Minicraft Models New Releases  
January 2012

1/24 Triumph TR-3A

11243 1/24 Triumph TR-3A

Successor to the popular TR-2, the Triumph TR-3was built between 1955 and 1962. The
Triumph TR-3was fast, fun to drive and known for being a well-built, inexpensive sports
car. The Minicraft TR-3 is an easy to build kit featuring an open interior, well detailed
wire wheels and a choice for displaying the model with the top down or with an optional
removable hard top.

Suggested Retail              $21.99

1/144 C-47A USAF Arctic

14671 1/144 C-47A USAF Arctic

The 4 engine C-118 is the military version of the very successful DC-6b airliner. The C-118 featured more powerful engines which made it faster with longer range and heavier payload than its C-
54 predecessor. The C-118was used by United States Air Force for over 20 years.

This plastic model assembly kit represents 2 aircraft as used by the United States Air Force Material Airlift Command.

Suggested Retail         $24.99

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Minicraft Models 11654 1/72 PV-1 Ventura

 

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Minicraft 11652 Minicraft Models F/A-18/CF-18 Hornet USN,USMC & CAF 1/72 Scale

 

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Minicraft Models 11643 1/48th P-38 F4/f5 Twin-engine Photo-reconnaissnace

 

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Minicraft Models 11637 1/72 US Navy PB4Y-1 Easy Maid

 

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Minicraft Models 1/48 F4U-5 Corsair VMF-513 USMC

 

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Minicraft Models C-130H Transport USAF 1/144 Scale

 

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Privateer Press Announces

WARMACHINE: Colossals

Expansion Introduces Huge-based Warjacks

BELLEVUE, WA, February 3, 2012 – Privateer Press is pleased to announce the next expansion book for its award-winning WARMACHINE tabletop miniatures game, WARMACHINE: Colossals, which will release worldwide July 2012.

The new book introduces colossals to the tabletop—finely detailed super-heavy warjacks on 120 mm bases.When asked about these unprecedented new models, Privateer Press Director of Business Development William Shick said, “WARMACHINE: Colossals embody the next big step for WARMACHINE and Privateer Press. Colossals are the culmination of everything we’ve learned over the last ten years of making miniatures and represent a new pinnacle of WARMACHINE models. Not only are these models loaded with stunning detail, they tower over other models on the tabletop. What’s more, they open up a whole new range of tactics and strategies for WARMACHINE players, making for an even more exciting tabletop experience.”

In addition to one of these all-new colossalsfor every faction, WARMACHINE: Colossals features new warcasters representing the third incarnations of some of the Iron Kingdoms’ most iconic characters, plus fully compiled and updated Unbound rules, providing enhanced gameplay opportunities for large-scale games of 150 points or more.

For more information about WARMACHINE: Colossals, including a product announcement video, visit www.privateerpress.com/warmachine.

About WARMACHINE and HORDES

WARMACHINE and HORDES are the critically acclaimed tabletop games of miniatures combat designed by game industry veteran Matthew D. Wilson and placed in the award-winning setting of the Iron Kingdoms. Since the 2010 release of the second editions, entitled Mk II, the games have seen explosive growth among their player communities worldwide and are among the fastest-growing miniatures games on the market.

About Privateer Press, Inc.

Privateer Press, Inc. is a privately held producer of entertainment and hobby brands based in the Seattle area. Its products include the Monsterpocalypse battle miniatures game, the award-winning WARMACHINE and HORDES hobby miniatures games, the award-winning Iron Kingdoms property, Bodger Games, the full-color No Quarter Magazine, the Formula P3 hobby line, and the upcoming science fiction property LEVEL 7. To learn more about Privateer Press, visit www.privateerpress.com.

