Preview of Lock 'N Load Tactical Digital by Lock 'N Load Publishing Here we are very lucky to h...

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Preview of Lock 'N Load Tactical Digital by Lock 'N Load Publishing
Preview of Nations At War Digital by Lock 'N Load Publishing The Nations At War boardgames from Lock 'N Loa...

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Preview of Nations at War Digital by Lock 'N Load Publishing
Preview of Nations At War Digital
The AI plays almost like a human opponent. To give you an example; I had four Tigers and the AI has a multitude of Shermans, M18s, M36s, and a few Stuarts. The victory conditions for the German side was that I destroy all of the enemy and exit the western edge of the map. The AI would use the Stuarts in Kamikaze like attacks towards the Tigers. At first glance, this seems a rather foolish move. However, for at least two turns I was forced to deal with the Stuarts and not do anything about the real threats that were enveloping my position. So, even though the tactics seem 'gamey', it is exactly what some players would actually do. The Allied airpower is not to be trifled with either. The ground attacking American planes took out two of my Tigers and a Wirbelwind in the above scenario. I have lost more than I have won playing against the AI.
Another factor that is part of the boardgame, and is a real game changer at times, is Fate Points. Both sides are assigned so many of them at the start of each scenario. I will use L'NL's words to explain them:
"Despite generals, sergeants,riflemen, spreadsheets,tables, and game designer’s best efforts, battles are often won not by the side with the best weapons, most men, or better morale, but by the unforeseen actions of men and women and inexplicable twists
of fate. Fate Points (FPts) in the Nations at War system represent those twists.Fate Points are points that can be used to sway the turn of events and change an unfavorable situation into a favorable
one.
Fate Points are assigned within each scenario to a side and can be used anytime within the game. They cannot be carried over to other scenarios.Fate Points can be thought of as currency and can be used to purchase an event that can change the game. They can be used by the active player or their opponent at anytime. The defending player ALWAYS has the last chance to use FPts to adjust a unit’s outcome. Fate points that are used to adjust die results may only be used on that players own die results."
So instead of getting an almost faithful representation of the boardgames, L'NL was able to transpose the boardgames right into the silicon world. This in itself is a major kudo for the game. The AI knows what it has to do to win victories, and is able to follow through and do it. It uses its forces very aggressively, so don't assume it will be passive and better on the defense (as most AIs are). I am very impressed by the game, and really looking forward to L'NLs Tactical Digital series of games that is also coming out soon. Thank you L'NL for allowing me to do this test drive on Nations At War Digital. I almost forgot, this game will be available on Steam at release, as will L'NLs Tactical Digital series.
Lock 'N Load:
https://store.lnlpublishing.com/
Nations At War Digital:
https://store.lnlpublishing.com/series/nations-at-war-series/nations-at-war-digital-for-windows
Nations At War boardgames:
https://store.lnlpublishing.com/series/nations-at-war-series
Robert
Heroes of the Motherland With the add-ons Dark July 43 - X-Maps for Dark July 43 by Lock 'N Load Publishing ...

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Lock 'N Load Publishing
Heroes of the Motherland with add-ons Dark July 43 - X-Maps for Dark July 43 by Lock 'N Load Publishing
With the add-ons
Dark July 43 - X-Maps for Dark July 43
by
Lock 'N Load Publishing
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HOTM Counters |
The Eastern Front in World War II is probably the one campaign that has more games, tactical, operational, and strategic than any other. The types of weapons and troops you can use in this game span the depth and breadth of the war. Tanks that were built before the war to King Tigers and JS-2s are present for your gaming pleasure.
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HOTM Maps |
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Scenario |
14 x Color Geomorphic 8.25 x 12.75 Maps.
One Color Two Part 51 x 33 Map.Two Color 11 x 17 Maps.
One 11 x 17 Player Aid Card.
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X-Maps Size |
https://www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk/2018/03/heroes-of-north-africa-by-lock-n-load.html
https://forums.lnlpublishing.com/resources/lock-n-load-tactical-core-rules-home-printer-friendly.259/
Nations At War Compendium by Lock 'N Load Publishing The Nations at War Compendium is exactly that. It is a r...

