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sLoyal Readers, We have been in need of content for our weekly Wargame Wednesday column. If you would like to submit an article to be included on a Wargame Wednesday please email us at wargames(at)castaliahouse.com. Thank You, Wargames Editor
This game is quite simply a revelation. The asymmetrical reality of counter-insurgency is here in all its glory. Powerful government troops can mass wherever the enemy appears. But though they can mow down the insurgents with impunity, guerrillas can spring up somewhere else just as fast. And the government can all too easily find its […]
This article was originally going to be of a literary nature, examining an important antecedent to pulp and science fiction. But in keeping with this column’s increasingly motley topics, I decided to write about the only medium I haven’t yet covered; games. And while I know many times less about RPGs of any kind than […]
Castalia House Blog Picks of 2017
Thursday , 11, January 2018 Comics, Computer Games, Fiction, Games 13 Comments2017. It was the year where the wild west of indie science fiction, building on the momentum of previous years, surpassed the traditional publishers. It was the year when Marvel Comics collapsed, shuttering comics shops in its fall. It was the year when Disney divided Star Wars enthusiasts. When passion project games scored big and […]
WARGAME WEDNESDAY: Avalon Hill’s The Battle of the Bulge (1981) – Part VI
Wednesday , 10, January 2018 Wargames Leave a commentConclusions The Germans either win the Battle of the Bulge early, or they lose. Much of the midgame can easily be the Allies curb-stomping the krauts. This is because the Strategic Bombing that takes place as soon as the weather clears. Once the weather clears up, the Allies will get way more planes, and if […]
Every miniature wargamer well knows the thrill of the hunt for the illusive “Perfect Skirmish Game”. While the bulk of the sci-fi wargaming population contents itself with the 40,000-pound gorilla, or chases the latest big-box set with a two-year lifespan from one of its challengers, some of us are content to noodle around the edges […]
A Song of Frustration and Fun (But Mostly Fun)
Wednesday , 3, January 2018 Tabletop Games, Wargames 3 CommentsThe multi-dimensional balancing act of wargame design has led to a proliferation of titles. The huge number of variables that have to be juggled in even the simplest of wargames presents a huge number of opportunities for wargame designers to seek out the “sweet spot” in everything from level of detail to movement schemes to […]
WARGAME WEDNESDAY: Avalon Hill’s The Battle of the Bulge (1981) – Part V
Wednesday , 3, January 2018 Wargames 1 CommentPlay 4 | Allies – Dad/Axis – Me | Outcome – Overwhelming Axis Victory (Allies concede Antwerp Victory as inevitable) This playthrough we used the following: No roll for Paratroopers No roll for 150 Commando 2x SS Panzer Divisions can participate in morning Blitz In some ways this was very similar to my strategy in […]
WARGAME WEDNESDAY: Avalon Hill’s The Battle of the Bulge (1981) – Part IV
Wednesday , 27, December 2017 Wargames Leave a commentPlay 3 | Allies – Dad/Axis – Me | Outcome –Overwhelming Allied Victory (Axis concedes late mid-game) This playthrough we used the following rules: No roll for Paratroopers No roll for 150 Commando 2x SS Panzer Divisions can participate in morning Blitz Forgotten/unobserved Planes cannot offset (first half of game) Thinking I’d learned from my […]
WARGAME WEDNESDAY: Avalon Hill’s The Battle of the Bulge (1981) – Part III
Wednesday , 20, December 2017 Wargames 2 CommentsPlay 2 | Allies –Me/Axis – Dad | Outcome – Allied Strategic Victory (marginal game victory on points) This playthru we used the following: No roll for Paratroopers No roll for 150 Commando 2x SS Panzer Divisions can participate in morning Blitz Forgotten/unobserved Die-roll shift for forts, 1st half of game Planes cannot offset The […]
WARGAME WEDNESDAY: Avalon Hill’s The Battle of the Bulge (1981) – Part II
Wednesday , 13, December 2017 Wargames 2 CommentsPlay 1 | Allies – Me/Axis – Dad | Outcome – Overwhelming Allied Victory (Axis forfeit) This play-through we used the advanced game with the following variations and special rules: No roll required for Paratroopers to drop. No roll required for 150 Commando armor to make 1st turn movement. 2 x Day 1 SS Panzer […]
The Evil Within 2: Jonesing for Some Resident Evil? Take a Hit Off This Crack Pipe.
Monday , 11, December 2017 Computer Games 1 CommentThe Evil Within 2 video game is NOT a ripoff of the “Resident Evil” series. People may say so, but they’re idiots who know nothing about games or game design, and their opinions should be summarily discarded. (As should their right to have any opinions at all.)