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Privateer Press Hordes Stampede event pinback button

 

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Privateer Press Warmachine No Man's Land Winter Patch

 

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Warmachine Hordes Prime Remix Book PIP1009 Privateer Press 2006

 

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PRIVATEER PRESS Monsterpocalypse structure building #1 ALL YOUR BASE" ULTRA RARE

 

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Revenant Crew Rifleman Attachm - Warmachine Cryx, Privateer Press 34081 NEW

 

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Privateer Press & TinkerHouse Announce War Room™

February 3, 2012 – Seattle, WA. Privateer Press® and TinkerHouse Games™ today announced War Room™, the first official utility app released for the WARMACHINE® and HORDES™ tabletop miniatures games. This launch also marks the first time the two companies have collaborated.
"War Room represents the digital toolkit that we’ve wanted to make since apps first appeared in the mobile marketplace," said Matt Wilson, Chief Creative Officer for Privateer Press. "Thanks to our fantastic partners at TinkerHouse Games, that vision is now a reality."

Added Lane Daughtry, President and Lead Developer for TinkerHouse Games, "As an avid WARMACHINE and HORDES player, I’m thrilled to be bringing something to my fellow gamers that will greatly improve their experience at the table."

War Room, which will be available on tablets and handhelds for both the iOS and Android platforms from Privateer Press this March, gives players access to a wealth of features intended to expedite the army creation process and facilitate faster in-game rulings. In addition, users will receive regular news and rules updates from Privateer Press straight to their mobile devices.

"Users of War Room can be absolutely assured of having the most up-to-date rules and model stats," continued Wilson. "Official errata will be instantly updated in-app as soon as it’s available to the player community."

Notable features include:

• Army Creation Workshop: Players can select their faction and game size and then choose their warcasters and warlocks, warjacks or warbeasts, units, solos, and battle engines to create valid lists, all within the War Room application.
• Full Card Display: Model stat cards are shown exactly as they are printed, so players can reference them easily and with the same confidence as printed cards.
• In-Game Status Tracking: In-game damage and status tracking will give players immediate and easily accessible information on every fighting model in their command.
• In-Game List Sharing: Lists will be sharable between every player using War Room in the same game so they can quickly access each other’s model status and abilities, allowing players to keep their focus on the tabletop action.
• Turn Clock: This optional player-initiated feature allows players to keep individual turns fast but fairly apportioned.

The base app is a free download and contains cards from all current WARMACHINE and HORDES starter products. Full faction decks for both WARMACHINE and HORDES will be available as additional downloads for $6.99. Every deck will include all currently released stat cards for that faction as well as new model updates for the life of the current rules set.

To see a video of the War Room application click here.

About WARMACHINE and HORDES WARMACHINE and HORDES are the critically acclaimed tabletop games of miniatures combat designed by game industry veteran Matthew D. Wilson and placed in the award-winning setting of the Iron Kingdoms. Since the 2010 release of the second editions, entitled Mk II, the games have seen explosive growth among their player communities worldwide and are among the fastest-growing miniatures games on the market.

About Privateer Press, Inc. Privateer Press, Inc. is a privately held producer of entertainment and hobby brands based in the Seattle area. Its products include the Monsterpocalypse battle miniatures game, the award-winning WARMACHINE and HORDES hobby miniatures games, the award-winning Iron Kingdoms property, Bodger Games, the full-color No Quarter Magazine, the Formula P3 hobby line, and the upcoming science fiction property LEVEL 7. To learn more about Privateer Press, visit www.privateerpress.com.

About TinkerHouse Games TinkerHouse, Inc. is an independently held development studio formed in 2011 by longtime veterans of both the digital and analog games industries. Together, they have over 30 years of experience developing and marketing games across a wide range of platforms. WAR ROOM is their third release on the mobile platform.

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Privateer Press Hordes Stampede event pinback button

 

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Privateer Press Warmachine Call To Arms 2007 Patch MINT

 

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Privateer Press Warmachine No Man's Land Winter Patch

 

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Warmachine Hordes Prime Remix Book PIP1009 Privateer Press 2006

 

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PRIVATEER PRESS Monsterpocalypse structure building #1 ALL YOUR BASE" ULTRA RARE

 

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Revenant Crew Rifleman Attachm - Warmachine Cryx, Privateer Press 34081 NEW

 

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Andrea Miniatures New Releases

February 2012

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metal WWII German Stick Grenades M-1924 (5 pcs) 1:35 54mm Andrea Miniatures

 

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metal WWII German Infantry Personal Equipment 1:35 54mm Andrea Miniatures

 

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metal WWII German Mauser KAR 98K and Pouches 1:35 54mm Andrea Miniatures

 

