C3i #31 includes a stand-alone battle game entitled “Wakefield,” designed by Ralph Shelton. Wakefield uses the same system as the popular “Men of Iron” series and a new boxed game entitled “Arquebus” was just released by GMT in mid-September. There are also articles related to the gaming hobby written by the renowned game designers Mark Herman, Trevor Bender and Brian Train amongst others. Additionally, we are including counters to support numerous other GMT Games, and an exclusive bonus card for the upcoming game from Lombardy and MacGowan called “The Great War Card Game.” 

• Features the standalone historical wargame “The Battle of Issy” by Designer Frederic Bey AND "The Battle of Gettysburg" by Designer Mark Herman (including map and counters)

• Articles on boardgames Ukraine '43,Pendragon, Banish All Their Fears and more!

• Inserts for Table Battles, Holland '44, Pericles and others!

The Waterloo Campaign (15 June – 8 July 1815) was fought between the French Army of the North and two Seventh Coalition armies, an Anglo-allied army and a Prussian army. Initially the French army was commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte, but he left for Paris after the French defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Command then rested on Marshals Soult and Grouchy, who were in turn replaced by Marshal Davout, who took command at the request of the French Provisional Government. The Anglo-allied army was commanded by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian army by Prince Blücher. 

A short description of what each article in this issue covers

• Alternative Airborne Landing Locations for Holland '44 by Trevor Bender: Trevor Bender drops into Operation Market Garden again with a "variant (that) is a follow-on to my previous article in Special Ops Magazine #4, pp. 10-13 in 2013 titled, Operation Market Garden as a Topic for Operations Research. There I laid out rules for alternative drop locations and timing for MMP’s Monty’s Gamble."

• Propaganda Round, Nr 3: Stock and Flow in Wargames by Volko Ruhnke: Volko Ruhnke, creator of the COIN Series of boardgames, dives deep into the history of supplies and how they have been gamed throughout the history of the hobby. From Afrika Korps to his newest COIN game, Nevsky, Volko explores the importance of supply, what the balance and mechanics mean for each game, and how the designer approaches the concept.

• Infantry Weapons and Tactics: Behind Fields of Fire by Ben Hull: “Although the focus of Fields of Fire is on the rifle company, players will quickly notice that the repertoire of the company extends beyond the rifle. The following is a brief discussion of the “tools of the trade” available to company commanders, and their history.”

• Clio's Corner #10: Distilling History to its Essence, or How to Make Wargame Moonshine by Mark Herman: "So, for this tenth column I want to explore how I integrate and distill history into a game yet still be authentic to the facts? Said another way, how much history does an historical wargame require for it to be an historical wargame?" Take a walk with Mark and let's muse for a moment about what makes a wargame, a wargame.

• Daddy, you say you don't like war, so why do you play these games? by VPJ Arponen: "Much like movies and books, or any other form of art, table top games handle a range of topics from abstract, fun and entertaining, to the controversial. Periodically not only wargaming, but also lighter “euro-game” fare, might become the subject of heated discussion about why a particular theme may or may not merit a game. Why do we pick the topics we play games about?"

•Clio’s Corner #9: Take Me To Your Leader or “Where’s the ‘Bot?” by Mark Herman: “The first challenge is how to assimilate players of varying skill and historical knowledge into a new system, beyond learning the mechanics. I find that a ‘Bot can act as a surrogate strategy advisor on that all important first turn, when you have no idea what to do next… I thought it was time to talk about solitaire systems from a design point of view. I will approach this topic from my own personal journey and how my thinking has evolved on this topic over time with some of my key findings in what is loosely call 'My Beginner’s Guide to ‘Bot Design,' with myself in the role of the beginner."

• Campaigns of 1777—RBM Studio Centerspread: If you've got it, flaunt it. This centerspread gives a beautiful reference map for Campaigns of 1777 from Harold Buchanan. 

