GMT's COIN series

[bayonetbrant]

So I've played Andean Abyss and A Distant Plain.  And we've talked a lot about A Distant Plain on the site, too...

http://grogheads.com/?p=2919 <-- first look
http://grogheads.com/?p=3815 <-- review
http://grogheads.com/int-adp1.html  <-- interview part 1
http://grogheads.com/int-adp2.html  <-- interview part 2

Some comments I've made about the series elsewhere

I've played a bunch of both ADP and AA

While I like ADP a lot, I feel Andean Abyss is a bit more versatile, as it seems to play better with fewer than 4 people. ADP always felt like it had to have 4 people to 'feel' right.

I also think AA captures the a conflict at a level not normally dealt with, whereas I've seen any number of strat-level Afghanistan games, so AA gives you a diferent time/place that you won't find in other games.

However - I'm curious what y'all think...

Have you played Cuba Libre?  What about the 2 above?
Thoughts on how they play out, compared to other games like Battle of Baghdad or Labyrinth?

What do you like about them?  Not like about them?

Discuss!

[Nefaro]

I've never played it but I keep seeing people complain about Cuba Libre's limited map size as heavily restricting.

Did you not get Fire In The Lake?

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=10894.0

[PanzersEast]

I've played Andean Abyss and really like the game.... do not have a Distant Plain and really felt at the time of purchase that Andean Abyss was the way to go.


PE

[BanzaiCat]

I've never played it but I keep seeing people complain about Cuba Libre's limited map size as heavily restricting.

Did you not get Fire In The Lake?

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=10894.0

I received the review copy of Fire in the Lake, and am working up a review currently.

I've not played any of the other COIN games, though, so I cannot offer opinions as to how it differs from the others.

[bayonetbrant]

I've never played it but I keep seeing people complain about Cuba Libre's limited map size as heavily restricting.

Did you not get Fire In The Lake?

http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=10894.0

I didn't - B_C did.  I'm holding out for Gaul, or the Rhodesia game!  ;)

[James Sterrett]

I have all except Cuba, but have not yet played FitL.  So far, I've liked Distant Plain best because all the sides seem to have more of an equal role (the Cartels and AUC are second fiddles to the government and the FARC in Andean Abyss - not that they don't have a good shot to win, but they are decidedly secondary powers on the map.)

Gaul is tempting but I'm leery of accumulating another one!  I will probably falter in that resolve eventually....  :-/

[bayonetbrant]

I will probably falter in that resolve eventually....  :/

Yes!  Yesssss....  give in to your temptation!   >:D

[Ubercat]

I just won a 4 player Vassal game of FitL. I was the VC and held the lead for most of the game. There didn't appear to be any negotiation or coordination between my opponents and I suspect things might have turned out very differently if they'd worked together to knock me below my victory conditions.

It was a blast.

[BanzaiCat]

FitL is rather fascinating in that the victory conditions cause the US player and ARVN player to have roughly contradicting goals. The US player needs to gain support but keep troops at home (the more they deploy, the less points they get, but the more effective they will be at gaining that support). The ARVN gets points for controlling population but also has a Patronage aspect that is, as the rules state, rewarding cronies and buddies of the regime at the expense of the people.

Since I don't know the other COIN games I can only assume they have similar effects with conflicting victory goals?

[Ubercat]

All the COIN games create interesting relationships between the players via the victory conditions. FitL and aDP both have the closest thing to actual alliances. As you pointed out, there is a lot of pulling going on with the pushing.

[Ubercat]

We're starting a new game of FitL but one player has dropped out. We need someone to take one of the Communist factions. The specific one will be determined when the game is created.

Who's up for a great MP gaming experience? (AI has nothing on real human opponents)

[Nefaro]

We're starting a new game of FitL but one player has dropped out. We need someone to take one of the Communist factions. The specific one will be determined when the game is created.

Who's up for a great MP gaming experience? (AI has nothing on real human opponents)

Do you guys have a set schedule?  Or are you gonna do it in one go?  When do you plan on starting?  This is multi-player Vassal again, right?

I'm not sure I can join soon, since I have some family in town from now through the weekend and some will be staying for a couple days.  But let us know the details.  Maybe I can be your FNG.  :))

[James Sterrett]

I just won a 4 player Vassal game of FitL. I was the VC and held the lead for most of the game. There didn't appear to be any negotiation or coordination between my opponents and I suspect things might have turned out very differently if they'd worked together to knock me below my victory conditions.

Failure to coordinate to knock down the leader is, I suspect, a common cause of the leader's victory in this series!  We're seen it as well - notably when the potential winner (AUC) was the lesser ally of a major faction (Columbian government), and the majors (FARC & government) went into brinkmanship over who had to smack down the uppity faction....  then the scoring card came up and it was all over.  :)

[Ubercat]

We're starting a new game of FitL but one player has dropped out. We need someone to take one of the Communist factions. The specific one will be determined when the game is created.

Who's up for a great MP gaming experience? (AI has nothing on real human opponents)

Do you guys have a set schedule?  Or are you gonna do it in one go?  When do you plan on starting?  This is multi-player Vassal again, right?

I'm not sure I can join soon, since I have some family in town from now through the weekend and some will be staying for a couple days.  But let us know the details.  Maybe I can be your FNG.  :))

It's not going to be a live game. When I start it, I'll put the first logfile into Dropbox and Email everyone as to who the first player is. Each player will make a new logfile as they take their turns and put them in DB. Negotiations and other communications will be through Email. The process is a lot simpler than it might sound. If everyone can take their turn at least every day or 2 (as we managed in the first game), then it shouldn't take more than 2 months.

The 3 of us that remain from the first game are all moving to the opposite alliance as before, which is why we need a commy player.

[ArizonaTank]

We're starting a new game of FitL but one player has dropped out. We need someone to take one of the Communist factions. The specific one will be determined when the game is created.

Who's up for a great MP gaming experience? (AI has nothing on real human opponents)

Do you guys have a set schedule?  Or are you gonna do it in one go?  When do you plan on starting?  This is multi-player Vassal again, right?

I'm not sure I can join soon, since I have some family in town from now through the weekend and some will be staying for a couple days.  But let us know the details.  Maybe I can be your FNG.  :))

Since it is PBEM, it takes me about 10 - 15 min to do a turn.  Pop it in the dropbox, then go to work or whatever.  So very easy on the time commitment.