATO

Behrendt, Hans-Günter—Flugabwehr in Deutschland, Miles-Verlag, 2021

Bolik, Gerd—NATO-Planungen für die Verteidigung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland im

Kalten Krieg, Miles-Verlag, 2021

Dorn, Wolfram—So heiss war der Kalte Krieg—Fallex 66, Dittrich, 2002

Eshel, David—The U.S. Rapid Deployment Forces, Arco Publishing, 1985

Ganser, Daniele—NATO Geheimarmeen in Europa Orell Füssli, 2008

Gehring, Stephen P.—From the Fulda Gap to Kuweit

Hughes, Wayne P.—Fleet Tactics, theory and practice US Naval Institute Press, 1989

Knobloch, von, Heinz—Bundesluftwaffe intern Motorbuch, 2008

Oestmann, Rainer—Handbuch für Unterführer, Walhalla Fachverlag, 2000

RAIDS n°24, Histoire & Collections, 1987

RAIDS n°31, Histoire & Collections, 1988

RAIDS n°34, Histoire & Collections, 1989

Walter, Uwe—Artilleristen, Aufklärer, Flieger, Infanteristen, Jäger, Logistiker, Pioniere und

Panzermänner, BoD—Books on Demand, 2018

Walter, Uwe—Die Strukturen und Verbände des deutschen Heeres (2. Teil), BoD—Books on

Demand, 2020

Walter, Uwe—Die Strukturen und Verbände des deutschen Heeres (Teil 1), Edition Avra, 2017

Walter, Uwe—Von Wölfen, Leoparden und anderen Raubtieren, BoD—Books on Demand, 2017


Novel

Clancy, Tom—Tempête Rouge Livre de Poche, 1986 (french edition of Red Storm Rising)

General Hackett, Sir John—The Third World War Macmillan, 1978

General Hackett, Sir John—The Third World War—The untold story Macmillan, 1982

Peters, Ralph—Red Army Pocket Books, 1989

Nuclear Warfare

Bernstein, Jeremy—Nuclear Weapons—What you need to know, Cambridge University

Press, 2008

Walmer, Max—Strategic Weapons, Prenticehall Press, 1988

Osprey Publications

Combat Aircraft—27 Air War in the Gulf 1991

Combat Aircraft—60 B-1B Lancer units in combat

Elite 10—Warsaw Pact Ground Forces

Elite 12—Inside the Soviet Army Today

Elite 16—NATO Armies today

Elite 26—Tank War—Central Front : NATO vw. Warsaw Pact

Fortress 36—US Strategic and Defensive Missile Systems 1950-2004

Fortress 69—The Berlin Wall and the Intra-German Border 1961-1989

New Vanguard 115—Landing Ship, Tank (LST) 1942-2002

New Vanguard 120—Scud Ballistic Missile and Launch Systems 1955-2005

New Vanguard 125—Huey Cobra Gunships

New Vanguard 134—Red SAM: The SA-2 Guideline Anti-Aircraft Missile

New Vanguard 138—US Nuclear Submarines: The Fast Attack

New Vanguard 152—T-80 Standard Tank

New Vanguard 158—T-62 Main Battle Tank 1965-2005

New Vanguard 2—M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank 1982-92

New Vanguard 85—M60 Main Battle Tank 1960-91

Wargame related

Allen Thomas B. War Games—The Secret World of the Creators, Players, and Policy Makers

Rehearsing World War III Today Naval Institute Press, McGraw Hill, 1987

Dunnigan, James F.—The Complete Wargames Handbook, revised edition, Quill 1992

Perla, Peter P.—The Art of Wargaming Naval Institute Press, 1990

Warsaw Pact

Department of Defense Soviet Military Power, Prospects for Change 1989

Donald, David—Tupolev Bombers, AIRtime Publishing, 2001

Gervasi, Tom—Soviet Military Power—The Annotated and Corrected Version of the Pentagon’s

Guide, Random House, 1987

Gervasi, Tom—The Myth of Soviet Military Supremacy Perennial Library, 1986

Glantz, David M.—Soviet Military Operational Art—In pursuit of Deep Battle Frank Cass, 1991

Gordon, Yefim and Dexter, Keith—Mikoyan MiG-21 Midland, 2008

Gordon, Yefim—Soviet Strategic Aviation in the Cold War, Hikoki Publications, 2009

Hoffman, Hans-Albert & Stoof, Siegfried—Sowjetische Truppen in Deutschland und ihr

Hauptquartier in Wünsdorf 1945—1994, Verlag Dr. Köster, 2017

Kopenhagen, Wilfried—Die NVA Land-, Luft- und Seestreitkräfte Motorbuch, 2006

La puissance militaire soviétique Bordas, 1984 (french edition of The Soviet War Machine

Salamander Books, 1984)

Lautsch, Siegfried - Kriegsschauplatz Deutschland - ZMSBw 2013

MccGwire, Michael—Military Objectives in Soviet Foreign Policy The Brookings Institution, 1987

Normann, Michael—Typenkompass Kampfflugzeuge der NVA 1956-1990, Motorbuch, 2010

Odom, William E.—The Collapse of the Soviet Military Yale University Press, 1998

Polmar, Norman—Guide to the Soviet Navy, 4th

edition Naval Institute Press, 1986

Suvorov—Inside the Soviet Army Macmillan, 1982

Sweetman, Bill—Soviet Military Aircraft Hamlyn, 1981

The Russian General Staff—The Soviet-Afghan War, How a Superpower fought and lost,

University Press of Kansas, 2002"


 This is a really amazing list on so many levels. It really shows the depth and detail that went into this design.



