Relic Wars

by

Flying Pig Games

Designed by

Denver Walker

 This is written by the designer of Relic Wars, Denver Walker, and yes, she is related to that Mark Walker of wargaming fame. I guess the game designing bug is in the blood. The game will show up on Kickstarter next month and links to it and the game will be below. Without further ado here is what she has to say:

"Flying Pig Games Unleashes Relic Wars: A Tactical Fantasy Skirmish and Exploration Game by Denver Walker

Flying Pig Games is set to release Relic Wars, a fast-paced skirmish battler and exploration game designed by Denver Walker. Known for publishing award-winning wargames, Flying Pig is venturing into new territory with Relic Wars a game that blends tactical combat, magical relics, and tense player interaction. This is not a wargame. It's a savage fantasy experience full of cinematic moments, emergent strategy, and brutal decisions.

Relic Wars is a tactical, low-complexity game with high replayability and evolving strategies, designed for 2Ð4 players with stretch goals in the upcoming Kickstarter campaign expanding that count to 5, with the potential for 6. Players take control of deadly champions each with unique stats and special abilities and enter a cursed battlefield made of modular terrain tiles that are revealed and explored throughout the game.

At the heart of the game is movement, positioning, and light inventory management. Each turn, players may explore new terrain, gather powerful items, or engage in direct combat. Characters can equip swords, bows, shields, and spells each with upgradeable effects and use terrain to their advantage for defense or line-of-sight. Chalices, the games ultimate objective, are scattered across the board, drawing players into inevitable clashes.

Combat is fast, intuitive, and driven by custom dice. Each weapon and shield brings its own tactical flavor, and players can stack upgrades to modify their attack and defense pools. Divine Intervention cards drawn at the end of each player s turn inject wild, unpredictable effects into the game from healing to destruction.

Victory in Relic Wars is achieved in one of two high-stakes ways: eliminate all other players, or collect three chalices and survive one final round. Every decision whether to attack, retreat, upgrade, or press your luck can swing the tide of battle.

All Souls Expansion: Death Is Not the End

Included in the Kickstarter is the All Souls expansion, which adds an entirely new layer of gameplay introducing ghost characters, ethereal terrain, and supernatural relics. In All Souls, when a character is KOÕd and doesn't return through Divine Intervention, they return to the board as a ghost, gaining new ways to influence the game and even win.

Ghost players move freely across the battlefield, unhindered by terrain or crowding, and use the unique Haunt Die to perform powerful spectral actions like possession, invisibility, or echo life a ghostly attack. They can also win the game by collecting three chalices and surviving a final round, creating a new path to victory even after death.

The expansion includes:

* 4 ghost miniatures and character sheets

* New map tiles including The Graveyard and The Castle

* A powerful set of new Relic War Tokens like the Shroud of Turin, Crown of Thorns, Longinus the Centurion s Lance, and more

* The purple Haunt Die, used exclusively by ghost players

* New rules for haunting, manipulating the battlefield, and even banishing ghosts entirely

With All Souls, no one is ever truly eliminated. Every player remains active in the game, and ghosts become wild cards disrupting plans, hunting relics, and tilting the balance of power in unpredictable ways.

The game launches on Kickstarter on May 6th, and has already been selected as a Kickstarter Project We Love. Fans can follow the campaign now via the Kickstarter pre-launch page to be notified the moment it goes live. As a special reward for early supporters, the first three backers will be able to pledge for the full game at just $1 + shipping.

Relic Wars will also be featured on major tabletop media platforms, including Zilla Blitz's YouTube channel and Becca Scott's Good Time Society, giving players a front-row seat to gameplay previews, strategy tips, and behind-the-scenes content.

Designer Denver Walker, in her first published release, expresses deep pride and gratitude for the years of development and support that shaped Relic Wars. She worked closely with artist Riccardo DAriano, whose stunning artwork brings the world of Relic Wars vividly to life from the brooding characters to the haunting landscapes and every relic in between.

The game has been rigorously playtested by respected figures in the wargaming world, including Mark H. Walker ('65, '85, The Long Road, 2022 CSR Winner), Hermann Luttmann (A Most Fearful Sacrifice, The Rock of Chickamauga), Fred Manzo (developer), Greg Porter (Armageddon War), and many others.

With accessible mechanics, rich tactical depth, and a mix of exploration, combat, and clever maneuvering, Relic Wars marks an exciting evolution for Flying Pig Games and a thrilling debut from a rising designer."

