Products: 112 of 20
  • A Gest of Robin Hood
    • 15% less

    A Gest of Robin Hood

    A Gest of Robin Hood is the second game in the Irregular Conflicts Series, further adapting the COIN system to depict peasant revolts, feudal tax collection, and outlaw activities in late 12th century medieval England. Transposing one of GMT’s most popular systems into a simpler format and a more approachable setting makes A Gest of Robin Hood perfect for newcomers to wargaming. At the same time, it also offers a tight challenge for more experienced wargamers who can enjoy a tense asymmetric duel in under an hour.

    Highlights:

    • An ideal entry point to the COIN system and the ICS series: a two player, relatively low complexity game with a family friendly theme that plays in one hour and introduces all of the key concepts found in the COIN series.
    • A new hidden movement mechanic: The Sheriff will chase Robin Hood across Nottinghamshire to prevent him from organizing peasant revolts, but Robin can sneak away and hide amongst his Merry Men.
    • A second new hidden movement mechanic: Carriages serve as a simple twist on Lines of Communication, transferring wealth back to Nottingham while providing a target for robbery by the Merry Men—but some of them might be a trap, containing concealed Henchmen!
    • Random encounters with rich travelers: Robin Hood draws from the Travelers Deck when conducting a Rob action, then decides whether to play it safe or demand a larger ‘donation’ with potentially negative consequences.
    • A streamlined sequence of play: Further developing the two-player sequence of play first found in Colonial Twilight, this new sequence of play is easy to understand while still presenting difficult tactical decisions
    • Robin Hood and the Merry Men: Robbing from the rich to give to the poor. An archetypal insurgency faction focused on undermining the Sheriff’s authority by inciting peasant revolts, robbing carriages and travelers, and building a network of camps across Nottinghamshire.

    Player Factions:

    The Sheriff of Nottingham and his Henchmen: In charge of maintaining order and collecting taxes for Prince John. A proto-counterinsurgent faction focusing on suppressing peasant revolts and securing roads to ensure the safe travel of wealth confiscated from the parishes.


    Historiography of Robin Hood:
    The year is 1192. Richard I “Lionheart” is held captive by Duke Leopold of Austria, interrupting his return from the Crusades. Meanwhile, the King’s brother Prince John rules England as his regent. Prince John uses his temporary powers to increase taxes and pass laws in favor of loyal members of the nobility and clergy. Sir Robin of Locksley, a young and courageous minor noble, has recently returned from the Third Crusade to see his family dispossessed of its wealth by the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham. He decides to revolt against what he perceives as an illegitimate authority and takes to the forest where he finds unlikely allies: rogue yeomen, poachers, and other bandits. Perhaps this sounds familiar?

    This version of the story of Robin Hood, the one many of us grew up with, is surprisingly modern and polished, as it is based on 19th century retellings of older folktales by authors such as Howard Pyle. Additional layers have later been added to the character of Robin Hood by the 20th century film industry, from the 1922 adventure film starring Douglas Fairbanks, right through to the gritty reboots of the past decade. The original version of Robin Hood can be traced back to the 14th Century, first appearing in a brief mention in the allegorical poem Piers Plowman (~1370s) and then later reappearing in a variety of ballads. His first dedicated literary work (that we know of) is A Gest of Robyn Hode, printed around the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, which compiles several older tales of a heroic outlaw fighting for justice. This original version of the Robin Hood character was slightly different from the one that we know today: rougher, more violent, and closer perhaps to the contemporary image of a guerrilla fighter.

    In 1958, the medieval historian Rodney Hilton published a study of the original Robin Hood tales and what they symbolized. The audience for these tales were the common people of the late 14th century, and we can see that the character is himself kind and well-tempered when dealing with representatives of these people, such as the Potter, but behaves ruthlessly with representatives of the ruling class, like the pompous Bishop of Hereford. Members of the emerging free peasant class recognized their struggles in the heroic figure of a brave yeomen, fighting unfair taxes and judiciary systems established to keep them in check. In this narrative, the King is a distant and kind figure unaware of the people's suffering, who will eventually support them in their struggle once he returns to restore justice. This illusion would fade after the 1381 peasant revolts and Richard II’s betrayal of the common folk.