This is the Fulda Gap Scenario Map


 In another part of the booklets Mr. Rettel mentions that he has been working on this design since 2003. This is just one more in the list of superlatives that shows in the design. He is also completely correct in saying that the design is not for the faint-hearted. If you are a neophyte or someone who has just played block wargames, opening this box will come as a shock. This is the simulation side of our esteemed hobby. You might be inclined to look for the rule about pasta in the Rulebook. However, the game does not throw you into the deep end and hope you swim. There are many different sized scenarios that comes in this cornucopia. The naval and air portions of the game are simulations in their own right. The Operational Map has hexes of two different sizes. The smaller hexes are 28 kilometers across and the larger are 280 kilometers across. The game also comes with a Strategic Map. 


 Every land, air, and sea asset available to the NATO and Warsaw Pact Alliances is in the box. One thing about the game, there is a good amount of stacking of counters. I never really remember this being an issue when SPI and Avalon Hill released their monster games. I believe it has a lot to do with the now advanced age of some of our grognards. As far as stacking years ago, it was considered the more the merrier. 


 The price of the game at Vuca Simulations is $178 US dollars. Now before you get your knickers in a bunch, I think you should compare the normal sized games from other publishers and Vuca Simulations. Almost all wargame publishers now have prices for their AAA games right about or just under this price point, and sometimes over. This game should really be considered in the price per pound group of wargames. 


 This is a game that many grognards have been dreaming about. I'd bet after looking at it, many designers wish that it was theirs. Of course, you have to compare the 20-year gestation period of the game in the mix. Many will not like it because of the depth and the stacking and because it does not match the drapes. So be it, different strokes for different folks. If you grognards are lucky enough to have a gaming night where you have a few buddies who like games, this makes playing it that much easier. It would be just like the teams that played Campaign for North Africa. However, this game has all the eye candy and refinements that comes with a game that is almost 50 years newer than CNA. 


 The game comes with these scenarios:


10 Exercise Scenarios to teach you different parts of the system


Battle Scenarios:

 Fulda Gap - The one we know and love

 Berlin Blockade - Another one you have probably played

 North German Plains - The opposite of Monty in WWII

 Bavarian Option  - Southern Germany fighting

 Miami 1989 - North Sea naval scenario

 Valkyrie's Embrace - Invasion of Norway


Campaign Scenarios:

 99 Red Balloons - No preparations for war on either side

 We Didn't Start the Fire - Tensions rise slower given each side the time to call in more troops etc.

 Land of Confusion - Prolonged period of saber rattling before the Warsaw Pact attacks

 Two Tribes - Prolonged period of saber rattling NATO attacks

 



Part of the clash on the North German Plain


 I am overwhelmed, in a good way, that Vuca Simulations has sent me this monster of a simulation to review. I feel like a snake that now has killed its prey but cannot quite figure out how to swallow it. The detail and thinking, dare I say love, that has gone into the design is truly breathtaking. Please come back to read part two where I actually get to really play this big bad boy.


Robert Peterson

Vuca Simulations:

VUCA simulations - Premium conflict simulations from Europe – VUCASIMS

Red Strike:

Red Strike - 1989 – VUCASIMS

Across the Bug River by Vuca Simulations My Review:

Across the Bug River by Vuca Simulations - A Wargamers Needful Things

Donnerschlag by Vuca Simulations My Review:

Donnerschlag Escape From Stalingrad by Vuca Simulations - A Wargamers Needful Things

  Mark H. Walker's The Long Road World War II... With a Paranormal Twist by Flying Pig Games  Normally, I will start with some history o...

Mark H. Walker's The Long Road: World War III ... With a Paranormal Twist by Flying Pig Games Mark H. Walker's The Long Road: World War III ... With a Paranormal Twist by Flying Pig Games

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

Europe




 Mark H. Walker's The Long Road


World War II... With a Paranormal Twist


by


Flying Pig Games





 Normally, I will start with some history of the battle or war that the game I am reviewing is about. In this case, World War III never happened at this time. However, we also have some interesting additions to this modern-day warfare tactical game. So, I will let Flying Pig Games take the helm. This is their write up about the game:


"The agents of those powers might be nothing more than a special ops team of mysterious origin sent to assassinate a world leader, nothing more than a militia, ambushing foreigners raping their mother country; nothing other than normal. Then again, they might be other than normal, or—by definition—paranormal.

So that is the twist, a wargame with paranormal elements. Make no mistake, I’ve strived to make this an accessible, yet accurate wargame. Included is everything from advanced sights, multi-spectral smoke, artillery-delivered minefields, to electronic counter measures, anti-tank guided missiles, attack helicopters and the man-portable, air defense systems required to bring them down. You’ll command the weapons of the time; Abrams tanks, T-80 tanks, M60A3, T-64B, and Sheridan tanks. Bradleys, M-113s, BMPs, infantry, spetsnaz, and more.

