Friday, December 25, 2009

Onslaught: D-Day to the Rhine Gamebox

Wargame based around the WW2 Western Allied campaign from just after the Normandy invasion to the crossing of the Rhine.

First significant mechanic is the unpredictable turn order - players dice for each turn, with the highest taking the turn. However, ties end that month's play (players draw fresh supply points each month, and the game ends after 20 months).
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Second significant mechanic is the use of (limited) supply points to activate stacks of units when it's your turn. Like games such as We the People/Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage/Rommel in the Desert/Napoleon, you don't have the resources to activate all of your units each turn, you need to decide what the current priority is in line with the current situation. Activation generally allows you to either move stacks or attack with stacks, but with an increased expenditure of supply points, you can take more powerful 'breakthrough' turns involving both movement and attack.

These mechanics (unpredictable turn order, limited ability to activate units each turn) create a game of fluid tactical situations, where your planning has to be flexible - you never know who will get the next turn.

The Allied player has to break out of the beach head and capture additional supply ports (which raise the number of supply points available to the Allies, and hence the number of activations possible) en route to Germany. The German player must contain the Allies in Normandy for as long as possible before falling back to the Rhine, while also denying the valuable supply ports to the Allies as long as possible. The Allies are up against a tight timetable; the Germans must work against as increasing disadvantage in supply points.

Victory is generally determined by the difference in numbers between German units West of the Rhine and Allied units East of the Rhine at game end. Allied paratroops, the German Bulge offensive, reinforcements/replacements and strategic movement add to the game. The big mounted map with large hexes and counters remove the 'fiddle factor' which can blight wargames with lower production values.


Onslaught at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
ZunTzu: ZunTzu.com

Download ztb: http://www.mediafire.com/file/xtujfninuv3/Onslaught.ztb
Download Rules (incl Errata and Counter Manifest): http://www.mediafire.com/file/nztonzjtiym/Onslaught_Rules.pdf

Screenshots:


Thursday, December 17, 2009

Attack Sub Module & Gamebox

Attack Sub is a card based wargame similar to Up Front. The topic is modern submarine warfare (Mostly US/Nato vs. Soviet/Warsaw Pact, but there is an occasional Falklands War scenario.)

Each player has one or more submarines and/or surface ships. Each ship is represented on an individual large card with counters showing current contact status and damage.

Each player plays cards to increase their "contact level" relative to their opponent. Contact level abstractly represents relative position and sonar readings. It is possible for one ship to have a better contact on his enemy than the enemy has on him. When high enough contact level is reached, torpedoes can be fired.

Attack Sub at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
VASSAL: vassalengine.org
ZunTzu: ZunTzu.com

Download vmod (created by E, bdgza):
http://www.mediafire.com/file/cb8if1zzxe7s7i3/Attack-Sub-v1.0.vmod
Download ztb: http://www.mediafire.com/file/b1znttljzjw/AttackSub.ztb
Download Rules: http://www.mediafire.com/file/jyehjjwdmmm/Attack-Sub-rules.pdf
Download Rules Errata: http://www.mediafire.com/file/xnyjmdwdkki/attacksub-errata.txt

Screenshots:







Monday, December 14, 2009

Talisman Revised 4th Edition Gamebox + Frostmarch

Talisman is a cult classic board game with a fantasy theme. There are 14 characters a player can control, from the heroic Warrior to the powerful Sorcerer. In this perilous adventure, play centers around the journey of these gallant heroes to find and claim the Crown of Command, a magical artifact with the power to destroy all rivals and make the bearer the true ruler of the kingdom. Only with strength, courage, wisdom and a few good dice rolls will players be able to survive the ultimate test and beat their opponents to victory.

Includes Talisman, The Reaper, The Dungeon and The Frostmarch. For internet play, when you bought the game, but your friend live too far away. Hopefully someone can pick up the rights from Games Workshop and develop a computer version.

Talisman at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
ZunTzu: ZunTzu.com

Download ztb:
http://www.mediafire.com/?033ze9ae1r0767c
Download ztb: (md5):
http://www.mediafire.com/?j94ikfwkyr14nns
Warn me if the md5 does not match.

Download Rules: Fantasy Flight Talisman Support Site

Screenshots:


Guerilla Gamebox

Guerilla is a multi-player simulation card game. Three to six players vie for control of the government as rebels wage a civil war against those in power. As in real guerrilla warfare, the government forces are handicapped by their inability to separate friend from foe. This "fog of war" is accomplished by a clever dichotomy of goals wherein each player simultaneously commands both government and rebel forces. However, each player is secretly backing either the government of rebel cause and is severely penalized if his "side" doesn't win the hand.
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Consequently, players are always torn between scoring for their "side", or for themselves, or even sacrificing their own resources for the sake of an opponent who appears to be on their side. But is he? Even when you think you've figured out who is who, the Revolution card can appear to change loyalties and totally cloud the issue again.

