The mix of new game releases has changed in the last year. When you stop & think about it, its been an exceptionally slow year for wargames, but not a bad year for strategy games in general. Games such as Mississippi Queen, or Settlers of Catan Card Game, are good examples of the type of lighter, multiplayer game that have been hot for the last year. What's largely missing, of course, is the solid wargame that we've been so used too. Aside from March to Victory and Clash of Arm's just out War Without Mercy, 1998 has been pretty barren for thus far for traditional wargames. Of course, the year is young. GMT's announced publication of 3 prime games: Invasion Sicily, Saratoga, and Caesar’s Gallic Wars (none of which are out). And Clash of Arms has Summer Storm (Gettysburg) and Fear God & Dreadnought coming soon. And, of course, Avalanche should have Great War at Sea v.2 soon, too. So we'll have to wait to see whether 1998 will produce a decent crop of real, honest to god war-games. We'll see....

Since mid-May and until the end of June, the dearth of games continued unabated. But then several major releases hit. Check 'em out!

War Without Mercy, by Clash of Arms, showed up. This game has two maps and more than 800 counters. It covers the eastern frown during WW2, and will have a couple more mating games covering other theaters in the war in Europe. The oh so long awaited Anglicized Settlers of Catan Card Game is finally out. It’s official. Price is expected to be $14, and should arrive here in a few days. This should be a mixture of the German card game plus its expansion, all with English components. Mayfair also imported two new German games. The first is another die Siedler edition, Stadte und Ritter. This one adds metropolises which enlarge upon cities, and also barbarian invasions that must be defended by defending knights.

Their second game is Durch die Wuste in which 3-5 players take the role of Bedouin tribes developing caravans, water holes, oases and such in the desert.

Wargames West had been importing a line of German games including the popular Mississippi Queen. Now, they've formed a new company, Rio Games, to import German produced, all-English versions of this game, and its Black Rose expansion. Both involve piloting a paddle wheeler down a river in a race that requires you to pick up passengers & manage your coal supply. Their Fossil game is also on hand .

Morsecode, a strategic level western front game of WW2 is also out. A large game w/ 1700 nicely done counters played on a single map. It’s a would-be World in Flames. And approaches it in price. In stock for $56.

Many people have been awaiting the Twilight Imperium: Armada kit adding 300+ plastic ships. Well, they've finally been released.

ASL fans have just a little bit to enjoy. Critical hit Magazine #5/1 is avail and in stock for $12. Also, the Euro-pack 4 scenario pack providing 8 new ASL scenarios focused on N.Africa.

Plague and Pestilence, a cute little card game that reminds me of a low-tech game of Nuclear War, is on hand. This was previously available only direct from a small publisher. But now, you can order it direct from Fine Games.

Pending Game Releases

The most notable of the imminent releases are: the '98 World in Flames Annual, the '98 ASL Annual, ASL Doomed Battalions, For The People, Great War at Sea: Northern Waters, Harpoon: White Ensign, La Bataille Lutzen, Summer Storm, J.Caesar Gallic Wars, Invasion: Sicily, War of Resistance, La Guerre Da L'Emperour, and Bells of War.

Europa fans will enjoy Tom Johnson's latest alternative rules kit, War at Sea, which he says now weighs in at about 4 pounds. This should be out in July.

Kevin Zucker, reigning prince of Napoleonic design, will do La Guerre de L'Emperour, a strategic level, simpler game of the Napoleonic era focused on diplomacy and economics. Something like a simpler Empires in Arms.

And I'm dying to see AWE's La Grande Guerre 1914-18, personally. Will it be beautiful? Will it have lots & lots of gorgeous counters? Will it have 70 pages of rules, half of which are exceptions to the first half? Of these, my bets are on For The People(AH) and Great War at Sea: Northern Waters (Avalanche), and J.Caesar Gallic Wars to be exceptionally popular. And perhaps simply exceptional.