But of course, war isn’t won by equipment; war is won by soldiers. In The Long Road soldiers’ training and morale is integral to the game, integral to combat resolution. But even more important than the rank-and-file grunts are the heroes. The men and woman who can - turn the tide of battle. We’ve included them too. People like Mike Hudson, Colonel Adrik Aleksandrov Shabalin, tank commander Sergeant Matt Dahl, and Commissar Colonel Elena Petrova. Heroic humans, but humans, nonetheless.

But there is something more. Somethings that are not "humans nonetheless." Demons that summon electrical storms, rendering advanced weaponry nearly useless, Lycan clans that fight with assault rifles, RPDs, and RPGs, as well as the fang and claw of their elders. A witch with an agenda, plus the powerful spells to make it happen, and of course, Katarina Ubirek; an amoral Romanian vampire worth dozens of inexperienced soldiers in combat. You know those things that you have read about, watched in movies, heard about on horror podcasts? Well, in The Long Road they are real.

But not every scenario contains nightmares. Sometimes you’ll fight with/against/in spite of these paranormal beings, yet often your battle will be about nothing more than depleted uranium rounds, reactive armor, maneuver, and massed fires. In fact, we include a separate scenario book in the game titled Long Road Tactics that includes nothing but historical, for lack of a better word, scenarios.

So that is The Long Road; part military horror, part authentic recreation of World War III, but all fun. We hope you enjoy it."



According to the Floating Porcine this was the game that The Long Road was based on. It was from Tiny Battle Publishing.



  So, there you kind of have it. World War III with Vampires, Zombies, Lycans, and Witches. I think Mr. Walker has been watching too much of the Underworld series of movies (although they are very good). Now, Vampires, Lycans and Witches are my kind of people. However, I am not a fan at all of the Zombie movies and its attending craze. Apparently, in my mind I can grasp the idea of the undead sleeping in their coffins to rise every night but cannot grasp walking corpses coming out of their graves to shuffle off to Buffalo. Oh well, let us see what the game comes with:


7 sheets of thick (2mm thick), large (1" square, large) counters.

3 MOUNTED 17” x 22” map geomorphic boards. Not paper, not stiff cardboard, but rather 2mm-thick, wrapped and backed mounted game boards.5 sheets of thick (2mm thick), large (1" square, large) counters.

72 full-color Action Cards in two decks. The game isn't card driven; it's card assisted.

6 Over-sized Monster Champion Cards

Full-color Rules Book

2 Full-color Scenario Books

2 Player Aid Cards.

5 ten-sided dice for resolving combat.

A quarter ton of scenarios. 


"A quarter ton of scenarios". Do yourself a favor and got to Flying Pig Games and read their information about each game. Mr. Walker has a bit of a sense of humor, and it shows in each one.



Combat between 'regular' forces


 So, before we get into the mechanics etc. of the game. Let us look at the components. 


 The maps are muted in color. You might think that this might make them boring to look at. That is not the case at all. The colors match perfectly with Armageddon being fought, especially with the likes of Lycans and Vampires added to the mix. The three maps give the player a good amount of different terrain to fight on, with the added fact that more than a few scenarios only use one map. The counters are the usual Flying Pig Counters, which is to say, they are extremely large, thick, and come with excellent artwork. Their size makes that incredibly easy to read. Even though there is a good amount of information on them they do not look 'busy'. You might be tempted to use the counters to steady a table leg because they are so thick. The counters also come pre-rounded and are desperate to remove themselves from their sprues. There are two decks of thirty-six Action Cards. The first deck is used when only fighting with 'normal' units. The other deck is used for the Actions of the paranormal units. Both decks' artwork again shows Flying Pig Games attention to detail and wonderful choice of color and scenes. There are also six oversized cards that show the abilities and attributes of the paranormal Champions. The Player Aids are made of hard stock and in full color. One is single-sided and has the Sequence of Play and the Turn Record Track on it. The other one has the different tables used on one side and the terrain chart on the other.


 The Rule Book is thirty-nine pages in length. It is in full color and the type is large. The actual rules take up twenty-nine pages. Then there is a look at the individual Action Cards. Next up is a three-and-a-half-page Sequence of Play and Rules. On the back page is the index. These are always helpful. The Campaign Book is the main part of the game. It has eighteen scenarios that take you through the story. Naturally, each of them can also be played separately. If you are not in the mood for the paranormal, the Tactics Book will be right up your alley. This is eighteen pages long. It comes with a total of ten scenarios. Six of these are the US versus the Soviets. There are also two scenarios that use the East German troops. The last two scenarios are meant for solo play. The first one contains zombies, but the second is you commanding Soviet forces against US forces.


 Everything that comes in the box is produced to the high standards of all of the Flying Pig Games I have ever played.




The US forces go against the Lycans


 This is the Sequence of Play:


"2.1 DETERMINE INITIATIVE

  Both players roll 1d10. High roll wins the initiative. In the

  case of a tie during any rolls or rerolls the rolling stops

  and the player who DID NOT have the initiative the

  previous turn is given the initiative. Unless the first turn

  initiative is delineated in the scenario, reroll all first turn

  ties. Either player may reroll the number of times

  allowed by the Focus marker in the Initiative box (see

  3.1).

