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Wednesday, 31st October
Computer Games: Wolves of the Pacific U-Boat Missions Announced
Ubisoft have announced that they are producing an add-on for their Silent Hunter 4: Wolves of the Pacific sub sim called Silent Hunter 4: U-Boat Missions. It will enable players to prowl the Indian Ocean as the captain of a German submarine during the second half of WW2. The add-on should be available next spring.
Sunday, 28th October
Board Games: Web-Grognards’ Game Review Links
Web-Grognards has been updated with a variety of new links and files, including five board game reviews: Advanced Squad Leader: Starter Kit 1 (AH/MMP), Drive on Stalingrad (DG), The Triple Alliance War S&T#245 (DG), Up Front (AH) and Riechshoffen 1870, Vae Victis#73 (HC). Click here to go to the Web-Grognards home page.
Thursday, 25th October
Computer Games: Advanced Tactics: World War II Released
Matrix Games and VR Designs have announced the release of Advanced Tactics: World War II - the successor to Vic Reijkersz’s People’s Tactics. Advanced Tactics is a versatile turn-based strategy system that gives gamers the chance to wage almost any war in any time period. The first module in this series is Advanced Tactics: World War II, which allows gamers to re-fight WW2 campaigns. The game comes with a wide range of historical and fictional scenarios. There is also a random scenario generator. To find out more about Advanced Tactics: World War II visit the game’s webpages at Matrix.
Computer Games: Soviet Afghan War Review
The Armchair General website has published a review of the HPS Squad Battles title Soviet Afghan War (SAW). The reviewer (Larry Levandowski) summed up his thoughts as follows: “Passed Inspection: Solid turn based squad combat. Loads of detail. Easy to learn. Failed Basic: Some scenarios have unrealistic time limits.” You can read his review here. To find out more about SAW visit its official webpage at HPS Simulations.
Wednesday, 24th October
Computer Games: Napoleon’s Ambition Updated
Paradox Interactive have released an update for their Napoleonic expansion for Europa Universalis III: Napoleon’s Ambition. The version 2.1 update can be downloaded and installed using the eu3 launcher application in the game’s installation folder. More information about the game can be found on the GamersGate website.
Computer Games: Commander - Europe at War Review
The Wargamer has published a review of the WW2 grand strategy title Commander – Europe at War. The reviewer (Bill Trotter) summed up his thoughts as follows: “What I think is this: Commander - War in Europe is a stone gas of a game, a real sweetheart title that should woe new multitudes to the wargaming genre just as Panzer General did in days of yore.” You can read his review here.
Commander - Europe at War was also reviewed by the Armchair General website in August. You can find their review here.
The games official webpages are at Matrix Games.
Tuesday, 23rd October
Computer Games: 1914 Shells of Fury Review
The Out of Eight PC Game Reviews blog has published a review of the WW1 U-boat sim 1914 Shells of Fury. You can find it here (under October 23, 2007).
Visit the game’s official webpage for screenshots and further information.
Military History: Battle of Cambrai Book
Osprey Publishing has published a new paperback entitled Cambrai 1917 (Campaign 187) which looks at the Battle of Cambrai in WW1. It can be purchased from Amazon.
Monday, 22nd October
Podcasts: Meeples and Miniatures Episode 21
Neil Shuck has released his 21st podcast (mp3 format). This show has a distinctly ‘Wild West’ feel to it, as he reviews Six Gun Sound - Blaze of Glory from Two Hour Wargames and the HLBS Co ‘Old West’ range of miniatures. In his usual board games review section he looks at Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game from Flying Frog Productions. You can download his podcasts from here.
Sunday, 21st October
Board Games: Web-Grognards’ Game Review Links
Web-Grognards has been updated with a variety of new links and files, including five board game reviews: Prochorovka: Armor at Kursk (Taskforce), Raid on St Nazaire (AH), Strike South (Avalanche), War at Sea (AH) and War in the Ice (SPI). Click here to go to the Web-Grognards home page.