Players score by eliminating opposing forces, manipulating the media and world opinion, or controlling various installations such as the Port or Airfield which grant special abilities to those who hold them. Government air power and armor columns struggle against ambushing guerrilla bands which fade back into the jungle without a trace. If atrocities are committed, the U.N. may intervene and attempt to stop the open warfare. Then the battle is fought by secret police who ferret out traitors while propaganda battles are waged for the hearts and minds of the populace. Assassins abound as influential leaders are targeted in an attempt to paralyze opposing troops in preparation for the day when the U.N. withdraws.

Game length is variable and selected at outset. A game can comprise a single hand or be combined into three or more - resulting in a game from one to four hours in duration.


Guerilla at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
ZunTzu: ZunTzu.com

Download ztb: http://www.mediafire.com/file/mmzzmkzzi1z/Guerilla.ztb
Download Rules: http://www.mediafire.com/file/ymquiwu2trg/Guerilla-rules.pdf
Download Extras (articles/notes/etc): http://www.mediafire.com/file/lowzruieyyj/guerilla-extras.zip

Screenshots:

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Ave Caesar Gamebox

Set in a Roman Coliseum, players use cards to move their chariots around a quasi-variable track. The track itself has bottlenecks and lane-changing restrictions, which make the race interesting for the racers (very similar to Detroit-Cleveland Grand Prix or Daytona 500). Players are required to race three laps, and they must stop to 'Hail Caesar' before they can finish (a pit stop). The game is light, but if you waste too many moves taking the longer, outside-routes on corners, you may not have enough movement to finish the race. Later, the game was revamped into Ausgebremst, with the most notable changes being modular boards and options to reduce the luck.

Includes the original dual layout boards A and B, and also the two new edition boards, as well as one custom board.

Ave Caesar at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
ZunTzu.com: ZunTzu

Download ztb:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/zyjzczl1njj/AveCaesar.ztb
Download game rules (original edition + ausgebremst variant):
http://www.mediafire.com/file/jzi2yktnxvm/english_rules.pdf
Download game rules (new edition):
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ggyozmjmioz/english_rules_2007.pdf

Screenshots:

Friday, November 13, 2009

Blue & Gray Gamebox

Simple, hex-and-counter, introductory wargame. Some of the scenarios do a good job of representing civil war tactics.

Players maneuver colorful counters representing infantry, cavalry and artillery units that actually fought at each battle. Four full color maps depict the actual battle sites with a background grid overlay that regulates deployment, movement and combat. The updated rules booklet presents the player with playing rules and a short history of each battle. Recreate America's epic struggle of brother against brother.
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First Bull Run: Both side thought the war could be settled in one battle.

Shiloh: A Confederate surprise attack fails in the face of a tenacious Union defense.

Second Bull Run: Blood again stains the soil near where the first battle was fought.

Cemetery Hill: Overlooking Gettysburg--determined confederates couldn't capture it in three days of fighting.

Chickamauga: The Confederates seek to avenge the Union's capture of Chattanooga.

Third Edition, 1995 Decision Games


Blue&Gray at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
ZunTzu.com: ZunTzu

Download ztb:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/wzikcjtnmbo/BlueAndGray.ztb
Download game rules:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/ejeynhzyizk/Blue&Gray-manual.pdf

Screenshots:

Monday, November 9, 2009

Talisman Revised 4th Edition Gamebox

Talisman is a cult classic board game with a fantasy theme. There are 14 characters a player can control, from the heroic Warrior to the powerful Sorcerer. In this perilous adventure, play centers around the journey of these gallant heroes to find and claim the Crown of Command, a magical artifact with the power to destroy all rivals and make the bearer the true ruler of the kingdom. Only with strength, courage, wisdom and a few good dice rolls will players be able to survive the ultimate test and beat their opponents to victory.

Includes Talisman, The Reaper and The Dungeon. For internet play, when you bought the game, but your friend live too far away. Hopefully someone can pick up the rights from Games Workshop and develop a computer version.

Talisman at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
ZunTzu: ZunTzu.com

Download ztb:
Talisman Revised 4th Edition Gamebox + Frostmarch

Download Rules: Fantasy Flight Talisman Support Site

Screenshots:




Friday, October 30, 2009

World War I Gamebox

World War I is a simulation on the army level of the land combat in Europe from 1914 to 1918. the simulation is primarily a land conflict with the secondary influence of naval forces abstractly simulated. The game covers five years in semi-annual (six-month) turns.

Historical and free setup scenarios. Includes additional counters.

1994 Decision Games edition

WW1 at BGG: BoardGameGeek.com
ZunTzu: ZunTzu.com

Updated gamebox!
Changes:
  • Added a back-side to the additional BH counters, for beachheads that are overrun by CP but can later be restored
  • Creates Fortress Counters for ZunTzu, because it is difficult to see the map fortress icons with counters over them.
  • Both scenarios have lots of copies of the charts around the map for easier reference
Download ztb (v2): http://www.mediafire.com/file/4qhgt5ynmqh/WW1v2.ztb
Download ztb (v1): http://www.mediafire.com/file/mdyywnwdy2w/WW1.ztb
Download game rules: http://www.mediafire.com/file/zqe1zyyft2q/ww1_rules.pdf

Screenshots: