Are you a wargamer?

[Michael Avanzini]

Jason,

I go back to the Avalon Hill/SPI days. My first wargames were Gettysburg and Tactics II by AH and that was around 1960. I have a large collection of SPI-S&T games as I was one of the unforturnate "Lifetime" subscribers to S&T. I do happen to have an unpunched copy of Campaigns for North Africa that I would at least think about giving up.

Like most other wargamers this is what sparked my interest in the researching. I do understand Leo and yourself talking about the feel of boardgames vs computer wargames. I had a very hard time getting into computer games because I had my mind set on hex based simulations. But in ther late 90s I got involved with a group of gamers designing scenarios for a fellow named John Tiller. John was and old SPI/AH wargamer that was also a computer programmer, and he started programing wargames that feel and play very much like an SPI wargame.

After his stint with Talonsoft, he hooked up with a company called HPS Simulations and started working on various games series. The first one, Panzer Campaigns is base on SPI's battalion level games, "Panzergruppe Guderian" and "Wacht im Rhein". While these games are battalion level, units can be broken down into company so although you would call them operational games they tend to be more grand tactical. In this series there are 15 games already out with more being developed at this time.
Think 4 map 3000-5000 counter size games but with no setup time.

There is also a Civil War series based on SPI's "Terrible Swift Sword", and a Napoleonic Series based on SPI's Wellington's Victory" Again these are based on the old SPI series but they are also different in there own right. And with play by email their are plenty of opponants to play. So if both of you still enjoy playing the old SPI games and like turn based, hex based wargames, you owe it to yourself to at least check out one of these games. I am not trying to be a salesman here as like Leo, for my research and design I get free games.

John is also in the process of putting together a series called War in Europe which will cover the entire European war in Div/Regt level Operational and when the series is complete all games will be able to be played together. So far only the first game is out called "The First Blitzkreig" covering Poland, Norway/Denmark and France.

Lastly after talking much about hex based computer wargames I have a collection of at least 200 board games but like many others, at my age and a family I never have time to play them anymore, let alone a space to set them up.

Michael

[David W]

After his stint with Talonsoft, he hooked up with a company called HPS Simulations and started working on various games series. The first one, Panzer Campaigns is base on SPI's battalion level games, "Panzergruppe Guderian" and "Wacht im Rhein". While these games are battalion level, units can be broken down into company so although you would call them operational games they tend to be more grand tactical. In this series there are 15 games already out with more being developed at this time.
Think 4 map 3000-5000 counter size games but with no setup time.

Sounds good. Where can you see more details/revues?

[Michael Avanzini]

David,

Sorry about that, here is a link to the HPS site,

http://www.hpssims.com

Mike

[David W]

Thanks Michael.

[Doktor Krollspell]

Hello Gentlemen!

Being a kid in the 70'ies, I still remember my two first games. They were Avalon Hill's "Alexander the Great" and "Midway". I bought them when I was about 12 and had to spent quite a few hours with an english-swedish dictionary... After that, me and my friends bought and played as many games that we could find in Stockholm. Avalon Hill, SPI, GDW etc. etc. We must have spent literally thousands of hours when in our teens, and for that matter way up in our twenties... and in our thirties... (and in our forties... )

I have never been that thrilled about computer games. For me, an evening with old friends, say once a month, gaming, eating, drinking while sitting around a large table is a very valued social event. We have known each other for 25 to 30 years now, all old gamers, all old history buffs, all old military history buffs...


Many good gaming memories,

Krollspell

[gildasfacit]

Another wargamer here but I'm only just assembling my first complete set of forces for WW2 era. This is quite strange as I actually started with an interest in WW2 and naval gaming back in the 60's and then spread into other periods.

I tried boad wargames but couldn't get into them, too abstract and I quite enjoy the painting and modelling.

I continued to be interested in WW2, particularly the technology and tactical developments but never actually did much gaming in the era. I have early medieval armies, a number of fleets, a horde of Zulus, rennaissance and ancients and recently got into WSS.

In WW2 I prefer a large scope so the rules I'm going to use are Lightning War - one base is a company - and I'm using 1/300th miniatures for France 1940.

Tony Hughes

[Jason Pipes]

There is also a Civil War series based on SPI's "Terrible Swift Sword", and a Napoleonic Series based on SPI's Wellington's Victory" Again these are based on the old SPI series but they are also different in there own right. And with play by email their are plenty of opponants to play. So if both of you still enjoy playing the old SPI games and like turn based, hex based wargames, you owe it to yourself to at least check out one of these games. I am not trying to be a salesman here as like Leo, for my research and design I get free games.

I actually own almost all of the games in the ACW and Napoleonic series. I have the original versions from the mid to late 90s and enjoy them for the very reasons you stated. They are by far among the best of the computer based traditional wargames in my opinion.

I tried boad wargames but couldn't get into them, too abstract

Interesting you would feel that way, most people feel that way about miniatures, I know I do. No offense in any way or form, but I tend to not really like the "here is my force represented by 3 tanks and 10 stands of soldiers but it really represents 1000 men and 40 tanks, and that village over there with 3 buildings is really a city of 25..." You get my point. I never liked the one-equals-five concept generally used in miniatures. I like certain minis, like ACW or Napoelonic era, but that's because I think miniatures are best suited to games where the terrain was less varied and where manuver was more linear and less dynamic as in modern warfare. I don't think you can get more specific than in some of the board wargames I've seen and played. For pomp and grandure though, minis really do impress visually.