2.2 DRAW ACTION CARDS

  During the scenario setup, draw the designated number

  of Action Cards from the draw pile after both sides have

  set up their forces. During this phase on subsequent

  turns, each player draws the scenario-designated

  number of cards from the pile. The player with initiative

  draws all his cards first. Cards may be played when

  appropriate, but no more than two cards may be played

  per player, per turn (exception Winds of War 1.6.1).

2.3 RALLY PHASE

  Both sides may attempt to rally disrupted Combatants by

  rolling 1d10 for each Combatant and comparing it to the

  Combatant’s morale. If the number is less than or equal

  to the Combatant’s morale, it rallies. The Soviets have a

  morale of 3. The Americans, Lycan Clan, and Vampire

  Coven have a morale of 4. Zombies have a morale of 2.

  Other forces’ morale will be identified when introduced.

  The play of Action Cards may alter the die roll. The

  player with the initiative rallies his or her Combatants

  first. Combatants in cover (i.e. would receive a favorable FRT

  shift from any incoming fire originating from an enemy

  Combatant) and/or Combatants not in the Line of Sight

  of an enemy Combatant, or within the LOS of an enemy

  Combatant, but not within at least long range of said

  Combatant and not adjacent to or in the hex with (it

  happens with Zombies) an undisrupted enemy

  Combatant, add 1 to their morale. That’s 1 total, not 1

  per instance.

  The above bonus only occurs DURING THE RALLY PHASE,

  not when attempting to negate a hit in the Fire Phase. In

  the Fire Phase, targets receive shifts on the Fire Results

  Table to reflect the cover that they have.

  Zombies never Disrupt, so they don’t need to rally.

  Helicopters automatically rally.

2.4 FIRE PHASE

  Players ALTERNATE attacks as per the rules for Fire

  Combat (4.0). The player with the initiative executes the

  first attack. When neither player wishes to execute any

  further attacks, the phase ends. Mark firing Combatants

  with a Fired marker unless utilizing Gun and Run (4.1.1).

2.5 MOVEMENT PHASE

  First one side, and then the other player moves all their

  Eligible Combatants that they wish to move. The player

  with the initiative determines who will move first. Note

  that unlike the Fire Phase, the players do not alternate

  moving Combatants. One side moves ALL its Combatants

  and then the other side moves ALL of its Combatants.

  Mark moved Combatants with a Moved marker unless

  using Overwatch (4.1.2). Opportunity Fire may be

  conducted by Eligible Combatants during the movement

  phase. Mark Combatants that Opportunity Fire with a

  Fired marker.

2.6 CLOSE ASSAULT PHASE

  Non-disrupted adjacent Combatants that are not marked

  Fired may initiate Close Assault. Players alternate

  declaring and resolving Close Assaults. A Combatant may

  only conduct one Close Assault per phase, but may be

  the target of numerous Close Assaults. The player with

  the initiative declares and resolves the first Close

  Assault.

  Note that Lycan (actual werewolves “L”), Vampires

  (actual vampires “V”), and Zombies attack from the

  same hex as their target is located. Specific Abilities may

  alter these rules.

2.7 HOUSEKEEPING PHASE

  In this, EXACT order:

 1. Remove Out of Ammunition Markers on

  undisrupted units without a Moved or Fired

  Marker on them (4.2).

 2. Remove all Fired, Moved, Blast, Overwatch, Run

  and Gun, and Electronic Counter Measure (ECM)

  markers.

 3. Remove Smoke 1 markers (8.1.5).

 4. Flip Smoke 2 markers to Smoke 1 (8.1.5).

 5. Determine refugees’ status and movement.

  (12.0), create Armed Mobs.

 6. Consolidate Zombies (12.1).

2.8 AID AND FOCUS PHASE

  Place, flip, move, do nothing, and remove Aid and Focus

  markers as designated in the rules (3.0).

2.9 ADVANCE TURN MARKER

  Advance the turn marker to the next turn."


 



 The game rules are based on Mr. Walker's Platoon Commander Games. The story is based on two books that he has written:


Dark War: Revelation

Dark War: Retribution

 The Campaign Booklet follows his characters from the books as they face this new world.






 I love hex and counter board games. I also love role playing games. Most of the time they both have warfare in them. An RPG does not just have a battle(s) as the primary mover of the game. There is a story to be told. In this hex and counter game there is also a story to be told. So, I was a little bit reluctant to dip my toe in these waters. It was like having the worst part of your meal touching the best part on the same plate. It is just not done. My foray back into wargaming during the last several years has introduced me to all of the newfangled ideas that designers put into wargames. Most of them have been different ways to play a wargame as in card-driven, AI bots, and a host of others. The Long Road is definitely a real mix of both the genres.  Once I started to look at the monsters as just different weapons or soldiers, the game clicked for me. Of course, even if you do not take the leap of faith that I did you can still play The Long Road as a straight up tactical wargame. Just like its older siblings in the Platoon Commander series it plays extremely well. All of the newer weaponry that was available during the 1980s is here for you to play with. 



