First Board war Game

Started by bob48, March 30, 2012, 05:17:25 PM

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bob48

Right then chaps - thinking caps on.

What was the first board wargame you ever played?

For me, it was AH's Afrika Korps. A friend brought a copy back from the US for me way back in the late 1960's, and it took me by storm. Up until then, it had been 1/72 scale Airfix mini's and home made rules, so this was a revelation, as I had neither seen or heard of this kind of war game (although I had a copy of Diplomacy - which aint really in the same class).

Over the years, my games collection had been sold off, rebuilt, sold off again and is now once more getting bigger, but I still have that original Afrika Korps, albeit the box disintegrated at some point, the board and all the components are still in good condition.

Not too long ago, I set it all up and started to play it, the first time for a long time, and my thoughts were, "This is totally crap", and I put all away again. How times have changed.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

Arctic Blast

Probably the TSR stuff that came out in the 80's. Red Storm Rising, Hunt for Red October, A Line in the Sand or...crap, what was it called? Europe Aflame or something like that.

Found a beat up copy of Victory in the Pacific at a thrift store soon after that, and found myself actually making counters for missing carriers and the like. Eventually, a friend and I thought it would be a brilliant idea to buy Pacific War. And I very soon after realized that I have no interest in gaming anything at that big a scale.  ;D

LongBlade

Well there was an American Heritage game called Dogfight that I remember a friend had. We were pretty young - maybe 4th grade.

The first time I really played a wargame and had any idea what I was doing was either Starship Troopers or Panzer Blitz. I can't remember which I bought first, but one of them is probably the real first game.
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Staggerwing

For me...
Panzer Blitz around 1979 or 1980. Shortly afterwards I got Von Richthofen's War. I actually still have both games complete with Boxes.
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Barthheart

Me... it was AH's Luftwaffe. Saw it on a bookshelf of a couple I was babysitting for.... yes for money.
Spent what I earned that night on my own copy.
Then it was Squad Leader and then, and then........

I still own the original Luftwaffe, Squad Leader +, Africa Corps, Panzer Blitz etc....

Wonderful menories.... 8)

Rekim

I was blown away the first time I encountered AH's Flat Top. It wasn't long before it became my first wargame.

Bison


bayonetbrant

Quote from: bob48 on March 30, 2012, 05:17:25 PMWhat was the first board wargame you ever played?

Pretty sure it was one of SPI's Modern Battles quads with dad in the late 70s.  Given that I was born in '72, you're right - I started early :)

I have no doubt he nerved down the rules for me, but it was still 'fun with dad'.

My son and I played his first 'game' of Heroscape together when he was 4.
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bob48

I guess in many ways, AH were the people who kickstarted hex-and-counter wargames, whilst SPI then promoted it by the sheer volume of titles / topics that they produced. S&T was such a great way of expanding the hobby by introducing a variety of topics.
My lifelong facination with the ACW period began with the S&T 'Stonewall - Kernstown' game, although if memory serves, I think the 'Cobra' issue (65) may have been the first one that I obtained, a great game it was too.
'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers'

'Clip those corners'

Recombobulate the discombobulators!

TheCommandTent

Bear in mind I am probably much younger then most you guys and still "fairly new" to the wargaming scene.  So I had limited exposure growing up to war board games.

If you don't count chess then probably Axis and Allies was my gateway drug.
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besilarius

There were probably two.
An english game that my dad brought back called Dover Patrol.  It was Stratego in the English Channel, World War I.  All the different ships, with pictures on the upright counters, sucked me in.
The first Avalon Hill game was one my older brothers got called UBoat.  Up to three Uboats versus up to three escorts.
Very difficult with some amount of hidden movement.  It was exciting for us kids because our father had been on a destroyer during part of the Atlantic convoy actions.
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Martok

Does Risk and/or Twilight Imperium count? 

If not, then it's your good ol' Axis & Allies


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mirth

A&A for me too. Then the TSR games that Arctic Blast mentioned. Wish I had hung on to those. They were pretty good.
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MetalDog

First real wargame, not RISK?  Tactics II.  I wish I still had it.
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Arctic Blast

Quote from: mirth on March 31, 2012, 12:24:22 PM
A&A for me too. Then the TSR games that Arctic Blast mentioned. Wish I had hung on to those. They were pretty good.

You and me both. Hunt and Red Storm combined made for a pretty fun day of strategy gaming.