Saturday, 20th October
Podcasts: Canadians at Vimy Ridge
The Military History Podcast blog has been updated with an episode about the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April 1917. You can find it here. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded during the battle. 3,000 Canadians were killed and another 7,000 were wounded.
Thursday, 19th October
Computer Games: First Eagles Expansion Pack Released
Thirdwire Productions have released First Eagles Expansion Pack 1 - the first expansion pack for their WW1 air combat game First Eagles. It adds six new flyable aircraft (the Albatros D.III, Albatros D.III OAW, Albatros D.V, Albatros D.Va, Fokker Dr.I and Sopwith F.1 Camel), three new AI aircraft (the AEG G.IV, RAF R.E.8 and SPAD VIIC.1), a new map (Cambrai Sector) and two new campaigns (the Battle of Cambrai in 1917 and Operation Michael in 1918) to the game. The expansion pack is an add-on. It requires the original game to play. Visit the Thirdwire website to find out more.
First Eagles can be purchased from Amazon in the UK.
If you’re interested in WW1 aircraft you should check out a couple of links on my History Links page: ‘The Aerodrome’ and ‘WW1 Aviation’.
Wednesday, 18th October
Miniatures: Victory at Sea Review
The Armchair General website has published a review of Victory at Sea: Mongoose Publishing’s WW2 naval wargame rules, scenarios, campaigns and fleet lists. The reviewer (Dr Brandon Neff) summed up his thoughts as follows: “This is a light, fast game. In an hour or so, you can recreate a naval battle without being bogged down by overly complicated and seemingly pedantic rules. This game can be taught in a few minutes and there is very little downtime for either player. My only complaint with this otherwise stellar game is the weakened capabilities of aircraft.” You can read his review here. The last pages of the rule book feature ship counters which can be photocopied, cut out and used in the game instead of miniatures.
Board Games: Operation Westindien Released
Firefight Games have released an operational-level naval game - called Operation Westindien, Feb. 1942 - which depicts U-boat operations against oil tankers and installations in the Caribbean during WW2. Visit the Firefight website to find out more.
Monday, 15th October
Computer Games: DCS: Black Shark Announced
The Fighter Collection (TFC) and the Eagle Dynamics development studio are developing a new air combat simulation called Digital Combat Simulator: Black Shark. The game is a simulation of the Russian Ka-50 attack helicopter and will be the flagship title of a new ‘DCS’ series of games featuring other aircraft – including the A-10A ‘Warthog’ and AH64A ‘Apache.’ DCS: Black Shark is due to be released next year. Visit the official DCS website for further information.
Sunday, 14th October
Board Games: Web-Grognards’ Game Review Links
Web-Grognards has been updated with a variety of new links and files, including 17 board game reviews: After the Holocaust (SPI), Albion (SPI), Flying Colors (Relative Range/GMT), Forged in Fire (Worthington), High Crusade (TSR), Minuteman (SPI), Nuclear War (Flying Buffalo), The Old Contemptibles S&T#228 (DG), Patton’s Best (AH), Pax Romana (GMT), Red Star Rising: The War in Russia (MMP), Red Sun/Red Star S&T#158 (DG), Rise of the Roman Republic (GMT), Thirty Years War (GMT), Tide of Iron (FFG), Warpwar (Metagaming) and Zulu War 1879 (Battleplan #7). Click here to go to the Web-Grognards home page.
History Today: The Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings was fought on this day in 1066.
An animated video of the Bayeux Tapestry:
(You Tube video tip: To see a full-screen video double-click on the video image to open its page at YouTube. Then select the full-screen button)
If you play Age of Rifles you may be interested to know that there is a Hastings scenario for AoR. It can be found on this webpage.
Saturday, 13th October
Military History: Arnhem Commemoration
The Armchair General website has published an article about this year’s Market Garden Commemorative Jump - which marked the 63rd anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem. You can read it here.
