Best WWI or WWII wargames out there so far

Started by JudgeDredd, April 19, 2018, 04:38:40 AM

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JudgeDredd

As subject - criteria is

  • low to medium complexity
  • solitaire or 2 player (but can be played solitaire given some caveats)
  • squad/platoon level
  • counters (LnL Tactical) or mini's (Memoir '44)
  • can be card driven (Combat Commander)

I currently have

  • LNL Tactical Heroes of Normandy and Heroes of the Falklands
  • LNL World at War (something)
  • Conflict of Heroes AtB and SoS and Price of Honour with the Solo rules (though haven't tried them yet)
  • Band of Brothers Screaming Eagles and Ghost Panzer
  • Combat Commander:Europe

Each of these games falls very nicely into my lap in terms of scale, playability and pleasing to the eye.

So - what other gems am I missing that I might be able to pick up sometime in the future. Please submit your options below.

Thanks
Alba gu' brath

Crossroads

DVG's Warfighter WW2 comes to mind, it is of course more of a card game than just card driven, but worth a shout I believe.

Having said that, I have the modern Special Forces Warfighter game, not the WW2 one. But I rather like it, so am assuming the WW2 era one is a gem as well.
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Barthheart

LnLP Nations at War series. Similar rules and same scale as LnLP World at War series but for WWII era conflicts. Current Normandy, East Front and N. Africa available. Fun game and plays fast.

Silent Disapproval Robot

Tide of Iron.  It's out of print but there are still tonnes of copies available.  All the expansions are decent but the two East Front ones offer the most bang for your money.

JudgeDredd

Quote from: Barthheart on April 19, 2018, 06:39:20 AM
LnLP Nations at War series. Similar rules and same scale as LnLP World at War series but for WWII era conflicts. Current Normandy, East Front and N. Africa available. Fun game and plays fast.
I saw this on the LnL website. Unfortunately, I couldn't find t online in the UK (well, not the Normandy one - I think BoardGameGuru had the Africa and Russia one).

Tide of Iron has always been on my radar...ever since I picked up and enjoyed Memoir '44 (which my daughter apparently loved and was completely unhappy when I sold it so I could buy Conflict of Heroes)

Does anyone play Axis and Allies? I always got the impression it was a bit like Risk but with proper units - and of course rules for navy and air force - so nothing like Risk except it's based on the World  :idiot2:
Alba gu' brath

Barthheart

I played the original Axis & Allies to death with my group. It's a fun light game. Great when drinking lots of beer.  Not hard to learn but also not very deep. I eventually sold my copy when we all got tired of playing when most games turned out the same. So yes, think Risk+.


ArizonaTank

#6
You have a pretty good list but I would add:

Red Poppies: Ypres Campaign (Compass) - units are companies, so maybe higher level than you want.  Covers three campaigns, 1914, 1915 and 1917.  Does a great job is showing the evolution of warfare through the period, 1914 is mobile and deadly - 1917 has gas and trenches.  https://www.compassgames.com/military-simulations/red-poppies-campaigns.html

Paths to Hell (Compass) - WWII platoon level system, of the War Storn series.  This game covers early Russian invasion.  Other games in the series cover Spanish Civil War, and France 1940.  This summer, a Normandy 1944 will be published in the series.
https://www.compassgames.com/military-simulations/paths-to-hell.html

Tiny Battle publishes the "In The Trenches" series of games, that is at platoon level.  The series covers WWI in the West and East, all periods of the War.  The series does a pretty good stretch by also covering battles in Asia with Japan vs. the Germans. 

