TRACES OF HUBRIS

FROM

VUCA SIMULATIONS

Traces of Hubris is the second game in Vuca Simulations series, that began with Traces of War. Whereas, the latter was set in 1943/44, involving a crushing Soviet offensive against a desperate German defence, here we're in the familiar territory of Fall Blau (in English - Case Blue). Whether thought of ultimately as the drive on Stalingrad or campaign to Stalingrad, it's summer 1942 and the Germans are set on driving for the oil rich southern regions of the Caucasus. Hitler's obsession with Stalingrad is yet to manifest itself, but is reflected in the hexes of the city being, unsurprisingly, VP targets.

This game continues the simple and immensely playable system of its sister game. It follows a basic chit-pull mechanic of activation that allows all the units within range of the respective HQ to move and have combat. As previously this does allow, perhaps ahistorically, a mixture of formations to fight together, but in game turns makes for very easy application. In keeping with the simplicity of this driving mechanism is the attacker/defender odds ratio CRT (Combat Results Table) with its very limited number of terrain DRMs (Die Roll Modifiers) that rapidly become second nature.

The effect is to create a hugely playable game where your head is rarely going to be in the rule book and your attention is almost entirely focused on what's happening on the map in front of you.

If you do need to check or remember anything, it is easily found in the well illustrated rule book [as seen below].

However, in reality all you are ever likely to need are the play aids which are excellent in more ways than one. Well, first of all there are two of them - Play Aid A and Play Aid B, next there is a pair for each player, thirdly they contain virtually every bit of information that you need to play the game and finally they are printed on so solid a thick card that they are their own little mounted board. This is a very familiar feature of the quality of all Vuca Simulations’ games.

In contrast the two maps that make up the playing area are printed on paper. I’m not going to bog down in the perennial debate between paper and mounted maps, nor the question of colour palate choices. They are far too much a personal choice to be resolved by anything other than your own taste and preference.

Full double map layout

Personally, I really like these paper maps. I like the muted colours that the counters stand out vividly on. They suit my overall storage needs and especially lend themselves to my method of covering with plexi-glass and stacking that allows me to play such games over a period of time. Unlike the complaints of a poor match up between the two maps in Traces of War (a niggle that I found grossly exaggerated when you had actually set the latter game up and got playing), these two marry up very well. No doubt someone out there will disagree!

Also for a majority of the game's 9 Turns, all but a handful of your units will be operating on the western map, making the play area even easier to manage.

Here you see the opening set up, with a thin line of single Russian infantry counters and a sparse few units further back. Facing them are largely double stacks of the German attacker.

Returning to the rules and rule book, they are presented in a simple, easy to read and organised layout. They’re colourfully illustrated and exemplified and a bare 15 pages long, plus a couple of pages of Designer’s Notes, Player Strategy for both sides and, as always, historical background.

Historical background

The Sequence of Play is very straightforward and, as mentioned, is set out in detail on one of the excellent Play Aids.

Here is the simple outline.

SEQUENCE OF PLAY

1. LUFTWAFFE REORGANISATION PHASE

2.COMMAND CHIT SELECTION PHASE

3. ACTION PHASE

4. TURN END PHASE

1, 2 & 4 are extremely simple and brief.

The Luftwaffe Reorganisation Phase is a simple die roll to see how many air units you get this turn. A nice little touch is that you get two numbers e.g. 6/2. The 6 tells the maximum number of units and the 2 tells you that you may select up to 2 of those units for Air Supply. Though you will primarily be choosing Air units to support your combat, the use of Air Supply can be critical.