Here are a few of the Champions


 The Champions are very strong, but they are not as strong as say Dracula in the movies. The designer has given them the right amount of power. Without having the correct Action Card Lycans cannot just attack a tank. If, however, you use the 'Ferocity' card then they can wreak havoc on even an armored vehicle. They can use the Action Card 'Panic' to disrupt their enemies. Zombies are a bit of a dull bunch. Fear and panic do not enter their failed brain cells or as Mr. Walker writes "They are too stupid to care." Naturally they have a chance to turn troops that they have bitten.


 Some of the normal weaponry/ordinance Action Cards are:


Airstrike

Counterfire!

Artillery Barrage

For the Motherland

Double Time

Spetsnaz

KGB






 If you have played Platoon Commander Deluxe Kursk from Flying Pig Games, then you already know most of how it plays. To represent the new nature of the conflict compared to World War II many parts have been added. Tanks being able to move and shoot at the same time, Helicopters, and Civilians are among some other things that rules have been added for. If you are a connoisseur of Flying Pig Games, then the choice has already been made in your mind. Even if you are looking for a straight up World War III matchup then this is your game. I cannot recommend this game highly enough. It is deep enough for thinking and easy enough for just fun.  How many other games have B-52 strikes in them? 


 There is also an expansion for the game called 'Fatherland' which gives you West German units of the Bundeswehr to command. It comes with a new map, counters, and six new scenarios. I will be doing a review of it shortly.


Robert

Flying Pig Games:

Flying Pig Games

Mark H. Walker's The Long Road: World War III... With a Paranormal Twist:

The Long Road | Flying Pig Games

This is the website on Amazon for Mark H. Walker Books:

Amazon.com: Mark H. Walker: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle

  Nato The Cold War Goes Hot The Designer Signature Edition by Compass Games  "NATO, nukes, and Nazi's" are what sells wargame...

Nato: The Cold War Goes Hot Designer Signature Edition by Compass Games Nato: The Cold War Goes Hot Designer Signature Edition by Compass Games

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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 Nato The Cold War Goes Hot


The Designer Signature Edition


by


Compass Games








 "NATO, nukes, and Nazi's" are what sells wargames. This concise aphorism from the late 70s or early 80s has been attributed to a number of wargame designers. The original game was released in 1983 by Victory Games. By the amount of press and pieces in the magazines of the time, I would think that every wargamer at the time had a copy. I know I had one, in those halcyon days before I was seduced by computer wargames. Well, it has now been recreated in a new wonderfully looking edition by Compass Games.


 Compass Games has been releasing some of the biggest games from the years of the last great board wargaming era. They are letting the original designers add or remove things from the games that they have been thinking about for the last forty-plus years. So, the gamer gets to have a fully revamped classic game that has also had all of the kinks, if there were any, worked out. This version has been printed with a lavishness that was not available at its first release.


 The Cold War going hot was a very big topic in both reality and the wargaming community in the 1980s. Tensions had risen between the East and the West, and there were countless books and articles written about the strength of both sides. 




  This is the blurb about the game from Compass Games. I like to include them to show the gaming company's thoughts on the game. Then I can compare my thoughts on the game to theirs. 


"NATO, Designer Signature Edition marks the return of a true wargaming classic by Bruce Maxwell. NATO simulates a potential NATO/Warsaw Pact conflict in Central Europe during the Cold War years of the 1980’s. First published in 1983, this game was Victory Games best-selling title, purchased by over 75,000 gamers worldwide. This new edition is based on an exhaustive two-year study by the Designer of the records that have come to light since the fall of the Berlin Wall. The game combines highly accurate information on the forces the Warsaw Pact actually had with now de-classified reports from the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency regarding what satellite surveillance and HUMINT revealed about their actual plans. The map has also been extensively updated with new satellite geography. Finally, the game system has been reworked to better reflect the fluid, fast paced and deadly nature of modern warfare, while retaining the original intention of simple and intuitive play. Here is the ultimate Cold War game, remastered, and playable in a single sitting.

NATO is a division/brigade level simulation of a Warsaw Pact invasion of Western Europe. The game map depicts the area from Denmark to the Swiss Alps, and from France to Poland.  The time frame covers the first 14 days of war, after which one side or the other has usually run out of an army. The game offers four different Scenarios, covering 1) a surprise attack from a standing start, 2) an attempt by the WP to quietly prepare without tipping NATO off beforehand, 3) an extended buildup of forces by both sides before war breaks out, and 4) an introductory scenario covering the invasion of Denmark.

 Scenario can be played with an Order of Battle from 1983, when NATO was still relatively weak, or with an Order of Battle from 1988, when NATO had rearmed and reorganized and was at the peak of its strength. The difference is impressive.

The game features infantry, armor, airborne and airmobile troops, marines, with easy mechanics to leverage combined arms operations. It also has extensive options for employing air power, chemical weapons and, for the truly desperate player, a last resort to nuclear weapons. The combat system is built around the concept that the best defense is a good offense, and features artillery, tactical and operational air strikes, reserves, counterattacks and deep exploitation, allowing for a rich set of tactical nuances in play. This is not a game where the WP attacks and NATO defends. Both players have to attack relentlessly if they want to defeat their opponent.