    A Gest of Robin Hood taps into this rich historiography, leveraging the romantic story that we all know but setting it in a more realistic context by depicting Robin Hood as a complex figure. A social bandit, as the historian Hobsbawm describes him, at the head of an insurrection against the Sheriff of Nottingham.

    Game components

    • 17” x 22” mounted game board
    • Event Deck
    • Travellers Deck
    • 37 Wooden Pieces
    • 5 Pawns
    • One half-size, full-color countersheet
    • Two player mats
    • Two player foldout screens
    • Two custom 6-sided dice
    • Rules of Play booklet
    • Playbook booklet
    • Learn to Play booklet
    • A 2" box

      Number of players: 2

    Not rated yet
    • $63.75
  • Almoravid: Reconquista and Riposte in Spain, 1085-1086
    • 14% less

    Almoravid: Reconquista and Riposte in Spain, 1085-1086

    Al-Andalus, 1085. The western jewel of Islam had broken into pieces. The petty Taifa emirs who inherited the once-mighty Caliphate squabbled and fought, then paid the Christian lords Parias in gold to avoid fighting at all. Alfonso VI, Christian king of a unified León and Castilla, could now put his extorted dinars to work. He would muster a great feudal host—not merely for plunder but to rip out the heart of Muslim Spain. He would seize the ancient Visigothic capital of Toledo and with it the great central plain to declare himself imperator of all Iberia.

    But Alfonso would find there was fight left in al-Andalus, as Christian strikes radiating from Toledo were too much for even the emirs in their pleasure palaces to bear. Al‑Mutamid of Sevilla, the strongest among them, would risk the Taifa dynasties’ independence and call to arms a Muslim force unlike any that the Christian Kings had faced. Granada and Badajoz would join him to invite the Almoravid fundamentalists in to save the Muslim faithful. Yusuf, Sultan al‑Murabitun, had secured his Berber empire in Africa and seized a port and fleet just across the Mediterranean strait from al-Mutamid's Algeciras. A titanic campaign for Spain was set to unfold.

    Almoravid, Volume II in Volko Ruhnke's Levy & Campaign Series, takes us from Nevsky's frozen northeast frontier to medieval Latindom's opposite corner. The same base rules show the muster of lords, their levy of forces and capabilities, and their command of armies on campaign across 11th-Century Spain. But al-Andalus was not Russia: your lords will enjoy good Roman roads and gentler seasons but must bypass or smash against Iberia’s profusion of tough Moorish fortifications. Taifa politics and Parias tribute will guide your military strategy. African troops, bloodthirsty crusaders, the avaricious Cid—each may or may not make their appearance. And all will play out across a field half again as large as that of the first volume.

    Not rated yet
    • $77.00
  • Banish the Snakes
    • 15% less

    Banish the Snakes

    A Solitaire/Cooperative Game of St. Patrick in Ireland 

    If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God so as to teach these peoples.” - St. Patrick

    Legend has it that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. True, there are no snakes anywhere on the island- but there have been none since before the last Ice Age! The legend is actually an allegory about his successes in converting Ireland to Christianity.

    Banish the Snakes is a solitaire and/or cooperative game that simulates Ireland in the 5th century, while the Roman Empire was collapsing in the west and Ireland was turning to the Christian religion. Players represent Saints- Patrick and others (up to six of you) who set out to convert the pagans on the island. You must work as a team to convert the people of Ireland before the barbarians completely overwhelm Britain- if you fail, the Irish will not be able to save Civilization in the following centuries!

    The game board shows a map of Ireland in the 5th century, with four Provinces-the same as today- but no counties yet. Wooden tiles represent the People, Druids, Chiefs, and Kings, and of course the High King at Tara. It is your job to break into the interrelated influences between these groups of people and get your new ideas accepted.

    Each turn a card is drawn, throwing new challenges at your team. The severity of the event is determined by the previous card, and so no two games can ever play the same. The cards introduce events and ideas of the time, new saints, and historic figures- like Neil of the Nine Hostages.

