Book Shelf 25-16 / Wargame SITREP 25-38 ~ End of Summer Game Flood

September, so far, has become something of a banner month for new gaming arrivals. While it has been a relatively dry month climate-wise where I live the flood of wargames is most incredible.

Books

Ford, Matthew (2025) War in the Smartphone Age: Conflict, Connectivity and the Crises at Our Fingertips. Oxford University Press.

Hirst, Aggie (2024) Politics of Play: Wargaming with the US Military. Oxford University Press.

Wargaming

[In order of arrival this month…]

1. La Bataille de Kulm, August 29-30, 1813 – Supposedly an “introductory” wargame for the La Bataille system.
2. Marschall Vowärts! – Pocket Battle Game No. 13 (Leipzig NW) – Postcard wargame.
3. “A Matter of Honor, Sire” – Pocket Battle Game No. 14 (Leipzig NE) – Does anybody even know what a postcard is these days?
4. The Nations Assemble – Pocket Battle Game No. 15 (Leipzig SE) – With no spot for a stamp or address is it really a postcard?
5. Trapping the Ogre – Pocket Battle Game No. 16 (Leipzig SW) – Grognards understand; the rest of you? Maybe not…
6. A Bridge Too Few: Combining All Four Leipzig Pocket Battle Games – Not quite a page when laid out.
7. Marching to the Guns: A Variant for A Bridge Too Few – Hey, this one has regular counters!
8. 1814 Empires End – Called a “mega pocket battle game” by some; think strategic-level.
9. The Battle of Scarborough Shoal: : A “Cod War” Variant – Don’t have the core rules but likely usable with something like Naval Command.
10. Five Parsecs From Home: Tactics – Expansion 1: Field Commander’s Guide – Digital only.
11. Battles of the PLA Navy, May 1950-Nov 1965 – Scenarios using Command at Sea 5th Edition.
12. By Swords & Bayonets: Great Battles of the American Civil War – My first foray into GBACW.
13. Polyversal: Sci-Fi Miniatures System – Base system but no minis…looking for standees or substitute candidates in my collection.
14. Polyversal: Mercenary Balkenkreüz GmbH Expansion
15. Polyversal: OPFOR Minutemen Expansion
16. Polyversal: OPFOR Texas Militia Expansion
17. Polyversal: UN Peacekeepers Expansion
18. Polyversal: UN Quick Reaction Force Expansion

Tracking Enroute

C3i Magazine No. 38 with Trevor Bender’s Korea: Fight Across the 38th.

Backlog

In order of arrival…

• Korsun Pocket 2: Little Stalingrad on the Dnepr – Rules translation working.
• ASAT: Orbital Combat, ASAT: Fighter Expansion, ASAT: Orbital Combat – Needs printing and table slot.
• Command at Sea: 5th edition – War at Sea 1926-1955 (with Player’s Handbook) – Awaiting table slot; possible Game of the Week candidate using Battles of the PLA Navy, May 1950-Nov 1965 that is listed above.
• Inflection Point: The Battle for Kalach and the Battle of Chir – Game of the Week candidate; awaiting time slot.
• Corsair Leader, Corsair Leader: Aces Expansion Pack – Awaiting table slot.
• Asalto al Japón ancestral. Kyüshü 1945 – Translation in hand; awaiting table slot, possible pairing with August Storm below for Armchair Dragoons “History to Wargame”.
• Fly, Fight Win: Danger Zone – Awaiting table slot (need Paper Forge minis?).
• August Storm: the Soviet-Japanese War, 1945 – Translation working; awaiting table slot, possible pairing with Kyüshü 45 above for Armchair Dragoons “History to Wargame”.
• Chernobyl: Avoid the Nuclear Disaster – Needs printing and table slot.
• …and all the ones that arrived above!

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Feature image courtesy RMN

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