AB’s Wargame Blog

Well, the new year is almost here and I had to publish something to prove I haven't forgotten this blog.  Here are the last few games that I bought in 2024 and arrived today.  One is going to be rare to find as this High Flying Dice Game is being dis-continued and will not be publish again. The other three I bought in this batch of games (I always buy in 4s) are not in any danger and will be available for a long time.

Wanted and needed:
The first game that I had to buy to complete my set of air racing games is September's Corsairs as HFDG only had 6 copies left on Dec 17th 2024 (and not many of September's Eagles are left either).  

Back a few years ago, Paul designed and published as a "Professional Edition", September's Eagles, an air racing game that recreated the excitement of the Golden Age of Air Racing with the Thompson Air Trophy races (National Air Races).  And this was my first HFDG game (both regular and professional) and was a Christmas present from my daughter in 2017.

 

The game is for 2-4 players with a nice deck of 54 cards called an "Action Card Deck" that allows the players to move and maneuver their aircraft as well as rallying their planes and pilots. Players may also play cards on other players to disrupt their game. 

Included are 36 different aircraft from the stubby wing "how in the hell can it fly" Gee-Bee R-1 racer to the Travel Air R 'Mystery Ship'.  Pilots such as Roscoe Turner, Howard Hughes, Jimmy Doolittle, and 30 others are included.  Counters are mounted and cut out, game map, game rules, and a racing program.  The scenarios are from the years of 1929 to the last race held in 1939 as the start of WW2 put the air racing on hold.  

 

September's Corsairs adds the aircraft that raced after the Air nationals started up again in 1946 to its end in 1949.  But these aircraft were different from the 1st time. War surplus Corsairs, Mustangs, Lightnings, Air Cobras that were super charged, with engines rebuilt to higher specs and flown faster. Flown not by the pilots of old, but by younger men taught how to fly in war. 

 

Seventeen New pilot cards such as Tex Johnson, Dick Becker and fifteen new aircraft cards such as Bill Odom's highly modified P-51C 'The Beguine'.  September's Corsairs is an expansion of September's Eagles game and is not a stand alone game (one needs to own September's Eagles to play).  Honestly, this add on should be on everyone's "must have before it is gone" game list.  Don't wait!!!!

The "other" games" ordered
The other three games that I bought in this order are "A Most Resolute Action Fort Meigs 1813" of the Battles of Old Northwest series, Vol VI.  A step back into time of what war could have been like in 1813. Very well done game (as they all are in this series) and again, a must have to complete the collection of these early battles.  

Now I am not going to do a review on this game, but if I did, I would have to say that finally Nils the graphics designer, IMHO, has designed a game map for this series of games that has knocked my socks off. It looks to be an old period map and is just freaking beautiful. The other map I love in this series is from St Clair's Folly.  I hope if there are anymore games for this series, Nils keep the same game map design. 

Next up is an older HFDG game "Zhukov's Victory and Konev's Gambit, The race for Berlin 1945", actually a "dual-pack" game that allows either solo play or up to 3 players.  From 2012, it is actually a pretty good game.  And the graphics are still first class (that's Bruce for ya). 

And finally the game "Breaking into Valhalla". Allies breaking thru the West Wall across the Rhine. Two scenarios and 2 double size game maps for each. And they are beautiful too, very nice graphics from the map to the player's aid to the counters. This game has the distinction of being the first game that Nils graphically designed.  Hopefully he found it rewarding enough to continue. 😁  

 

Also, this game in conjunction with Zhukov’s Final Victory/Konev’s Gambit, Forgotten Battles: The Battle of Overloon, ATO Vol 9, #4 or issue #36 - Defeat into Victory, A Master Stroke: The Battle for Meiktila, and Galahad's Ordeal: Battle for Myitkyin are designs that I consider and call the Forgotten Battles Series (Paul may hate this title of mine, but it is easy for me to remember) as it is pretty much the same game design with small differences. I like this for as soon as I learn one of the games, the others will fall into place, easier for me to remember and play.

Well, that is it for this time around. Sorry for the long time between posts and I apologize for not doing any reviews for the year.  I just don't have the time as it seems something around the house needs my short attention span these days.  I am working on Heaven's Will, mounting the counters for the game, and will have a full review for it soon. 

 

All my best for 2025!

-ab

 

 

This blog is considered to be a living blog. Changes will be made to it as needed to clarify, correct errors, or update with new information. Also, this is my opinion, right or wrong.