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metal WWII German Officer Equipment 1:35 54mm Andrea Miniatures

 

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Andrea Miniatures: Wooden Round Base 30mm Diameter PR01

 

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Andrea Miniatures: Wooden Round Base 34mm Diameter PR02

 

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Sekigahara

The Unification of Japan

Available from GMT Games

Game Design Matthew Calkins

MSRP  $59.00

Sekigahara is a 2 player block game that depicts the Japanese campaign in 1600 that founded the Tokugawa Shogunate. Each historical leader assembled a coalition of daimyo’s and fought a 7 week contest that would decide who would control Japan. In the game, one player will assume the role of Tokugawa Ieyasu who was the most powerful daimyo in Japan, while the other will be Ishida Mitsunari who was the champion of the warlord’s child heir. The war was decided at the crossroads of Sekigahara where disloyalty and defections turned the tide of battle from Ishida to Tokugawa. How will you fair? Can you repeat history or will Ishida and the child heir rule Japan!

Physical Components

The physical components of Sekigahara are quite impressive. The game contains the following items;

• 1 22×34 inch mounted map
• 1 ½ sheets of stickers
• 96 rectangular blocks (48 gold and 48 black)
• 20 small block cubes, 10 of each color
• 2 gold disks
• 1 square block
• 2 deck of cards (one of each player)
• 2 draw bags
• 2 reference cards
• Rulebook

Scale

Each block in the game represents approximately 5000 warriors or the block can represent a single daimyo (leader) with its noboi (banner) shown. The historical name of the leader is located on the cards with its associated symbol that will be used in the game. The strength of the block can vary from

between 1 and 4 and some blocks have an attached gun or cavalry ability which is indicated by the symbol of a gun or cavalry symbol. Finally, each turn of the game equals a single week.

Sequence of Play

The Sequence of Play is very simple to follow and remember, while it is the tactics of the game that presents the challenge. The game is played in 7 weeks which each turn having the following Sequence of Play;

• Reinforcement Step
• Turn Order
• Turns “A” and “B”

Now let’s take a look at each of the steps that occur in the Sequence of Play.

Reinforcement Step

The first thing that each player does during this step is to discard half of their hand (rounded down). Now each player will draw 5 new cards from the deck with the player who controls the most castles drawing a 6^th card. Next, each player draws at random from their bag a number of blocks as written on the Recruitment Track on the board. The player with more Resource Locations gets to select an additional block. Finally, players place their blocks in the player’s Reinforcement Box on the map board.

Turn Order Step

During this phase each player bids to decide who has the turns initiative by playing a card from their hand. Each player places the card from their hand down on the table face down. These cards are turned over simultaneously and the card with the higher number in the bottom corner is the winner. The winning player can choose who will go first during the following phases.

Turn “A” and “B”

Each weekly cycle consists of two turns which are Turn “A” and “B”. Each “A” turn consists of a Movement Phase followed by a Combat Phase. This is then followed by a repeated turn which is Turn “B”. So in effect each player has two movement and two combat phases during each weekly cycle. The final item performed is advancing the Turn Marker to the next weekly space and if it is already on Turn 7 then the game ends.

Movement Phase

Just like a standard game, each player can move some, all, or none of their stacks each movement phase. A stack is all of the blocks located in a single location. The number of stacks that can be moved depends on the number of cards spent for movement. At the beginning of the Movement phase, the active player discards either none, one or two cards from his hand. The number of cards discarded, will determine movement for the phase.

The active player can discard zero, one, or two cards which will have the following effect on movement.

• 0 Cards – No Movement: Any number of cards can be discarded from a players hand.
• 0 Cards – Minimal Movement: One stack may move or the player can perform a mustering action
• 1 Card – Three stacks can be moved or two stacks and a mustering action.
• 2 Cards – All friendly stacks can be moved and a mustering action can be performed.

Mustering is the action of bringing new units into the game at Recruitment locations.

The basic movement is one location per move. Stack movement can be modified if there is a highway, a leader or if the unit is force marching. Each one of these adds a +1 to the basic movement and are cumulative.

Finally, there is a rule referencing “Movement and Force Sizes”. For every multiple of four blocks beyond the first four, the stack incurs a movement penalty of -1. So if a location has 9 blocks at a location the unit would incur a movement penalty of -2.

