This is part two of our coverage on War Stories from Firelock Games! In the last episode we rolled up our characters and today we expand the squad by adding the two Phil’s and the designer of War Stories, Gabe Garcia. We play a quick game and then give you our thoughts on this new WWII RPG.
By David Garvin
When I first played Squad Leader back in 1983, I found that 35-page rule book to be rather complex. The rules were laid out in Programmed Instruction in order to facilitate ease of learning. This just meant that the player only had to read a few pages, play a scenario and then progress. By the time the player had gone through the book, he or she could then play any scenario.
This method of instruction continued through the original series, up to and including GI: Anvil of Victory. By that time, the player could play any of 47 scenarios released with the games, and a number more of officially-released scenarios. There were a few third-party scenarios, including some from On All Fronts and even Dragon Magazine. That said, as I attempted to parse some of the rules while hanging out with my friends, the language was at times dense.
Later as I delved into Advanced Squad Leader, (ASL) I found the rule book to be too much for me to initially comprehend. It was around 1986 and I failed to put any serious effort into learning the rules or the game. Programmed Instruction was now a thing of the past, and even though there was a learning chapter, my friend Gary and I just never really got into it.
Imagine my surprise then, many years later as I was learning how to play, that not only were many people playing ASL – likely more than at any other point in its history – but also that there was a very large and vibrant international community of players. In fact, one of the first of many third-party producers made ASL scenarios in French!
“This game is so bad it makes Superman 64 look like Doom.” — anonymous game reviewer
By Patrick S. Baker
Okay, boys and girls, please have a 55-gallon drum of hand sanitizer ready for this one. Today gentle readers I recount the story of not only one of the worst video games of all time but also one of the foulest and most atrocious video games of all time. And NO, I’m not exaggerating in any way about what a disgusting piece of work this game is.
Custer’s Revenge, also known as Mystique Presents Swedish Erotica: Custer’s Revenge was one of three ‘adult’ video games released November 1982 in a package of video games called Mystique Presents Swedish Erotica. The other two games in the set were Beat ‘Em & Eat ‘Em and Bachelor Party.
Many sources erroneously report that the games were produced by a game company named Mystique, but in fact is no game company named Mystique. Mystique was the brand name for the line of adult games produced by American Multiple Industries (AMI).
By Mitch Reed
In 2023 two Kickstarter projects came to the mountain bunker from two European companies and after getting them to the table I found that these games shared some DNA that all gamers would appreciate. These two titles appear to be board wargames when you first glance at them, however, they play a lot like miniatures games. Both are excellent titles to add to your collection.
By David Garvin
From March 23 to 26, I attended the 27th Annual Nor’Easter Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) tournament in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. With the restrictions of the COVID pandemic waning, this tournament saw quite a resurgence. 49 players registered in advance, and in spite of a number of late-notice cancellations, just over 50 players showed up to roll the dice in the field of cardboard combat! That said, there were actually four tournaments: the main tournament and three mini tournaments. As well, and as is becoming more common, there was some ASL Starter Kit (ASL SK) play as well.
By Tom Gall
With the release of the Berlin German book by Battlefront, capabilities not seen since FOW version 3 for night fighting are once again available to those that like to run Germans. This article is going to look at the ins and outs of taking advantage of this new material.
By Michael Rafferty
“Enjoy the war, for the peace will be savage,” was a dark joke in the German Army during the last days of World War II. Now the walls are closing in and the Soviets are nearing Berlin. Germany is throwing every last man, woman, and child at them in a vain effort to stem the tide. With the Berlin German book, Battlefront has given us the last remnants of the German war machine that once held dominion over Europe.
by Mitch Reed
Like many of you, I am willing to try any historical game, whether it be a board game, miniatures, or video game. However, one type of gaming I have never tried is role-playing games.
The new game from Firelock Games called War Stories has gotten me to change my mind and take the plunge. Lead designer Gabriel Garcia really got my attention for this World War Two-based RPG when we chatted in my interview with him on our podcast. Prior that that discussion, I did not believe that a topic as WWII would translate well in the RPG format.
However, the depth and breadth of War Stories really had me wondering why this has not been done before.
By Michael Rafferty
AdeptiCon is back! After a triumphant return last year, the premier wargaming convention is back in Schaumburg, Illinois.
AdeptiCon continues to grow year after year, with new events and larger existing events. Wizards of the Coast will be in attendance this year with their new game Onslaught. No longer contained by only the Marriott Renaissance, the Hyatt Regency will again host several events. Historical events like Bolt Action and Flames of War will be there again, but we welcome A Song of Ice and Fire and Lord of the Rings to the growing AdeptiCon presence at the Hyatt.
But you didn’t come here to read about how we’re growing. You want to know what’s going to be run at the con! Battlefront will be hosting a one-day Mid-War National tournament. This will be a four-round event at 100 points held on Thursday.
by Dennis ‘Matt Varnish’ Campbell
Fresh off our earlier review of the updated Hail Caesar book, Scott Roach and I have played our first game of the new rules.
We decided to run three Divisions for around 500pts each side, and are opting for the classic orders procedure and not the simplified procedures.
Scott had this lovely table set up (above) with a sweet Roman Fort that I would be defending in front of the main gate, whilst his Pyrrhic Greeks would be marching from the Sicilian beaches after debarking from their galleys.
The fort and occupants are just for show.
