Thanks for the new video. I'm in the hospital since Monday and started rewatching everything on the channel whenever I'm not working on my own project so I'm happy about new content.
LOTR Confrontation and Thunder & Lightning are two long time favorites of mine. Besides having significantly shorter play times than the “Stratego” lineage, they always engage the players in an interesting decision space. Great video btw!
Yeah, it’s a really nice device. For me, the gameplay is a bit TOO stripped back. But I do like the air of mystery with victorious pieces unrevealed after an attack.
@@DanielSolis Yeah, it’s too much. My Dad’s childhood copy is annotated all over the place - a sign of the difficulty he had with it as a kid - as a big Dover Patrol fan, he never got to grips with Tri-Tactics. It doesn’t help that the naming conventions are inconsistent between games (and even between the rulebook and the game pieces). I like the systems in the game, but it feels like a designer indulging every whim, incorporating every new idea, and never “killing their darlings”.
The Generals was based on the game Salpakan which for me is the most elegant implementation of the mechanic. Yes it can feel stripped back but it has none of the flaws of Stratego and it feels much more balanced. The requirement for a 3rd player arbiter (electronic in The Generals) is a major difference, as is the ability for all pieces to move.
So much history I didn't know about! :D In the same family are Roberto Fraga's Princess Jing and Reflecto. They include special mirror pieces - if it's ahead of an enemy, you can peek in the mirror. It adds an interesting physical dimension - your opponent can catch you peeking, and deduce where your mirror is at.
Great Video, Adam it brought back lots of memories of playing Dover Patrol and Aviation as a boy. Another deduction game that I enjoyed back in the day was SIGMA FILE. Bought an old copy recently and I was surprised how I found the simply gameplay still engaging despite being a 50 year old design.
Thanks for the video. I grew up on Stratego. Interesting to see all the other types. There's a game I found out months ago called, Jumbo Spies and Lies. Looks interesting. Love to hear your thoughts.
I bought Spies and Lies and played it a couple of times. It didn’t give me the Stratego vibe I was looking for, and I struggled to find any real strategy to it. It felt like I was guessing throughout the entire game. And the rules were not easy to follow. I didn’t give it enough of a chance to form a proper opinion, before I gave it to a charity shop.
One game I remember from the Dover Patrol era was Tank Battle. Greatly simplified version of l'Attaque but with model plastic tanks (also MB games i think) Shout out for LotR Confrontation. Best game in the genre
@@AdaminWales random vignette - I was in Glasgow this week for the Banksy exhibition (Cut & Run) and there was a mock up of his old teenage bedroom. On top of the wardrobe, at the end of his bed, was Tank Battle!
I bought a few for the video! :) My Dad had L’Attaque & its sequels. I owned The Generals as a kid. I picked up Swords & Wizardry, Luzhanqi, Conquest & Shadows in Kyoto for the video. Fortunately none of them broke the bank!
The European games (L’Attaque etc) used higher numbers as higher ranks. The Asian games (Gunjin Shogi, Luzhanqi) used the reverse. American Stratego used the Asian system. European Stratego used the European system. At a certain point, the Stratego game was standardised across the world - opting for the European system, to the consternation of American fans. To my mind, it’s the more logical system - but that might just be because I’ve played so much Dover Patrol! :)
Loved Stratego in my childhood too! A true classic. Had a hunch I can try to make it "better" in my own design by using a bit different combat system, more assymetry, tribal theme and also an ambush mechanic:) It's called Jungled: ua-cam.com/video/iOU9E0dZSrc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=JungledTheBoardGame
Thanks for the new video. I'm in the hospital since Monday and started rewatching everything on the channel whenever I'm not working on my own project so I'm happy about new content.
Hope it keeps you entertained - even if it’s all repeats! Get well soon.
Get better & get that game done!
LOTR Confrontation and Thunder & Lightning are two long time favorites of mine. Besides having significantly shorter play times than the “Stratego” lineage, they always engage the players in an interesting decision space. Great video btw!
Thanks - I’m really keen to try both of these.
The Generals looks so lovely! I love the electronic arbiter.
Yeah, it’s a really nice device. For me, the gameplay is a bit TOO stripped back. But I do like the air of mystery with victorious pieces unrevealed after an attack.