Devil Dogs (Tiny Battle Publishing) is one of the base sets.  Covers the US Marines at Belleau Wood, and a sprinkling of other periods
https://tinybattlepublishing.com/products/in-the-trenches-devil-dogs

upcoming and buzz

Great War Commander (Hexasim) is getting great buzz...but I haven't gotten a copy of it yet myself.  It is the Commander series in WWI
https://www.hexasim.com/1139-Great-War-Commander.html

Red Poppies Campaigns: Volume 2 - Last Laurels at Limanowa (Compass):  Eastern Front, 1914, Russians vs. the Austrians.  Due to release tomorrow.
https://www.compassgames.com/preorders/red-poppies-campaigns-volume-2-last-laurels-at-limanowa.html
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BanzaiCat

Second Tide of Iron. I have the original base game and three expansions...which I've yet to delve too deeply into but I think looks amazing and fun.

DVG's Warfighter WWII game is great fun.

Fields of Fire from GMT might be a possibility, though you might find it too much (e.g. not low complexity) but I've heard great things about it.

You could always do with a copy of the old Ambush! game if you can find it (and are good with paying quid through the nose to get it, lol).

Also agree with Axis & Allies - there's so many iterations of it out there now you can easily find something that you'd like...though that's not squad/platoon level of course.

bbmike

Wow, Great War Commander is a beautiful looking game!
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Crossroads

Quote from: JudgeDredd on April 19, 2018, 07:26:56 AM
Quote from: Barthheart on April 19, 2018, 06:39:20 AM
LnLP Nations at War series. Similar rules and same scale as LnLP World at War series but for WWII era conflicts. Current Normandy, East Front and N. Africa available. Fun game and plays fast.
I saw this on the LnL website. Unfortunately, I couldn't find t online in the UK (well, not the Normandy one - I think BoardGameGuru had the Africa and Russia one).

World at War's first module game, White Star Rising, has some Normandy scenarios, among others.

The series is on "version 2.0" at the moment, with new counters and maps, in "version 1.0" there was a module for Operation Cobra, that has not yet been converted I guess. But I'd guess by Normandy the reference was to White Star Rising.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY

Nefaro

#10
What about the Fields Of Fire series solitaire games from GMT?

Have heard a lot of good about it, although I've not yet fully learned it.  The rules look a bit on the heavy side, but it sounds like a great infantry platoon/company commander type of experience from WW2 to Korea and Vietnam.  The second version (Marine) reprint is also coming up soon.

https://www.gmtgames.com/p-322-fields-of-fire-2nd-edition.aspx




https://www.gmtgames.com/c-46-fields-of-fire-series.aspx

The terrain, etc, for each scenario is dictated by some randomization of terrain cards in a tableau.  Same for enemy forces & such IIRC.  So there should be some great replayability.

Someone has a YT introductory partial playthrough on it.

Bison

Honestly your low level tactical collection is nice.  I would maybe consider moving up in the level of war to try something new like Normandy 44 or Holland 44.  Both operational level and are good for solo play.

Arctic Blast

Heroes of Normandie is a legitimately good game system with a ton of different expansion directions to head down if you want to.

JudgeDredd

Quote from: Bison on April 19, 2018, 07:08:24 PM
Honestly your low level tactical collection is nice.  I would maybe consider moving up in the level of war to try something new like Normandy 44 or Holland 44.  Both operational level and are good for solo play.
I like the sound of that - perhaps I should scale up  O0
Alba gu' brath

JudgeDredd

Quote from: Nefaro on April 19, 2018, 04:07:05 PM
What about the Fields Of Fire series solitaire games from GMT?

Have heard a lot of good about it, although I've not yet fully learned it.  The rules look a bit on the heavy side, but it sounds like a great infantry platoon/company commander type of experience from WW2 to Korea and Vietnam.  The second version (Marine) reprint is also coming up soon.

https://www.gmtgames.com/p-322-fields-of-fire-2nd-edition.aspx




https://www.gmtgames.com/c-46-fields-of-fire-series.aspx

The terrain, etc, for each scenario is dictated by some randomization of terrain cards in a tableau.  Same for enemy forces & such IIRC.  So there should be some great replayability.

Someone has a YT introductory partial playthrough on it.
Thanks Nef - I hadn't heard of FoF before...or it never clicked with me to look up for some reason. Maybe at the time, I just wasn't thinking about a new game.
Alba gu' brath