• Thoughts, Designer's Notes and New Scenario for Campaigns of 1777 by Harold Buchanan: "On December 9, 1777, France received the news of the British surrender at Saratoga. French Under–Secretary of State to the Comte de Vergennes was quoted as telling Benjamin Franklin that Louis XVI was 'determined to acknowledge American independence and make a treaty.' News of the bilateral Treaty of Alliance between the French and the American Patriots reached London on March 14, 1778. It was the Battle of Saratoga that represented a major turning point of the American War of Independence, giving confidence to the French to assist the fledgling Americans in their search for self-governance. But why did the Battle of Saratoga turn the way it did? Campaigns of 1777 seeks to answer that question." Includes a new counter for playing this game, published by Decision Games.

•Solitaire Play Method: Campaigns of 1777 by Joel Toppen: "PDD, or Player Deficit Disorder is a common wargamer malaise. You know the feeling! Brand new game arrives. It looks amazing on the table! But then comes the challenge of finding another player. Well, I can’t help you find an opponent, but I might be able to provide you with a means by which Campaigns of 1777 might be a more enjoyable solitaire experience."

• Churchill Variant by Jon Zeigler and Bernard Roessler: Henry Wallace served as Vice President of the United States for FDR up until 1944 when Truman took over. Truman would go on to succeed FDR and close out the end of WW2. But what if FDR had passed on earlier? This card, only available in this issue, gives you a glimpse into what might have been.

• Polemos Variant--Pericles by Mark Herman and Herr Dr.: "Polemos is the Greek word for 'War' and this two-player variant morphs Pericles into a two-player struggle; primarily, a strategic military game meant for head to head competitive play. This variant uses the core rules with the following major modifications to the Assembly and Political phases of the fourplayer design. The players will instead focus their efforts on the Theater phase and military operations. We believe this is yet another way to learn and improve your strategy in Pericles."

•C3i Interview: José Ruiz—Stuka Joe by Steve Carey: "'Stuka Joe' is a dedicated wargamer and videographer who currently has 5,400 subscribers on his own YouTube channel. Steve Carey had the distinct pleasure to meet him during the CSW Expo 2019, and he left a lasting impression. As one of the rising luminaries in the hobby, it is our pleasure to introduce José to C3i readers."

• December 1941 Variant for Empire of the Sun by Mark Herman: "An area of continuing interest for me is the interwar period that saw the world react to the horrors of the War to End All Wars, that spawning various international attempts to outlaw war and restrict armaments that ultimately resulted in World War II. In my continuing study of the Strategic decision space that the Japanese militarists debated in their run up to the Southern offensive and their attack on Pearl Harbor, I found that there were other paths not taken." Mark introduces two new cards to add even more depth to Empire of the Sun, both exclusive to this issue.

• Issy Campaign 1815 by Frederic Bey: "This campaign scenario is specially designed for Issy 1815, 44th battle in the Jours de Gloire series that was published in C3i Magazine Nr32. It requires the 16 extra counters provided with C3i Magazine Nr33."

• Deluxe SPQR: Battle of the Po River: C3i Module by Daniel A. Fournie: Dan Fournie has been a perennial resource for adding more and more refinement and modules for the GBoH series. He returns to give an update to a game he covered all the way back in 1996. "The multitude of new unit counters now available in SPQR Deluxe has allowed for a re-design of the scenario, with more accurate, and balanced, results." Enjoy a well-researched new module, with some of his reasoning behind it all.

• Solitaire Tactics Methods for playing The Battle of the American Revolution Series Games by Joel Toppen: In each instance where Close Combat takes place in this series, the two players must secretly decide one of eight tactics to pursue. If you're playing solitaire, some of these tactics won't make sense, so Joel has come up with a way to make it all make sense. Makes sense?

• C3i Interview: Ted Raicer by Sam Sheikh: If you're here, you probably know Ted Raicer as the designer of numerous great titles over the decades. Sam and Ted talk about some of his most recent games, his design philosophy, his biggest accomplishments, and a look back at some of his favorites as well as his next title, the Deadly Woods.

• Oh My God, They Killed Castro! That Time South Park Referenced Twilight Struggle by Jason Matthews: In Season 23, episode 7 of South Park (titled "Board Girls"), Twilight Struggle becomes a mode for girls beating down a wrestler turned female-athlete. How did this happen? Jason isn't sure himself, but is ecstatic and has created a new card for Twilight Struggle to commemorate it!

