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From: mgibson@aero.ARPA (Michael Gibson)
Newsgroups: net.games.board
Subject: Re: Opening Discussion
Message-ID: <412@aero.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 3-Sep-85 18:46:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: aero.412
Posted: Tue Sep  3 18:46:01 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 8-Sep-85 05:04:56 EDT
References: <394@brl-sem.ARPA> <47@ucdavis.UUCP>
Reply-To: mgibson@aero.UUCP (Michael Gibson)
Distribution: net
Organization: The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA
Lines: 52
Summary: 

In article <47@ucdavis.UUCP> ccrdan@ucdavis.UUCP (Dan Gold) writes:

>                 For a really good multi-player political-type game,
>with a dash of "war" for the blood-thirsty, try "Spies."  It
>is SIMPLE to learn (only TWO TINY pages of COMPLETE rules!) and can be
>easily played in an evening.

I also highly recommend "Spies."  A word of warning -- the mechanics are
simple to learn, but the game is very difficult to master.

>> Civilization  (Avalon Hill):
>> 	I highly recommend it.
>
>Me too.  Get the expansion set from AH to add more flavor.
>

I seem to be one of few people who refuse to play with the expanded trade
rules.  I have the extra cards but it just changes the game too much
(in my opinion) from the original design.  Some nations need calamaties
to strike in order to be brought down to the level of the other nations.
(i.e. Assyria and Italy are especially vulnerable to Civil War, and
Africa can be crippled by several early famines.)

Another very good multi-player game with simple mechanics is
"Cradle of Civilization."  (No relation to AH's Civ game.)  The mapboard
covers all of Eurasia and Africa -- it's a fun "hack and slash" game
that also requires some advance planning and strategy to win.

>> 
>> 2)  How does one go about getting other people interested in "war
>> games?"  (using the term in its generic sense.)
>
>Try MB "Axis and Allies".  It is really kind of fun (really!) and 
>everyone loves the 3-D pieces.  
>

Be forewarned here: Axis & Allies takes a long time to complete, and 
the Russians have a hard time doing anything against Germany.

"The Russian Campaign" is a good middle-complexity game that is fairly
typical (i.e. similar to other 2-player boardgames).

"Napoleon" from AH is unconventional but lots of fun and a good simulation
too.  Especially if you like Napoleonics (like I do).

Finally, I can't let an article on board games go by without mentioning
"Empires In Arms," definitely the best Napoleonic grand strategy game
around.  Good combat and supply systems make it realistic and fun to play.


Mike Gibson
mgibson@aerospace