Fun and Games

OAFS Photo

I've always been something of a believer in "bigger is better." Especially when it comes to games. Even though the space to set up and play one of the so-called "monster" games is at a premium these days. Oh, I have the space, but I also have a wife who doesn't want maps and cardboard counters strewn all over the living room floor.

I mean, I get that.

While on Okinawa I purchased two monster games from Simulations Publications, Inc., or SPI as they were more commonly known. The first was this one ...

Source

Three 22" x 34" map sections, 100 yards per hex, counters represented regiments and artillery batteries. A real monster. A few of us actually played the Little Round Top scenario. Oddly enough the guys controlling the Union forces were actually northerners: New Jersey, Vermont, and Michigan. The guys controlling the Confederate forces were both southerners: Texas and Alabama as I recall.

The North won, just barely, but we had a blast refighting the struggle upon that hill ...

That hill in the middle of the photo is Little Round Top
OAFS Photo

Now the other monster SPI game I had on Okinawa was SPI's Wellington's Victory.

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A massive 68" x 34" map, 100 yards per hex, counters represented battalions/squadrons (infantry/cavalry), and artillery batteries. The map was huge. No one other than me was very interested in playing it so I had to go solitaire. Spread that huge map out on the floor of my room in the barracks (no roommates thankfully, I mean I was in the Air Force, right?).

Set it up Friday night and Saturday morning, then started fighting. I'd only leave the room to go get something to eat and the various calls of nature required of we humans. Come Sunday night, the French forces had punched a hole in Wellington's left flank and it looked as though the Prussians weren't going to make it in time.

Now I lived in the barracks, right, and on rare occasions the squadron would come through and inspect our rooms, to make sure we weren't raising vermin, and to ensure the general hygiene and cleanliness of the barracks. (My memory just reminded me that the USAF didn't call them barracks, we called them "dormitories." What were we, college students?)

I was loathe to pack the game away, so I said the heck with it and left it set up. Of course, dontcha know it, the squadron decided to inspect that Monday. I was called in to the commander's office that afternoon. As I walked in, the First Sergeant, whose desk sat outside the commander's office, was giving me the evil eye.

"So, First Sergeant, commander wants to see me?"

"Yes, no doubt he wants to chew your ass for that pig sty of a room of yours, Airman."

He got a "harumph" from me (under my breath of course) just as the CO walked out, a Major as I recall.

"So Airman, what game was that?"

The commander and I had a great discussion of the battle and of gaming in general. I told him the story of us playing Terrible Swift Sword as well. The First Sergeant was not pleased. From that day forth I had a free pass to keep my monster games set up in my room.

"I don't wanna see any dust on those counters and that map, okay Airman?"

"Sir, yes Sir." Though I didn't like the guy at first, he turned out to be a pretty cool dude.

Now, the two games at the top of the post, both are recent acquisitions, the one on the left is the final (I think) game in the series, a series I mentioned here last year. I waited a couple of years for that one to come out. Worth the wait it was.

Now the one on the right is different, it's a monster game and I saw that one mentioned some time ago. Couldn't find anywhere outside of Australia that had it and I wasn't going to pay the shipping fees and all that (tariff too, no doubt). But Noble Knight Games had it listed and I could get on a waiting list for it. So I pulled the trigger on that. That was over a year ago, I think.

While down in Maryland I got an email from Noble Knight Games that the game was available and would I wish to purchase it?

Why yes, yes I would. So I did. It was pricey but what the heck, why not? FedEx actually delivered it to me at Chez Tuttle et Nuke's house on my birthday. Nice, very nice.

The Nuke took one look at it and said, "Damn, Dad, that's your jam, that's right up your alley."

The Missus Herself just shook her head and mumbled something about "boys and their toys."

Well, she ain't wrong, is she?