    There is a diagram of Great Britain to keep track of the steady decline of Roman civilization in Great Britain. As different parts of Britain succumb to the barbarians, more and more difficult challenges are added to the deck, until finally Britain is completely overwhelmed, cutting off Ireland from the continent and ending the game.

    If you succeed in your endeavor, Christianity will thrive in Ireland, while paganism overruns Western Europe. The arts, writing, literature and history will flourish on the Emerald Isle! Soon, Irish missionaries will bring these civilizing attributes back to Great Britain and mainland Europe- as Thomas Cahill says in his book, the Irish will save Civilization. But if you fail…

     Components:

    • 22 x 25" Mounted Mapboard
    • 156 Wooden Blocks
    • 85 Playing Cards
    • 2 Label Sheets
    • 8 Player Aid Cards/Play Mats
    • Six-sided die
    Not rated yet
    • $50.00
  • Bayonets & Tomahawks
    • 15% less

    Bayonets & Tomahawks

    2nd Printing

    "Through clever use of a period mapmaker's perspective and the full inclusion of the maritime campaigns, Marc's Bayonets & Tomahawks delivers both historical focus on the Champlain corridor and the full possibilities of naval operations. Not only squadron units and naval combat, but also artillery and road-building give Bayonets & Tomahawks a more explicitly military-operational feel. Marc's design also provides a tense press-your-luck aspect to raiding and counter-raiding." 

    --Volko Ruhnke, Vienna, Virginia

    Introduction

    "You have brought into this place the art of war of the world beyond the ocean; but for the knowledge of these forests and the way of making war here, we have the advantage over you." --Indigenous leaders to French General Montcalm, August 5, 1757. War has broken out on the North American continent, pitting the French and British colonial empires against each other. Although they have faced off before, this time something is different: large scale European-style warfare transforms this theater of war. But the wilderness expanse as well as the involvement of many indigenous nations hampers Old World tactics. Will you be ambushed in the woods like British general Braddock in 1755? Will you charge desperately against disciplined volleys like French general Montcalm in 1759? Or will you perpetuate the glory of your king in the New World?

    Bayonets & Tomahawks is a two-player grand strategic game depicting the French & Indian War, which raged from 1755 to 1760 and in which France's North American empire was conquered. Take command of either the French or British to fight all facets of the conflict: army maneuvering, diplomacy with indigenous nations, raids, battles, construction, naval operations, sieges, and more. With scenarios varying from a single year to the whole war, as well as rules for team play, Bayonets & Tomahawks is perfect for new and experienced wargamers alike.

    Each in-game Year contains nine Actions Rounds as well as three administrative Logistics Rounds. During Action Rounds, players use historically based cards for events and actions. This innovative system without hand management builds on card-driven games such as Twilight Struggle while keeping the game accessible and fast-paced. An exciting battle system featuring custom dice presents challenges that reward careful planning. Victory is achieved by capturing key spaces and conducting raids in enemy territory. Over just a few hours, relive a war that shaped the course of history in North America and beyond!

    "Now, the battle is over, but we must still win a war. It is my fondest hope that the other British Generals will learn how war in America must be fought."

    --Benjamin Franklin to George Washington, July 16, 1755 


    Not rated yet
    • $54.50
  • Border Reivers
    • 34% off

    Border Reivers


    For two hundred years, war waged back and forth across the border between England and Scotland. From Stirling Bridge to Bannockburn, the battles are famous, as are the protagonists: William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Edward I, Hammer of the Scots. By 1482, the unfortunate town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, once the richest port town in Scotland, had changed hands thirteen times. By the time Henry VIII ascended the throne of England in 1509, the fifty-mile-wide stretch of rolling hills and stunning vistas that straddle the border had seen decades of hardship and atrocity.

    Yet still the hardy families living on these frontier lands persevered. Unable to count on crops surviving until the harvest, they subsisted primarily on the livestock they could shepherd in the fields near their homesteads. When supplies ran low, raiding to steal what they needed from their neighbors was often the answer. Perhaps no Border story is more famous than the wife who served her husband his spurs on a plate: a clear sign that it was time for him to go raiding if he wanted to see his supper.

