Board Games | Wargames

On November 9th of 2009, the world marked the 20th Anniversary of the conclusion of the Cold War. That was the day that the Cold War's most tangible symbol -- the Berlin Wall -- was relegated to the ash heap of history. Unlike the 20th Century's other great conflict, the Cold War did not end in an explosion of neutrons, but rather, an explosion of human freedom and optimism. We had avoided what many thought inevitable -- the destruction of mankind through armed conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States. Overnight, the face of Europe had changed. Suddenly, all things were possible. That was 20 years ago. Sadly, we all learned that the end of the Cold War was not "the end of history." Mankind would find new ways to divide itself.While the threat of nuclear holocaust disappeared, newer and more sinister forms of conflict would take its place. Where once superpowers bestrode the globe, decentralized networks and even individuals now command the world's attention.This Deluxe Edition of Twilight Struggle seeks to capture the feeling of that earlier era.Twilight Struggle is a two-player game simulating the forty-five year dance of intrigue, prestige, and occasional flares of warfare between the Soviet Union and the United States. Using the card-driven game mechanics pioneered in such award winning games as We the People and Hannibal: Rome vs. Carthage, Twilight Struggle recreates the conflict between the most powerful nation states the world has ever known. The scope of the game covers the entire world as it was found in 1945. Players move units and exert influence in attempts to gain allies and control for their superpower.As with GMT's other card-driven games, decision-making is a challenge; how to best use one's cards and units given consistently limited resources? Event cards add cover a vast array of historical happenings, from the Berlin Airlift, to the Vietnam War and the U.S. peace movement, to the Cuban Missile Crisis. This Deluxe Edition of Twilight Struggle marries world-class components, with the sort of world-class game play for which GMT is already known. We cannot think of a better way to commemorate this vital piece of world history. We invite you to relieve an era with the words uttered by one of its most iconic statesmen: "Now the trumpet summons us again, not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are - but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle" - John F. KennedyComponents:• Heavy duty 9 x 12 x 2 inch box Mounted map with revised graphics• Two double-thick counter sheets with 228 counters• Deck of 110 event cards (increased from 104)• Revised rules and player aid cards• Two six-sided diceGame FeaturesTIME SCALE approx. 3-5 years per turnMAP SCALE Point-to-point systemUNIT SCALE Influence markersNUMBER OF PLAYERS 1 - 2

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December 1740: Young King Frederick II leads the army of upstart Prussia in a surprise invasion of Austrian Silesia. He hopes for an easy conquest of the rich province at a time when the Austrian Empire appears vulnerable following the death of Charles VI, King of Austria and Holy Roman Emperor. But despite internal opposition to the ‘Pragmatic Sanction’ that allowed a woman to inherit the throne, Austria’s new Queen, Maria Theresa, is cowed neither by Frederick, nor by France’s scheme to place a Bavarian puppet candidate on the throne of the Holy Roman Empire, nor by Spanish designs on Austria’s holdings in Italy. Amid these conflicting dynastic ambitions, Frederick’s local territorial coup proves to be only the opening act in a major European war that none of the great powers had anticipated - but all wished to profit from. It would ultimately span eight years and half the globe. Clash of Sovereigns (COS), GMT’s 2-4 player card-driven game of the War of the Austrian Succession, has been 9 years in the making. It is a free-wheeling, faster-playing, stream-lined “nephew” of the widely-regarded Clash of Monarchs (COM). A 12-hour campaign game and three shorter scenarios covering 2-3 years apiece that can be played to completion in as little as three hours! 2-4 players. The French, Prussians/Spanish (“Pr/Span”), Austrians, and British/ Piedmontese (“Br/Pied”) each have their own separate card decks divided into Early, Middle, and Late war periods Half a dozen minor powers add their own blood and diplomatic wrinkles to the tableau – and can sometimes reshape it utterly by switching sides. Leaders are rated for Initiative, Offense and Defense modifiers, and Action Points. Distinctive national tactics and troop quality factors are ‘captured’ by Army Battle Ratings (which evolve over time) and event and Battle Tactics cards. A simple, but significant, naval sub-game simulates naval operations in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, including the annual Bourbon Treasure Fleet’s risky voyage home. Colonial conflicts in Canada and India are simulated by event cards Design-for-Effect economic factors are “baked into” the event and reinforcement cards and can therefore be resolved in only a small fraction of the time required by COM’s more complex economic model.

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Saigon 75 is a fast-paced strategy game pitting the “Communist” forces from North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against the “Liberal” forces from South Vietnam. Both sides are fighting for control of the capital. At the end of the Vietnam War, after the US troops have gone home, the North Vietnamese regime plans to take Saigon as quickly as possible against a well-prepared but corrupt South Vietnam.Saigon 75 is a simple and fast-playing strategic game, and everything is contained within a few pages of rules and 1 hour of fun, with pressure at every moment!After activating some of your units (with a die roll and depending on your turn), you will play an event card from your hand. The activated units can then move and attack. Battles are resolved by special dice rolls, which determine enemy losses and the number of units that must retreat. The event cards are what gives the game its great re-playability.The game is highly asymmetrical, with the North Vietnam player having more activations, more events to his advantage, better battle dice, and the ability to conduct assaults on a very wide front, while his opponent has air support as well as parachute and mechanized units.There’s also a solo mode that allows you to play as the South Vietnam forces as they attempt to resist the onslaught of an automated enemy, guided by specific cards.Contents:• A2 Mounted Gameboard• Rulebook• 20 Event cards• 10 Solo cards• 13 Different dice• 80 mixed tokens• 41 mixed counters

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