This Designer Signature edition of the classic Bruce Maxwell game has been upgraded with new units, new scenarios, new terrain, new tables and new player aid cards. Additional enhancements introduced in this edition include:

Super-sized components feature 9/16” counters and two game maps with larger hexes

Game map information has been updated and includes all-new map artwork

New units have been added, unit information has been updated and all units produced with new artwork

Existing scenarios have been updated and two new scenarios added

Orders of Battle are provided for all Scenarios both 1983 and 1988, allowing players to see the impact of the Reagan Era rearmament programs

The game system has been redesigned and the new rules include extensive illustrations, examples of play and Designer’s Notes to aid clarity

Each rules section now begins with a summary, allowing experienced players to skip many rules sections that embody classic game mechanics they already know

Rules details and restriction have been summarized graphically in Player Aids for faster reference and easier play

Enhanced ergonomics are provided for Scenario set up and Reinforcement charts

A new set of Designer’s Notes contain a wealth of historical information on what the West discovered after the Warsaw Pact collapsed and most of its members joined NATO."


The two maps together in all their glory


Components:

One Rules Booklet

One Play Booklet with Scenarios & Designer’s Notes

Two 22″ x 34″ Maps

Four Counter Sheets (9/16″ size playing pieces)

One WP Player Charts & Tables Card

One NATO Player Charts & Tables Card

One WP Sequence of Play Card

One NATO Sequence of Play Card

One Warsaw Pact Strategic Surprise Reinforcement Schedule Card

One Warsaw Pact Extended Buildup Reinforcement Schedule Card

One NATO Strategic Surprise Reinforcement Schedule Card

One NATO Extended Buildup Reinforcement Schedule Card

Two 6-Sided Dice

One Game Box and Lid


The Strategic Surprise Scenario setup 1983

 So, the first thing we will look at is the components. The above picture of the two maps do not do them justice. They are done in a wonderful color scheme that is both easy on the eye, and simple to discern what each hex's terrain is. It was kind of odd to me to see a map that shows East Germany. For more than half my life Germany has been united. The hexes are large which is great for both old eyes and hands. The maps are covered in a myriad of tables and charts that help speed up game play immensely. These are also large sized and easy to read. To sum up the maps, thank you and excellent work Compass Games. The counters are large as well at 9/16". The color schemes on the counters make it easy to see what country they belong to, without making it hard to read their information. That is set out in large bold printing, this is once again entirely appreciated. There are eleven! Players Aids in all, and they are all two-sided. These are in full color and made of hard stock. There are three Reinforcement Schedule Aids for the different scenarios. These are followed by six Players Aids with tables and charts. Next comes two oversized (these are double sized compared to the other) Players Aids that have on one side the Terrain Chart, and on the other the Sequence of Play. You will not need a magnifying glass to read any of these. The Rules Booklet is eighty-seven pages long. The Booklet has to be so long to deal with all of the different aspects of modern war. It is in full color and the pages are made of thicker laminated paper. The rules are set out in a very simple to follow format. They are not just a jumble of rules and exceptions to those rules. The Booklet has many examples of play in it. It even comes with a glossary of terms used militarily and in wargames. That is a very nice touch. The Playbook is fifty-five pages long. Included is an eight page Designer's Notes that go over both the game and the history of the period it is portraying. At the end of the Playbook is an eighteen page OOB, Order of Battle, for both sides in the conflict. The first twenty-five pages of the Playbook are for the setup for the different scenarios. The Playbook is printed exactly like the Rules Booklet. It is set out in the same easy to follow manner as the Rules Booklet. 




 This is the breakdown of the game:

Complexity: 7 out of 10

Solitaire Suitability: 7 out of 10 (no hidden units)

Time Scale: 24 hours per turn

Map Scale: 15 miles per hex

Unit Scale: regiments, brigades, and divisions, abstract air and naval forces

Players: one to four, best with two

Playing Time: 3-8 hours depending upon scenario 


All the Components laid out


  There you have what comes in the box. I am happy to report that Compass Games has hit one out of the park as far as the components of the game. 


 So, the game gives you the ability to play either the Warsaw Pact or NATO during this titanic class. One thing though, both sides were betting on a short, very short, war. The turn record track has only fourteen days in it. You read that right - fourteen! This might come as a shock to gamers who are used to the seemingly fast World War II pace, or the glacial pace of World War I and before. The designer makes his case on the fact of the almost total lethality of modern war. We are not talking nukes, but the lethality of regular munitions against each other. The dead pile of counters will show you the truth in this assumption. The Rhine River was only eighty-seven miles from the East German border. That would be less than six hexes at fifteen miles per hex. NATO had the thought that it had its back up against a wall, and it was quite correct in its assessment. 




 There are a few things about the original game that the designer, Bruce Maxwell, did not like. One of these was the tactical nuclear part of the game. Remember though, he has had almost forty years to work on the game. They spent another two years on the game before allowing Compass Games to reissue it. 