The Command Chit Selection Phase is done secretly and is critical on Turn 1 for the Axis player as he can only choose four out of the six German HQ chits and none of the Axis Minor HQ chits. However, as both Panzer HQs have two chits each, I've found it rare that I don't want to choose all four of them. In the next four turns, the Axis choice is even simpler as largely they can choose all or nearly all of the potential chits available! For the Soviet player the choice is much more limited. For most of the game it is 3 chits plus a choice between the Stavka chit or the Reinforcement chit. Even here circumstances tend to force a path that seems likely to be the same from game to game. Particularly the choice between Stavka and Reinforcements. The Stavka chit allows you activate one HQ twice or a fourth HQ, but the pressing need for Reinforcements will most often dictate that that will be your preferred choice.

The Turn End Phase is simply the assessment of whether the Axis player has achieved the single Victory Condition of controlling NINE in-supply Target Hexes. Should this not be achieved by the end of the game, VPs are totalled and if the Axis player has achieved 15 or more VPs, the game is declared a draw, though this is qualified by the comment that you may consider it a Minor Soviet Victory! If less than 15 VPs then it is a Soviet Victory.

The Action Phase typically is the heart of the game and it is a very straightforward process. The Action Chits placed in the draw bag are selected one at a time and activated. If it is an HQ chit, then all units within that HQs radius can be moved and then have combat, which is voluntary. This makes the choices even simpler than in Traces of War, where you had the option of choosing Move/Combat or Combat/Move. If the Soviet reinforcement chit is drawn, then the player places the designated reinforcements on the map and the number of units are generally substantial! In contrast if it is the Axis reinforcement chit, a dice is rolled and a meagre dribble of units [maximum 7] will be gained - too often these are mainly a few Axis Minor troops usually of a single strength point. For that reason, I've found that on the turns when you have to choose between either the OKH chit or the Axis reinforcement chit, I've almost always chosen the OKH chit which allows you to activate any HQ you like [even if if it has been activated twice already].

One of the delights of the system for Traces of Hubris and its

predecessor, Traces of War, is how it keeps to the bare essentials both in rules for movement and combat. The few modifiers for both are soon committed to memory and combat itself is made simple, being both non-compulsory and a familiar d6 die roll on an attacker strength/defender strength odds ratio CRT, with most results being R or RR [i.e. retreat 1 or 2 hexes] and a single step loss only starting to appear at odds of 4:1. While any significant step losses only result at 7:1 odds or above.

Besides making the computation of attacks very smooth and easy, these factors also significantly drive the nature of this campaign - surrounding and pocketing is very much the focus of the Axis player's strategy. This is supported in two ways. First the drive to achieve the major pocketing of Soviet troops is encouraged by the opening set up, where the line of Soviet infantry already creates a shallow bulge. This is further bolstered by the strong Panzer divisions being positioned toward the flanks and, as previously indicated, both have two HQ chits allowing the possibility of being activated twice. Secondly, the slightly higher movement factor of German infantry [4 MPs as compared to most Soviet units having 3 MPs] and the substantial 8 MPs of German tanks allows for the Axis player to frequently carry out single hex or more infiltration. This advantage also allows the tanks and mech infantry to disengage easily and make sweeping manoeuvres.

A pocket starts to be formed

The other element that plays a very significant role in the situation is the Supply Phase and its rules, as this occurs once each Turn only when the Supply chit is drawn. The Supply check is made simultaneously, so both sides units can potentially lose a step. For the Axis player this creates an element of potential risk taking when trying to create pockets or in lunging for VP targets. Do you gamble a few high quality units when you have the chance to cut off significant numbers of Soviet units from supply? These opportunities, if looking likely to occur on the up-coming turn, may also determine the choice of selecting Luftwaffe chits for Air Supply.

So, how does it play? For most of the game, the Axis player is on the attack with the Soviet player engaged in the all to familiar defensive shoring up task. However, it is nothing like the wholly desperate, frantic, nail-biting scramble that the Axis player has in Traces of War. It is a more measured retreat, with several potential hobbles put on an Axis advance -the main one being the large number of Soviet reinforcements. For me, the question of when that Soviet Supply chit gets drawn is perhaps a too powerful and unpredictable, but deciding factor.