 Normally I am much more excited about pushing Panzers and regiments, etc. around a board. However, this game has really caught my eye.

 This is a link to the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzxamH15Shc

Pre-launch page;

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/markhwalker/relic-wars

 By Iron and Blood

The Battle of Königgrätz July 3, 1866

by

Blue Panther LLC

 Bismarck is the prime minister for Prussia underneath King Wilhelm I. Bismarck had intended to kick Austria out of Germany by hook or by crook so that Prussia would become the most powerful German state. He also had a much larger plan, which was to create a unified Germany for the first time ever. For almost the last 1000 years Germany was just some lines drawn on a map and called the Holy Roman Empire until Napoleon came along. It was just a conglomerate of many small and a few large states. Now was the time that Austria and Prussia were going to duke it out to see who was to control the future of Germany. All Bismarck wanted was an excuse to put them both at war. After the war started there were some battles on the frontiers but now the Austrian Army was gathered together for the final act of the play. Two Prussian armies were bloodhounds on the scent of the prey. The largest battle in Europe until the 20th century was about to take place. Hermann Luttmann and Blue Panther have put you in command of either army. The Prussians have the needle gun against the muzzle loaders of the Austrians. The Austrians have new Krupp cannons against the older guns of the Prussians. So, general, what are your orders?

 This is what comes with the game:

22"x17" inch game map

176 Unit Markers

27 Playing Cards

Two Player Aid Cards

Two Command Tracks

Game Turn and Victory Point Tracks

Rulebook

Two 6-sided dice

PLAYERS: 1-2

TIME TO PLAY: 4 Hours or More

AGES: 13 and up

SOLITAIRE SUITABILITY: 4 out of 10

SOLITAIRE COMPLEXITY: 6 out of 10

Game Design: Hermann Luttmann

Game Development: Fred Manzo and Ryan Heilman

Game and Box Art: llya Kudriashov

Production: Blue Panther LLC

What is in the box

 This is what Blue Panther says about the game:

"By Iron and Blood simulates the climactic engagement of the 1866 Austro-Prussian War, the Battle of Koniggratz (also known as the Battle of Sadowa). Taking place on July 3, 1866, this decisive clash pitted the forces of General Helmuth von Moltke's Prussians against the Austrian armies of Feldzugmeister Ludwig von Benedek.

At stake was the question of whether Prussia or Austria would be the dominant power in central Europe. This battle was the largest clash of arms on the European continent since the Napoleonic Wars (the Battle of Leipzig, 1813), and would not be matched again until 50 years later at the start of the First World War in 1914.

In this innovative game from award-winning designer Hermann Luttmann, the Prussian player will be challenged to match the skill of their historical counterpart by bringing together widely separated forces to engage in a crushing assault on the defending Habsburg army. On the other side, the Austrian player must effectively engage their opponent by defeating the enemy piecemeal before their armies can join together in overwhelming numbers.

With so many choices and variables, players are assured that By Iron and Blood will always offer an engaging and challenging experience. Will the Prussians crush their foes and set the path for the creation of the new German Empire? Or will the Austrians successfully fend off their foes and retain their position of power? Play By Iron and Blood to find out."

The map

 The map may seem like a Plain Jane, but nicely done, war game map. However, the colors and various terrain make it very easy on the eyes. It is very easy to read and there is no question about what terrain each hex is. The counters appear to be laser cut and have a glossy finish to them. Each counter has a small illustration depicting what each unit actually is. The Prussian units are divided into two armies: the 1st and 2nd (the 2nd army is a lighter shade of blue). The Austrian player has both Austrian and Saxon units to command. The Rulebook is 39 pages long. It is in color and is in very large type. There are variant rules that can be added to the game. The Rulebook also includes a write-up about every Event Card in the two decks. It ends with some short Designer Notes. There are actually three decks of cards in the game - the aforementioned Event Cards and then one that decides the Prussian 2nd Army arrival times. The cards are the normal size and thickness for game decks, meaning that you might want to invest in sleeves. They come with an artwork from the battle, or war, on the reverse. These also have large type on them. There are five Player Aids in the box. These are all of card stock and glossy. Four of them, two Austrian and two Prussian, are for the fire and assault tables, these are all one-sided. The fifth one is two-sided and has the Sequence of Play and all the other information you would need on the sheet. There are also three half-page sized sheets. These are for the Turn Record Track/Victory Points and the separate Austrian and Prussian Command Points. The entire ensemble is up to snuff.

