Tactics II is a wargame designed by Charles S. Roberts and published by the Avalon Hill game company in 1958 and then re-released again in 1961 and 1972. This was the second game produced by Roberts following the success of his first game, Tactics .
Charles S. Roberts formed gaming company Avalon Hill in 1958 to publish Tactics II (1958). [1] [2]
Tactics II is a revised version of Tactics published by Avalon Hill in 1958, then reissued in 1961 and 1973. In 1972, the game was discontinued due to rising costs, but was redesigned in 1973 with less costly components and used as a loss leader as it was an introductory wargame. [3] In 1983, Avalon Hill released a 25th anniversary edition of the original Tactics, although with a different (new) map.
It is nearly identical to Tactics in all respects, albeit with a slightly revised map and more detailed unit counters.
In his 1977 book The Comprehensive Guide to Board Wargaming , Nicholas Palmer called Tactics II a "Respectable but dull abstract introductory game [...] readers of this book looking for an easy starting game would probably enjoy a simulation of an actual battle more." [4]
In the 1980 book The Complete Book of Wargames , game designer Jon Freeman dismissed the then-22-year-old Tactics II as unplayable, saying, "Aside from its historical importance, this game has no redeeming qualities. [...] Against an even vaguely competent opponent, [the game] can't be won. The [geography] combines to produce an inevitable stalemate directly across the center of the board." Freeman concluded by giving the game an Overall Evaluation of "Poor", saying, "Tactics II is overdue for retirement." [5]
Richthofen's War, subtitled "The Air War 1916–1918", is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1973 that simulates aerial combat during World War I.
Blitzkrieg is a strategic-level wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1965 that simulates a non-historical attack by one major power against another using the blitzkrieg strategy. It was the first commercial wargame that did not simulate an actual historical battle, and with almost 400 counters, it was a precursor to the "monster" wargames of the 1970s featuring more than a thousand counters.
1776, subtitled "The Game of the American Revolutionary War", is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1974 that simulates the American Revolutionary War. Its release was timed to coincide with the bicentenary of the Revolution, and for several years was a bestseller for Avalon Hill.
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Afrika Korps is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1964 and re-released in 1965 and 1978 that simulates the North Africa Campaign during World War II.
The Arab-Israeli Wars, subtitled "Tank Battles in the Mideast 1956–73", is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1977 that simulates various battles during the Suez Crisis, Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War.
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Tactics is a board wargame published in 1954 by Avalon Hill as the company's first product. Although primitive by modern standards, it and its sequel, Tactics II, signalled the birth of modern board wargaming for the commercial market. Tactics is generally credited as being the first commercially successful board wargame.
Panzer Leader is the sequel to Avalon Hill's PanzerBlitz game.
Gettysburg is a board wargame produced by Avalon Hill in 1958 that re-enacts the American Civil War battle of Gettysburg. The game rules were groundbreaking in several respects, and the game, revised several times, was a bestseller for Avalon Hill for several decades.
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Conquistador, originally subtitled "The Age of Exploration: 1495–1600", is a board game published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the exploration of the New World in the 16th century. Players take on the role of European countries sending expeditions to find gold and establish colonies. Although the design uses the trappings of board wargames such as a hex map, combat is not a major part of the game.
Stalingrad is a strategic-level board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1963 that simulates the first 24 months of the war between Germany and the Soviet Union during World War II. As one of the first board wargames it was extensively played and discussed during the early years of the wargaming hobby.
The Siege of Jerusalem, 70 A.D. is a board wargame published by Historical Perspectives in 1976 that simulates the Roman attack on Jerusalem by Cestius Gallus. The game was subsequently bought by Avalon Hill, revised and republished in 1989.
Blitzkrieg Module System is a series of expansion modules published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1969 that are designed to be used with the Avalon Hill board wargame Blitzkrieg.
Caesar's Legions is a board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1975 that simulates various Roman campaigns in Gaul and Germany.
Frederick the Great, subtitled "The Campaigns of The Soldier King 1756–1759", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1975 that simulates several of the campaigns of Frederick the Great in Central Europe during the Seven Years' War. When SPI ran into financial difficulties, they sold the rights to the game to Avalon Hill, who produced a second edition in 1982.
Luftwaffe, subtitled "The Game of Aerial Combat Over Germany 1943-45", is a board wargame originally published by Poultron Press in 1969 under a different title, then subsequently sold to Avalon Hill, who republished it in 1971. The game is an operational simulation of the American bombing campaign against Germany during World War II.
Napoleon at Waterloo is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) in 1971 that simulates the Battle of Waterloo. The game, which features simple rules, was designed as an introduction to board wargaming, and was given as a free gift with each subscription to SPI's Strategy & Tactics magazine.
Submarine is a board wargame published by Battleline Publications in 1976 that simulates submarine warfare during World War II. The following year, Avalon Hill bought the rights to the game, expanded the rules and republished it with new cover art.