 | |
| Author | Jon Freeman |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Fireside Books |
Publication date | 1980 |
| ISBN | 0-671-25374-3 |
| LC Class | U310.C65 |
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. [1]
This book comes in both a 285-page hardcover edition and a paperback version. In both editions, it is divided into two parts:
In the October 1980 edition of The Space Gamer (Issue No. 32), Nick Schuessler questioned the ability of any book to keep up to the then-rapidly growing game industry, saying, "The mercurial aspects of wargaming will probably leave any new publication a bit obsolete the day it's published. Meanwhile, we have an excellent reference work available at (for a change) a reasonable price. Buy and enjoy." [3]
In the February 1981 edition of Dragon (Issue 46), Tony Watson thought the book, although well-written, would be of little value to experienced gamers, although new gamers might find it useful. Watson also felt the book was already out of date only a few months after publication, and commented, "The variety of games available and the rapidity with which they are published has already rendered the topical evaluations obsolete, though they do touch on some of the more important and readily available games in those categories." [2]
In Issue 25 of Games , Jamie Adams liked the way the book started, commenting, "Beginning with a history of wargaming, both as concept and hobby, the book proceeds with a thoughtful analysis of the reasons people play wargames." But Adams noted issues with the book: "Unfortunately, the title is misleading. The Complete Book of Wargames reviews and describes only board wargames — thus ignoring the important part of the hobby devoted to miniatures —and fantasy role-playing games, which are not wargames in any traditional sense. Also, the hobby has been growing so quickly that much of the information is already out of date only a year after publication; for example, no mention is made of Yaquinto Publications, a major company formed after the book was written. Moreover, many of the games reviewed are no longer published by the companies credited with them, and may not be available at all." Nevertheless, Adams concluded on a positive note, saying, "Still, the book remains the most useful guide available both for those already drafted into wargames and for those thinking of enlisting." [4]
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).
PanzerBlitz is a tactical-scale board wargame published by Avalon Hill in 1970 that simulates armored combat set on the Eastern Front of World War II. The game, which was the most popular board wargame of the 1970s, is notable for being the first true board-based tactical-level, commercially available conflict simulation wargame. It also pioneered several concepts that would become industry standards.
Drang Nach Osten! is a monster board wargame published in 1973 by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) that simulates Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. The game was the first of what was envisioned as a series of games with identical wargame rules and map scale that would simulate the entire Second World War in Europe.
Empire of the Petal Throne is a fantasy role-playing game designed by M. A. R. Barker, based on his Tékumel fictional universe. It was self-published in 1974, then published by TSR, Inc. in 1975. It was one of the first tabletop role-playing games, along with Dungeons & Dragons, and was the first published RPG game setting. Over the subsequent thirty years, several new games were published based on the Tékumel setting; however, to date, none have met with commercial success. While published as fantasy, the game is sometimes classified as science fantasy or, debatably, as science fiction.
Napoleon, subtitled "The Waterloo Campaign, 1815", is a strategic-level block wargame published by Gamma Two Games in 1974 that simulates the Battle of Waterloo. A number of versions of the game have been produced by Avalon Hill and Columbia Games.
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.
Source of the Nile is a board game published by Discovery Games in 1977 that simulates the exploration of Africa in the 19th century. A second edition of the game was published by Avalon Hill in 1979.
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.
Terrible Swift Sword: Battle of Gettysburg Game is a grand tactical regimental level board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1976 that simulates the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War. A second edition was published by TSR in 1986.
Chancellorsville is a board wargame produced by Avalon Hill in 1961, and republished in 1974 that simulates the Battle of Chancellorsville during the American Civil War.
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.
Machiavelli is a board game published by Battleline Publications in 1977. Set in Renaissance Italy, the board is controlled by the Republic of Florence, the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Papacy, Valois France, Habsburg Austria, and the Ottoman Turks.
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.
The Complete Wargames Handbook is a book about playing and designing wargames by James F. Dunnigan, published in 1980 by William Morrow and Company.
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.
Air War, subtitled "Modern Tactical Air Combat", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications, Inc. (SPI) in 1977.
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.
Bar-Lev, subtitled "The Yom-Kippur War of 1973", is a board wargame published by Conflict Games in 1974, only months after the end of the Yom Kippur War. The game simulates battles on the two major fronts of the war: the Golan Heights and the Suez Canal. The game proved very popular, and a second edition was published by Game Designers' Workshop (GDW) in 1977.
Strike Force One, subtitled "The Cold War Heats Up — 1975", is a board wargame published by Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) during the Cold War in 1975 that simulates a hypothetical clash in West Germany between Soviet Union invaders, and American defenders. The short and simple game was designed as an introduction to the hobby of wargaming, and was given away as a free promotional item.