8 Avalon Hill Board Games That Deserve New Life

[Crossroads]

The article is from 2014, but just bumped to it so why not:

8 Avalon Hill Board Games That Deserve New Life

What follows, in chronological order, is my fond and rose-colored recollection of a several Avalon Hill games that I spent way too many hours playing - as well as screaming at my sister "Don't kick the table!" These weren't all the best games, and this is by no means an all-inclusive list, but they are the games that helped shape my current love for real-time and turn-based strategy video games.

I did a lot of screaming to our dog too

But as for the listing, at #1: Rise and Decline of the Third Reich (1974). At #2: Panzer Leader (1974)

Hard to argue   

Air Assault at Crete was something I always wanted but never ended up ordering. Ordering a boardgame in late 70s early 80s was quite an adventure to a young lad: going to the bank with my mom to have the cashier's check in USD, sending the order US, the agonizing weeks(!) waiting for the box to arrive... 

Thoughts, comments, memories? 

[Big Ivan]

Panzerblitz, Panzer Leader were 2 of my favorites. Always will be!

But who could forget AH's Blitzkrieg with its hundreds of counters, AH's Fortress Europa with the dash across France and a choice of 8 separate landing areas in France or AH's The Russian Campaign with its double movement phase, bad weather and supply problems. Man these were all great games!!

Then there is the Europa Series with its individual mega game East Front! Needed 2 ping pong tables to set that baby up!

Another game I found myself going back to a lot was SPI's Red Star-White Star Armored Warfare in the '70's.

Finally, ASL with its 3" thick rule book, great geomorphic map boards and thousands of counters simulating battle on the squad/individual vehicle level and at least one yearly convention where hundreds of ASL maniacs would show up to play a weekend through.

If they could get some of these on the computer venue today I'd be in 7th Heaven!

John

[RADO]

The article is from 2014, but just bumped to it so why not:

8 Avalon Hill Board Games That Deserve New Life

What follows, in chronological order, is my fond and rose-colored recollection of a several Avalon Hill games that I spent way too many hours playing - as well as screaming at my sister "Don't kick the table!" These weren't all the best games, and this is by no means an all-inclusive list, but they are the games that helped shape my current love for real-time and turn-based strategy video games.

I did a lot of screaming to our dog too

But as for the listing, at #1: Rise and Decline of the Third Reich (1974). At #2: Panzer Leader (1974)

Hard to argue   

Air Assault at Crete was something I always wanted but never ended up ordering. Ordering a boardgame in late 70s early 80s was quite an adventure to a young lad: going to the bank with my mom to have the cashier's check in USD, sending the order US, the agonizing weeks(!) waiting for the box to arrive... 

Thoughts, comments, memories? 

Wow! All those are late comers in board games, so I guess I'm dating myself. I don't think Avalon Hill was even the original publisher of Wooden Ships & Iron Men. For me, the classics like Battle of the Bulge, D-Day, Afrika Korps, & Stalingrad were the main stay of my youth in board games from Avalon Hill. Way back then, Strategy & Tactics magazine used to have a board game in every issue. Of course, what really steered me away from board games was miniature gaming, & that I still do.

[Crossroads]

Late comer board games, eh? 

[Outlaw Josey Wales]

Anzio and Gettysburg. SPI also had War between the States, Wacht am Rhein, Terrible Swift Sword. I got to be part of a few miniature battles along with micro armor, that was a blast especially when stationed at Ft. Riley, KS where they had a building full of 2' by 4' tables of actual terrain in Germany in '79. Also put a lot of time into Status Pro Baseball and some college and pro football games I don't remember the names of.

[Boisforas]

And Jutland, both AH & pre-AV version. Long table tops or on the floor-hours of ship to ship combat!

[RADO]

Late comer board games, eh? 

Absolutely! For all you youngsters! lol

[berto]

Late comer board games, eh? 

Absolutely! For all you youngsters! lol

I too got started in the hobby in the early 1960s, beginning with AH Gettysburg, also Tactics II of course.  Been hooked ever since.

[fastphil]

Anzio and Gettysburg.  SPI also had War between the States, Wacht am Rhein, Terrible Swift Sword.  I got to be part of a few miniature battles along with micro armor, that was a blast especially when stationed at Ft. Riley, KS where they had a building full of 2' by 4' tables of actual terrain in Germany in '79.  Also put a lot of time into Status Pro Baseball and some college and pro football games I don't remember the names of.

Got them all including a rump brigade of mixed US Mech and Russian micro armor .  Have AH Longest Day and SPI Atlantic Wall, the GBCW series, Ironclads, and all the ASL titles(twice over).  Did some playtesting for KGP and the BDT HASL series.  Started going PC with SPI Bomb Alley and Guadalcanal on my APLE IIe.  I would buy Bomb Alley again in a heartbeat.