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Nations At War Compendium by Lock 'N Load Publishing
Four Double Sided Seasonal Maps
Two Counter Sheets With Over 175 Counters
One Color Module Booklet
Thirty-one Scenarios
Three Campaigns Totaling An Additional Thirteen Scenarios
This is the list of some of the scenarios:
Escape At Dunkirk
Jubilee - Dieppe Raid
Barce Libya
Juno Beach D-Day
Carentan
Point 213 - Michael Wittmann at Villers-Bocage
Operation Goodwood
The three campaigns are:
Normandy
Arnhem
Operation Cobra
The compendium says that you need both White Star Rising Second Edition and Desert Heat Second Edition. They are required for the scenarios in it. However, I have checked through the scenarios and with what you receive with White Star Second Edition and the counters and maps from the compendium, it seems that you can play most with just them. There are a few that Desert Heat Second Edition are essential for. The new maps and counters also mean that a player's imagination can run even wilder with homemade scenarios.
These add on scenarios and campaigns for the Nations at War games are well worth the cost. You get a lot of bang for the buck (sorry had to). As you can see, one of the scenarios allows you to try and recreate Michael Wittmann's mayhem at Villers-Bocage or play the English and try to stop him. The aforementioned scenario, along with the two Operation Goodwood scenarios, are my favorites of the ones I have played. The compendium just adds to the depth and breadth of the Nations at War games.
Robert
White Star Rising Nations At War Second Edition by Lock 'N Load "Macht Schluss mit dem Krieg, ihr...

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White Star Rising Nations At War Second Edition by Lock 'N Load
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One Counter Sheet |
Four Double Sided Seasonal Maps.
Four Counter Sheets with Over 350+ Counters.
One Color Module Booklet
Twenty-One Scenarios
One Core Game System v2.0 Manual
Two Unit Cost Sheets 11” x 17”
Four Player-Aid Cards 8.5” x 11”
Two D6 Dice
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Maps |
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Players' Aids |
The meat of this chit pull system is the 'end turn' chits. There are always two, sometimes three, of these in the mix of the other chits. Once the second end turn chit is pulled, the game turn is over; do not pass go or collect $200 etc. So, the players have no way of knowing if all or any of their units will be able to do anything this turn. It is possible to pull the end turn chits one after the other as the first two chit pulls. In time limited, or scenarios where one side has a lot of terrain to cover, this means that one turn has just been lost. Another nice touch is the addition of a 'Chaos Chit' to the chit mix in some scenarios. Once the Chaos Chit is pulled, two six-sided die are rolled. Then you consult the Chaos Table to find out what event or result has been rolled. This is a nice way of adding even more fog of war into the game. The game also includes the use of 'Fate Points' by each player. Each scenario lists how many Fate Points each side has to use. As the rules state, " Fate Points can be thought of as currency and can be used to purchase an event that can change the game". These can be used from re-rolling one dice to being able to remove an 'Ops Complete Marker' from a unit. There are not many rules that apply only to this module. Most of the rules used are just the normal Second Edition Core Rules. This module only rules include:
Bridge Demolition
British Cruiser Tanks Extra Movement
British Headquarters
American tank Gyro Stabilizers
American White Phosphorus Rounds (Willy Pete)
German SS Fanatics
German Mobile Assault
The Core Rules also deal with rules for these and more:
Close Air Support
Anti-Aircraft Units
Mines and Mine Removal
Leaders
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Counters |
Closer Counter View
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White Star Rising Second Edition Vassal Module:
https://forums.lnlpublishing.com/resources/white-star-rising-2nd-edition-vassal-module.237/
White Star Rising Second Edition Clarifications & Corrections Version 2.2:
https://forums.lnlpublishing.com/resources/white-star-rising-2nd-edition-clarifications-corrections.234/
Nations At War Core Rules Version 2.0 Clarifications And Corrections:
https://forums.lnlpublishing.com/resources/nations-at-war-core-rules-v2-0-clarifications-and-corrections.232/
Nations At War Core Rules Second Edition:
https://store.lnlpublishing.com/nations-at-war-core-rules-v2-0
There is also a link to download them on the page.
This is a link to my 'Stalin's Triumph' review:
http://www.awargamersneedfulthings.co.uk/2018/05/stalins-triumph-nations-at-war-game.html
Robert
Stalin's Triumph Nations At War by Lock 'N Load Publishing Stalin's triumph is a platoon level game, a...