Combat

Like Movement, Combat in Sekigahara is controlled through the tactical use of cards. Combat must be declared in every location in which opposing pieces appear together. Cards are used to deploy blocks and each card that is played face up on the map can deploy one block. However, the “mon” symbol on the card and the block must match for the block to be deployed for combat. The “mon” is the symbol on the top of the card and across the block. Leader units do not require a card to be deployed.

When the active player plays a card, it is played face up and he then chooses a block to deploy for combat. Effectiveness in combat is measured in Impact and is kept track of on the Impact Track. The base Impact is the number of “mon” that is on the block, which can be between 1 and 4. Also, an Impact point is added for each block of the same daimyo that has already been deployed.

The final item that we keep track of during combat is which player has the initiative. The active player starts the battle by making the first deployment. Following this, play passes to the player who is losing the initiative which is the player with the lower Impact score. Play then alternates back and forth until both players have deployed all the blocks they can for that battle. Now it is time for combat resolution.

Sekigahara uses a diceless combat system. After a battle, sides take losses according to the Impact Points delivered against them. For every 7 Impact Points against an opponent, that player loses one block. After all Impact Points are totaled, the player that loses the battle also loses an extra block. Remember, blocks have to be maneuvered and be in the same area before a battle can commence.

Next, there are rules covering Special Attacks, which are attacks with cavalry or guns. There are also Loyalty Challenges, retreats, and Castle Sieges to name a few other rule enhancements that are covered.

History

Finally the last 8 pages of the rule book are devoted to the history of this critical time in Japanese history. Here you are provided with an overview that is well presented for this time period so that you can get a flavor of the men, weapons, and loyalties of those who fought in this important battle to unify Japan. The final words at the end of the History Section are as follows;

All author’s proceeds from this edition will be donated to recovery from the Japan earthquake and tsunami of March 2011.

Summary

Sekigahara is a block game that has a great amount of appeal. It covers an era that is often overlooked in our field of historical games. The rules are well written with an excellent balance of examples to text. The detailed “Combat Example” is remarkable as it fully explains the combat system from first block deployed through to the completion of combat. The examples presented clarify many points and accomplish this task through well illustrated diagrams with well written accompanying text. In all Sekigahara is a simple game to learn.

That is not to insinuate that it is a simple game to play. Reading through the rules and examining the components you can see that very seldom, if ever, will two games be the same. The strategy employed in one game, which may lead to success, will lead you to failure in another game. It’s the combination of the cards and blocks in play that keeps the game moving, challenging, and ever changing. Best of all, Sekigahara is a quick playing game so that typically in one evening a few games can be played. Finally, it is a pure strategy game that uses no dice. Players must maneuver their blocks across the map, strategically playing cards, and then tactically picking and choosing when and where to fight. The luck is in the skill of the player not the result of a die roll which we can all agree is a perfect way to play a strategy game.

Sekigahara is an excellent game that will challenge new comers and experienced gamers equally. Follow the rules, march your troops to the sound of guns and deploy them for battle. Can you repeat history or will Ishida and the child heir rule Japan! Only your strategy and witty playing of cards and blocks will define the outcome and determine the “Next Ruler of Japan”.

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New & in shrink --- SEKIGAHARA - The Unification of Japan --- GMT Games

 

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GMT GAMES SEKIGAHARA - NEW RETAIL EDITION

 

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Command Ops: Highway to the Reich Is Now Available

The hotly awaited Battles from the Bulge expansion has been green-lighted and is headed for the drop zone!

Arlington, VT, January 26^th, 2012 – Matrix Games (www.matrixgames.com), Slitherine (www.slitherine.com), and Panther Games (www.panthergames.com) are thrilled to announce that Command Ops: Highway to the Reich! Serving as the first expansion to the famed Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge, Highway to the Reich parachutes players into the drama and intensity of Operation Market-Garden where they will have to use operational skill and cunning to take Holland and open a route to the heart of Germany!

Also, registered owners of the game will receive the strategy guide that came with the original Highway to the Reich game as a free download bonus from our Member’s Club! In addition, be sure to check out the brand new AAR and Scenario Feature at The Wargamer to see what Command Ops: Highway to the Reich has to offer.

