Sniper!, subtitled "House-to-House Fighting in World War II", is a two-player board wargame about man-to-man combat in urban environments during WWII, originally released in 1973 by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI). After TSR purchased SPI in 1982, TSR released an expanded edition of Sniper! in 1986, and followed up that up with releases of various "companion games" and a videogame.
Sniper! was released by SPI in 1973 as a two-person combat boardgame designed by James Dunnigan, with additional material provided by developers Hank Zucker, John Young, Ed Curran, Bob Felice, Bill Sullivan, Angel Gomez, and Hal Vaughn, cover art by Rodger B. MacGowan, and graphic design and cartography by Redmond A. Simonsen.[1] Subtitled House to House Fighting in World War Two, the game simulates man-to-man urban combat in the Second World War. The game was significant for being the first commercial tactical board wargaming treatment of man-to-man combat in the Second World War.[2]
two sets of 2 tanks, 2 armoured personnel carriers and 2 trucks, all printed on cardstock that required vehicles to be cut apart
400 die-cut counters in olive green for Allies and grey for Germans
Gameplay
Movement Points
Each counter, usually representing an individual soldier, has 10 Movement Points (MP) per turn. At the start of each turn, each player secretly "buys" actions for each counter up to the 10 MP limit. Moving a unit uses 1 MP per hex of plain terrain; other terrain has a higher MP cost. Actions such as standing up or throwing a grenade each use 5 MP. Firing a weapon or reloading a weapon uses all 10 MP.[3]
Panic
After the actions for each counter have been purchased and recorded, each player checks their units for panic. Those that are panicked will do nothing or move randomly.[3]
Actions
All remaining actions are performed simultaneously in three phases: combat, movement, and finally grenades and artillery.[3]
Second Edition (TSR)
Following TSR's purchase of SPI in 1982, TSR released a new version of Sniper! in 1986 titled Sniper! Second Edition: Game of Man-to-Man Combat, 1941-90 that expanded the timeframe of the game to include modern-day warfare. The expanded game, which combined SPI's original Sniper! and sister game Patrol, was designed by Steve Winter, with artwork and cartography by Linda Bakk, Doug Chaffee, Tom Darden, Kim Lindau, Rodger B. MacGowan, and Colleen O'Malley.[4]
Game components included:
two large 22" x 34" paper maps (double sided, with urban terrain on one side and rural terrain on the other, to allow for "double-blind" play with an umpire)Rural mapsheet (VASSAL version)
32-page rulebook divided into Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and Optional rules
cardstock sheet of vehicles
two six-sided dice
plastic counter tray
600 diecut counters.
In an article in The Wargamer (May–June 1988) about the development of the game, designer Steve Winter commented, "When I first started revising the Sniper! and Patrol games in 1985, there were only two other wargames (that I am aware of) that covered modern combat at man-to-man scale. Since then, at least three more have been published (two of which, like the Sniper! game, were based heavily on previously published games). Yet, despite this surge of man-to-man games, very few articles have been published about any of them."[5]
Companion Game #1: Hetzer
In 1987, TSR released the first "Sniper Companion Game" titled Hetzer (named for the German Jagdpanzer 38 light tank destroyer). As indicated by its subtitle, "Game of Man-to-Man Combat in Europe, 1940-45", Hetzer returned to the Second World War setting of SPI's original Sniper!. The game was again designed by Steve Winter, with artwork and cartography by Dennis Kauth, David S. LaForce, and David C. Sutherland III. Components included
two 22" x 34" maps (similar to those in Sniper! but including Normandy-style hedgerows)
24-page rulebook
16-page rulebook
8-page Scenario book
three cardstock sheets of vehicles
two six-sided dice
counter tray
400 die-cut counters
Companion Game #2: Special Forces
In 1988, TSR released the second "Sniper Companion Game", Special Forces, designed by Rick Swan, with artwork by and cartography by Doug Chaffee, Dennis Kauth, David LaForce, Sue Myers, Stephen Sullivan, and David C. Sutherland III. Unlike the previous editions of the game, which had been published as boxed sets, Special Forces was sold as a cardstock folder holding loose contents, which included
two 21" x 32" maps
24-page rulebook
16-page rule book
8-page scenario booklet
reference card
a ziplock bag
400 die-cut counters.
