The NEW New Boardgames Thread

[CountDeMoney]

Because we lost so much material from the crash.

New from GMT Games. Fighting Formations: Grossdeutschland Infantry Division  marks the first in an ongoing series of wargames covering WWII tactical combined-arms combat at the platoon and squad levels. Each game will focus on several battles of a particular formation during World War II. Price: $85.

http://www.gmtgames.com/p-279-fighting-formations-grossdeutschland-infantry-division.aspx

Anyone order their copy?

[Berkut]

I played this on Tuesday.

[CountDeMoney]

I played this on Tuesday.

Well? Or do we have to mention taxing the wealthy to make you say more than 5 words?

[Neil]

I recommend that someone make a joke at CdM's expense in this thread.

[CountDeMoney]

Oh yeah, because that never happens.

[Habbaku]

Yeah, I pre-ordered it.  Haven't gotten the chance to play yet, unfortunately, but I'm probably going to play against a local guy within the next two weeks.

[Berkut]

I liked it a lot, it has some pretty interesting mechanics. In some cases, I am not really sure those mechanics have much to do with WW2, but they make for interesting gameplay.

It plays very fast, which is nice.

[CountDeMoney]

In some cases, I am not really sure those mechanics have much to do with WW2, but they make for interesting gameplay.

Can you give an example?  Is it the impulse-driven turns, or a subset to that?

[Berkut]

In some cases, I am not really sure those mechanics have much to do with WW2, but they make for interesting gameplay.

Can you give an example?  Is it the impulse-driven turns, or a subset to that?

Well, the basic "impulse" mechanic is based on initiative.

There is an orders track, which looks like this:



SO at the start of each turn, you take ten cubes and seed the track by rolling ten ten sided dice.

So maybe the result iis like this:

10, 9, 6, 6, 5, 5, 3, 2, 1, 1

So you put 1 cube on 10, 1 on 9, 2 on 6, etc., etc.

Whoever has the initiative (and there is chit that goes on that bottom track) gets to move next. He picks a cube off of the orders track. By doing so he can take whatever action is at that level of the cube or lower.

So lets say the initiative marker is on the 3 space on the Russian side, and he wants to take a 'Rally' action. There is no cube on the 4 spot of the track, so he has to take a 5 spot cube instead. So he takes that one, and his action costs him 5 initiative. The cube is removed from the track, and the initiative marker moves from the Russian 3 to the German 2. He takes his rally action, and then it is the Germans turn to do something. Actions may (and often do) take more than the track cost in initiative, since it costs init for each unit that takes the action as well, depending on their command status - so that Rally action could cost a bit more than just 5. BUt for our example lets just assume it costs him the base 5.

Now, if the Germans decide they want some asset cards, and take the 10 value cube, the initiative will go to Russian 8 - now the Russians could actually take several actions in a row, until he uses up enough initiative to push it back to the German side. You go back and forth like this until all the cubes are used up, and that is 1 turn. And the non-action player can use initiative as well, for reaction fire.

From a game perspective, it is a pretty neat mechanic - everything you do has a cost associated to it, and you have to think pretty carefully about whether low odds attacks (for example) are worth it. But it feels kind of eurogameyish.

[CountDeMoney]

Hmmm, it sounds very intriguing.  I think the Eurogameyishism stems from a desire for fast, quick play.

I think I'll get it, even if it does pluralize "Soviets", which I find incredibly annoying.

And even though I'm a diehard Red Army fanboi, I'll grab any game with Panzer IV F2s.

[grumbler]

I think I'll get it, even if it does pluralize "Soviets", which I find incredibly annoying.

Well, it isn't a game of Germans against Soviets, or Germany against the Soviet Union, it is about Germany versus Soviets. 

I, too, find it irritating when publishers confuse countries with people, and vice-versa.  Pretty minor nit, though.

Seems like a nice, clean system, though fairly generic.  The different costs for a given action depending on side, plus unit capabilities may make my perception of blandness inaccurate, though.

[Ed Anger]

I see Decision is making another magazine with a game in it. This one on modern conflicts.

I should buy 10 issue ones and keep them in a cool dry place. they'll be a hundred bucks each on ebay in a year or so after release.

[CountDeMoney]

I see Decision is making another magazine with a game in it. This one on modern conflicts.

I should buy 10 issue ones and keep them in a cool dry place. they'll be a hundred bucks each on ebay in a year or so after release.

Worth $100 dollars each in a year.  And yet, produced by Decision Games.  We call that: unfulfilling prophecy.

[PDH]

What ever became of the Nappy game tracing the career of a general (or somesuch)?

[Habbaku]

Assuming you're talking about Legion of Honor from Clash of Arms, it's still in the works and seems to be nearing release.

They did an art dump not too long ago and have stated that the counters are finally finished, so it's probably just a couple months or so away.  Now that Moscowa is out, there's nothing in the way of it hitting the presses...

There was, however, a rather amusing kerfuffle over the game's art choice which you can see in the CSW folder for Clash.  Apparently, Hexasim used the same art without knowledge of Clash using it as well.  I'm skeptical of that, but it's hard to prove of course.