• In Memory of Richard H. Berg, by Mark Herman: Richard Berg, designer of countless wargames going back into the 1970s, passed away in 2019. Bold, brash and a wonderful man, we remember him and thank him for the years he dedicated to the hobby. Mark Herman, one of his closest friends, gives us a glimpse into who Richard was and always will be.

• Unconditional Surrender! Weather Limitations by Sal Vasta: "The weather effects in Unconditional Surrender have a large impact on combat results. Because of this, a campaign game’s play balance may be seriously affected if the same weather, especially Fair, occurs many turns in a row. The following new rule mitigates that possibility."

• In Memory of Chad Jensen by Rodger MacGowan: Chad Jensen, beloved designer of the Combat Commander Series also passed away in 2019. Rodger reflects on the first time he met him and all the times they worked together since. As long as a designer's games are being played, he is not forgotten.

Over 100 pages of content, C3i Nr 34 features "Kursk: The Tigers are Burning, 1943" the first installment in the C3i Combined Arms series, designed by Trevor Bender which includes a large 22x34" map and 114 counters!

• Articles on board games Fields of Fire, SPQR, OCS, Undaunted: Normany, France 1944 and more!

• Inserts for The Hunters, Empire of the Sun, C3i Nr 33's Battle of Issy, For the People, Stalingrad '42, Imperial Struggle and others!

• Also includes a BONUS Standalone Solitaire Game, FIREBASE VIETNAM!

• C3i Nr 35 features Mark Herman's "Burma: The Forgotten War, 1943-1944," a child of the Empire of the Sun system and companion to Nr 30's "South Pacific." Includes a 11x17" map 69 counters and 48 Playing Cards

• Articles on board games Atlantic Chase, Flying Colors, Kontact Now: Red Eclipse, Normandy '44, Kursk and more!

• Inserts for SPQR (LAKE TRASIMENE), Labyrinth, and others!

• Also includes a BONUS Standalone Solitaire Game, ROMAN DISASTER AT TEUTOBURG!

C3i Nr 36 features Trevor Bender's "Desert Victory: North Africa, 1940-1942" the next chapter in the C3i Combined Arms Series that first debuted with Nr 34's Kursk (Winner of the Charles S. Roberts Award for Best Magazine Wargame 2021). This includes a 22"x34" map with 80 counters and two Player Aids

Articles on board games Pacific War, Twilight Struggle: Red Sea, Blind Swords, Baetis Campaign, and more!

Inserts for SPQR Variant (Skirmishers, Velites and Light Troops Revisited)

C3i Nr 37 features Dan Fournie's long awaited "Baetis Campaign, 211 BC" a new installment in the C3i Series. This includes a 22"x34" map with 48 counters, Player Aid and rulebook with designer's notes.

• Articles on board games Empire of the Sun, Battle of Castulo (GBoH), Red Flags Over Paris and more!
• Inserts for the C3i exclusive variant of Red Flags Over Paris, Baetis Campaign, Spanish Road

Operational Matters Volume 2 w/Luzon is a 40 page magazine focused on players new to Operational Combat Series games. The eight articles help players learn or even improve on their OCS knowledge. This also includes a set of six double-sided cardstock Reference Cards to help learning and experienced gamers as well. We've also included a small OCS game, Luzon: Race for Bataan, which is a low-density, quick-playing game.

Luzon: Race for Bataan covers the mobile campaign during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, from December 22, 1941, when the main Japanese forces landed in Lingayen Gulf, to January 7, 1942, when the U.S.-Philippine Army completed its retreat to the Bataan Peninsula. New designer Matsuura Yutaka has created a five-turn OCS mini-game that recreates this period of intense maneuvering. General Wainwright, commander of the North Luzon Force, conducted a brilliant retreat against the advancing Japanese blitzkrieg, and succeeded in getting a large number of troops to Bataan. In Luzon: Race for Bataan, the U.S.-Philippine Army must delay the Japanese advance and gather forces in the Bataan peninsula. As directed by Imperial General Headquarters, the Japanese priority is to capture Manila. However, if the U.S.-Philippine Army can be outmaneuvered, the Japanese could both occupy Manila and deal a devastating blow to the U.S.-Philippine Army. The game pits a small-but-elite Japanese force which must make fast progress against a larger, less-effective opponent.