Tenuous German hold on Stalingrad broken

What it does do is give considerable variety to the course of the game. In one particular such game, the Axis player was repeatedly on the verge of a crucially sizeable pocketing only to be thwarted by an early Soviet Reinforcement chit being drawn in four out of six turns.

Frustrating though this was, the game was still hugely enjoyable and like many East Front games, solo play is always very rewarding and immersive. As with the previous game, there is the helpful play aid that presents all the necessary tracks for solo play on one sheet. However, it's important to note that solo play is purely you playing both sides to the best of your ability.

Solitaire Play Aid

Whether you play solo or 2-player, both the relatively low counter density for a two map game and a mere nine turns sustains the immensely satisfying playability of this series. With this great playability and sustained high quality of Vuca Simulations presentation, I hope that further campaigns will follow, whether on the eastern front or turning to the western theatre.

Marches & Batailles Belgium 1815

Sapper & Vet

This is a new Napoleonic game that just a few days ago had its Gamefound campaign started. The following is a write-up about the campaign and the game by the designers.

"« MARCHES & BATAILLES ! » is a historical simulation game at the operational level, or “grand-tactical.” It is played on the historical map used by generals during the campaign. This first opus covers the Campaign of Belgium, which ended with the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815.

The counters, made of MDF wood and printed on both sides, represent approximately one division (or brigade) of about 4,000 infantrymen, 1 600 cavalrymen, or 40 pieces of artillery. Their size is to scale with the map, so the type of terrain will play a role in the number of units you can line up in a position.

Units are characterized by a strength that differs depending on whether they are in column or deployed. This strength, which varies from 1 to 9, represents both the morale of the units (militia, line, guard) and the training of the soldiers (conscripts, regulars, veterans). It is used to resolve combat situations and morale tests. These units move from position to position without any need to measure distance.

Generals and staff command these units and lead them into battle against the enemy's positions. It is up to you to use them wisely, but you’ll not be involved in tactical battle management.

During combat, you will just have to choose which units to commit and which units to keep in reserve. These choices will prove decisive in the outcome of combat and morale tests. All these tests are carried out without dice, using colored tokens drawn at random from the test bag.

The sequence of play makes it uncertain whether the player's strategy will be carried out to the letter, replicating the uncertainty that reigns on a battlefield. This sequence alternates between marching movements, attacks, supply line management, ...

A game is won by breaking the morale of the opposing army by routing its units, capturing its communication points, or even capturing its commanding generals...

Each scenario will bring you back to a historic day between June 15 and June 18, the day of the Battle of Waterloo, the culmination of the Belgian Campaign. These scenarios can be played in sequence and form an epic campaign full of twists and turns.

Developed by two enthusiasts of this period and supported by La Sabretache (https://lasabretache.fr/), the world's oldest military history society, this self-published game is the subject of a crowdfunding campaign on Gamefound (https://gamefound.com/fr/projects/sapper--fifer/marches--batailles) from May 23 to June 18, 2025!"

The Gamefound campaign for the game has already passed the 100% funding level in only four days! This is the link to the campaign:

Marches & Batailles by Sapper & Vet - Gamefound

If the game plays as well as it looks, they will certainly have a winner on their hands.

Robert

LAV - 25 by LETbricks

This is a review of the LETbricks LAV (light armored vehicle) - 25. The company LETbricks is a newer company in the block building industry. They also deal a lot in MOC (my own creation) builders of block sets. They have over 18! pages of military sets to choose from. They have everything from World War I planes to mighty carriers and aircraft.

LETbricks was nice enough to send me their LAV - 25 set. The LAV - 25 was introduced into service with the United States Marines in 1983. It has a 25mm chain gun and two 7.62mm machine guns. As its name suggests it is light armored. However, because of that fact it also has a road speed of 62 mph! That means it is perfect for the role of a reconnaissance vehicle.