About Command Ops: Highway to the Reich

As the first official expansion pack for the award winning Command Ops series, Command Ops: Highway to the Reich from acclaimed developer Panther Games brings us to the setting of one of the most epic and controversial battles of World War II: Operation Market-Garden. The Highway to the Reich expansion pack is a set of 13 scenarios covering all of the major actions that took place during the Market Garden Campaign in Holland during September 1944.      

The scenarios cover every major engagement along Hell’s Highway, from the surprise capture of Joe’s Bridge by the Irish Guards a week before the offensive to the final battles on “The Island” south of Arnhem. The dramatic parachute and glider landings of the US 82nd and 101st Airborne, The British 1st Airborne and the Polish Brigade are all represented on some of the largest maps ever created for the series and the largest “campaign” scenario in this system to date. More than just a conversion of the old scenarios to play on the new system, the Expansion Pack represents a major update of Panther Games ground breaking classic game Highway to the Reich, incorporating numerous corrections to Maps, Orders of Battle, Unit Compositions, Reinforcement Schedules, and overall game play.

Command Ops: Highway to the Reich is an expansion for Command Ops: Battles from the Bulge and requires the base game to play.

Get more information on Command Ops: Highway to the Reich from its official product page.

ABOUT SLITHERINE LTD. AND MATRIX GAMES LTD.

Slitherine Ltd. and Matrix Games Ltd. are the world’s leading video games producers and publishers of historical and strategy titles. Since 2000, both brands have published literally hundreds of games with many award-winning titles in their portfolio spanning all digital and console platforms. Slitherine is also involved with book publishing, and board gaming and work with a wide array of key licensing partners such as HISTORY™, MILITARY HISTORY™, Horrible Histories™, Showtime, BBC, Osprey, Scholastic, Casemate Publishing and many others to deliver the best blend of historical accuracy in an exciting and entertaining way. The two companies merged in May 2010 and formed the world’s largest organization specializing in this niche but important market sector. Slitherine’s mission over the coming years is to lead the way in innovation and growth in this expanding industry sector.

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GEN CON Indianapolis, the 45th, Year Badge Pre-Registration OPENS January 29,2012