 

 This is the Sequence of Play:

Game Turn Marker Phase

Command Points Phase

Event Cards Phase

Initiative Phase

Activation Phase

End Phase

 The separate phases, and their separate actions, above are meat and potatoes to any grognard. 

Prussian Event Card

 As far as the gameplay goes, this is a Hermann Luttmann design, thus making it a no-brainer for any grognard worth his salt. Most of us fans would buy an Ant Farm if it was designed by Mr. Luttmann. That being said, the game is as tense as the battle actually was. The Prussians' 1st Army is meant to hold the Austrians in place while awaiting their 2nd Army on the Austrian right flank. The Austrian Player has better artillery but only smoothbore muskets. The Prussian troops have smoothbore cannons, and their infantry has the needle gun. There are eight Victory Point hexes that give one point per turn and three that give the Prussian Player 5 Victory Points per turn (although these are on the lower and far right of the map, if the Prussian Player gets there the game is inevitably over). The game can be won in sudden death by either side. The Austrian Player is definitely on the defensive and should make good work of his longer artillery range and only close with the Prussian troops when needed to save Victory Points. The Prussian Player has to decide how much of a drubbing his 1st Army will take in trying to wrest Victory Point hexes from the Austrians. If the Austrians have too much of a lead in Victory Points the Prussian 2nd Army arrival may not make up for them. The game ends after 12 turns.

 This is a relatively easy wargame with a small footprint. You should be able to have it on the table to study it for a good long time. That is, if you have a dedicated gaming table. If not, it is short enough to be able to easily play in one sitting. Blue Panther has it listed for four hours of playtime and a complexity of six.

 Thank you, Blue Panther, for allowing me to review this nicely done small package. Please take a look at Blue Panther's other products. My only regret is that the Battle of Königgrätz has never been given a large game as of yet as befits its huge place in the history of Europe. Nothing against this good game; I just wish that the battle had a large-scale simulation about it.

 

Robert

Blue Panther LLC:

Blue Panther LLC Home Page

By Iron and Blood: The Battle of Königgrätz July 3, 1866:

By Iron and Blood: 2nd Edition – Blue Panther (bluepantherllc.com)

 Mark H. Walker's '85 Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires

by

Flying Pig Games

 We are going to do things a little differently this time around. I am going to make this a three part look at this game. I am also going to start off with something that I have never done, which is an unboxing for the first part. The second part will be a look at the actual game play and the third will be a look at Alone in the Mountains: '85 Solitaire Expansion.

 The year is 1979 and the Cold War is in full swing. Some people in the Kremlin decided that it was a good idea to invade Afghanistan and put their own puppet government in place. Afghanistan had been a country that had been a tough nut to crack for many armies and governments for thousands of years. It was the map board used in the 'Great Game' by Russia and England in their attempt to conquer more of Asia in the 19th century. Afghans have a well-deserved reputation for being hard fighters and implacable foes. They also invented Polo and enjoyed using the heads of their enemies as the ball. This should clearly clue you in as to the mettle of the Afghans. 

 The back of the box says:

"'85: Graveyard of Empires is the second game in the Squad Battles series. Building on the mechanics introduced in '65 Squad Battles in the Jungles of Vietnam, Graveyard of Empires features tense squad-level battles between the Afghan Mujahideen and the Soviet Red Army in an exciting card-driven, hex-and-counter game."

 As an aside, if you haven't heard of or played '65 Squad Battles in the Jungles of Vietnam, do yourself a favor and look into that excellent game.

This shows some of the counters and a piece of a map from the game

  This is what comes with the game:

5 richly illustrated, 11” x 17” geomorphic game boards. 

4 lavish sheets of thick 1” and 1.375” counters. 

1 deck of 54 action cards, 4 Event Cards, 5 Bonus Victory Condition Cards. 

Full color rules and scenario booklet.

Player Aid Cards, 

Terrain Effect Charts.

A die.

A box to keep it safe and warm.

 I thought one-inch counters were big. These 1.375" ones, for aircraft, tanks, and other vehicles are massive. Yes, the hexes are quite large enough to not be dwarfed by those counters.

 Because of the size of the counters, there are only so many counters that come with the game. However, just like its older brother '65, this game is about Squad Battles and not large military actions. So, you have more than enough counters, and a good variety of them, to keep you playing for a good long time. 

 The game boards all fold out to give you their 11" x 17" full size. The landscape that the game represents is seen in in wonderful detail, if a little muted in color. They represent the different battlefields extremely well. 