 NATO is one of those gems where a player has to take a long, long time to learn how to 'game' the rules and game. That is if you actually can do it. Each game plays out entirely differently than the next one. Each side is presented with so many choices. These are some of the weapons/strategies each can use:


Helicopters

Transport Movement/Interception

Air/Sea Ferry

Rail Movement

Supply/Resupply

Offensive/Defensive Strikes (Defensive Strikes are only used by NATO)

Chemical Warfare (The WP must initiate it)

Air Power/Air Strikes

Nuclear Strikes




 As far as victory goes: The WP Player can win an Automatic Victory by having a Maneuver Unit (Not Airmobile, Airborne, or Marine Unit) in supply, west of the Rhine River and south of the Waal River. A NATO Automatic Victory can occur if they have been able to control two WP cities. The NATO Player can also get an Automatic Victory if he can relieve West Berlin or force Czechoslovakia to surrender. To relieve West Berlin the NATO Player must have a Maneuver Unit in Berlin with a Line of Supply to it. Each player must roll for the chance of causing 'Armageddon' when using nuclear weapons, with one caveat. The player who causes Armageddon loses automatically. Different levels of winning and losing are mostly defined by capturing and holding enemy cities. One very interesting rule is the 'Armistice' one. I do not think I remember a game having an actual rule for an armistice. Usually it is just something off the cuff by either player realizing he has lost. This game actually allows some structured give and take between each player.



Soviet Air Assets to the attack


 The scenarios are:


BALTAP Scenario (WP invasion of Denmark) This meant to be an introductory scenario.

Strategic Surprise Scenario 

Extended Buildup Scenario

War of Nerves Scenario (This is where the WP player secretly tries to build up his forces before attacking)

 There are OOBs and setup information for both the years 1983 and 1988. The year 1983 represents the low tide for US armaments. Where the year 1988 represents all of the buildup of the US Armed Forces under Reagan.


 As I mentioned, I had bought the original game years ago. You have to understand that I had almost zero wargaming interest in a WP vs NATO game, except for maybe a 1945 or 1946 outbreak of World War III. So, for me to pick it up is definitely a salute to a game that so many other gamers were raving about. I really liked the original game. This iteration with all of its bells and whistles I cannot speak highly about. From the first-rate components to the obvious care, and dare I say love, that the designer and his team put into this new version is very apparent. Thank you very much Compass Games for sending this excellent game to review. I can recommend it to anyone who is interested in the era, or is just looking for a great wargaming experience. Below are the links to NATO and to Compass Games. Do yourself a favor and take a look at what else is in their stable.


Robert


NATO: The Cold War Goes Hot Designer Signature Series:

NATO, Designer Signature Edition – Compass Games

Compass Games:

Compass Games – New Directions In Gaming


878 Vikings: Invasions of England is as a descriptive game title as you could ever wish for.  However, it is not until you play the game tha...

878 Vikings: Invasions of England by Academy Games 878 Vikings: Invasions of England by Academy Games

For your Wargamer, Toy soldier collector, MiniFig collector, military history nut. Reviews, interviews, Model Making, AARs and books!

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878 Vikings: Invasions of England is as a descriptive game title as you could ever wish for.  However, it is not until you play the game that you appreciate the weight that those ‘s’s are lifting.  Yes, there are lots of Vikings, and yes they’ll be lots of Invasions, on most turns as it turns out. 


Incongruously the rule book states that it is the year 865 however there aren’t many people who could split such small hairs or understand the nuance between the years 865 and 878.  I am not one of them despite regularly falling asleep to the British History Podcast (BHP) which covered this period for me about 3 months ago.  (I’ve got quite a backlog).



However let’s get back to the game, which is a team-based game for 2 to 4 players.  One side takes on the two factions of the Angles (thank you BHP): the Housecarls and the Thegn. The other team takes over the Viking Norsemen and Viking Berserkers.  The game plays out over at most 7 rounds or until the conditions are overwhelmingly in favour of one team.


Gameplay


This game reminds me of a simple COIN game; there are asymmetric faction powers and the play order changes each turn and it is a (wait for it) … card-driven game.  Feel free to disagree with me. One of the simplest aspects of this game is how the turn order is decided – by drafting faction-coloured cubes out of a bag.  Unlike most variable turn order games, this is not predetermined completely at the start of the turn but revealed as the first phase of the next players turn.  This is such a simple design choice but adds a delicious amount of tension (and involvement) from the very beginning and it only ramps up throughout the game. If the ‘English’ defenders go first then their opportunity to react to the Viking invasion is stymied.  If the Vikings go first they can deny the English important reinforcements later on. A double whammy of both team factions going before their opponents can be an opportunity for either side.


On their turn each faction will receive Reinforcements, activate their Leaders (this is mostly for the Vikings as the English don’t get a Leader until the 5th Round), Move their armies, Fight in regions where there are both enemy and friendly troops and then draws cards back up to 3 cards. Each player completes that sequence until either the end of the 7th Round, Treaty cards or overwhelming force end the game.  Both treaty and overwhelming force require a certain amount of control markers to determine if the English or Viking team won.


The first Viking Reinforcement phase lands the Great Heathen Army (i.e. the Vikings) into Englaland. And you might be forgiven for thinking that there would be no way the defending factions (normally one or two defenders in a region), could deal with the invading horde of 17 Norsemen and 8 Berserkers during the first turn.  However, it always seemed to be quite finely balanced by the end of each round despite the Vikings having a seemingly overwhelming force.  The wise Viking player will not spread themselves too thin; there is a strong desire to rampage and pillage with their superior forces but they are quickly whittled down.  A good Viking player should prepare and plan for significant reinforcements in later turns.