Greetings Gen Con Fans! It’s that time again, Gen Con registration opens in a few days! Come join us for the Best Four Days in Gaming! Badge Pre-Reg opens – this Sunday VIG Packages – available now Gen Con Accounts – now have a new layout Housing Block – opens on January 31st Gen Con Travel Center – book all your travel here RPGs – moving around in 2012 Regards, The Gen Con Team Badge Pre-Reg opens this Sunday That’s right, it’s almost time to purchase that all-important badge for Gen Con Indy 2012! Badge Pre-Registration will open this Sunday, January 29, at 12:00 Noon (Eastern). Go to www.gencon.com and click the “Gen Con Registration” link to access our registration system. Look for the “Get a Badge” link to appear in the left column at Noon on Sunday. You may need to refresh the page if you are already logged into your account. Get ready…get set…GO! VIG Packages available We are pleased to announce that for 2012 we have increased the number of “Very Important Gamer” Packages to 230 in order to bring in new blood for Gen Con’s 45th Anniversary. Our 2011 VIGs have already renewed their packages for this year, snatching up almost half of the available packages, but there are still over 100 left for the taking. This year’s prices are $540 for the VIG Package and $110 for VIG Companion badges. Each VIG may purchase up to three (3) Companion badges, but there are only 350 available, so get them while supplies last. New Gen Con Account Layout The next time you log into your Gen Con Account, you may see things have moved around a bit. Not to worry! You can still access your “Profile”, “Transactions” and “Friends & Family” pages easily. Simply move your mouse cursor over your name in the upper right corner. A drop-down menu will appear with all the pages you need. And make sure your Profile is up-to-date while you’re checking things out! If you have any questions or trouble accessing your account, be sure to contact Gen Con’s Customer Service at mailto:customerservice@gencon.com?subject=Gen%20Con%20Account%20Question. Gen Con 2012 Housing Block Attendee housing opens for reservations on Tuesday January 31, 2012 at noon Eastern (9 AM Pacific) and continues through July 23, 2012. After the July 23rd cut-off date, you may change or cancel existing reservations through the Housing Bureau until August 6th, after which you must make changes with the hotel directly. Remember, you need a valid access code to book rooms in the Gen Con housing block. Your Housing Access Code will be emailed to you upon completing your badge purchase. We’ve added a number of suburban hotels this year to satisfy ever-increasing demand. Many of them offer free parking, complimentary breakfasts, and other value-add amenities such as free internet and/or downtown shuttle service. The complete directory of hotels participating in the Gen Con 2012 housing block with starting rates and brief descriptions can be found on Gen Con website's Hotel Amenities page. You can research more specific information, including hotel locations, features, and amenities by searching the Indianapolis Visitor and Convention Association’s hotel database (http://visitindy.com/indianapolis-hotels) or by visiting hotel websites listed in the Gen Con directory. New Tip for 2012! When booking rooms online, please pay special attention to the hotel name before confirming your reservation. Many of the suburban hotels operate under the same brand names as downtown hotels in the block. In such cases, the full hotel name usually includes the words “Downtown” and/or “Airport” to help distinguish among properties at different locations. If you need assistance choosing a hotel or booking a reservation, please contact ICVA Housing Bureau by email (mailto:housing@visitindy.com?subject=Gen%20Con%20Indy%202012%20Hotel%20Question) or phone (317-262-8191). An experienced booking agent will be pleased to assist you. The Housing Bureau hours of operation are 8:30 AM – 5 PM Eastern time, Monday-Friday. The online reservations portal will be open 24 hours, 7 days a week, starting on January 31 as noted previously. Gen Con Travel Center The Gen Con Travel center powered by the Expedia Affiliate Network offers a broad selection of flights, supplemental suburban lodging, and rental car services at competitive prices. You can access the Travel Center by visiting the following link: http://travel.ian.com/index.jsp?cid=309937. RPGs Moving Around in 2012 As we grow into the newly expanded convention center, we’re shifting a few things around this year and trying to consolidate RPGs so they aren’t quite as spread out. In 2012, most RPGs will be in the JW, Marriott, and the Hyatt, so they will all be within a block of two of each other, making it much easier to get between games. There will be some exceptions, depending on event needs and overall submission volume, but the bulk of RPGs will be in those three hotels. In addition, Wizards of the Coast will be hosting the majority of their RPGA and Living Forgotten Realms events in the Marriott, where True Dungeon used to be. Keep the new locations in mind as you are choosing your hotel room for 2012. You might want to try a new hotel to keep close to the events you want to play.

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Sun of York

Tactical Combat During
The War Of The Roses

Available from GMT Games

Game Design Mike Nagel

MSRP $55.00

The War of the Roses was a series of battles fought in England between 1455 to 1487. These civil wars were between the major ruling parties of that time which were the Lancaster and York families. These families both had claims to the English throne because they were direct descendants from King Edward III. Other reasons that these houses came to blow are;

• The ruling Lancastrian king, Henry VI had many unpopular nobles around him
• The unrest of much of the population
• There were many powerful lords who had their own private armies
• Episodes of mental illness by King Henry VI

If you want more historical information on The War of the Roses, there is an excellent website that provides a great amount of historical background complete with timelines at http://www.warsoftheroses.com.

The Game Components

First of all, Sun of York is a card game. The game is shipped with the following items;

• Two decks of 110 cards, one for the Lancastrian and one for the Yorkist.

• Half-sheet of 140 status markers
• Rulebook
• Two Player Aid cards
• Five six-sided dice

The cards used in the game represent the following;

• Levies
• Leaders
• Men-at-arms
• Knights

• Longbowmen
• Crossbowmen
• Handgunners
• Billmen
• Pikemen
• Cavalry
• Terrain
• Special Cards

As you can see from the above list, all of the types of units that were available during the time of the War of the Roses are available in this game.

Leader and Unit Cards

The information provided on the Leader cards all pertain to the game functions. The first thing that you see on the top of the card is the Leader Name. Under this you see a portrait of the Coat of Arms, Number of Orders the Leader dictate during his play, the Leaders’ Ability Rating, a Leadership Rating, the Royalty or Loyalty Indicator, and Number of Moves.