Friday, 12th October
Computer Games: Commander - Europe at War Updated
Matrix Games and Slitherine Strategies have announced that they have released a new update for Commander – Europe at War. This update (v1.04) for the turn-based WW2 grand strategy game makes a lot of balance changes and adds a few improvements. To find out more visit the game’s official web pages at Matrix.
Wednesday, 10th October
Computer Games: New Jutland Screenshots
Storm Eagle Studios have updated their website (link here) with new screenshots of their upcoming WW1 naval game Jutland. The title is the second game to use their ground breaking Distant Guns 3D combat engine.
If you can’t wait for the Storm Eagle game to re-fight the Battle of Jutland check out the HPS title Naval Campaigns 1: Jutland. Details are available on the HPS website here.
Podcasts: Point 2 Point Episode 27
The Point 2 Point board gaming podcast site has been updated with another episode. In Point2Point episode 27 the presenters - Jason and Scott - look at a variety of subjects including hex and counter games, online gaming opportunities and GMT’s Commands & Colors: Ancients (2006). You can find the site here.
Friday, 5th October
Computer Games: WW1 Fighters Released
First Class Simulations have released another flight sim add-on for Microsoft Flight Simulator X. Called World War 1 Fighters it features five different aircraft from the Great War: the Avro 504, Fokker Dr. 1, Nieuport 17, Sopwith Pup and Zeppelin. More details are available on the First Class Simulations website.
Thursday, 4th October
Computer Games: Crusader Kings Deus Vult Released
Paradox Interactive has released an expansion for their medieval dynastic strategy game Crusader Kings. The add-on – called Deus Vult – can be purchased and downloaded from GamersGate. Crusader Kings Deus Vult adds lots of improved features to the original game. Click here for more details.
Computer Games: XIII Century Website Launched
1C Company has launched a website for their upcoming medieval strategy game XIII Century: Death or Glory. In the game, players control one of five factions - the English, French, Germans, Mongols or Kievan Rus - through five campaigns which cover more than 30 battles from the 13th Century. Some of these battles have never been covered by PC games before. Visit the new website to find out more.
Board Games: Lee at Gettysburg Released
Lock ‘n Load Publishing has announced the release of Lee at Gettysburg: The Battle for Cemetery Ridge - Gold Edition. The game is a substantial reworking of the game that originally appeared in the Armchair General magazine. The publisher claims that it is Civil War game that you can download in minutes, learn to play in half an hour and play during a lunch break. Visit the Lock ‘n Load website for further information.
Miniatures: “I’m a Wargamer”
A fun video about wargamers:
Tuesday, 2nd October
Computer Games: EU III: Napoleon’s Ambition Review
Gamesquad have published a review of Europa Universalis III: Napoleon’s Ambition. The reviewer (James Cobb) summed up his thoughts as follows: “Napoleon’s Ambition must be considered a qualified success. The improvements and additions it brings to Europa Universalis III are most welcome, making the system far more accessible and player friendly.” You can read his review here.
Napoleon’s Ambition was also reviewed by the Out of Eight PC Game Reviews blog on 9th September. You can find the blog here.
Monday, 1st October
Computer Games: Europa Universalis: Rome Announced
Paradox Interactive have announced that the development team behind the Europa Universalis and Hearts of Iron series of games are working on a similar strategy game called Europa Universalis: Rome. The game will cover the Roman period from the First Punic War up until the start of the Roman Empire. It is scheduled for release in the first half of 2008.
Computer Games: Combat Mission: Shock Force Patched
A new patch is now available for Combat Mission: Shock Force (CMSF), updating the Battlefront, Paradox and Gamersgate editions of the game to version 1.04. Saved games created with earlier versions of the game are not compatible with the patch. It can be downloaded from the CMSF downloads page at Battlefront.
September 2007 Posts >>
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