The good news is from the 70 odd games and 43 new games or game systems I played last year overall they were all pretty darn good. Except for one to two woofers.
I’ve been on vacation, so this little jaunt down memory lane has been delayed, I am glad to get this one out, so we can go watch and read what every one else thought was super in the wargame world last year.
Not all my games on the top ten are brand new, but many are, in fact more so than usual. Overall I played one game 4 times, one game 3 times and six games twice. Lock N Load featured across many of their modules 6 times with their LNL Tactical system. Well here is the rather long video. But it takes a while to gush…:)
I played some pre release titles, – A Time for Trumpets, Freedom and of course WAW ’85.
Games that did not make my top ten for the year but really deserve more credit would include District Commander Maracas, from Brian Train and published by Hollandspiele a superb game, but it fought hard with the rest of the list. The same would go for Tango Down, from Tiny Battles, its system would make for superb minis based play, but really needed some better maps and components to all it to shine.
Horse and Musket Crucible of War was another great game played last year as was Axis Empires Totaler Krieg [an intro scenario], while we are on the Hollandspiele band wagon, NATO Air Commander was a great little solo game that once again for a solo system, gave you great choices and lots of painful ones at that.
The let down list was pretty short asides the two in the video. Campaign of Nations was a bit meh, Montelimar: Anvil of fate is a much improved GTS, now called CSS, but just did not grab me like I hoped it would. Islamic State the magazine game was weak, the Dark Sands was good but too light for me. and Armoured Knights: Guderian Crosses the Desna, was an interesting topic, and an interesting game but math heavy for limited impact on game or combat results.
All the other titles I played had strong value for me, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have played all the games that hit the table or fell to my dice!
Lets hope 2020 is as fruitful.
Thanks for the nice qualification about DC Maracas! Maybe next year the competition won’t be quite so stiff.
Thanks for the kind words for Kernstown. We appreciate it.
Hey, Kev. Thanks for taking the time to put this together. Always enjoy your views (don’t always agree with them, but I enjoy them). Glad you liked Crowbar. It is quite a bit of fun. Herm is brilliant.
Oops, that comment above was from me. Didn’t mean to do the anonymous thing.
Love the systems behind your #1, #2, & #3 picks.
Here’s to 2020!