The set comes with 476 pieces. So, for a lot of the sets you see nowadays it is on the small side. Of course, LETbricks has incredibly large sets to also choose from. The instructions were very clearcut. The set goes together easily, and the bricks stay together without any problem. I have done a lot of kits from different companies, and I was very impressed with the set. It looks pretty much spot on to what the actual vehicle looks like. While it did not take long to build it was still enjoyable while doing the build.

As I have mentioned, the company LETbricks, has a ton of military sets to choose from. They have a beautiful line of naval warships sets that you will not find anywhere else. These include some ships that were really only planned along with some great historic ships. They have a set for the British Battleship Nelson along with sets of some Italian Battleships.

Another impressive group of sets they carry are ones that gives the builder car, truck, and airplane engines! These are large and very intricate true to life sets of these engines.

Just look at these:

One of the Titanic's Engines

V16 Diesel Engine

This is the Italian Battleship Vittoria Veneto set:

3259 Pieces!

These are some pics I took during the build:

Thank you LETbricks for allowing me to review your LAV - 25 set and seeing how easy it was to build and how great it looks on the shelf when it is done.

Robert Peterson

LETbricks

LAV - 25

Ju 87 Stuka Ace

Lock 'N Load Publishing

The JU 87 Stuka, short for Sturzkampfflugzeug, was the German Luftwaffe's dive bomber from the Spanish Civil War until the end of World War II. The German World War I ace Ernst Udet was an early proponent of the dive bomber concept. He was very impressed by the American Curtiss BFC-1 Hawk and its steep diving capabilities. He brought back two of them to Germany for testing. The JU 87 first flew in 1935. From then on it was an integral part of the German Lightning War concept. The JU 87 was also equipped with two small propellers, one on each landing gear, that made a banshee like scream in a dive. The German name was Lärmgerät but they are generally known as Jericho Trumpets, a Biblical reference to the 'Horns of Jericho'. If you watch any documentaries about World War II their scream will inevitably be heard in the soundtrack. Through the Polish and Western European campaigns, the JU 87 was a symbol of terror, and the Jericho Trumpets had Allied soldiers keeping their heads down even if the Stukas had already dropped their bombs. Their slow speed and small amount of defensive armament made them sitting ducks during the Battle of Britain. They were pulled from those air battles rather early because of losses. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22nd, 1941, the Stukas were once again in the forefront of the campaign. This game from Lock 'N Load Publishing is the latest in a spate of games dealing with this iconic German plane. Let us see what this game has to distinguish it from the competition.

The Game's Counters

This is what Lock 'N Load Publishing has to say about the game:

"Ju 87 Stuka Ace is a solitaire tactical air combat game by Lock 'n Load Publishing that places you in the cockpit of the infamous Junkers Ju 87 Stuka, one of World War II’s most feared dive bombers. As a Luftwaffe pilot, you’ll embark on historically accurate missions spanning multiple theaters of the war—from the blitzkrieg campaigns in Poland and France to the ferocious battles of the Eastern Front and the Mediterranean.

But the war isn’t just about history—Ju 87 Stuka Ace also lets you explore "What If?" scenarios, putting the Stuka in alternate wartime operations, from early missions in China to hypothetical carrier operations aboard the Graf Zeppelin. Will you rise to become an ace or fall victim to the dangers of aerial warfare?

Engage in historical and alternate history missions, including:

Close Air Support – Strike enemy forces before they can counterattack.

Anti-Shipping Raids – Sink enemy warships and supply convoys while dodging AA fire.

Strategic Bombing Runs – Destroy critical infrastructure, bridges, and fortifications.

Interdiction Missions – Disrupt enemy supply lines and armored advances.

NEW: The Stuka in China (What If?) – Explore an alternate history scenario where Germany supplies Stukas to the Japanese forces against the Chinese Nationalists in 1937.

NEW: German Carrier Operations on the Graf Zeppelin (What If?) – Fly missions as part of the never-completed German aircraft carrier, the Graf Zeppelin, where Stukas are adapted for naval operations against the British Royal Navy and Soviet forces.

