2019 RockyMountainNavy Origins Awards Challenge #boardgame #wargame #miniatures

I combed my game collection once again and found yet another challenge for myself. In this case, it’s to play all the Origins Awards winners I possess. Frankly, I’m surprised I have 16 Origins Awards winners because I think of the Origins Awards as a boardgame award and not a wargame. Surprisingly, 10 of the 16 Origins Awards winners in my collection are wargames.

I have written before about how I feel the modern Origins Awards are nothing more than a popularity contest. Looking back on the past winners I own, I am both surprised and appalled. Games like Ace of Aces (1993 Hall of Fame Inductee) are wonderful and certainly award worthy but the production disasters in the Battletech Introductory Box Set (2007 Miniatures Rules of the Year) make me wonder what game they played.

Update:

I belatedly realized my other challenges listed the games. So I am updating this post with my Origins Awards winners for this challenge:

1. Ace of Aces: Handy Rotary Series (Flying Buffalo Inc, 1980); 1993 Hall of Fame Inductee
2. Catan (Mayfair, 1995); 1996 Best Fantasy or Science Fiction Board Game
3. Harpoon 4 (Clash of Arms, 1997); 1996 Best Modern-Day Board Game
4. Great War at Sea: US Navy War Plan Orange (Avalanche Press, 1998); 1998 Best Historic Board Game
5. Great War at Sea: 1904-1905, The Russo-Japanese War (Avalanche Press, 1999); 1999 Best Historic Board Game
6. Fear God and Dread Nought (Clash of Arms, 2001); 2001 Best Historic Miniatures Rules
7. Star Munchkin (Steve Jackson Games, 2002); 2002 Best Traditional Card Game
8. Attack! (Eagle-Gryphon Games, 2003); 2003 Best Historic Board Game
9. Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder, 2004); 2004 Best Historic Board Game
10. Commands & Colors: Ancients (GMT Games, 2006); 2006 Best Historical Board Game of the Year
11. Classic Battletech Introductory Box Set (Catalyst Games Lab, 2007); 2007 Miniatures Rules of the Year
12. Conflict of Heroes: Awakening the Bear! – Russia 1941-42 (Academy Games, 2008); 2008 Best Historical Board Game
13. Quarriors! (WizKids, 2011); 2013 Best Family, Party, or Children’s Game
14. Trains (AEG, 2012); 2014 Best Board Game
15. Love Letter (AEG, 2012); 2014 Best Traditional Card Game
16. 1775: Rebellion (Academy Games, 2013); 2014 Best Historic Board Game

Feature image courtesy Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts & Design