May 2009 Play It!

By Armchair General

Great Warriors: Roman Legionaires

Lead your own Roman Legionaires in the computer game Rome: Total War (Creative Assembly) or fight with them in several scenarios of the Battles of the Ancient World boardgame (Decision Games). GMT Games offers two boardgame titles, Commands & Colors Ancients and Deluxe SPQR.

Legendary Combat Units: Stonewall Brigade
A boardgame series called Great Campaigns of the Civil War (originally from Avalon Hill, now available from Multi-Man Publishing) includes Stonewall in the Valley, Stonewall Jackson’s Way (2nd Manassas), and Stonewall’s Last Battle (Chancellorsville), all campaigns in which the Stonewall Brigade saw hard fighting. For PC Gamers, John Tiller’s Battleground Civil War (updated version from Matrix Games) has scenarios for most of the Stonewall Brigade’s battles.

{default}

Combat: Chindits in Burma, 1944

Lead Chindits through the steamy jungles of Burma in John Tiller’s Squad Battles: Pacific War PC game (HPS Simulations). Burma (Multi-Man Publishing/The Gamers) is a boardgame covering operations in that country in 1944.

You Command: Marines at Tarawa, 1943

Designer John Tiller has done two computer games that allow you to fight across Tarawa, Squad Battles: The Proud and the Few and Squad Battles: Pacific War (HPS Simulations). Blood Reef: Tarawa (Multi-Man Publishing/Heat of Battle) is a boardgame expansion set for Advanced Squad Leader. Pacific War Classic Vol. 1: Tarawa and Saipan (Fresno Gaming Association) is an out-of-print boardgame on the topic.

What Next, General? Battle of the Bulge, 1944

The Battle of the Bulge is one of the most popular topics in wargaming. Bulge ’44 (HPS) and Close Combat – Wacht am Rhein (Strategy 3 Tactics/Matrix Games) are two of the computer games. Boardgamers have Battle of the Bulge II: Elsenborn Ridge (Avalanche Press) and Darkest December: Battle of the Bulge 1944 (Critical Hit) among their choices. The scenario pack "Wacht am Rhein" (Lone Canuck Publishing) is not a stand-alone game but is compatible with Advanced Squad Leader (MMP).