Seems like striking that balance has historically been a struggle for this genre. Tri-tactics looks overwhelming in its complexity. :D
@@DanielSolis Yeah, it’s too much. My Dad’s childhood copy is annotated all over the place - a sign of the difficulty he had with it as a kid - as a big Dover Patrol fan, he never got to grips with Tri-Tactics.
It doesn’t help that the naming conventions are inconsistent between games (and even between the rulebook and the game pieces). I like the systems in the game, but it feels like a designer indulging every whim, incorporating every new idea, and never “killing their darlings”.
The Generals was based on the game Salpakan which for me is the most elegant implementation of the mechanic. Yes it can feel stripped back but it has none of the flaws of Stratego and it feels much more balanced. The requirement for a 3rd player arbiter (electronic in The Generals) is a major difference, as is the ability for all pieces to move.
Thanks for the new video. Never knew this game/concept is adapted all around the world! Seems all the same but still different.
So much history I didn't know about! :D
In the same family are Roberto Fraga's Princess Jing and Reflecto. They include special mirror pieces - if it's ahead of an enemy, you can peek in the mirror. It adds an interesting physical dimension - your opponent can catch you peeking, and deduce where your mirror is at.
Great suggestions - those two games look fascinating. I hadn’t come across them.
Nice one, Adam👍👍👍👌
Great Video, Adam it brought back lots of memories of playing Dover Patrol and Aviation as a boy. Another deduction game that I enjoyed back in the day was SIGMA FILE. Bought an old copy recently and I was surprised how I found the simply gameplay still engaging despite being a 50 year old design.
Thanks - I looked up Sigma File. I’d like to try it if I come across a copy.
Four players, eight playing pieces and a suitcase - and quick to learn to boot.
Thanks for the video. I grew up on Stratego. Interesting to see all the other types. There's a game I found out months ago called, Jumbo Spies and Lies. Looks interesting. Love to hear your thoughts.
I bought Spies and Lies and played it a couple of times. It didn’t give me the Stratego vibe I was looking for, and I struggled to find any real strategy to it. It felt like I was guessing throughout the entire game. And the rules were not easy to follow. I didn’t give it enough of a chance to form a proper opinion, before I gave it to a charity shop.
The Confrontation (LOTR) is AWESOME! You should try it soon! =)
Turns out my brother has a copy so hopefully will get a chance to try it. I believe it’s pretty hard to find (at a reasonable price) right now.
One game I remember from the Dover Patrol era was Tank Battle. Greatly simplified version of l'Attaque but with model plastic tanks (also MB games i think)
Shout out for LotR Confrontation. Best game in the genre
Picked up a copy of Tank Battle after this comment. Looking forward to trying it! :)
@@AdaminWales random vignette - I was in Glasgow this week for the Banksy exhibition (Cut & Run) and there was a mock up of his old teenage bedroom. On top of the wardrobe, at the end of his bed, was Tank Battle!
Ay caramba! What a lot of vintage games! Did you buy them especially for the vid? Your shelves must be bulging.... never actually played Statego.
I bought a few for the video! :)
My Dad had L’Attaque & its sequels. I owned The Generals as a kid. I picked up Swords & Wizardry, Luzhanqi, Conquest & Shadows in Kyoto for the video. Fortunately none of them broke the bank!
I loved stratego, but hard to find a playmate
Why did the makers of Stratego change the numbering system so the new method has 10 as the marshal, the top piece on the board?
The European games (L’Attaque etc) used higher numbers as higher ranks. The Asian games (Gunjin Shogi, Luzhanqi) used the reverse.
American Stratego used the Asian system. European Stratego used the European system. At a certain point, the Stratego game was standardised across the world - opting for the European system, to the consternation of American fans.
To my mind, it’s the more logical system - but that might just be because I’ve played so much Dover Patrol! :)
Helluva Deep Dive!
Loved Stratego in my childhood too! A true classic.
Had a hunch I can try to make it "better" in my own design by using a bit different combat system, more assymetry, tribal theme and also an ambush mechanic:)
It's called Jungled:
ua-cam.com/video/iOU9E0dZSrc/v-deo.html&ab_channel=JungledTheBoardGame