In the center and opposite side you are advised of the Battles in which this leader can participate, the Card ID Number and the Faction to which he belongs. You can see a sample of a Leader card here.

Next we will take a quick look at the information presented on the combat unit cards. The first thing you notice on these cards is a gorgeous illustration of the Unit being defined. Again we will start on the left and work our way down. At the top of the card on the left you are given the Unit Class and underneath that is the Unit Type. Next is the Weapon Class Icon and after this is the units Ability Rating. Then we have the units Cohesion Rating, Veteran Status and its Movement ability.

On the right had side of the card there are only two pieces of information which are the Card ID Number and an Icon illustrating the Faction that the combat unit belongs to. You can see an example of a Combat Unit here.

Before we continue, we have to provide some definitions for some of the terms that are printed on the cards. Some of the more important items are;

• Orders – The number of orders provided when the card is used as an Order card.
• Ability – When committed to combat the value (or less) required to inflict a hit on an opposing unit. Missile Units have two ability numbers and the red, or second number is used for ranged attacks.
• Battles – Indicates scenarios in which the leader may actively participate.
• Cohesion – The number of dice rolled in combat and the number of hits the unit can take prior to being discarded (routed). Units that take a hit must also make a Morale Check.

Battlefield Layout

Cards are played into three wings each of which has three positions. As you can see from the Battlefield diagram there are also two flank positions where cards can be deployed during play. Leader and Combat units are moved forward and backward within their battle. Combat units can only be moved to adjacent areas. Units begin in their rear area and can move forward, backward and laterally, never diagonally. Positions are adjacent if they share a common border.

Each position on the battlefield can contain up to 4 combat units from each side at a time. Finally, battles during the War of the Roses took place during all times of the year and in all kinds of weather. this is handled in Sun of York by either modifying the cost of giving orders, or decreasing the ranges of Missile Units.

Game Turn Sequence

The game turn sequence used in Sun of York is a bit unique but very simple to remember. Once you play a few games, the sequence makes sense and you plan your strategy accordingly. The Turn Sequence consists of only 4 steps and they are;

• Morale
• Combat
• Movement
• Discard

We will take a quick look at each of these items before tying it all together.

Morale

Combat cards that have a hit on them at the beginning of a players turn must roll a die for each hit they sustained. If the resultant die roll is greater than the units “Cohesion” level the unit must retreat and all hits are ignored. However, if the die roll is less than or equal to the units “Cohesion” level, the unit survives its Moral check, the unit stays in place and the player reduces the units “Cohesion” by the number of hits it received. You can think of this as the unit being engaged and that it cannot break off combat.

Finally, any Leaders that have been involved in combat must check their Morale. A 1d6 is rolled for every hit that a Leader Unit receives. If a 6 is rolled, the Leader is eliminated otherwise there is no effect.

Keeping track of Cohesion during the Morale Phase is one area in which the counters that come with the game are invaluable. They assist the player in bookkeeping and keeping track of such things as Damage Distribution, Attacks, Leader Combat, Control, and Fatigue.

Combat

Any combat unit that is in a position with an enemy combat unit is considered engaged and may attack. The first step in Combat is that the Phasing player must declare the pending attacks. This must be done before any dice are rolled. The player places an “Attack” counter on the card to remind him that this unit will attack and as such cannot Move in the next Phase.

The key to Combat in Sun of York is the cards Cohesion Level and Ability Rating. The current Cohesion Level of a unit determines the number of dice the unit rolls in an attack. The Ability Number defines the value of what must be rolled on a die to score a hit. So, if a units Cohesion was a 3 and its ability was a 3, that unit would roll 3 dice and any rolls less than or equal to 3 scores a hit. This is the point when you will use the Damage Distribution counters to keep track of which units received hits. All hits must be distributed as equally as possible among all combat cards in the space. Once a unit receives more hits than its available Cohesion Level, the combat unit is discarded immediately.

