Board Game News 12: Fortress America, Army vs. Aliens plus a boatload of Eagle Games…

Fantasy Flight

The big news this week is that Fantasy Flight Games is reprinting Fortress America. However, that really means nothing to me, I’ve heard the game talked about but never played it or even read anything about it. And really, it’s no surprise that Fantasy Flight are reprinting it. Every game from my childhood seems to be being reprinted by them, it’s like they have a monopoly on nostalgia gaming.

Of course, I love FFG so that’s no bad thing :). Anyway, if you want to know more about the reprint check out the description page.

In other news FFG has announced a new standalone card game, like many of their other small box games Rockband Manager is a face paced filler game. It’s too early to tell much but from the description it sounds like it’s a simple game with a “take-that” (no pun intended) feeling to it. Check out this page for more info.

Wiggles 3D

The guys over at Wiggles 3D would like you all to know about their latest release Army vs. Aliens. It’s a compact dice game for 2 players for ages 8 and up.

The game includes 18 custom dice—9 for each team. The handy guide helps players plan their battle moves. The game also features two dice cups that snap together to double as a carrying case for portability and play anywhere fun! You  get to choose whether you want to fight off alien forces as the army or if you want to be the aliens trying to conquer Earth. Army vs. Aliens tests your gaming skills in fast-paced dice combat. By combining strategy, cunning and a little luck, players outsmart their opponents to win!

Army vs. Aliens will be available soon from Wiggles 3D’s website

 

Eagle/Gryphon Games

I can’t move in my inbox any more because it is literally full of information that the guys at Eagle Games want you to know about.

The Birth of America Series

This is the latest series of games coming from Academy Games and will start with 1812 - the Invasion of Canada.

The Birth of America Series from Academy Games provides an outstanding experience for people new to conflict games as well as those interested in the history of the United States. Every game in the series will include historical information about the conflict that is explored in that game, providing players with an educational experience as well as a historical context of the events leading up to the conflict. 

1812 - The Invasion of Canada is a tremendous starting point for the Birth of America series and is one of those rare games that allows players to dive into the game quickly yet be rewarded with dynamic and strategic gameplay that will keep players coming back for more!

1812 - The Invasion of Canada features fast, intuitive and fun gameplay that involves teamwork and strategic planning in a historic and educational setting. This is THE GAME for people who want an enjoyable and manageable introduction to historic/conflict based games.

Players: 2-5 | Ages: 12+ | 60-120 minutes MSRP: $64.99

 

New Arrivals from Gryphon Games

Bazaar, Pastiche International Edition and Empires: Builder Expansion Have Arrived

The Sid Sackson classic, Bazaar, has arrived. Through skilful trading each player attempts to gain the right combination of coloured stones from the bank to purchase the wares displayed in the Bazaar. Values of the various wares are determined by the number of stones the purchaser holds following his transaction. When all the wares from two of the stalls have been sold, the Bazaar is closed, the game ends and the player with the highest score wins! Click Here to order Bazaar!


The international edition of Pastiche adds 8 wooden easels to hold player's commission cards. It also replaces 15 commission cards from the 1st edition, and now features some of the best-known paintings found in U.S. art museums including works by Georges Seurat, Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer, Auguste Renoir, Jan Vermeer and more! Click Here to order Pastiche International Edition!

The first ever expansion to Glenn Drover's hit game, Empires: Age of Discovery (formerly Age of Empires III). The Builder Expansion adds a new specialist, The Builder, as well as 20 new capital buildings. The expansion also increases the number of  players from 5 to 6 with the addition of a full set of purple colonists.  Click here to order Empires: Builder Expansion!

Caveman Curling Launches on Kickstarter.com

In Caveman Curling each team attempts to "throw" or flick their rocks, one at a time, down the frozen lake.  Special objects such as hammers, which allow the rocks to be moved after the throw, and totems, which protect a thrown rock from being moved, add an extra layer of strategy to the game.  Play consists of rounds, at the end of which each team or player scores a point for each of their rocks closer to the centre of the cave than any of their opponent's rocks.  The first team or player to six points wins!

