Grogheads AAR! JTS Kiev ’43
After the Battle of Kursk in July of 1943, the Russians launched a number of successive campaigns to once and for all kick the Germans out of Russia. One of the major objectives of these campaigns was to cross the Dnepr River line and liberate Kiev, the third largest city in the Soviet Union. Intent on proving that the proud legacy of John Tiller will carry on, JTS has released its latest title in the long running Panzer Campaigns series: Kiev ’43.
Take command of the depleted 4th Panzerarmee and the 8th Army forces to defend against the Soviet onslaught. On the allied side, as the commander of the Russian 1st Ukrainian Front, players will have several armies at their disposal to defeat the German Wehrmacht. Included are scenarios that let you recreate all four phases of the campaign from the battle in the Bukrin bridgehead to the final battle near Korosten where the Germans made one last attempt to destroy the Russian forces and roll on to victory.
Mount up with Boggit as he takes command of the Soviet forces in this exciting after action report!
By: Boggit
Grogheads Impressions: WarPlan Pacific!
WarPlan Pacific is the latest World War 2 strategy game released by Slitherine/Matrix Games and developed by Kraken Studios. It is an operational level wargame covering all the nations at war in the Pacific theater of operations from December 1941 to 1945, on a massive game scale. Using the same game system as its predecessor, WarPlan Europe, WarPlan Pacific ships with many additional features and improvements. We took WarPlan Pacific for a spin to give you our initial impressions on just how well the mechanics of the game system translate to the war in the Pacific.
By: Boggit
Grogheads Developer Interview! KatHawk Studios
Grogheads recently had the opportunity to meet with Steve Hawkins, the man behind KatHawk Studios, developer of the upcoming Sci-Fi 4x strategy title Alliance of the Sacred Suns (“AotSS”). Taking place a thousand years in the future, humanity stands on the brink of collapse. Noble Great Houses belonging to the last human empire compete for control over a deteriorating feudal state on the brink of a new interstellar dark age. Players take on the role of a young newly crowned emperor or empress who carries the last glimmer of hope for a brighter future among the stars.
Described as a “grand strategy game, with 4X elements, but also character and House management,” AotSS adds a 5th ‘X’ to the 4x formula, which the developer calls ‘eXist’. AotSS differs from most other 4x strategy titles in that game play centers around the development of the player’s character, who will rule by interacting with other characters in order to develop a web of beneficial relationships. These characters must be appointed into central roles within the player’s government in order to carry out the players directions and objectives.
If games like Master of Orion, Stellaris and Crusader Kings interest you, read on to gain more insight into this very exciting upcoming title.
Alliance of the Sacred Suns
By: Craig Handler
Grogheads Honors – John Tiller
It is with deep sadness that Grogheads shares the news that John Albert Tiller passed away on April 26, 2021. John is quite simply a legend in our world of strategy and wargaming and the hobby will not be the same without him. Whether it was Squad Battles, Panzer Campaigns, Napoleonic Battles or Early American Wars, John’s genius at designing games at all operational levels and across centuries of military history provided us with uncountable hours of joy.
We extend our heartfelt sympathy and prayers to John’s wife and family. He will be truly missed by all of us at Grogheads.
R.I.P., Mr. Tiller
By: Grogheads Staff
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Grogheads Impressions! Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
It is no secret that we at Grogheads just love Warhammer 40,000! We are shameless fanatics and our loyalty to the Emperor is without bounds. Personally, I’ve been obsessed with 40K from the moment I looked up and saw the original Rogue Trader rule book on the store shelf in 1987. Over the next two and a half decades, there has been no turning back and although I sadly no longer play any table top, I otherwise, like the Great Devourer, mindlessly consume all things 40K – PC and mobile games, books, movies, animation, etc. So, when a new PC title is announced, we obviously get pretty revved up around here. When Slitherine and Black Lab Games announced a new turn-based strategy game set in our beloved Games Workshop universe, we dropped to our knees and broke out in praise to the Emperor of Mankind!
Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector (“Battlesector”) is described as a “battle scale” turn-based strategy game that takes gamers to the battlefields of the 41st Millennium. Players will pick a force, develop it into a highly capable army led by mighty heroes and will use them to fight for victory by applying superior stratagems, awesome capabilities, and devastating weaponry, all in turn-based action on grid style maps.
Battlesector will be released on PC in May 2021; with console versions (Xbox One and PlayStation 4) following in the summer. Grogheads was lucky enough to get access to an early preview build and so far, this one has left us very excited for the refreshing take this title looks to be bringing to the genre.