    Raids were often carefully planned operations with several border families uniting to steal livestock from a common foe in the dead of night. Cattle and sheep were the likely targets, often with hundreds of these creatures being stolen in a single raid. The reiver’s goal was to herd their quarry to safety before the retaliatory “hot trod” pursuit could catch up and force an engagement.

    To combat this constant hostility, England and Scotland established the system of March Law. Each nation divided its border lands into an East, Middle, and West March with each of these six territories administered by a Warden responsible for keeping the peace. The Wardens were drawn from the most powerful families on the Borders, clans of great renown that could put upwards of a thousand men in the saddle in times of need. The March Law would have succeeded too, but for the fact that these same great families were usually the ones best equipped and most inclined to raid their neighbors. And thus the cycle of looting, raiding, and feuding among these families would continue for another century, throughout the reigns of both Henry VIII and his daughter the Virgin Queen Elizabeth.

    In Border Reivers, each player rules over one of the Marches as leader of one of the six major riding families of the border: Grey, Fenwick, Dacre, Maxwell, Kerr, or Hume. Your goal is to increase the wealth and fame of your clan throughout the reigns of Henry and Elizabeth to end the century as the most famous Border Reiver of all time. Players gain VPs from successful combats, amassing large herds of livestock, and by elevating their Notoriety above the other players in the regions of the map.

    Not rated yet
    • $59.00
  • Burning Banners: Rage of the Witch Queen
    • 15% less

    Burning Banners: Rage of the Witch Queen

    Take command, forge alliances, and shape the destiny of six unique kingdoms as you explore a stunningly detailed world across four hand-drawn boards. Designed and illustrated by acclaimed fantasy artist, Christopher Moeller, Burning Banners brings the rich tapestry of Kalar to life with a breathtaking fusion of immersive artwork and engaging gameplay that grows with your group.

    With a staggering 29 scenarios, you can experience the tactical thrill of a single battle in an evening, or dive deep into an epic conflict spanning more than a decade. Will you lead the stalwart Oathborn, the cunning Shashka, the relentless Army of Night, the mighty Eastern Empire, or the fierce warriors of Fjordland? Choose your kingdom wisely, for each holds a pivotal role in the conflicts to come.

    Unleash your strategic prowess as you navigate a world brimming with legends and mythical creatures! Customize your army from the start with a diverse array of units at your beck and call, from utility miners who gather gold far from the action and deep beneath the earth, to weapon-specialist warriors and elite fighting forces, and all the way to the mythical wilds of feral rat hordes and towering frost giants.

    When the time comes to level up your challenge, prepare to unleash the might of heroes, command monstrous creatures, harness ancient magic, and vie for control over powerful artifacts in the Advanced Game. Whether you join forces as the Invaders or stand as the Resistance, every decision you make will shape the fate of Kheros.

    Will you answer the call? The fate of Kalar awaits.

    Components:

    • 240 1” Hand-Drawn Rounded Counters
    • 162 ⅝” Rounded Counters
    • 65 Coin Counters
    • 4 17”x22” Hand-Drawn Mounted Maps (with HUGE 1 ½” hexes)
    • 192 Playing Cards
    • 1 Rule Book
    • 1 Campaign Book
    • 1 Lore Booklet
    • 6 Dual-Layered Kingdom Playmats
    • 3 Cardstock Player Aids
    • 2 Mounted Displays
    • 12 Light Six-Sided Dice
    • 8 Dark Eight-Sided Dice
    Not rated yet
    • $101.50
  • CDG Solo System
    • 15% less

    CDG Solo System

    The CDG Solo System is a revised GMT Edition of Stuka Joe's CDG solo method, which streamlines two-handed solitaire gameplay by decreasing turn to turn overhead and maintenance. This method of play increases narrative immersion as the great battles of history unfold on your tabletop. The GMT edition of the CDG Solo System includes professionally printed components, a custom screen-printed die, an official ruleset, and Playsheets for seven of GMT’s most popular Card Driven Games.

    Gameplay Overview

    The CDG Solo System plays alongside your favorite CDG and is designed to enhance your solitaire experience by reintroducing many of the best parts of wargaming that fall apart in standard two-handed play, namely, as Stuka Joe mentioned above, the narrative flow and the fog of war.