Click Here to View the Caveman Curling Project on Kickstarter.com

 

Eagle Games Announces New Stand-Alone Defenders of the Realm Game

The yet unnamed game is a stand-alone card and dice game set in the world of Defenders of the Realm and designed by Richard Launius (Defenders of the Realm, Dragon Rampage Arkham Horror).  As with the original Defenders of the Realm and its expansions, the new game will feature the art of the legendary Larry Elmore. The game is expected be released in the second quarter of 2012. More information to come!

 

Dragon Rampage Arrives Next Week!

Only 200 Available!

The long anticipated fantasy dice and board game, Dragon Rampage, will be arriving in our warehouse next week.  We had 200 copies air shipped over so they'd be available before the holidays.  So if you'd like to be one of the first people to own this great game, now is your chance! Preorder now and receive 6 (Defenders of the Realm) pre-painted figures to use instead of the tokens for your character!

Designed by Richard Launius (Defenders of the Realm, Arkham Horror) and featuring the art of Cyril van der Haegen (Zong Shi, Call of Cthulhu The Card Game, Magic The Gathering), Dragon Rampage is a strategic dice game for 3 to 5 players. Each player takes the role of one of the adventurers (all with different abilities) and the goal is to score the most points at the end of the game by fighting against, or running from (or some combination of the two) the dragon you just woke up, and tallying up the treasure and gold you obtain in the dungeon. Players roll 7 specially designed dice, Read on...

New Arrivals From Gryphon, Portal & Academy Games

Santiago de Cuba, Pret-a-Porter, Strike of the Eagle and The New Era

Welcome to Santiago, the second largest city in Cuba, home of legendary rum and birthplace of the revolution! The chaotic streets hum with the sounds of bustling crowds and busy commerce. Cargo ships constantly arrive and depart from the port. Demand is continuous, if unpredictable, for a supply of local products such as exotic fruits, sugar, rum, tobacco, and cigars.

In Santiago de Cuba, your business card says "broker", but in reality you're a shady wheeler-dealer who arranges deals with the locals and with corruptible officials to move goods and meet the demand of those ever-present cargo ships - and your ability to procure these goods is only as reliable as your "connections".  Click Here to order Santiago de Cuba!

Pret-a-Porter is an economic strategy game set in the world of fashion. Players run clothing companies and fight for dominance during fashion shows. It is - perhaps - one of the most cruel and ruthless of all Portal games. Money can be a dangerous weapon.

Pret-a-Porter was Game of the Year 2011 nominee in Poland and has an average rating of 7.61 on Boardgamegeek.com.  

Strike of the Eagle is a strategy block game that simulates the tenseness of the Polish-Soviet War of 1920 and is the first game in the new Fog of War series. A unique and new double blind game system in which players not only keep their units hidden, but also place concealed orders! 
The heart of Strike of the Eagle lies in players placing secret orders on the map during each turn to bluff, mislead, misdirect and outplay their opponents! This novel new system uses no dice and plays quickly with 2 to 4 players. Click here to order Strike of the Eagle!

Four factions have grown and their boundaries widened. The conflict is not to be averted. Blood will soon be shed. The Mutants' Union is the power that made rocks roll and attack, and the other factions responded quickly. The New Era begins, the era of war...

The New Era, a standalone expansion for 51st State, contains more than 80 new cards and a new, fifth faction - The Hegemony, a violent band of criminals. New rules for direct interaction allow players to invade and sign deals with opponents' locations. New options and decisions have opened for players. The game is aggressive and even more engaging than 51st State.

The New Era has an average rating of 8.3 on Boardgamegeek.com.

 

In Conclusion

I told you didn’t I? More Eagle Games news than you can shake a stick at. It’s very nearly Christmas time so I probably won’t find time for a review this Wednesday. There will however be a new guest post this Monday and I’ll probably post a little something about what games I’m looking forward to on Wednesday. After that however Unboxed will be on Hiatus until the new year.

So from all of us here I wish you all a merry holiday season and a happy and prosperous new year.

Comments