PANZERSCHRECK tradition of games. That is, if you are familiar with the level of realism and playability of Avalon Hill’s WAR AT SEA, then you will have a good idea of BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC’s realism and playability.
       For the latest news, information and sample graphics about PANZERSCHRECK and other Minden products, visit the Minden Games website. While you are at the website, be sure to look for special offers that might be running.

SHORT REVIEWS
by Joe Willette

       I play a lot of games. So I jumped at the opportunity to write a column for Jim. Of course the next question was much harder. What do I write about? After much soul searching and considerations of overarching literary themes, I decided to cut right to the point and write some quick reviews of the games I’ve played most recently.
       SCHRILLE STILLE: This German game from Zoch has proven to be quite the excitement generator in its first few outings. It has two major things going for it. First, it has an excellent theme. Each player takes the role of a record label trying to influence the charts to get their bands on top. This theme is presented with great humor that ranges from the ridiculous (band names like Mega-Pearl, Simply Fred, Miami Bit*hes, and Soft Exit) to the sublime (the fact that each band’s chart position is solely determined by the machinations of the competing record labels). The second thing it has going for it is a completely over the top production. The artwork on the band cards is excellent, but the wooden "CD player" used to drive the game mechanics is incredible. The players each take a cardboard "CD" with a circular cutout for each of the 14 chart positions and simultaneously place 5 out of 7 drawn wooden influence markers that range from -4 to +4 into the cutouts. There are also two special markers worth +1 that are used to predict the #1 band and the highest rising band. These "CD’s" are handed in a closed "CD jacket" to the moderator who places them into the wooden "CD player" with 14 slots and two wooden pegs used for rotating and holding the "CD’s" in place. When the "CD jackets" are pulled, the "CD’s" remain while the influence markers fall into their proper slots. The moderator then turns the player one slot at a time and the bands are moved along the chart according to the sum of influence markers for their position. The strategy can be a little frustrating as you are often subject to the whims of your opponents, but there is room for good planning, especially if focus is given to those bands backed by multiple labels. I rate it a 9 (out of 10) for non-gamers (our sessions were quite raucous), a 7 for gamers, and a 4 for anyone who doesn’t think the band names are funny.
       STEPHENSON’S ROCKET: This Rio Grande title from Reiner Knizia has brain twister written all over it. While the theme is ostensibly about railroading, and the beautiful components fit the theme, I wouldn’t really call it a railroading game. In keeping with the Reiner tradition, mechanics have been emphasized over logic of theme. Thus we see that smaller corporations will devour larger ones and stations must be built before track. Still, the inter-locking mechanisms are just fabulous as there are many different things to balance. The downside is that I would expect newbies to be beaten rather handily by experienced players. I rate it an 8 for gamers and a 5 for non-gamers.
       Carabande: This game from Gold Sieber is one of those games that should be in every gamer’s collection for variety. You set up a wooden race track, that can be of varying configurations, upon which wooden discs a little larger than a quarter are flicked over three laps. If your disk goes off the track or pushes someone else off the track, you lose your turn and must put your disk back to its most recent position. An expansion pack adds more options, including a jump. While I’m not one for dexterity games, this one isn’t too hard and seems to have universal appeal. I rate it a 9 for non-gamers, an 8 for most gamers, and a 4 for those who can’t stand dexterity games.
       HELLRAILS: This game from Galloglass is a very promising start for a new company. The theme revolves around delivering sinners to their proper circle of hell. The mechanics involve using cards for one of four different functions: track laying, movement, passenger pickup/dropoff, and hand replenishment. Each card is capable of all functions, but you can only use one function per card. You can play as many card in your turn as you like. Additionally, each circle has a unique power that adds some spice to the game. I liked the concept, but the lack of color on the cards to separate the functions made the game a little more difficult to play than it needed to be. Also, something just didn’t quite click. With 4 players, the game ended far too early, and even with two it was rare to get to the ninth circle. More derailments might help. Definitely worth trying

though, and the price is right at just over $10, including four metal trains. For now, I rate this a 6 for both gamers and non-gamers.