    The CDG Solo System includes two Card Displays that are used to manage each side’s hand of strategy cards. At the beginning of each Side's turn, you will roll a Fate Die to determine which of the cards in one or more of the slots are available for play. Typically 2 or 3 cards are available at a time, but the final decision is ultimately yours. After a card is played, the marker on the Cards Remaining track slides one spot to the left, and then it’s time to roll the die for the other side’s turn. 

    Because the turn to turn maintenance level is so low, the rhythm of play quickly becomes second nature and allows for the game to shine. The combination play between the roll of the Fate Die and the layout of the Card Displays provides many great benefits for Solitaire CDG players. First, the singular die roll provides a nearly instantaneous result that limits the player’s options so a decision can be made quickly for each side.

    Second, because cards are only turned face-up when their lettered slot is rolled, the player doesn’t know all of the cards that will be available for each side. This combined with the Fate Die dictating which slots are available each turn effectively reinstates a reasonable degree of uncertainty and allows the player to focus on the options for the active side, instead of falling victim to the mental strain of trying to take every card into consideration while also pretending to not know what the other side is planning to do.

    Finally, the system allows for an element of surprise. Every once in a while, the perfect strategy hangs in the balance as the die rolls. Whether things look grim (until the die roll flips the perfect card) or everything feels like it's falling perfectly in line (until the card slot you need isn't rolled), the CDG Solo System reintroduces the fog of war to solitaire CDG wargaming. The moments that don't go as planned make for the best stories.

    Playsheet Support

    Along with a Rules Summary and the components we’ve talked about above, the system will launch with official Playsheet support for seven GMT games:

    • Caesar: Rome vs Gaul
    • Commands & Colors: Ancients
    • Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles
    • For The People
    • Illusions of Glory
    • Paths of Glory
    • Washington’s War


    Playsheets are single sheets of rules, front and back, that contain all of the game-specific rules needed to use the system. These include a diagram of set-up, a listing of die result rulings, and modifications to the system that are necessary to meet the demands of unique game rules.

    For those who are familiar with Stuka Joe’s original solo method, the Playsheets are based on the original “Tweak Sheets” and provide the same ease, simplicity, and clarity while aiding in the play experience. While the CDG Solo System is launching with support for the above-mentioned titles, the development team will continue to build more official Playsheets to support old and new CDGs in the GMT catalog.

    Finally, we recognize that the CDG Solo System was a community effort and want to give back to the community that developed this system. So, GMT will make the rulebook, playsheets, and all needed files available as a free Print-and-Play download when the system is sent to the printer.

    Not rated yet
    • $17.00
  • Commands & Colors Medieval Expansion 1: Crusades Mid-Eastern Battles 1
    • 15% less

    Commands & Colors Medieval Expansion 1: Crusades Mid-Eastern Battles 1

    IMPORTANT: In order to play the scenarios in this Crusade expansion, you will need a copy of the Commands & Colors Medieval game. 

     Most of you have already discovered that GMT’s Commands & Colors is an expandable game system. Like its older sister, Commands & Colors Ancients and brother Commands & Colors Napoleonics, Commands & Colors Medieval is going to be much, much, much more than what was originally presented in GMT’s Medieval core game. As such, Crusades Mid-Eastern Battles I is just the first expansion for Commands & Colors Medieval.

    The original plan was to have the Medieval expansions follow a somewhat historical timeline, but to keep in tune with player requests and feedback, GMT chose to jump ahead in time some 500 plus years to the Crusades. Actually reflecting on the decision, this jump makes a lot of sense, since there are marked similarities with many Byzantine battles as featured in the Medieval game and the battles fought during the Crusades gameplay wise, rule wise and transitional-thinking wise.

    Yes, there are plenty of knights in shining armor in this expansion, but there are no damsels in distress or dragons to be slain. The Crusade Mid-Eastern Battles I expansion will instead focus on some of the major engagements of earlier Crusader history. In this first Crusade expansion, we showcase at least 16 Crusader scenarios and all the additional unit blocks you need to fight out these battles. New units include: Crossbow Infantry, Foot Knight Infantry, Turcopole Light Bow Cavalry, Heavy Knight Cavalry, and Heavy Military Order Knight Cavalry.

