Dire Heroes – Gas Attack at Ypres is now available for purchase with shipping to the US, UK and Canada only at this time but I’m working to make it available to my European friends.

Right now until Jan. 1st, MagCloud has a 25% off sale so it’s selling for just $4.80 USD (normally $5.40 USD)

Click here to check out a preview and to order.

Thanks to all of my supporters who were encouraging in making this a reality!

Memoir ‘44 owners – For those of you not aware, I have made a rule book that uses a standard Memoir ‘44 set for the 2nd Battle of Ypres during the Great War.  The game is called Dire Heroes – Gas Attack at Ypres.  The rules are not the same as Memoir ‘44, though I have kept them simple in keeping with the spirit of that game.

If you own a copy of Memoir ‘44, you practically own this game. All you need is a copy of the rule book (which will be available shortly through this site).  In the meantime, I have made a little contest in which you can win a free copy. Visit the entry for the game on BoardGameGeek.com for details and good luck!

Here’s an early Christmas gift for everyone – the complete Memoir ‘44 dice decal sheet! While I’m still waiting on some indented dice (I was hoping to show an example) these should be fine if you can get a source for blank dice.

(Thanks to Tom Mouat for the permission to use the soldier and tank font in the creation of this sheet)

As some of you may already know, I have been busy working on a project of my own.  It’s a First World War game that can be played with a standard Memoir ‘44 set.  It’s called Dire Heroes – Gas Attack at Ypres.  For those not familiar with the 2nd Battle of Ypres, here is where the first effective gas attack was launched in modern warfare.  The game opens with the gas attack.  From there players try to force the capitulation of their opponent through a Military or Morale Victory.

The game is now in production and I hope to offer it up soon.  In the meantime, check out the Dire Heroes dice sheet that you can use to make your own set of dice (I’m looking into a source for indented dice, will keep you info’d).  Of course, feel free to download my Memoir ‘44 dice making tutorial to see what I am talking about.

It is time to start thinking about what to get that wargamer for the coming holiday season. In light of that, I have some suggestions based on the games I have played and enjoyed. Here I break them down in terms of what that special someone likes and what they will likely want next.

Let’s start with those who have yet to play Memoir ‘44, my suggestion – Memoir ‘44! It’s a great game that will provide hundreds of hours of entertainment for 2 players.

Ok, ok….if you are on this site, chances are you know about Memoir ‘44 so let’s see what is a good idea after that. There are a lot of expansions that I can suggest here but it would take up the whole post (see the Supplies page for ideas there). So my recommendation for the M’44 fan is the – Memoir ‘44 Campaign Book:Volume I. This one adds 50+ new scenarios and ties them together in campaigns and Grand Campaigns. The Normandy Campaign is playable with just the base game of Memoir ‘44 (authored by yours truly).

For more Memoir ‘44 players, try the Overlord expansion. It allows up to 8 players and makes for a different play. You’ll need any one of the Battle Maps to accompany it for the full experience (Hedgerow Hell or Tigers in the Snow or the new Sword of Stalingrad).

For those M’44 players who want to get a little deeper into wargaming I strongly suggest Tide of Iron. It’s a much more challenging game but with more control, it feels a lot less random than M’44. If they already have Tide of Iron, and enjoy it, I recommend any of the expansions that have come out, they are all good (see the Supplies page for more). Tide of Iron also has more of a multi-player support with up to 4. Be warned though, it is more time demanding than M’44.

For something different yet still accessible I really enjoyed a couple from the Axis & Allies series. Axis & Allies:D-Day introduces wargame sequences through the use of cards. While Axis & Allies:Battle of the Bulge has a fluid front and deals with the classic wargame problem of supply. Though these games have a limited replay value (not scenario based) they are still a great addition to any collection.

Looking for a good multi-player wargame? I would suggest the following…

Conquest of the Empire is set in ancient Rome and is a fun classic that offers two ways to play (Classic and II). The components are amazing (and right now, the price is amazing!).

Viktory II is another excellent multi-player game that is in the vein of Risk but plays out much better.

Well, that about covers off what I would suggest for the game players holiday wishlist.

Just a quick note that the ‘Who Killed the Black Baron‘ scenario can now be found on the Battles page. Thanks very much to Barry Doyle for his help in formatting it!