The core of the gameplay is driven by the cards played by the active faction, which will either be an event card or a movement card.  The movement cards dictate how many armies and how far they can move.  Movement is a simple affair, there is no unit drop off or pick up, and armies must stop when in a region with the enemy.


The battle phase is streamlined and quick to grasp and another area where this game shines with its design choices.  Each faction is colour coded and has its own battle dice.  The controlling player will roll as many dice as they have units available in the battle.  The berserkers are the strongest faction but also the most fragile.  The Norsemen and Housecarl are equivalent and the Thegn are a bit battle shy.  Any time a battle occurs in a region containing a city then the Fyrd are raised which are basically cannon fodder and play an important role in protecting the stronger Housecarl and Thegn from absorbing too many hits early on.



The use of colour to differentiate the battle dice and different factions really help to streamline the battle phase and it can be taught and grasped in a few minutes.  The simple and quick playing battles present a real ebb and flow that you can see across the board as the Vikings invade and are pushed back, a little less, each turn. The event cards may add a little wrinkle here and there to the overall flow of the game but all their game-changing rules are clearly presented on the cards themselves.  


The active faction player is allowed to ‘command’ the pieces of their teammate and move them and battle with them freely.  However, any decisions where to apply the hits and, I would argue where to move them, should be freely discussed and agreed upon within your team.  It is this discussion space with your other team member that allows this fast-paced game to breathe and enhances the overall experience. I have played it with 2 players (with my son) and with 4.  Despite my son enjoying the game and asking to play it again, I am a bit disappointed that he has not experienced it with 4 players yet.  When lockdown eases hopefully I can remedy that situation.

Components

This review was written with the recently published second edition of the game.  The artwork across the cards and throughout the game is lovely.  I am also a sucker for maps, especially ones of England, and this one is beautifully uncluttered and functional. 



The rules are excellently written, and there is an abundance of examples and colours that at first glance looks confusing, but which are extremely useful when you’re reading to learn the game for the first time.  Because of its relative simplicity and presentation of the rules, I imagine returning to the game after a few months or more will be a very quick affair.


The leaders in the game come with Standees that tower above the army units.  They really serve to focus your attention, particularly for the English factions where there is a concentration of force, if it is not abundantly clear by the sea of black and red plastic surround them



My favourite part of the components has to be the Historical Overview at the back of the rulebook. I love Academy Games (and any other publisher that does) for allowing designers the space to add some context to the game they’ve designed.  There is also a line or two of flavour text on the cards themselves which is interesting to read. 

Criticisms

Academy Games have provided tiny miniatures in 15mm scale on little round bases.  Keeping these upright (and in line with my OCD tendencies) is more trouble than it’s worth.  At 15mm you can tell that they’re soldiers carrying axes and spears but beyond that, the detail is a bit lost.  The size isn’t the issue, any bigger and the map would drown in plastic, but I would have preferred simple cubes which can be easily formed into a good looking shield wall, but this is a minor complaint.



Another minor complaint is around the card art – I’ve already said that the art is lovely but I would have liked to see more unique examples of it.  Event cards with the same function and title have the same art.  Again, this is a very minor criticism and arguably it may be a design choice to keep consistency across cards that have the same effects. 


The most significant criticism I have is that the game feels quite different with just two players.  This is a shame because that is the only version my son has played. There is an added level of ‘je ne sais quoi’ with the full complement of four players.

Conclusion

I have read this game described as Risk+ but I think I would prefer the term COIN-lite. I understand the Risk+ comment but this is so much more than Risk.  If someone can handle the rules-complexity of Risk and enjoys the direct conflict in that ‘game’ then 878: Vikings can provide a much more rewarding experience in a much shorter time with marginally more rules.  I think that non-gamers suggesting a game of risk is pretty much apocryphal these days, but if you ever find yourselves in that situation, say no, go out and buy this (or any of Academy Games’ Birth of America series – 1812, 1775 or 1754) and insist that they try this instead.  However 878: Vikings is probably easier to get hold of due to the recent reprinting.


Although the rules are simple there is enough in here, especially with 4 players, to keep even the most experienced of Grognards entertained.  Even if they consider it as a simple 60-minute filler – my game of this went closer to 90 minutes plus a bit., I guarantee that they will enjoy it.  As will anyone else who has experienced any type of modern hobby games, or dare I say it again, Risk… 


With the almost constant Viking invasion forces, each turn really does feel like a battering against a meagre force of defenders that somehow seem to keep things on a knife’s edge throughout the entire game.  The game is finely balanced and seems to always come down to very small deciding factors that decide the entire game.  Being on the right side of that decision is where the best player (with wit and a small amount of luck) will find themselves.


I’d like to thank Asmodee UK for sending this review copy. You can use this link https://www.asmodee.co.uk/contentpage/find-your-game-store to find your Friendly Local Game Store; which need all the help they can get at the moment.


Designers: Beau Beckett, Dave Kimmel, Jeph Stahl
Bgg page: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/204516/878-vikings-invasions-england
Playtime: 60 mins - 2 hours
Players: 2 - 4



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