Each mission presents unique challenges, targets, and enemy defenses, ensuring high replayability."

This is what comes with the game:

1 x Counter Sheet (100 counters)

1 x Spiral Bound Game Manual (86 Pages)

1 x Spiral Bound Theater Book (44 Pages)

1 x Single Sided 11 x 17 Pilot Org Play Card

9 x Double Sided 8.5 x 11 Aircraft Reference Cards

4 x Double Sided 8.5 x 11 Player Aid Cards

1 x Single Sided 8.5 x 11 Player Aid Card

2 x Pilot Campaign Log 8.5 x 11

2 x Double Sided 8.5 x 5.5 Pilot Player Cards

1 x Plastic Insert

2 x Career Cards (Tarot Size)

28 x Action Cards (Poker Size)

11 x Altitude Cards (Poker Size)

49 x Flight Cards (Poker Size)

10 x Objective Cards (Poker Size)

31 x Target Cards (Poker Size)

3 x Munition Cards (Poker Size)

36 x Special Flight Cards (Poker Size)

9 x Bonus Ace Cards (Tarot Size)

1 x 3" Deep Heavy Duty Box

As you can see you get to fly all of the different versions of the JU 87

Right from the start you should know that I am blown away by the entire ensemble of game pieces in JU 87 Stuka Ace. Actually, I should rephrase that, I am blown away by all of the games that Lock 'N Load sent me this year. Their design, art and manufacturing are really second to none.

The Neoprene Mat is a great example of the game's blend of art and function. It is great to look at but is also not large at all, and still it contains almost all of what you would need to play. Next, we will look at the Player Aids. If I counted correctly, there are 15 of them that are 8.5" X 11". Out of these, 13 of them are double-sided, and two are single-sided. These come in full color and are made of card stock. Nine of these that are double-sided are different variants of the JU 87 that you can fly! The next 8.5" X 11" card is double-sided with one side having the Pilot Campaign Log and the other having the Mission Report. Then there are two half page cards that are Pilot Player Cards. These show your rise in rank, if you become lucky and good enough at the game.

The Manual and Theaters books are both spiral bound, as all of the Lock 'N Load Rulebooks have been for a while. The Manual is 83 pages long. It is printed in enormous type size and is in full color with many pages of examples of play and pictures of the game's components. The Theaters book comes in at 41 pages. This goes from Spain/China in 1938 until the Soviet Union/Italy in 1944. Once again, the type size is the same ginormous one from the Manual. I believe you might be able to read some of it from 10' away.

The game's different decks are amazingly well done. Their size alone is something to write home about. The 'smaller' ones are the size of normal Poker Cards. Then they have some that are described as 'Tarot' sized Cards. I think that is the first in any description of a wargame that I have seen. If I had a Tarot deck handy, I would compare the two. However, I will take their word for it. The pictures that decorate the different cards remind me of watching The World at War with my parents when I was a child. All of the information on the cards is completely legible and large enough to read easily.

The game also comes with two very nicely done bookmarks. One is just about the game and Lock 'N Load Publishing in general. The other is sort of a public service announcement with some important phone numbers on one side (Depression or Suicide hotline etc.). The other has some quotes from the Bible. If you have no interest in that side, the hotline numbers are still good to have around.

All of the game materials, including the box, scream "look at me!" when you get the game into your hot little hands. The meticulous care that was taken from the packaging down to the smallest detail in the counters tells you that this is something special.