    The Crusade expansion introduces many new game concepts as well: Impetuous Pursuit, Feigned Flight, Shower Shooting, and Charging Cavalry ability to pass through friendly stationary infantry units, all of which add historical depth and flavor. Still many game mechanics remain constant, like the deck of Medieval Command cards that drive movement while creating a “fog of war” and the battle dice that will resolve combat quickly and efficiently. There are also new and updated Inspired Actions for both the Crusader and Mid-Eastern armies.

     The stylized battlefield scenario maps still emphasize the important terrain features and highlight the historical deployment of forces in scale with the game system. Like your Medieval core game, the scale of the Crusade expansion is flexible and can vary from battle to battle. Yet to gain victory (and I have stated this many times before), the tactics you need to execute conform remarkably well to the advantages and limitations inherent to the various Crusader and Mid-Eastern army units, their weapons, terrain, and the history.

    Not rated yet
    • $59.50
  • Commands & Colors: Medieval 2nd Printing
    • 15% less

    Commands & Colors: Medieval 2nd Printing

    Commands & Colors: Medieval  is based on the highly successful Commands & Colors game system and by design is not overly complex. The Medieval game introduces many new game concepts to the Commands & Colors system, which add historical depth and flavor. Some of the new concepts are:

    • Superior armor and status when battling
    • Cavalry units increase to 4 blocks
    • Heavy infantry battle dice are reduced from 5 dice down to 4
    • Light Bow Cavalry units can employ the Parthian Shot when they evade


    Still, some Commands & Colors game mechanics remain familiar to players of other games in the system, like the deck of Medieval Command cards that drive movement while creating a “fog of war,” and the battle dice that will resolve combat quickly and efficiently. The stylized battlefield scenario maps emphasize the important terrain features and highlight the historical deployment of forces in scale with the game system. The scale of the game is flexible, and varies from battle to battle. For some scenarios, a unit may represent a Chiliarchy of soldiers, while in other scenarios a unit may represent just a few brave warriors. The battlefield tactics, however, that you will need to execute to gain victory conform remarkably well to the strengths and limitations of the various medieval unit types, their weapons, the terrain, and history.

    The medieval battles showcased in the scenario book focus on the historical confrontations between the Byzantine Empire and Sassanid Persians (530 to 627 AD) with a slight detour to battle the Moors and their rebel allies (645 - 648 AD). The Byzantine Empire during this period of medieval history was one of constant transition and reorganization. Its army tended to mirror its eastern adversaries by deploying an increasing number of armored cavalry formations (Cataphracts) and more missile troops. Yet, it was how the Byzantines adapted their battlefield tactics in relation to the enemy it faced that is perhaps the chief reason for the longevity of their Empire.

    Not rated yet
    • $76.50
  • Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles
    • 15% less

    Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles

    2nd Printing

    Samurai Battles, from the game company Zvezda, premiered almost seven years ago. And although the game achieved some popularity for the most part the game flew under the radar of most gamers. Perhaps the blame was with the time required to assemble the 100 plus plastic Samurai figures before one could even play the game. And once assembled these plastic models, although truly fine figures, were very fragile, almost too fragile for game pieces. Finally when it was time to pack up after a game, it was extremely difficult to store them away safely.

    Yet, the Samurai Battles game still gained a small following of very loyal fans. I tend to believe, many fans who were already familiar with one or more of other games that use the Commands & Colors system; Battle Cry, Memoir ’44, Commands & Colors Ancients, or Commands & Colors Napoleonics, actually brought them to the game. But after a couple of years of dwindling sales and the untimely death of Zvezda CEO Konstantin Krivenko, who was very supportive of the project, the game was phased out.


    Which brings all of us, you, me and the fine folks at GMT, who also believe in Samurai Battles, to this P500 write-up for the new, improved and more robust version of Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles. Before getting into details why GMT’s Samurai Battles game is Great, first the standard overview text.

    The Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles game rules allow players to portray important engagements of Japanese history. The battles, included in the scenario booklet, focus on the historical deployment of forces and important terrain features in scale with the game system. The scale of the game is flexible and varies from battle to battle. For some scenarios, an infantry unit may represent an entire clan of soldiers, while in other scenarios a unit may represent just a few brave warriors.

