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I've rated each game from 1 to 10 as far as:
| Difficulty (D): | How difficult and complex the rules are to understand. |
| Time (T): | How long games or sessions can last. |
| Strategy Required (S): | Importance of tactics, knowledge, utilization of rules and experience. |
| Enjoyment (E): | Rating of course is influence by the people who you game with and against. |
War Gaming:
| Global Supremacy
|
A play by mail (partially email) battalion level strategic war game. Players compete for global domination in a post WW III environment by utilizing a semi complex system involving development of industrial and military strength. Usually you form alliances. Not only is it costly in time but monetary expenditures at times as well. Games last for years. |
| D: 7 T: 9 S: 7 E: 7 | |
|
Axis and
Allies
|
A board game that focuses on the overall WW II global conflict. A step up from Risk. Played this game the night before my wedding. Have not played in years. |
| D: 3 T: 4 S: 3 E: 7 | |
|
Risk
|
Simple global conquest board game, with some randomness added to the tactics. Play only rarely. |
| D: 2 T: 4 S: 2 E: 6 | |
|
Star Fleet
Battles
|
Based upon the Star Trek Universe, a space combat game which pits individual ships, flotillas, or even fleets in individual scenarios or long term campaigns, with and against single or multiple allies/adversaries. Have not played in years. |
| D: 9 T: 7 S: 8 E: 6 | |
|
Diplomacy
|
The rules are simple, the board appears simple, but accomplishing your goal is difficult. Exactly what it says, you must use negotiation, logic, deceit, and for some who feel it necessary...backstabbing, to achieve victory. The goal is to gain dominance in pre WW I Europe. Has been known to cause hard feelings for a while among players. If you can win with with Italy you are truly a master. One game that can readily be played through email. |
| D: 3 T: 5 S: 5 E: 6 | |
|
Kingmaker
|
Set in the War of the Roses timeframe mainly in the United Kingdom, the objective is to secure one of the heirs, kill all of the others, and crown yours king. Very fun but have not played in years. |
| D: 4 T: 5 S: 3 E: 7 | |
|
Panzer
Leader
|
A simulation of ground infantry and armor combat in WW II that includes terrain and multiple unit factors in the combat system. |
| D: 5 T: 4 S:5 E: 5 | |
| Galactic Rebels
|
Was a play by mail space game based on economic trade and simulated combat. Was very inexpensive and a very high quality game. It was a game program developed and run exclusively by the moderator. Lamentably, James West was killed by a drunk driver. |
| D: 3 T: 2 S: 4 E: 9 | |
|
Nuclear
War/Nuclear Escalation
|
A simple card game with a spinner and six sided dice (one side with a mushroom cloud). Goal is to construct and launch the most devastating nuclear missiles you can and destroy your opponents' population before yours is obliterated. Even if your population is eliminated...you have the retributive strike with every and anything you have left. Morbid concept, fun game. |
| D: 3 T: 3 S: 3 E: 7 |
RPG Gaming:
Role Playing Games focus more on
player interaction than rules. Most depend on what the game master or
moderator puts into it, and the creativity of the players involved.
Thus, a rating system is difficult to apply.
| Dungeons & Dragons | My first role playing game. Swords and Sorcery type for those who are unfamiliar. We tend to stick to the old AD&D from the mid 1980s to early 1990s. Some campaigns have been ongoing since 1982, although we get together maybe twice a year...but it is a catalyst and reason to gather with longtime friends. |
| Top Secret | A James Bond type role playing game. Simple rules and as interesting as the characters and the mission. Pitz, my favorite character, was a terrible agent but fun to run. |
| Role Master | Sword and Sorcery, but very complex. For those who desire "realism" in fantasy magic and combat. Very detailed and interesting but not for a casual gamer. |
| FTL | Played several times. An interesting and simple game system dealing with space travel and adventure. |
| Morrow Project | This has scenarios based on a post nuclear holocaust environment where teams of specialists were sheltered and slept to emerge later to rebuild civilization. Usually militaristic and problem solving in nature. |
| Star Trek (RPG) | Okay system. You need to have a good game moderator or it's a flop. |
| Traveller | Similar to FTL but simpler. Combat tends to move faster. My first SF RPG. |
| Palladium | Similar to AD&D, but a different system. Less complex die rolls and the system does not run as smoothly, but good players and adventures compensate. Last I heard, the company which published Palladium went out of business. |
| Expendables | I play-tested this science fiction space exploration game created by Lee Cerny, Walter Mytczenskyj, and Michael Thomas. Your characters explore planets for corporations, and the explorers are expendable. Sadly, Stellar Games is now out of business. |
