Brant Guillory, 19 November 2020 ~ #UnboxingDay
White Dog Games has published a number of well-regarded games that seem to consistently fly under the radar since they’re not often found on store shelves or at conventions. With a Cold War-era game on a topic that’s long been of interest to me, I was eager to take a look at my first game from White Dog in general, and this specific topic in particular.
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The front of the box actually tells you quite a bit about the game, including a lot of details that might normally be hidden on the back.
And yet, the back of the box doesn’t leave you wanting for information, either.
The entire box includes the map & rules, as well as few player aid cards and a single set of counters. White Dog Games no longer ships dice with their games (USPS rules changes), but let’s face it – if you’re reading this article, you probably have no shortage of dice.
The turn record track, and resolution tools, provide a clear, concise set of visual indicators of what’s happening on each turn.
The “detailed” sequence of play certainly lives up to it’s name. With so many smaller actions nested in each turn, there’s not really a “simplified” sequence of play.
The Rhodesian Herald is a nice bit of flavor to overlay the events table that trigger specific actions from turn-to-turn. The decisions you make in this game become tomorrow’s newspaper headlines.
The rulebook is very clear, and engaging to read. The green boxes clearly identify the designer’s thoughts, and having the insight into why certain actions are framed the way they are helps players grasp the actions of the game.
It’s a simple set of counters with a minimal number of military units to shuffle around the map, but a lot of markers for the tracking of progress (or not!) of the player’s efforts in the game.
The map is a wide area-based map, befitting of a strategic nation-wide game where the turns are year-over-year and the individual tactical engagements are of relatively minimal importance.
The White Tribe article inventory
Unboxing • Playthru Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3 • Part 4 • Part 5 • Part 6 • Part 7/End
Thanks for joining this month’s #UnboxingDay with the Armchair Dragoons and we hope you enjoyed our recon of our recent acquisitions.
You can always leave us your feedback in our #UnboxingDay thread, or in the comment area on this article, below.
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