    The Command cards drive movement and creates a “fog of war” and presents players with many interesting challenges and opportunities, while the battle dice resolve combat quickly and efficiently. The Honor & Fortune game mechanic will task players to maintain a balance between these two important game elements. The Dragon Cards add an element of suspense and surprise that can bend the rules and instantly change the course of a battle. The battlefield tactics you will need to execute to gain victory, however, conform remarkably well to the strengths and limitations of the various Japanese unit types, their weapons, battle terrain, and written history.


    So what makes GMT’s Commands & Colors: Samurai Battles game Great? In a word, More! GMT’s C&C: Samurai Battles game has more scenarios, more units to deploy, additional types of Japanese units, a jammed-packed battlefield with more units and more terrain. And there are still more expansion materials  already waiting in the wings.

    First - there are more units and more unit types in the game. Yep, it will take some time to apply stickers to all the blocks, but doing so is a breeze, when compared to the time it took to assemble figures. When done, blocks are very durable and easy to store.

    Second - the battlefield comes on a one-piece mounted map board. Not really any larger in that it still stands at 11 hexes deep by 12 hexes wide, but there are plenty of terrain tiles including new types of terrain, fences, ramparts, castle walls and more.

    Third - more scenarios, which no doubt will be the most important feature for anyone who owns and enjoys the previous version of Samurai Battles from Zvezda. If all goes as planned, the game will have around 40 scenarios.

    Truth be known, in regard to Zvezda’s Samurai Battles game... A few weeks before the game was to go to the printers, I was informed that the number of plastic figures originally planned for the game had been reduced. Therefore, the number of units in most of the Commands & Colors scenarios had to be reduced. After a few days of scrambling, the Commands & Colors scenarios were adjusted. So even if some of the battle scenarios titles in GMT’s scenario booklet are familiar, they are not exactly the same because they are now back to their original unit deployments, which means more units to command.

    Much of what is written here is to give players that own an old version of the game enough information about GMT's  enhanced game to provide them with reasons to support this project. But even if you have never played the Zvezda edition or any Commands & Colors game, there is plenty the game has to offer. For me personally, I never stopped believing in the game and I have always known that the Japanese Samurai period provides some very fascinating and interesting historical possibilities. GMT also believes in this and that is why they will make a Great game. Welcome and Enjoy!  - Richard Borg

    Not rated yet
    • $81.00
  • Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany, 1259-1261
    • 15% less

    Inferno: Guelphs and Ghibellines Vie for Tuscany, 1259-1261

    Tuscany, 1259. As wealth from crafts and foreign trade elevated northern Italy's urban families above the landed lords, rivalries within and among their cities hardened into conflict between two great parties. Ghibellines aligned with the Hohenstaufen imperial dynasty that ostensibly ruled Italy, while Guelphs backed rival imperial claimants and the greatest challenger to each Emperor's authority, the Pope. Should any faction gain advantage, others coalesced to resist.

     The comuni (republics) of Firenze (Florence) and Siena dominated inland Tuscany at the head of these competing alliances. As Guelphs sealed their control of the populous Firenze, Ghibelline Siena turned to Hohenstaufen King Manfredi of Sicily for reinforcement. Local rebellions and reprisals escalated on each side, as political exiles stirred the pot. After Manfredi dispatched German knights to protect his loyal Tuscans, Firenze mustered its people and allies to march on Siena, which responded with its own great army. Pisa and Lucca, Lombardia and Orvieto joined in. Guelph and Ghibelline in September 1260 at last faced off en masse in the center of Tuscany, at Montaperti—the result,  a bloody Florentine defeat. But when Ghibelline exiles returned as masters of Firenze, its Guelphs rallied to Lucca and Arezzo, portending an eternal conflagration.

