Down Styphon! is a miniatures wargame published by Fantasy Games Unlimited in 1977.
The Musket & Pike rules for simulating battles of the 16th and 17th centuries with 15mm miniature soldiers had originally been published in 1973 by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI). Using modified Musket & Pike rules, Mike Gilbert designed Down Styphon!, a miniatures wargame that is based the battles described in H. Beam Piper's novel Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen . [1]
In the November-December 1977 edition of The Space Gamer (Issue No. 14), Tony Watson thought the game, although well-written, was just okay, saying, "The rules themselves are good, faithful to their inspiration. They are not very innovative, but they certainly provide all major components thus giving the players some interesting and accurate miniatures battles." [1]
In the October 1979 edition of Dragon (Issue #30), Kenneth Hulme thought that most of the 18-page rule book was "top-notch", but had issues with a number of the rules, which he felt prevented the game from truly bringing Piper's novel to life. However, he concluded with a thumbs up, saying, "Once the purchaser of Down Styphon gets past the initial few bugaboos, however, the game is very playable. With a few modifications, it can be used for any Musket & Pike period battle simulation." [2]
Traveller is a science fiction role-playing game first published in 1977 by Game Designers' Workshop. Marc Miller designed Traveller with help from Frank Chadwick, John Harshman, and Loren Wiseman. Editions were published for GURPS, d20, and other role-playing game systems. From its origin and in the currently published systems, the game relied upon six-sided dice for random elements. Traveller has been featured in a few novels and at least two video games.
Miniature wargaming is a form of wargaming in which military units are represented by miniature physical models on a model battlefield. The use of physical models to represent military units is in contrast to other tabletop wargames that use abstract pieces such as counters or blocks, or computer wargames which use virtual models. The primary benefit of using models is aesthetics, though in certain wargames the size and shape of the models can have practical consequences on how the match plays out.
Starship Troopers is a board wargame by Avalon Hill based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert A. Heinlein. It was originally released in 1976 and designed by Randall C. Reed. Twenty years later, Avalon Hill redesigned and re-released a "movie" version in 1997 to coincide with the movie's release.
OGRE is a science fiction board wargame designed by the American game designer Steve Jackson and published by Metagaming Concepts in 1977 as the first microgame in its MicroGame line. When Steve Jackson left Metagaming to form his own company, he took the rights to OGRE with him, and all subsequent editions have been produced by Steve Jackson Games (SJG).
This page lists board and card games, wargames, miniatures games, and table-top tabletop role-playing games published in 1977. For video games, see 1977 in video gaming.
Jutland is a naval board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1967 that simulates the Battle of Jutland in the North Sea during World War I. Upon its release, Jutland was commended for its gameplay and mechanics, but criticism surrounded the complex rules and playing time.
Starfire is a board wargame simulating space warfare and empire building in the 23rd century, created by Stephen V. Cole in 1979.
Panzergruppe Guderian is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. in 1976 that simulates the 1941 Battle of Smolensk during World War II.
War of the Ring, subtitled "S.R. 1418 to 1419", is a licensed wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates the events described in The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.
The Complete Book of Wargames by Jon Freeman and the editors of Consumer Guide was published in 1980 by Simon & Schuster under the Fireside imprint.
Sorcerer, subtitled "The Game of Magical Conflict", is a fantasy board wargame for 1–5 players published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates magical combat.
Elric: Battle at the End of Time is a board wargame published by Chaosium in 1982, an update of the 1977 game simply titled Elric. It is based on the Elric of Melniboné books by Michael Moorcock. There have been three English language editions, Elric (1977), Elric: Battle at the End of Time (1982), and Elric (1984), published by Avalon Hill.
Alpha Omega is a science fiction board wargame published by Battleline Publications in 1977 that simulates combat between alien and human space fleets. Avalon Hill acquired the game and republished it in 1980.
Ice War is a board wargame published by Metagaming Concepts in 1978 that hypothesizes a Eurasian attack against American oilfields in Alaska.
John Carter: Warlord of Mars is a two-player board game published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1979 that is based on the Barsoom novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs featuring the hero John Carter.
The Emerald Tablet is a set of fantasy miniatures rules published in 1977 by Creative Wargames Workshop.
Moon Base Clavius is a science fiction board wargame published by Task Force Games in 1981.
Musket & Pike, subtitled "Tactical Combat, 1550-1680", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1973 that simulates combat in Europe during the transition from edged weapons to firearms in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Thirty Years War, subtitled "Four Battles", is a "quadrigame" — four separate board wargames packaged in one box that use a common set of rules — published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976. The four games simulate different battles during the Thirty Years' War, and were sold individually as well as in the quadrigame format. Some of the games were well received by critics, but overall, the quadrigame did not sell well.