Game of the Week
The last week was challenging schedule-wise but I was able to keep on track for my Game of the Week. I’m leaving behind Indian Ocean Region: South China Sea Vol. II (John Gorkowski, Compass Games, 2020) and moving to Mark Simonitch’s Stalingrad ’42: Southern Russia June-December 1942 (GMT Games, 2019) that uses the “ZoC-Bond” system I first explored in Holland ’44: Operation Market-Garden, September 1944 (GMT Games, 2017).
Wargames
NEW ARRIVAL! I was able to make a trade on BoardGameGeek for a copy of Strike of the Eagle (Academy Games, 2011). I really wanted this game to explore its Fog of War system. Here is how the ad copy for the game describes it:
To simulate the tension of the era from the fog of war, players alternate placing secret orders on their armies in order to bluff, mislead and misdirect their opponents. These concealed orders make it difficult to deduce an opponent’s plans and are used to hide a player’s true intentions and objectives. Players then reveal and resolve the issued orders. They can then disrupt their opponent’s moves, cut off supply and much more. Once orders are resolved the next turn begins.
Units are represented by wooden blocks. Battles are fought with no dice, but with a simple and quick combat system.
Action cards are pivotal to the game in that they allow players to either modify how many orders they may issue, add army reinforcements or modify a battle’s resolution.
Strike of the Eagle, ad copy
With Strike of the Eagle landing I said goodbye to a few games too. Amongst them are White Ensign/Rising Sun (Jack Green, Moments in History, 1997) as well as “Scratch One Flat Top!” (Peter Bertram, 3W, 1995). Neither are bad games they just…well, I hope they found a good new home.
GMT Games P500
Gene Billingsly at GMT Games dropped their monthly update and boy, did it contain a great surprise. Forty-one years after Jim Day published ’88’: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the North African Front (Yaquinto, 1980), the North African expansion for Panzer: A Tactical Game of Armored Combat on the Eastern Front, 1941-1945 (Yaquinto, 1979) a new edition is forthcoming. Panzer was my very first wargame ever and the entire series has always held a soft spot in my Grognard heart. I am very happy to see Panzer North Africa now on P500. This looks to be a GINORMOUS game that will retail for $139.
Books
I continue to read through Cory Pfarr’s Longstreet at Gettysburg: A Critical Reassessment. The book is not so much a reanalysis of the battle as it is a critique of the many critiques and myths that grew over the years debating Longstreet’s actions (or inactions, depending on your viewpoint) at Gettysburg. It’s caused me to dip into Ludology, or “the study of games and gaming.” I can already feel another Rocky Reads for Wargame entry coming….
Feature image: USS Saratoga at Diego Garcia in the 1990s.
Rocky Mountain Navy Gamer 
Grateful for shaaring this
I’m looking forward to the Panzer North Africa game too. I was thinking that North Africa would just be an expansion to the existing Panzer games. But I was happily surprised to see that it is a stand-alone game.
Oh yeah! All the original Yaquinto games were standalones. I don’t mind the 2E expansion approach but getting fresh series rule book and play aids is really underrated.