Luzon: Race for Bataan has a single 22" x 34" map, fewer than 50 combat units, and is played at a scale of 5-miles per hex and 3.5 days per turn. There is only one scenario, with an option for random changes which alter play each time.

Operational Matters #2 contents:

• Luzon Example of Play by Chip Saltsman. Detailed walkthrough of the first turn of Luzon with explanations and illustrations of key system mechanics.
• Tony’s Top 10 Tips on OCS Strategy by Tony Zbaraschuk. Accumulated wisdom on your strategic plan for an OCS game.
• Tony’s Top 12 Tactical Tips for OCS by Tony Zbaraschuk. Recommendation on the most efficient tactical play.
• Best OCS Scenarios for Beginners by Matsuura Yutaka. Good next steps for OCS players.
• Common Beginner Mistakes in OCS by Antonello Salvatucci and Paolo de Francesco. Benefitting from other’s hard-won experience.
• OCS Combat Results & Retreats by Chip Saltsman. Detailed illustrations of how the system implements these concepts.
• Fog of War and Enemy Stacks by Chip Saltsman. You can’t look at enemy stacks in OCS, but what can you see, what can’t you examine, and what is legal versus “gamey?”
• Most Overlooked OCS Rules by Chip Saltsman. What even experienced players miss.
• 16-page Luzon game-specific rulebook insert.
• 6 Reference Cards:
  • Air Missions (two pages)
  • Key Game Definitions (one page)
  • Mode Reference Guide (one page)
  • Transport (two pages)
  • Supply (six pages covering concepts, Trace Supply, Combat Supply, Fueling, and a complete supply network example)

Luozon: Battle for Bataan Components

• Game-Specific Rulebook with Scenarios, Historical Commentary, Designer's Notes, Developer's Notes, Random Events and Players Notes. (included in the magazine)
• One Full Color Game Map (22x34)
• One Game Specific half-countersheet (units and markers) – 140 counters

Note: The OCS 4.3 Series Rules and OCS 4.3 Charts and Tables are not included with this magazine, they can be downloaded from the MMP website.

Special Ops #11 has six articles, two ASL scenarios and two ASLSK scenarios,  The magazine also features the game Gettysburg.

Featured in-depth articles cover The Third Winter and Strike - Counter Strike. There are also an article  on the upcoming Valley of Tears, a new scenario for The Third Winter, Curt Schilling's advice for being a better ASL player, and more

Gettysburg is a quick playing game based on the Napoleonic 20 series of games. It includes a 22" x34" map, 40 1" counters, and 72 5/8" counters.

Special Ops #12 has 8 articles, four ASL scenarios, a mini HASL map, and two ASLSK scenarios. The magazine also includes Warriors of England, which is a quick playing game on the Wars of the Roses.

It contains articles on ASL, ASLSK, OCS, and GTS Race for Bastogne. It also includes two historical articles that accompany Warriors of England.

Warriors of England is based on our Warriors of God game and includes a 22” x 34” map,8 pages of rules, and 162 3/4" counters.

Special Ops #8 has nine articles, two ASL scenarios, two ASLSK scenarios, and the game Avenge Pearl Harbor.

Featured articles cover Operation Mercury (GTS), It Never Snows (SCS), card play in Avenge Pearl Harbor, Russian setup in Red Barricades (ASL), Dean Essig's design intent behind the various Gamers series of games, Fallschirmjaeger (SCS), tips for playing the Battalion Combat Series (BCS), and designer's notes for last issue's game Autumn For Barbarossa (SCS).

Avenge Pearl Harbor was originally published in Game Journal #60 as Storm Over the Japanese Homeland and allows players to simulate Operation DOWNFALL, the hypothetical invasion of Japan in November 1945. The game uses the same basic system as What Price Glory? Operational cards are used on both attack and defense. Game components include one 22" x 34" map, 200 counters, and 32 cards.