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Posted on Sep 2, 2008 in Boardgames

Army of Ireland – Boardgame Review

By Bill Bodden

Units that take damage can be shaken, broken or eliminated. Rally checks to upgrade the status of a broken or shaken unit are made at rather long odds. More often than not it proves more effective to keep a damaged unit firing, hoping it can take enemy units down with it before the turn ends and the damaged unit routs off the board.

This was a small battle by the standards of the day, with roughly a thousand soldiers on each side. Historically, the Canadians won out, despite a serious tactical blunder: their overall commander, Lt. Col. Alfred Booker, gave orders to form square to repel rumored cavalry when the Feinians had none. The Canadians were defending their home and knew the ground well, which gave them the edge. The Feinians, demoralized by the militia fighting them to a standstill and at the lack of expected reinforcements, struggled to make their way back across the border. Many were apprehended in the act.

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Fiery Dragon Press was previously known for producing decent-quality supplements for the Dungeons & Dragons game under the d20 license. It’s clear that their first love is gaming, period, and it would seem that the seed money they earned from D&D work helped finance a budding wargame company. For the price, Army of Ireland absolutely cannot be beat in terms of interesting subject matter in a well-executed game. The components are of solid quality, though the map may deteriorate at the seams under heavy, repeated use. Highly suitable for solitaire play, the game typically will consume only two to three hours of your time, and that time will pass quickly with this entertaining and challenging simulation.

Bill Bodden has been in the hobby game industry for over twenty years, including stints in the retail, distribution and publishing sectors. His fiction was nominated for an Origins Award in 2003 for fiction, and he contributed to the Origins Award-winning book Hobby Games; The 100 Best. He currently serves as sales manager for Green Ronin Publishing and is a part-time freelance writer. A complete goober for miniatures, he paints them on rare occasions when he has spare time. Bill lives in Wisconsin with his wife, their four cats, and a whole lot of games.

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1 Comment

  1. Nice review. You misspelled “Fenian” throughout, though.

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