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Lock 'N Load Publishing
Stalin's Triumph A Nations At War game from Lock 'N Load Publishing
Heroes of North Africa by Lock 'N Load Publishing This is the largest game in the Lock 'N Load tact...

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Heroes of North Africa by Lock 'N Load Publishing
The game comes with the following manuals and player's aids:
LNL Tactical World War II Era 1930-1959 Core Rules Manual
Version 4.1
Heroes of North Africa: Module Rules and Scenarios
Heroes of North Africa: Rules Reference Card
Heroes of North Africa: Player-Aid Card
Heroes of North Africa: Skill Reference Card
Heroes of North Africa :Sequence of Play, and on the other side
Weapons, Ammo, and Targets
The Turn Record Track also has some information on it.
Most of the scenarios are ones in which the English are fighting the Italians. The game comes with twenty scenarios, but your imagination and history can come up with many more. There are three I saw that had Germans and Italians fighting as allies. There are even a few with US troops fighting Vichy French troops. Most of the scenarios only use one map piece, but there are a few that use two. There is only one scenario where three map pieces are used. There are actually six 8.25 X 12.75 single sided maps, and six double sided 8.25 X 12.75 maps. The hex size is fifty meters across. This is tactical warfare up close and personal. There is not much room, if any, to maneuver, and sweeping encirclements are not happening.
There are six sheets of 700 plus counters. The counters come in three sizes. The largest is for vehicles, including tanks, and the next size down is for artillery pieces. The troops and markers are the smallest and most numerous of the counters. Unfortunately, the counters are a mixed bag as far as getting them off the sprues. On two of the counter sheets, the counters popped out like they had been buttered. One of the sheets was tough to get them out without damage, and then they had cardboard flanges stuck to their middles. The other sheets were average as far as undoing the counters.
This is a link to the turn sequence aid:
http://forums.lnlpublishing.com/resources/lnlt-rule-sequence-guide.101/
This is a link to the World War II Core Rules:
http://forums.lnlpublishing.com/resources/lnlt-world-war-ii-era-core-rules-final.94/
The rules are what you would expect from a detailed tactical simulation. It even has rules to simulate the Italians' lack of supply and sometimes indifferent training. This is not a knock against the Italian armed forces in WW II. It was unfortunately the truth for them. Some of their forces were elite troops that you will have your hands full with, and all fought to the best of their ability. No matter how under-gunned and under-armored the Italian tanks were, they continually were in the thick of the North African fighting. The Italian army was very well equipped to fight a war in 1936. However, by 1940 and later most of their equipment was outdated. The amount of scenarios will show how much fighting the Italian Army was involved with.
This is my first foray into the LNL 'Heroes' series of tactical games. It seems like LNL is trying to supplant a game which shall not be mentioned as our 'go to' tactical wargame (don't you hate buzz words?). As mentioned, these core rules are for tactical gaming for the years 1930-1959. LNL has a plethora of games issued and forthcoming in this series.
The Italians are brittle, as they should be. The British are stolid, and the US troops are green. The German troops and equipment are better than most, at least in the early years, unless an armadillo of a British Matilda crawls slowly into view. With the core rules and separate modules rules, on the outset it looks like a player would be overwhelmed. With the player's aids and the turn sequence clearly delineated it helps to ease the player's learning curve. I have to thank LNL for printing everything in large easy to read type. The play examples are well thought out and also help you learn the ropes. The line of sight rules are a bit lengthy and are probably the hardest part of the game rules to get right. The game does not have many votes, but its 8.44 rating on BGG I think is spot on. With the small area of play the battlefield Carnage adds up fast. Very few games now give you this much gaming in one box: Panzer IIIs and IVs, Crusaders, Valentines, and early Shermans along with French Renault 35s and of course a lot of the Italian tanks to name just a few of the pieces. The map pieces along with all of the counters for bunkers etc. give the player the ability to play out any scenario, historical or not.
Below is a setup for the scenario 'Mon Cheri I'. Italian armor is trying to break through dug in Free French forces.
This is a link to a print and play mod that adds units and more to Heroes of North Africa:
http://forums.lnlpublishing.com/resources/heroes-of-north-africa-desert-raiders-print-and-play-mod.226/
Robert
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