 The Player Aids are 8.5" x 11" in size, and they are made of card stock. One gives you the Sequence of Play and a turn record track. The other is two-sided and has the Terrain Effects Chart on one side and the Range Modifiers etc. on the other.

 The Rule Book is 35 pages in length. It is in full color and is in nice, large, type for us aging grognards. It comes with plenty of example of the rules. The Rule Book also has all nine of the game's scenarios included in it; the ninth scenario was a Kickstarter exclusive. This does not seem like many. However, the game is card-driven so you have endless possibilities for a hand of different cards each time you play a scenario. Because of their small size, it does not look like it would be any trouble to make your own scenarios to add to the mix.

 The deck has 54 Action Cards in it. These have actions for both sides in the game on them. The cards are also used to determine hits on vehicles. There are also four event cards. The above says it comes with five Bonus Victory Condition Cards, although my game came with 11.

Action Card

 If you have bought or played any of the different games from Flying Pig Games, you will be excited about the care and attention that is given to the manufacturing of them. If for nothing else, you should look at the Flying Ham Steaks rendition of Hermann Luttman's 'A Most Fearful Sacrifice'. Yes, once again it is out of stock. I do believe that it will be reissued again and again as that magnum opus deserves. I had the pleasant experience of playing '65 more than a few times and by looking at '85's rules it looks like playing this game will be just as enjoyable. 

 Thank you, Flying Pig Games, for letting me take a look at and review '85 Graveyard of Empires. Stayed tuned on this same bat channel for the other two perusals of the game.

Robert

Mark H. Walker's '85 Afghanistan: Graveyard of Empires:

Flying Pig Games

Thirty Years War

by

Wargame Design Studio

 The start of the Thirty Years War is normally taken to be the Third Defenestration of Prague in 1618. I had not known about the other two defenestrations until quite recently. The first was in 1419 during the Hussite War and the second took place in 1483. Technically, defenestration means to literally throw out the window. It now also means to throw out of power abruptly. The 1618 occurrence was when the two Imperial Regents and their secretary were tossed out the window of Hradcany Castle in Prague. Although they fell from a great height, their landing in a pile of offal meant they escaped with no real harm. So, if you are visiting Bohemia my suggestion is to take a room on the first floor in case you upset the populace.

 The throne of Bohemia was then offered to Frederick V Elector Palatine (one of the electors of the emperor in the Holy Roman Empire). Because of the shortness of his reign, he was called 'The Winter King'. This, in turn, started the Thirty Years War, one of the first wars that involved most of the countries of Europe. While ostensibly a war of religion, it sometimes had Catholics fighting Catholics and Protestants against other Protestants.  

 The warfare that took place at the time is usually written as the dividing line between older forms, (not much changed from ancient times) and the newer gunpowder age. The push of the pike gradually faded under the weight of a matchlock's ball. Some of Europe's greatest generals fought during the thirty years span. These included Turenne, The Great Conde, Gustavus Adolphus, and Wallenstein, among others.

Some Campaign Screens

 So, let us see what Wargame Design Studio has to say about their game:

"At the start of the 17th Century, Europe was in turmoil. Although largely centered on Germany and, at least initially, considered by many contemporaries to be a religious rather than political conflict, the Thirty Years War was in fact part of a complex series of interlinked conflicts. Some of which, such as the Dutch revolt from Spanish rule and the lengthy military rivalry between France and Spain, had their origins in the previous century. This title will weave in and out of these various conflicts with a focus on the larger battles and more predominant characters such as Tilly, Mansfeld, Gustavus Adolphus and Wallenstein.

The Bohemian Revolt of 1618 leads the way with initial battles between the Catholic (Imperialist) forces and the mercenary led Protestant (Anti-Imperialist) forces at Sablat and White Mountain. With the failure of the Catholics to completely crush and demoralize the resistance, the Palatinate phase began which would lead to larger battles and stretch through 1623.

1625-6 would bring in a new phase with the entry of the Danish king Christian IV of Denmark aligning with other Protestant forces to challenge the Hapsburg Empire. Poor performance on the battlefield and loss of major leaders such as Christian of Brunswick emboldened the Hapsburg Emperor Ferdinand II to try and clamp down on the situation in 1629. This would spur the Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus, to enter the fray on behalf of the Protestant cause. This change would lead to the first defeat of Catholic forces under Tilly in more than a decade, at Breitenfeld in 1631. This would also see much larger actions taking place over the subsequent four years.