In the May–June 1988 edition of The Wargamer, designer Rick Swan commented on his transnational approach to the game, saying, "I was more or less given a free hand to set the scope of the game, so the first design decision was to establish parameters. It seemed it could go one of two ways - it could either focus on a few select forces in specifically chosen conflicts, or it could take a broader view and allow for forces from around the world to participate in a variety of situations. The first option would demand a more detailed and complicated system than I wanted, not to mention requiring the answers to questions I wasn't comfortable answering (Which nationalities should be included? What's a "typical" terrorist operation?). The second option was more attractive - not only would it give players a lot to pick from, it sounded like it'd be more fun to design and more like a game I'd like to play.[6]
In 1988, TSR also released a science fiction version of Sniper! called Bug Hunter, designed by Steve Winter, with artwork and cartography by Kim Janke, Dennis Kauth, and David C. Sutherland III, and cover art by Keith Parkinson.[7] Using the Sniper! rules set, the game focuses on "the popular science fiction theme of embattled humans threatened by vicious alien creatures in space and on the ground."[8]
Components include:
four double-sided maps
three rulebooks (original Sniper! rules, science fiction rules adaptations, scenarios)
In 1989, TSR released Sniper! as a multiplayer, online computer game on Compuserve. Designed by Steve Estvanik, the game started each player as a recruit in the Sniper Saloon & Salad Bar, where a drill instructor waited to show new players how the game was played. Once trained, players could challenge other players to a Sniper! game, or play a computerized opponent. Several subgames were featured, including:
Patrol: two opposing squads, Alpha and Bravo, met between their front lines in no-man's land
Infiltrate: Alpha force tried to cross from one side of the map to the other, exiting the map at Bravo’s Victory Point area before Bravo could stop Alpha.[9]
Reception
In A Player's Guide to Table Games, John Jackson thought that "it just takes too many rules to simulate action on such [an individual] level; ultimately, the trouble of learning so many directions and the tedium of order-writing will overcome most players' interest in the subject matter."[10]
In his 1977 book The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming, Nicholas Palmer commented that "with a counter for each individual ... you can't get more tactical than that!" Palmer noted the "controversial panic (command control) rules frustrating your best-laid plans." He concluded that the game was "Exciting and fast-moving: lengthy rules, but easy to play once you have tried a game or two."[11]
In Issue #21 of Phoenix, Geoff Barnard noted that both Sniper! and the follow-up game Patrol are "primarily concerned with technology" rather than playability. Barnard liked the detailed maps, but he felt that the "panic rule" introduced too much of a random factor, commenting, "the weird panic/preservation rules cause aberrant as well as logical things to happen — as the random dice rolls decree."[12]
In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames, game designer Jon Freeman commented that this game "suffers from being outdated by more recent designs." Freeman found the simultaneous movement system interfered with playability. Freeman concluded by giving the game an Overall Evaluation of only "Fair", saying, "It offers variety and a wealth of fine detail for those who find the subject and scale irresistible, but most gamers will find it too cumbersome."[13]
In The Guide to Simulations/Games for Education and Training, Martin Campion commented on the use of this game in the classroom, saying, "This is a very accurate simulation of the danger and activity in city-fighting situations. It is very gripping to students, who have watched the same thing on TV frequently and who identify readily with their roles in the game."[14]
In the May 1989 edition of Games International, James Wallis reviewed Bug Hunter as the magazine's "Game of the Month", and found the amount of material included made for "a great deal of game by any standards." He found the hand-to-hand combat rules "simple and direct", and the rules overall "written in a clear style that explains everything while not being patronising or dull." He concluded by giving the game a perfect score of 5 out of 5, saying, "Bug Hunter is not without a few rough spots but [...] it is fast, fun and contains enough variables to keep players interested for some time.".[7]
In the May–June 1991 edition of Fire & Movement (Issue 73), Terry Rooker reviewed TSR's Special Forces, and was not overly impressed, saying, "it fails to capture some of the most important aspects of [modern] LIC (Light Infantry combat)." Rooker's issue was that "The original [Sniper! game] system was designed for WWII infantry engagements. In that type of warfare, everyone obeys the rules of land warfare and wears a uniform of the appropriate color. In LIC situations, the situation is not so clear. The combatants often wear clothing indistinguishable from the non-combatants. Target identification is much more difficult." Nevertheless, Rooker concluded, "For the direct action part of a mission, Sniper! Special Forces is the best game available."[15]
In the December 1998 edition of The Wargamer, James C. Gordon reviewed Hetzer, and found that it "fills a [niche] in the hobby with a challenging view of ground level combat situations in World War II. [...] Managing forces of sometimes questionable reliability, weapons systems with various strengths and weaknesses, and reacting to the opposition requires the skills of a chess player." Gordon liked the "professionally done map and counters", and found the rules to be "well organized." Although he found the game complex, with "lots to remember and lots to do", he didn't find the system cumbersome. He concluded by noting that the historical accuracy of the game was derived from "typical situations and objectives. Good marks for all."[16]
Patrol, subtitled "Man to Man Combat in the 20th Century", is a skirmish-level board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1974 as a sequel to Sniper!, which had been released the previous year. Whereas Sniper! was set in urban environments during the Second World War, Patrol is set in a non-urban environment, in various conflicts ranging from 1914 to 1970.