I still remember my two first games. They were Avalon Hill's "Alexander the Great" and "Midway".

I am sitting about 10 feet from both of those games, in fact. Haven't played either yet but am eager to try Midway.

[Tom Houlihan]

The first game I ever played was Avalon Hill's Afrika Korps game. Then I bought Squad Leader. Talk about a learning curve!!!

[baaaadbone]

haa haa it brings back memories i used be putting together of these model cars even miltary tanks and planes glue it togther build it something strange pop in my head i talk to friend of mine and why not make it like real thing looks like real battle field so me and my buddies got 4 4x8 plywood put it all together in 1 big square with little holes in areas of plywood cover it with dirt and sands then we put together about 45 tanks of german and america and we install all tanks with battery and small motor to make it mobile so we start play game every time we roll dices to move tank if tank went top of that 1 inch hole we light up firecrackers blew it up and we hang planes above us with over 100 hooks roll dice to move planes and roll dices to move tanks almost as chess game idea but it like chess game on plywood with tanks and planes hang above we can move both plane and tanks 1 time each roll of dice to move it if plane hit red hook it means shot down so we had to remove planes of top and put on plywood light firecrackers under 1in hole watch it blew up gone in smoke whole thing looks alot like live thing as real live it was awsome wish i can do that again it alot like ho scale train set idea but battle field with alot holes in plywood with half of pop cans under plywood for firecrackers one time we had long line of fuse on each side we can light it watch it go in smoke it was crazy and alot fun if u have good vent that can suck the smoke out of basement ur alright if no vent that is bad idea big time my dad almost kill me when he gets home see that hole up in basement window with homemade vent and fan install above us it worked for us LMAO if u wanna try and ask me i be glad to explain how game works

[Reb]

I tried a boardgame years ago and to test it I attempted Rommel's race to the wire - Crusader. it failed miserably and I was wiped out because my opponent could see what I was up to.

Since then I've followed the industry, read Dunnigan etc for the info and historical detail, oob etc. My best book on the Ost Front from that regard remains Dunnigan's for Milton Bradley - lots of boring, eyesight destroying oob stuff!

My own wargaming is with miniatures in 1/32 scale - luckily I have a large play area. Used to focus mostly on Napoleonic and Civil War with roughly fifty men to a regt / bn.

Now I have a very nice WW2 setup. Four tanks per company - two or more companies to a bn. Company is basic unit for any type of weapons system. I've pretty much worked out my own rules over the many years I've done it and having mulitple personalites I've been known to accuse myself of cheating. Sometimes play with my brother who is equally eccentric. Recent battle was the fortified goose egg (ardennes) with about 125 total tanks.

As age begins to wave its boney hand in my face I've been seriously thinking of looking at some computer games that allow for a) compelling visuals, b) lots of boring organizational and weapons specific detail.

Any ideas folks?

cheers
Reb

[Tom Houlihan]

...I've been known to accuse myself of cheating.

Did you kick yer own arse???

As age begins to wave its boney hand in my face I've been seriously thinking of looking at some computer games that allow for a) compelling visuals, b) lots of boring organizational and weapons specific detail.

I happen to like Steel Panthers. I have I - III, but I mostly play III.

I is individual vehicle/squads in WWII, much like Squad Leader.

II is the same format, but post-WWII to modern, including at least one fantasy scenario (Germans v. Poles... wonder where they got that idea?)

III is brigade level, WWII to modern. I like the Kursk scenario, and a couple of the Iraq scenarios. There's a killer fantasy scenario, US v. USSR in 1945! You command somewhere between a brigade and a division!

[Mike Higgins]

My Wargames list includes

Breakout Normandy, AH

Smithsonians Battle of the Bulge, AH

Panzer Blitz, AH

Luftwaffe, AH

Squad Leader, AH

Fortress Berlin, Against the Odds magazine game

Seelow and Kustrin 1945, Omega Games

Close Assualt, Yaquinto

I'm also working on some "Battlefield Miniatures" 20mm wargaming figures. I've got their 'Late War Germans' and 'American Airborne'.

[Reb]

Tom

Some good sounding suggestions. US V. USSR in '45 sounds intriguing.

I've wargamed a pre-emptive strike against the soviets in Europe which was fun but it took me and my brother to control all the pieces and we did it in a 100 sqr foot outdoor battlefield. (obviously I was single then)

I felt deliciously wicked when I authorized the first attack with chemical weapons.

I'll have a look at Steel Panthers. Might be the excuse I need to upgrade my computer hardware too!

cheers
Reb

[phylo_roadking]

The one thing that will tempt me back to tabletop wargaming is the VERY fortunate trend at last away from monstrously expensive 25-28-30mm miniatures, to injection-moulded 20mms. Browsing the Net lately, its quite amazing whats available out there in plastic now in ALL eras - the most popular Ancient, Dark Age, Medieval, Renaissance and up armies are all available, at a fraction of the cost of metal!

Some of the detail is incredible, putting anything in metal to shame at last.

[Reb]

Phylo

You should see what Richard Conte if putting out in 54mm. Omaha beach Americans, US and Brit Paras, Heer and Waffen SS. whew...why not when I was a kid and had time to play?!

Check it out:
http://www.conteco.com/BloodyOmaha.htm

cheers
Reb