Toulon 1793 A BoardgamingLife Review

Usually when one thinks of Napoleonic battles, what comes to mind is a combined arms battle that involves climactic cavalry charges, artillery bombardments, large formations of infantry marching into position for the assault, and a battle of maneuver. There is none of that in Toulon. This is siege warfare. Battle is methodical and development slow. There are no hugely bloody clashes. Playing this game is an exercise in planning and patience. Grab a cup of Earl Grey, hot (thank you, Captain Picard, for that enduring memory), and enjoy the experience for victory is the reward of careful resource management and thoughtful development of position. But, time is not eternal. Each player, especially the French, will be up against the clock and limited resources as they strive to defeat the Allied forces.

Dien Bien Phu: The Final Gamble

This is a siege game which represents the defense of an airstrip by the  equivalent of a  French division against more than three Viet Minh infantry divisions supported by nine artillery battalions.   The setting is a valley located in the highlands near the border between Vietnam and Laos in 1954.  The game is divided into 21 turns, each of which represents three days.  If the French have not surrendered at the end of the last turn, the French player wins.  If they have surrendered, the Viet Minh player wins.