QUEBEC 1759
by Gamma Two Games, Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.

It is an historical simulation (of sorts) of General Wolfe's campaign to wrest Quebec from the French forces under Montcalm. The British player starts with his armies encamped on an island in the St. Lawrence River. He must carefully force his units across to the north bank and take the Plains of Abraham by the 16th turn or the French player wins the game.

Playing pieces consist of wooden blocks (similar to those in Milton Bradley's STRATEGO). These counters stand on edge, facing a player, so that his opponent cannot see their strengths. The counters have combat values that range from zero (a blank) to four (a British regular). As a piece takes losses in battle, it is turned to a different edge so that the current strength is always up. Both sides have blanks with which to deceive the enemy.

Quebec comes with a very well done, multi colored, mounted, 10" by 33" mapboard. The strange shape of the board actually facilitates play of the game. The best feature of this game, however, is simultaneous movement, done by written order (similar to that used in DIPLOMACY).

It is not as complicated as it may seem because players are allowed to move only 1 unit or group of units to an adjacent area each turn. This simplicity, coupled with the limited intelligence, the clarity of the rules, and the speed of play (usually an hour or less), make QUEBEC one of the finest wargames I've ever seen.

As a player you actually find yourself trying to outguess the enemy rather than spend your time stumbling over intricate rules, or counting combat factors to the Nth degree trying to obtain that crucial 3 to 1.

QUEBEC is a beautiful game. It is something new in wargaminq and it is destined to be the beginning of an entire ranqe of new games. Its name system can lend itself aptly to many other historical periods. QUEBEC is available for $10.00.

LA GUERRE DE 1812

The first sister game to QUEBEC from Gamma Two. With mapboard, pieces, and rules similar to QUEBEC, it allows you, as the rules say, to find out who really won the war of 1812. The game is based on the American and Anglo-Canadian part of the War: the struggles over Lakes Erie, Ontario, and Champlain, and the American attempt to add Canada to the Union. 1812 is necessarily more abstract than QUEBEC. The area covered is much larger, and there are many more things to do.

A year is represented by 10 game turns. Each turn is comprised of a naval and a land move, followed by combat. The objectives of both sides during these ten turns are to capture the other's cities and lakes and destroy his armies. If, after a year of fighting, neither side has sufficient points for victory, players bring on reinforcements and fight another year's campaign. (The maximum allowable is three years of war.)

The rules provide for either alternate movement, as in chess, or simultaneous movement, as in QUEBEC. Though the combat system is simpler than QUEBEC's, the strategies are more complex. If the game goes into extra years, it will take more than one hour to play.

I highly recommend this game, as well as QUEBEC. Their game systems are the same, but they are as different from each other as AFRIKA KORPS is from STALINGRAD.

THE WAR OF 1812 is available for $10.00.

DRANG NACH OSTEN
by Game Designer's Workshop.

A fantastic, division-level game of the Russian front in World War Two. The scope of this colossus is such that you shouldn't consider it unless you have at least a 4' by 8' table, an entire group of players to participate with you, or plenty of time on your hands.

It comes with seven sheets of multi-colored, mounted, die-cut unit counters; five 21" by 27" 2-color mapsheets; and a fat folder chock full of rules and charts.

As I recovered from the magnitude of DRANG NACH OSTEN spread out before me, I was amazed by the excellent quality of the graphics (art-work) thruout the game. The maps are blue and shades of black on cream paper... the equal of most S&T mapsheets. The unit counters look like they came from Avalon Hill on a good day. They are well cut, easy to read, and have a glossy finish.

The best part is the rules. Aside from being well organized and clearly presented, they are typeset in three columns with adjusted margins and pre-punched holes so they can be put in a loose-leaf folder.

I obviously haven't had time to play this one yet (we're still punching out the 1,680 pieces), but if it plays as good as it looks, and monster games appeal to you don't miss it. The price you pay compared to what you get makes it a real bargain. DRANG NACH OSTEN is available by mail for $13.75 plus $1.00 postage from: Game Designers Workshop, P.O. Box 582, Bloomington, Illinois 61701.

PLASTIC COUNTER TRAY
from Simulations Publications.

After working with DRANG NACH OSTEN,I was made quite aware of the need for this little item. It consists of a vacuum-formed plastic storage tray with 24 compartments and 2 clear plastic lids. Designed to fit into S&T's Standard Game Box (all their games now come equipped with one) it is a real must for any game with a lot of half-inch cardboard pieces. The trays are useful just by themselves, but they can also be cut down to fit into Avalon Hill game boxes.

Plastic Counter Trays are well worth the price. They're available in lots of six for $5.00 from: Simulations Publications Inc., 44 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010.