You can play a campaign game where you rise in rank and awards

The JU 87 variants you can fly are as follows:

JU 87 A-1 Anton (you can also fly it in Spain and China)

JU 87 B-1 Berta

JU 87 B-2 Berta

JU 87 B-2 Trop (Tropical for the Mediterranean areas)

JU 87 C-1 Caesar

JU 87 D-1 Dora

JU 87 D-3 Dora

JU 87 D-5 Dora

JU 87 D-5N

JU 87 R-1 Richard

JU 87 R-2 Richard

JU 87 G-1 Gustav armed with the two 37mm cannon

JU 87 G-2 Gustav armed with two 37mm cannon

The game is for solitaire play only. However, in this hectic world we now find ourselves in this is not a minus point for the game. Gaming clubs and even gaming nights are getting few and far between for most people. So, these solitaire games and especially excellent ones like this definitely have their place. The only thing some of you may miss is the ongoing battle with 'Joe' over the rules. Fill in whatever name you like all clubs had one.

The size of the rulebook may seem daunting but remember that it is done in very large type and has many full-page illustrations of play. At its heart, the game is not hard at all to learn. Your choices, which are myriad, and some luck are the cornerstone of its gameplay. One of your most important choices is how low do you dive before dropping your bomb/s. The lower you go the more accurate you are, but it also means that you will be that much longer in a straight unswerving flight path. Of course, that choice only appears if you have made it through enemy fighter and flak to make it to your target.

The game is easy to learn and relatively quick to play, especially if you are just doing a mission or two. It also does not take up a lot of space so that you can play it on the dining room table. The setup and breakdown time is also short so you should not get too many side eye glances from your significant other. Much like the Romance Languages things in the kitchen and dining room are usually in the female's zone of control. You will be happily bombing some target or parachuting to avoid the flames in no time flat.

The game also gives you some what if scenarios. These are interesting to me in games only if they are plausible. One what if in this game has you flying off the German carrier Graf Zeppelin. The ship was pretty completed before the war placed it on hold. So, that is entirely plausible. The other what if has the Germans selling some JU 87s to Japan and they use them against the nationalist Chinese. This too is in the realm of possibility, so I have no problem with it.

One of the biggest reasons I have for really enjoying the game is the fact that you get to fly all of the different variants of the JU 87. This means that you get to try your hand at the tank killer G1 series (Panzerknacker) or properly known as the Kanonenvogel. These JU 87s had two 3.7cm large cannon pods underneath each wing. The G series planes were also up armored (much like the Soviet Union's IL 2 and the German ground attack plane the HS 129) to help the plane and crew survive their low-level attacks. The German pilot Hans-Ulrich Rudel made the G series famous. However, to be fair, his attack on the Soviet Union's battleship Marat and its sinking had already made him famous and the early war years had made the JU 87, and its sirens, one of the most recognizable planes from World War II.

The gameplay overview is this:

Mission Setup

1. Prepare Flight Deck

2. Prepare Objective Mini-Deck

3. Setup Player Sheet

4. Setup Aircraft Sheet

* Select Payload

5. Prepare Action Deck

* Take Initial Hand

Mission Overview

1. Take Off

2. Approach

3. Target

* Attack (Bomb, Strafe, or Gun)

4. Return to Base

5. Refuel

Thank you, Lock 'N Load Publishing for sending me this wonderful, stupendous, action filled, just trying to stay away from the word excellent, game to review. Happily for me, and hopefully for you, their care package to me had to be dropped off with a truss. I will soon be reviewing these games:

Point Blank Winter Victory

Glory and Empire First Victories Wellington Versus Napoleon

Close Quarter Battles Waterloo

Blood and Fury World War 85 - This last one I will need some help from one of my sons to carry it to the table.