    Inferno—the third volume in Volko Ruhnke's Levy & Campaign Series—fires up the cauldron 13th-Century Tuscan warfare, factional conflict fueled by the gold florins and teeming populations of up-and-coming cities and well-to-do valleys. Expert Italian wargame designer Enrico Acerbi brings the age to life within Volko's accessible medieval-operation system. Gathering transport and provender may not be as much the challenge here as the sudden treachery of rebel towns and castles along key roads. Italy's plundering berrovieri horsemen, famed elite crossbowmen, and distinctive palvesari shield bearers are just a few of the unique inhabitants of this volume. Muster, mount up, and find out whose blood will make the Arbia run red!

    Components:

    • One 17x22 inch Mounted Map
    • 175 Wooden pieces
    • 106 Playing Cards
    • Three full-color Countersheets
    • 15 cardboard Lord and Battle mats
    • One Lords sticker sheet
    • Four Player Aid sheets
    • Two Screens
    • Rules Booklet
    • Background Booklet
    • Six 6-sided dice

    Not rated yet
    • $81.00
  • Labyrinth: The Forever War, 2015-?
    • 14% less

    Labyrinth: The Forever War, 2015-?

    On June 29, 2014, ISIL proclaimed a worldwide caliphate based on an Islamic State carved out of swaths of Iraq and Syria, with its capital city in Ar-Raqqah, Syria. Its forces moved forward quickly, capturing Mosul and threatening Baghdad and key areas of Syria. The Caliphate reached its territorial high water mark in late 2015. The Obama Doctrine called for local allies to bear the brunt of the fighting after being trained and organized by US Forces, and supported by an extra-heavy dose of Allied Air Power. Would this slow but methodical approach reclaim the recently lost territory or would the Jihadist Jugernaught continue its unstoppable advance? 

    A year later, on January 20, 2017, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. It did not take long for him to exert his brand of leadership on the national and world stage. Immediate efforts were made to secure US borders from both illegal immigration and access by terrorists. Trump also followed the previous policies of the Obama administration to dismantle ISIL primarily from the air, with focused operations by Special Forces to lead regional allies in rolling back the Caliphate. ISIL was effectively disenfranchised as a land-holding power by November 2017. Trump did distance himself from Obama by pledging to withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal, which he accomplished on May 8, 2018, much to the dismay of his European allies. International tensions played out in Asia as well with both North Korea and China requiring lengthy negotiations. Europe displayed an autonomy of action that frequently misaligned with US interests. And then there was Russia, who played their game both face-to- face and online!  

    Now it’s your turn to be the President. Can you use the machinery of state to achieve better results than “the Donald”, or will you be distracted in your pursuit of US prestige and international security by numerous global and domestic adversaries?

    Labyrinth: The Forever War, 2015 - ? is a 1-2 player card-driven boardgame simulating at the strategic level the ongoing bid by Islamist extremists to impose their brand of religious rule on the Muslim world. It continues where Labyrinth: The Awakening, 2010 - ? left off and adds new event cards and rules to cover the last five years of history. Since publication of Labyrinth and its first expansion, fans of the game have expressed a desire to update it based on more recent events, and a variety of event card ideas and variants have been freely shared online. This second expansion to the Labyrinth game series fulfills that continuing interest by providing up-to-date event cards and allows the game to continue to serve as an effective strategic level model of the ongoing struggles in the Muslim world.

    Labyrinth: The Forever War, 2015 - ? uses the exact same rules, victory conditions, map, components, and charts as its predecessor game and expansion. Ownership of Labyrinth and Labyrinth: The Awakening, 2010 - ? is required for play. Much has happened in the Muslim World since the end of the Labyrinth: Awakening event deck (roughly 2015), with a number of sub-themes across the globe that give rise to a new narrative that has been playing out over the last five years; these include:

    •  Growth and then Collapse of the physical Islamic State Caliphate
    • Increased Iranian/Saudi Arabian Rivalry and Proxy War
    • Government Repression of Expression (Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, etc.)
    • Increased Women’s Rights Activism across the region
    • Increased Russian and other International involvement in the Middle East
    • Incredible violence outside the Middle East from ISIL and others across Europe, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and elsewhere
    • Impact of President Donald Trump and his personality on US Foreign Policy
    • Continued activity of African Jihadists
    • Plight of International Refugees
    • Emerging Main-Power Rivalry between the US, Russia, China, EU and the UK
    Not rated yet
    • $24.00
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