Napoleon Returns keeps itself on the right side of the line between being a proper wargame as opposed to a game with some war in it, and in doing so delivers a rather spiffy and valid experience.

Napoleon Returns keeps itself on the right side of the line between being a proper wargame as opposed to a game with some war in it, and in doing so delivers a rather spiffy and valid experience.
This fantastic four-player game — admittedly a little long in the tooth now, but entertaining as ever — pits English and Spanish players against two French players (north and south, or as the counters are colored, blue and green).
It’s a point-to-point map. Markers and unit counters cover the Iberian peninsula showing who owns what space (regular, key, and fortress). Cards drive the system — you can either play a card for its action point value: move a stack for 1 point, recruit a strength point for 2 points, and so on; or, play it for its stratagem: swap strength points, get reinforcements, lose strength points for outside the playing area deployments, change political ownership of a space, gain a battle advantage, cancel a battle advantage, etc., etc., etc. — if you can think of an effect, there’s likely a card in there somewhere. Some cards are events: They take effect immediately and contain a similar variety of strength point effects.
Paul Comben takes a look at the inaugural design of a new company, Trafalgars Editions. and their simulation of the Battle of Waterloo which combines elements of miniatures with traditional historical board war game mechanics.
By Paul Comben Publisher Vento Nuovo Games Designer Emanuele Santandrea (Some images courtesy of BoardgameGeek.com) Inevitably, some games on some subjects have us searching
By Paul Comben Designer Hannu Uusitalo Publisher U&P Games at http://upgames.fi/home/ (some images courtesy of BoardGameGeek at http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/175360/w1815) I cannot help but think that
by Paul Comben According to Helmuth von Moltke, no military plan ever survived first contact with the enemy. According to the Duke of Wellington,