This year, we have separate polls covering digital and tabletop gaming. All the games listed were nominated by you, our readers and forum-goers. Don’t see your pick for the 2015 games of the year? You should’ve nominated it! Check out our forums where you can start now with your nominations for the 2016 games of the year, both digital and tabletop. (click through to vote) Continue reading
So it’s a new year, with an updated look in our forums, and the continuing evolution of our community overall here at GrogHeads. And with the new year, we’re launching a few new ideas, starting with this one, a new weekly column. I’m going to have some regular things I’ll hit each week, but first, I wanted to take a few moments and talk about where this comes from.
First, this needs come clarifying: I’m not “the guy that runs GrogHeads”. There’s a partnership of several of us. We had a few other founders who have left the team for their own personal reasons over the years, but there’s more than just me here steering the ship, and always has been. I’m just the most visible one, because I’m the editorial content guy here, and that also translates into making sure we distribute the content through social media channels. But anyone that thinks that les GrogHeads c’est moi is mistaken.
When we decided we wanted to include ‘front page’ content – regular columns, reviews, AARs, etc – the hope was to recapture some of the intelligent, erudite, and insightful commentary we’d previously been a part of elsewhere. It was a high bar to shoot for, and it would be foolish to claim we’ve cleared it regularly, though not for lack of trying. Personally, I was hoping for the front page to become the “Grantland of wargaming” which is crazy-hard to do with our budget, which consists of a handful of free games, some pocket lint, and about 11¢. But there’s another reason why it’s so hard.
Forgotten War, The Korean War ASL (MMP)
Preorder price $96
ASL goes to Korea… officially! Seriously, what else do you need to know. OK, how about what’s in the box? 7 countersheets and 4 maps, plus a bunch of rules additions. Now, the caveat – you need the ASL base rules to play, so in addition to your $96 here, you still need a bunch of other stuff to play. But hey, you can finally get off the Eastern front, or the beaches of Normandy, or wherever you’ve been treading water in your ASL games. Storm over to MMP’s site and place your pre-order and re-fight the first conventional battles of the Cold War.
click images to enlarge
Tank on Tank is LNLP’s re-release of their older WWII tactical combat game. Unlike the LNL Tactical system, this one focuses on – wait for it – TANKS!
Counters are individual fighting vehicles, with additional infantry platoons running around. The West Front box (this review) has Panzer IVs, Priests, Pershings, and Panthers. There’s also playing pieces that pon’t part with “P”, like Shermans and Stukas, Wolverines and Armored Infantry. The maps are 50m hexes, and include a “winter” map on the backside of each of the standard maps.
Inside the Box
Production values are the usual LNLP high-quality, with a standard 1” deep box, individually-cut pieces (no corner clipping!), and vibrant colors and graphics. The play aids are useful without being obtrusive, and the rules are simple, concise, and compact. Although the production value is excellent, the West Front box seems a tad sparse for $34.99. For only an extra $5, the East Front box certainly packs more into the same size box – twice the counters and three times the maps. You can see the comparison in our previous unboxing article here.
Mark H Walker’s ’65 (Flying Pig Games)
$27k of $16k, ends 17 December 2015
The latest Kickstarter for Flying Pig is here, as previewed on The GrogCast – ’65 brings tactical combat in Vietnam to your desktop. Building on the same system they’re using for Night of Man, this card-driven game forces some agonizing decisions on you to manage your forces during intense shootouts. All the Mark Walker hallmarks are here – stunning counters, tight storylines, and fast, fun gameplay. March over to the campaign page and pledge already!