This ebb and flow would continue across the continent with new armies being raised and battles being fought in many areas of the continent. Civilian populations, commerce, and civilization itself would be shaken to the core for most of the region during this time and the effects of this conflict would be felt for generations to come. When the dust began to settle the "Holy Roman Empire" had been weakened beyond repair and the rise of the modern nation-state was solidifying."

Two zoomed in 3D Battle Screens

 This is a list of some of the battles:

Includes battles from all aspects of the war - major encounters to small skirmishes. 80 stand alone scenarios and 2 campaigns. A sampling would be:

White Mountain

Mingolsheim

Wimpfen

Hochst

Fleurus

Lutter

1st Breitenfeld

Rain, the River Lech

Ingolstadt

Lutzen

1st Nordlingen

Wittstock

2nd Breitenfeld

Rocroi

Freiburg

2nd Nordlingen

 Their names shine out from the past. Lutzen, 1st Breitenfeld, Freiburg, and Rocroi where Frederick the Great and Napoleon, among others, read about and learned their craft. The war spans from the age of the Tercio until its fall at Rocroi to the Great Conde.

 There is a 'Getting Started' scenario along with four 'Bootcamp' ones to learn the game mechanics. In total, there are 75 actual battle scenarios. Many of these allow the player to play against the AI from either side. I have dreamed about a computer game that would allow me to fight as the Spanish against the French at Rocroi.

A zoomed out 2D Battle Screen

 Unless you were kidnapped by the Fae folk or have been lounging for a long-time underneath a piece of granite, you should know about The John Tiller games and Wargame Design Studio. Wargame Design Studio has released or updated (really done over from the ground up) a myriad of computer wargames. The list of their Game Series is as follows:

Civil War Battles (American)

Early American Wars

First World War Campaigns

Modern Air Power

Modern Campaigns

Musket And Pike (Which Thirty Years War belongs to)

Napoleonic Battles

Naval Campaigns

Panzer Battles

Panzer Campaigns

Squad Battles

Strategic War

 They also have ten demos that allow a player to test the water in almost all of the above Game Series.

 I am a solitaire wargame player at heart, and I would prefer to play that way with either a boardgame or a computer one. What Wargame Design Studio has been able to do with the AI battle/campaigns is really just amazing. Even if you are a person who does not like to play solitaire, they have you covered.  You can play their games the following ways:

Play by E-mail (PBEM)

LAN & Internet "live" play

As well as two player hot seat

A little closer in screen with the inset map.

 The game 'Thirty Years War' has really been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. We have had games about WWII, Napoleonic, and many others. However, the Musket and Pike Era has been almost completely ignored. You had to set up a boardgame if you wanted to play a battle from the age until quite recently. Wargame Design Studio's games were/are meant to transition the boardgame player to the computer with as little hassle as possible. Of course, there is a learning curve. What in life does not come with one? Thirty Years War, and all of their games (really simulations), is an involved game with many rules and a UI (User Interface) to master. I will say that learning to play one of their games is much simpler than trying to put together some plastic castle in the wee hours of the night before Christmas. The good thing is that the UI is used pretty much across the board with their games. If you learn one of their games, it is pretty easy to learn another. Just as I was finishing this review my phone alerted me to even more updates that WDS has released. It seems updates have been coming on almost a weekly basis. 

 As far as Thirty Years War, what can I say? I absolutely love the push of the pike and a failed cavalry charge. If you are a student of history, you owe it to yourself to pick up TYW. Books are now priced almost in the same range. or higher, than WDS games. For the maps and the setup of the armies alone it is worth the price of the admission, with the added attraction of being able to put you into your favorite general's saddle and boots they are priceless. 

 Now we have to talk about the downside of WDS games. They are addictive and once you have bought one you will want more. The other negative to WDS is this. They have not yet released a game about Marlborough's campaigns or the earlier wars of Louis XIV. I am also awaiting an Ancient Battles done with the new AI and UI.

 As I have stated before, I am an unabashed fanboy of the John Tiller games that started out almost 30 years before. Wargame Design Studio has taken all of the series of games to heights undreamed of when we were first playing them so long ago.

 They have also started to have a different game go on sale every week, although the standard price of $39.99 should make them easy to afford. It is almost half the cost of an AAA computer game and with what comes with it will keep you occupied/happy for years to come. 

Robert

Wargame Design Studio:

Wargame Design Studio Store (wargameds.com)

Thirty years War:

Thirty Years War – Wargame Design Studio (wargameds.com)

 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