Joe Willette is an avid player and collector of a wide variety of games from wargames to German games. He also just finished playtesting and rules editing for OSG's latest release, Bonaparte in Italy. He lives in rural southern Maryland, but has successfully established an informal gaming group that plays primarily German games.

LEGGAT'S TOP TEN
by John Leggat

      If I were marooned on a desert island, something like Maui, with "perfect" opponents and all the food and drink I could ever want, but could only bring my ten favorite games, the following lists the ones I’d select, in descending order. To make my list, the game must be playable, have good rules and a strong "replay" value, meaning each side can win and there’s enough variability in the game to keep it challenging and different. You will also notice that most of the games are "older" and multi-player in nature. Historicity is not my major concern, although the premise must be historical (no fantasy stuff). What follows are my top ten picks:
       1. For The People (Avalon Hill, 1998) — If I could only take one game, this would be it. For The People is playable forever, challenging for each side and balanced. Not necessarily historical, but who cares. Close enough. Each side has lots of strategy and the card add a level of variability that make each game unique.
       2. Panzergruppe Guderian (SPI, 1976 and Avalon Hill, 1984) — A true classic, if ever wargaming had one. I’ve probably played more games of Panzergruppe Guderian than any other. The game simulates Germany’s drive on Smolensk in 1941. It’s simple, balanced and challenging for either side. And it’s great fun. This is also the only game I’ve ever played using a chess clock, a memorable experience that added a whole new dimension to the game.
       3. Arctic Storm (GMT, 1992) — One of the earliest and best GMT games ever made. Designed and fully developed by David Ritchie, Arctic Storm simulates the Soviet attack on Finland.
       4. Spies! (SPI, 1981) — A marvelous game, perfect for five-players, each representing one of the five countries—Germany, Italy, Great Britain, Russia or France. Spies! simulates the nefarious activity leading up to WWII. Amazingly, the rules are less than two pages long and there are NO dice. It’s spectacular, but you need five people to play it. Takes about four hours.
       5. Operation Typhoon (SPI, 1978) — I love the system. It was the first SPI game to use the concept of variable unit strength. This is a big game, three maps, simulating the German drive on Moscow in 1941. It’s a terrific multi player game, even though it’s not especially balanced. But it’s wonderful to play.
       6. Battles for the Ardennes (SPI, 1978) — This is my most favorite "monster" game simulating the Battle of the Bulge. But, one of the things that makes this game unique is that it includes both the 1940 and 1944 battles, as well as some terrific single-map scenarios. The system is simple and the game is a bunch of fun to play.
       7. Thunder at the Crossroads (The Gamers, 1993) — Can’t get marooned on an island without a Getttysburg game and, all-in-all, this one’s the best. The orders system makes it unique and one of my most memorable games was played as A.P. Hill, coming down Chambersburg Pike and taking a right behind Seminary Ridge, to flank Buford and I Corps, as they sat waiting for me to show up. A.P. Hill was on Cemetery Ridge before they could do anything about it! Another super multi-player game.
       8. Atlantic Wall (SPI, 1978) — I’m eternally captivated by the Normandy Invasion and Atlantic Wall is the best for simulating the actual landing. It does a terrific job of putting you on shore with the Allies and is the closest thing to the landing scenes "Saving Private Ryan" that you will find.
       9. Drive On Stalingrad (SPI, 1977) — A two-map simulation of, yep, you’ve got it, the Axis drive on Stalingrad in the summer of 1942. Drive On Stalingrad uses the Panzergruppe Guderian system on a much larger scale and, again, although the game is not balanced, it’s fascinating to play and does an outstanding job of simulating the campaign.
       10. Drive on Paris (The Gamers, 2000) — New, but really terrific and unusually fluid for WWI. Lots of replay value. It will be a while before either side breaks the code to this game. Oh yeah, and I was a playtester.
       Honorable Mentions: Civil War and Hell’s Highway are two of the finest games that Victory Games ever produced and, if I had room for twelve, they would be the ones to take.

John Leggat lives in Thousand Oaks, California where he plays and reviews wargames.