A man-to-man wargame is a wargame in which units generally represent single individuals or weapons systems, and are rated not only on weaponry but may also be rated on such facets as morale, perception, skill-at-arms, etc. The game is designed so that a knowledge of military tactics, especially at the small unit or squad level, will facilitate successful gameplay. Man-to-man wargames offer an extreme challenge to the designer, as fewer variables or characteristics inherent in the units being simulated are directly quantifiable. Modern commercial board wargaming stayed away from man-to-man subjects for many years, though once the initial attempts were made to address the subject, it has evolved into a popular topic among wargamers.
Chinese Farm, subtitled "Egyptian-Israeli Combat in the '73 War", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates operational level ground combat between Egypt and Israel at the Battle of The Chinese Farm during the just completed Yom Kippur War of October 1973. Chinese Farm was originally published as part of the "quadrigame" Modern Battles: Four Contemporary Conflicts.
Golan subtitled "Syrian-Israeli Combat in the '73 War", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates operational level ground combat between Egypt and Israel on the Golan Heights during the just completed Yom Kippur War of October 1973. Golan was originally published as part of the "quadrigame" Modern Battles: Four Contemporary Conflicts.
Panzergruppe Guderian is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. in 1976 that simulates the 1941 Battle of Smolensk during World War II.
Napoleon's Last Battles is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications in 1976 that simulates the last four battles fought by Napoleon. It was one of SPI's most popular games, and also received many positive reviews.
Bug Hunter is a science fiction combat board game published by TSR in 1988, using adaptions of rules from the previously released Sniper! board game.
Cityfight: Modern Combat in the Urban Environment is a board game published by Simulations Publications (SPI) in 1979.
Wellington's Victory: Battle of Waterloo – 18 June 1815 is a board wargame simulation of the Battle of Waterloo, originally published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976.
Blue & Gray: Four American Civil War Battles is a board wargame originally published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates four battles from the American Civil War.
Firefight: Modern U.S. and Soviet Small Unit Tactics is a tactical wargame originally published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that hypothesizes combat between small units of American and Soviet forces in West Germany in the 1970s.
Wacht am Rhein is a grand tactical monster board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates Germany's Battle of the Bulge offensive in late 1944 during World War II.
Cobra: Game of the Normandy Breakout, originally titled Cobra: Patton's 1944 Summer offensive in France, is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1977 that simulates the 1944 breakout of Allied forces from Normandy following D-Day.
The American Civil War: 1861–1865 is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1974 that is a strategic simulation of the American Civil War.
MechWar '77, subtitled "Tactical Armored Combat in the 1970s", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates hypothetical tank combat in the mid-1970s between various adversaries, using the same rules system as the previously published Panzer '44.
Modern Battles: Four Contemporary Conflicts is a collection of four board wargames published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates four modern-day battles set in the early 1970s.
La Belle Alliance: The Battle of Waterloo is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It was one of four games that were published as part of the "quadrigame" titled Napoleon's Last Battles, but was also released as an individual "folio game", packaged in a shrinkwrapped cardboard folio.
The Battle of Nations, subtitled "The Encirclement at Leipzig, 16–19 October 1813", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. It was one of four games that were published as part of the "quadrigame" titled Napoleon at War, but was also released as a "folio game", packaged in a shrinkwrapped cardboard folio. It was popular in a 1976 poll of favorite wargames, and critics also gave it favorable reviews.
Quatre Bras: Stalemate on the Brussels Road is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the Battle of Quatre Bras, one of the engagements leading to the Battle of Waterloo. Quatre Bras was originally published as one of four games in the popular collection Napoleon's Last Battles, but was also released as an individual game.
Ligny: Incomplete Victory is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the Battle of Ligny. Ligny was originally published as one of four games in the popular collection Napoleon's Last Battles, but was also released as an individual game.
↑ "Bug Hunter". The Wargamer. Vol.2, no.6. May–June 1988.
↑ Estvanik, Steve (August 1989). "The Game Wizards". Dragon. No.148. pp.54–58.
↑ Jackson, John (1975). A Player's Guide to Table Games. Harrisburg PA: Stackpole Books. p.262. ISBN0-8117-1902-2.
↑ Palmer, Nicholas (1977). The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming. London: Sphere Books. p.174.
↑ Barnard, Geoff (September–October 1979). "World War II Tactical Games Review". Phoenix. No.21. p.18.
↑ Freeman, Jon (1980). The Complete Book of Wargames. New York: Simon & Schuster. p.183.
↑ Campion, Martin (1980). "Sniper!". In Horn, Robert E.; Cleaves, Ann (eds.). The Guide to Simulations/Games for Education and Training. Beverly Hills CA: Sage Publications. p.513. ISBN0-8039-1375-3.
↑ Rooker, Terry (May–June 1991). "Special Forces". Fire & Movement. No.73.
↑ Gordon, James C. (December 1988). "Hetzer". The Wargamer. Vol.2, no.5.
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