Kev, nicely done review of Storm Over Dien Bien Phu. I think you hit the salient points. Area movement games are interesting. I do think that your comment regarding “I could’ve been playing [xxx] era” can apply to quite a few games not just the Storm Over system.
For the record, I’ve played twice and won once as the French (and the other time I won as the Vietnamese). I think the game is fun albeit a bit simpler than the normal fare I like to play.
Sounds like you need to share the French Strategy first off. :). Only person we know who has won, cheated…I mean really cheated.
That said I hear you on the ‘generic system’ comment. I dont fault the series per se, however if I have played one game in a series that feels this way it reduces the inclination to invest in a second. – Columbia Games comes to mind. OSG’s low level tactical NLB series is somewhat akin to that also. COIN too I suppose but I have no experience with them yet.
I think I was assisted in my French win primarily by my opponent failing to pay attention to the victory conditions. 🙂
As for the system, I picked this one up because of subject matter. I have no interest in the others. It’s the same reason I have Storm Over Arnhem, which plays differently, of course, as it has no cards, but is essentially the same game system.
I’ve not yet played any of the OSG games, although I have a few of them. They at least have the advantage of hidden movement, right?
The COIN games are interesting to me in that, though they share similar systems, the array of operations and events are varied enough to make them interesting and fun to play.
ahh, poor play!! Well as for systems it can be a challenge at what does a system like OCS become all the same? You understand the system, and adjust for the ‘situation’ . Feels like I might be judging too hard based upon other factors. LNL is a good example – different eras different equipment (with special rules), but the same basic tactics apply to any game. Fundamental Infantry tactics thankfully, but the ‘same’.
Is it wrong for me to be underwhelmed by the graphics? Specifically the counters?
Does that make be a bad person?
😉
lol. yep. I think its on the whole is not what one would call say the LNL (when they get it right ) deluxe treatment.
Interesting commentary, Kevin, especially the points you raise and ask about area based games. Myself, I’ve been a conservative and conventional hex based player for years. That is until I recently discovered the work of war game design genius, Bowen Simmons. His work on the area based game the Guns of Gettysburg, in particular how the actual topography influences the areas and fields of fire, is a masterpiece.
As you recently toured the Gettysburg battlefield with your son, you might want to take a look at this block game. It’s currently available from Mercury Games or from Amazon. Here’s the link to GoG’s BGG page: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36400/guns-gettysburg
Kev, nicely done review of Storm Over Dien Bien Phu. I think you hit the salient points. Area movement games are interesting. I do think that your comment regarding “I could’ve been playing [xxx] era” can apply to quite a few games not just the Storm Over system.
For the record, I’ve played twice and won once as the French (and the other time I won as the Vietnamese). I think the game is fun albeit a bit simpler than the normal fare I like to play.
Sounds like you need to share the French Strategy first off. :). Only person we know who has won, cheated…I mean really cheated.
That said I hear you on the ‘generic system’ comment. I dont fault the series per se, however if I have played one game in a series that feels this way it reduces the inclination to invest in a second. – Columbia Games comes to mind. OSG’s low level tactical NLB series is somewhat akin to that also. COIN too I suppose but I have no experience with them yet.
I think I was assisted in my French win primarily by my opponent failing to pay attention to the victory conditions. 🙂
As for the system, I picked this one up because of subject matter. I have no interest in the others. It’s the same reason I have Storm Over Arnhem, which plays differently, of course, as it has no cards, but is essentially the same game system.
I’ve not yet played any of the OSG games, although I have a few of them. They at least have the advantage of hidden movement, right?
The COIN games are interesting to me in that, though they share similar systems, the array of operations and events are varied enough to make them interesting and fun to play.
ahh, poor play!! Well as for systems it can be a challenge at what does a system like OCS become all the same? You understand the system, and adjust for the ‘situation’ . Feels like I might be judging too hard based upon other factors. LNL is a good example – different eras different equipment (with special rules), but the same basic tactics apply to any game. Fundamental Infantry tactics thankfully, but the ‘same’.
Is it wrong for me to be underwhelmed by the graphics? Specifically the counters?
Does that make be a bad person?
😉
lol. yep. I think its on the whole is not what one would call say the LNL (when they get it right ) deluxe treatment.
Interesting commentary, Kevin, especially the points you raise and ask about area based games. Myself, I’ve been a conservative and conventional hex based player for years. That is until I recently discovered the work of war game design genius, Bowen Simmons. His work on the area based game the Guns of Gettysburg, in particular how the actual topography influences the areas and fields of fire, is a masterpiece.
As you recently toured the Gettysburg battlefield with your son, you might want to take a look at this block game. It’s currently available from Mercury Games or from Amazon. Here’s the link to GoG’s BGG page: http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/36400/guns-gettysburg
Plug over!