Movement

A combat unit typically receives an order only once per turn. The cost of giving orders can change depending on terrain that may be used in the game and/or the battle conditions. Orders are given by Leaders and each Leader has a “Number of Orders” Banner on the card. Players play the leader card as an Order card to be able to give orders to the combat units. Depending on the number of orders given, units can;

• Move an unengaged unit into (and possibly through) an adjacent position within a battle. (One Order)
• Move a unit from the player’s had into (and possibly through) a rear battle position. (One Order)
• Disengage an engaged unit into an adjacent position within its battle. Disengaging units must move toward their friendly read positions. (Two Orders)
• Move a unit from the player’s hand into a friendly flank position or from one flank position to another. (Two Orders)

As you can imagine, much of the game depends on the type of cards you are either dealt with, or pick up during the Discard Phase.

Discard

The final phase in a turn is when a player can discard some cards. A standard hand after the initial setup is that each player has 4 cards. During the Discard Phase, the active player can discard some, all, or none of his cards and he selects new cards from the deck to get back to a total of 4 cards.

Scenarios

Now that that you have a basic idea of the mechanics of Sun of York, let’s take a look at the Scenarios. The Scenario format is very straight forward and consists of only three sections. The sections are;

• Scenario Title
• Historical Background
• Special Rules

There are 20 Scenarios provided with the game as well as a Random Scenario and a War of the Roses Campaign Scenario. The 20 historical scenarios are;

• The First Battle of St. Albans – 22 May 1455
• The Battle of Blore Heath – 23 September 1459
• The Battle of Ludford Bridge – 12 October 1459
• The Battle of Northampton – 10 July 1460
• The Battle of Wakefield – 30 December 1460
• The Battle of Mortimer’s Cross – 3 February 1461
• The Second Battle of St. Albans – 17 February 1461
• The First Battle of Ferrybridge – 27 March 1461
• The Second Battle of Ferrybridge – 28 March 1461
• The Battle of Twoton – 29 March 1461
• The Battle of Hedgeley Moor – 25 April 1464
• The Battle of Hexham – 15 May 1464
• The Battle of Edgecote Moor – 26 July 1469
• The Battle of Losecote Field – 12 March 1470
• The Battle of Barnet – 14 April 1471
• The Battle of Tewkesbury – 4 May 1471
• The Battle of Bosworth – 22 August 1485
• The Battle of Stoke – 16 June 1487
• The Battle of Shrewsbury – 21 July 1403
• The Skirmish at Heworth Moor – 24 August 1453

If this is not enough, there is also a Random Scenario where player’s use the entire deck and deal out cards.

Finally, you have the War of the Roses Campaign Game which is where this entire game system comes together. It is here that players can get the true flavor of the War of the Roses while playing Sun of York. This is accomplished by playing all of the scenarios in sequence except for Ludford Bridge, Shrewsbury, and Henworth Moor. There are numerous Special Rules in the Campaign Game that deal with Nobility Deaths, Henry VI, and Crowning Kings. However, the first player who reaches 9 victories is declared the winner, though there are situations in which a sudden death victory can be achieved.

The final two sections of the rule book are the Designers Notes and a Detailed Example of Play.

The Game

As I mentioned before, each Scenario has Special Rules. These Special Rules may instruct you to remove cards from the deck, who is the attacker, the weather, and which Leaders are present. Once you have determined the special rules for the Scenario, each player is dealt 16 cards from his deck. Each player then places 12 cards face down in their respective rear areas. The final 4 cards are his hand for Turn 1. Prior to starting a turn each player rolls a die to determine which side has the initiative for this turn. The player who wins has a choice of going first or second. Once this is done, players follow the Game Sequence until a winner is declared.

Summary

Sun of York is fast moving game once you learn the rules. There are plenty of other things that I did not discuss in this review, but you should be able to get the feel for the game. The rule examples can confuse the gamer if he reads too much into them which is what happened to me. Once you begin to think about the Game Sequence, the period of warfare and the cards that are deployed, you begin to grasp the concept of the game and get a feel for this period of history. While there have been games that have covered this historical event, this to my knowledge the first card game to do so. As such, it is breaking new territory for this period. Sun of York may not be on the top of every gamers want list, but I can say without a doubt that it deserves a serious look as it is a fun, fast moving game that has a high replay value. You can see that the game designer put a lot of time and effort into the thought process of the research and game design. It is the type of game that you will keep coming back to as it is just fun!

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