Robert Peterson

Lock 'N Load Publishing

Ju 87 Stuka Ace

This is a link to their new AI assisted manuals/rulebooks

Ju 87 Stuka Ace Manual Rev39-AI

SONG FOR WAR

KICKSTARTER RELAUNCH

THIS WEDNESDAY 23RD APRIL

AT LAST IT'S GREAT TO ANNOUNCE THE NEW KICKSTARTER FOR INVICTA REX'S MAGNUM OPUS

SONG FOR WAR

WITH TWO NEW PLEDGES TO CHOOSE FROM

THE MAIN PLEDGE OFFERS NOT JUST THE FULL MEDITERRANEAN CAMPAIGN SPREAD OVER TWO MASSIVE BOARDS, BUT EACH BOARD CARRIES ON ITS REVERSE SIDE A TOTALLY NEW SMALLER SCENARIO:

ITALY ON ONE

NORTH AFRICA ON THE OTHER

THE SECOND PLEDGE PROVIDES THESE TWO SMALLER SCENARIOS, IN A SMALLER GAME PACKAGE, ONE ON EACH SIDE OF A SINGLE MOUNTED BOARD

KEEP WATCHING THIS SPACE FOR A FORTHCOMING REVIEW OF THESE SMALLER SCENARIOS, ALONG WITH NEWS OF THE MINOR CHANGES MADE TO THE CAMPAIGN GAME

FOR A REMINDER OF MY ORIGINAL FULL CAMPAIGN REVIEW CLICK

HERE

For the Empire: Canada & New Zealand in Italy

Flying Pig Games

This is an expansion for Old School Tactical Volume 4

This is an expansion for the game Old School Tactical Volume IV: Italian Theater 1943-45. The parent game has been as greatly acclaimed as the other in the series. I am really pleased to say that you now get to fight in the environs of Monte Cassino. This means that you now get to fight with the British Empire's troops and also the German Fallschirmjäger (roughly hunters from the sky). They were also called the Green Devils in comparison to the British Red Devils of Arnhem fame. The campaign in Italy was an infantryman's war from first to last. It was a slow slog up the Italian Peninsula. For the Allies, it seemed that there was always another mountain to climb and fight over or an entire mountain chain. 'Smiling' Al Kesselring made the Allies pay for every inch of Italian soil they captured.

As is the norm with Flying Pig Games, the game comes with a very large map with 1" hexes. This means that the counters are also large and extremely easy to maneuver whatever your scale of dexterity is. Of course, this also means that the counters' information is large enough to almost read across the room. The counters have the obligatory picture of the units and weapons you will be playing with. It almost seems like Flying Pig Games has been developing games for us senior citizens in the Old Grognards Home at Shady Acres. With new elite units on both sides, the tactical battles are tense and portray the battles of the campaign to a "T". There are five scenarios about the fighting for Monte Cassion, one of my favorite battles to read about, and three for the savage battle for Ortona. Thank you, Flying Pig Games, for allowing me to review this excellent expansion to an excellent game and series. The only problem with this series of games is that at some point it has to end.

This is what Flying Pig Games has to say about it:

"When Great Britain once again found herself in war, she sent out a call to her Commonwealth allies. They stepped forward and answered the call, as they always had done.

New Zealand was in the thick of the action from the beginning. The Kiwis fought bravely in the Balkans and Greece in the battle for Crete and were a key force in the North African campaign.

The New Zealanders came to Italy with the same amount of fight. Among the many battles they faced, they were tasked with a difficult struggle to take the fortress at Monte Cassino.

The Canadian Navy fought vigorously in the battle for the North Atlantic, but the army was static, stationed in the British Isles. But they were itching to get into the scrap.

They got what they wanted when their soldiers and tankers were added to Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. They were bloodied and they learned.

They carried on to the Italian boot and fought their way North through difficult terrain against a determined enemy that always had the advantage. Many battle honors were earned, one being the terrible Christmas in Ortona."

This is what comes with the game:

A large map (30" x 41") game map (hexes are 1") that depicts urban ruins and Italian countryside for units to fight on

Two sheets of counters which add Canadian and New Zealand units, including the M5 Ram, the Fox Armored Car, AT74 Sticky Bomb, 6-Pounder ATG, Sherman V, 2" Mortar, Sapper squads, and much more

Also added are the German Fallschirmjäger

A full-color playbook with 14 scenarios involving these units

Robert Peterson

Flying Pig Games

For the Empire

Relic Wars

Flying Pig Games

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."